An Exploration of Vegetarianism

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Recommended: The ethical implications of being a vegetarian

I. Thesis & Definition

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the trend of vegetarianism and its steady increase in popularity in the United States, the possible causes behind the existence of this trend, its effects on our general society and the practicing population, and finally, the future of vegetarianism. For the purpose of this paper vegetarianism is described as a plant-based diet (fruits, vegetables, etc), though the most important factor being the total exclusion of meat, not including fish for most practitioners. While numerous sub-levels of this lifestyle exist, including veganism (abstaining from the use of all animal products) and semi-vegetarianism (a person cutting back on meat intake), this study will focus mainly on lacto-ovo-vegetarianism (barring all meat and fish, but incorporating eggs and dairy products).

II. Proof of the Trend

Despite the fact that the vegetarian lifestyle has existed since approximately the sixth century BCE, it is a relatively new practice in the United States, having gained significant popularity during the “health craze” of the 1970s and early 1980s. Beginning with the 1971 publication of Frances Moore Lappe’s “high protein meat-less cooking” bestseller Diet for a Small Planet, vegetarianism steadily formed a reputation as being both a healthy and ethical alternative to meat-eating. The moral argument for vegetarianism was introduced with the release of the book, Animal Liberation by Australian ethics professor Peter Singer, to American readers. Soon after the uproar caused by Singer’s cry for human-animal equality came the creation of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, in 1975. From PETA’s conception, the organization has

called for equality and an increase...

... middle of paper ...

...iets" Eatright.org. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, July 2009. Web. 15 Jan. 2012.

Rohrer, Finlo. "The Rise of the Non-Veggie Vegetarian" BBC News. BBC News, 5 Nov. 2009. Web. 9 Jan. 2012.

Segelken, Roger. "U.S. Could Feed 800 Million People with Grain That Livestock Eat, Cornell Ecologist Advises Animal Scientists Future Water and Energy Shortages Predicted to Change Face of American Agriculture." News.cornell.edu. Cornell University, 7 Aug. 1997. Web. 17 Jan. 2012.

Singer, Peter. Animal Liberation. New York, NY: New York Review of, 1990. Print.

"Vegetarianism in America"" Vegetarian Times. Vegetarian Times Magazine, 2009. Web. 15 Jan. 2012.

"Veggie Tales" Time.com. Time Magazine, 2002. Web. 10 Jan. 2012.

Whorton, James C. "Historical Development of Vegetarianism" Ajcn.org. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1994. Web. 6 Jan. 2012.

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