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Consider
Becoming a Vegan
You Can Make A Difference
Some people think that becoming a vegan is crazy. They love the taste
of meat and cheese. They say they will never stop eating animal
products. Anyone who has been a vegan for even a short time has met
such
people. Yet other people read a book, watch a video, or hear
a vegan lecture and they become vegan overnight. Why do they
change?
Why vegan?
People become vegan for various reasons. There are four common reasons
that people adopt a vegan lifestyle:
- 1. Animal
compassion:
Every
adult knows that when humans eat meat, someone had
to kill the animal. Meat
eaters say that's OK; animals are here for us to eat. Vegans
think differently.
Nearly all people try to hide the fact of animal slaughter
from their
children. Subconsciously, they must know it is wrong to
kill animals for food.......but they just don't want to think about it.
Most food animals live
miserable lives on factory farms. They endure
crowded, filthy, noisy conditions that
no human would tolerate. They
are
artificially inseminated. Their babies are often removed from
them at
birth. Farmers feed them unnatural foods that make them
sick.
They are slaughtered under conditions of pain and terror.
- 2.
Environmental
concerns:
Animal agriculture is a dirty business. Animal waste accumulates in
giant mounds and toxic "lagoons" on factory farms. It poisons the
ground water. When it rains, the waste runs into
streams and rivers.
Methane from cows contributes more to global warming than the
CO2 from the entire transportation industry.
Humans are stripping the oceans of fish and other sea animals. The
ocean is becoming a barren wasteland. Half of the ocean fish catch is
actually fed to animals on factory farms. Farmed fish are treated with
antibiotics to keep them healthy. The concentrated fish waste and
antibiotics then pollute the ocean water.
Becoming
a vegan might motivate you to make other changes to
help the
environment. Buy local produce. Ride a bike, take public
transport, or drive a hybrid vehicle. This green living site describes how to
manage a compost pile. It also discusses recycling and
organic gardening. Do whatever you can. The earth thanks you.
- 3.
Health
problems:
Saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein from animal flesh make
us sick. Animal foods increase our risk of heart disease, cancer,
diabetes, and
dozens of other health problems. The healthiest people on the planet
base their diets on plants, not on animal flesh.
- 4.
Religious
beliefs:
Several major religions teach that humans should not eat animals.
The
scriptures of Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Seventh Day Adventists all
advocate a vegetarian diet. The LDS (Mormon) Words of Wisdom do too,
although most Mormons ignore the teachings.
How to do it
For
some people, becoming a vegan is a gradual process. First they give up
red meat, then poultry, then fish, then eggs and dairy
products. Over the years they gradually quit wearing leather, wool, and
silk. They eventually find cruelty-free substitutes for their
cosmetics and cleaning products.
Other people jump into the vegan lifestlye with both feet and never
look back. Choose
the method that works for you. It is important to educate
yourself and be consistent. Don't preach. Just be an example
of positive energy and good health. Someone once said "setting
a good example is not the best way to influence people....it's the only
way."
People who adopt a vegan lifestyle are independent thinkers.
They are not afraid to be different. They are often intelligent and
thoughtful people who prefer to be leaders, not followers. Once you
are a vegan, you will feel a strong bond with other vegans. This
bond transcends differences of age, race, religion, and nationality. It
is a warm
and wonderful feeling. Enjoy it.
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