Recently in my Biology class, I was working on a project to create a law that would help the U.S. in some way, relating to a topic in biology. I chose to do mine on encouraging people to be a vegetarian. I'd always thought that people mostly became vegetarians to stop the slaughtering of animals. Turns out, there's a few more benefits: not only is it much better for you as a person (the risk of osteoporosis, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease is drastically smaller), it is cheaper (you can save as much as $4000 a year), and it is much better for the environment. How much better? Think about this: A single farm in Milford, Utah, which raises pigs, creates more waste than the entire city of Los Angeles. And this is a single farm. Now I'm no environmental freak, but that sounds like a pretty big deal.
I understand that not everyone will come flocking to the non-meat eating side, but you'd think there would be a lot more. Personally, I know one vegetarian. And while I may not have 5000 friends on facebook, I know a lot of people. So why don't more people become vegetarians? Is is because not eating meat is too drastic of a change? But even then, you can still become a partial-vegetarian, eating no red meat, but still enjoying poultry and sea food, which has many of the same benefits, without all the sacrifice. When the question is no longer Why go veggie? but Why not go veggie?, why are so many people still chomping down on their bacon cheeseburgers?
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I didn't know that being a vegetarian could have so many positive benefits, and the comparison between the pig farm creating more waste than the city of L.A. is really striking. I think most people become vegetarian because they don't believe in the harming of animals or for health reasons, and not many people consider the cost or the waste. Personally, I love meat and could never be a vegetarian but I support those who do make that change. I think that the health benefits that come from eating meat are crucial to a human's diet, and if they chose to not eat meat, it is important that they substitute it with foods that carry the same health benefits (and make sure they get enough protein, etc.)
ReplyDeleteMany people acknowledge that a diet with too much red meat is not very healthy, and that a vegetarian diet is a much healthier alternative, as it lowers risks of osteoporosis, high cholesterol, etc.. However, beef has been a staple element to diet, since biblical times even. In our modern society, it may be proven vegetarian diets are healthier, and more cost-efficient, but they are undoubtedly to many, including myself, not as tasty or satisfying as red-meat.
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