Vegetarian Lifestyle
A vegetarian lifestyle fits in well with our theme of compassionate living. Not only will our sacrificing a little flavor (which only pleases our taste buds for a few seconds) help save the lives of animals, but we can realize many benefits for ourselves and our world in the major categories briefly summarized below:
Health
Scientific studies prove the most effective diet for prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity consists of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes.
Resources
A day's production of food for one meat-eater takes more than 4,000 gallons of water. It takes more than 15 pounds of plant protein to grow 1 pound of edible meat. In the U.S., 70% of all grain produced is used to feed farm animals. Soybeans produce 360 pounds of protein per acre, while beef produces less than 40 pounds of protein per acre of land.
Global Famine
If Americans were to reduce their meat consumption by only 10% it would free enough grain to feed 60 million people.
Environment
Worldwide, grazing is a major cause of desertification. Large-scale factory farms are the biggest polluters of America's waterways.
Animals
Animals are increasingly raised on factory-style farms, where animals are treated like machines rather than living, feeling creatures. They are crammed into tiny cages, unable to move around inside crowded pens, undergo painful mutilations and live in misery for their short, stressful lives. 30 U.S. states have enacted laws that specifically exempt farm animals from certain parts of the state's anti-cruelty statutes.
For details on the above information, see the excellent transcribed video report, "Pain On Your Plate: Why you should go vegetarian,"
and for a free vegetarian starter kit, visit the Beginner's Guide to Vegetarianism.
How to Get Started
Some people like to go meatless all at once. Others prefer to slowly change over. And still others don't wish to give up meat entirely, but reduce their meat consumption enough to gain some of the above benefits. A simple schedule may be:
Month 1: One day each week (or at least one meal that day) strictly vegetarian
fare
Month 2: Add two more vegetarian days, one every other week
Month 3: Two days each week vegetarian fare
Month 4: Add two more vegetarian days, one every other week
Month 5: Three days each week vegetarian fare
...and so on.
You may wish to encourage family members or friends to join you to support each other in this venture and explore new vegetarian recipes.
Read as much as you can about vegetarianism and veganism. There are many helpful sites on the internet dealing with nutritional information, recipes, actions you can take to help animals and alleviate global starvation. For links to some of the finest sites, click here.
Simple Living
"Live simply so others may simply live." - Gandhi
How living simply will make us compassionate to others in the world.
Here in the United States we've been blessed with a temperate climate for growing food, vast natural resources, and the highest standard of living in the world. We are only a small percentage of the world's population, yet we use more of the world's resources than any other country. Millions of people throughout the world are starving while 60% of Americans are now considered obese. This is not healthy for either group. There has to be an equalizing to bring the world in harmony. Most of us are not in a position of political power to bring about massive global change through laws and policies.
"We cannot do great things, we can only do small things with great love." - Mother Theresa
Can we as individuals really make a difference by living simply? Think of the impact we could have if we could influence just five people to become vegetarians, to simplify their lives, to recycle, to volunteer, to do an act of kindness to a stranger, and they influenced five people, and they influenced five more apiece.... The impact would be tremendous. But it has to start with us. We can only control what we ourselves do.
"For we have brought nothing into the world, and neither can we take anything out. So, having sustenance and covering, we shall be content with these things." - 1 Timothy 6:7-8
How much do we really need to live? Can we be happy with less? How can we simplify our lives and thus reduce the stress and hectic pace of modern life? Each one of us must answer these questions individually. The following suggestions may give you ideas to help you get started.
Simplify Your Stuff
First, make a list of the absolute minimum necessities you need for survival. Picture yourself camping in the wilderness. You'll need clean water, suitable clothing, shelter, food that fills your nutritional needs, fire, a sanitary way to dispose of waste, a first-aid kit, and a few tools and eating utensils.
Second, look around your home at all the stuff you've accumulated over the years and categorize each item under your basic survival list. You'll probably find there are many items that aren't necessary for survival, but could go under a secondary list of necessities for the modern day: lighting, appliances, communications, furniture, books, home maintenance tools and supplies, work-related items, child-care items, and transportation. The rest can be considered "creature comforts" and can be categorize under decorations, entertainment, pet items, status symbols, and "other stuff I was talked into buying". (Set up your own major categories.)
Third, check for redundancy - can one item take the place of several others? If so, donate the excess items along with items that no longer work or that you haven't used in the past several years to Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or other charitable organizations that will fix and recycle your goods to those who can use them. Donate any clothes you haven't worn within the past two years. Go through your storage spaces, closets, attics, basements and garages and clean out what you don't need. By giving yourself more room to work and less stuff to worry about, you will begin to simplify your life.
Fourth, use simple products that have multiple uses to take the place of many specialized products. Rubbing alcohol (70% Isopropyl rubbing alcohol, 94 cents/quart) is a basic ingredient in many products. You can put it in a spray bottle and use it as an antiseptic for cuts, to wash and sanitize your hands, to spray on carpeting before vacuuming to kill mites, to spray on roaches and bugs to kill them within seconds, to spray the undersides of plant leaves to kill white flies and aphids (it won't hurt the plants), to dissolve glue on labels, clean glass and mirrors, dissolve soap scum, and for general cleaning. Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda, 50 cents/pound in bulk) can be used to clean teeth, as an antacid, used in baking, to unclog slow drains (pour it down a slow drain and add white vinegar, then run hot water). Sprinkle it on a carpet to freshen; put it in the refrigerator or other areas to absorb odors; add it to laundry, and use it for general cleaning. Instead of spending premium prices for specialty products that just clean one thing, these two products alone will save you money and greatly simplify your cleaning-product purchase decisions. There are other multiple-use products that are safe for the environment, like Simple Green, that you can add to your list that will clean everything from baked-on grease to floors depending on the dilution.
Simplify Your Schedule
Fifth, turn your attention to your schedule. Make a list of how your time is spent during the day and week. Prioritize your activities. Setting goals for yourself and having a general timetable when you'd like to start or complete them can keep you focused. Are there alternative ways to get things accomplished? Can you delegate some responsibility to other family members? For instance, if you're driving yourself nuts driving your children from one sports practice to another, is there some reason they cannot get to their practice on their own? Are they able to take a bus, ride their bicycles, or even walk with their friends to their school or playing field? For that matter, can older children, who have no lack of energy, help with tasks around the home to lessen your burden? Not only will it free up your time, but make them feel more responsible and needed. Despite their protests at times, children really do want to contribute their share to the family.
Sixth, figure out ways to accomplish multiple purposes with one activity. Are you rushing out to a gym after work (in your car, no less) to work out? If you rode your bicycle to work every day, or took a bus part way and walked the rest, you'd be getting part of your daily exercise already and taking care of the transportation part of your necessities. Household chores provide the rest of the daily exercise requirement. For instance, kneeling down on a foam pad and washing the floors by hand, extending and pulling back with your abdominal and back muscles is a great replacement for those rolling wheel type of exercisers, and it doesn't cost you a thing, plus you get something accomplished.
It's up to you to take action and think of additional ways within your own circumstances that you can make a difference, and perhaps encourage others to do the same.
Alternative Gifts
Consider alternative gift giving for friends and relatives for holidays and special occasions instead of feeling pressured into giving materialistic gifts. An excellent site is Alternative Gifts International, which allows you to choose from a variety of great causes, prices, and greeting cards. These gifts benefit people throughout the world, make you feel good knowing you're contributing to a worthwhile cause, and let your recipient know you care about them enough to select a very special gift they won't want to return.