VegetarianismVegetarianismSo Fresh, So Green

Many Different MotivationsMany Different Motivations

In the Western world, the popularity of vegetarianism grew during the 20th century as a result of nutritional, ethical, environmental and economic reasons.

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Most important reason for becoming a Most important reason for becoming a vegetarian in the United States, 2002vegetarian in the United States, 2002

Health 32%

Because of chemicals and hormones in meat products

15%

Don't like the taste of meat 13%

Love of animals 11%

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Animal rights 10%

Religious reasons 6%

Concern for the planet

4%

To lose weight 3%

To reduce hunger and famine worldwide

1% /

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TIME/CNN POLL: Reasons for choosing a vegetarian lifestyle

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."

-Albert Einstein

Health BenefitsHealth Benefits

Consuming whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits and vegetables provides protection against chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes

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The total direct medical costs in the United States attributable to meat consumption have been estimated to be $30-60 billion a year, based upon the higher prevalence of hypertension, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, gallstones, obesity and food-borne illness among omnivores compared with vegetarians.

(Barnard ND, Nicholson A, and Howard JL. The medical costs attributable to meat consumption. Prev Med 1995;24:646-55.)

Vegetarians are at a lesser risk for obesity

Western vegetarians have lower BMI (body mass index) and lower cholesterol levels than non-vegetarians

Photo by Mike: http://www.flickr.com/photos/squeakymarmot/136634791/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Eating more fruits and vegetables puts you at a lower risk for a plethora of chronic diseases, including some types of cancers, hypertension, stroke and Type II Diabetes

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Moral, Human ConditionMoral, Human Condition

By reducing the amount of meat you consume, you will decrease the number of animals slaughtered.

How many animals do you eat in a given year?

The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look on the murder of men.”-Leonardo Da Vinci

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"The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?"-Jeremy Bentham, philosopher

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By reducing the amount of meat you consume, you will reduce animal suffering.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."-Mahatma Gandhi

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“If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone

would be a vegetarian.”-Paul McCartney

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

"We did not weave the web of life; we are merely a strand in

it. Whatever we do to the web,

we do to ourselves. All things connect.”

Chief Seattle

Photo by poonomo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ickypoo/764486170/sizes/o/

By not eating beef– and other farm By not eating beef– and other farm animals as well–you: animals as well–you:

Save massive amounts of water – about 3,000 to 5,000 gallons of water per pound avoided

Avoid polluting our streams and rivers and destroying topsoil

Avoid destroying tropical forests

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Avoid carbon dioxide production (The average car produces 3 kg/day of CO2. To clear rainforest to produce beef for one hamburger produces 75 kg of CO2. Eating one pound of hamburger does the same damage as driving a car for more than three weeks.)

Reduce the amount of methane gas produced Reduce the destruction of wildlife habitat Help to save endangered species

Steve Boyan PhD, recently retired from his post as a political science professor at University of Maryland http://www.earthsave.org/environment/foodchoices.htm

The End!The End!

"I am not a vegetarian because I love animals; I am a vegetarian because I hate plants."

— A. Whitney Brown

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