Vegetarianism

Oct. 1 is World Vegetarian Day. It was established in 1977 by the North American Vegetarian Society.

3

Percentage of children ages 8 to 18 who consider themselves vegetarians.

10

Percentage of adults who consider themselves vegetarians.

25

The number of gallons of water needed to produce a pound of wheat, compared to 2,500 gallons of water needed to produce one pound of meat.

41

Percentage of male vegetarians.

59

Percentage of female vegetarians.

1847

The year the first Vegetarian Society was formed. The society was formed in England with the goal of proving that it is possible to be healthy without eating meat.

250,000

The number of pounds of excrement produced by American livestock every second.

500,000

The number of animals killed for meat every hour in the U.S.

1 million

Number of American vegans.

7.3 million

Number of American vegetarians.

22.8 million

Number of Americans who follow a “vegetarian-inclined diet.”

1.3 billion

The number of people who could be fed by the grain and soybeans currently being fed to the 7 billion head of livestock in the U.S.

Source: Vegetarian Research Group, Vegetarian Times