Why be vegetarian!
I am often criticized for being a vegetarian people constantly ask me why, and tell me that it doesn't make a difference. As well as just not wanting to eat animals, and believing in animal rights there are a number of other reason that I choose to be a vegetarian. Being a vegetarian is healthier, better for the environment, a better way to deal with world hunger, doesnt put up with the unsafe circumstances that employees at slaughter houses are exposed to and dont take away animal rights.
The health benefits of being vegetarian are protection from diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and strokes. Vegetarians have a stronger immune system, and are less likely to be obese.
Research has shown that vegetarians are 50 percent less likely to develop heart disease, and they have 40 percent of the cancer rate of meat-eaters.3,4 Plus, meat-eaters are nine times more likely to be obese than vegans are.5
The consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products has also been strongly linked to osteoporosis, Alzheimer's, asthma, and male impotence. Scientists have also found that vegetarians have stronger immune systems than their meat-eating friends; this means that they are less susceptible to everyday illnesses like the flu.7 Vegetarians and vegans live, on average, six to 10 years longer than meat-eaters.8
Sadly, rainforests are cut down to make room to raise cattle. Every second, one football field of rainforest is destroyed in order to produce 257 hamburgers.
Animal Rights and Vegetarianism- Why be a vegetarian?
Other test have shown that kids that grow up eating a vegetarian diet have higher IQs, are less likely to have diabetes, and heart disease.
If you ask almost any vegetarian why they are vegetarian they will tell you that its much better for the environment. It's been shown that eating meat is a large contributor to many global problems.
Hot Topic: 'Fight Climate Change With Diet Change: Go Vegetarian'A 2006 United Nations report summarized the devastation caused by the meat industry by calling it "one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global." The report recommended that animal agriculture "be a major policy focus when dealing with problems of land degradation, climate change and air pollution, water shortage and water pollution, and loss of biodiversity."1
GoVeg.com // Meat and the Environment
Studies have shown that even reducing one's meat intake can make a huge difference to our earth.
According to Environmental Defense, if every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetarian foods instead, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than a half-million cars off U.S. roads.
GoVeg.com // Meat and the Environment
So many claim they want to end world hunger but how many actually act on it? Vegetarians can proudly say that they are helping to solve the problem. Raising livestock is such an inefficient way to feed people. The land and the water being used to raise livestock could be much better used.
According to a recent report by Compassion in World Framing, "[c]rops that could be used to feed the hungry are instead being used to fatten animals raised for food." It takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce just 1 pound of edible animal flesh.
GoVeg.com // Meat and World Hunger
According to a recent report by Compassion in World Framing, "[c]rops that could be used to feed the hungry are instead being used to fatten animals raised for food." It takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce just 1 pound of edible animal flesh.
GoVeg.com // Meat and World Hunger
up to 5000 gallons of water for is required to raise one pound of beef! According to the US Department of Agriculture statistics, one acre of land can grow 20,000 pounds of potatoes. That same acre of land, when used to grow cattle feed, can produce less than 165 pounds of edible cow flesh.
Comments
I have been a vegetarian for
I have been a vegetarian for the past 81/2 years and I agree with you that the reasons you have listed are valid. Many diseases spread through the process of making and combing the meat which is totally avoidable in not eating it