What are the options here?

If I asked you today to try out a vegan or vegetarian diet, I'm sure you would think or say:

"I would, but omg I can't live without cheese"

"I love bacon too much to give up meat"

"What about social events, or dining out? That sounds hard"

The truth is, YOU ARE RIGHT! All of these are understandable reasons for not wanting to have a totally vegetarian or vegan diet. Unfortunately the rate at which the average person (globally) currently consumes meat is unsustainable for their health or the current population of the planet. Raising animals for food takes up water consumption, land use, and accounts for 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In 2015 a movie called "Cowspiracy" uncovered facts about the detrimental impact over-consumption of meat has on the climate crisis, and yet some of the top environmental advocates weren't tackling it. It was unpopular, and meat production is a powerful industry. Reduction of meat consumption is better for the planet and your health. The key word here being REDUCTION not complete removal of it from your diet. I stand to prove that any reduction you are comfortable with is a reduction worth making. 

Canadians are actually a leading example of the benefits of the reduction of meat intake. In a recent poll in 2018 the average Canadian family was consuming 41g of meat daily - about the size of half your palm and well within the new Canadian food guide which controversially supported a plant-based diet and reduction of meat intake.  In fact, many Canadian households are reducing their meat intake to 3 days a week. 

There is a lot of fantastic research proving the impact of the meat industry on the planet, and a lot of it began with "Cowspiracy". What can we do with this information now that we have it? It was a set back to change my topic as I have had more work to do, such as go back and change my project proposal so this week a lot of time was spent in the research phase and re-doing previous work. Moving forward and into Week 5 I will be working hard to figure out the answer to this question. There is no shortage of supportive research but now I'm curious as to why so many Canadians have been making the right choice, what makes us so different than our American neighbours who are the biggest over consumers of meat? I would be interested to continue with the palm size analogy and visualize how much meat people are eating all over the world. 

I am aiming for my final product to be part of putting these words to action and convincing people who aren't already to try out plant based diet, at least until it comes time for bacon! As this idea becomes clearer in my mind I am picturing a week long meal plan, with recipes and facts about why plan-based eating is beneficial throughout. Food for thought?