As a vegetarian (going strong for three years now), I was hesitant before taking the plunge to become fully vegetarian. Everyone has their reasons for moving towards a more plant-based lifestyle, and I deliberated for several months before committing. So, if you’re interested in some ways you can cut back your carbon footprint and possibly decrease your blood pressure, here’s my take!
1. Choose one day (or meal) that is completely plant-based.
​This one is pretty simple – designate a day where you will not eat any meat (or dairy, if you want) and try to stick to it. Even cutting back some will help the environment, and your health, and don’t beat yourself up if you slip up (it happens to all of us).
2. Seek out alternatives for things you already eat/drink in your everyday life.
For example, if you drink a coffee or tea in the morning, instead of using cow milk, you could choose to use oat, almond, or coconut milk to replace it. This is a simple and relatively easy way to incorporate less dairy and more plant-based options into your diet.
3. Have conversations about health, the environment, and plant-based alternatives with people around you.
If you’re considering becoming vegetarian or vegan full time, people will probably ask why. Looking into the deeper issues and analyzing where your personal morals stand for making the transition are incredibly varied and dependent on the person.
Whether or not someone chooses to become completely vegan or to cut out meat or dairy one day a week is a choice completely up to them – but there are benefits to doing so, and even a small step can have a big impact.