Though it is a very old idea, I believe that vegetarian-veganism will change the world. Fifty years ago, no one knew what a vegan was, being a vegetarian was kind of like being from Mars, and no one thought twice about fur, or leather, vivisection, or animal rights.
Over the last half century all that has changed. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel a turning of tides concerning the treatment of animals in our society. Increasingly, people are peeling back the layers of advertising and deception to discover the true source of the food we eat three times a day. Each person that experiences this awakening does so in their own unique way. Here is how it all changed for me.
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| This one was my game changer |
As a kid, I loved meat. I would eat it at LEAST twice a day, but in the eighth grade, all that changed. I watched a documentary called Food Inc. (available here) : It is a compelling, well made, and informative exposé about the food we eat and where it comes from. This film was nominated for best documentary at The Oscars (It lost to another animal rights documentary, The Cove) and puts most of its focus on the food safety side of things. After seeing this movie I was appalled at the state of the industrial food system and how much I had been duped into still believing the image of the traditional farm. What I had always though of as a relatively organic and simple means of production was revealed to be a sadistic, dirty, inhumane process that applied the factory system to living things.
This marked the beginning of my shift towards believing in animal rights. After discovering Food Inc., I slowly began to educate myself further on the subject. From this great blog (We are all animals) to endless hours on Netflix, my relationship with meat started to change. I started off disliking it, before I knew it, I had completely cut it from my diet.
But that’s enough about me! Now let’s get on to how this could affect our world. Global warming is upon us, and if you don’t believe it’s happening then click this, (global warming flowchart). If that doesn’t convince you…then just go down south and join the Tea Party where you can chat with other intellectuals like yourself. Anyway, I’m getting off topic. So global warming is here, saving the planet is not going to be easy, and we produce many greenhouse gasses every day (CO2, Methane, Nitrous oxide). Can anyone guess what the number one way to cut down on all of these gasses simultaneously would be? Removing meat either partially or completely from your diet! (Vegan is better, but one step at a time.) So not only is it healthier and more compassionate, it’s also good for the planet.
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| It's a good question, no one eats their pets |
Maybe this is why going vegetarian as taken off so quickly in the developed world. In 1971, 1% of U.S. citizens described themselves as vegetarians. In 2013,13% of Americans identify as vegetarian (7% vegan, 6% vegetarian). Now, considering that a lifelong vegetarian will save 760 chickens, 5 cows, 20 pigs, 29 sheep, 46 turkeys and half a tone of fish from the hell of the industrial food system, that 13% means much less cruelty, obesity, and greenhouse gasses in our world. So never think that your actions won’t make a difference, because even the smallest ones do.
So if you’re looking to lose a few pounds, be more eco-friendly, or even a little more compassionate, I urge you to explore a world with less meat. It doesn’t have to be 100% vegetarian overnight, It took me months to get all the way there. But I do think you’ll find that once you start to walk down that road you never look back. In the words of another vegetarian, “We must be the change we want to see in the world.” so if it’s a more compassionate, healthy, and sustainable world you seek, then be the change.
