If Ethics weren't an issue would you still be a veg*n?!
To me there are three good reasons one might chose to be a veg*n which are ethics, environmental, and health!. Personally for any of these reasons I would remain veg*n exclusive if need be of the others!.
I am curious though what ours might think and do!? All respectful opinions are welcomed!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I am curious though what ours might think and do!? All respectful opinions are welcomed!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
Primarily, I am a vegetarian for spiritual reasons!. As an initiate into Sant Mat method of meditation it is essential for me to eat lower on the food chain and to incur as little additional karma as possible!. Animals have all five elements present in them -- earth-air-fire- water and aether!.
Birds have four; Fish three, Insects two and Plants - one -- which is water!. So eating lower on the food chain is causing the least amount of damage!.
So for me, I eat no meat, no fish, no fowl, no game, no eggs!. I do permit myself some dairy products -- though I use them very sparingly -- because when the cow isn't milked she is in pain!.
There are many other compelling reasons to be vegetarian the first of which is: Life comes from Life! It makes no sense to me to turn my body into a graveyard for dead animals!. To pollute my body with rotting flesh which stays in the colon for up to two weeks seems insane to me!.
There is also the issue of human health and the growth hormones, antibiotics and other substances injected into the cattle, fowl, and other animal on feed lots!.
There is the issue of Mad Cow Disease which has been noted in wild life as well as among the herds!.!.!.even in the Western US!.
There are the issues of factory farm practices on the planet's health as well as that of the animal's rights to their own lives in healthy humane conditions and the impact of those cruel factory farm principles on them and the eco-system as well, no question!. The impact of those unnatural practices on the planet's health as well as on our own results in situations like global warming, abnormal amounts of methane gas production!. Not to mention the E-coli infected Spinach a few months ago which is a perfect case in point -- contaminated groundwater due to factory farm manure cess pits was the culprit there!. And of course we can also cite the recall of contaminated beef in recent weeks, and of poultry, of pork etc!. Hence it is clear that the factory farm system extends its evils to us, even the vegetarian and vegan communities in some very poisonous ways!.
We can look to our own physiology, our dentition, skeletal structure, length of intestine, amount ot Hydrochloric Acid in or stomachs as well as our musculature and lack of claws all of which point to an herbivore's lifestyle as opposed to the rending, tearing jaw and teeth; claws, musculature and limbs of predatory animals!. Which is not to say that our behavior as humans is not predatory -- we are the without doubt the most dangerous, predatory animals on the planet!.
And yes, there are religious/biblical reasons too stated clearly in both Genesis and Leviticus!. And in other faiths as well!. Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Parsee, Shinto faiths all proscribe eating the flesh of animals!.
There are reasons of economics and efficiency also -- It takes enough water to float a battleship and 40 acres of grazing land to raise one head of cattle to feed one man for one year!. Whereas enough soybeans, for example, can be grown on one acre of land to feed 40 people for an entire year!.
We can also point to the fact that Jacques Cousteau swore that he would eat nothing that came out of the sea because it was so polluted!.
So yes, health is a compelling reason: my own, other people's, the animal's, the planet's!.
Ecological reasons are clearly intertwined with economic reasons also!.
There are also aesthetic reasons, culinary, creative reasons for which I enjoy being Vegetarian!.
But the most compelling reasons for me are the starvation statistics published by the UN's WHO
Every year 15 million children die of hunger!. Hunger is 100% preventable and curable!
For the price of one missile, an entire school full of hungry children could eat lunch every day for 5 years
Throughout the 1990's more than 100 million children died from hunger related illness and starvation!. Those 100 million deaths could have been prevented for the price of ten Stealth bombers, or what the world spends on its military in less than two days during "peace" time -- before Iraq and Afghanistan!
The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the world is well-fed, one-third is under-fed one-third is starving!.
Since you've entered this site and began reading this piece at least 200 people have died of starvation!.
