Hug a Vegetarian Day is a holiday that’s observed annually on the fourth Friday of September. It’s a day during which people are encouraged to show some appreciation to the people who have decided that their lives would be better off if they gave up eating meat.

It’s been estimated that the average vegetarian saves more than 25 land animals each year. These are animals that are not only saved from the pain and suffering of being harvested for food but also animals that don’t pollute the environment.

While that might not sound like a big deal to the average meat eater, the fact of the matter is that vegetarians are helping to protect the environment with their dietary decisions.

The History Of Hug A Vegetarian Day

Even though we’re unsure of the exact date when this holiday was created, we do know that it was created by PETA. For people who may not be familiar with this organization, PETA stands for “People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.”

It’s an American nonprofit animal-rights organization that’s based in Norfolk Virginia and was found founded on March 22nd, 1980 in Rockville, Maryland. They created this holiday to encourage people to eat less meat and to raise the public’s awareness about the inhuman treatment that animals face in our corporate food system.

Some Quick Facts About Vegetarianism

We’ve gathered together quite a few facts about vegetarianism that people might want to observe. It’s our sincere hope that everyone reading the following factoids finds them to be informative and educational. And hopefully, they will have some people questioning the way they eat.

• It’s been estimated that over 1.2 billion people could be fed by the grain that is currently being used to feed animals.
• It takes 2,500 gallons of water to make a pound of meat. It takes only 25 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat.
• 8 out of 10 cases of food poisoning are due to eating infected meat.
• Just about any wrap or sandwich can be turned vegetarian or vegan.

Observing Hug A Vegetarian Day

While a person might not know a vegetarian to hug for this day, this is a holiday that can still be observed. All that’s required is for a person to take the time to think about the amount of meat they consume.

Some people may even want to take the time to try out a vegetarian or vegan diet for the day. Still, other people might simply want to raise other people’s awareness of Hug a Vegetarian Day by using the hashtag #HugAVegetarianDay on social media.