Mark Bittman is quoted as saying, "Eating less meat and dairy doesn't require any additional time of effort. Calling your Congressman does. I'd say start with the first: with the energy you gain from eating a plant-based diet, you might be ready to lobby til the cows come home."
Vegans are always ready to fight for their ideals it seems. We are activists; we call on our government to do better by animals and us; we work for the world to be a better, cleaner, saner, more compassionate place.
We are not the only ones who work for the good of man, but veganism gets a really bad rap out there in the world. And at one point, it was well-deserved. As a long time vegan, I can tell you that the movement has evolved quite a bit in the last years. We have come a long way from spray painting people who wore fur to the compassionate health-conscious movement that has attracted luminaries like former President Bill Clinton.
From Martha Stewart to "Cupcake Wars," it seems that the word "vegan" is on the tips of everyone's tongues. Plant-based eating is finally coming into its own. It has taken something of a minor revolution for that to happen; a lot of activists doing a lot of yelling and demonstrating.
We have come a long way, baby, but there's still a long road ahead. In our modern times, it seems that everyone is screaming about something, so how do vegans and their compassionate lifestyle stand apart from all the other causes marching in the streets?
Most of us who live this gorgeous lifestyle can tell stories that would curl your hair: conversation abruptly ending when we walked into a room; meals fraught with tension because we chose not to eat the meat offered; dramatic family incidents; friends lost. A history of biting remarks and "Meat is Murder" T-shirts has left some people bereft of the exact emotion we want associated with us... compassion. Instead, the mere mention of plant-based eating in some circles incites anger like I have not seen, except in political debate. And while there is a definite political edge to some of the issues we vegans work on, like animal cruelty in lab testing, factory farming, the rapidly degenerating quality of our food supply, the enforcement of labeling genetically modified foods -- most of us are just so damn passionate about stopping cruelty, violence and pollution, as well as celebrating our way of life, we want to shout from the rooftops.
But I think it's the shouting that's the problem.
In our modern world, people have an almost rabid desire to be right on any issue in which they are engaged. We see it all the time in political debate. There are no polite exchanges; instead opponents shout each other down, point the finger or try to shame them so they 'win' the argument.
With compassionate living, there can be no shame. We must learn to convey the meaning and impact of plant-based eating in a way that disarms the emotional war zones it seems to create. How can we entice people to try this lifestyle for themselves when we adopt a "seek and destroy" attitude? That thinking creates and perpetuates the idea of good guys and bad guys.
And there are no good guys and bad guys in this debate. There are only, in my view, those of us who have experienced, firsthand, the benefits of plant-based eating and those who have yet to experience those benefits. Here's the funny thing I have seen. The moment we make a conscious decision to drop the antagonistic chip on our shoulder, listen to what people are saying, realize that everyone is where they are in life and speak honestly and considerately, people stop running from the room screaming when we approach. They listen and engage in discussion. Imagine that!
When people do not feel like they are being attacked for their lifestyles (this includes you carnivores who deride vegans, too), they feel more relaxed and open to hearing new ideas, things they may not have considered. We can come together and actually hear what people are saying.
The way I see it, we can preach to an audience who is rolling their eyes; we can lecture and argue and leave a bad taste for vegan living in our path of destruction. We can create even more anger, emotional upset and violence in this world.
Or we can work peacefully toward creating the world we hold in our hearts... one of love, understanding and compassion for all living beings.
Follow Christina Pirello on Twitter: www.twitter.com/christinacooks
He then spits on the Buddha.
The old man smiles, and says, that's OK, you spit, I bow.
So to all you meat eaters, you kill, we revere life.
From times ancient, we broke away from the main stream, and chose the path of enlightenmÂent, understandÂing and compassionÂ(for all life), we set ourselves apart from the mundane and primitive ways of humans. We shall herald in a new era, and follow the ways of the nature, and evolve to a point where all will become enlighteneÂd, all creatures live there lives to the full, the oceans return to their prime state, the air becomes clean again and the soil, toxins free.
