Can one person make a difference?

[Nicktendo]

After spending 3 years of my life studying Human Geography, I am about to embark on my adult life adventure, and with that the freedom to live the way I choose to live. My course has had an enormous impact on my outlook and perspective towards the world and I am now at a place where I can put everything I have read, studied and learned into some form of practice until I snuff it.

 

To sum up, Human Geography is the study of the world from a human perspective, notably in various contexts of Social, Economic, Political and Cultural, almost always intertwining. We don't care about the physical attributes of the world, ocean ridges, earthquakes etc. etc. We deal in the people, their impact, their relationships and their purpose.

 

During this time I have become very passionate about environmental issues and politics but since leaving Uni I have become incredibly sceptical of my role in the world. Despite my middle class upbringing and heavily conservative family I consider myself the polar opposite of this. Class and upbringing has nothing to do with it though, personally it's about my affirmation for humanism, love and equality. Everything I have read over the past 3 years, and everything I see or hear in the news depresses the hell out of me, simply because the world it the way it is and I now have a better understanding of the (human) Geographical systems in place which have made it this way. However, I do also understand that this will probably never change but, to refer to the thread title, can one person make a difference?

 

I see the world as an incredibly unjust place where the individual takes precedent over anything and everything on the planet. What other animals do this? How the hell is this sustainable? Remember that bit in the Matrix where the Agents capture Morpheus and describe human beings as a Virus on the planet? Well I can totally see that. At this moment I'm typing and the deleting the beginnings of a rant where I list everything that is wrong with the world, so I'll swiftly move on...

 

Anyway the point of this topic was to explain some of the thing's I'm hoping to do before, during and after my move on September 10th to my new home as my contribution, if you will, to making the world a better place. As I mentioned, I come from a well off family - Well after graduating I was told I would be getting a new car as a part present from my parents, grandparents, sale of my old car and a bit of my savings. So I opted for a Ford Fiesta Econetic - only 98 g/km emissions. Not only will driving this car save me money in fuel and road tax, it will cut my emissions massively. I have also toned down my aggressive driving style and stopped using the car in the city, I only cycle or walk. The point I'm trying to make here was I could have gone for something a bit racey, a bit cooler etc. something that didn't make me into a bit of a joke in my circle of friends... Though I ended up deciding on something where I put practicality and my beliefs before my material desires. Pretty much a first for me...

 

To continue this trend, I'll be signing up to a green energy company when I move. For my gas and electric I'll be with Ebico which seems to be the best one available in my area. They only use 10% of renewable emissions, but the deciding factor was that they were a not-for-profit organisation which strives to reduce fuel poverty by offering fairer tariffs by having no share holders to satisfy. They also strive to increase awareness in renewable energy and are committed to expanding the proportion of energy the provide from renewable sources.

 

As of yesterday, I opened a Co-operative bank account and will be closing down my Nationwide and Halifax accounts. Again, they have no share-holders (if you bank with them, you own a 'say' in what the bank does) to satisfy and only invest money into sustainable and environmentally friendly projects. Halifax have just shut down 250 local branches, resulting in about 16,000 job losses which is frankly disgusting. I had a letter essentially telling me to do all my banking via the post office! What's the point of the bank then?! I also discovered a Co-op store just around the corner from my new house as well so I've made a pledge to do all my grocery shopping there and not resort to going to the big Tesco Extra which is just over a mile away. For those that don't know the Co-op (same as the bank) are champions of local produce and only sell ethical products. So these are just a few more areas where I'm hoping a change can make a difference.

 

I'm also making a lot of very small changes, for example I'm not planning on getting Sky or Virgin, even if I may be in a position to afford it. I spend too much time at home sat in front of the TV and I'm hoping that this means I read more and get out and do more productive things, living instead of existing if you will. I also dislike the way Sky operate, especially with Premier League football and their monopoly on the rights, so I'm hoping in some small way that I will taking a stand and be voting against this with my wallet, despite having had it in my home since 1991.

