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News > September/October 2007
> Explore Vegetarianism This October
 Explore
Vegetarianism This October
by Angela Grimes, Director of Operations
October is Vegetarian Awareness Month. Please
join Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation (WRR) in helping
animals, the earth, and people by promoting an animal-friendly
diet. Every meatless meal makes a difference!
WRR is home to more than 300 animals
commonly found on farms, many of whom have been rescued
from the deplorably inhumane conditions of factory
farms and slaughterhouses. Factory farms are not like
the family farms of years ago where animals grazed on rolling
green hills in the fresh air and sunshine. Instead, they are
places of dense crowding, administration of drugs, diets aimed
at maximum growth within minimum time, high stress and discomfort,
and then slaughter, often under far-less-than-humane conditions.
They are not places that any of us would feel comfortable
visiting. And no animal should be subjected to such cruelty.
Ethical considerations are not the only reasons
to live meat-free. Saving animals from suffering in factory
farm conditions and from the pain and terror of slaughter
is one great benefit of vegetarianism.
Others include:
| • |
Reducing the risk of major killers
such as heart disease, strokes, and cancers while cutting
exposure to food-borne pathogens; |
| • |
Providing a viable answer to feeding
the world's hungry through more efficient use of grains
and other crops; |
| • |
Conserving vital but limited fresh
water, fertile topsoil, and other precious resources; |
| • |
Preserving irreplaceable ecosystems
such as rainforests and other wildlife habitats; |
| • |
Decreasing greenhouse gases that are
accelerating global warming; and |
| • |
Mitigating the ever-expanding environmental
pollution of animal agriculture. |
Every meatless meal makes a difference. We
can all do something to make the world a better place for
people and for animals. You can:
| • |
Eat meat-free throughout
the month, or even a day. |
| • |
Try the meatless options
available in your grocery stores. Boca, Morningstar,
Quorn, and many others make wonderful vegetable-based
meat substitutes. |
| • |
Host a meatless meal or potluck with
family and friends. |
| • |
Write a letter to the editor of your
local paper and tell about how vegetarianism benefits
you and your environment. |
| • |
Invite friends to join you for a viewing
of vegetarian and related documentaries. |
| • |
Ask bookstores to display vegetarian
cookbooks and offer special discounts throughout the
month. |
| • |
Ask your library to set up a display
of their vegetarian titles. |
| • |
Encourage your school or corporate
cafeteria to serve meat-free meals. |
Click
here for more information on Plant-Based Diets.
Click
here for more information on Factory Farms.
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