What Veganism and Environmentalism Have In Common

 

A lot of people want to go vegan because it is something they believe lines up with their morals. They are against cruelty toward animals and want to do something meaningful that will contribute to their liberation or to a better and more humane treatment during their lives in the factory farms where most of them are raised. This can be a very noble and worthy goal, but there is more to it than that. 

Going vegan is important not just to show that animals are important, but also because the environment is affected as well. The same factory farms that are abusing the animals and keeping them in inhumane living conditions are also huge contributors to global warming and other environmental destruction. The toxic runoff from these farms infects the water supplies, and the methane gas that is emitted in the farms, specifically cow farms, is horrifying. That gas can deplete the ozone, which ultimately contributes to global warming. 

It is a horrible connection. Not only do factory farms cause needless suffering for the end goal of upping production of meat products, but it also ultimately causes issues in our water. There have been studies done of coral reefs that are affected by hormones and have been found to be sensitive enough that they have even caught sexually transmitted diseases from polluted water runoff.  

If this isn't a sign that we, as a species, have some responsibility to take with our practices regarding the environment and the foods we eat, or don t eat, then it is hard to say what is. We all have the power to make a difference. Every single choice we make can contribute to a better lifestyle, whether for ourselves, our animal companions, or our families, friends, and future generations. 

Some people may think that veganism and environmentalism are mutually exclusive. They may not realize the very direct impact that factory farms have on the environment. Not only are they massively toxic and unethical, but they can even cause issues with food distribution.

That seems counterintuitive, doesn't it? But the unfortunate fact of the matter is that each factory farm that feeds cows uses a lot of farm land to produce their feed. The cows eat the grains, then they are slaughtered and eaten. However, if there is a food shortage as many people claim, those farms could be utilized to grow food to feed starving humans, not to feed cows that are ultimately slain and eaten. The food yield would be much higher if they were dedicated to foods that are beneficial for the human diet rather than the cow s diet. 

It can be very beneficial to live a vegan lifestyle. If you find it to be a difficult transition, remembering that you are supporting the concept of a better way of life with the choices you make should provide a boon. Remember that we hold the future in our hands, and if we are not fighting every step of the way to make it better, then nobody else will.