I have only recently become a vegetarian, and I am still eating eggs and fish. Maybe one day I will eliminate all animal, but for now this works for me. I decided this mainly for my health, I want to live longer. But more importantly, the quality of life, however long is foremost. People on a vegetarian diet generally don't get sick as often as those who eat meat and this made me think about the industries this would impact.
High cholesterol, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease are primarily health issues associated with animal fats, and because of the lower incidences with vegetarians, the medical industry loses revenue, not to mention the pharmaceutical drug industry.
Vegetarians represent a very small fraction of the overweight population. Think of the many TV programs about people who are prisoners of all those extra pounds. If people switched to plant based diets, what would happen to the weight loss industry?
The biggest impact would be on the meat industry, and I have only begun to scratch the surface of the impact that a plant based diet has on this huge industry, but vegetarians are a threat to their billion dollar industry.
I want to explore the positive side of being a vegetarian as it pertains to our economy on my journey to a totally plant based diet. For now, I close with a quote from Albert Einstein. Although not a total vegetarian, he knew the benefits of a plant-based diet.
"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."
http://choosehealthtoday.blogspot.com/
I can appreciate your decision to become a vegetarian. I am sure the health benefits are numerous. However, and please don't pass judgment, I work for a custom meat processing business which would obviously be negatively affected by your proposal. In their defense, we process only locally raised cattle and hogs, and support local farmers, which are slowly becoming a dying breed due to the decline of small agriculture operations in this area. I think if more plant-based, other than just produce, options became available, marketed, and affordable, there could be an increase in their popularity, but I have noticed in the grocery store they are usually in a small section, and cost more.
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