In recent years, vegetarianism has become more and more popular and demand for vegetarian food and restaurants has been constantly growing. Here are the five most important reasons why you should consider going veggie.
1) Ethical
Most animals slaughtered for meat are highly developed beings. According to Marc Bekoff, professor of biology at the University of Colorado and author of "The Emotional Lives of Animals", numerous and diverse animals have rich and deep emotional lives. To kill such highly developed beings just to eat their meat and to shape their whole existence only for that purpose goes contrary to all standards of ethics. Furthermore, the simple fact that most people feel nothing but revolt and disgust when watching an animal being slaughtered may indicate that eating meat is contrary to human nature.
2) Ecological
This may come as a surprise to you, but the livestock sector is one of the worst environmental hazards of our time. It accounts for about 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, which is more than from transportation. Cattle Farming is the most important factor in the deforestation of the Amazon, as space is cleared for pastures and the cultivation of soy for animal feed.
The meat industry also produces high amounts of ammonia causing acidification. It’s also the largest source of water pollution due to nitrogen and phosphorus. Finally, there is the dramatic problem of overfishing which may be the biggest single threat to the marine ecosystems.
3) Health
Meat consumption has been linked to various health hazards such as excessive cholesterol levels, obesity and diseases such as cancer, bone loss, diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and heart disease. There is also the problem of growth hormones and antibiotic residues found in meat products and the risk of food poising when eating rotten meat.
Eating meat is not necessary and too much of it is definitely harmful. There are good vegetarian sources of protein such as nuts and pulses and high-value vegetable oils are a much better source of fat than meat or meat products.
4) Economic
As already mentioned, livestock farming is the by far less effective way of producing proteins and calories compared to a vegetarian diet. It takes many times the amount of water, energy and farmland than is necessary to grow vegetarian food. It has therefore been said that 20 vegetarians can live off the land required by one meat eater.
5) Spiritual
Many spiritual traditions such as Yoga warn that eating meat has adverse effects on the mind, causing fear, aggression and irritation. Programs such as one in Maryland Correctional Adjustment Center in Baltimore Prison showed a sharp decline in the inmates amount of aggressive behavior when they were put on a vegan diet.
Yoga also teaches that eating meat creates negative Karma. The Hindu scripture Manusmriti declares that the persons who buy, cook, serve or eat meat all incur the same negative Karma as the butcher who does the actual killing.
Finally, eating vegetarian can be a practice of Ahimsa (non-violence) which is central to several faiths such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. It can also become an expression of love and compassion which are
the fundamental commandments of all religions including Christianity.
Links and Literature:
“Livestock’s Long Shadow-Environmental Issues and Options”. A United Nations Report, released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow and Empathy - and Why They Matter. By Marc Bekoff.
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)
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