I've been a strict vegetarian for so long now that I rarely talk about it any more. Most folks who know me at all probably don't think about it unless I'm coming over for dinner and they have to decide what to cook. However, just because I don't
talk about it and I'm not in people's face all the time doesn't mean it isn't important to me. In fact, precicely because it comes up for me three times every day (at least) it remains a huge issue for me. I thought I'd take some time to lay out what I see as the most important parts of this decision. I'll write a some thoughts, but I'll include lots of links (if I can figure out how to paste links on here) that have tons of good information. The links I'm posting are just the tip of the internet iceberg. There are tons of great recipe sites, sites on animal rights and farm animal rescue, and lots and lots of sites on environment and health as they relate to vegetarianism.
First, to straighten out some facts which probably don't mean much to the general public. I rarely call myself a vegan because my animal-free lifestyle is limited to my diet. I do not eat milk, eggs, fish, chicken or whatever people call "vegetarian" when in fact they just don't like beef. However, I wear leather shoes and wool sweaters, which true vegans do not. I do this only after examining the alternatives (clothes made from oil-based products) and deciding that animal products are the lesser evil in the big picture. I wish there was a better choice, but until then I just try to minimize my purchases.
Second, and I want to say this right out, being a vegetarian is not that hard. There are an incredible number of excellent quality meat, egg, and dairy subsitutes out there. Making the change is easy. People always say "Man, I really respect you, but I could never do that". This is part of the problem- I'm not some kind of vegetarian monk in it for the benefits of self-deprivation. Anybody can do this. Health care orginazations agree that it is healthy for all ages and activity levels, including pregnant and nursing women or children. There are soy ice creams out there that are better than regular ice cream.
OK, I originally became a vegetarian because of animal rights. I worked in college on a small farm and personally slaughtered chickens and turkeys (although even at the time I was a vegetarian). We also raised pigs, lambs and a few cows for slaughter. Our animals were raised sustainably and kindly and their meat went to the college cafeteria. Still, the idea of raising an animal for the purpose of killing it seemed wrong to me. In reality, most animals are raised in horrific conditions. Don't fool yourself that buying organic, range free eggs makes it better. Those labels literally mean nothing. Animals are sentient beings and they feel pain when their beaks are cut off or when they are made to stand all day on concrete floors or when they are ravaged by their neighbors in crowded conditions. These atrocities happen in "humane" farmyards just as they do in factory farms.
Check out Gary Francione's website. He's a law professor at Rutgers who specializes in animal rights. His big issue is the idea of "animal welfare"- the mistaken idea that it's better to eat free range/range free meat and eggs.
Also Compassion Over Killing, which has informational ads suitable for all ages
The Meatrix an award-winning series of short films a la the Matrix
Finally, Earthlings, which is the most powerful animal rights film I've ever seen. Check out the link, and then buy the DVD.
The second reason I am a vegetarian is environmental. The agriculture indusry has a major impact on water and land use as well as pollution especially in the form of runoff into groundwater and streams. Fishing, a major industry where I live, is raping the oceans. By switching from a meat-based diet to a vegetarian diet, you'll make more impact on the environment that if you swapped your Hummer for a Prius.
Six Arguments for a Greener Diet has bite sized information including fun things like calculating the environmental impact from your weekly diet and a mini-tour of a farm
Less cute, and more dense is the UN report on the environmental impact of livestock. You can download the whole report there
Another dense report from the UN is on fisheries and can be found here
The third and final reason I don't eat meat is for health reasons. As a health care professional, I see the results of our typical American diet every day in diagnoses of obesity, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, gall bladder disease, osteoporosis... A vegetarian diet can't cure every disease, but I feel strongly that every person would benefit from a vegetarian diet. Often people try going veg and quit because they felt tired or weak. These people never hesitate to share this experience whenever I mention that I am a vegetarian. I stand by my earlier statement that it's easy to be a vegetarian, but you do have to put a little thought into it, especially when you're beginning. You can't just cut animal products out of your diet and replace them with potato chips and apple juice.
About dot com has a decent introduction to this subject, with some good links including the vegetarian food pyramid put out by the USDA
One quick final note on nutrition. Protein is the big buzz word these days, especially thanks to Dr Atkins (don't get me started on the Atkin's diet). The second most common response I get after people express their misplaced admiration is to ask where I get my protein. In fact, the US RDA for an average man is 52g and 44g for a woman (international recomendations are 37g for a man and 29g for a woman. I wonder why Americans need more protein than Italians). Anyway, that amount of protein is easily obtained- I get 12-15g just by eating cereal with soy milk for breakfast. A PB&J on whole wheat bread for lunch bumps you up over 20. Plant based protein is high quality and digestable and adequate even for elite atheletes. On the other hand, excess protein is directly related to osteoporosis, liver disfunction, immune problems and kidney disease.
If you're interested in any or all of these issues, consider switching to a vegetarian diet. If you're nervous about how to start, the best way is to choose one day a week or one meal a day and make the change. This is much more productive than switching to organic, range free products. Just making your lunch vegetarian can be a huge impact on the enviroment, as the PB&J campaign advocates.
"When a human kills an animal for food, he is neglecting his own hunger for justice. Man prays for mercy, but is unwilling to extend it to others. Why should man then expect mercy from God? It's unfair to expect something that you are not willing to give. It is inconsistent. I can never accept inconsistency or injustice. Even if it comes from God. If there would come a voice from God saying, "I'm against vegetarianism!" I would say, "Well, I am for it!" This is how strongly I feel in this regard."- Singer again
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