 

I'll install energy efficient bulbs in every light and lamp, turn down my heating by a few degrees. I'll be recycling or composting EVERYTHING and by that I mean I will refuse to use my black bin unless it's truly and utterly unavoidable. It's shocking how much waste gets sent to landfill or simply burned up into the atmosphere, so I'm determined to make sure I don't send anything down that route as the end results (which we almost never see) is not pretty...

 

The biggest change I'm thinking of incorporating into my life, and without a doubt the most challenging, is becoming a vegetarian. While I'm sure there are many veggies out there reading this, I am someone who eats meat at least every day, sometimes twice a day and the task of becoming one is frankly massive. I have no idea what I will replace it with, but I cannot justify being a consumer of meat when the environmental and ethical costs are weighed up. I don't want to go into too much detail, but I think modern meat consumption is so far past anything resembling natural. The amount of strain it places on the environment through intensive farming, transportation etc, is not something I want to be associated with any more, which is why I am going to work my damn hardest to cut it out of my life. I'm still at a cross-roads though... I will definitely cut out red meat, without a doubt, and most probably chicken, but what about fish, tuna...? And more than that, eggs? milk? these are still products of the farmed animals... Is going VEGAN the only way to fully combat this problem or should I check out the Free range, locally sourced dairy products at my local Co-op?

 

I'm sure many people will get to this page and think TL;DR, but the point I'm trying to make is will this actually make a difference? Is there something that makes millions of people consider elements of this and then think, "f**k it, what's the point?" Can one person make a difference when they try? What do you do to make a difference?

 

The world is an overwhelmingly big place and choices like this can seem very, very insignificant in the grand scheme of things but if you don't fight by what you believe in, does that make you someone who simply exists in the world, like a virus, or someone who lives in it with a hope for making it a better place for everyone?

 

So I suppose now, to actually make the difference at a national scale I have to join Labour and make them socialist again, or join the Green party and try and convince the public that they are not doped up hippies...

[Ashley]

In terms of dairy products what about something like Happy Hens (or whatever its called) and similar. Non-battery farmed chickens etc so its a bit more ethical in its production. I assumed similar exists for milk and all that but don't know off the top of my head. And in terms of meatplacements Quorn do some good staples you can work with. Pick up a cookbook, look online etc. You'll soon build up a range of meals to cook.

 

What do I do? Well I recycle, I don't litter, I don't kill animals (including insects even if they do bite me the little buggers!), I don't drive, I use energy efficient lights (which is kind of annoying when I switch the light on in my room and its still dark for five minutes :p). Although truthfully I'd say the environmentally conscious decisions are outweighed by cost-effectiveness decisions by about 1:2 (I'm broke, leave me alone).

[Aimless]

If one person couldn't make a difference then the world would be static and nothing would ever happen. It's not about single handedly saving the Earth, it's about being an instigator and leading by example; there's always an individual behind the casting of the first stone or turning of the cheek.

 

I'm not a vegetarian, but perhaps rather than going cold turkey, as it were, you should just gradually phase meat out of your diet? I know it's not as grand a gesture as saying "From today I will eat no meat!" but a transition makes more sense to me as that way vegetarianism becomes something natural rather than a forced directive; better to learn to love vegetarian food, and get better at making it, rather than resent it off the bat.

[EEVILMURRAY]

I'm sure many people will get to this page and think TL;DR, but the point I'm trying to make is will this actually make a difference? Is there something that makes millions of people consider elements of this and then think, "f**k it, what's the point?" Can one person make a difference when they try? What do you do to make a difference?

With Hollywood movie explosions and the many lightbulbs you'll find in Las Vegas, I doubt you'll do much difference. Sorry.

 

You'll probably save money, so that's a positive for you.

 

As becoming a vegetarian (or even vegan if that is what you wish) personally doesn't work for me. Then again I've been brought up in a fairly heavy meat involved diet, my Dad being a former butcher. So would be tough for me, also seems it will be tough for you too.

 

 

Energy saving bulbs. May save money/environment but are so dim (from my experience) you'll be spending the profit on opticians.

