en|Gender

I’m about the worst vegetarian ever – for which I used the acronym WVE – or what’s sometimes referred to as a flexitarian. To some people that just means omnivore, but in fact, it’s not quite. I used to eat a diet that probably included meat in nearly every meal – because it’s easy to do so as an American if you’re not thinking too hard about your food choices – and making the decision to be veg means that I do occasionally eat meat, for whatever reason I choose, but the majority of my food consumption is made of vegetables and grains.

It does not mean that other people can decide it’s okay for me to eat meat whenever *they* choose, however.

I don’t have an ethical problem with eating animals, but I do have a problem with treating them like crap before I do, and so noe I don’t worry as much about the way the animals I eat have been treated. My logic is that if everyone ate as little meat as I do, we wouldn’t have these massive meat factories and horrible, horrible treatment of animals. As one organic, free range farmer put it: “Our animals have a really great life and then one really bad day.” Which is, to my logic, about as good as it gets for any of us, no?

My point is: October is Vegetarian Month! So check out this nifty little info graphic that has all the stuff you need.

I’d add: if you have ever thought this might be a good idea for you, it probably is, so try it. & As with any huge change in your life, make sure you give yourself room to backslide and be imperfect at it for a while. & Don’t worry about the purists: they get their panties in a twist about everything. Just eat consciously and don’t ignore your own ethics. Also: it’s harder than it looks, in my experience, but worth the effort.