Making the choice to become a vegetarian, or adopt a vegetarian lifestyle, can carry some weight with it.

Not only are you deciding to avoid eating animals altogether, but you are possibly being conscious of the planet and the ill-effects of processing farmed food sources on our environment.

This world has known the benefits of vegetarianism for centuries, yet some people who choose this way of living also choose to participate in community and worldly actions to set the course straight for generations to come.

Being a vegetarian is good for the planet. It is good for the earth. It is good for our children. It is good for all living beings. A vegetarian lifestyle can be the simplest choice to make when wondering how to do the right thing for the planet. There are now seven billion people living in this world, many of whom suffer from malnutrition and poor food quality. These impoverished people are extremely grateful at the sight of any food source that crosses their paths.

Countries that grow and outsource food to America pay close attention to the rules and regulations that we have set forth to ensure safety in our nutrition. Yet, it’s not always known to the average consumer how the food was grown, where it was processed, the honest labeling of ingredients, and why some food costs more than others.

The safest route to a healthy diet is to grow your own food. If you grow your own vegetables, fruits, with free-range eggs from chickens at home (that is, depending on what type  of vegetarian lifestyle you choose), then you are well on your way to preserving the planet in a conscious manner.  You save money, you know what is on your table at every meal, and your body is as healthy as ever.  As a result, the planet is continuing to thrive, as the resources needed to get that meal to your table every day, does not utilize precious planetary waste.  Something to think about when the decision is made for vegetarianism.

If you decide that being a healthy vegetarian is worth the effort to keep the planet spinning at a simple rate, then adopting more in-depth practices with respect to clothing, conscious behaviors, even down to supplementation, and everything in between is important in the vegetarian world.

It is simple.

It is healthy.

And, it preserves many parts of the world that are desperately trying to keep up with the American economy and our overconsumption of everything.

In today’s society, people are more obese than ever. We consume everything and anything that the earth produces, and we do it at an alarming rate. However, food is one area where we can foster the greatest amount of change in our life, and for the good of the planet. Even the recent Congressional bills being passed have an impact on whether or not our dietary lifestyles match the current trends in food sources, where the food comes from and how we can minimize unsolicited cruelty to animals. Being a well-informed vegetarian is a great place to start.

With a vegetarian diet, you are already conscious of what you eat on a daily basis. That consciousness then translates into why you choose to eat that way, which could then translate into a complete vegetarian lifestyle that includes shunning leather and fur, recycling more, conservation awareness, and the need to delve into community activities that touch on topics related to food and our world. The transition magnifies and the planet already seems to be healthier on a collective consciousness level. Adopting this philosophy in a vegetarian world starts with those grass-roots efforts.

The fate of our planet rests on the people in the world. How we treat the earth and its wonderful resources can be a gift.  Not only can it be with the vegetarian lifestyle, which continues with solid awareness of our rivers, our oceans, the forests, mountains, and everywhere that we derive our food from today, but the vegetarian diet makes good sense for the planet. We can become a slimmer population, become less sick and diseased, and learn (again) how to help each other in times of strife.

Vegetarianism is truly going back to our roots. The simple nature of this healthy way of eating and living will ensure that our society takes stock in everything that seems so apparent, yet eludes us more than we care to realize. Everyone doing their part to be granted a place in this world begins by what kind of food we put on the table. The planet depends on it, and we must rise to the occasion and take care of it.

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Ed: Sara Crolick

{photo: Vegetable Market by Sandra Mora}