Remember that bit in the Matrix where the Agents capture Morpheus and describe human beings as a Virus on the planet? Well I can totally see that.

A virus on a planet which doesn't exist. Which if it buggers up they'll just turn it off and on again. All the while feeding off them as they sleep (Is that right?) Could be wrong, the Matrix has been a source for much confusion.

 

As of yesterday, I opened a Co-operative bank account and will be closing down my Nationwide and Halifax accounts. Halifax have just shut down 250 local branches, resulting in about 16,000 job losses which is frankly disgusting.

I daresay the branches were closed by people like yourself who switch banks. Just a guess.

 

Also, even though you're abdicating from Virgin/Sky - Gonna get Freeview?

 

All in all, if you're going to do this and it does seem like a mammoth task - Take it slowly. Don't pile all this all on in one go. Who knows? Maybe it will make a difference. If so, power to you mate.

 

With all your lifestyle changes, what is your direction now? You mention completing your course (Congrats) but what are you planning on doing?

Edited August 25, 2010 by EEVILMURRAY

[Nicktendo]

With Hollywood movie explosions and the many lightbulbs you'll find in Las Vegas, I doubt you'll do much difference. Sorry.[/Quote]

 

:-/ perspective.... *sigh* But you're right, I'll probably save money, so that's a positive for me.

 

I daresay the branches were closed by people like yourself who switch banks. Just a guess.[/Quote]

 

Halifax was taken over by Lloyds which is owned by the government after they were taken over because they were facing bankruptcy. I'm guessing it has something to do with cost cutting. Still, a lot of the elderly people are mighty, mighty pissed off, and rightly so.

 

Also, even though you're abdicating from Virgin/Sky - Gonna get Freeview?[/Quote]

 

With the digital switch off, I think I'll have too. I don't want to cut TV out altogether, I just want to cut down on my viewing. e.g. I cannot miss MOTD every week and I'm a big fan of the BBC, I don't resent paying a license fee one bit, as I think they're playing a vital role in a world where privately owned media, with a certain agenda has a hell of a lot of control and power. (Fox News, anyone?) What I don't agree with is this subscription based TV where you pay a company up to £700 a year (full package Sky with HD) for what in reality isn't all that much, and I do believe they abuse their dominant market position and are the reason many young footballers seem to have more money than sense and the prawn sandwich brigade are stopping most fans going to see the big clubs because of price increases. I'm sure there are arguments against this opinion but this is how I see it.

 

All in all, if you're going to do this and it does seem like a mammoth task - Take it slowly. Don't pile all this all on in one go. Who knows? Maybe it will make a difference. If so, power to you mate.

 

I think taking it slow is a good idea, I'll cut out red meat now and slowly cut chicken and fish out of my diet while learning good veggie meals and cooking techniques. I think Aimless had the right idea. As for my life now I love to travel, so I plan to drive round Europe in the next year, as I've been most other places, Korea, China, Australia, Thailand, The US so I'd like to see some places closer to home.

 

With all your lifestyle changes, what is your direction now? You mention completing your course (Congrats) but what are you planning on doing?

 

As for a career, I have no idea. I'll just continue working as a waiter until I figure it out but I have one requirement from myself to fulfil and that is that my job makes a positive difference to someone and I enjoy it. Salary, pensions and bonuses are not a factor. I'd rather be dirt poor and enjoy everyday, than have too much money and hate my job or do something pointless.

[chairdriver]

Find/invent a totally sustainable "safe" energy source.

[MoogleViper]

As for the meat/vegan thing, why not try a local farm shop? We often go there for our meat. It's more expensive but it tastes a lot nicer and you know where it's come.

 

As for a career, I have no idea. I'll just continue working as a waiter until I figure it out but I have one requirement from myself to fulfil and that is that my job makes a positive difference to someone and I enjoy it. Salary, pensions and bonuses are not a factor. I'd rather be dirt poor and enjoy everyday, than have too much money and hate my job or do something pointless.

