We’ve all heard it before: vegans are “hippies,” “activists,” “annoying.” Much of Western society has shunned vegans for their eating choices. But what exactly does veganism do for our beloved earth?

Perhaps the most obvious reason many advocates for a vegan diet is its claims on supporting the environment. Eating vegan is one of the best ways to lower our world’s water consumption. About 27% of the entire world’s fresh drinking water supply has been used in the animal agriculture industry. Around 50 gallons of water is used to feed, hydrate, and raise cattle to produce one cup of milk.

While driving cars is widely thought to be the most unsustainable activity a human could perform, consuming animal products dwarfs the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by cars. Through animal waste, methane excreted into the air by animals and the gas emitted by farm appliances, the meat industry produces the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as all cars, planes, trucks, and ships combined. Cows alone release about 220 pounds of toxic methane into the air, and in 2050, it is projected that there will be a 300% increase in demand for beef.

Resources are deteriorating from our earth and our forests are no exception. We have destroyed 17% of the Amazon rainforest, and about 80% of that was for the purpose of raising cattle. Deforestation causes an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and loss of habitat for millions of essential species. From the aforementioned facts, we observe that the average meat-eating diet is draining the world of our water, air, and land.

Another key aspect to consider is our own health. Humans are greedy creatures; we like to make as much produce with as little cost and time as possible. Unfortunately, far too many farms will cage their livestock in cramped living areas. This promotes the spread of illnesses, some of which can be passed to humans when we consume said livestock.

To combat the rapid spread of illness among animals, some farmers will include assorted medicines in their animals’ diets. The clear issue is with an increasing amount of medicine used on animals, there is less for humans. Additionally, this practice is threatened by resistance. As we continue to use medicines and antibiotics, viruses evolve to become immune to the point where modern technology can’t keep up.

The common assumption surrounding veganism is that this lifestyle is simply unhealthy because of the lack of nutrients provided by meat. Maybe it’s not as convenient, but a little creativity is all that’s needed to get your fix of protein, calcium, and other nutrients and fats. Try meat alternatives like beans, nuts, lentils, tofu and grains. With the right vegan diet, you can lower both your cholesterol and blood pressure which lowers the risk of diabetes, strokes, and heart diseases. Vegans are typically proven to live longer, with a 25% decrease in the chances of fatal illnesses.

The last significant reason to consider veganism is to help out farm animals! As much as farmers wish it were, it’s no secret that some farms treat their livestock with incredible cruelty. Chickens, in particular, are subjected to mutilation, illnesses, confinement, etc. If a chick is born a male, it will often be slaughtered as soon as they’re born because its inability to lay eggs makes them undesirable in much of the agriculture industry. Egg-laying hens may spend their lives in battery cages no bigger than a piece of paper. The tiny cages cause immense pain to the hen as she is constantly standing on wires that dig into her feet.

Much like the battery cages, a pregnant pig spends her life in tiny gestation crates. The crates are barely big enough so that the sow can sit down, stand and eat. After she gives birth, she is impregnated yet again until her body is unable to. At this point, she is slaughtered for food.

Cows are often no better off. Dairy cows are separated from her calf almost immediately after it is born. The psychological and physical torture cows endure during their life is heartbreaking.

Vegan diets cut the demand for animal products, thus reducing the supply and the number of animals who have to suffer through what can barely be called a life.

For the environment, yourself, and the animals, I sincerely hope an increasing percentage of the population considers this lifestyle. Just a change in your eating habits can have a profound effect on countless lives (your own included) As the world develops new technology and standards, veganism will become astonishingly accessible, affordable, and healthy.

Works Cited

“22 Reasons to Go Vegan in 2022.” Thehumaneleague.org, 2 Jan. 2022,

https://thehumaneleague.org/article/reasons-to-go-vegan.

“Is a Vegetarian or Vegan Diet for You?” Harvard Health, 12 Apr. 2014,

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/is-a-vegetarian-or-vegan-diet-for-you.

Lawler, Moira, et al. “9 Scientific Benefits of Following a Plant-Based Diet.”

EverydayHealth.com, https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/scientific-

benefits-following-plant-based-diet/.

Lawler, Moira. “10 Best Plant-Based Protein Sources.” EverydayHealth.com,

https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/best-plant-based-sources-of-protein/.

Craig, Winston J. “Health Effects of Vegan Diets.” Academic.oup.com, 2009,

https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/89/5/1627S/4596952.

Webber, Jemima. “15 Vegan Lifestyle Benefits That Will Make You Never Look Back.”

LIVEKINDLY, 15 Dec. 2020, https://www.livekindly.co/vegan-lifestyle-benefits/.

Brown, Jessica. “Are There Health Benefits to Going Vegan?” BBC Future, BBC, 23 Jan. 2020,

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200122-are-there-health-benefits-to-going-vegan.

“Why Go Vegan?” The Vegan Society,

https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/why-go-vegan#:~:text=Well%2Dplanned%20ve

gan%20diets%20follow,nutrients%20that%20our%20bodies%20need.&text=Some%20r

esearch%20has%20linked%20vegan,and%20some%20types%20of%20cancer.

“Why Going Vegan Should Be Your New Year’s Resolution.” PETA, 30 Dec. 2021,

https://www.peta.org/living/food/top-10-reasons-go-vegan-new-year/.

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Image Credits: 

By Kjokkenutstyr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/146966953@N02/26994257267/, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68731435

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