Let me start off this piece by saying I acknowledge my bias. I am a vegan. However. I promise you that I am not one of those stereotypical “pushy” ones. As strange as it sounds, I became a vegetarian my freshman year of college just for fun. The longer I was a vegetarian, the more I educated myself on the issues surrounding vegetarianism and veganism, such as animal rights and environmental sustainability. I decided to become a vegan approximately one year ago. My journey as a vegan began in Israel where I was studying abroad. This certainly helped make the transition easier because 5% of the Israeli population is vegan.
Part of the reason I became a vegan was for the moral reasons, but those seem to be the issues that people are more reluctant to listen to. Did you know that animal agriculture causes approximately 18% of all greenhouse gases? Or, did you know that a person who follows a vegan lifestyle produces 50% less carbon dioxide than a meat-eater and uses 1/11 of the oil, 1/13 of the water and 1/18 of the land? Did you ever hear that egg-laying hens are sometimes starved for up to 14 days, exposed to changing light patterns, and given no water in order to shock their bodies into molting?
Many scientists and publications such as “Meathooked: The History and Science of Our 2.5-Million-Year Obsession With Meat” by Marta Zaraska, debunk the myth that the human body was ever “meant” to eat meat. For example, she discusses how some of the largest and strongest animals, such as Gorillas get just the same, if not more vitamin intake from eating a plant-based diet. In humans, intake of vitamins and other nutrients even improves when switching from a meat-eating to a plant-eating diet. In addition, humans do not produce the chemicals needed to breakdown the cholesterol we take in from meat. This is why heart disease is the largest killer of humans, beating cancer by a landslide.
Many people argue that veganism is a more expensive lifestyle. At least in my case, I have not noticed any monetary change since going vegan. I buy vegetables and fruits every 5-7 days in small amounts, so that they don’t go bad. I plan ahead of time where I am getting my daily protein and stock up on tofu, vegan meat substitutes, and vegan cheese substitutes (all of which I freeze until needed). If something is really expensive, like kale chips, I just make my own! A lot of vegan foods and recipes are simple and cost effective. Some of the most affordable foods are vegan, such as rice, beans, legumes, pasta, and many fruits and vegetables. Just like any meal plan, if you monitor your spending, don’t eat out too often, and don’t over indulge than you won’t be spending an excess amount.
The list goes on and on for why veganism is beneficial to the environment, how it supports animal rights, and how it will improve one’s personal health. Since going vegan, I can’t see myself ever eating animal products again. To me, a life is a life and all lives deserve to be lived. Since going vegan, my skin has cleared up and I rarely ever suffer from breakouts. I no longer feel addictions to foods such as cheese and other dairy products, which I used to crave intensely. My connection and relationship with food feels much more healthy, natural, and controlled. My consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds has increased dramatically while my consumption of processed foods has greatly decreased. I find myself having more energy and feeling healthier and better about myself and my body.
It’s true, the transition is hard and is certainly a lifestyle change. However, I can attest that it is completely worth-while! Every day I am thankful for my choice to become a vegan because I believe that not only am I doing a good deed for myself, but for the environment and the world at large. It’s time that we, as a society, start finding more ways and take advantage of the opportunities we have to live a sustainable and healthy lifestyle. We only have one earth, and it needs to be treated with the love and respect it deserves so that we can feel at liberty to call it our home.
Sources:
https://www.peta.org.uk/blog/how-going-vegan-helps-stop-climate-change/
https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-animals-and-factory-farms