VENTURA : High School Joins Meat-Out Effort

Meatless burritos and vegetarian sandwiches joined such usual fare as pepperoni pizza and corn dogs Friday on the cafeteria menu at Buena High School in Ventura, part of the national Great American Meat-Out.

The meatless menu items were added at the request of Animal Emancipation, a Ventura-based group of animal activists, in support of the Farm Animal Reform Movement’s eighth annual day dedicated to vegetarianism, said Denise Ford, president of the Ventura group.

The purpose of the day, activists say, is to encourage Americans to wean themselves off a meat diet for 24 hours.

At Buena High on Friday, some students needed no encouragement.

“I didn’t like the taste of meat and I don’t believe in killing animals,” said sophomore Anna Harouch, 15, explaining why she gave up meat two years ago.

As Anna worked her way through an order of cheese nachos, others at her table emphasized good health as the reason they chose a meatless meal.

“There’s a lot of cholesterol and fat in meat,” said sophomore Danielle Taverner, 15, over a plate of nachos. “We eat meat all the time at my home, and I’m getting sick of it.”

Nereida Gutierrez, a 17-year-old senior, said her father has cut back on eating meats because of a high cholesterol condition.

Belinda Pizano, also 17 and a senior, said girls are more receptive to a meatless diet. “More girls than guys are vegetarians because they want to lose weight,” she said.

The attitudes the students expressed are increasingly common, said Valerie Armstrong, Buena’s cafeteria manager, from behind a hot table where she waited on a crush of students.

“Vegetarian entrees have gotten a lot more popular in the last few years,” said Armstrong, who added that cheese pizza and nachos are the most popular meatless items regularly served. “Younger people are looking for non-meat entrees now.”

Rich Abbott, a Buena teacher who is active in Animal Emancipation, said the meatless day is intended to focus attention on the dietary and environmental costs of eating meat.

“The whole point is that our dietary choices have implications for the health of the planet and our own personal health,” Abbott said. Over the years, the message has begun to sink in, he said.

Football player Aaron Hardy said he was cutting back on meat for health reasons.

“Normally I do not have meat when I’m trying to stay in shape,” said the 17-year-old junior, munching on a slice of cheese pizza.