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I was mentioning to someone recently during a group discussion that choosing a vegetarian diet helps the world because it means less animals are born into factory farms and cruelly slaughtered. The said yes, but that's a long range sort of thing. It takes a long time to effect a change.
So I got to thinking about this. Dead animals for consumption are just like any other commodity. It's all based on supply and demand. If there is a reduction in demand, supply is cut back. If demand rises, supply is increased. No farmer is going to raise and feed animals out of the kindness of their hearts if they can't sell them later for someone to eat.
I figured that when I used to eat dead animals, maybe I ate 1/10th of one a day. Obviously if you eat shrimp you eat a lot more than that, if you eat cows it's less, but let's just say 1/10th as a reasonable baseline. That's 35 animals in one year that did not have to be killed for me if I am not buying them for my vegetarian diet.
Now there's not just me..... according to google, there are about 375 million vegetarians in the world today. 35 x 375 million is 13 billion, one hundred and twenty five million sentient beings that did not have to be killed for us vegetarians to survive. That's incredible. The other side of this is how many had to be killed for all the people still eating them. That I can do nothing about except lead by example. What other people do is out of my control. But this gave me the understanding and proof that our actions DO make a difference in the world, and the numbers are just astounding.
It really does add up, each small act of choosing a meal of non violence and cruelty. The omnivores who opt to do "meatless mondays" will make a difference over time too. I'm really trying to train myself to look at the bright side, that more people are becoming aware of not just the health ramifications of eating this meat, and voting with their dollars to leave behind the nasty reality of it.
I think Farm Sanctuary has actual data on how many animals vegetarians/vegans spare by making more earth friendly and compassionate choices.
A while ago I saw a funny video about the argument of "well if I don't eat them they would just take over" and it was turned around to "yep, there will be watermelons everywhere, out of control" LOL
On top of the meat issue there is also a myriad of consumer choices we can make to vote with our dollars to end animal and human exploitation. (sweatshops) Cosmetics, clothing, leather goods…
Good posts. I only gave up meat for good one year ago, and I am sorry I didn't do it sooner, but I hope my little bit gets us closer to a better world.
My thoughts on veganism is it's fine for some to follow a strict vegetarian diet, and not fine for others. The strict vegetarian diet as followed by those who are vegan, isn't suitable for everyone, even though there are claims to the contrary. My thoughts are by and large, most vegans are generally good people. In fact I get on well, with MOST who are either vegetarian or vegan here on Yahoo Answers. I believe that a person is entitled to have their right to opinions and views, and what they see as appropriate for them. However they need to realize, that everyone else has the same right to hold an opinion. It's only a small percentage, that becomes an issue, and it's only a small few that I have issues with.
Yet at the end of the day, when it's all said and done, what works for some, won't work for others, no matter what's tried. I'm not anti-vegetarian, or anti-vegan, and perhaps much to the chagrin of some who eats meat. If anything, I'm neutral, and hopefully for whatever years I have remaining, I'll be able to retain that neutrality. However I also know from experience, that a vegetarian diet, simply won't work for me. Been there and done that.
I love No Meat Athlete's philosophy on "converting people", in that he'd rather see person eat a plant-based diet 70% of the time, than not bother with reducing their intake of animal products at all, because they aren't willing and/or able to adhere to a 100% plant-based diet.
I love No Meat Athlete's philosophy on "converting people", in that he'd rather see person eat a plant-based diet 70% of the time, than not bother with reducing their intake of animal products at all, because they aren't willing and/or able to adhere to a 100% plant-based diet.
That's quire easy for me and I do it much of the time.
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