Critical Mass

I am so hopeful today.

In the grand scheme of things, I am very new to this whole vegetarian/vegan thing. But I had a conversation with a dear friend of mine yesterday, who has been vegetarian for 18 years, that made me think. She reminded me that just over a year ago, we were having a conversation in which I said that I had so much respect for her and her family being vegetarian, but I didn't think I could ever do it myself. And now...

And now I'm hearing so many conversations, both in the media and on a personal level, that give me hope that more people who "didn't think they could become vegetarian" are, in fact, making changes that are bringing them in that direction. I hear family members and friends talking about making changes such as eating vegetarian dinners three times a week or cutting back on cheese in their cooking. I am most impressed with my husband and his commitment (now for almost 9 months) to a plant-based diet. It is difficult to express in words the feeling I have right now when I think of all the good that is being done by so many people making changes!

Right now, the dairy and meat industries are subsidized with government funds that make them very cheap and have kept their prices affordable even when the prices of other goods have soared, relatively. Perhaps I am an idealist in my next thought. I think the momentum is here where more and more people will choose vegetarian diets so much so that the food industry will have to respond. When the movement reaches a critical mass and more people choose to spend their money on healthy vegan food, industry will have to change and government funding will have to change. Businesses want to make money so when the demand for meat and dairy goes away, something will have to replace it. I am hopeful that "that something" will be the fabulous food I am enjoying right now!