So… if you know me or if you’ve read my blog before, you know that I’m a fairly new vegan… vegetarian before that… and haven’t eaten cow or pig since Clinton’s first term (1996).

There is so much good information, tying a better diet (read: more fruits, vegetables, whole grains) to better health with less disease. I wrote a few days ago about a woman repping a pet food at Petco who struck up a conversation with me… who had diabetes herself, but just “loved the taste of meat.” Kills me.

This whole VEGAN MOFO (That’s Month of Food if you didn’t know)… is an amazing awareness campaign.

I’m participating in the Farm Sanctuary Walk for Animals (click if you’d like to donate!)
… which starts and ends, I believe, at Ethos Vegan Kitchen in Orlando, Florida. It’s a small part of a big thing. Something I hope is a movement.

Why would someone be or become vegan? For their health, for the health of the planet, and to live a life of compassion free from horrific cruelty. Shana, co-host of the cooking show (which WILL come back)… announced she’s vegetarian as a result of reading Skinny Bitch. Might even be vegan. Very cool stuff, now THAT book (and it’s alternative, Skinny Bastard) is on my must-read-next list.

I feel awkward “preaching” about it. But almost a fifth of the greenhouse gasses come from – cows. There are simply too many. And their treatment too awful.

Think about this: to raise one pound of beef, it takes 12 pounds of grain, 55 sq feet of rainforest, 2500 gallons of water, Source(s): EarthSave.org. Yet there are millions of human children who don’t have access to that same water. Seems a bit skewed, to me.

Seventy percent of deforestation in the Amazon is caused by a need for pastures, and crops for feed are a big part of the other 30 percent.

There are plenty of other statistics to further explain and persuade. It takes something like 1 70th – 1/70 – .01425 of the land and water resources to provide a vegetarian meal versus a non-vegetarian meal. That’s pretty compelling. We can reduce our footprint by a staggering amount… just by eating what’s good for us and makes us healthy.

I’m just one guy… and I am glad to see increasing “acceptance” and options at restaurants. Does indeed show that progress is being made. But not enough, and not fast enough.

Dr. Campbell makes compelling arguments in The China Study. Incredible, solid connections between diet including animals and diseases including cancer, diabetes, parkinson’s, and so much more. And he tested on animals (not an animal rights guy). The Skinny Bitch book… funny as hell, but makes you think BIG time. Does talk about animals, and environmental impact, and so much more. But it does it in a funny way… very funny… with the goal being a healthier, skinnier, more attractive you (turns out it’s inside AND out).

I’m rambling here. Most of my posts are about great meals and fun things to eat – that are vegan. And earlier on in this blog… I did have quite a few things that were just vegetarian (but all pretty easily veganized).

So look forward to more vegan foods… treats… and fun conversations.

I’ll try not to hop on the soap box too much… but it’s kind of fun (not to mention important).

But do it for yourself! Or do it for the Environment and the planet! Do it for the children! Do it for the animals!! Everyone is helped every time one more person makes the healthy choice… and becomes vegan.