Abstract
This chapter explores the vital role each individual can play to improve the state of the planet. It focuses on understanding the economics, ethics, and spirituality of a meat-based vs. plant-based diet – something that concerns everyone and something over which everyone has complete choice and control. It offers a unique perspective that all food is essentially vegetarian (see
Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.1.2: 
Food comes from vegetation), although one can have a meal that is nonvegetarian. This chapter explores three main reasons to turn to a plant-based diet: health, sustainability, and compassion. It offers a perspective that switching to a plant-based diet or reducing the meat and dairy intake represents one of the most effective solutions to global warming. The uniqueness of this approach lies in its humanity and its locus of control: It depends upon each one of us.
Many spiritual traditions recommend a plant-based diet based on moral and compassionate grounds. Nonviolence, ahiṁsā, is the basis for the vegetarianism within Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism though it goes well beyond just being vegetarian. The universal value of harmlessness is a core virtue derived from the Vedic injunction “mā hiṁsyāt sarvabhūtāni” 
– do no harm to living creatures.
We are quintessentially integral with the universe. (Berry 1999, p. 32)
Partially based on author’s works: Spirituality and Sustainability (Springer Nature, 2016); and “Ethics and Spirituality of Sustainability: What Can We All Do?” The Journal of Values-Based Leadership: Vol. 9: Iss. 1, Article 11.
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Notes
- 1.
Adi Śaṅkara, the pre-eminent commentator of Indian wisdom texts, Upaniṣads, in his commentary to Chāndogya Upaniṣad 7.26.2 states:
See Swāmī Swāhānanda (1996), pp. 546–547.
- 2.
See Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.1.2
: Food comes from vegetation. - 3.
- 4.
- 5.
See Lesser consumption of animal products is necessary to save the world from the worst impacts of climate change. Retrieved June 3, 2017, http://www.unep.org/climatechange/
According to UN Environment report, “World must urgently up action to cut a further 25% from predicted 2030 emissions.” http://www.unep.org/emissionsgap/
- 6.
See Climate Change and Animal Agriculture, Explained. Retrieved June 5, 2017, https://www.peta.org/features/climate-change-animal-agriculture-explained/
- 7.
See Meat and the Environment. Retrieved June 6, 2017, https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/meat-environment/
- 8.
na vā are sarvasya kāmāya sarvam priyam bhavati, ātmanastu kāmāya sarvam priyam bhavati: Swāmī Mādhavānanda (2008, pp. 246–247).
- 9.
Cited in MEAT ATLAS (2014, p. 7).
- 10.
See Meat Eater’s Guide to Climate Change +Health: Lifecycle Assessments: Methodology & Results. Environmental Working Group. Retrieved July 29, 2017, http://static.ewg.org/reports/2011/meateaters/pdf/methodology_ewg_meat_eaters_guide_to_health_and_climate_2011.pdf?_ga=2.195427749.867980501.1500842024-30149929.1499039227
- 11.
Climate Change and Animal Agriculture, Explained. PETA/Features. Retrieved July 2, 2017, https://www.peta.org/features/climate-change-animal-agriculture-explained/
- 12.
According to a new report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
- 13.
Meat and the Environment. PETA/ISSUES/ANIMALS USED FOR FOOD. Retrieved July 2, 2017, https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/meat-environment/
- 14.
For details, see http://www.ewg.org/meateatersguide/interactive-graphic/
Also see A comparative Life Cycle Assessment of plant-based foods and meat foods: Assessing the environmental benefits of plant-based dietary choices through: a comparison of meal choices, and a comparison of meat products and MorningStar Farms® veggie products. Prepared for Morning Star Farms by Quantis. Retrieved July 23, 2017, https://www.morningstarfarms.com/content/dam/morningstarfarms/pdf/MSFPlantBasedLCAReport_2016-04-10_Final.pdf
- 15.
The Meat Free Mondays movement has gained momentum and has now been established in 29 countries around the world. See: MEAT ATLAS (2014, p. 58).
- 16.
For more details, see http://www.ewg.org/meateatersguide/helpful-tips-for-meat-eaters/ [emphasis added].
- 17.
See Mic, the Vegan, My ‘Humans are Herbivores’ Video Was Debunked. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQyQS3d86BA
- 18.
Based on a chart by A.D. Andrews (1970).
- 19.
