When I was in elementary school, I made a paper-mache pig that hung in my family’s dining room. I don’t know exactly how long it was there, but it was long enough to watch over my family eat pork one night.

I made a face as my parents savored their meal. “It’s wrong to eat pig in front of her,” I said, gesturing to my creation. “Just eat it. You need protein,” my mom told me. I ended up eating it, despite my guilt, but it was one of the last times that I did.  Because of my art class project, I did my research on the meat industry, and have now been vegetarian for six years.

It’s strange to think humans have been eating meat for as long as there has been a human race. Many people view it as essential for our diets even though we claim to love animals as our pets. However, vegans and vegetarians have survived, and even thrived on a meat-free diet.

“I have always loved animals so much, and the thought of one being killed for me to eat when I could survive perfectly fine without meat was really off-putting to me,” said Michael C., a fifteen- year-old who has been vegetarian for five years. Michael, like many others, watched a video on how animals are treated in the meat industry. These videos have popped up on social media mostly posted by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and Vegan Feed. Whether searching the meat industry for inhumane treatment of animals, or for the questionable hormones and steroids pumped into animals, you will certainly find why people avoid eating meat.

One documentary, called Earthlings, was even described as “The most violent film ever made... only it’s real,” in the trailer.

“My mom let me watch a video on how animals were treated,” Said Aley J., a vegetarian for four years. “It was really gross; chickens are in super small cages, and it’s gross that we eat that.”

I tried to watch Earthlings, but could barely make it through the trailer. Animals thrown into big machines that crush them. Someone jumps on a dog. Baby chicks flung into blades. Pigs smushed between walls. Chickens fed steroids.

The meat sent away in boxes, prepared for us to eat.

“You eat what you’re fed, y’know?” said Marirose M., a fourteen-year-old student, who has grown up eating meat all her life. “As a kid, I don’t really have a lot of time or money to make my own food,”

Marirose and I talked about her involvement with animals. She currently raises a service dog whom she loves a lot. Marirose trains her service dog to follow directions in a nice, humane way. When talking about the meat industry and how vastly different and violent it is, compared to training dogs, she said, “It’s scary to think, that we, as a society, value life so little that we mistreat animals for profit.” She also commented, “I am a meat eater because of my health. I don’t think I’d be able to get enough protein without it. I have to eat meat, because I’m a dancer.”

Marirose’s concern is similar to most other meat eaters: that humans were made as omnivores, people feel that meat is needed for a well-rounded diet. However, there exists an entire subculture dedicated to bodybuilding vegans. Websites like veganbodybuilding.com and greatveganathletes.com show how you can be extremely muscular on a no-meat diet.

Even some of the biggest, strongest animals in the world have only eaten plants throughout their existence.

Elephants, rhinoceroses, caribou, and American bison, among many other enormous animals are herbivores. Some vegan bodybuilders even model their diets after those animals. Which makes me wonder, what if humans weren’t ever “meant” to eat meat? If people can make a career out of bodybuilding on an only-plant diet, why do we keep eating it? Bodybuilding involves converting incredible amount of protein to muscle, because bodybuilders are burning a lot of fat-- each pound of fat contains 3,500 calories. Approximately 7.3 million U.S. adults have converted to vegetarianism, and 1 million to veganism and are able to keep their diet, aiding, not compromising their health.

“Usually I just eat lots of fruits and veggies, almond milk, and soy replacements for meat, like Gardein and Boca. I can also get the taste of meat without eating actual meat,” Sydney D, 15, told me. Sydney has been vegetarian for two years, and vegan for seven months.

“And I have to take B-12, which is found in most red meat. Protein isn’t that big of a deal because I get most of my protein from nuts, veggies, and more healthy things that don’t carry as much gross things that meat does.”

The “gross things” Sydney referred to includes the hormones/steroids injected into the animals and their exposure to unsanitary environments and disease.

“I’m not super into the whole ‘saving animals’ thing more than I’m worried about my own safety,” Aley said.

I was in fourth grade when I first became vegetarian. Over half of my body was baby fat. I got short of breath while running upstairs. I couldn’t do any sports because I was afraid that all of my chub would jiggle, a typical pudgy kid turned animal-justice-warrior, thanks to my paper-mache pig. Years later, I am in a better place health-wise and emotionally, as I am following my own compass. My ultimate goal is to someday become fully vegan and continue a health journey on a plant-based diet.