Reason Round Table: A weekly discussion group for thoughtful, curious people

Programming Note!
We'll be back at Bosco's this week in the front at the roundtable!

Vegetarianism – Wave of the Future or just a Passing Fad?
Raising animals for food takes up about a quarter of the world's usable land, produces a big chunk of our greenhouse gases, and wastes most of the calories we feed them. Processed and red meat lead invariably to higher rates of heart disease and certain cancers, and there is evidence to show that vegetarians tend to live a bit longer.

On the other hand, worldwide, people are eating more meat than ever, not less. Meat is tied up in holidays and family traditions, and it is difficult to replace the protein that meat provides in our diets.

Is there reason to believe that going vegetarian will ultimately be a durable trend, or will it be just another health trend that never really has broad appeal beyond a group of enthusiasts?

In 2026, plant-based meat will evolve, not disappear — FoodNavigator, Dec 2025
foodnavigator.com/Article/2025/12/16/plant-based-meat-in-2026/

Our World in Data — Meat and Dairy Production
ourworldindata.org/meat-production

Are We Approaching Peak Meat Consumption? — peer-reviewed, PMC
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8697883/

Breaking Down The Biggest Meat Myths
https://thewell.northwell.edu/healthy-living-fitness/meat-myths