Why Go Vegetarian?
There are a wide range of reasons why people become vegetarian. Of course, it's better for the animals, but did you know that it's also better for the environment and your health? The great news is that you don't miss out on anything by avoiding eating animals, except for unhealthy saturated fat, cholesterol and highly acidic animal protein. For ideas on all the fabulous food you can eat, see our recipes page.
Number 1 - For Animals
One of the most common reasons someone chooses to follow an animal free diet, is because they do not want to contribute to the exploitation of animals. Approximately 130 million animals are reared and killed annually in New Zealand for their meat. This figure raises to 58 billion wordwide!
Many are raised in appalling conditions on factory farms, subjected to lives of misery, boredom and fear because they are unfortunate enough to be born as “‘food’’ animals. The production of dairy products (milk, cheese, etc) and eggs are also associated with animal suffering (Why Vegan?). It is often once a person finds out some of the facts about the cruel way animals are treated, transported and killed, that they decide to stop eating animal products.
Resources
SAFE's Quit Meat website is a great place to start.
Many are raised in appalling conditions on factory farms, subjected to lives of misery, boredom and fear because they are unfortunate enough to be born as “‘food’’ animals. The production of dairy products (milk, cheese, etc) and eggs are also associated with animal suffering (Why Vegan?). It is often once a person finds out some of the facts about the cruel way animals are treated, transported and killed, that they decide to stop eating animal products.
Resources
SAFE's Quit Meat website is a great place to start.
Number 2 - For your Health
Many people avoid animal products because of the health benefits of eating a balanced veggie diet. Removing animal products from your diet reduces your risk of several of the biggest killers, including heart disease, cancer, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Resources
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine have a website with a range of information on diet and health, including a downloadable guide to going vegetarian.
Resources
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine have a website with a range of information on diet and health, including a downloadable guide to going vegetarian.
Number 3 - To Save the Planet
The evidence is overwhelming: Eating meat is the biggest threat to our environment.
A report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007) stated that animal based agriculture causes approximately 18 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global warming (all forms of transportation only contribute 13.5%, not that doesn’t need addressing as well).
The modern meat industry also wastes a huge quantity of water. It takes 15500 litres of water to produce 1 kilo of beef, while wheat takes 1300 litres and soybeans 1800 litres. Then there is the pollution from the excrement of all those animals and the deforestation of land to provide grazing for livestock. If we are going to feed all the people in the world and reverse the degradation of the environment, the only responsible course is to switch to a vegetarian diet.
The Party for Animals in the Netherlands have two MPs in government. Wouldn't it be great if we had the same thing in NZ! They made a film called Meat the Truth, focusing on the environmental costs of eating meat.
A report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007) stated that animal based agriculture causes approximately 18 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global warming (all forms of transportation only contribute 13.5%, not that doesn’t need addressing as well).
The modern meat industry also wastes a huge quantity of water. It takes 15500 litres of water to produce 1 kilo of beef, while wheat takes 1300 litres and soybeans 1800 litres. Then there is the pollution from the excrement of all those animals and the deforestation of land to provide grazing for livestock. If we are going to feed all the people in the world and reverse the degradation of the environment, the only responsible course is to switch to a vegetarian diet.
The Party for Animals in the Netherlands have two MPs in government. Wouldn't it be great if we had the same thing in NZ! They made a film called Meat the Truth, focusing on the environmental costs of eating meat.
United Nations urges veg diet
Even the United Nations is urging a global move to meat and dairy-free diet. Click here to read an article from the Guardian newspaper in Britain. It says lesser consumption of animal products is necessary to save the world from the worst impacts of climate change.
Resources
- EarthSave educates people about the powerful effects our food choices have on the environment and encourages a shift towards a plant-based diet www.earthsave.org
- The Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich site demonstrates how replacing your hamburger with a mere peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch can save the equivalent of almost 1.6 kg of greenhouse gas emissions, 1000 litres of water and up to five square metres of land www.pbjcampaign.org
Resources
- EarthSave educates people about the powerful effects our food choices have on the environment and encourages a shift towards a plant-based diet www.earthsave.org
- The Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich site demonstrates how replacing your hamburger with a mere peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch can save the equivalent of almost 1.6 kg of greenhouse gas emissions, 1000 litres of water and up to five square metres of land www.pbjcampaign.org
Number 4 - To Prevent Human Hunger
The world is feeding over 50 billion farmed animals, while millions of people, disproportionately children, starve to death. Over one-third of the grain produced worldwide is inefficiently diverted to feed farmed animals. It takes 21 pounds of plant protein to produce one pound of calf protein. To produce grains and beans only requires 2 to 5 per cent of the fossil fuel required to produce beef.
While animal farming is not the only cause of hunger, (politics, war, drought and money grabbing leaders are also causes), it is something that we can have a positive impact on. Click here to find out more on the links between meat eating and human hunger.
While animal farming is not the only cause of hunger, (politics, war, drought and money grabbing leaders are also causes), it is something that we can have a positive impact on. Click here to find out more on the links between meat eating and human hunger.
Number 5 - For Spiritual/Cultural reasons
Some people choose an animal free diet due to their religious, spiritual or cultural beliefs. All religions have basic teachings of mercy and compassion for others, which fits with a non-meat diet.
Orthodox Buddhists and Hindus have always been vegetarian and often vegan, due to the belief that life is sacred. Buddha was quoted as saying, “To become vegetarian is to step into the stream which leads to nirvana.” Hindus are taught that, due to karma, inflicting injury, pain and death upon animals, will cause them to receive equal suffering in the future. Jains strictly avoid any animal product. Many Muslims are vegetarian, especially Sufis and the Druses of Lebanon. There are references to the avoidance of animal products in the bible, which leads many Jews and Christians to become vegetarian, especially Seventh Day Adventists, about five million of whom are vegetarian.
So, while not all members of a religion choose a vegetarian or vegan diet, many do.
Resources
- A list of religious organisations which hold spiritual views relating to animals go to:
www.vegansociety.com/html/people/lifestyle/faith.php
- An overview of the world’s religions and their stance on vegetarianism
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarianism_and_religion
Orthodox Buddhists and Hindus have always been vegetarian and often vegan, due to the belief that life is sacred. Buddha was quoted as saying, “To become vegetarian is to step into the stream which leads to nirvana.” Hindus are taught that, due to karma, inflicting injury, pain and death upon animals, will cause them to receive equal suffering in the future. Jains strictly avoid any animal product. Many Muslims are vegetarian, especially Sufis and the Druses of Lebanon. There are references to the avoidance of animal products in the bible, which leads many Jews and Christians to become vegetarian, especially Seventh Day Adventists, about five million of whom are vegetarian.
So, while not all members of a religion choose a vegetarian or vegan diet, many do.
Resources
- A list of religious organisations which hold spiritual views relating to animals go to:
www.vegansociety.com/html/people/lifestyle/faith.php
- An overview of the world’s religions and their stance on vegetarianism
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarianism_and_religion