To Be or Not To Be?

     Many years ago, back when I still roamed the halls of high school, I found Michael Pollan's An Omnivore's Dilemma and knew I had found an answer to my vegetarian dilemma: to be or not to be? It has taken me until now to find the answer because frankly reading through the book was not my first, second or even third priority; when life didn't get in the way, a sexier book did.  (I have a polygamous relationship with my books, facilitated now by my lecherous little e-reader.)
     Anyways, Pollan basically says that there is nothing wrong with the act of eating meat because it keeps the balance of things. What is wrong is the meat industry's inhumane treatment of animals and their blatant disregard for the environment. If you're interested read Chapter 17, "The Ethics of Eating Animals," to read his argument. Of course I plan on reading further because I think it is an important issue (can't wait to read Peter Singer). And I think if some of the people I admire are vegetarians then there must be an important reason to it.
     I was never a big carnivore. On the other hand, I'm a carb monster! I love pasta, bread, chips, grains, nuts, etc. My favorite thing in the world is a nutty bread stuffed with cold fresh veggies, a little bit of cheese and some sauce. I could live off veggie subs! But that gets expensive and is not the healthiest option so here is what I plan to do...I'm determined to eat less meat, though I am not taking it completely off the table. Instead, I plan on including more veggies and fruits in my life (not in a sandwich smothered in cheese and sauce). When I am not eating them whole, I'll be juicing them. I love juice and smoothies in general, so I think this will be fun. I've never juiced before, but I think its an easy way to eat healthy because very little thought will have to go into the preparation. Of course to be safe I plan on reading up on juicing techniques, tricks and tips. Lets see how it goes!