(1)
First name: Maggie
Age:18
Gender: female
Country: USA
State: Indiana and Minnesota
Vegetarian type(vegan or veggie):vegan

1. What influenced you to become vegetarian?
I read lots of information on how easy and natural it is for humans to eat without hurting animals, and it seemed to me that if it is possible to eat without causing pain than we should all do so because humans are animals too and we are all equal.

2. How long have you been a vegetarian?
I have been a vegetarian since 1994 and a vegan since 2001.

3. Is it hard to be a vegetarian?
Not at all. Roadtrips are a bit tough and it is sometimes hard to explain to others why I'm vegan without insulting them, but that's it.

4. What books or who gave you the inspiration of being a vegetarian?
My friends gave me inspoiration and then books like Diet for a Small planet, the Moosewood cookbooks, and various articles on the cruelty towards animals and humans exhibited in the meat industry.
5. Which quotes that inspired you to become a vegetarian?
Franz kafka - "Now I can look at you in peace; I don't eat you anymore."
6. How do you get your protein everyday?
Protein is found in so many things! It's almost exciting discovering new areas. Soy products (soy milk, yogurt, cheese, soy beans) peanut butter, beans (in a taco, burrito, salad, pasta, chili) and through leafy green vegetables like spinnach and arugula.
7. Give a general meal plan of what you eat each day:
-Breakfast - granola with soy yogurt, and fruit. Coffee and orange juice
-Lunch - burrito with beans, soy cheese, peppers, spinnach, corn, and tomato
-Dinner - salad (spinach, greens, beets, raw tofu, carrots, and tomatoes), and then maybe pasta with pistachioes and veggies, bread and margarine or a gardenburger with dressings, a vegetablke pie...whatever!
-Snacks - soy ice cream, pretzels, carrot and celery sticks, yogurt, crackers, twizzlers, cookies etc.

8. Why should other people become vegetarians?
Because we live in age with so much information about health and well being, and because good healthy foods are inside so many supermarkets and co-ops it has become very easy to eat well and be healthy while not hurting other beings. Because it is so simple people should embrace this one chance of existing without causing harm. It makes you feel and look healthy, and mentally I at least tend to be more at peace with the world.
9. When you go to non-vegetarian restaurants, do you find any difficulty ordering appropriate meals? If so, what do you do?
Often i ask the server if I can alter a meal to be vegan although many resturants have vegetarain/vegan meals that are simply not labeled as such.
10. Do you think you are on a well balanced diet? If not, please explain why.
Yes.

11. What are the pros and cons of being vegetarian?
Pros: feel healthy, look healthy, less cholestoral, less diseases, smaller grocery bill, easily prepared meals. Cons: having to explain my decision! trying to promote my diet without being rude or morally haughty

12. Any comment?
This is a great idea, the survey and the web page! Good luck!

(2)
First name: Lindsay
Age: 18
Gender: female
Country: USA
State: Mi
Vegetarian type: strict veggie (always gotta throw that "strict in there...hah)

1. What influenced you to become vegetarian?
www.farmsanctuary.com had a big part to play in it. However, around age 13 or so, I started to feel like maybe I should give up meat, so I reduced it significantly and made an effort to learn more about vegetarianism. I am devoted to it because I do not want to take another beings life so that I may eat; it is in the spirit of non violence in addition to being earth friendly.
2. How long have you been a vegetarian?
About 4 years. The first year I was really dappling.
3. Is it hard to be a vegetarian?
I find it fairly easy to be a vegetarian, generally. I have no taste for meat left, really- I find being vegan a good deal more difficult. I just take it one day at a time and do my best.
4. What books or who gave you the inspiration of being a vegetarian?
My aunt gave me a book called 'Becoming Vegetarian' when I was about 14- a very simple book on vegetarian nutrition that made me see its not so difficult. Fast Food Nation was also very, very convincing.
5. Which quotes that inspired you to become a vegetarian?
Well, I don't really think there were any quotes.
6. How do you get your protein everyday?
Beans, tofu, soy products, and sometimes a protein shake. Grains have some protein, too.
7. Give a general meal plan of what you eat each day:
-Breakfast - cereal or luna bar w/ fruit
-Lunch- veggie sandwich, or some chips, or some rice- lunch is kind of varied.
-Dinner - Usually a veggie burger. Sometimes some tofu, always accompanied by a veggie.
-Snacks- Snack bars, fruit, veggies, sometimes chips or cookies or something cruddy.

8. Why should other people become vegetarians?
I believe in vegetarianism and I will always be an advocate for it in addition to being there to educate people about veg*nism. I believe it is a good decision for your body, the earth, and the animals.
9. When you go to non-vegetarian restaurants, do you find any difficulty ordering appropriate meals? If so, what do you do?
Sometimes I do. What I usually do is ask for items without the cheese, or ask the waitress/waiter to help me out with a selection. I can almost always find something to eat, even at a steakhouse I can have a plain potato and a salad. Sometimes you have to enjoy the people you are with and kind of take the food as secondary!
10. Do you think you are on a well balanced diet? If not, please explain why.
Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. However, I know how to have a balanced veg*n diet, but some days I eat too many carbs or too much fat or too much junk. I mean, you have those days...but on the whole, yes, I feel that I eat a pretty balanced diet. I could use some more veggies.
11. What are the pros and cons of being vegetarian?
The pros are feeling good about the decision I have made, which I feel benefits the earth and the animals in a direct and economic way. I also feel better physically, as long as I eat well.
12. Any comment? I enjoyed filling out this survey, and I hope there are more people out there who can find happiness in vegetarianism.