Btw, sorry to have to be the one to break the news to you, but the Dalai Lama eats meat.
The world’s cattle alone consume a quantity of food equal to the caloric needs of 8.7 billion people—more than the entire human population on Earth. According to environmental think-tank Worldwatch Institute, “[T]he easiest way to reduce grain consumption is to lower the intake of meat and milk, grain-intensive foods. Roughly 2 of every 5 tons of grain produced in the world are fed to livestock, poultry, or fish; decreasing consumption of these products, especially of beef, could free up massive quantities of grain and reduce pressure on land.â€
Each vegetarian saves one acre of trees every year! More than 260 million acres of U.S. forest have been cleared to grow crops to feed animals raised for meat, and another acre of trees disappears every eight seconds. The tropical rain forests are also being destroyed to create grazing land for cattle. Fifty-five square feet of rain forest may be razed to produce just one quarter-pound burger.
But then of course there are your precious bananas, so adored by many vegans, which wipe out enormous amounts of rainforest.
There's tons of science behind it.
Just say: 'I really wanna have bad hair, bad teeth, sicken my heart, get diabetes, be depressed every other month because I do not want to kill other animals'. I think people would really appreciate you more.
The point is that heart disease and diabetes are caused by diets high in carbs (sugar causes artery inflammation, not saturated fats).
Vegans by default follow diets high in carbs (because they are low in fat, and there's only so much protein you could get, even less if you are a vegan).
I love animals, I actually volunteered in Namibia on a project who saved lion and leopard cubs, but it's nature. Animals eat other animals. Feedlots disgust me, believe me, but our health followed an evolutionary path, and we evolved eating saturated animal fats.
So, animal welfare is a valid cause, but to argue that there are health benefits is a lost cause, because the science does not support you.
Watching wild animals feed is cool. Not knowing where you're food comes from is not, or what it is or how it effects you is not cool.
Not sure you can say the same about Mussels, Honey, Milk. That's why I am not a Vegan. I think it's perfectly valid to eat meat if you are personally Ok with taking it through from field to pot. Also Ok to be Vegan, if you want to go that route. It's healthy to eat less meat, and it's probably good for the environment, we can agree on that I think.
The biggest argument against veganism for most people, is people who 'promote' it. Not talking about the author, of course, but witness some of the foaming-at-the-mouth zealotry posted here. You people need to get out more.
Ahinsa, the law of noninjury, is the Hindu's first duty in fulfilling religious obligationÂs to God and God's creation as defined by Vedic scripture.
2. The Karmic ConsequencÂes Reason
All of our actions, including our choice of food, have Karmic consequencÂes. By involving oneself in the cycle of inflicting injury, pain and death, even indirectly by eating other creatures, one must in the future experience in equal measure the suffering caused.
3. The Spiritual Reason
Food is the source of the body's chemistry, and what we ingest affects our consciousnÂes, emotions and experientiÂal patterns. If one wants to live in higher consciousnÂess, in peace and happiness and love for all creatures, then he cannot eat meat, fish, shellfish, fowl or eggs. By ingesting the grosser chemistrieÂs of animal foods, one introduces into the body and mind anger, jealousy, anxiety, suspicion and a terrible fear of death, all of which are locked into the the flesh of the butchered creatures. For these reasons, vegetarianÂs live in higher consciousnÂess and meat-eaterÂs abide in lower consciousnÂess.
How is it we know that they wish to live, for the same reason we all wish to live, to be, to exist. That is the driving force of life itself, to flourish, to enjoy the physical realm, this universe, for the brief moments we all have. The Milky Way takes 250 millions years to revolved once, how much time do we all have, and to rob others of that experienceÂÂ, how selfish ?
Cattle and all live stock are born to hell in our world, yet we selectivelÂÂy choose, who to be humane to, like our pets we love so dearly, it' a shame you cannot find it in your hearts to extend that love to other higher lifeforms. Ever meet a Cow, good folks, would never do you wrong.
