Vegan eating has earned major traction within the last few years, but it looks like 2019 might just be the year where veganism will be the norm. Vegan product sales have skyrocketed in recent years. Now more than ever people are identifying as vegan. The Economist cites that in the first half of 2018, vegan food sales in the U.S. “rose ten times faster than food sales as a whole.” The article also states that a “quarter of 25- to 34-year-old Americans say they are vegans or vegetarians.”
Why the rapid increase in veganism? One reason may be the growth of negative information related to factory farming. Films such as “Cowspiracy” and “What the Health” left their respective marks when added to Netflix. On a similar note, social media has given millions of people the ability to learn about the lifestyle at the click of a button.
Another reason could be a growing concern for climate change. Although it is often overlooked, animal agriculture is one of the leading causes of global warming and also one of the main contributors of greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, it is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than all transportation combined.
The meat and dairy industry also requires a great amount of water. 1,000 gallons of water are needed to produce 1 gallon of milk, and 660 gallons of water goes into making one hamburger.
According to Joseph Poore, an environmental researcher at Oxford University, “a vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth. It is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car.”
The good news is there are plenty of vegan options available that don’t have detrimental impacts on the environment.
Growth of vegan alternatives
With so many meat and dairy alternatives, it’s now easier than ever to stick to a plant-based diet without sacrificing the foods you love. Sure, tofu has been around for awhile, but now there are several brands that offer pre-seasoned mock meat, including chicken, beef and fish. One of these brands is Gardein – an entirely vegan food line featuring barbeque wings, ground beef and egg and sausage breakfast pockets. I can testify that all three of these Gardein products taste just like the real thing, if not better. Annies, an organic food brand, offers non-dairy box mac and cheese; Ben & Jerry’s sells several vegan ice cream flavors; and even Taco Bell announced they will be launching a vegan/vegetarian menu.
Veganism at UF
UF is one of the most vegan-friendly universities in the country. In 2014, PETA named UF the Favorite Vegan-Friendly college in the large school category. More recently, Chomp It has added a Beyond Burger — the first plant-based patty that “bleeds” like real meet — to their menu. This is an entirely vegan burger with 20 grams of protein.
Legislation that supports veganism
It’s undeniable that the vegan movement has already had an impact on the world, but now it’s making an impression in the political realm as well. In the 2018 midterm election, Floridians voted in an overwhelming majority to ban greyhound racing. Also, the California state assembly passed a bill requiring every prison, hospital, nursing home and other state-operated facility to serve at least one vegan option. These are just the beginning stages of creating a society that provides healthy meal options for everyone and is less cruel to all animals.
Vegan eating is on the rise and sometimes even having one vegan meal a week can do wonders for the environment. With more options available and more people rallying around the vegan lifestyle, maybe we can be the first to reverse the harmful changes to our environment, protect animals and open more culinary doors in how we eat our food.