Over 4 million will die this year of 100% preventable, curable starvation and hunger related diseases!.
One in twelve people worldwide is malnourished, including 160 million children under the age of 5!.
The Indian subcontinent is home to nearly half the world's hungry people!. Africa and the rest of Asia together have approximately 40%, and the remaining hungry people are found in Latin America and other parts of the world!. And yes, there is hunger here in the US also!. Ask the homeless and the elderly!. And remember that most of the increasing numbers of "homeless" is a child!.
Then there is hunger in the global economy
Nearly one in four people, 1!.3 billion - a majority of humanity - live on less than $1 per day, while the world's 358 billionaires have assets exceeding the combined annual incomes of countries with 45 percent of the world's people!. UNICEF
3 billion people in the world today struggle to survive on US $2/day!.
In 1994 the Urban Institute in Washington DC estimated that one out of 6 elderly people in the U!.S!. has an inadequate diet!.
In the U!.S!. hunger and race are related!. In 1991 46% of African-American children were chronically hungry, and 40% of Latino children were chronically hungry compared to 16% of white children!.
Katrina certainly added to the numbers of starving Americans!.
The infant mortality rate is closely linked to inadequate nutrition among pregnant women!.
The U!.S!. ranks 23rd among industrial nations in infant mortality!. African-American infants die at nearly twice the rate of white infants!.
One out of every eight children under the age of twelve in the U!.S!. goes to bed hungry every night!.
Half of all children under five years of age in South Asia and one third of those in sub-Saharan Africa are malnourished!.
In 1997 alone, the lives of at least 300,000 young children were saved by vitamin A supplementation programmes in developing countries!.
Malnutrition is implicated in more than half of all child deaths worldwide - a proportion unmatched by any infectious disease since the Black Death
About 183 million children weigh less than they should for their age
To satisfy the world's sanitation and food requirements would cost only US$13 billion- what the people of the United States and the European Union spend on perfume each year!.
The assets of the world's three richest men are more than the combined GNP of all the least developed countries on the planet!.
Every 3!.6 seconds someone dies of hunger
It is estimated that some 800 million people in the world suffer from hunger and malnutrition, about 100 times as many as those who actually die from it each year!.
Enough said!?
Hunger hurts!. And it is 100% preventable!. Being Vegetarian helps alleviate that by freeing up natural resources for humanitarian use!. !. !. feeding the hungry!. Of course working toward that end - supporting OXFAM America, the local food banks, UNICEF etc!. all helps!.
That is why I am vegetarian and a tea totaler!. What has drinking alcohol to do with anything you ask!?
Take a look at the use to which we humans put grain and potatoes-- dulling consciousness and killing brain cells with the alcohol they produce -- rather than feeding people with the same grain and potatoes and fruit!.
Frankly, that makes no sense to me either!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Birds have four; Fish three, Insects two and Plants - one -- which is water!. So eating lower on the food chain is causing the least amount of damage!.
So for me, I eat no meat, no fish, no fowl, no game, no eggs!. I do permit myself some dairy products -- though I use them very sparingly -- because when the cow isn't milked she is in pain!.
There are many other compelling reasons to be vegetarian the first of which is: Life comes from Life! It makes no sense to me to turn my body into a graveyard for dead animals!. To pollute my body with rotting flesh which stays in the colon for up to two weeks seems insane to me!.
There is also the issue of human health and the growth hormones, antibiotics and other substances injected into the cattle, fowl, and other animal on feed lots!.
There is the issue of Mad Cow Disease which has been noted in wild life as well as among the herds!.!.!.even in the Western US!.
There are the issues of factory farm practices on the planet's health as well as that of the animal's rights to their own lives in healthy humane conditions and the impact of those cruel factory farm principles on them and the eco-system as well, no question!. The impact of those unnatural practices on the planet's health as well as on our own results in situations like global warming, abnormal amounts of methane gas production!. Not to mention the E-coli infected Spinach a few months ago which is a perfect case in point -- contaminated groundwater due to factory farm manure cess pits was the culprit there!. And of course we can also cite the recall of contaminated beef in recent weeks, and of poultry, of pork etc!. Hence it is clear that the factory farm system extends its evils to us, even the vegetarian and vegan communities in some very poisonous ways!.
