Eating Out

In all fairness, there must be places you can go or dishes you can order that have ingredients of less than questionable origin. I only visited Japan for a little bit so I can't really say I know what is generally available but I was usually able to find things not soaked in grease. As far as economy goes though, I agree that eating out all the time will definitely slaughter a budget.

Jesse: There are less-greasy alternatives, and yesterday I went to an Indian place with lots of vegetable curries, but still, I never trust the food, and don't know where it comes from or how it is produced. If I don't know, I'll always assume the worst.

I've been learning a lot, and therefore paying a lot of attention to how my choices effect the environment. I try to eat locally grown, in-season, non-pesticide foods. I've pretty much cut out meats, but for the occasional fish or chicken skewer.

I just don't want to subsidize the growing of pesticide laden foods from places where the farmers aren't really making enough off of their crop to care about sustainability of the environment. And I don't want to encourage the needless shipping of foods from across the world, just so I can get a any food, any time I want it, at prices that don't take into account the true amount of resources used to get the food to my table.

I have been using a system called footprinting to keep track. There is an overview here, but that link only has some general questions. When you really get down to the nitty it gets a little more exact. (see Radical Symplicity)

It'e not only about food, but in this case it means I eat out a lot less, and sometimes when I eat out with groups, I don't even eat. I have less selection at home too, since the local farmer's co-op doesn't have a huge selection, especially in winter. In the end though I get healthier by default, and the piece of mind from knowing about the food is worth much more than the actual price mark-up.

Basicall though, the more I learn about the consequence of my consumer habits, the harder it is to just go on living the way I was. That is, unles someone can give me a reason that fits with my logic why I should be speical, and I have the right to use far more than my share of the earth's resources.

As the author of Radical Symplicity put it,

Imagine you are first in line at a potluck buffet. The spread includes not just food and water, but all the materials needed for shelter, clothing, healthcare, and education. How do you know how much to take? How much is enough to leave for your neighbors behind you — not just the six billion people, but the wildlife, and the as-yet-unborn?

I know that if I was at a church potluck, and there was only enough mashed potatoes for everyone there to take just one dallop, I wouldn't be taking two... so why is it any different when I am in the real world?

This is pretty insignificant, but I noticed a bottle of Asahi in a couple of the photos - of course, the bottle and label are different in Japan than in the US. Here Asahi is brewed by some Canadian company and "imported" to the states. I wonder if our Asahi tastes different than yours? We can also buy ours in aluminum cans, kinda like you guys...

Don't get me started on beers. I am not a fan of Asahi, Kirin, Bud, Miller, Heiniken, whatever... I prefer a nice thick stout, or cask-conditioned IPA.

Unfortunatly, there aren't many places to get goo beer in Tokyo unless I buy some imported Belgian beers. Also unfortunatly, that footprint thing I rambled on about above also goes for what beers I drink. I really wish I could get nice locally brewed beer... or I wish even more I could stop drinking beer.

But as for the taste, I really don't know if it tastes the same in Canada / US / or Japan. Neither of them have much flavor for me, but I can't imagine it really tastes that much different.

Dang. I broke down and had an imported IPA at the last bloggers meeting. Why must I be so weak!!!!??!!?!!?