YOUR CHOICE

Why Millions Of People Are Choosing A Better Way To Eat

You may have already seen how animals
are treated on todays factory farms. You
may even have seen how they are killed
in slaughterhouses. You probably dont like
seeing those pictures and videos. Why?
Youre a kind and decent person. You dont
want others to suffer unnecessarily.
More and more people like you are
choosing to leave chicken, sh and other
animals off their plates. According to U.S.
News and World Report, one out of every
seven college students has stopped eating
meat. Thats over 3 million students in the
U.S. alone. Many others are cutting back
on the amount of meat they eat.
Of course, the choice is up to you. Whether
you decide to cut out meat entirely or just
cut back, you can make a big difference for
the world at every meal.
CHANGE IS GOOD
I started of by just not eating
chicken. It was an easy change that
spared dozens of animals each year.
Its not about being perfect, its about
doing what you can.
Kira Svirsky, Metro State University
I always liked meat when I was
growing up. But after I found out how
farm animals are treated, that was it.
No more meat for me. My taste buds
werent worth the torture. My life
didnt change, I just felt healthier and
glad to not be a part of that cruelty.
Constance Li, Rutgers University
I gave myself a few months to
learn what meat-free meals I
liked and where to get them.
I eat so much delicious food
now, the dining halls have plenty
of options. And almost every
restaurant I go to with my friends
has at least one vegetarian meal.
Phil Letten, Michigan State
Te number of college students who
identify themselves as vegetarian has risen
by 50 percent since 2005, and the number of
vegan students has more than doubled.
The Yale Daily News, February 22, 2013
Male chicks like Kevin are killed by being
dropped into a giant grinding machine.
Kevin is one lucky boy. He was bred by
the egg industry, but like all male chickens
he cant lay eggs. Male chicks like Kevin
are typically killed by being tossed alive
into a giant grinding machine. Thankfully,
Kevin was rescued and is now living out
his life at an animal sanctuary.
Like all chickens, Kevin has a unique
personality. Studies show that chicks
like Kevin are able to count as high as
ten. They have a sense of time, and they
anticipate the future: they will give up a
small reward now to get a larger one later.
Many of the nations most routine
animal farming practices would be illegal
if perpetrated against cats and dogs.
Jonathan Lovvorn, Chief Counsel, The Humane Society of the United States
MEET KEVIN

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Chickens raised for meat spend their entire
lives packed in a massive warehouse. They
have been bred to grow so fast that by the
time they are one month old it hurts to walk.
They are in constant pain, and spend most of
their time lying on the ground.
Egg-laying hens spend every minute of their
lives packed in feces-lled cages. The cages
are so small, hens can barely turn around and
cannot spread their wings.
When chickens get sick, they are clubbed
on the head with a metal rod or left to suffer
to death. At the slaughterhouse, they are
electrocuted and then have their throats slit. If
they avoid the blade as many birds do they
will drown in a tank of scalding hot water.
In Compassion, by the Pound: The Economics of Farm Animal Welfare, economists
Norwood & Lusk found that when people eat less meat, factory farms raise and kill
fewer animals. Here are the number of individuals you can help spare each year:
21 chickens like Tilly,
and even more if you
also cut out eggs
Several farm-raised sh
like Calvin
and dozens of wild sh
1 pig like Bob Harper
1 cow like Meghan
1 turkey like Claire
MEET THE ONES YOU SPARE
Fishes like Calvin have long-term
memories, and are smart enough to
learn tricks. (You can see videos at
Fish-School.com.) Like all farm animals,
sh are badly abused - they just dont
have the vocal cords to scream.
About half of the sh that are eaten do
not come from the wild. They are raised
in small, crowded pools that can be
so lthy up to a third die from disease.
Teyre like floating pig farms...Disease and
parasites [on fsh farms] run rampant.
The Los Angeles Times, Fish Farms Become Feedlots of the Sea
Because they are stressed by the
crowding, sh sometimes bite off the
ns, tails, and eyes of other sh.
Fish who are pulled out of the water
suffocate as their gills collapse. It can
take up to ten minutes before they die.
When they are dragged up from deep
in the ocean, their eyes bulge and
their stomachs turn inside out from the
change in pressure.

