Why be vegetarian?
“Let every individual and institution now think and act as a responsible trustee of Earth, seeking choices in ecology, economics, and ethics that will provide a sustainable future, eliminate pollution, poverty, and violence, awaken the wonder of life and foster peaceful progress in the human adventure.”
– John McConnell, founder of International Earth Day
We just got back from a prosciutto festival.
Across Italy during the summer, many towns host ‘sagra’, summer festivals. Have your travelled to a food festival?
This event was devoted to the love of the thinly sliced, dry-cured ham called prosciutto crudo. The festival took place in Basciano, a small hilltop town in the province of Teramo. The sagra opened with entertainment from the Tequila and Montepulcianno band. For five days, people partied and popped prosciutto pieces. All seemed to enjoy the meat on offer. Except me. I passed on the Prosciutto.
Looking around at the sagra, I’m confident that I was the only vegetarian there. And so I observed the festivities. There was a good atmosphere. And I enjoyed the craft beer and the music.
It was one of the few times in recent years, that bring a vegetarian stood out for me. And it was fine. Like a good girl guide, I’d gone prepared. I’d carried rice-cakes and wasabi peas to nibble.
I gave up eating meat as a teenager. Fish followed, about 25 years ago.Travel as a vegetarian used to be difficult. 30 years ago it was often a challenge to find something vegetarian to eat in many parts of the world, without at least eating fish. I recall a trip to Trinidad and Tobago, where I feasted on fish daily; snapper, barracuda, swordfish. There were no veggie options. Vegan was unheard of.
But over time I acknowledged that it bothered me. On another trip, in the South of France, I can remember asking someone to shell my prawns. And if I ordered fish, the whole creature would arrive on my plate. I was that person who would be using their salad to cover up the eyes and face of the fish. Avoid eye contact. In the end, I stopped eating fish as well as meat.
Now things have changed. Being a vegetarian is more commonplace than it used to be. Many restaurants will indicate their veggie dishes clearly. Countries like Australia and South Africa, where traditionally a lot of meat used to be shared socially, now cater better for us veggies, as well as the carnivores. It’s not unheard of for me to be able to find a veggie burger or some grilled halloumi on a braai these days.
Many people would not consider becoming vegetarian. And that’s o.k, it’s a personal choice. But there’s definitely a valid argument, outlining benefits for both individuals and the environment, if everyone ate a bit less meat.
There is a lot to suggest that beyond our efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle, one of the biggest ways to help the planet will be to eat less meat.
The most recent report, commissioned by the United Nations, identifies plant-based diets as an effective way to address climate change.
In terms of globetrotting, the veggie scene continues to develop. We just booked our first stay at a vegan hotel. I can’t imagine something like that even existing a couple of decades ago
Are you a vegetarian traveller? What’s your experience of travelling as a vegan or vegetarian?
Maggie M/pl Mother City Time