 

Kudos to you if that's true. A lot of people say that but don't really mean it, or change their mind far too easily when that promotion comes along.

[Eenuh]

As for the vegetarian thing, like has been said it would be best to slowly cut it out of your diet, or simply switch to a diet that relies less on meat/poultry/fish but doesn't cut it out completely.

 

Red meat is the best thing to cut out as it's not that healthy for you anyway; chicken and especially fish are better. As for replacements, like Ashley said Quorn is a nice alternative. You have many different varieties to test out, I find it very yummy usually. =)

 

If you end up with your own place someday, and you have a garden (even if it's tiny), you could maybe keep some chickens. They can help you get rid of food rests (they can eat any left over food stuff/things you would otherwise throw out from cooking) plus you get your own eggs. Some cities here even give away free chickens for people to keep because they help reduce compost.

 

 

As for me since I still live at home I can't do much yet, but we recycle pretty much anything we can and have greatly reduced the garbage we create. Two out of three lamps in my room are energy saving bulbs (the last one will be replaced once the lamp dies, which will probably be soon haha). They can be a bit annoying since they take so long to light up, but I get used to it.

 

I'm only just now learning to drive, but someday I'd like to get a really eco-friendly car. Maybe when electric cars are more common/cheaper I could get one of those. =)

[Coolness Bears]

Some cities here even give away free chickens for people to keep because they help reduce compost.

 

BELGIUM IS AWESOME

[The fish]

On the Co-Op thing: personally I find their food to be on a par with Waitrose in terms of tastiness, making them by far and away the best supermarket. I also bank with them, and am in the process of switching my savings and primary current accounts over to them - if my money is going to be invested by anyone, I'd rather it were by them. Unlike Barclays, they don't invest in things like Zimbabwae, and they will also for ever have a special place in my heart for inviting Christian Voice to "find a new bank" due to their massive homophobia.

 

A similarly ethical country is Pepsi. You may recall this advert, broadcast in the UK:

 

 

Well, the American Family Association requested it be be banned in the UK for "promoting the homosexual lifestyle", and then called for a boycott of Pepsi products when they refused.

 

Why the AFA hate Pepsi so much is clear from reading this AFA press release:

 

In the last two years, Pepsi has given $500,000 to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and $500,000 to the Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). The $1,000,000 was to be used to help promote homosexuality in the workplace. Pepsi refuses to give money to any pro-family organization that opposes the homosexual agenda. Plus, every homosexual organization we know of is overwhelmingly pro-abortion. Both HRC and PFLAG supported efforts in California to defeat Proposition 8 which defined marriage as being between a man and a woman. HRC, the homosexual group financially supported by Pepsi, gave $2.3 million to defeat Prop 8. Pepsi forces all employees to attend sexual orientation and gender identity diversity training where they are taught to accept homosexuality.

 

Why is Pepsi awesome? Because the $500,000 to PFLAG was announced in the same press release in which Pepsi publicly refused the AFA's demands.

Edited August 25, 2010 by The fish

[Charlie]

So I opted for a Ford Fiesta Econetic - only 98 g/km emissions. Not only will driving this car save me money in fuel and road tax, it will cut my emissions massively. I have also toned down my aggressive driving style and stopped using the car in the city, I only cycle or walk.

 

If you want to be really economical then you should just keep your old car. It uses more 'emissions' (wrong word, but you know what I mean) to make a new car which will have lower emissions than your old car will make. You'd need to have, and use your new car a really long time for it to make a difference.

 

 

 

I also dislike the way Sky operate, especially with Premier League football and their monopoly on the rights, so I'm hoping in some small way that I will taking a stand and be voting against this with my wallet, despite having had it in my home since 1991.

 

In terms of that you should also stop using Windows, iPods, Microsoft Office etc. I personally think its great that Sky has a monopoly on the rights for the football as it means I can get it all in one place. It annoys me that ESPN has the rights for some matches, it would be a lot easier if one channel had them all.

