BY: JESSICA BEUKER
A couple years ago, if you asked me what my favoruite foods are, I would, without hesitation, rattle off a list that begins with steak, bacon and pepperoni pizza. I was always a big meat eater, which is why it was especially shocking to my friends and family when I decided I wanted to become a vegetarian.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t go full vegetarian from the get-go, and I still don’t consider myself a vegetarian—I occasionally eat chicken. But the more I researched and engaged in discussions with others about our beautiful planet and the ways that she is being completely destroyed, I knew I had to make a personal change. Even if that meant starting really small.
I’m not great at cooking, I’m a picky eater, and I was never a big vegetable lover. So this meant that cutting out meat, which I ate everyday, would be difficult. So I started by just decreasing the amount of meat that I ate; cutting portions in half or vowing to have at least one or two meat-free days a week. Then last year, I decided to cut beef and pork out of my life entirely. That would mean giving up the top three foods on my favoruite foods list. Surprisingly, it was easier than I thought, especially since I still allowed myself to eat chicken. Today, I am very close to becoming vegetarian. I’ve expanded my taste palette to include things like tofu and soy, and have been slowing phasing chicken out of my life over the past few months.
Recently, actor and notable environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio tweeted a video that was posted by Mercy For Animals last December. The video starts by showcasing some beautiful images of our earth, then illustrates the ways in which it is being taken advantage of by us. We not only have the most to gain from Earth, but we also have the most to lose, should we not learn to take care of it.
As it stands, animal agriculture is the number one cause of environmental destruction. As the video conveys, it is the leading cause of species extinction, consuming one-third of all fresh water, is the leading cause of ocean dead zones (areas in the oceans where excessive pollution has depleted the oxygen needed for marine life to survive), and is responsible for 91 per cent of Amazon destruction.
Today, two out of three farm animals are now factory-farmed. They are easier and cheaper to mass-produce, and with such a high demand for meat, ethics ends up taking a back seat to convenience. But even so, eating organic meat still has its issues. For one, our demand is too high, and we will eventually eat away our planet.
“If the world were to switch to eating truly organic and free-range animal products, there would still need to be a significant reduction in the amount of animal products people eat,” said Barbi Lazarus, Donor and Volunteer Resources Coordinator for the Toronto Vegetarian Association, in an article for The Plaid Zebra. “It couldn’t keep up with the current pace. Every little bit counts, even if it’s Meatless Mondays or being vegan until six.”
Change doesn’t happen overnight, but even making a small change, such as cutting red meat out of your diet, or implementing a few vegetarian days into your week could make a huge difference. There is still time to help our ailing planet. As the video suggests, “She is our mother. There is only one. She is dying. She can be saved.”
If you still need convincing, just watch the powerful video below.