We can look to our own physiology, our dentition, skeletal structure, length of intestine, amount ot Hydrochloric Acid in or stomachs as well as our musculature and lack of claws all of which point to an herbivore's lifestyle as opposed to the rending, tearing jaw and teeth; claws, musculature and limbs of predatory animals!. Which is not to say that our behavior as humans is not predatory -- we are the without doubt the most dangerous, predatory animals on the planet!.
And yes, there are religious/biblical reasons too stated clearly in both Genesis and Leviticus!. And in other faiths as well!. Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Parsee, Shinto faiths all proscribe eating the flesh of animals!.
There are reasons of economics and efficiency also -- It takes enough water to float a battleship and 40 acres of grazing land to raise one head of cattle to feed one man for one year!. Whereas enough soybeans, for example, can be grown on one acre of land to feed 40 people for an entire year!.
We can also point to the fact that Jacques Cousteau swore that he would eat nothing that came out of the sea because it was so polluted!.
So yes, health is a compelling reason: my own, other people's, the animal's, the planet's!.
Ecological reasons are clearly intertwined with economic reasons also!.
There are also aesthetic reasons, culinary, creative reasons for which I enjoy being Vegetarian!.
But the most compelling reasons for me are the starvation statistics published by the UN's WHO
Every year 15 million children die of hunger!. Hunger is 100% preventable and curable!
For the price of one missile, an entire school full of hungry children could eat lunch every day for 5 years
Throughout the 1990's more than 100 million children died from hunger related illness and starvation!. Those 100 million deaths could have been prevented for the price of ten Stealth bombers, or what the world spends on its military in less than two days during "peace" time -- before Iraq and Afghanistan!
The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the world is well-fed, one-third is under-fed one-third is starving!.
Since you've entered this site and began reading this piece at least 200 people have died of starvation!.
Over 4 million will die this year of 100% preventable, curable starvation and hunger related diseases!.
One in twelve people worldwide is malnourished, including 160 million children under the age of 5!.
The Indian subcontinent is home to nearly half the world's hungry people!. Africa and the rest of Asia together have approximately 40%, and the remaining hungry people are found in Latin America and other parts of the world!. And yes, there is hunger here in the US also!. Ask the homeless and the elderly!. And remember that most of the increasing numbers of "homeless" is a child!.
Then there is hunger in the global economy
Nearly one in four people, 1!.3 billion - a majority of humanity - live on less than $1 per day, while the world's 358 billionaires have assets exceeding the combined annual incomes of countries with 45 percent of the world's people!. UNICEF
3 billion people in the world today struggle to survive on US $2/day!.
In 1994 the Urban Institute in Washington DC estimated that one out of 6 elderly people in the U!.S!. has an inadequate diet!.
In the U!.S!. hunger and race are related!. In 1991 46% of African-American children were chronically hungry, and 40% of Latino children were chronically hungry compared to 16% of white children!.
Katrina certainly added to the numbers of starving Americans!.
The infant mortality rate is closely linked to inadequate nutrition among pregnant women!.
The U!.S!. ranks 23rd among industrial nations in infant mortality!. African-American infants die at nearly twice the rate of white infants!.
One out of every eight children under the age of twelve in the U!.S!. goes to bed hungry every night!.
Half of all children under five years of age in South Asia and one third of those in sub-Saharan Africa are malnourished!.
In 1997 alone, the lives of at least 300,000 young children were saved by vitamin A supplementation programmes in developing countries!.