See Milton R. Mills, The Comparative Anatomy of Eating. Retrieved October 21, 2015, http://www.adaptt.org/Mills%20The%20Comparative%20Anatomy%20of%20Eating1.pdf
- 20.
See Dave Scott (triathlete) entry in Wikipedia. Retrieved January 24, 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Scott_(triathlete)
- 21.
Top 10 Vegan Animals. Retrieved on June 20, 2017, http://www.vegansouls.com/top-vegan-animals
- 22.
It was originally written, in Russian, as the Preface to the Russian translation of The Ethics of Diet by Howard Williams, first published 1883, Russian version from 1892.
- 23.
This recipes are now available in a book form: S. Pavlenko (2016).
- 24.
Cited in Tallman (2015, p. 19).
- 25.
VEGAN 2016 – The Film [PART 1] Retrieved November 17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5ufn_Gy_Ns (see also Greger 2015). In this informative book, Dr. Greger describes which foods to eat to prevent the leading causes of disease-related death and shows how a diet based on fruits, vegetables, tubers, whole grains, and legumes might even save your life.
- 26.
Lama Tsering Gyaltsen , speaking at the Omni Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology, Fayetteville, March 2, 2017. Source: Judi Neal, Personal Communication, March 25, 2017
- 27.
Retrieved June 20, 2017, https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110220230000AAK4KO3
- 28.
See Dave Scott (triathlete) entry in Wikipedia. Retrieved March 28, 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Scott_(triathlete)
- 29.
Thomas Campbell and Erin Campbell, Top 10 Plant-Based Research and News Stories of 2016, New Letter published by T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies. Retrieved July 24, 2017, http://nutritionstudies.org/top-10-plant-based-research-and-news-stories-2016/
- 30.
Cited in MEAT ATLAS (2014, p. 6).
- 31.
Record of Protecting Life. Retrieved March 21, 2017, http://centrebouddhique.fr/a-buddhist-perspective-on-vegetarianism/
- 32.
Gary Yourofsky, Best Speech You Will Ever Hear (Updated). YouTube video retrieved March 25, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K36Zu0pA4U
- 33.
Gary Yourofsky, Vegan Activist destroys Ignorant Reporter. YouTube video retrieved on March 25, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYP1GGdRMYo
- 34.
Meetings with Remarkable People: Muni Narayana Prasad. Unpublished Interview Transcript: December 22, 2015
- 35.
Swami Tattvabodhananda narrates the following explanation in this regard:
“In this context, I would like to share what Tattvavidanandaji told us this morning in the Taittirīya Upanishad class where the mantra “
” came up for discussion. He acknowledged the objection that people raise about plants too having life and dismissed it saying that though plants too have life, the objection is misplaced. This is because, 
is explained by our Rishis as “
:” ‘That whose life ends with its giving its respective ripened fruit.’ A paddy crop, for example, dies after it gives us the rice grains. The crop is over after it gives its fruit, which in this case is rice grains. So is the case with wheat and most of the vegetables. Take tomatoes, or sugar cane or even bananas, for example. That is why farmers have to start afresh every year. Therefore, we are not killing to eat, but only eating that whose life is already over.” Retrieved June 3, 2017, https://www.facebook.com/groups/KaUSO/ - 36.
See the discussion on vegetarianism: https://www.advaita-vision.org/vegetarianism-q-327/
- 37.
Originally written by Loren Eiseley (1907–1977), the story has appeared widely over the Web. This version was prepared by Catherine Ludgate on November 21, 2006.
: Food comes from vegetation.
” came up for discussion. He acknowledged the objection that people raise about plants too having life and dismissed it saying that though plants too have life, the objection is misplaced. This is because, 
is explained by our Rishis as “
:” ‘That whose life ends with its giving its respective ripened fruit.’ A paddy crop, for example, dies after it gives us the rice grains. The crop is over after it gives its fruit, which in this case is rice grains. So is the case with wheat and most of the vegetables. Take tomatoes, or sugar cane or even bananas, for example. That is why farmers have to start afresh every year. Therefore, we are not killing to eat, but only eating that whose life is already over.” Retrieved June 3, 2017, References
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Dhiman, S. (2018). To Eat or Not to Eat Meat. In: Marques, J. (eds) Handbook of Engaged Sustainability. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71312-0_2
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