Recently, I made the decision to go vegetarian. I’ve been wanting to since forever and so I said: “Hey, what am I waiting for? Guy Fieri to go vegan?”
Many people start off as vegetarian and eventually edge their way into veganism. I don’t know that I’ll ever do the same. I also have my own motive for not eating meat that is more selfish than I like to admit. However, in the plight to save the animals, is not eating meat while still occasionally consuming dairy and egg products just as "bad" as eating meat?
Despite my foremost intentions, I’ve been wondering about this for the past couple of weeks, as I’m sure the occasional vegetarian does. Ethics concern the dimensions of right and wrong, not what is objectively right and wrong. But is it possible, in the objective sense, to be “good” with my eating choices?
I’m lactose-intolerant, but cereal is practically a food group for me, so naturally, I consume plant-based milk, most often almond milk. I used to think that this was great because 1) dairy milk is kind of disgusting, and 2) it must be great for the environment. It may come as a surprise to some (but not all) that the industry which produces almond milk and its subsequent products (like yogurt and ice cream), is relatively unethical.
Apparently, according to a Slate article, almonds have a large ecological footprint because of the amount of water it takes to grow them along with the water needed to produce the milk.
While the article counters this argument, saying that it takes significantly more water to produce dairy products, there is still the idea that my drinking almond milk, in the many, many gallons I have consumed and will consume, is harming the environment (not to mention the fact that I still eat cheese and eggs sparingly).
It seems as if one alternative is never entirely without its cons. I mean I eat a lot more carbs than I should, but hey, at least it isn't meat, right?
And so, here we are with the prospect of not eating meat. For me, it’s more the health discipline such a diet requires and, well, the fact that I loathe the smell of raw chicken that molded my decision. But for many, it’s about all the animals.
So, if you’re a vegetarian and you’re asking yourself, “is it okay to not eat cage-free eggs or to eat eggs at all” or some similar dairy-related dilemma, my answer to you is, yes, it’s okay. Why? Because there will ALWAYS be a blind spot behind your good intentions and you must give yourself (and your bank account) room to breathe.
However, just because we can't be too sure of the production and manufacturing practices behind everything we buy, this doesn't mean we should give
But at the end of the day, you have your convictions and you hold them close—and even if you aren’t one hundred percent on track to “saving the planet,” just know that every little bit counts.
There is a great concern for the future of humans and the environment, but I’m a great believer in progress. I’m also a believer in not trying so hard to change something you have little control over. You have the autonomy to choose what you eat, of course, but take your time and hope for the best.
