Still not sure about the whole “not eating animals” thing? Then read on!
(Thanks to Matt Stopera of Buzzfeed for the inspiration.)
Step 1: Realize That You’ve Been Played by the Meat Industry
This chart compares the meat industry’s advertising expenses (yes, just its advertising expenses) to the total expenses of organizations that promote vegetarian eating and/or meat-industry reform:
In just the U.S. alone:
- Land animals (mostly chickens) killed for food: 8 billion
- Marine animals (fish and shellfish) killed for food: 100 billion
That’s 108 billion animals. Can you even comprehend that? No, you can’t.
Source: Counting Animals
Step 3: Realize That Vegan Eating Is Inevitable
Cmdr. William T. Riker explains that humans in the 24th century eat synthetic meat and “no longer enslave animals for food purposes.” Yeah, that’s Star Trek, but do you really think that we can’t come up with a way to feed ourselves that’s less harmful to animals, the planet, and our own health?
Step 4: Stop Wondering Where Vegans and Vegetarians Get Their Protein
Step 5: Read the Nutritional Labels on Food
Meat isn’t good for you—meat alternatives such as those made by Gardein and Boca are way healthier.
Boca Original Chick’n Nuggets
- Calories: 180
- Total Fat: 7 g
- Total Carbohydrate: 17 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Source: http://bit.ly/SsFcC
McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets
- Calories: 190
- Total Fat: 12 g
- Total Carbohydrate: 11 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
Source: http://bit.ly/9QM45k
Gardein Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Wings
- Serving Size: 87 g
- Calories: 130
- Total Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Total Carbohydrate: 8 g
- Sodium: 375 mg
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Source: http://bit.ly/9BS2QP
Tyson Any’tizers Honey BBQ Wings
- Serving Size: 84 g
- Calories: 190
- Total Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Total Carbohydrate: 8 g
- Sodium: 390 mg
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
Source: http://bit.ly/nPt6ZL
Step 6: Let Go of the Idea That Vegetarians Are All Scrawny, Pasty Hippies
Step 7: Let Go of the Idea That Vegetarians Are All Huge, Muscular Black Dudes
Your “canine” teeth and his are not the same. And there’s a good reason for that: Dogs evolved their teeth for tearing raw flesh and crunching bones. Ours evolved for chewing and breaking down plant material.
Step 9: Meet Loreen Dinwiddie
Loreen Dinwiddie, likely the oldest person in the state of Oregon at the age of 109, credits her vegan diet with giving her a long life.
“It’s all there in the Bible,” she says.
Step 10: Look at How Happy These Rescued Animals Are
Step 11: Look at the Consequences
Step 12: Watch This Video and Try Not to Cry
“Chick culling is the culling of newly hatched male chickens for which breeders have no use. In an industrial egg-producing facility, about half of the newly hatched chicks will be male and would grow up to be roosters, which do not lay eggs and therefore provide no incentive for the breeder to preserve. Most of the male chicks are usually killed shortly after hatching.” —Wikipedia
Every year, more than 100 million unwanted male chicks are ground up alive or tossed into plastic bags to suffocate.
Step 14: Stop Telling Yourself That There’s a Difference Between the Animals in Your Home and the Animals on Your Plate
Sadie (the dog) gives Roxanne (the pig) a smooch!
Kevin spoons with his feline sibling Delilah.
Congratulations! You’ve evolved!
You’ve made this pig very happy! Or maybe it’s just the vegan chocolate cake.
What do you guys think? Makes sense, right?