Everyone Should Go Vegetarian…Sometimes
The Case for a Balanced and Moderate Approach to Environmental Vegetarianism
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Accessed 5 Mar. 2020.
When I tell people I am a vegetarian, the most common response I hear is, “I want to become a vegetarian too, but I can’t.” Their reasons vary: “I wouldn’t get enough protein,” “my family wouldn’t allow it,” sometimes it’s as simple as “I just like bacon too much.” In a recent New York Times Op-Ed entitled, “I Admire Vegetarians. It’s a Choice I Won’t Ever Make,” senior Opinion editor, Alicia P.Q. Wittmeyer, argues that food, including meat, acts as one of her deepest connections to her cultural and familial roots. In her article, she highlights “food’s special power as the most accessible of cultural touchstones” (Wittmeyer).
On the other hand, Wittmeyer shares a concern held by many meat-eaters: feeling “uneasy” or perhaps even guilty for eating meat. Many realize the detrimental environmental, health, and ethical impacts of continuing our planet’s current meat consumption habits. Yet making a complete dietary or lifestyle shift is not feasible for most because of cultural, financial, environmental, or personal reasons. With these challenges, many push aside their guilt, asserting, “vegetarianism cannot be for me,” and continue their usual meat-eating habits. Some get as far as trying the diet for a period of time, cutting out all meat from their meals in one fell swoop. Often, these sudden lifestyle changes result in a quick relapse into old habits as the new lifestyle is too sudden and challenging to maintain.
The problem lies in the current perception of vegetarianism: an all-or-nothing lifestyle; cut out meat completely, or what’s the point? But this concept of reducing meat consumption is our society’s route to improving our deteriorating climate. In 2014, the meat industry contributed to 14.5% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (Anderson). According to a 2009 study by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, if the entire world went vegan, by 2050, agriculture-related carbon emissions would decrease by 17 percent, methane emissions would decrease by 24 percent, and nitrous oxide emissions would decrease by 21 percent (Stehfest, Elke, et al.). Even though the environmental benefits of cutting out animal products are clear, out of the 7.4 billion humans on the planet in 2015, only around 375 million were vegetarian, which is roughly 5 percent (Figus).
Our current rate of meat consumption poses a major threat to the future of the planet. The Earth is warming at an alarming rate due to the greenhouse gases released into the environment, 24% of which come from agriculture and related land use (United States Environmental Protection Agency). From 1990–2015, the total warming effect from greenhouse gases added to the Earth’s atmosphere by humans increased by 37 percent (United States Environmental Protection Agency ). If temperatures continue to rise, the consequences could be drastic, including devastating hurricanes, an increased spread of diseases, and rising sea levels that could leave countries underwater (National Geographic). If more people committed to vegetarianism, it would have a significant impact on preventing this terrifying projection from becoming reality.
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Current campaigns to promote vegetarianism have failed to convert the majority to the vegetarian lifestyle. Organizations like PETA encourage total veganism. Their website shows people the horrifying treatment of animals in the meat production industry in videos on their website such as, “Exposed: Birds Punched, Beaten at Australia’s Largest Chicken Producer” or “The Suffering of Pigs on Factory Farms” (PETA). But the horrors of these videos simply make meat-eaters click off, unable to accept that their actions are directly connected to these atrocities. Guilt will not change minds; it will turn people away. Hope is far more likely to inspire people to make a change.
2015/09/05/vegetarian-vs-vegan-whats-the-difference/. Accessed 5 Mar. 2020.
This change needs to be practicable and sustainable. Rather than scaring people into committing to vegetarianism, we need to start asking people to commit to attainable goals. For those who are concerned about being “difficult” at restaurants, they can become “at home vegetarians.” Or maybe some can work to cut out only red meat. Others can be vegetarian until dinner. Or become vegetarian for one day a week. These dietary shifts are individualized and flexible. They can become more or less restrictive based on a person’s situation.
Most people cannot commit to a completely new lifestyle, but almost everyone has the power to make conscious choices about their diet. Cutting back on meat doesn’t have to also mean abstaining from our cultural celebrations, family traditions, or favorite foods. If we all commit to small sustainable eating goals, we can make a positive impact on the future of the planet.
Works Cited:
Anderson, L.V. “What if Everyone in the World Became a Vegetarian?” slate.com, 1 May 2014, slate.com/technology/2014/05/meat-eating-and-climate-change-vegetarians-impact-on-the-economy-antibiotics-global-warming.html. Accessed 27 Feb. 2020.
Figus, Cinzia. “375 Million Vegetarians Worldwide. All the Reasons for a Green Lifestyle.” expo2015.org, 27 Oct. 2014, www.expo2015.org/magazine/en/lifestyle/375-million-vegetarians-worldwide.html. Accessed 27 Feb. 2020.
National Geographic. “Effects of Global Warming.” nationalgeographic.com, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/global-warming-effects/#close. Accessed 4 Mar. 2020.
PETA. “Videos.” peta.org, www.peta.org/videos/. Accessed 27 Feb. 2020.
Stehfest, Elke, et al. “Climate Benefits of Changing Diet.” dels.nas.edu, Springer Science + Business Media, 4 Feb. 2009, dels.nas.edu/resources/static-assets/banr/AnimalProductionMaterials/StehfestClimate.pdf. Accessed 27 Feb. 2020.
United States Environmental Protection Agency. “Climate Change Indicators: Greenhouse Gases.” epa.gov, www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/greenhouse-gases. Accessed 4 Mar. 2020.
— -. “Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data.” epa.gov, www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data. Accessed 4 Mar. 2020.
Wittmeyer, Alicia P. Q. “I Admire Vegetarians. It’s a Choice I Won’t Ever Make.” The New York Times [New York], 15 Feb. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/02/15/opinion/sunday/vegetarian-vegan-meat.html. Accessed 27 Feb. 2020.