We speak for those, you cannot hear !
Medical studies prove that a vegetarian diet is easier to digest, provides a wider ranger of nutrients and imposes fewer burdens and impurities on the body. VegetarianÂs are less susceptiblÂe to all the major diseases that afflict contemporaÂry humanity, and thus live longer, healthier, more productive lives. They have fewer physical complaintsÂ, less frequent visits to the doctor, fewer dental problems and smaller medical bills. Their immune system is stronger, their bodies are purer, more refined and skin more beautiful.
5. The Ecological Reason
Planet Earth is suffereingÂ. In large measure, the escalating loss of species, destructioÂn of ancient rainforestÂs to create pasture lands for live stock, loss of topsoils and the consequent increase of water impurities and air pollution have all been traced to the single fact of meat in the human diet. No decision that we can make as individualÂs or as a race can have such a dramatic effect on the improvemenÂt of our planetary ecology as the decision not to eat meat.
Diverting resources to environmentally destructive uses
•More than one third of the world’s grain harvest is used to feed livestock.
•Breaking that down a little bit
•Almost all rice is consumed by people
•While corn is a staple food in many Latin American and Sub-Saharan countries, “worldwide, it is used largely as feed.â€
•Wheat is more evenly divided between food and feed and is a staple food in many regions such as the West, China and India.
•The total cattle population for the world is approximately 1.3 billion occupying some 24% of the land of the planet
•Some 70 to 80% of grain produced in the United States is fed to livestock
•Half the water consumed in the U.S. is used to grow grain for cattle feed.
•A gallon of gasoline is required to produce a pound of grain-fed beef.
http://www.globalissues.org/article/240/beef
Plants are autotrophs(producers), they take in the sunlight(photosynthesis), soil and water to produce(plants are natures chemical engineering factories) complex molecule's, in the form of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamin's and minerals etc... This is the beginning of the food chain(Trophic level 1).
Vegan's and herbivores eat from trophic level 1(pure sunlight, soil and water), plants. Also plants, in there manufacturing of complex molecule's, release a by-product, "vital solar life force energy",which we will discus in a moment. Carnivores(trophic level 3) eat from trophic level 2, herbivores.
This(trophic level 2) is a recycled food, as the solar energy and nutrition from the sun, has already been absorbed by a herbivore. Meat is totally devoid of the "vital solar life force energy" of the sun(trophic level 1). The moment an animal dies, the life force leaves it's body rapidly. To a vegan, this herbivore meat/food has "already been chewed", a secondary by-product of trophic level 1, not fit for consumption.
We want to be the first to eat a food(trophic level 1, "vital solar life force energy"), eating meat is like someone chewing food, taking most of the vital nutrition out of it, and then spitting it in my mouth, Yuk, it's already been chewed ! "Cut out the middle man"(cow, pig, chicken etc...), Eat plants !
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"Food chain" is an outdated term that is seldom used in ecological sciences any more. There are food ecosystems and they are far more complex than a chain. What you fail to mention is that without trophic level 3 ( predators and carnivores ) the entire food ecosystem degrades or even collapses. Why does vegan reasoning always lean toward the simplistic?
But you missed the point, I eat from producers, Trophic level 1. Why would I want to feed this pure food an an animal and then eat it.
We want to be the first to eat a food ! Can you understand that ?
Once again ?
This(trophÂic level 2) is a recycled food, as the solar energy and nutrition from the sun, has already been absorbed by a herbivore. Meat is totally devoid of the "vital solar life force energy" of the sun(trophiÂc level 1). The moment an animal dies, the life force leaves it's body rapidly. To a vegan, this herbivore meat/food has "already been chewed", a secondary by-product of trophic level 1, not fit for consumptioÂn.
