This is a very poignant time for me. Realizing many things, and the sacredness of life. While I have dreams for success and things, what has become more important to me is to carry on this sacredness for life.
Living in peace has a new meaning to me, and it means eating vegetarian, at least, if not vegan. Leaving any snickers aside (for I once was an ardent non-believer too!) I hope to leave the Earth a little better. At a recent conference in Marina del Rey, at the Vegan World Expo, I learned that many of my ideals boil down to the same thing: food. Politically, economically, socially, morally, and environmentally, it is the only answer to me.
Like this prism, many different questions, one answer: no animal products. Environmentally, the earth cannot sustain the amount of meat and dairy products we eat each day. Our water sources run dry to quench the thirst of cows, our Midwest food fields are used to feed cattle, instead of people and require much more to raise a cow. It’s affecting us economically, too, not just in land and water resources, but hitting our national healthcare system pretty hard. Animal products and the amount we are eating are making us sicker, and costing individuals and the nation more money to care for us. Politically, it becomes a problem because of the stress it puts on our healthcare system. And, while you may not believe it at first, eating a vegetable diet creates people that are much more sympathetic to the Earth and people. There is a hypothesis that the increase of meats, and detachment from our animal sources are creating more violent human beings. Perhaps this explains the US presence in Middle Eastern wars, and more hauntingly, the 20-something year olds, or teenagers who have shot up our schools and public places. Could it be the food?
So what to do? Well, I figure if I choose not to buy and cook animal products as a chef, hopefully I can teach others how to sustain on vegetables, as well as make my own dent in cutting down on the demand for animal products. In a way, the conference redefined my life purpose, teaching vegan cooking, a new way to eat, and a new way to live. I don’t think it will be easy, but I know it inside to be the right thing for me to do, so I will do all I can.
When you know the truth, you just can’t play ignorant anymore.
When you know the truth, you just can’t play ignorant anymore.
I am not as eloquent as the speakers that I had the privilege to listen to, and who had this incredible affect on me. Below are some of my favorite speakers at the Expo. Warning: it may change your eating habits, to say the least.
A former Citi Bank executive, Phillip Wollen, transformed.
Gary Francione, professor and animal rights activist:
Alan Murray & Janette Murray-Wakelin. Raw Vegans who ran 366 Marathons, every day, around the whole of Australia.
