VegetarianismVegetarianismSo Fresh, So Green

Many Different MotivationsMany Different Motivations

In the Western world, the popularity ofvegetarianism grew during the 20th century as aresult of nutritional, ethical, environmental andeconomic reasons.

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Most important reason for becoming aMost important reason for becoming avegetarianvegetarian in the United States, 2002in the United States, 2002

Health 32%Because of chemicals and hormones in meatproducts

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 theplanet

4%

To lose weight 3%To reduce hungerand famineworldwide

1% /

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TIME/CNN POLL: Reasons for choosing a vegetarian lifestyle

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chancesof survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to avegetarian diet."

-Albert Einstein

Health BenefitsHealth Benefits

Consuming wholegrains, legumes,nuts, fruits andvegetables providesprotection againstchronic diseases suchas cancer,cardiovasculardisease and diabeteshttp://flickr.com/photos/jow/53534742/

The total direct medical costs in the UnitedStates attributable to meat consumptionhave been estimated to be $30-60 billion ayear, based upon the higher prevalence ofhypertension, heart disease, cancer,diabetes, gallstones, obesity and food-borne illness among omnivores comparedwith vegetarians.

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

Vegetarians are at alesser risk for obesity

Western vegetarianshave lower BMI (bodymass index) and lowercholesterol levels thannon-vegetarians

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

Eating more fruits and vegetables puts youat a lower risk for a plethora of chronicdiseases, 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 youconsume, you will decrease the number ofanimals slaughtered.

How many animals do you eat in a givenyear?

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

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

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By reducing the amount of meat youconsume, you will reduce animalsuffering.

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

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“If slaughterhouses hadglass walls, everyone

would be a vegetarian.”-Paul McCartney

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

"We did not weave theweb of life; we aremerely a strand in

it. Whatever we do to theweb,

we do to ourselves.All things connect.”

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

By not eating beefBy not eating beef–– and other farm and other farmanimals as wellanimals as well––you:you:

Save massive amounts ofwater – about 3,000 to5,000 gallons of water perpound avoided

Avoid polluting our streamsand rivers and destroyingtopsoil

Avoid destroying tropicalforests

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Avoid carbon dioxide production (The average carproduces 3 kg/day of CO2. To clear rainforest toproduce beef for one hamburger produces 75 kg ofCO2. Eating one pound of hamburger does thesame damage as driving a car for more than threeweeks.)

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 Marylandhttp://www.earthsave.org/environment/foodchoices.htm

The End!The End!

"I am not avegetarianbecause I loveanimals; I am avegetarianbecause I hateplants."

— A. WhitneyBrown

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