Going Meatless On Earth Day

Happy Earth Day! Today we celebrate the wonderful planet we inhabit in the hope that we become ever more mindful of caring for it. I remember my first Earth Day celebration. I was a freshman in college and my friends and I took the Metro from school into Washington DC.  We headed to the Mall to listen to music and speakers, and watch film clips. Little did I know that what I would see and hear would have such a profound effect on my life.

On that beautiful April day, hanging out on the lawn of our Capitol Building, I witnessed something gruesome. One of the presenters ran a film clip from a documentary that chronicled a cow’s life on a meat farm. I won’t go into details, but what I saw was enough for me and my friends to make a pact never to eat red meat again. We high-tailed it out of there before the chicken farm film, as we were young and could only make one life-changing pact at a time.

Flash forward 25 years and my choice to avoid red meat still holds. I do, however, serve it to my family, but I do my best to make the mindful choice to select beef from local sources that feed and treat their animals kindly. I must say though, that my choice to remove meat from my diet was not only for the sake of the cows, but also for the sake of the planet. Meat production accounts for 18% of greenhouse gasses, according to a 2006 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization. In addition, if the energy used to produce grain feed for cattle was used to produce grains for human consumption, it could feed 840 million people – talk about feeding the hungry!

So why am I bringing this up today?  Well, I think if we all make one change for the sake of our planet, we will also reap the benefits.  I’m certainly not asking you to give up meat – I wholeheartedly believe that all foods can fit into a healthy diet – but what if you gave it up for one day each week, and served meatless meals instead?  We may not be able to eradicate the world of greenhouse gasses, but by eating plant-based meals for just one day a week, maybe we can reduce those gasses, and what’s more, eating a plant-based diet can reduce our risk for chronic diseases and obesity and increase our longevity!

Plant-based meals can be hearty, delicious and satisfying.  Think pasta with garden vegetables or a bean chili.  Why not try my Sweet Mediterranean Quinoa or Zucchini Spaghetti and Tomato Sauce for starters. In fact, I have posted lots of vegetarian recipes here, so hopefully you will find something that sounds drool-worthy to you.

Are you ready to go meatless for a day?  Do it for me in honor of Earth Day, because this planet and your health means the world to me. :-)

xo

B