So, after becoming aware of a number of facts over the last few years, and most recently learning that animal husbandry causes more environmental damage than all of the planes trains and automobiles TOGETHER (and checking that fact, and finding it to be true), my family has decided, as a group, that we are going to be vegetarians.
This isn't a huge leap, because we have slowly been reducing meat in our diets lately, but eliminating it entirely is still a big step to take.
We have 3 main reasons for doing this. The Pros:
1. It is what is best for the health of the earth.
2. It is what is best for the health of ourselves.
3. It is what is best for the health of the animals in question.
4. I want my kid to have a future, for there to be a rainforest, fresh air and water, seas filled with life and not dead zones and plastic islands. I want my kids kids kids kids, and so forth, to have the same.
The Cons:
1. No bacon
Just a few years back, I was defending eating meat. I know that humans have evolved to consume animals. I grew up on a farm and helped kill and prepare chickens, turkeys, and even rabbits. But my views have changed over time, and I now look back on my old self as both ignorant and selfish.
My issue here is that dairy is nearly as bad as meat, yet I find it MUCH harder to give that up. Being a vegan is as far away as being a vegetarian used to be. I am lactose intolerant now, so I gave up milk years ago and now enjoy small portions of almond milk instead, but I have never given up hard cheese and yogurt, or eggs. And yet...I found myself in the grocery store yesterday angsting over the morality of buying some locally made cheddar (Tillimook). Argh!
Also, we have been meat free about 2 weeks now, and I'm starting to feel like I'm scraping for recipes and variety. I've got loads of different salads (From creamy cucumber to medeteranian). Not just light things, but whole meals. My kid just hates most pasta for some reason, so potatoes and rice are the main starches. Wraps and sandwchiches are also good.
My family is quite open to most veggies. I picked up some vegan broccoli, carrot and kale soup and my kid LOVES it. However, I can't afford that kind of thing often, and prefer to cook things myself most times, so I'm hoping some others here might have some recipes to share.
This is also a good place to discus the morality of eating meat. If becoming a vegetarian does more good for the planet than selling your car and biking to work every day, then perhaps it is something more people should consider? Or at least consider reducing meat as much as possible. I know the meat and dairy industries are an even bigger lobby group than oil (it was news to me at the time, but again, it is true, go look it up), so there is no other way to fight them than to vote with my wallet and my habits.
So...Any recipes to share? Opinions or thoughts? Is anyone else thinking about changing their diet for similar reasons?
This isn't a huge leap, because we have slowly been reducing meat in our diets lately, but eliminating it entirely is still a big step to take.
We have 3 main reasons for doing this. The Pros:
1. It is what is best for the health of the earth.
2. It is what is best for the health of ourselves.
3. It is what is best for the health of the animals in question.
4. I want my kid to have a future, for there to be a rainforest, fresh air and water, seas filled with life and not dead zones and plastic islands. I want my kids kids kids kids, and so forth, to have the same.
The Cons:
1. No bacon
Just a few years back, I was defending eating meat. I know that humans have evolved to consume animals. I grew up on a farm and helped kill and prepare chickens, turkeys, and even rabbits. But my views have changed over time, and I now look back on my old self as both ignorant and selfish.
My issue here is that dairy is nearly as bad as meat, yet I find it MUCH harder to give that up. Being a vegan is as far away as being a vegetarian used to be. I am lactose intolerant now, so I gave up milk years ago and now enjoy small portions of almond milk instead, but I have never given up hard cheese and yogurt, or eggs. And yet...I found myself in the grocery store yesterday angsting over the morality of buying some locally made cheddar (Tillimook). Argh!
Also, we have been meat free about 2 weeks now, and I'm starting to feel like I'm scraping for recipes and variety. I've got loads of different salads (From creamy cucumber to medeteranian). Not just light things, but whole meals. My kid just hates most pasta for some reason, so potatoes and rice are the main starches. Wraps and sandwchiches are also good.
My family is quite open to most veggies. I picked up some vegan broccoli, carrot and kale soup and my kid LOVES it. However, I can't afford that kind of thing often, and prefer to cook things myself most times, so I'm hoping some others here might have some recipes to share.
This is also a good place to discus the morality of eating meat. If becoming a vegetarian does more good for the planet than selling your car and biking to work every day, then perhaps it is something more people should consider? Or at least consider reducing meat as much as possible. I know the meat and dairy industries are an even bigger lobby group than oil (it was news to me at the time, but again, it is true, go look it up), so there is no other way to fight them than to vote with my wallet and my habits.
So...Any recipes to share? Opinions or thoughts? Is anyone else thinking about changing their diet for similar reasons?
“Eternity is a terrible thought. I mean, where's it going to end?”
― Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
― Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
