Vegetarianism A vegetarian is defined as someone who does not partake in the consumption of poultry, red meat, seafood, or the meat of other animals. Unlike vegans, vegetarians will still eat dairy products. There is a lot of discussion about this type of diet among people, as it is not the norm. Proponents of a meat-based diet sometimes argue that vegetarian diets are unhealthy and lack the necessary nutrients a person needs to survive, which is actually a myth. Furthermore, because a meat-based diet is not the norm, it is very difficult for people to imagine completely omitting meat from their diet, mainly for reasons of convenience. People who eat meat also think it is good and therefore are not willing to give up a food that is part of their daily life. Meat is so deeply rooted in our society that many people find it absurd to give it up. Everywhere we go, every billboard we pass, we are constantly reminded of how much meat is part of our daily lives. However, despite its convenience and taste, meat actually has numerous disadvantages. I believe vegetarianism is much more beneficial due to its environmental benefits, health benefits and lack of inhumane treatment of animals. Meat consumption has reached an all-time high this century. “Global meat production increased fivefold in the second half of the 20th century. We now have 22 billion farm animals, including 15 billion chickens and 1.3 billion cattle. And the industry is preparing for a 50% increase in the next two decades” (Tudge, 2004). What many people don't realize is that this is actually something to be very alarmed about. Everyone always hears that excessive consumption of meat is bad for your health, however that... half of the paper... (http://www.climatecentral.org/news/greenhouse-gas-emissions-the-rate-puts- one-billion-more-at-risk-16598)Domonell, Kristen. 2012. “The Dining Hall Dilemma: Changing the Way Campuses Think About Food.” University Business 15(6):36.Appleby P., Davey G., and Key T. 1999. “Health Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet.” Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 58(2): 271-275.Koneswaran, Gowri and Nierenberg, Danielle. (2008). “Global Livestock Production and Global Warming: Climate Change Impact and Mitigation.” Environmental Health Perspective 116(5), 578-582.http://www.platetoplanet.org/ http://www.foodispower.org Dwyer, J.T. (1988). Health aspects of vegetarian diets. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 48(3), 712-738.Key, T.J., Appleby, P.N., & Rosell, M.S. (2006). Health effects of vegetarian and vegan diets. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 65(01), 35-41.