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In 2009, a farm worker in Pennsylvania found
a pig, named Emily (above), had gured
out how to escape from her cage. But Emily
didnt just sit and enjoy her freedom. She went
around unlatching the doors of other cages.
Co-workers said this happened often; when
one pig learned to escape, she usually tried to
show other pigs how to do the same.
Emily and other pigs dream when they sleep.
They are friendly and social, and they rub their
noses together with close friends. Because they
are so intelligent smarter even than cats and
dogs they go crazy from being conned. Some
repeatedly bite the metal cage bars until their
teeth shatter. Others get depressed and lie on
the lthy oor without moving. At just six months
old, pigs like Emily are electrocuted or shot in
the head with a metal rod. Pigs who dont die
immediately are drowned alive in scalding water.
MEET EMILY
Pigs in tiny crates sufer beyond
anything most of us can easily
imagine. Tey are unable even to turn
around for weeks at a time, so that
their muscles and bones deteriorate.
And these extremely social and
intelligent animals lose their minds
from being denied any social or
psychological stimulation at all.
On behalf of compassionate people
everywhere, I implore you to help
end the needless sufering.
Ryan Gosling, Actor
So our animals cant turn around for the 2.5
years they are in the stalls...I dont know who
asked the sow if she wanted to turn around.
Dave Warner, Director of Communications,
National Pork Producers Council

