I know there are assumptions made about me from the get-go. I'm a member of PETA, my closet is full of hemp, and I probably have sported dreads sometime in my life. The first thing you should know is that Vegetarians are not made from a mold; we are a varied group of people. We also do not belong to some sort of veggie loving cult. (At least I don't! Although, I do love veggies!)

I am one of over 7.3 million Americans that do not eat meat. I probably need to say that I don't eat fish either. To be really specific I am a lacto-ovo-vegetarian; which means that unlike my vegan brethren, I do eat eggs and dairy.

People become vegetarian for reasons varying from religion to animal cruelty. I am a vegetarian for the same reason that you turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth, or recycle your soda cans. I want to lessen the economic and environmental impact that my everyday routine has on our planet.

In 2006, a UN initiative found that "the livestock industry is one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation worldwide, and modern practices of raising animals for food contributes on a massive scale to air and water pollution, land degradation, climate change, and loss of biodiversity." The cattle industry is also a huge drain on our country's economy and resources. Ecologists have expanded and detailed the food chain in trophic dynamics. They basically show the position of an organism on the food chain and describe the resources that it consumes. According to the theory, "it requires ten times as many crops to feed animals being bred for meat production as it would to fed the same number of people on a vegetarian diet."

Considering our current economic crisis, feeding as many people on as few resources as possible is sensible. I know that I sound idealistic but remember we are currently 7.3 million strong. That's approximately 22 million meat-free meals a day! Think about the dent that we could potentially cause in hunger.

Many worry that the vegetarian lifestyle will lead to malnourishment. However, there is a plethora of health benefits that can be attributed to vegetarianism. The American Dietitian Association has stated that vegetarians "tend to have lower body mass index, lower levels of cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and less incidence of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, dementia such as Alzheimer's disease and other disorders." The benefits of a well-rounded vegetarian diet are clear, which makes it unsurprising that some American families choose to incorporate vegetarian meals into their diets at least once a week. It is purely a belief that meat is a necessary part of our everyday lives.

The world is becoming more aware of how serious our decisions affect the environment. Many businesses are becoming more eco-friendly and even cars have begun to move towards using sustainable energy. If we want to preserve our world we need to examine our current status and makes changes. We need to use our Earth wisely. And while becoming a lacto-ovo-vegetarian or a vegan is extreme for many we need to start using our resources more efficiently. So lets stop relying so heavily on the meat industry and invest a little more in agriculture. What better way to "go green" than to eat greener?

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