(December 20, 2002) — History teacher Ira West grabs a baked potato, a spoonful of garbanzo beans and some rice. But where’s the meat? West is vegan and chooses not to eat any animals and their products. That means no cheese, milk, cream, or yogurt. It may seem like there is nothing left to eat, but West says, “There are any numbers of things you an have. There is a lot more variety in the plant world than there is in the animal world.” Vegetarianism is a less strict version of veganism. Vegetarians avoid meat, but they do eat animal products other than meat. Vegetarian Katie Stanley said, “I eat lots of tofu and veggies, anything that’s not meat.” This includes any variety of pasta, cereals, whole wheat bread, and salads. Some researchers say a diet lacking meat is unhealthy. However, history Dianna Jaynes, once a vegetarian, said she thought it was healthier. “When you’re a vegan or vegetarian, you’re more conscious about what you choose to eat,” she said. The average student at Clark would eat a slice of pepperoni pizza for lunch. Out of 280 calories from pizza, 113 are from fat. But as cheese and pepperoni are eliminated from the vegan or vegetarian diet, students would make wiser choices about what they ate. Many become vegans or vegetarians for health reasons, but some choose not to eat meat for ethical and environmental reasons. Stanley said, “I first became a vegetarian because I saw the slaughtering of animals and it was horrible.” According to a recent survey of 50 Clark students like Stanley, 42% have said that they have tried or are practicing veganism and vegetarianism for ethical or environmental reasons.