We want to be the first to eat a food(trophÂic level 1, "vital solar life force energy"), eating meat is like someone chewing food, taking most of the vital nutrition out of it, and then spitting it in my mouth, Yuk, it's already been chewed ! "Cut out the middle man"(cow, pig, chicken etc...), Eat plants !â€
Water – It takes far less water to generate vegan food. A vegan could leave their shower running year-round, and still not waste as much water as a non-vegan.
World hunger – Most of the world’s grain is fed to food animals. On a plant-based diet, we could feed the entire human population. Millions of people who are starving (including 40,000 children who die every day) as a result of the unfair distribution of food could be fed by the many tons of grain that are currently cycled through animals.
Pollution – Animal agriculture is the single biggest polluter of the planet.
Human health crises such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, asthma, osteoporosis, and many more would be greatly reduced.
Diseases created by intensive animal agriculture would disappear.
Environment – Animal-based food is the primary cause of issues such as rainforest destruction, topsoil erosion, desertification of grassland, degradation of underwater ecosystems, and the declining population of endangered species.
Global violence – A non-violent lifestyle would create a more compassionate, gentle population.
http://extension.missouri.edu/p/G310
You also conveniently forget to mention that rice paddies, which produce food that is vegan, is one the largest sources of anthropogenic methane.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/t74hvj70425426w4/
www.care2.com/causes/the-vegan-solution-an-ideal-whose-time-has-come.html#ixzz1bukuNpHA
Don’t like the environmental problems of the soy industry? Go vegan.
Don’t like monoculture? Go vegan.
Don’t like the environmental problems of the petroleum industry? Go vegan.
Don’t like greenhouse gas emission? Go vegan.
Don’t like animal exploitation and cruelty? Go vegan.
Want environmental sustainability? Go vegan.
Want to feed the hungry? Go vegan.
Want to save water? Go vegan.
Want to cut air and water pollution? Go vegan.
Want to slow global warming? Go vegan.
Want to reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, obesity, and cancer? Go vegan.
Animal agriculture is a deplorable hell that combines depraved savagery toward innocent beings with greed and reckless, anti-social irresponsibility toward the environment. And it's not just corporations, it is every single individual consumer of their products who personally shares in this violence and irresponsibility.
There is absolutely no single personal change that the average person can make that has a better impact on the environment than going vegan.
http://unpopularveganessays.blogspot.com/2009/05/on-environmental-disaster-of-animal.html
How is it we know that they wish to live, for the same reason we all wish to live, to be, to exist. That is the driving force of life itself, to flourish, to enjoy the physical realm, this universe, for the brief moments we all have. The Milky Way takes 250 millions years to revolved once, how much time do we all have, and to rob others of that experienceÂÂ, how selfish ?
Cattle and all live stock are born to hell in our world, yet we selectivelÂÂy choose, who to be humane to, like our pets we love so dearly, it' a shame you cannot find it in your hearts to extend that love to other higher lifeforms. Ever meet a Cow, good folks, would never do you wrong.
We speak for those, you cannot hear !
Vegan's - The human population is about to reach 7 Billion, yet we only represent roughly 1% of that number. Our ways are as old, as mankind it self, and every great Master/Teacher on our planet, has tried to convey the message that "all life is sacred".
From times ancient, we broke away from the main stream, and chose the path of enlightenment, understanding and compassion(for all life), we set ourselves apart from the mundane and primitive ways of humans. We shall herald in a new era, and follow the ways of the nature, and evolve to a point where all will become enlightened, all creatures live there lives to the full, the oceans return to their prime state, the air becomes clean again and the soil, toxins free.
And we LOVE to mix it up, with all you "BRAVE" hunters... lol...
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And why do we not have that right while lions, wolves, sharks, and eagles do? Do you seek to mold them to your "compassionate" worldview as well? All living things share in the cycle of life. That cycle by necessity includes death. And that cycle is a key component of evolution, which is only about survival, not about what does or doesn't have a particular right. It's rather "speciesist" of you to claim that somehow humans should be singled out and not participate in that cycle.
Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Natural-Health/Meat-Poultry-Health-Risk.aspx#ixzz1cHmynyZH