Albert's thoughts

Albert here. It's the eleventh day of our pescitarian diet experience. As you might already know, my primary source of food relies on a food plan. I did not mention however that this life source was that from Greek organizations. I say this in plural due to a job as a kitchen crew member at a sorority house. This mostly limited supply is in some ways good and in some ways bad, but there is a very distinct experience at each house.

Daily lunches at the the fraternity typically consists of some variety of meat (chicken or red meat more than fish) and a side such as fries. There is always a salad bar with an array of condiments. Shortly after beginning this diet I was continuously asked, "why all the salads?" After explaining my case, their reaction was slightly less than encouraging. I might be further continuing a stereotype by saying that most of the guys see a vegetarian diet as being "girly" and not even aware of it being from an environmental standpoint. Not a single brother in the fraternity is a vegetarian, probably the main reason every meal consists of meat.

Dinner at the sorority house is an entirely different story. Out of a hundred and sixty girls my guess is that about ten to fifteen live by a vegetarian diet. Being so, there is always the option of a vegetarian substitute to the main meal accommodating for the need. This unbalance in gender ratio some how didn't surprise me. Perhaps I facilitate the theory that women are typically seen as more close to a nature, or to having some link with the environment. Still, since beginning this experience I have become aware that this lifestyle is not very popular.

In turn, the lack of vegetarians in the world leads to a lack of eating locally grown food or even organically grown food for that matter. Over the weekend I saw an article in the newspaper discussing one groups contribution to the situation. A local plot of land purchased by a church has been converted into a working organic farm. The workers are homeless men and women who grow vegetables to feed over six hundred other malnourished homeless. Stories like this spark hope in me, for it is good to know others are concerned about becoming a well rounded and eco-conscious society. If more people will not be open-minded to a vegetarian lifestyle then institutions such as this are necessary.

http://jacksonville.com/new/metro/2010-04-02/story/trinity-rescue-mission-farm-supply-organic-produce-jacksonville