Going green (and vegetarian, again) in India

People from Hyderabad are embracing the new lifestyle trend and are
open to turning vegetarian.

Vegetarians have long been the butt of jokes, often stereotyped as
lifeless people, grass-eaters, who have no zest for life. But, all
that’s changing. Now, it’s hip to be a vegetarian. The trend, which
caught on with Hollywood’s top stars like Pamela Anderson and Alicia
Silverstone turning vegetarian, inspired many to give up meat-eating
in the West.

Bollywood stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor, Aditi
Govitrikar, R Madhavan and Mallika Sherawat too, jumped onto the vegan
bandwagon and set an example for many. And the effect can be felt in
the hardcore non-vegetarian city of Hyderabad as well. People from the
city are embracing the new lifestyle trend and are open to turning
vegetarian.
…
Consuming non-vegetarian food on a regular basis can make one sluggish
because the body takes about 72 hours to digest it while, vegetarian
food takes only three hours. Dr Prem Kumar, a general physician, says,
"It’s a proven fact that non-vegetarians are more likely to face
health risks like rising cholesterol and creating hormonal imbalances
than vegetarians."

From a world economic viewpoint too, it helps to go green. "The grain
a chicken consumes during its life time, can feed a hundred people. So
by forgoing chicken, you can save the world’s resources," explains
Tapan.

No wonder, there’s a sudden spurt in vegetarian eating joints. Vikas
Passary, owner of a popular Italian restaurant that serves only
vegetarian food, says, "People are recognising the value of turning
vegetarian. More than 80 per cent of our customers are hard core
non-vegetarians but don’t miss non-veg when they eat here."

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full story:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/City_Supplements/Hyderabad_Times/Going_green/articleshow/2254015.cms

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