Day 16

The foods we choose and those we avoid express the values that are important to us. The production and consumption of meat has risen dramatically over the past century, primarily in countries located in the global North. This increased demand has led to negligent animal agriculture that contributes to climate change and pollution. So how might we eat in a way that respects our planet? Plant-based or vegan diets are a way to live in harmony with our Earth and it’s a celebration of the abundance of plants rich in nutrients, variety, flavor, and life!

Meat-free diets are not new; they’ve been central to many traditions over thousands of years. Buddhists, Hindus, Rastafarians, and Quakers all advocate for vegetarianism as an extension of practicing non-violence. Veganism can be traced back to deep roots in Africa, India, and the Mediterranean Basin, as well as Indigenous cultures across the globe.

Conventional animal agriculture is one of the largest causes of environmental degradation and climate change. This occurs in a number of ways…

• Greenhouse gas emissions. One study attributes animal agriculture to 57% of all greenhouse gas emissions caused by food production. Global food production accounts for more than one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions globally, with meat and dairy responsible for twice as much planet-heating carbon pollution as plant-based foods. New research from the University of Oxford has found that people who consume an entirely plant-based diet are responsible for 75% less greenhouse gas emissions than people who consume over 3.5 oz of meat per day.

• Biodiversity Loss. We are perilously trading rich biodiversity for agricultural land to grow feed crops and provide grazing for animals. Agriculture is responsible for nearly 75% of deforestation globally and poses a threat to 86% of all species currently at risk of extinction, with animal agriculture posing a disproportionate threat to forests and species.

• Ocean destruction. Through pesticide, fertilizer, and waste runoff, livestock has indirectly caused hundreds of dead zones covering thousands of miles of ocean. One dead zone in the gulf of Mexico averages 4,280 square miles and is still not even the largest globally. Exploitative practices by the seafood industry have caused increasingly dangerous overfishing in 34.2% of fisheries globally, harming populations of fish and the animals that depend on them as a food source.

• Inefficient Resource Use. Animal agriculture perpetuates the global hunger crisis due to its highly inefficient use of resources and produces far less food than plant-based agriculture. One pound of beef requires 1,800 to 5,000 gallons of water and 7 pounds of feed, whereas a comparable amount of wheat takes only 25 gallons of water to produce. 

• Pollution. As animal agriculture has been industrialized on a large scale, factory farms fundamentally altered the way animals are raised and turned into food. Livestock feed is high in synthetic pesticides and chemicals, so manure cannot be returned to nature as fertilizer. As a result, animals within each Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) generate tons of toxic manure that leach heavy metals and nitrates into soil and groundwater. This is called nonpoint source pollution, where pollution from many sources cannot be easily traced, making it more difficult to combat. Nutrient pollution from manure can cause algae blooms in water leading to health issues in humans, plants, and other animals. 

• Disease. Factory farms use large amounts of growth hormones. The combination of rapid growth, unsanitary living conditions, and overcrowding results in high rates of disease, which has led to the rampant use of antibiotics in animal feed. This sharply increases antibiotic-resistant bacteria, causing illnesses that result in over 35,000 deaths per year. 

But there is good news! The numerous benefits of plant-based diets are becoming more widely known, with researchers continuing to discover further advantages of vegan and vegetarian diets. Studies around the world have shown that a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, various types of cancer, and other major illnesses. Many people also report enhanced energy, mental health, and digestion, as well as several other wide-ranging health improvements after making the switch. And this is all in addition to plant-based diets reducing human impacts on the environment in invaluable ways!

Changing your diet to include more plant-based foods does not need to happen all at once. A simple way to begin the transition is through Meatless Monday. Eating plant-based just one day a week can save 1,150 gallons of water, 32 square feet of forest, and 21 pounds of carbon dioxide! Starting with one meal, you can begin to see the impact vegetarian or plant-based eating will make on your body and the planet. There are many ways to explore a plant-based diet, so find one that works for you and your lifestyle! From eating vegan meals once a week; to changing the ratio of animal products to fruits/veggies/grains/nuts on your plate; to cutting out certain meats, poultry, eggs, and dairy from your diet entirely – every approach makes a difference.

However, not everyone is able to make these food choices. Food systems have been intentionally designed to keep balanced, fresh, plant-based diets out of reach for large segments of the population. Food apartheid refers to the systemic division between those with and without access to healthy foods, where marginalized and low-income communities are severely constrained in their nutritional options. Food in these areas is limited to convenience stores and small retail shops that only offer a small selection of overly-processed, packaged, and often unhealthy foods. Around the world, this system directly leads to negative health consequences in BIPOC and low-income communities while granting wealthy, predominantly-white neighborhoods reliable access to fresh or organic foods.  

We need people like you to acknowledge, advocate against, and discuss environmental racism and food injustice. Queer Brown Vegan not only uses their platform to promote health and sustainability, but they also speak candidly about how those lifestyles are not realistically attainable for everyone. Through open discussion, we create space for accountability and solutions! Together, we can call for sustainable and healthy food for all people in all places in a way that values one another and the planet we share! 

So who’s taking part in the plant-based movement? You might associate vegan diets with a certain demographic, but they are fundamentally intersectional. Leaders, bloggers and influencers from all walks of life, races, and ethnicities are proudly outspoken in their plant-based food choices for countless reasons. Black activists like Tabitha Brown, Aph Ko of Black Vegans Rock, Syl Ko, and many more are doing incredible work. Veggie Mijas is a national collective of nonbinary folks and femmes of color that strives to connect and Best of Vegan’s BIPOC Portraits spotlight plant-based people of color. Look around your community for diverse inspiration or check out Instagram accounts like byanygreens, davinadavegan, vegicano, veganricha, eatthisorg and others to see the breadth of vegan foodies, plant-based enthusiasts, and food and animal rights activists around the globe. If you’re interested in growing your own food, check out inspiring and sustainable urban farming techniques in accounts like spicy moustache.

Check out these vegan recipes from our partners at Meatless Monday Campaigns and Nature’s Path’s easy, fun and delicious recipes. Nature’s Path provides organic, non-GMO, and delicious breakfast options to start your day right while prioritizing the health of people and our planet.