Malnutrition is implicated in more than half of all child deaths worldwide - a proportion unmatched by any infectious disease since the Black Death
About 183 million children weigh less than they should for their age
To satisfy the world's sanitation and food requirements would cost only US$13 billion- what the people of the United States and the European Union spend on perfume each year!.
The assets of the world's three richest men are more than the combined GNP of all the least developed countries on the planet!.
Every 3!.6 seconds someone dies of hunger
It is estimated that some 800 million people in the world suffer from hunger and malnutrition, about 100 times as many as those who actually die from it each year!.
Enough said!?
Hunger hurts!. And it is 100% preventable!. Being Vegetarian helps alleviate that by freeing up natural resources for humanitarian use!. !. !. feeding the hungry!. Of course working toward that end - supporting OXFAM America, the local food banks, UNICEF etc!. all helps!.
That is why I am vegetarian and a tea totaler!. What has drinking alcohol to do with anything you ask!?
Take a look at the use to which we humans put grain and potatoes-- dulling consciousness and killing brain cells with the alcohol they produce -- rather than feeding people with the same grain and potatoes and fruit!.
Frankly, that makes no sense to me either!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I am vegan for animal cruelty issues!. The health and the benefit of the environment came as an added bonus!.
When I went straight from omni to vegan I was only thinking of the animals!. However, now it has gotten me thinking about other issues!.
So now, if ethics weren't an issue, I would still be vegan for health and environment!. BUT, if you asked me this when I first switched my lifestyle I would've said "no" because I was still ignorant and skeptical and I hadn't done the research that showed me just how detrimental the animal agribusinesses are to health and the Earth!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
When I went straight from omni to vegan I was only thinking of the animals!. However, now it has gotten me thinking about other issues!.
So now, if ethics weren't an issue, I would still be vegan for health and environment!. BUT, if you asked me this when I first switched my lifestyle I would've said "no" because I was still ignorant and skeptical and I hadn't done the research that showed me just how detrimental the animal agribusinesses are to health and the Earth!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I also went veggie for ethical reasons, at the time I didn't realise that I would also be helping the environment, but I was aware that it was a healthy diet!.
I very quickly learnt about the detrimental effect that non-veggie diets have on the environment,and how much we need to care about the environment, which also led me to shop locally for organic food and recycle everything I can!
Going vegan has made me look at the world differently, and how much we need to look after it!
So if ethics weren't an issue, I would still be a vegan! :)Www@FoodAQ@Com
I very quickly learnt about the detrimental effect that non-veggie diets have on the environment,and how much we need to care about the environment, which also led me to shop locally for organic food and recycle everything I can!
Going vegan has made me look at the world differently, and how much we need to look after it!
So if ethics weren't an issue, I would still be a vegan! :)Www@FoodAQ@Com
absolutely!. I became vegetarian because meat was making me feel sick (curled up in bed when I wasn't running for and sitting on the toilet)!. I also never really liked meat!. And the more I've read about veg*nism, the happier I am with it, what with not supporting factory farming (I buy free range rennet-free cheese and eggs) and it being a more sustainable way of life!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
ethics isn't an issue, I'm vegan for the simple reason that I find the physical aspect of eating the flesh of a rotten corpse, or drinking the bodily fluids of an animal repulsive and disgusting!.!.!. because I'm vegan in addition to being extremely picky, I don't eat enough and I'm pretty underweight!. I rarely have energy and I'm sick all the time!. so, health also isn't an issue for me!.
for me, I guess the environmental part is just an added bonus!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
for me, I guess the environmental part is just an added bonus!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
if ethics weren't an issue, every dollar you spend at a big food corporation still pays them millions of dollars to destroy the earth and deform our own teenagers with the growth hormones!. being a real vegetarian is not about your personal ethics!. its a group boycott against the ceos that poison our earth AND our food!. its saying no i will not pay you to feed me crap!.
