This post will strike a nerve with some readers, as many minimalists or aspiring minimalists are die-hard carnivores. They love their meat and don’t want to hear anything against it.

Well, hear me out, please. If you could read to the end of the post before disagreeing, blasting me, or dismissing me, I’d be grateful.

In this post I’ll tell you (briefly) why I chose veganism and how it is the diet I believe is most in line with minimalism.

Minimal eating
Veganism, simply defined, is abstaining from animal products, from meat and fish and poultry to dairy and eggs and other such products. I also try for whole foods that are minimally processed, which means I mostly eat veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, some whole grains.

This is a limited, minimal diet, and yet it can be incredibly satisfying and maximally flavorful. It’s also very healthy, very light, and low on the budget (if you compare it to eating whole foods carnivorously).

A small amount of ingredients. Light on the palate and stomach. Easy to prepare, with a minimum of fuss.

The most sustainable diet
I won’t go into the figures here (they’re covered better elsewhere), but raising animals for meat, eggs and dairy is incredibly wasteful. For every pound of meat or dairy, many times that amount of plants must be used to feed the animals for those products.

Animals also produce a huge amount of pollution and contribute immensely to greenhouse gases, not to mention the machinery and fuel that’s used to raise, slaughter and transport them … and all the plants needed to feed them.

Eating only plants cuts that waste to a minimal amount, and is so much better for the environment. Minimalists who care about living lightly and sustainably would do well to research this and consider it.

Minimal cruelty
One of the main reasons for becoming a vegan is that we don’t believe animals should be held captive, suffer, and be slaughtered for our pleasure.

There is absolutely no need for humans to consume animal products to live a healthy life. Sure, we’ve eaten them for millions of years, but as millions and millions of people have proven, you can eat a vegan diet and be healthy.

And so, the only reason to eat animal products is pleasure — you like the taste and “can’t give it up”. Vegans don’t believe animals should suffer for our pleasure, and becoming vegan means you’re opting out of a society that treats animals with extreme cruelty and pretends it doesn’t happen.

Living lightly, not always conveniently
If your definition of minimalism involves always choosing the most convenient, easiest options, then veganism might not be the most minimal choice. It can sometimes be inconvenient, when eating at restaurants that aren’t vegan-friendly or at the homes of non-vegan friends or family.

That’s a reality, but in truth, it’s not that hard. I mostly cook my own food, with a minimum of preparation, and so most days I have no problems whatsoever.

More and more restaurants are becoming vegan-friendly, and the ones that aren’t can usually whip up a quick and simple vegetable dish on request. I usually avoid McDonald’s and most fast food anyway. When I go to someone else’s house, I usually bring a dish with me, and friends and family who know me best often will cook a dish for me out of consideration.

So it’s not that hard. My suggestion, if you’re interested, is starting small: try a couple vegan dishes this week, a couple next week, and so on. There’s no need to drastically change overnight, but in time you’ll find that vegan dishes are delicious and the vegan lifestyle is wonderfully minimalist.

Thanks for listening, my friends.

See RainforestSOS project (rainforestsos.org) for more information about PRP.

Obviously; Zach had no intention of stopping there. He created The Little Red Wagon Foundation when he was just 7 years old.  “I created a non profit so I could help kids in distressed situations.” Zach says on his site’s main page.  It looks like he’s doing just that and inspiring many along the way.

He’s collected 400 backpacks, nicknamed “Zachpacks”, filled with donated snacks, toys, and toiletries, for homeless children. He’s organized Christmas parties for homeless children living in Baker, Louisiana, and he gave Christmas presents to Hurricane Katrina victims. In his efforts to raise awareness of the over 1.3 million homeless children in this country, he organized “24 Hours”, an event that simulated being homeless for 24 hours and walked from his house to the White House – 1,225 miles.

For his next journey, he plans to walk from Tampa to Los Angeles – 2500 miles – to raise awareness of Youth Homelessness. You can keep track of Zach’s progress on the “Zach Tracker” and this young guy is worth keeping track of.  He is an inspiration to us all. Consider spreading the word about his efforts and his non profit foundation. The Little Red Wagon Foundation can also be found on Facebook, so you can easily spread news that way as well.

At savethemanatee.org, there are so many free cool goodies you can download, create and send for today! You can use these materials yourself, pass them around or use them as teaching tools for others. I hope you check them out and support Manatees, but supporting SavetheManatee.org

http://www.savethemanatee.org/coolstuff.htm

Across the nation, babies are being abandoned, or worse, by women who feel they have no where to turn, no other options, no hope.

But there is hope and it’s called Project Cuddle (projectcuddle.org). This program, created by Debbe Magnusen in 1996 has so far saved over 650 babies from abandonment. Project Cuddle offers 24/7 support and is completely confidential. They will offer help, support and guidance, help you find shelter and medical assistance if needed, help you arrive at solutions that allow you to walk away with your head held high, help you plan a future for yourself of which you can be proud and even help you get your GED and find a job.

If you or someone you know is hiding a pregnancy call the Project Cuddle toll-free phone number anytime. More information, as well as contact info can be found here:
http://www.projectcuddle.org/needhelp.asp