Vegetarians have a beef about killing
By KATHY WILSON
Stan Writer
" "Tot dogs and hamburgers are
almost as American as apple
- Jipie. Whether vouYe stuffing
down a burger and fries at Burger
King or a hot dog at a baseball
game, a meal without meat doesn't
seem complete to most Americans.
Imagine a life of meatless meals.
Sundar Varadarajan can imagine it
so can many other UNC
students.
Varadarajan, a graduate student
in computer science, has been a
vegetarian all his life. He said he has
never been tempted to eat meat.
ulf 1 was, then I would start eat
ing it," he says.
Varadarajan, a Hindu, said
initially he and his parents did not
eat meat for religious reasons. Hin
dus consider vegetables and milk,
but not meat, pure foods. He said
that he now avoids all meat, includ
ing chicken and fish, for health
reasons.
Katya Murray, a freshman music
major from Boston, also says she
refrains from eating meat for health
reasons. She is concerned about the
fat and cholesterol content in meat.
She sometimes eats fish and chicken.
Vegetarians have been categorized
into three different levels of eating
habits. A non-red meat eater, of
course, eats no red meat. A lacto
vegetarian eats no meat and permits
himself to drink milk, an animal by
product. A vegan, or total vegetar
ian, eats no foods originating from
animals, including milk and eggs.
Most vegetarians say they don't
eat meat for health reasons; how
ever, several students stated strong
philosophies against killing animals
for food.
UI don't believe in the slaughtering
of animals for human consumption
unless absolutely necessary," says
Maurice Lowe, a biology major.
Lowe, who has eaten in a restau
rant only once in seven years, has
had more than 80 pets, including
one monkey. He said his compas
sion for animals makes it impossible
for him to eat their flesh. Lowe
wont eat eggs and doesn't like to eat
them in manufactured foods such as
mayonnaise or in baked casseroles.
Heather MacLean, a graduate
student in French education, also is
against killing animals for a meal.
"The only reason I think you
TfUSfSCS from Page 1
ifications for the Biology Biotechnol
ogy Building.
The building, to be located on
North Medical Drive between Mit
chell Hall and the Bell Tower Parking
Lot, will contain faculty research
laboratories, offices and support
space for molecular biology and
biotechnology research programs in
the Department of Biology.
B heard the chancellor express
concern about the lack of constant
funding for Davis Library.
Because the governor's budget did
not make allowances for inflation,
Fordham said funding for the library
has been a problem. "Our capacity
to stay current is threatened," he said.
AIC0h0l from Pase 1
the program. "If students can see
visible proof that alcohol does affect
perception and coordination, then
maybe it will make them think twice.
"Drinking and driving is a very
serious issue," Davidson said. "Stu
dents really should realize that it can
be a matter of life and death."
Student Congress Speaker Rob
Friedman, who drank six beers,
stressed that drivers dont have to be
really drunk to cause accidents.
Recalling a close call he once had
himself, Friedman said, "If it stops
one person from drinking and driv
ing, this whole thing is worth it."
As part of the same program,
several sororities served free "mock
tails," including virgin pina coladas,
the Gamma Slammer and the Phi Mu
Tropical Love Punch. Zeta Tau
Alpha won the mocktail contest,
serving up strawberry coladas.
Student reaction to the event was
mixed, according to interviews with
watchers of the program.
One student said she thought the
mocktail contest was hypocritical,
since it was probably the only time
the participants would make the
drinks without alcohol.
But Elizabeth Wheless, a sopho
more business major, said it's impor
tant to show that campus leaders are
willing to promote alcohol awareness.
1987 MARTIN LUTHER KING,
JR. SCHOLARSHIP
NOMINATIONS for the Martin Luther
King, Jr. Scholarships are now being
accepted through November 1 1. 1987 at
5:00 PM.
Nominees for the Martin Luther King, Jr.
Scholarship must be a junior who has
demonstrated the ability to achieve and
excel academically. The nominees activities
must demonstrate a commitment to Civil
Rights and the desire to improve the
quality of life in the university community.
Nomination forms may be obtained
from Mrs. Mary 0. Fuller at the Office
of University Affairs. 103 South BIdg.
00SA. (962-6992).
Health Focus
should kill an animal is to eat it and
since I don't eat meat, 1 don't think
it's fair," she says.
Eating out isn't always easy when
you don't eat meat, according to
some vegetarians.
"It's not convenient at all. In fact,
I cant ever eat at a fast-food restau
rant," MacLean said.
Lowe worries about foods being
cooked with animal fats in restau
rants. He says he usually only orders
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a Coke when he goes out to eat with
friends.
Pyewacket Restaurant and Bar, a
vegetarian restaurant on Franklin
Street, doesnt cook with animal
fats, according to owner David
Bacon. He says he buys the bulk of
his produce from the Raleigh
Farmers Market. Pyewacket's
organically grown rice comes from
Arkansas. The menu is one-half
vegetarian and one-half seafood.
Greta Nintzel, a recent UNC
graduate, is concerned about the
efficiency of raising livestock com
pared to the efficiency of growing
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vegetables.
A steer is the least efficient energy
converter. It takes 16 pounds of
grain fed to a steer to yield one
pound of meat from the animal.
From a nutrition perspective, one
acre of grain produces five times
more protein than an acre devoted
to meat production.
Vegetarians claim that they are
not missing out on nutrients. One of
the major concerns most red meat
eaters have about vegetarianism is
that vegetarians don't get enough
protein. Combining several foods,
like rice and beans, affords ample
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The Daily Tar
animals
protein for vegetarians. For exam
ple, one Cup of beans eaten with
one-half cup non-fat milk yields the
same amount of protein as an eight
ounce steak. Some vegetarians eat
tofu as a source of protein.
Recently, the Senate Select Com
mittee on Nutrition and Human
Needs recommended several changes
in the way Americans eat. First on
the list is to eat more fresh fruits,
vegetables and whole grains. Third
on the list is to eat less animal fat.
Adjusting to a no-meat-eating
lifestyle is perhaps easier on the
vegetarian than on family and
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HeelMonday, October 26, 19875
for food
friends, according to several vegetar
ians interviewed.
"My father thought it was pretty
strange," says Lowe. "But my mom
is proud of it."
MacLean says eating at other
people's homes could be a problem.
She avoids meat dishes if they are
served.
"I hope they serve vegetables and
just take a heaping serving of that,"
she said of her strategy when eating
out.
Varadarajan says he asks friends
to go out to a place where he can eat
vegetarian dishes.
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