From Religious to Ethical: Understanding the Different Motivations Behind Vegetarianism

Common Motivations for Going Vegetarian

• Religious belief: a practice required by traditions such as Buddhism or Taoism
• Ethical concern: opposition to the suffering caused by animal farming, and the belief that animals shouldn't have their lives taken
• Health considerations: managing weight, lowering the risk of chronic disease, improving health checkup results
• Environmental protection: the carbon emissions and water consumption of livestock farming are a major climate issue
• Taste and habit: simply not enjoying meat, or having grown up in a vegetarian household

Your Motivation Shapes How You Stick With It

Someone motivated by health may care more about whether their nutrition is well balanced; someone motivated by ethics or the environment may have a much lower tolerance for "just a little meat." Being clear on your core motivation makes it easier to talk yourself back on track whenever your resolve wavers.

Advice for Beginners

Your motivation can be a mix of several things, and it can also change over time. Many people start out vegetarian for health reasons, then, as they learn more, gradually come to also embrace the environmental or ethical dimensions — this is a very natural progression. You don't need to have every motivation figured out from day one. Often it's a matter of taking the first step, then slowly coming to understand why you want to keep going as you go along. That process of figuring it out as you do it is itself a genuine form of growth.