Food for a cause at the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival
By: Asha Chaudhuri
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: Features
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If you need inspiration to discover more about vegetarianism, consider the fact that eating a vegetarian diet is one of the easiest and most beneficial ways to combat climate change. With fewer animals raised for meat, fewer greenhouse gasses are emitted into the atmosphere (a U.N. report says one-fifth of global warming emissions comes from livestock, which is more than emissions from all the world's transportation combined). Also, 70% of water in the U.S. goes to animals grown for food, contributing to water shortages. Needless to say, the amount of crops and water used to raise farm animals could be used much more efficiently: particularly, to combat world hunger. To top it off, vegetarians are generally healthier than non-vegetarians, according to the American Health Association, since they tend to consume less cholesterol and saturated fat found in meat, therefore reducing their risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.
Whether you're willing to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle because of health reasons or to reduce your carbon footprint, the festival is a great opportunity to explore the world of vegetarianism. Log on to http://www.bostonveg.org/foodfest for more information on exhibitors and presenters. The festival will take place at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center, 1350 Tremont Street, Boston, MA.