5 Ways Becoming a Vegan Benefits the Environment

Going vegan is an ethical lifestyle choice which benefits the individual, the community, and the planet. Changing to a plant-based diet throws off the chains placed on us by the industrial food system and the four U.S. corporations that control the American food supply.

Vegans avoid any animal products and foods contaminated with toxic ingredients, such as artificial flavorings, and sugar. As a result of their new diet, many vegans enjoy health benefits such as weight loss that occur from eliminating empty calories from your diet. Vegans also enjoy improved blood glucose levels, keeping them from developing conditions like diabetes.

However, veganism isn’t only advantageous for the individual. Its ethos extends to the community and the planet as well. Here are 5-ways becoming a vegan can benefit the environment.

Reduced Carbon Emissions

The world is experiencing a shift in climate. Turn on your TV and you’re bound to see a report about escalating weather conditions leading to more violent storms around the world, as well as record temperatures. The United States saw the coldest conditions on record during the Thanksgiving holiday in 2018.

Cattle are a significant source of greenhouse gases, and according to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization, livestock accounts for 18-percent of all CO2 emissions worldwide. This staggering statistic means that cattle farming produces more emissions than any form of travel, whether it be by road, rail, or air.

Removing the demand for meat products means less CO2 and a healthier planet.

Improved Farming Methods

Factory farming places an extraordinary demand on the environment. Commercial farmers keep animals in horrific living conditions to maximize profitability on their livestock for slaughter. As a result, cows, chickens, and pigs receive massive doses of antibiotics and hormones to increase their yield and prevent sickness from spreading through the herd.

This chemicals filter into the food products and end up at our dinner table where we eat them without a second thought to what toxins they may contain.

Going organic is a far better means of providing the world with a sustainable environment, and it’s better for your health as well. Organic produce contains no harmful pesticides or toxins that damage your health.

Water Conservation

Livestock consumes a tremendous amount of water. According to studies, it takes over 2,400-gallons of fresh water to produce one pound of beef. In contrast, it only takes 25-gallons of water to grow a pound of wheat from seed to serving.

When we consider that the average cow produces hundreds of pounds of meat, you can see how going vegan will dramatically improve the worlds fresh water supplies. Today, almost 800-million people don’t have access to clean drinking water, but farmers ensure that their livestock has plenty – it’s time to change the way we think about food and water.

Sustainable Land Management

Commercial livestock farms produce plenty of biological waste. Unfortunately, many farmers let the run-off from their waste pools flow into local rivers when containments enter the water supply. Similarly, over-grazing causes massive land-erosion on a frightening scale.

Reducing the amount of land that commercial farmers have access to, and improved regulation of farming methods will go a long way in regenerating land now deemed unsuitable for farming. Creating a sustainable land management program require a shift in consciousness from the public, away from consuming livestock products, and evolving to a vegan lifestyle.

Less Plastic Pollution

Our oceans are dealing with a plastic pollution crisis. Recent studies suggest that there are over 2.2-trillion plastic particles floating around “the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” Estimates show that by 2050, the mass of all the plastic in the world’s oceans will exceed the total mass of fish.

Going vegan means that you support fresh produce and fresh foods over packaged goods. Reducing the amount of plastic you consume goes a long way to helping the oceans recover from all the plastic pollution.

Wrapping Up – Be the Change You Want to See in the World

Vegans practice and promote an ethical lifestyle that aims to enhance the environment for all species on planet earth. Making the transition to veganism is a challenge, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Give a plant-based diet a try for 14-days, and you’ll notice enhanced levels of energy, more focus and drive, as well as a sense of peace knowing that you’re doing the right thing for yourself, your community, and the planet as a whole.