Article by Phoenix writer Grace Garcia ’23:
Plant-based. It’s the new popular phrase in the media utilized to avoid a negative connotation of the V-word. Yes, I mean vegetarian or vegan. The two words are not synonymous and have important differences; however, both involve moral, religious, or health reasons. A vegetarian is a person who does not consume meat. In contrast, a vegan is an individual who does not eat any food derived from animals and does not purchase nor utilize products made from animals, like leather.
For my eighteenth birthday this past February, I chose to celebrate my birthday at a 360-acre animal sanctuary located immediately outside of New York called Tamerlaine Farm. Tamerlaine is owned by close family friends Peter and Gabrielle. They were motivated to become vegan as they became educated about the horrors of the food industry, such as veal crates, forced molting, and debeaking. These horrific conditions are graphic and difficult to describe without becoming emotional. In everyday life, it is very easy to ignore animal cruelty and abuse in the meat industry. However, when one visits the sanctuary and learns of the traumatic situations of the animals who now call the sanctuary home, it is a motivating and eye-opening experience. Visiting the animal sanctuary this past year solidified my decision to continue with a vegetarian lifestyle.
There are many reasons why people choose a particular diet, including weight loss, building muscle, combating diabetes, or overall health. For example, recent studies have shown that consuming more plant-based foods can result in a 32% lower risk of dying from a cardiovascular condition. It is now known that consuming red meat and animal products may play a role in developing type-two, adult-onset diabetes and cancers.
Along with health benefits, a vegetarian diet is also good for the environment. A carbon footprint is the net total of greenhouse gas emissions generated by our own actions. Oxford University identified going vegan as the single most significant way we can reduce our carbon footprint, lowering it by as much as 73%. Once I learned about the health benefits for humans and the planet, I was interested in making a personal change.
I started transitioning to vegetarianism when I was fifteen by slowly making little changes to my diet. I opted for a veggie burger instead of a meat burger. I would skip the side of bacon with my eggs in the morning and have toast instead. These were changes that I made when I was thinking about being vegetarian but was not ready to commit fully.
In December of 2021, when I was sixteen, I officially became a vegetarian. Because I had been making small diet changes, I knew I could do it and was inspired by one of my close friends who was also switching to vegetarianism.
Though I was confident in my decision, it required navigation in social situations. When going out with my friends, I had to put extra effort into thinking about what I would eat. For example, I had to look at the restaurant’s menu in advance to ensure they had vegetarian options. Luckily, I have amazing friends who accommodate me and my diet.
While my friends were flexible, I wasn’t sure how it would affect my family. Living with four meat eaters, two of whom are very picky, made deciding what to eat for dinner every night very tricky for the first few months. I would typically have to eat something different than the rest of my family, which made more work for my parents. As more time went on, we found our groove. Some of our go-to dinner options are vegetable lasagna, tofu stir fry, and roasted cauliflower tacos.
As I became more committed to a vegetarian lifestyle, I identified my rationale, and I can say that my motivation is very straightforward. I do not want to take part in the overt abuse and unethical treatment of animals.
Let’s begin the move towards a healthy life and a healthier planet by not being afraid to endorse vegetarianism or veganism. The correct label may force us to admit that our palate is maladapted and a vegetarian lifestyle is a humane way to treat all species with a beating heart. Imagine a world where we treat every living creature with love and dignity, are all healthier, and can save the planet simultaneously – just by making different food choices. It sounds like there is an obvious answer, but I’m just a vegetarian teenager, what do I know?