ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS - Many leading environmental organizations, including the National Audubon Society, the WorldWatch Institute, the Sierra Club, and the Union of Concerned Scientists, have recognized that raising animals for food damages the environment more than just about anything else that we do. A recent U.N. report indicates that raising livestock is a major contributor to GLOBAL WARMING, worse than car emissions. Whether it's the overuse of resources, unchecked water or air pollution, or soil erosion, raising animals for food is wreaking havoc on the Earth.
HEALTH REASONS – In addition to the threat of the bird flu, mad cow disease, E.Coli, salmonella, and other diseases, eating animal products is closely linked with heart disease, cancer and obesity. Meat/eggs/dairy products are loaded with unhealthy saturated fat and cholesterol with no fiber. Animals have immense fear right before they die so the adrenaline hormones end up inside our bodies causing us to become more fearful. Animals are frequently given additional hormones in order for them to grow faster. Meat rots quickly so it is high in additives, preservatives, red dye, MSG & sodium nitrate. Animals are overloaded with antibiotics & steroids just to keep them alive on these factory farms (so that when we need antibiotics, they no longer work as effectively). Finally, the World Cancer Research Fund has determined that school meat is no longer fit for human consumption. [See enclosed findings].
ETHICAL REASONS – Chickens, cows, pigs are individuals with feelings—they can feel love, loneliness, pain, sadness, affection and fear, just as dogs, cats, and people do. Pigs are esp. highly intelligent & affectionate. Yet, billions of these animals are slaughtered every year and undercover investigations have revealed that a large percentage of them live lives of unspeakable suffering under terrifying conditions in today's factory farms where profits take precedence over compassion. These animals’ miserable lives finally end at the slaughter houses where they are often killed while still conscious [being scalded/burned alive, heads cut off and other horrors while fully conscious]. What have these innocent, helpless creatures ever done to deserve this kind of treatment? See www.meetyourmeat.com.
LESS EXPENSIVE – It’s much cheaper to grow fruits, vegetables, grains than to raise animals.
IMPURE FOOD – If we were not in the habit of eating animals or ever stopped to consider what we were actually eating (dead corpse, blood and gore along with their waste products), it probably would not be that appetizing. And we have no idea (and may not want to know) what part of the animal is in hamburger, hot dogs, brats. On today’s factory farms, animals are often forced to live in their own feces. [Modern Meat Video]
WASTEFUL - With meat being at the top of the food chain and world population skyrocketing, only a vegetarian diet makes sense. The same cow or pig must be fed every day for months/years before we eat it. According to various sources, if the food that is given these billions of animals that we eat would instead be given to all the starving people, this would end world hunger. http://www.bullfrogfilms.com/catalog/dfsp.html
A VEGETARIAN DIET LINKED TO HIGHER I.Q. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6180753.stm]
LESS FEAR BASED & VIOLENT CULTURE According to the International Vegetarian Union: “Generally, in nature, carnivorous animals are fierce and aggressive, while non-carnivorous ones tend to be more peaceful, sociable.” . . . Meat eating is predatory behavior that tends to subconsciously desensitize humans to the suffering of others.
A CARNIVOROUS DIET HAS BECOME UNNATURAL – Take cloning for example. Then there are today’s factory farms. Unlike the family farm, animals often never get any exercise, move or even turn around, see any sunlight or breath fresh air. Babies chicks never get to see their mothers. Additionally, our teeth are not canine. Our digestive systems do not support digesting meat since carnivorous animals have much shorter digestive tracts. As a result, meat can be hard to digest and may often remain in our intestines and rot since there is no fiber.
THERE ARE MANY SENSIBLE ALTERNATIVES – Combining legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds will provide you with complete protein. Soy is a complete protein that is high in calcium &, unlike animal protein, it contains fiber and has no cholesterol. For B12, one can use supplements, brewers yeast or fortified foods.
