In spite of the increasing need
for a shift toward vegetarianism to counteract
the present epidemic of diseases and the many
environmental threats caused by the production
and consumption of animal products, progress
has been relatively slow. it is time for a consideration
of new strategies to promote vegetarianism more
effectively. The ten ideas suggested below are
designed to start a dialogue that will lead
to positive changes. It is my hope that this
article will elicit additional suggestions and
effective initiatives.
1. Set a Goal and a Time
Table Toward a Vegetarian Conscious World
We should not be satisfied with
the relatively slow progress currently being
made toward vegetarianism, especially in the
face of all the recent disturbing reports of
environmental catastrophes ahead. One possibility
is to declare a goal, such as “A Vegetarian-conscious
world by 2010.” This could inspire our
efforts by providing something to work toward.
Note the term “vegetarian conscious.”
We can’t hope that every person will be
a vegetarian by 2010, or any other time, and
we should not argue that each person must be
a vegetarian. However, we can work, with a heightened
sense of urgency, to see that everyone is at
least aware of the many reasons for becoming
a vegetarian, with the hope that many will act
based on that knowledge.
2. Make People Aware That a Shift
Toward Vegetarianism is Beneficial for People
as Well as Animals
Many people resist vegetarian
arguments, asserting that they can’t be
concerned about animals when people face so
many problems. We should stress that a shift
to vegetarianism would be very beneficial to
people as well as animals. Among the arguments
we should use are:
• Animal-based diets increase risk factors
for many life-threatening diseases, including
heart disease, several types of cancer, and
stroke.
• Animal-based agriculture contributes
significantly to many environmental threats
to humanity.
• The feeding of 70 percent of the grain
produced in the United States (and almost 40
percent of the grain produced worldwide) to
farmed animals contributes to an estimated 20
million of the world’s people dying annually
from hunger and its effects.
3. Argue that a Shift
Toward Vegetarianism is a Societal Imperative
Today
Humanity is arguably threatened
as perhaps never before from global warming,
widening water shortages, rapid species extinction,
destruction of tropical rain forests and other
valuable habitats, and many other problems.
We should make people aware that all of these
threats and many more are significantly worsened
by the following: we are raising 50 billion
farmed animals for slaughter annually worldwide;
almost 40 percent of the world’s grain
is used to fatten farmed animals; it takes 14
times as much water, ten times as much energy,
and over 20 times as much land for an animal-based
diet than it does for a vegan diet; animal-based
agriculture contributes significantly to emissions
of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse
gases; and much more. We should also stress
that diseases caused by the consumption of animal
product results in soaring medical expenditures
which are contributing to record budget deficits
and the perceived need to cut basic social services.
4. Argue that a Shift
Toward Vegetarianism is a Religious Imperative
Today
Most people profess to be religious
today and many claim to base their lives on
moral values related to their religions. We
should respectfully discuss with such people
how animal-based diets and agriculture contradict
basic religious mandates to preserve our health,
treat animals compassionately, preserve the
environment, conserve natural resources, help
hungry people, and seek and pursue peace. We
should stress such biblical teachings as “God’s
mercies are over all of his creatures”
(Psalms 145:9), “the righteous person
considers the lives of his or her animals”
(Proverbs 12:10), that animals as well as people
are to be permitted to rest on the Sabbath day
(part of the Ten Commandments), and similar
teachings from other holy books and teachers.
5. Relate Vegetarianism
to Current News Items
Vegetarianism touches on almost
all phases of life – health, nutrition,
animals, the environment, energy, water and
other resources, economics, politics, family
life, and many more – and we should make
people aware of connections. When there are
news reports re global warming and its effects,
we should point out that animal-based diets
contribute significantly to emissions of carbon
dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases.
When there are articles re taxes, budget deficits,
and other economic issues, we should indicate
that health costs are soaring in efforts to
cure the many diseases that have been conclusively
connected to animal-centered diets. When there
are articles about water shortages and droughts,
we should help make people aware that animal-based
agriculture requires far more water and other
resources than plant-based agriculture. Many
additional examples can be given.
6. Start a Letter Writing
Campaign
As a follow-up to the discussion
in item #5, there should be a major campaign
to get letters to editors on connections between
various issues and vegetarianism. If only a
small percentage of the people concerned about
vegetarianism and related issues wrote a letter
just once a month, it could have a major impact.
A web site should be set up that gives talking
points daily for letters based on current issues
as well as sample letters.
As a related approach, since many
people listen daily to talk radio shows, there
should also be a concerted effort to get people
to call such shows with vegetarian messages.
While radio talk show hosts are generally very
well informed on a wide variety of issues, I
have found that many have major misconceptions
re health, nutrition, and other vegetarian-related
issues.
