In response to your article “EMU food court may take a bite of something new” (11/6/07 ), it was very encouraging to see the dining services department putting such an emphasis on delicious vegan dining options, in response to student demand. Not so long ago, someone looking for healthier, more humane cuisine would risk going hungry, but those times are over. On college campuses nationwide, we have seen a drastic increase in the number of vegetarian and vegan options being offered. In fact, a recent study by Aramark, a leading food service provider, revealed that one in four college students feel as though vegan options are very important to them, whether it is out of health concerns, in response to the environmental destruction by the meat industry, or of course cruelty to animals.
So what is it that students are learning that makes them want to leave meat off their plates? Most people are horrified to discover that animals killed for food often have abuses inflicted upon them that would warrant felony cruelty to animals charges if they were done to dogs or cats. On today’s factory farms, chickens have their beaks sliced off, cattle and pigs are castrated with no painkillers, and many are even skinned and dismembered while still fully conscious. This is the product of an industry that refuses to make even the most basic changes in the way they raise and kill their animals.
With so many delicious vegetarian and vegan options, including many that are designed to taste like meat, such as barbecue “riblets” and vegan pizza, there’s simply no excuse for continuing to support these horrific industries. For more information, visit peta2.com to request a free vegetarian starter kit, as well as stickers and a DVD.
Ryan Huling
College Campaign Coordinator