I believe that the majority of people want to live a healthy and long life one way or another. Vegetarianism definitely gives one of the greatest options to do so. My friend once told me that, as a vegetarian, I have to restrict my self from 99% of food that other normal people eat. When it comes to eating junk, fast and processed foods, she is right. But in general, I believe it’s the other way around. People do not eat the 99% of foods naturally available to us. It’s very convenient and uncreative to throw steak and potatoes on a plate. Yes, being vegetarian does require a little bit more effort and thinking when preparing meals, but in the end that’s what’s fun about it. Once you get the hang of it, it’s easy, and nowadays there is so much information, so many cookbooks and a great variety of foods widely available, so there is no excuse.
Being vegetarian does not mean living only off of vegetables or being an odd hippie (many people still think of this cliché when vegetarianism is mentioned). Vegetarians explore every plant resource of our planet to create a perfectly sufficient, healthy and balanced diet without harming other animals. And yes, vegetarians are concerned about how the produce is grown, processed and modified and how it will impact our environment.
The process of becoming vegetarian can be an instant decision or a slow transition and learning. It’s all an individual decision based on one’s situation, beliefs and resources. Some of us decide to become vegetarians for health reasons, some for spiritual or religious, some for environmental concerns and the well being of animals, or all of the above. Wherever you are in the process of becoming vegetarian, for any of these reasons, you are making a step toward becoming a better person. There is no right or wrong way to achieve such a goal. Just a positive attitude toward vegetarianism is a great step.
In modern society, we are living in growing communities such as cities, which are invading the wild habitats of the other living beings who are sharing this planet with us. Living in a community is perfectly natural for humans, and for that matter, for many animals, too. And not everyone can or wants to go live in a prairie in a teepee by himself without electricity. Humanity is moving forward and the industrial revolution has its place in our history. The human-created society does have its reason and place in this world. But all that doesn’t mean that we should forget about our environment and where we come from in the first place. There are many issues related to the environment, ecosystem, animal rights, protection and conservation, which are definitely concerns of most vegetarians. It all ties in together when we educate ourselves in those areas, but we cannot possibly be active participants in all of the organizations and causes. It would be very overwhelming for the individual. We need to pick our battles. (Yes, I did and still do feel sad that I cannot possibly save every animal out there.) There are, however, a few amazing individuals who do dedicate their entire lives to a cause on the post-conventional level. We need communities of similar-minded people to keep us sane and to encourage us to keep moving. In today’s busy lifestyle it can feel like we are living in bubbles, constantly driving a car to get from bubble home by bubble car to bubble work cubicle and back. It can make it difficult to meet people with similar interests. But we should try and invest the effort. The Internet is a great way to find, keep up and keep in touch with our interests and similar-minded people.
Here are several issues I can think of about animals and the environment, related to urban life and city development. Please feel free to send me your suggestions just in case I forgot something.
- There are millions of lost, abandoned and abused animals due to such things as:
homes and gardens not properly secured; pets that don’t have proper ID and registration; pets abandoned after irrational purchases in which people did not consider whether the animal is a good fit for the family (holidays, birthday presents etc.); improper care or even the worst – abuse.
If you decide to get a companion after thorough consideration of your situation, please contact the animal rescue organizations and non-kill shelters in your area and support them by adopting an animal and giving it good care and a home. If you do not want or cannot have a pet, but still like to be active in this area, you can volunteer and come to care for those animals that are in one of those institutions. (include some listings)
- Because of our expansion into the wild habitats of animals that share our planet, it’s not unusual to find lost or injured wildlife in your area. A few people with a great interest and concern for those animals created wildlife rescue organizations Many are licensed to be able to help and care for those animals. You can find them listed in each state wildlife organization’s website (include some links)
- While living in a house or an apartment, we use the utility services in our areas. We should be concerned about how it’s produced by the companies and how it’s used by us. There are growing companies producing electricity, for example, in ecologically friendly ways, producing eco-friendly and easy biodegradable detergents, and farmers using organic practices to grow produce without use of harmful chemicals. Car makers are creating eco-friendly hybrid cars. We ourselves can use organic practices when growing in-house plants or in our outdoor garden. We should pay close attention to the use and waste of our water, like when to water the garden or taking long showers and letting water run for no reason.
- We can support local vegetarian and health food restaurants, local organic farmer’s markets, buying organic products in the local grocery store and last but not least, support healthier meal choices in school cafeterias for our children. Buy non-animal products, cloth etc.
- Recycling is a great choice. Support local recycling and make it more available and known to the community.
- Last but not least is an optimistic attitude and a positive non-forceful education of others who are interested in any of above mentioned.
Urban veggie-ism is a great solution for anyone interested. Are you a busy executive who wants to boost up your energy so you can invest it in your work? Are you a business owner who likes to support other local business? Are you a parent who wants a better and longer healthy life for the whole family? Are you a busy working mom, student, downtown loft owner/tenant or are you just curious and afraid to ask?
The effort everyone contributes to our society or civilization doesn’t have to be a huge project; anything counts. You can do anything for which you have time and resources. Volunteering in a local animal shelter, children’s group, sending a donation to organization of your choice, or just signing a petition related to those issues – any of these things will make a difference.
Make a move – any move – help yourself!
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