Vegan Meatout, March 20

On March 20th, caring people in a thousand communities in all 50 states and 30 other countries are welcoming spring with public educational events. They are asking their friends and neighbors to “kick the meat habit and explore a wholesome, nonviolent plant-based diet.” The events include colorful festivals, walks, public dinners, lectures, cooking demonstrations, food sampling, and information tables.

The occasion is the 25th anniversary of the Great American Meatout, the world’s largest annual grassroots diet education campaign. Its explosive growth since the dietary dark ages of the mid-1980s has been due largely to strong support from consumer advocates, health authorities, and food editors. The date, March 20th (first day of spring), is symbolic of rebirth and renewal.

Recent developments are paving the way for a substantial dietary shift:

Jonathan Foer’s “Eating Animals” and two other vegan books have made the bestseller list.

In March, the respected National Cancer Institute reported that people who ate the most red meat were "most likely to die from cancer, heart disease and other causes."

In July, the conservative American Dietetic Association has affirmed that “…vegetarian and vegan diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.”

Reports of meat consumers infected by the deadly E. coli strain continue to accumulate.

In the November issue of World Watch magazine, two World Bank scientists have claimed that meat production may account for more than half of man-made greenhouse gas emissions.

According to U.S. Department of Agriculture, the number of animals killed for food in the U.S. in 2009 is expected to have dropped by 6% from 2008.
Celebrities Alicia Silverstone, Paul McCartney, Natalie Portman, Bill Maher, and other public figures are passionately speaking out in favor of a vegan diet. Now more than ever, Americans are recognizing the benefits of and transitioning toward a healthful diet of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains.

Governors and mayors across the nation are issuing special proclamations recommending increased consumption of vegetables, fruits, and grains. Hundreds of bus ads and billboards, TV ads, newspaper stories, and letters to editors will carry the Meatout message to millions.

Check out the Meatout recipe page featuring a Meatout 7-Day Menu, celebrity recipes, and more. Your special page contains a general introduction, background material on veganism, and links to selected sites. We encourage you to also visit the Events Directory for a listing of community events.