To be suggested by the contender

I've been wanting to debate this for quite some time. My position will be pro, meaning that I am in support of vegetarianism. To adhere to typical debate structure, I will give my opening argument now. As clarification, destructive and violent acts committed by animal rights activists and organizations are not relevant in the realm of this debate, as vegetarianism itself does not promote or cause these actions. Vegetarianism is beneficial to various sectors of human interest; however, I would like to focus on two: health and the environment. Point 1: Vegetarianism is beneficial to a person's health. I'd like to open with a quote from the Utah Beef Council which states, "Several epidemiological studies indicate that vegetarians have lower morbidity and mortality from chronic degenerative diseases. " The Utah Beef Council is a prominent contender in the American meat industry. Clearly, even they acknowledge the health benefits of vegetarianism. If the meat industry is not convincing enough, consider the World Cancer Research Fund. In 1997, they recommended a vegetarian diet to reduce the risk of cancer. Various other studies confirm vegetarianism's benefits. A resent comprehensive analysis of a vegetarian religious group, the Seventh Day Adventists, found that they had half the rate of high blood pressure and diabetes, half the rate of colon cancer, and two-thirds the rate of arthritis and prostate cancer as other, more carnivorous groups. Another study conducted by Cornell University found the eating less meat did more to reduce osteoporosis than supplementing your diet with calcium. If health isn't particularly important, consider finance. No, being a vegetarian won't save you a significant amount of money at the grocery store, but it will save you thousands at the doctor's office. Winston Craig, a registered dietician, says that meat eating costs Americans between $30-$60 billion per year in medical expenses for hypertension, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, gallstones, obesity, and food-borne illnesses associated with meat. He goes on to say that a vegetarian diet is associated with lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and less obesity. Clearly, vegetarianism is beneficial to a person's health in a multitude of ways. Point 2: Vegetarianism is beneficial to the environment. According to FAO, the livestock sector is responsible for 18% of all carbon emissions. Global meat production is projected to more than double from 229 million tons in 1999/2001 to 465 million tons in 2050. This increase spells disaster for our environment. The meat industry is a significant contributor to global warming and pollution. Meat based nutrition requires 20 times more land and 14 times more water than a plant-based diet. The production of 1kg of meat requires 10-16 kg of cereals and other plant food. This food could be used to create alternative energy or directly assist the fight against world hunger. Though the world doesn't necessarily appear to be approaching a Malthusian apocalypse, it is approaching and/or experiencing substantial drought. To produce 4kg of meat, the amount of water needed is equal to what a normal family consumes in one year. Once again, this water would be more beneficial when used for other, more direct and efficient purposes. Though vegetarians only comprise 2% of the United State's population, they are already making an impact on the industry and decreasing the amount of carbon and pollution produced, as well as the amount of grains/plants and water wasted. If more people became vegetarians, even more pollution could be controlled. Vegetarianism can reduce health risks, promote a healthy life style, and encourage a healthy, safe, sustainable environment for all. Clearly, vegetarianism is the way to go.