Day 274 – World Vegetarian Day was founded in 1977 by the North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS). October 1st is the annual kick-off of Vegetarian Awareness Month. Even if you have no desire to become a vegetarian, you can still use this day and the coming month to work toward reducing your meat consumption and increase your produce intake.

The North American Vegetarian Society created a list of reasons why you might want to become a vegetarian.

• Reduce the risk of major killers such as heart disease, stroke and cancer while cutting exposure to food borne pathogens
• Provide a viable answer to feeding the world’s hungry through more efficient use of grains and other crops
• Save animals from suffering in factory-farm conditions and from the pain and suffering of slaughter
• Conserve vital but limited freshwater, fertile topsoil and other precious resources
• Preserve irreplaceable ecosystems such as rainforests and other wildlife habitats
• Decrease greenhouse gases that are accelerating global warming
• Mitigate the ever-expanding environmental pollution of animal agriculture

So, to celebrate World Vegetarian Day consider skipping the cheeseburger or pork chop and grab an eggplant or potato.

Tomorrow, ditching the junk mail.