7. Make a Shift to Vegetarianism
a Priority for the Animal Rights Movement
The vast majority of cases of
animal abuses occur on factory farms. Yet, many,
perhaps most, animal rights activists are working
on other issues, such as circuses, rodeos, fur,
pets, and animal experimentation. These are
all important issues and it is essential to
end all cases of animal abuse. But, animal-based
diets and agriculture threaten most individuals’
personal health and the well being of humanity.
If most animal rights advocates worked on promoting
vegetarianism and veganism, even for a limited
time, in addition to their other animal rights
efforts, it could have a very powerful impact.
8. Challenge the Medical
Establishment
Every person is concerned about
his or her health and the health of loved ones.
There is very strong evidence that incidents
of heart disease, various types of cancer, strokes,
and other chronic degenerative diseases can
be sharply reduced by a shift to vegetarian
and vegan diets, along with other positive lifestyle
changes. Yet, the medical establishment, including
most nutritionists, are ignoring this information,
and are not making patients and the general
public aware that many diseases can be prevented,
and sometimes reversed, through dietary changes.
It might even be called medical malpractice.
I recently visited a cousin in a rehabilitation
center, and was astounded at reading the daily
menus, which had animal products at every meal.
It is essential that we challenge medical practitioners
and respectfully urge them to help educate people
about healthy diets.
As indicated in point #10, others,
such as educators, politicians, religious leaders,
and reporters, should also be challenged to
increase awareness of the health and many other
benefits of vegetarian and vegan diets.
9. Form Alliances With
Other Groups
Since vegetarianism has connections
with many societal issues, we should try to
build strong alliances with many other groups
that are working for positive changes. For example,
we should seek alliances with environmental
groups, and inform them that the raising of
50 billion animals for slaughter annually, primarily
on “factory farms,” contributes
to many environmental threats; we should seek
alliances with groups concerned about hunger,
poverty, water and energy shortages, global
warming, and related issues, and inform them
about how the production of animal products
contributes to many environmental threats and
is extremely wasteful of resources.
10. Challenge the Media,
Politicians, Educators, and Other Members of
the Establishment
Since, as indicated above humanity
is threatened as perhaps never before, and a
switch toward vegetarianism is a societal imperative,
and there are vegetarian connections to many
current issues, we should try to meet with influential
members of society and urge them to take a stand
re vegetarianism, or at least to put the issues
on their agendas. We should urge educators to
see that children learn about proper nutrition
and are provided with tasty, nutritious options
at every meal. We should exhort reporters and
editors to make people aware of the many negative
effects of animal-based diets and the many benefits
of vegetarian and vegan diets.
-------------------------
This is just an outline of some steps that I
think would be helpful in moving toward a vegetarian
world. I am sure that the many dedicated people
in the vegetarian and related movements can
add to my points and come up with additional
suggestions. The important thing is that we
become increasingly involved, for our sakes,
for the animals, and for our precious, but imperiled,
planet.
======================
Dear Editor:
I want to commend you for your
important efforts to educate people on the need
to shift toward plant-based diets. However,
in spite of the increasing need for a shift
toward vegetarianism to counteract the present
epidemic of diseases and the many environmental
threats caused by the production and consumption
of animal products, progress has been relatively
slow. I believe that it is time for a consideration
of strategies to promote vegetarianism more
effectively. Here are ten suggestions designed
to start a dialogue that will lead to positive
changes:
1. Set a goal such as “A
Vegetarian-conscious World by 2010.”
2. Make people aware that a shift
toward vegetarianism is beneficial for people
as well as animals.
3. Argue that a shift toward vegetarianism
is a societal imperative today because of the
many negative health and environmental effects
of animal-based diets.
4. Argue that a shift toward vegetarianism
is a religious imperative today because animal-centered
diets violate many religious mandates.
5. Relate vegetarianism to current
news items.
6. Start a letter writing campaign
and a campaign of responses to radio talk shows.
7. Make a Shift to Vegetarianism
a Priority for the Animal Rights Movement.
8. Challenge the medical establishment
to inform people that many diseases can be prevented
and sometimes reversed through a shift to vegan
diets and other positive lifestyle changes.
9. Form alliances with environmental,
health, animal rights, social justice, and other
groups.
10. Urge the media, politicians,
educators, and others to help make people aware
of the many benefits of vegetarian diets.
This is just an outline of some
steps that I think would be helpful in moving
toward a vegetarian world. I am sure that the
many dedicated people in the vegetarian and
related movements can come up with additional
suggestions. The important thing is that we
become increasingly involved, for our sakes,
for the animals, and for our precious, but imperiled,
planet.
