Part-Time Vegetarians

Personally I do not eat meat or dairy products because I find it cruel and unhealthy as well as a detriment to our environment. I DO however find this article very inspiring because I know most people won't turn completely vegetarian (not in my lifetime anyway). Old habits are hard to bust and when meat is the fast convenient food (laden with addictive salt and grease) offered on every street corner in America it will take awhile for the general public to catch up. Since becoming completely vegan I haven't been to a doctor in years and feel so much better all the time. No constipation, I don't battle fat and I have lots of energy. Eat too much meat now and spend your "golden" years in a hospital or taking pills every day OR eat vegetarian, feel better and spend your savings on the Bahamas instead of a hospital bed!

I am HAPPY to hear about more "flexitarians"...any reduction in meat consumption is a good thing and will in some way lessen suffering of animals and will help the environment. Power to the flexitarians and please remember next time you skip that burger you are doing a good thing for yourself, the animals and the Earth. It takes 100 gallons of water to produce ONE pound of beef! A lot to moo about

Ok - the question here moral. Do we kill an animal who fights for life, or have killed for us, once a week or once a day? I chose never. Taking a life for personal satisfaction is something that is unnecessary as humans exist much more beneficially on a plant based diet. To kill or not to kill? You decide.
Tina Volpe, Author, The Fast Food Craze

ok - if you look at this morally, it's a question of do we kill, or have killed, an animal who's desire is to live, once a day or once a week? I choose not to ever make that choice of killing for pleasure. Humans can exist more healthfully and beneficially without the use of animal flesh or fluids.

The bottom line is, the fewer times people eat animals or products made from animals, the better off the planet will be, the fewer animals will suffer and the better our health will be. When it comes to consuming animals, less is more.

The bottom line is, the fewer times people eat animals or products made from animals, the better off the planet will be, the fewer animals will suffer and the better our health will be. When it comes to consuming animals, less is more.

The bottom line is, the fewer times people eat animals or products made from animals, the better off the planet will be, the fewer animals will suffer and the better our health will be. When it comes to consuming animals, less is more.

Actually it is good for both the animals and the earth. Even though these part time vegetarians eat only meat now and then, they are helping these animals because less are being raised and killed for food. Less meat, less abuse of farm animals.

We have heard for a while now how factory farming is destroying this earth because of all of the buildup of waste from our consuming more and more meat. With these part time vegetarians, less is killed, and so many areas are then improved.

So if you can't give meat up completely, please think about being a part time vegetarian!

Who cares what you call it! Reducing animal products is a benefit to animals as well as the enviornment. I am a vegetarian working my way to vegan for ethical reasons, but if you want to raise your own animals, treat and slaughter them humanely than be my guest. I have a problem with the abuse. I really don't care about is these labels that snobby vegans have to claim. It gives a bad name to animal rights!

If everyone would reduce the animal products they consume, it would greatly help animals and the enviornment. I am a vegetarian/vegan for ethical reasons, but if you want to raise an animal, treat it well, slaughter it humanely yourself, I would not be mad. As far as the whole part-time vegetarian thing, it's just a name as is vegetarian and vegan. All that matters is what you do to make a difference, not what you call yourself!

I am offended by lau2tharen's comment. I am a beef cattle farmer and I raise grass-fed beef. MY beef industry is not cruel. Cows calve on grass, raise their calves on grass, and the calves graze their natural diet until slaughter. Calves are slaughtered at a local packing house, where I know the butcher and can SEE what happens. Bloody it is, cruel it ain't. Calling all meat and dairy cruel is like calling all vegetarians and vegans PETA-devotees.

I'm so annoyed when I heard it's "Rude" not to eat meat that's cooked for you.
Is it "rude" of me to turn down a hit of heroin if offered?
No... because I don't use heroin. I don't care how much value it hold for the person offering it.
Respect is about letting the people around you do what works for them.
I don't eat meat. Eat yours if you want to and I'll keep my mouth shut about the evils of the meat industry while you eat, but don't label me rude for not joining you.
My friends and aquaintences all know I'm more than happy to explain my choices if they ask.

The name is not great, but at least it is a name. I personally eat limited meat and fish (2/3 portions a week) and only natural meat and wild fish and I think this is healthy and probably the best way to replicate how historically human beings have been eating, thus the best way to live long. For 10000 years human have eaten meat when available - which is not too much - and mostly vegetable and cereals, they have not been vegetarian (except maybe in the indian subcontinent) nor they have been big meat eaters (with exception of inuits). I think eating as our ancestors were eating is being flexitarian in essence.

Vegetarians do not eat animals.

People who want to eat better but still want to eat animals are free to do so; these people are not vegetarians. Lacto-ovo vegetarians (people who do not eat animals but still eat eggs and dairy) can eat vegan (no animal-derived foods whatsoever) 99% of the time but are not vegans if they eat eggs or dairy even 1% of the time.

People who claim to be vegetarians but who still eat animals confuse those in the food/restaurant industry, and the result is real vegetarians asking for vegetarian food in restaurants and getting non-vegetarian dishes.

Please, stop it. If you eat animals, even once a year, you are not a vegetarian. There is no such thing as a "semi-vegetarian". And please, if fish is the only kind of meat you eat, you are a pescetarian, not a vegetarian. Vegetarians do NOT eat animals.

Vegetarians do not eat animals.

People who want to eat better but still want to eat animals are free to do so; these people are not vegetarians. Lacto-ovo vegetarians (people who do not eat animals but still eat eggs and dairy) can eat vegan (no animal-derived foods whatsoever) 99% of the time but are not vegans if they eat eggs or dairy even 1% of the time.

People who claim to be vegetarians but who still eat animals confuse those in the food/restaurant industry, and the result is real vegetarians asking for vegetarian food in restaurants and getting non-vegetarian dishes.

Please, stop it. If you eat animals, even once a year, you are not a vegetarian. There is no such thing as a "semi-vegetarian". And please, if fish is the only kind of meat you eat, you are a pescetarian, not a vegetarian. Vegetarians do NOT eat animals.

I think the term "flexitarian" is total bologna. You are either a vegetarian, vegan, or otherwise. I think it's great that people are making an effort to eat less meat, but that does not warrant you a special title, such as "flexitarian". In fact, I think that term takes credit away from those that make a conscious effort to NOT EAT ANY MEAT AT ALL, or those who abstain from animal products all together. "Flexitarian" merely means that you don't eat meat... unless you're hungry for meat and eat it. That is what we call an "omnivore", people, and that is what you are unless you are vegetarian or vegan. Congratulations on making the effort to eat less meat, and thus improve your health - but seriously, get over yourself.

It is heartening to hear that this trend is catching on. As a vegetarian who believes it natural that humans are omnivorous, but is also worried that Americans eat meat to excess, this is more than a step in the right direction, it's rational eating.

lau2tharen - I also hope you don't wear silk, 'cause if you do, then maybe you need to realize 'THE WORM DIES!" Eating less meat is maybe beneficial for someone who over indulges in it, but either from a dietary or ethical viewpoint, I see nothing wrong with it. Killing unborn humans who mothers have found to be 'inconveinent' under the guise of 'choice' is far more appaling, and this society has accepted it.