上一篇博客对比了工业化的农业和传统农耕文明的区别，其中最重要的一点区别就是那些动物的遭遇。

当我提到吃素，很多人可能会联想到僧侣，他们是因为宗教的信仰而吃素，而现在越来越多的素食主义者，他们是为了加入这样一种保护动物、支持有机养殖的运动中间来。

你知道爱因斯坦是素食主义者吗？还有富兰克林……

爱因斯坦说：再没有比素食主义者的饮食革命更使人类健康，使地球上更多的物种存活的方式了。

虽然那些在密集养殖场养殖的动物不能说话，不能质疑，但是他们一定也有痛苦。

这四个月在美国农场的生活，影响我最深的之一就是我们农场的人对于饮食的理念——

第一，我们吃的所有蔬菜基本上都是我们农场自己种植的、并且是应季的；

第二，我们吃的面粉、大米、豆类、麦片等全部都是有机的而且是本地化的；

第三，我们吃的面包，所有的成分来自于我们农场的本地购买的有机小麦、面粉、蜂蜜、亚麻等；

第四，我们吃的鸡蛋，来自于我们农场散养的母鸡；（每天他们都悠闲的散步在整个农场，有时候还会跑到我们的地里吃我们的西红柿）

第五，我们喝的牛奶来自我曾经访问过的Gerard的奶牛场，是天然未加工的raw milk.

第六，我们吃的猪肉、牛肉来自以草食为主快乐饲养的农场，这几个农场我都曾经参观过，他们是那么快乐的生活在那一片草场上，而对人类的靠近又是那么的没有警惕性。我们吃的鸡肉，是我们农场自己养的鸡然后找屠宰场屠宰的；

第七，我们喝的咖啡是公平贸易的咖啡；

……

所有的这些，全部都体现了这样一群人，他们认为自然界的多样性和和谐是人类生存和发展的基础，动物更是我们人类不可或缺的伙伴，他们本地化购买支持本地商业减少能源消耗，他们购买有机食品，支持家庭农场。

可是，并非每一个人都能认识到这一点，很多人从来没有考虑过动物的感受，很多人只是把他们当作食品来对待。

在城市中，找到所有的这些有机食品仍然不是一件易事，我们不知道那些食物都是从何而来，是否健康，那些动植物到餐桌之前是否被善待。于是，成为素食主义者，先是保护自己，更是对这个地球负责。因为越多的人加入，越多的人认识到动物的重要性，越多的农民有机耕作，更少的化肥农药除草剂，更少的抗生素荷尔蒙，更快乐的动物，更健康的人类——

更好环境的地球。

你会成为素食主义者吗？你有这份勇气吗？

附：素食主义者分类

• 完全素食者（Vegan）:摈弃动物肉（肉、家禽、鱼和海鲜），动物制品（蛋和奶制品），还通常不吃蜂蜜和不穿动物制品（真皮、丝绸、羊毛、羊毛脂、明胶...)。大多数完全素食主义者协会不允许食用蜂蜜，但也有一些完全素食主义者仍然食用，有些完全素食主义者也拒绝食用发酵食品。
• 奶蛋素（Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian）: 除了吃蛋和奶制品之外，其它与完全素食者一样。这是最“流行”的素食方式。
• 奶素（Lacto Vegetarian）: 除了吃奶制品之外，其它与完全素食者一样。
• 严格素食者（Strict vegetarian）:开始是指完全素食者(vegan)，现在也可以指素食者（vegetarian）。
• 纯素食者（Pure vegetarian）：与严格素食者一样。
• 饮食上的完全素食者:遵守全素者的饮食方式，但不拒绝或排除不作食物的动物制品。

8/11: Could you become a vegetarian?

The last post contrasted the differences between industrialized agriculture and traditional farming, the most important difference among them being the treatment of animals.

When I bring up vegetarianism, a lot of people might associate it with [Buddhist/Daoist] monks, who are vegetarian because of their religious beliefs.  But more and more vegetarians are doing it in order to join in with a kind of movement around protecting animals and supporting organic animal-raising.

Did you know that Einstein was a vegetarian?  So was Franklin…

Einstein said that there is no better way to make humankind healthier, and allow more species of the Earth’s animals to survive, than the vegetarians’ diet revolution.

Although animals raised in concentrated factory farms can’t speak, can’t question, they must still experience suffering.

In these four months of life on an American farm, the thing that has made the deepest impression on me is the principles that the people on our farm have in regard to food.

First, almost all of the vegetables that we eat are grown on our own farm, and are also in season;

Second, the flour, rice, beans, oats, etc. that we eat are totally organic and also local;

Third, the ingredients of the bread we eat, organic oats, flour, honey, flax, etc., are all locally purchased by our farm; 

Fourth, our eggs come from the free-range hens on our farm (every day they leisurely stroll around the entire farm, sometimes getting into our garden to eat the tomatoes);

Fifth, the milk we drink is natural, unprocessed raw milk from the farm we visited, Gerard’s dairy.

Sixth, the pork and beef that we eat is grass-fed on happy farms – I’ve visited these farms before, and the animals live so happily on the pasture and are so unafraid to be near humans.  The chickens we eat are raised on our farm, and killed in the slaughterhouse;

Seventh, the coffee we drink is fair trade.

All of this is embodied in this group of people; they believe that the diversity and harmony of the natural world are the basis for human existence and development, and that animals are our invaluable partners; they buy locally, support local business, and reduce the consumption of natural resources; they purchase organic food and support family farms.

But not everyone can come to this understanding.  Many people have never considered the experience of farm animals; many people treat them merely as food.

In the city, finding all of these organic foods is not an easy task; we don’t know where these foods come from, whether or not they’re healthy, whether the animals were treated kindly before they arrived on our tables.  So becoming vegetarian is first a way to protect yourself, but even more, it is taking responsibility for the earth.  Because more and more people are joining the movement, more people are recognizing the importance of animals, more farmers are farming organically, there is less chemical fertilizer and pesticide, fewer hormones, happier animals, healthier people –

A world with a better environment.

Could you be a vegetarian?  Do you have the courage?