hey yo hizumi, see those two pointy teeth either side the top of ur jaw!? that says your little its nasty rantholds no water, as you owe your existance to that natural food chain we no longer respect or are in!. u feel sick all the time, no energy, i maybe suggest that u should rethink your lifestyle, as the slow sadistic torture of yourself not gonna bring the animals back to life!.!.!.!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
hey yo hizumi, see those two pointy teeth either side the top of ur jaw!? that says your little its nasty rantholds no water, as you owe your existance to that natural food chain we no longer respect or are in!. u feel sick all the time, no energy, i maybe suggest that u should rethink your lifestyle, as the slow sadistic torture of yourself not gonna bring the animals back to life!.!.!.!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I am curious, though, why you find the need to censor "a" in vegan!? It now sounds like a bad word!
Well basically I'm not a vege or vegan but I am inspired by those who are for ethical reasons!. I know alot who are veggies are health nuts as well as allergic to certain foods, so it's not all ethical cases!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Well basically I'm not a vege or vegan but I am inspired by those who are for ethical reasons!. I know alot who are veggies are health nuts as well as allergic to certain foods, so it's not all ethical cases!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
no, ethics are my reason, i stopped looking for other reason while this one is so powerful!. Although as an educated consumer in other areas, i guess i would learn about meat and the environment if i were a meat eater!.
Owning a small farm, i'm fully aware of the contribution to greenhouse gases and ground polution caused by intensive farming so i guess it wouldn't be too long before that became a powerful reason to cut out meat if ethics were not my first reason!.
Seeing going veggie 28 years ago, the environmental and health reasons have become more apparent!. Whether i would have come across those as a meat eater is impossible to sayWww@FoodAQ@Com
Owning a small farm, i'm fully aware of the contribution to greenhouse gases and ground polution caused by intensive farming so i guess it wouldn't be too long before that became a powerful reason to cut out meat if ethics were not my first reason!.
Seeing going veggie 28 years ago, the environmental and health reasons have become more apparent!. Whether i would have come across those as a meat eater is impossible to sayWww@FoodAQ@Com
Ethics was the catalyst for me!. I couldn't continue to eat animal products with a clear conscience when there are more ethical alternatives!.
Another important factor was the environment!. I study environmental engineering and after studying the sheer amount of raw materials, energy, fossil fuel, water, chemicals, antibiotics and hormones required to produce meat at a global scale, I realised how ecologically unsustainable a large scale omnivorous diet is to maintain globally on a long term scale!.
I think the animal cruelty and environmental issues are inter-related!. If we are harming the environment then we are hurting nature and the animals which live in it!. Both are of equal importance to me personally!. Watching an animal die and watching our planet die are both equally devastating to me!.
I would still be vegan no matter what!. whether we return to grass roots farming techniques or continue this ecologically unsustainable practise of industrialised factory farming or even if we could grow meat sans the slaughter because I feel it's healthier for myself, the environment and ultimately I don't think their is a cruelty free way of producing meat!. Plus I have lost the taste for meat, I no longer enjoy the taste or smell!.
Peace )O(Www@FoodAQ@Com
Another important factor was the environment!. I study environmental engineering and after studying the sheer amount of raw materials, energy, fossil fuel, water, chemicals, antibiotics and hormones required to produce meat at a global scale, I realised how ecologically unsustainable a large scale omnivorous diet is to maintain globally on a long term scale!.
I think the animal cruelty and environmental issues are inter-related!. If we are harming the environment then we are hurting nature and the animals which live in it!. Both are of equal importance to me personally!. Watching an animal die and watching our planet die are both equally devastating to me!.
I would still be vegan no matter what!. whether we return to grass roots farming techniques or continue this ecologically unsustainable practise of industrialised factory farming or even if we could grow meat sans the slaughter because I feel it's healthier for myself, the environment and ultimately I don't think their is a cruelty free way of producing meat!. Plus I have lost the taste for meat, I no longer enjoy the taste or smell!.