[ipaul]

On the Co-Op thing: personally I find their food to be on a par with Waitrose in terms of tastiness, making them by far and away the best supermarket. I also bank with them, and am in the process of switching my savings and primary current accounts over to them - if my money is going to be invested by anyone, I'd rather it were by them. Unlike Barclays, they don't invest in things like Zimbabwae, and they will also for ever have a special place in my heart for inviting Christian Voice to "find a new bank" due to their massive homophobia.

 

 

I don't think their food is that good but I was thinking of banking with them. Their student account looked pretty good, I was just concerned about stuff like accessibility of banks - have you had much trouble? Also people keep telling me they're more likely to go bust - any truth in this? If not the Co-op I was thinking I'd go with Natwest.

[EEVILMURRAY]

If you want to be really economical then you should just keep your old car. It uses more 'emissions' (wrong word, but you know what I mean) to make a new car which will have lower emissions than your old car will make. You'd need to have, and use your new car a really long time for it to make a difference.

Don't worry. He's going round Europe next year. Hopefully after that he's going to make big savings.

[MoogleViper]

It's easier to make a difference in a negative way. You could go on a killing spree. Or blow up a few things.

[Nicktendo]

My old car was a VW Golf which was in a sorry state, in desperate need of repair and had seen me through nearly 100,000 miles in 7 years. Repairing it with X amount of new parts in my opinion was not as viable as scrapping it now, after all, the recycleable parts will be able to be used in constructing a new car or go towards something else, taking it off the road. I could have kept it for longer, but it was a fairly big polluter and would have needed a hell of a lot of work doing it. I plan on doing the same amount of milage in this car, so hopefully I've made the right decision :p

[Dannyboy-the-Dane]

Just to clarify, when Agent Smith is talking about humans being the cancer of the planet, they are talking about the actual Earth before the machines came to power.

 

Regarding your quest, I admire you for doing it. I don't know if one man can change anything on his own. Statistics would probably say no. But if we never took risks, we would never get anywhere. So keep fighting for what you believe in. If nothing else, it's what makes you happy.

[Ville]

If one person couldn't make a difference then the world would be static and nothing would ever happen. It's not about single handedly saving the Earth, it's about being an instigator and leading by example; there's always an individual behind the casting of the first stone or turning of the cheek.

 

Indeed...after all, the only thing you can alter is YOUR life...whether others want to follow your example, that's up to them.

 

I think taking it slow is a good idea, I'll cut out red meat now and slowly cut chicken and fish out of my diet while learning good veggie meals and cooking techniques.

 

Yep, it's a process...and also depends on the circumstances. My cycle went something like this:

 

• Home (2000): got interested in vegetarianism, but parents were against it. Ate meat and dairy...
  
• Own flat (2005): continued eating meat at school, but didn't buy any myself. Used dairy.
  
• Last year (2009): new school with vegan food on offer, so dropped meat, dairy and eggs.
  

 

Overall, took me about 9 years to go vegetarian...For protein, I just use beans and lentils. Soy is an option as well...You really don't need a huge amount anyway...

 

You might want to find people with similar interests...easy to get motivation, but also tips and advice on cooking and assembling a balanced diet. It's easier than you think, but the start can be a bit daunting...just take it easy and experiment...

 

And more than that, eggs? milk? these are still products of the farmed animals... Is going VEGAN the only way to fully combat this problem or should I check out the Free range, locally sourced dairy products at my local Co-op?

 

Yep, eggs and milk do have their share of problems as well...From a physiological viewpoint, it's pretty interesting that cutting dairy products seems to have a bigger impact on people than cutting meat...The skin on my face got a lot better, and overall you'll just feel lighter in regard to both body and mind...

[Charlie]

My old car was a VW Golf which was in a sorry state, in desperate need of repair and had seen me through nearly 100,000 miles in 7 years. Repairing it with X amount of new parts in my opinion was not as viable as scrapping it now, after all, the recycleable parts will be able to be used in constructing a new car or go towards something else, taking it off the road. I could have kept it for longer, but it was a fairly big polluter and would have needed a hell of a lot of work doing it. I plan on doing the same amount of milage in this car, so hopefully I've made the right decision :p

 

Fair play. Driving a car until it's properly dead is the best way to go. Saves you loads of money just getting a decent repair and keep going with it.