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A BETTER YOU
I realized how absurd the
notion of needing meat in
the diet was. From that point
on, I never looked back...
View it as a positive change
and look forward to all of the
new amazing, healthy, and
delicious foods you can eat.
Mac Danzig, UFC Fighter
Replacing chicken, sh, and other
meat with animal-free foods is also
great for you. You can have more
energy, look better, and avoid certain
diseases. The Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics states that eating
vegetarian has many health benets.
People who cut out chicken, sh, and
other meat have less body fat. They
have lower rates of heart disease
and diabetes, and lower levels of
cholesterol and blood pressure.
Vegetarian diets are higher in
antioxidants and many phytochemicals
that are thought to play a part in
preventing chronic illnesses. And it just
feels good to minimize your support of
animal suffering.
DOING IT RIGHT
To feel awesome, make sure you include high-protein foods like beans, peanuts,
veggie burgers, and animal-free sausages and lunch meats. Iron is high in plant-based
diets and eating vitamin C at meals helps you absorb it. Consider a multivitamin with
B12 to cover your bases. Remember that ditching meat is not about being perfect,
but starting where you can and sticking with it.
As a medical doctor,
I consider adopting a
plant-based diet to be
one of the most important
things someone can do to
prevent the leading causes
of disease.
Dr. Michael Greger, NutritionFacts.org
I lift fve days a week, and Ive
added muscle since going vegetarian.
Getting enough protein is easy. Beans,
lentils, nuts, plant-based meats, tofu,
whole grains, and dairy-free protein
shakes and bars are all great sources
of protein.
Brandon Williams, Temple University
Ive always been low on iron, even
when I ate meat. So I make sure to
eat foods with plenty of iron. Beans,
dark leafy greens, and whole grains
like oatmeal and wheat are flled with
iron. Tere are also iron supplements
out there if you need them.
Gunita Singh, Boston University
On the go? Dont worry! Many restaurant chains
have meat-free items on the menu. Chipotle features
a vegetarian burrito with black beans and savory
guacamole. The Olive Garden offers pasta dishes,
salads, and soups. Taco Bell boasts fresca style
bean burritos, seven layer burritos, and chalupas.
Subway and Quiznos sell fresh vegetable subs.
Dennys has a vegan burger, fries, and more.
Most international restaurants have tasty options
without meat. You can chow down on Mexican
vegetarian burritos, Chinese tofu and vegetable
stir-fries, Italian pasta plates, Middle Eastern falafel
sandwiches, and a variety of Indian dishes.
At a restaurant with nothing good on the menu?
Most chefs are happy to make something special.
To nd the restaurants near you with the very best
vegetarian options, visit www.VegGuide.org.
EATING OUT
BREAKFAST
Delicious breakfast options at almost
every dining hall include cereal, bagels,
granola, oatmeal, toast, mufns, and fruit.
LUNCH AND DINNER
For lunch or dinner, keep your eyes
peeled for some fresh vegetable subs or
sandwiches with a side of chips, savory
stir-fried vegetables on a bed of rice,
bean burritos packed with salsa and
guacamole, colorful salads, pasta with
tangy marinara sauce, baked potatoes
with salt and pepper, hearty lentil soup,
or quick and easy peanut butter and
jelly sandwiches.
SNACKS
Grabbing a snack to take with you?
Pick up a granola bar, mixed nuts, a
bag of chips or pretzels, or a piece
of fruit.
SPECIALTY DISHES
Aside from the meat-free foods you
already know and love, many dining
halls also offer special vegan or
vegetarian options. These include
savory tofu stir-fry, spicy Indian curries,
juicy veggie burgers with lettuce,
tomato, and onion, and other plant-
based meats.
You already eat lots of meat-free food. So keep lling your plate with the stuff you
know and love!
DINING ON CAMPUS
Every supermarket has the basic (and cheap) meat-
free foods you already eat. These include pasta,
rice, cereals, bagels, nuts, beans, fruit, vegetables,
bread, granola bars, snacks, and more.
Most supermarkets also carry protein-packed
vegetarian meats. Some products taste better than
others, so try a few to see which ones you like.
Great brands include Tofurky, Gardein, Lightlife
and Boca. They are also really convenient just
warm and serve in minutes.
Visit the refrigerated shelves that line the
produce section of your grocery store. There
youll nd animal-free deli meats, ground beef
crumble, hot dogs, chicken strips, and more.
In the frozen foods section look for veggie
burgers, burritos, and animal-free chicken
patties, breakfast sausages, and more. The
dairy section carries soy milk and almond milk.
GETTING GROCERIES
PHOTOS: Farm Sanctuary (p 2 upper; p 4 lower; p 6 pig, chickens;
p 16 upper); Animal Equality (p 4 upper; p 8 upper; p 9 lower);
Mercy For Animals (p 7 lower); Humane Society of the United
States (p 5 upper); Tatiana Mendex (p 6 upper) Mark Makela for
the HSUS (p 13 lower); Gardein (p 14, top); Lightlife (p 14, top
middle); (CC) - SA TheImpulsiveBuy (p 14, low middle); Connie Pugh
for Farm Sanctuary (p 8 lower left); (CC) - SA BY NC Casey Morris (p
6, cow); www.VGirlsVGuys.net (p 10 lower); (CC) - NC ND CCarlstead
(p 7, upper); Daniel Lupastean (p 10, upper); (CC) - BY SweetOnVeg
(p 12, lower); John Milnes, used under license from Shutterstock.
com (p 6, fsh); Idli Papp, used under license from Shutterstock.com
(p 12, upper); (CC) Lacey Elaine Dillard (p 14, lower); istockphoto.
com/mkurtbas (p 16, lower); Melissa Schwartz (cover). Cover models:
Hayley Marie Norman & Donovan Jenkins.
The choice to replace meat with something
better is up to you. Its a choice to put
your beliefs into action for a better you
and a better world.
First, decide on a change that will work
for you. Maybe your plan is to just cut out
chicken to start. (Cutting out chicken will
spare 21 animals a year from misery.)
Or maybe your plan is to not eat meat at
breakfast or lunch. Once youve decided
what will work for you, just get started!
Helpful resources can be found at
OpposeCruelty.com, or text your
name & address to (774) 526-5785
to get a free guide in the mail.
Congratulations on joining the
millions of people who have chosen a
compassionate diet!
ITS YOUR CHOICE
Printed on recycled paper with vegetable-based inks 2014 Vegan Outreach
PO Box 1916, Davis, CA 95617
VeganOutreach.org/contact
order your
FREE GUIDE
to cruelty-free eating,
with recipes and health tips
TEXT: 774.526.5785
(text your name and address)
CALL: 520.979.3884
VISIT: OpposeCruelty.org/Guide
GIVE IT A TRY
Rev 09/14
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