On Feb. 25, The News & Observer reported last week that a tractor-trailer carrying cattle overturned near Winston-Salem. The accident killed 21 cattle on board, according to the fire department. The animal rights group PETA urged North Carolina officials to put up a billboard that read “I’m Me, not Meat. See the individual. Go vegan.” with an image of a cow on it. The billboard is unlikely to be approved, but there are no recent updates on it.

A similar advertising issue occurred during the 2020 Super Bowl earlier this year. PETA tried to release a Super Bowl ad with animals kneeling which were inspired by Colin Kaepernick, former 49ers quarterback who kneeled during the national anthem in 2016 to speak out against racial injustice. PETA faced severe backlash, as it seemed they were comparing African Americans to animals and not shining a light on the Black Lives Matter movement.

The tractor-trailer accident isn’t a one-time occurrence for the meat industry. More than 100 wrecks in 2019 involved animals that were being hauled to slaughterhouses. That doesn’t include the animals that have been butchered due to the production of meat. Animal Kill Clock reports that over 9 million animals have been killed for food this year just in the United States.

This cattle wreck made my thoughts wander while scrolling through Twitter, and I noticed that Disney was trending. Being the Disney fan that I am, I assumed it was probably another film that a trailer had been released for. Upon clicking the twitter thread, I realized it was something much larger than I had imagined. Disney had announced something monumental: They are now partnering with Impossible Foods to make their menus more vegetarian-friendly and accessible for all park visitors.

Impossible Foods has gained its claim to fame in the past years as one of the first companies to offer plant-based meat that has the same characteristics as animal-based products. The great thing about Impossible meat is that you still gain the protein that comes with eating meat without the destruction of animals or the environment.

Many people consume red meats to gain their protein for the day; however, there have been studies that are consistent with the idea that repeated consumption of red meat is linked to heart disease. In 2012, the National Institute of Health released a study that adds to the evidence that eating red meat on a regular basis may shorten your lifespan. The findings suggest that meat eaters might help improve their health by substituting other healthy protein sources for some of the red meat they eat.

There are other benefits to plant-based meat as well. According to Global Citizens, this Impossible meat allows for major investments, brand recognition and consumer preference. Big brands like Burger King and Disney have already invested and are beginning to serve such products.

It is important to note that Global Citizens also said the majority of people who eat plant-based meats are not vegans or vegetarians. Instead, they’re omnivores who want diversity in their diets.

Here at NC State, we are lucky to have vegetarian and vegan products for our students, seeing as they are becoming increasingly popular. While living on campus, I have been exposed to the many different dining options that NC State has to offer. Fountain Dining Hall has recently added a salad bar for more diversity in meals. NC State Dining started a sustainability initiative by implementing composting across campus, takeout meals in reusable containers, recycling at all campus locations and more.

However, though it has been a decade since NC State expanded on vegan and vegetarian options for our students, we still have progress to make. If it is feasible, NC State should try to start implementing Impossible meat as another option for students. It could be worked into a tested program by the nutrition scientists on campus and from there weaved into dining options. With these options, NC State could add more to its sustainability campaign, make students happy and produce more revenue. I say it’s worth a try.