 

• Home (2000): got interested in vegetarianism, but parents were against it. Ate meat and dairy...
  
• Own flat (2005): continued eating meat at school, but didn't buy any myself. Used dairy.
  
• Last year (2009): new school with vegan food on offer, so dropped meat, dairy and eggs.
  

 

I don't understand why a vegan would cut out eggs? If they aren't fertilised, which is most of the time, they'll just be going to waste if they aren't eaten.

[MoogleViper]

I don't understand why a vegan would cut out eggs? If they aren't fertilised, which is most of the time, they'll just be going to waste if they aren't eaten.

 

I think it's because they don't believe in the farming of animals.

[Charlie]

I think it's because they don't believe in the farming of animals.

 

If these chickens were running around in the wild they'd just get killed by foxes and other wild animals, surely? Being kept in a good, free range coup would surely give them a much higher quality of life.

[jayseven]

Even 'free range' chicken farming is rather intensely done. Down near brighton there's a place called, lol, Henfield, and at henfield there's a place called, lol, Hen Heaven, where an old lady looks after 30 chickens as if they're her own kids. They're on a massive field with a large fence around it to keep foxes out, and they really just get to do whatever tehy like all day, laying eggs wherever. These eggs are vegan friendly, in this sense.

 

My brain feels muddled right now so not much sense is being made.

 

Anyway, yeah; 'free range' chickens can still be debeaked, killed off when too 'old', forced to lay eggs all year round, subject to growth hormones and other 'innoculations', mistreated, etc, etc.

[Ashley]

Some cities here even give away free chickens for people to keep because they help reduce compost.

 

A lot of people go to Belgium for the free chicken.

 

 

 

(also, Pepsi is a country now?)

[Raining_again]

One person CAN make a difference.

 

My colleagues daughter died a few months ago at a heartbreaking age of 2 years 8 months. She had meningitis. Her mum and all of her family are now campaigning the cause because of her, and are raising thousands of pounds for MRF. Everyone around her wants to contribute and get involved... and it WILL make a difference one day.

 

mums story.

 

Meningococcal disease

 

In my 40's, Eve was my little late surprise. And she indeed turned out to be a wonderful surprise. Always healthy, happy, and oh so beautiful, with a wicked sense of humour and with an obsession with 'ta' (women’s breasts!!).

 

19 April 2010

 

7.45am – 'I love you' as I head out the door for work.

 

12 noon – A call from the nursery to say that Eve was lying down feeling unwell and around her mouth had turned blue.

 

12.30pm – I arrive at the nursery to find Eve with a high temperature and both her arms a little mottled (the mottled arms didn't last very long).

 

1pm – Eve’s Dad – who I called when I heard she was ill – and I take Eve to Antrim A&E.

 

2-7pm – Eve’s temperature had remained high even though she was given paracetemol and Nurofen. Her body was checked several times for rashes and some eczema spots that Eve had were poked and pressed. Bloods were also taken. Through those hours Eve did not complain - not once. She was sleepy at times and was sick once after some juice. The A&E doctor decided that because of Eve’s temperature she should be kept in and we moved on to the paeds ward.

 

7-9pm – A chest X-ray was taken and we were told that the bloods had come back clear, as did the X-ray. Eve was sick a couple more times and became extraordinarily pale. She was also getting more and more listless, just wanting to sleep.

 

To this day I don’t know why I lifted her t-shirt, but when I did I noticed a tiny mark on her chest – a bruise the size of my baby fingernail.

 

9pm-1am – I immediately told the nurse about the bruise and after looking she very quickly whisked Eve into the treatment room. Five or six nurses began working on her – pumping fluids and antibiotics into her feet and hands. We were allowed to stay with Eve, for which I am very grateful. We could talk to her, let her know we were there. Again Eve did not complain and I am astounded by her bravery. We knew what it was now although nobody actually said it. I can’t actually put into words the fear we felt.

