International Meat Free Day (International Day Without Meat) many countries have been celebrating since 1985. On this day, shops and restaurants refuse to sell meat, and activists promote vegetarianism, as well as the ideas of compassion for animals and the protection of the environment.
In some countries, the holiday has received government support: for example, in Sri Lanka, authorities strongly recommend supermarket owners to refrain from meat products. In Russia, this date was first celebrated in 2012. In particular, in St. Petersburg, volunteers handed out fruits and leaflets to passers-by on the streets about the benefits of vegetarianism for humans and nature.
According to statistics, humanity annually kills more than 60 billion animals (excluding fish, arthropods and molluscs) for the purpose of eating them. At the same time, about a billion people on the planet are hungry and lack clean drinking water. And for the production of one kilogram of meat today, more than 10 kilograms of grain and over 15 liters of water are needed. Given the world’s meat production, the amount of grain used for this would be enough to feed all the hungry people on the planet.
In addition, livestock produces 18 percent of the greenhouse gases; this is more than all modes of transport combined. In addition, the destruction of forests to create new pastures and the depletion of land for fodder crops does not have the most favorable effect on the biosphere of the planet.
There are two more similar holidays celebrated in the world. October 1 is considered, and November 1, the anniversary of the creation of the “Vegan Society”, is celebrated.
However, you should be especially careful with the diet, using only vegetarian products in your diet. For a full-fledged life, the body needs a balanced complex of substances, among which are especially important, which are not rich in all plant products. In order for the necessary substances to enter the body enough,! Use a variety of whole grains in combination with a variety of legumes, if not a strict vegetarian, include in the diet complete proteins of eggs and dairy products. Be healthy, eat well!