Yesterday, I was listening to my favorite NPR program, Fresh Air – the topic was meat that is grown in a lab for human consumption. There are scientists working in laboratories all over the world, in the process of creating meat that will look and taste like the real thing, without any animal parts. Have you heard about this? The idea is to create a protein source that will not contribute to greenhouse-gas emissions and as our population grows this would be a sustainable way to sustain the agriculture industry and feed millions of people.
Scientists are taking stem cells from pigs and growing them in broth-filled petri dishes – the largest slab of meat grown so far is about the size of a contact lens. The next steps will be to grow these cells into muscle tissue that in the end would be the same as if it were taken directly from the animal.
I have to admit that initially I agreed with Terry Gross (Fresh Air) that it seems creepy, but then I started to consider the impact that meat has on our environment and the ways that animals are treated, usually inhumanely.
What are your thoughts? Do you think test tube meat is a sustainable answer to meat consumption? Would you rather everyone become vegetarian or vegan? Leave your comments below to get in on the discussion.