 

The consultant explained to us that Eve would need to be transferred to the Royal PICU, that she would be taken to theatre to be tubed and stabilised.

 

An agonising wait for over an hour and we were allowed to see Eve before she was taken to the ambulance. Shockingly, the bruises were now all over her tiny body. We spoke to her, told her we loved her and that we would see her soon.

 

1-2.30am – We drove behind the ambulance to the Royal where we had to wait again before we could see Eve.

 

When we did, Eve was attached to many monitors and again surrounded by nurse and doctors. Eve’s whole body was now black with the septicaemia. We spoke to her, told her how brave she was and rubbed her feet which were very cold (she always liked her feet rubbed).

 

It didn’t seem very long until something happened and we were moved out of the way.

 

The staff worked very hard giving heart compressions and adrenaline etc – maybe longer than normal as we were there – but Eve’s little heart could take no more.

 

They said we could pick Eve up and stay with her as long as we wanted. We talked to her, sang songs, told her how wonderful she was and what she meant to us.

 

Eve was buried on World Meningitis Day – aged two years and eight months.

 

Present Day

 

Disbelief still surrounds us and there are questions that may never be answered.

 

Seems bad thing do happen to good people.

 

We discovered MRF online and now we are doing our best to bring a positive out of what happened to our treasured daughter, in any way we can.

 

Support and love from all sides has amazed us. Our thanks go to our family and friends, the wonderful girls at Jolly Tots and also to the staff at Antrim and the PICU in the Royal.

 

Now we wait – wait to see if what they say is true – that it gets easier over time.

 

Edited August 25, 2010 by Raining_again

[stuwii]

One person can change the world for the worse much easier than for the better

[Pyxis]

The biggest change I'm thinking of incorporating into my life, and without a doubt the most challenging, is becoming a vegetarian. While I'm sure there are many veggies out there reading this, I am someone who eats meat at least every day, sometimes twice a day and the task of becoming one is frankly massive. I have no idea what I will replace it with, but I cannot justify being a consumer of meat when the environmental and ethical costs are weighed up. I don't want to go into too much detail, but I think modern meat consumption is so far past anything resembling natural. The amount of strain it places on the environment through intensive farming, transportation etc, is not something I want to be associated with any more, which is why I am going to work my damn hardest to cut it out of my life. I'm still at a cross-roads though... I will definitely cut out red meat, without a doubt, and most probably chicken, but what about fish, tuna...? And more than that, eggs? milk? these are still products of the farmed animals... Is going VEGAN the only way to fully combat this problem or should I check out the Free range, locally sourced dairy products at my local Co-op?

 

Being a vegetarian is a lot safer and easier than being a vegan. Being a vegetarian is very healthy and once you learn how to cook vegetarian meals, you'll notice that a lot of them rely on using eggs.

 

If you want to try being a vegetarian, I'd happily give you some recipes. I am a vegetarian and I don't eat quorn products at all unless I am being really lazy. Quorn is kind of gross compared to meat, although they do have a few tasty (but expensive) products. There are so many great meals you can make with a few simple ingredients like onions, garlic and peppers.

 

In terms of replacing meat, that is really easy.. Just make sure you eat a lot of eggs, cheese and milk. If you are making a meal that isn't protein rich, just down a glass of milk. Being a vegetarian for me has made me focus more on my diet and also on keeping my body fit. I am in my prime at the moment.

 

I craved meat for the first year of being a vegetarian and there will be some days when you'll probably give in to your cravings (no reason to give up), but you will eventually wonder why you ever needed meat in your diet once you forget about it. If your body starts to crave meat, just make sure you are getting the right nutrition and that your body isn't trying to tell you something.

 

There is a strong possibility of battery farms for cattle being set up in this country, but I don't believe we have those here as they are more of an American thing. WSPA is doing a campaign against them and is hoping to prevent them from being set up here, so perhaps that is something you can look into if you really want to help.