Have you heard of Memphis Meat?

“Founded in 2015 and based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Memphis Meats was created to provide a solution to many of the problems associated with conventional animal agriculture: environmental degradation, animal suffering and food products that contain high amounts of  fecal matter, antibiotic residues and other contaminants. The team combines decades of culinary and scientific expertise to develop a way to produce delicious, real meat (not plant-based meat substitutes) directly from animal cells, without the need to feed, breed or slaughter actual animals. The process is expected to be significantly better for the environment, the animals and human health. Memphis Meats is backed by SOS Ventures, New Crop Capital and Efficient Capacity, among others. For more information, visit www.memphismeats.com.”

It’s a pretty cool thing. It’s basically taking cells from “meat” AKA animals and allowing the cells to grow into what we know as meat. It’s actual meat from a scientific standpoint.

It’s meat with a minimal impact to the environment and animals didn’t have to die in the making of every hamburger and chicken breast.

It’s actually really cool in a wonderfully Frankenstein and scientific way. Take away any ethical concerns and at its base is a wonderful alternative. It also means that we have the start to remove ourselves from the horrors that is the commercialized meat system.

Many vegetarians would consider this a good chance to “eat meat again” and while I might consider it at some point another reason that I don’t eat meat is because I don’t crave it or miss it. Eating meat used to make me extremely sick to my stomach and when I stopped eating it a lot of my symptoms subsided. This is all in tie with my having celiac disease and a long story, however, “missing meat” is not part of my story.

I imagine a lot of vegetarians might agree.

However, what excites me the most, is that those I love, my fiance and my family, I could buy “meat” and not feel a nagging guilt on having anyone consuming it. I wouldn’t feel bad about animals dying, because animals didn’t die. That also means that I would have a relief of not having to worry about animals being treated cruelly. I also would lack some of the concerns around environmental impact and what the meat industry does. There would also be a reduction in health-related problems by being able to make meat more healthy and with less of the fat and problems that contribute to poor health.

That is, if Memphis Meat proves to be the viable company and production, which everything I have read is showing it will.

All around it could also mean an end to the meat industry and its environmental impact that is one of the leading contributors to global warming and pollutants. lobal warming and pollutants. 

Until Memphis Meat hits the market, and naturally some competitors, there are a few ways one can help without going veggie. It really all comes down to consuming less and being picky about what you consume. Eat meat with only one meal a day, or have a few days a week that are all veggie. Not only is it good for you, but it’s also good for the planet. Our power as consumers is also choosing how and what we buy and using our money as a vote for the kind of products we want to be available.