Peace )O(Www@FoodAQ@Com
FAO Spica - I think they put an asterisk in "veg*n" to imply that it can signify either vegetarian or vegan!. Not to censor it!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I am considering the lifestyle, but it has nothing to do with ethics!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
No, I do it for ethical/animal welfare reasonsWww@FoodAQ@Com
Even if the animals died of old age/natural causes and were then prepared for human consumption, I would still be a vegan!.
I am a vegan for cruelty and health reasons!.!.!.!.I tend to be indecisive, so they both tie for the #1 reason!. (haha) So if cruelty wasn't an issue, the health reason would still be there and I still wouldn't eat meat!. I may then add the farmers to my reasons as they are paid so little for what they do!.
{Just to cite an example from E!. Schlosser's "Fast Food Nation"!.!.!.for a $0!.99 super sized box of fries, the farmer may see $0!.02 for his potatoes IF he's lucky!. The fast food restaurant is taking the rest of the profit!. That's sickening to me!. Farmers work *really* hard}!.
Okay!. I'm off my soapbox for today!. Good question!. Star for you!
:-DWww@FoodAQ@Com
I am a vegan for cruelty and health reasons!.!.!.!.I tend to be indecisive, so they both tie for the #1 reason!. (haha) So if cruelty wasn't an issue, the health reason would still be there and I still wouldn't eat meat!. I may then add the farmers to my reasons as they are paid so little for what they do!.
{Just to cite an example from E!. Schlosser's "Fast Food Nation"!.!.!.for a $0!.99 super sized box of fries, the farmer may see $0!.02 for his potatoes IF he's lucky!. The fast food restaurant is taking the rest of the profit!. That's sickening to me!. Farmers work *really* hard}!.
Okay!. I'm off my soapbox for today!. Good question!. Star for you!
:-DWww@FoodAQ@Com
Yes, I would!. For one, it's been so long that I don't consider meat food and there's no way I'd go back to putting that in my mouth!.
Besides the gross out factor, the environmental impact would be enough to keep me vegan!. And for me, it's also a political issue!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Besides the gross out factor, the environmental impact would be enough to keep me vegan!. And for me, it's also a political issue!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
if ethics weren't an issue i would still be veg because i think it is a great solution to many of the world's problems!.!.!.!.hunger being the largest!. i don't know if you consider this ethics or not, but i would also be veg because of my religious beliefs!. i think that one of the most important aspects of almost any religion is the teachings of love, respect, etc!. and one of the best ways to show love and compassion is to stop killing animals for human consumption!. so even if i weren't absolutely disgusted with the way animals are raised and slaughtered for food while they suffer, i would still be vegetarian!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I agree with you!.!. I am vegetarian because of ALL three reasons you mentioned!.
so I would still be a vegetarian if one wasn't an issue, but the other two still were!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
so I would still be a vegetarian if one wasn't an issue, but the other two still were!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I can honestly say yes!. Allthough I am an ethical vegan first, the health and environmental implications of a non-vegan diet are what first compelled me to become vegan!.
Furthermore, ethics aside, consuming the reproductive secretions of cows and chickens is just plain unnatural disgusting to me!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Furthermore, ethics aside, consuming the reproductive secretions of cows and chickens is just plain unnatural disgusting to me!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I went veg for environmental reasons, then became a raw vegan for my health!. So yes, ethics aside, I would still be vegan!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Oh, definitely!. Like bubblesnap, I used to wind up on the toilet in agony after eating meat, a curious condition that manifested occasionally after I turned 30!. So one day, after eating some wings that were just awful, I decided to go vegetarian!. A few months later, I went vegan!.
I think being vegan is the right thing for many reasons, and I don't see how you can remove the ethical issue!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I think being vegan is the right thing for many reasons, and I don't see how you can remove the ethical issue!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
If meat grew on trees I would have never became vegan because it was for the animals that I made the transformation, However now that I am vegan I would remain vegan even if ethics were not an issue!.Www@FoodAQ@Com