Why Going Meatless 1 Day This Week Can Save The World
By admin
One thing that I will never do is stand on a soapbox and preach that you should be a vegan. Different strokes for different folks and I get that.
It works for me. But not everyone, heck my husband isn’t vegan and I’m a-okay with it.
With that being said…
I do recommend everyone going “meatless” for one day this week…
For one day, would you be able to give up meat?
Health Benefits
Reduce Heart Disease. By cutting back on saturated fat (meat and full dairy) with foods high in unsaturated fat (vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, etc) can cut down your risk of heart disease by 19% according to a Harvard University study. Remember that heart disease is the #1 killer in the world, so anything that can help out is a plus!
High Fiber. Consuming more vegetables is the natural way to increase fiber. Fiber can help keep your digestive system running smoothly, help cut back on bloating and constipation and decrease risk of colon cancer.
Decrease Risk of Cancer. If you haven’t watched Forks Over Knives, I strongly suggest it. Fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants which of course help to keep the body cancer-free. Chances are, if you cut out meat, you will end up with more antioxidants at the end of the day!
Environmental Benefits
Decrease Your Carbon Footprint. You know the one responsible for global warming and green house gases.
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates the meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change worldwide . . . far more than transportation.
Here’s a great resource on greenhouse gas carbon footprints of meat vs. vegetable eaters. Another cool fact, if everyone went meatless just one day per week, it would be equivalent to taking 46 million cars off the road in terms of the carbon emissions (stat here).
Decrease Dependency On Fossil Fuels. On average, 40 calories of fossil fuel goes into a single pound of fed lot beef. Compare that to the 2.2 calories needed for a calorie of plant protein and you’ve got a drastic cut in the need for ff.
Save Gas. If everyone went meatless just one day each week, by the end of the year, we could safe upwards of 12 BILLION gallons of gasoline. Crazy! Maybe gas prices would go down? Wishful thinking.
Decrease water usage. Mom always said turn off the water while brushing your teeth, well going veggie one day/week can help decrease the overall water usage too. It takes roughly 2000 gallons of water to produce a single pound of beef. That’s just beef.
What about pork and other meats?
- Pork = 576 gallons
- Chicken = 468 gallons
How To Go Meatless
“Meatless Monday” has become a national event, where people are encouraged to to do as the name suggest. But considering that it’s Monday today, I don’t care if you go Meatless Tuesday or Meatless Thursday, just try going meatless.
Here are a few of my favorite meaty meatless meals.
- Vegan Taco Salad: Soak walnuts for a few hours, then sauté on the stove with your favorite taco seasoning as if it were ground beef.
Q: Can you go meatless for a day?