I'm a vegetarian now

*cries a little*

Today my roommate and I watched a documentary called Cowspiracy (it's on Netflix, watch it-- the title is kind of silly, but it's amazing). It didn't take us very long to come to decision that we have to become vegetarians. We're both very environmentally-conscious people, and I'm an environmental studies major so this was coming one way or another.

(It's only been about six hours but I just thought about hot dogs and cried a little.)

As you can tell, this isn't a decision I've made for my own health or personal taste, or even animal-welfare reasons. This decision is 100% based on environmental reasons.

The documentary starts with a 2009 UN report that found that animal agriculture -- that is, meat and dairy production -- is the number one contributor to greenhouse gases, particularly methane. And methane is actually way better at trapping heat than CO2. This revelation is insane considering all the focus we put on renewable energy, when we should really be focusing on agriculture.

This documentary is horrifying, and damning. I challenge anyone who cares about the earth to watch it and not become a vegetarian if not a vegan afterwards. (I plan to transition to vegan as soon as I am able, and will already cut back on dairy and eggs as much as possible.)

I thought I was fairly educated about environmental issues, but now I feel that everything I know is a lie. The truth is: there is no sustainable way for every single person on earth to eat meat. It doesn't even matter how it is raised and how much we eat: it is simply not sustainable.

A particularly shocking fact is that from an environmental standpoint, grass-fed beef is actually worse than grain-fed factory-farmed. It takes up more land, and the animal is alive much longer-- only more time to produce waste and methane and consume unfathomable amounts of water.

I have to agree with one sentiment in the film: You can't be an environmentalist if you eat meat. It just doesn't compute. I have heard this said before, but I thought it was a bit of an exaggeration. After seeing this film, I think it's incredibly true.

Please watch this documentary; it will impact you for the better. If we stopped eating meat we could cut greenhouse gas emissions in half almost instantly. There really is no need to wait for renewable energy technology-- the solution is here.

Sight hounds are my favorite type of dog

I have had a long and intense appreciation for Italian greyhounds, as well as whippets and other types of long, skinny dogs. Such as a mysterious, angelic breed I've seen on the internet a few times due to this vine account. Turns out, it's a borzoi, or a Russian wolfhound.

Then I discovered that all these dogs, and more, are classified as sight hounds and this makes it a lot easier to describe my favorite type of dog. Here is a selection of sight hound breeds (with pictures). Maybe you'll see why I'm so obsessed with these dogs.

Afghan Hound

Graceful and elegant.

Azawakh

They have that super long and skinny look that I love.

Borzoi

This huge dog is so adorable it makes me cry.

Irish Wolfhound

A scruffier version of the typical sight hound.

Italian Greyhound

This miniature dog is the one I would most likely get one day.

Saluki

These dogs are so gorgeous.

Silken Windhound

This breed is a bit smaller while still having the same look as a borzoi.

I love the long noses, long legs and skinny bodies of these dogs. I prefer the sleek coat, but also love the longer haired varieties. If I had the space for a very large dog, a borzoi would be amazing to own. That probably won't happen for a while, though. Lucky for me, Italian greyhounds are basically designed for apartment life. (I'm going to get two of them and name one Marco and one Polo.)

But honestly, take a moment to scroll through this vine account. You won't regret it.