Monday, 03 January 2011

• Meat Free Mondays: Everything You Need to Know

  As of late, a lot of my friends have joined the bandwagon for "Meat Free Monday's." It sounded a little absurd to me because in my little world, you're either vegetarian or you're not. Why give up meat for one day when you'll compensate or continue eating meat for the remainder of the week? But it is the viral trend right now and here's everything you need to know about it:

  WHAT is Meatless Monday's?

  NO MEAT Monday's is part of an international campaign, supported by celebrities including former Beatle Paul McCartney, that was conceived in Europe and has spread across the world promoting people to be vegetarian on Monday's. Last year, the city of Ghent in Belgium made an official weekly vegetarian day and earlier this year The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has declared Monday to be "Vegetarian Day."

  WHY take part in Meatless Monday's?

  Supporters of Meat-Free Monday's insist it's not about promoting vegetarianism, but rather, about making the world greener. Here are their reasons:

  • Less Pollution--the livestock industry is responsible for between 13.5 and 18 per cent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
  • Alleviating World Hunger--an estimated 20 vegetarians can be fed on the amount of land needed to feed one person consuming a meat-based diet.
  • Better Health--links have also been found between high meat diets and obesity and heart disease
  • Animal Humanity--globally some 56 billion animals are raised and slaughtered for food each year

  Counter Arguments
  

  • Animals will still be slaughtered and the livestock industry will continue. If pollution is the agenda, wouldn't it be a more productive use of time to fine a more environmentally friendly way pack meat?
  • What guarantee's that the poor can be fed if everyone stops eating meat for one day? 
  • Eating red meats are bad, but what about seafood? Not all meats lead to obesity and heart disease.
  • Yes, killing animal's is inhumane. But scientists have admitted that our ancestors implementing a meat-based diet has led to our evolution.

   What do you think? Can this really help or the world or is this just a masked way to promote vegetarianism?

   

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