Did you know that 7.3 million Americans call themselves vegetarians? Some people are vegetarians for political or economic reasons, while others do it for their health. Help spread awareness about the benefits of vegetarianism this October during Vegetarian Awareness Month.
The awareness initiative kicked off on Monday, October 1 with World Vegetarian Day. The observance, headed by the North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS), promotes “the joy, compassion and life-enhancing possibilities of vegetarianism.”
Vegetarian diets can be very healthy. According to the Huffington Post, a study conducted by the German Cancer Research Center found that vegetarian men and women have significantly reduced risks of early death when compared to non-vegetarians (30 and 50 percent, respectively).
Lots of vegetarians refuse to eat meat because of how farm animals are treated. Pro-vegetarian lifestyle website ChooseVeg.com asserts that the “average vegetarian spares the lives of over 50 animals each year,” which adds up to thousands throughout a lifetime. That’s because many of the animals people eat are raised in horrible conditions known as “factory farming.”
Some choose to live a vegetarian lifestyle for the environment’s sake. Becoming a vegetarian can help ease the stress on Earth’s limited natural resources, reduce pollution, fight global warming and save certain animal species from extinction. Dr. David Brubaker, PhD elaborates: “The way that we breed animals for food is a threat to the planet. It pollutes our environment while consuming huge amounts of water, grain, petroleum, pesticides and drugs. The results are disastrous.”
As you can see, there are so many different reasons one might choose to become a vegetarian. While Vegetarian Awareness Month is not about converting all of your friends and family to vegetarianism, it is the perfect time to introduce people to the reasons for and benefits of living a meat-free lifestyle. Use vegetarian awareness giveaways to help communicate your message!
