One huge benefit is the savings when I am out with my girlfriends. I usually spend at least $20 with tip for dinner and a drink. This week we went out for Mexican and I spent $5 including tip...gotta love free chips and salsa!
I've been reading a lot of literature about eating vegan/vegetarian and was aware of some environmental impact but was surprised by how far reaching it is. When I look at my list of challenges for the year that involve being more "green," I think abstaining from meat may make the most impact. Here are a few bits of info I found interesting:
"In 2006 the United Nations released a report called 'Livestock's Long Shadow.' It revealed that animal agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions each year than all the planes, trains, boats, cars, and trucks on earth." - Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr
"Nearly half the water consumed in this country is used for livestock, mostly cattle." - Audubon, Dec 1999.
"Right now, 72 percent of all grain produced in the United States is fed to animals raised for slaughter. It takes 15 pounds of feed to get one pound of meat. But if the grain were given directly to people, there'd be enough food to feed the entire planet." - Vegetarian Times, Dworkin, April 1999.
congratulations!!!!
ReplyDeleteand thanks for sharing those stats. very sobering.
that kind of information is what really convinced me to cut most of the meat out of our diet.