As Bruce from Finding Nemo so kindly said “fish are friends, not food," so why should any other animal be?

The normalization of meat eating has made many oblivious to the fact that eating meat challenges morality, is harmful to the environment, and can have deleterious effects on your health. Thus, my decision to go vegetarian has been one of the easiest yet most meaningful choices I have ever made.

Many forget or might not even think about the food they are consuming. Does the allure of eating meat outweigh the suffering of the billions of animals killed for consumption each year? Choosing a vegetarian lifestyle gives us greater compassion and shows us the importance of appreciating animals rather than exploiting them.

Beyond the guilt from the moral aspect of eating an animal, there is also the fact that animal agriculture contributes to severe environmental problems ranging from air pollution to dwindling water supplies, and even climate change.

The animal agriculture sector is actually responsible for around one-fifth of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. This harm to the environment then spirals, as these environmental issues begin to impact the human population by causing droughts, storms, and more.

If nothing else has MOOved you to sympathize with animals and the earth and stop meat consumption, then consider the health benefits. The vegetarian lifestyle tends to lead to lower blood pressure, lower risk of heart disease, avoiding toxins often found in animals, reducing the risk of developing certain cancers, and so much more.

Saving the animals, saving the earth, and saving yourself; vegetarianism doesn’t sound so bad. Obviously, there are some drawbacks and also you can’t stop the problems associated with meat consumption on your own, but every little bit helps, and that starts with you.

For those who are doubting whether or not to go vegetarian, I can say from experience that it is in no way a mistake, just a missed steak, and that is something I am more than okay with.