It’s no big deal

So I turned 25 on Saturday.  There were neither fanciful presents nor whimsical celebrations.  Instead, I resolved to take on a small challenge - I pledged to become a part-time vegetarian.

By that I mean I’m going meat-free a couple of days a week.

You see, people have different motives for turning vegetarian, part-time or otherwise.  Here are some of them:

1. Weight loss

Avoiding meat is one of the best and simplest ways to cut down one’s fat consumption.

That said, weight loss is hardly my motivation. I’m contented as long as my weight hovers around 48kg, and it has been like that for quite a while now.

2. Health

By eating a vegetarian diet, one consumes considerably less saturated fat than by eating a conventional meat-based diet. As a result, vegetarians are at a lower risk of contracting heart disease and high blood pressure, among others.

Now, sure, I have been the most unhealthy person you could imagine. Why, I haven’t exercised regularly since the ‘A’ Levels! That said, health reasons alone wouldn’t have been enough to push me, since a low-protein diet associated with vegetarians may also have its downsides (likely due to a lack of knowledge of nutritions).

3. A love for animals

Some people think that eating meat is barbaric.

Well, I’m sorry to say that I’m not one of those people. I really have nothing against animal slaughter, as long as it is done in the least painful way possible.

The truth is, I’d been thinking of reducing my meat consumption for some time, because I’m dead frightened by how our future potentially looks like, holding the current rate of human activities constant. I figured that if I have children one day, I would not want them to live in an ill-fated world caused by our insatiable appetite for meat with little regard for the environment. Rainforests are constantly cleared for grazing, methane from livestock causes global warming, the meat industry puts a strain on water and energy supplies, and the seas are depleted by overfishing.

I’m not gonna bore you with details on how cattle rearing contributes to global warming yada yada and how overfishing endangers the coastal communities, food security and marine habitat. There are plenty of resources out there for you to read and think through critically.

Poster credit: Jonna Mayer

I’m not ready to turn into a full-time vegetarian and I don’t even know whether I’ll ever become one. I have the greatest respect for vegans who don’t even take dairy products but I still can’t imagine swearing off my pepperoni pizza and seafood marinara for good. I prefer to take this pledge as a steady little step towards a more environmentally responsible lifestyle. So while the impact of my turning part-time vegetarian maybe insignificant on an individual basis, what better ways to start something good than with ourselves, right?

I’m starting with the man in the mirror

I’m asking him to change his ways

And no message could have been any clearer

If you wanna make the world a better place

Take a look at yourself, and make a change

- Michael Jackson

P.S. Today is my second day going meat-free. So far so good!