Plant based diets are on the rise; many students are not only going vegetarian or vegan, but convincing their friends and family members to do the same.
Students give many reasons for switching to a plant based diet. A love of animals and the environment are both large factors in driving this dietary decision. Senior Kara Neuhaus went vegetarian in highschool with the support of her friend. “I did research into how the animal agriculture industry works and the effects it has on the environment, as well as its treatment of the animals and it was eye opening. My friend Allie Zucker also went vegan and helped me to realize how easy it is to follow a plant based diet,” Neuhaus said.
Allie Zucker did not only influence Neuhaus’s decision to switch to a plant based diet, she has also encouraged her parents to do the same. Zucker seeks to encourage everyone to switch towards a plant based diet. Zucker and her parents went vegan after watching the documentary, “What the Health.” Allie helps her parents remain vegan. “It’s a lot harder for my parents to be vegan, I think I definitely help them to stay on track,” she said.
Mary Klingelhoefer also encourages her family and friends to become vegetarian. She went vegetarian in 2016, and since then both her mother and sister have gone pescatarian, two of her friends have gone vegetarian, and her dad has drastically cut down on his meat intake.
Mary is happy about the influence she has had on her friends and family. “I think I’ve brought awareness to the environmental and animal harm that comes with a carnivorous diet. When I make changes they ask why and it gives me a chance to explain things that I don’t think they would have realized before.” she said.
As students at Pleasant Valley continue to switch to plant based diets, they simultaneously strive to influence their peers. Klingelhoefer is excited to see this change within our Pleasant Valley community. “It’s great to see so many students switching over to plant based diets or just cutting down on their meat consumption. Every vegetarian or vegan makes a difference and I’m proud that I can be a part of the growing plant based community at Pleasant Valley,” she said.
