Kaeli strongly believed in vegetarianism, and her reasons for this belief could not be purer. After having the privilege of having Kaeli as my best friend for several years, she was able to help me appreciate all of the reasons why one should become a vegetarian. Nine years later, I remain a vegetarian, and couldn’t be happier about this decision. People always ask if I miss eating meat, and if I regret making this decision. Absolutely not! There is a world of options out there for vegetarians, and it is easy to forget about ever eating meat again. Besides, the sacrifice one is making by not eating meat is miniscule in comparison to the sacrifices of so many animals.
By becoming a vegetarian, many innocent animals are spared a life of suffering. Since I became a vegetarian, I have become aware of many new food choices. I love to cook vegetarian items, which are often much easier to make than those dishes involving meat. A veggie burger can be bought at your local supermarket and can be prepared in minutes. Vegetarianism is a healthy choice. Research has proven that becoming a vegetarian can prolong your life, and increase its quality as well. Specifically, because of lower fat content and healthier components of many meat-free foods, vegetarians have a scientifically proven decreased risk of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, gallstones, heart disease, cancer, and many food-borne illnesses.
Most people do not realize where the "delicious" piece of flesh sitting on their dinner plate came from, or the brutal process required for it to arrive there. Each year, incalculable numbers of cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, turkeys, and many other creatures are slaughtered for the purpose of becoming our food. While killing animals to please the human race is cruel enough by itself, the way handlers treat the animals beforehand is equally horrible. Animals are packed together as tightly as possible in confinement so that they have no freedom to move . Some never see the light of day. They are forced to sit in their own filth while breathing foul air. Disease is widespread amongst the livestock in such putrid conditions. Animals receive electrical shocks or blows to the head when they are moved. Chickens are plucked alive without a second thought. Many animals die as a result of the stress they are forced to endure. After knowing this, I can never eat a piece of meat without thinking about where it came from and the innocence that was sacrificed. I believe that when a person eats meat, he or she must think about the origin of that meat, and all of the animals' suffering which is contained in the very meat which is being consumed.
Some people think it is terrible to eat certain beloved creatures, such as horses and dogs, yet it is somehow perfectly acceptable to eat cows and chickens. In some cultures, the cow is given more respect from the population, while the horse is the chosen sacrifice. How can one say they love horses and dogs, yet fail to make the connection between the lives of these pets and the lives of farm animals? Both are furry, gentle animals that lack any desire to hurt any other living being. Isn't it inconsistent to elevate the position of one animal to a safe place, while enthusiastically consuming another equally innocent animal. WHY ARE SOME ANIMALS PETS, WHILE OTHERS ARE DINNER?
Furthermore, becoming a vegetarian helps save the environment. Cows require a great deal of corn and grain in order to be used for meat. That same amount of corn and grain can be used to feed many more people than the number of people that could be fed by the cow who consumed all of that grain. This grain can also help to feed starving people. Additionally, many cows are imported from South and Central America. Since cows need grazing land, farmers clear forests and rain forests in order to provide space for the cattle to graze. Thus, carnivores are helping to deplete our world’s rainforests as well.
It is also wise to buy produce from local farms. Buying commercially produced fruits and vegetables means that a large amount of energy was expended in the form of transportation. By purchasing from local farmers, you are preseving open spaces, helping keep local farmers in business and reducing the use of fossil fuels. When you buy local, your produce will not have travelled long distances and you will be eating the freshest food possible.
Every person who becomes a vegetarian helps make the world a better and more peaceful place. As Albert Einstein said "Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."
Arielle Lubin
Sophomore at MIT/Best Friend of Kaeli since Kindergarten
