Vegetarian Synthesis

All semester we have discussed how our actions impact our environment and what we can do to limit this impact, or to make our impact more “green.” From smart green homes, to rain barrels, to smart cars, there are many different ways that we can improve our environment and lessen our ecological footprint. One of the biggest ways to do this is by reducing the amount of meat that we consume.

“There is no fundamental difference between man and animals in their ability to feel pleasure and pain, happiness, and misery.” -Charles Darwin. Veganism is a way of leaving which seeks to exclude all forms of exploration and cruelty to animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. In terms of diet, it omits any intake of animal produce, including meat, eggs and dairy. There are many benefits that come from a vegan lifestyle, some people want healthier skin or to loose weight. Others see the truth behind animal farms and slaughterhouses, the inhumane way they end the lives of thousands of animals.

According to vegansociety.com, “ Veganism represents a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, other animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, other animals and the environment.“ People that follow this way of living are called vegans. The vegan diet is more a lifestyle choice and a philosophy than just a diet. The vegan life is the best way to live because it’s healthier, helps the environment, and is kinder to animals.

Bill McKibben, as environmentalist and widely published author observes, that the more livestock produced in unethical ways, the more green gases emitted into the atmosphere. In McKibben view, “Going vegan is fifty percent more effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions than switching to a hybrid car according to a University of Chicago study.(201)” McKibben claims that becoming a vegan is one of the only choices someone can make that can actually help the environment. Livestock produces most of the world’s greenhouse gases, when they belch and because the livestock is stuck in one place, all the manure is in one place just emitting gases. Vegans want people to stop eating meat, because the more people eat, the more meat needs to be produced, producing more greenhouse

In addition, studies show that a vegan diet can lower the blood sugar and the risk of type 2 diabetes, as well as lower your risk of different cancer types due to the variety of nutrients. Furthermore it induces the risk of heart disease.

While some of the evidence is hard to prove, it is also hard to ignore. For many, our goal may simply be to lose weight, look better in those skinny jeans, or just feel better about ourselves. A vegan weight loss plan is not as difficult as many would like to believe. Many who have switched to a vegan lifestyle have stuck to it because they could feel the change in their bodies: higher energy levels, fit body and mind, and overall health. A Vegan Weight Loss plan can lead to a longer and healthier life and an improved sense of self and

Not many people used to know what a vegan was. Veganism was a completely new idea and has only just started to gather momentum in the last few years. A man named Donald Watson, originally from England, was the first person to found the vegan movement in 1944. This vegan movement emphasized the moral, spiritual, social, health and economic advantages of being vegan. Watson realized he would never eat meat again when he saw a pig get slaughtered on his family farm, and has not for seventy eight years (Rodger 1). Dedicating yourself to a vegan lifestyle can be a challenging thing to do because of the world we live in. “Veganism means living solely on the products of the plant kingdom, to the exclusion of flesh, fish, fowl, animal milk, and

Over the past few years, the vegan community has grown, especially here in the Portland area. Chances are you have crossed paths with someone who is vegan and you know little about it. But what does being vegan mean exactly? The dictionary definition of what a vegan is, as stated, “A person who does not eat any food that comes from animals and who often also does not use animal products,” (-Merriam Webster Dictionary). While this definition gives a basic description to what it means to be vegan, I interviewed a few vegan individuals to get a more in-depth understanding.

At the same time, the notion that an ideal form of food production operating with a minimal environmental impact should exclude meat – nothing less than enacting “vegetarian imperative” (Saxena 2011) on a global scale – does not make

Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. This includes not consuming meat, dairy, honey, eggs, gelatin, etc., as well as not using leather, feathers, wool, or products that have been tested on animals.

There are many variations of it, however most people choose not to eat, wear or buy anything that has been made or is an animal product. Some things that a vegan wouldn’t eat or wear would be animal-tested toiletries and make-up, ice-cream as it contains milk and fish as it is an animal. Going vegan can really change someone’s life, depending on many things such as the person’s personal preferences, their fitness levels and their day-to-day lives.

Some would not be able to live without eating any animal products in their diets, such as, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, and honey. For vegans, however, this is a normal way of life. Vegans are frequently misunderstood as either people who have eating disorders, or an unnatural passion for animal rights. It is time for people to realize that veganism, a challenging yet rewarding lifestyle, goes way beyond being skinny or caring for animals. In reality, veganism can be extremely advantageous to anyone who adapts it as a way of life and has many different benefits that come along with it.

“My nutrition approach is based on intuition, logic, science and experience. All four of those led me to the truth that a low-fat, high-carb, mostly raw vegan lifestyle is the optimum, not only for my health, but most importantly for the wellbeing of the planet” (Tim Shieff). The first appearance of Veganism can be traced back over 2,000 years ago. Around 500 BCE, Pythagoras, a Greek philosopher, followed and advocated a vegetarian diet. Another person that advertised vegetarian diets was Buddha. In 1806 BCE, Dr. William Lampe and Percy Bysshe Shelley were one of the first people to refuse the use of eggs and dairy, publicly in that time period. A vegetarian is someone who does not gormandize eggs or any type of meat or fish. Veganism is the practice of a strict vegetarian diet that requires the abstinence from the use of animal products. This includes refraining from orally consuming any type of animals, as well as not using materials such as real leather, wool, or honey. A vegan, or a person who practices Veganism, steers away from eating dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream. A vegan diet is the best possible diet because it prevents diseases, rejuvenates the body, and inflicts less damage to the environment.

Global warming is becoming a bigger issue every day. NASA predicts that the earth’s surface temperature is going to rise between two and six degrees Celsius by the end of the 21st century. A vegetarian diet leads to lower greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases are made by enteric fermentation (aka animal burps and poots, methane equals bad), deforestation to make room for grazing animals and growing their feed, and manure decomposition. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, raising animals for consumption creates 18% of global greenhouse gases. That’s more than transportation! Producing only one pound of hamburger meat makes just as much greenhouse gas as driving a little car almost 20 miles. One pound of pork equals about 5 miles, and one pound of potatoes is only 0.34 miles. A study found that diets including meat protein cause the creation of up to 54% more greenhouse gas emissions than vegetarian diets. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, a

Although vegetarianism is seen as a dense diet it has a lot of benefits to it. The word vegetarian means a person who does not eat meat and sometimes other animal products because of moral, religious belief, or health reasons. Depending on what a vegetarian eats depends on the type they are. People who do not know the diet think that all vegetarians do it to save animals. Even though some vegetarians do not eat meat for that reason most do it for health reasons.