Vegetarian Is the New Prius

By: Essam Almajid

In the article Vegetarian is the New Prius, the author looks at how the emissions
from livestock is similar to the toxins spewed out by automobiles. He reinforces his analysis by comparing the change from gas to electric to that of converting to vegetarianism, because it eliminates harmful ozone depleting gases. Most of the meat that people eat, while it is in the form of a living creature, expels many tons of greenhouse gases, which are incredibly harmful to the environment. The author likens this to the impact that conventional vehicles have on our environment.

The author expands on the fact that “animal agriculture takes up an incredible 70% of all agricultural land, and 30% of the total land surface of the planet”. This is an alarming statistic, because it reflects our dependence on meat products. It is a similar predicament that we have with automobiles and gasoline. He also discusses how it is amazing that an animal as small as a chicken can have such an impact on our environment. He concludes by saying that it is amazing that by eating greener, everyone can help the planet. The same holds true for driving greener.

In my mind, I feel that we will gradually work away from gasoline and also meat products. In fact feel that being a vegetarian might be as hip as driving a hybrid car someday.