Is+Vegetarianism+the+healthier+option?

Tiarni Ritchings Student Number: N8870233 Tutor: Jey Rodgers

** The Artefact **


The picture shows a dead woman packaged as all meat is packaged in a supermarket and also has a label with all of the details. The __ __ also had ‘blood’ smeared everywhere as it would have in a packet of meat that could be bought at the shop. This is showing a human in place of an animal such as a cow, sheep or pig which man people eat on a daily basis.

** Public Health Issue: **
The public health issue that this picture represents is the ethical and health aspects of eating meat. The topic of vegetarianism and whether it is healthier will be discussed further. The environmental factors in relation to the meat industry and the effects it is having on the world will also be examined in further detail.

** Literature Review: **
This is a major issue throughout the world and has many different impacts on not only people and what they believe in but also the environment and what is being done in order to sustain a meat-based diet. There are many different reasons why people don’t eat meat or meat products. These include religion, environmental costs, health effects and also not liking the taste (Deckers, 2009). Most people however, believe in animal rights and everything that comes along with it. Moskovitz discusses that many people ‘believe that animals should not be harmed in food production, clothing production, or medical research’ (Moskovitz, 2011). In a 2013 journal article publish by JAMA internal medicine (Sifferlin, 2013) it was found that overall vegetarians had a 12% lower risk of death compared with non-vegetarians. This shows that by cutting meat from a person’s diet it can increase their health and their lifespan.

Gorman looked at The Meatless Monday campaign that many people have adopted over the years. Some American cities have made official Meatless Monday proclamations in public schools and colleges. ‘Even celebrity chefs such as Mario Batali are leading the charge in restaurants’ (Gorman, 2011). This shows that many people are starting to implement a __ __ or vegan diet. Three percent of American adults – over seven million people – are on a vegetarian diet (Gorman, 2011).

Environmentally there are many reasons that humans should start and stick to a __ __ or __  __ diet. Pimentel and Pimentel discuss that ‘in the US more than 9 billion livestock are maintained to supply the animal protein consumed each year. The US livestock population consumes approximately seven times more grain than what the entire US human population consumes directly (Pimentel & Pimentel, 2003).Scalet suggests that the amount of food cattle eat could feed almost 9 billion people which is about 3 billion people more than the people living on the planet now (Scalet, 2003). The amount of energy required to produce beef is huge. Energy is needed to grow the grain that cattle eat, and then there is the fuel needed for transport to the slaughter house ready to sell and to be transported wherever it may be going across the country or even world. Furthermore there is even more energy needed to refrigerate and cook the meat (N/A, 2004). Shah discussed energy and the amount that was need to produce meat. It was found that a gallon of gasoline was needed to produce one pound of grain, 70 – 80% of this grain is then fed to animals to produce meat products (Shah, 2010).

Land is also another major factor involved in meat production that affects the environment. Stanton states that about seven hectares of land is required to produce the same amount of protein from beef production as can be obtained from one hectare of wheat or rice (Stanton, 2011). Shah says that ‘the total cattle population for the world is approximately 1.3 billion occupying some 24% of the land of the planet’ (Shah, 2010). This shows that large amounts of land are being used to produce meat whereas this land could be used to produce fruit and vegetables and would feed many more people.

** Cultural & Social Analysis: **
The philosophy of Charles Darwin’s work //On __ __ of Species// has not made great change in the way humans treat other species (N/A, 2013). On recently have animal rights been thought of more seriously and has surged in western civilisation. A philosophical debate over the factory farming methods of non-human animals has become bigger and bigger throughout history (N/A, 2013). For many becoming a __ __ or vegan is a personal choice and involves personal beliefs and what they believe is right. Although many valid points are made throughout society and cultures many still do not adopt the meatless diet. People have different reason for becoming a vegetarian. In a recent study conducted by several universities it was found that Euro-Americans we concerned about the impact their food choices had on the environment and animal welfare. However, Indian vegetarians more strongly endorsed the belief that eating meat was polluting. They also showed concern for conservative ethics of purity and authority (Matthew, B, 2013).

** ANALYSIS OF THE ARTEFACT: **
The picture shows that eating meat from animals is just like eating flesh from humans which we humans just do not do. It reflects the issue and argument that animals have rights and have the right to freedom just as we do. Personally it doesn’t change the way I view what I eat and will never change what I eat. However, it does show me there are various underlying factors that contribute to someone who adopts a vegetarian or vegan diet. As a result of this piece of assessment I have learnt that there are many different factors that can influence a person to change their habits in anything they might do not only their diet. This assessment piece will affect my learning in the future as it has shown me that there are many different ways that something can be interpreted and many different things that can affect the outcome of a situation.

=** Bibliography: **=

Deckers, J. (2009). Vegetarianism, sentimental or ethical? //Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 22//(6), 573-597. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10806-009-9176-3

Gorman, R. (2011, May). //Why a __ __ Diet Is Good for Your Health and the Health of the Planet//. Retrieved from EatingWell: http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/why_a_vegetarian_diet_is_good_for_your_health_and_the_health_of_the_planet

Matthew B. Ruby et al (2013, October 10). //Compassion and Contamination. Cultural Differences in Vegetarianism//. Retrieved from Humanespot.org: http://www.humaneresearch.org/content/compassion-and-contamination-cultural-differences-vegetarianism#more5334

Moskovitz, D. (2011). //Animal Rights and Vegetarianism//. Retrieved from The Atla Society: http://www.atlassociety.org/animal-rights-and-vegetarianism N/A. (2013, June 17). //The contemporary philosophy of __ __ ethics//. Retrieved from Hubpages: http://megankensa.hubpages.com/hub/moralvegetarianism

Pimentel, D., & Pimentel, M. (2003). //Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment//. Retrieved from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/660S.full

Scalet, S. D. (2003, Winter). Vegetarianism: A history. //Onearth, 24//, 37-39. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/216862265?accountid=13380

Shah, A. (2010, August 22). //Beef//. Retrieved from __ __: http://www.globalissues.org/article/240/beef

Sifferlin, A. (2013, June 4). //Vegetarians May Live Longer//. Retrieved from Time Health and Family: http://healthland.time.com/2013/06/04/vegetarians-may-live-longer/

Stanton, R. (2011). //__ __ Diets//. Retrieved from Nutrition Australia: http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/national/frequently-asked-questions/vegetarian-diets

N/A. (2004, July). //Is Meat Sustainable?// Retrieved from Worldwatch Institute: http://www.worldwatch.org/node/549

** Reflection: **
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