This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

No Meat May: Four Very Good Reasons To Go Vegetarian For A Month

Four Very Good Reasons To Go Vegetarian For A Month
Machine mincing meat in grocery store
moodboard via Getty Images
Machine mincing meat in grocery store

Unless you've been living under a rock (that doesn't have WiFi), you'll have seen a fair bit of hype around lately in regards to global warming and the toll the meat industry has on the environment.

Add to that the fact that eating too much animal protein isn't all that great for your health. Are you picking up on a common thread?

It's timely then that No Meat May is kicking off in a few weeks -- and might be a realistic way for those curious to dip their toe into vegetarianism.

The community driven initiative asks participants to remove meat from their diets for the month of May in the name of four important factors -- the environment, personal health, animal welfare and food equity.

"The big inspiration behind No Meat May was an eye-opening talk at the Sydney Opera House by Jonathon Safron Foer about his book, Eating Animals. Up until that point I was blissfully ignorant to most of the negative impacts of my then meaty diet. That talk and book not only sent me heading in the 'less meat' direction, but also inspired me to bring as many people along with me as I could," Founder of No Meat May, Ryan Alexander told The Huffingon Post Australia.

"At his talk Jonathan illuminated how it would be impossible to get half of the world to turn vegetarian in time to address some big environmental issues, yet how the exact same massive impact would be achieved if everyone in the world reduced their meat consumption by half.

"This resonated with me on a deep level. Eating half as much meat seems like such a no brainer when you look at the many devastating effects of our current over-consumption. The four big reasons behind No Meat May are incredibly compelling, and the many benefits of a more plant-based diet are not well understood by most," Alexander said.

"I went meat-free soon after and became aware of these two opposing worlds that co-exist. The island of the meat eater and the island of the vego. No Meat May was my way of building a bridge between these two worlds, so that meat eaters could wander over and experience what no meat feels like for a good 31 days. A chance to break the habit, try on vegetarianism, but safely cross back if and when they needed to. Hopefully returning with a greater understanding of meat, where it comes from, and a more conscious approach to eating."

Getting involved is easy. Participants sign up on the website and those who register will get free vegetarian and vegan recipes, nutritional information, links to educational documentaries and professional advice from experts.

"I’m hoping No Meat May engages and inspires people to make more mindful choices, and plays a part in reducing our unsustainable consumption of meat.

"At the very least, on average everyone who takes part in No Meat May will save 17 grateful animals by saying no to just over 7kgs of meat. And participant with prevent the equivalent of 134 Lbs of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere. That in itself is an achievement worth celebrating and a step towards a healthier, kinder, and greener future," Alexander said.

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.