It seems as though with each new day a different type of diet appears. Healthy eating, better known as ‘clean eating’, has become a trend thanks to the likes of social media – and this has greatly influenced the popularity of niche diets such as veganism. Going vegan means eliminating all animal products from your diet (for example: butter, eggs, milk and honey) and restricting you to consuming only plants or plant-based ingredients. We too often find ourselves making claims with limited evidence, and with veganism trending as an eco-friendly option it begs the question: is veganism really that environmentally friendly?
You might choose to follow a ‘restrictive’ type of diet for lots of reasons. Excluding environmental motives – this choice could be due to religious beliefs, weight loss targets, allergies or just preference. Lots of people allergic to dairy (lactose intolerant) may also find themselves unknowingly following a mostly vegan diet. So, considering that close to 1.1 million people in the UK labelled themselves as vegans in 2019 (according to plantbasednews.org), a number continuously rising, here are some of convincing environmental reasons people may decide to go plant based.
Global Warming
Over the past 50 years, the world has been warming up at the fastest rate to be recorded in history. Understandably, this has left citizens wanting to make a change, and to fight for the future of the planet. For some this involves going vegan. But how does this relate to saving the planet? Well, considering there are approximately 1.4 billion cows in the world – the majority used for meat or milk – which individually have the capability of releasing 100kg of methane a year (a highly polluting gas said to be 84 times more powerful than CO2), it’s no wonder people are cutting animal products out to reduce their environmental footprint. With gases like methane added to the atmosphere, heat is trapped – leading to a hotter climate. As a consequence, the sea heats up and its levels rise; tropical storms therefore become more frequent and intense.
Rainforest Destruction
Rainforest destruction may not have been the first issue that came to mind when thinking about the reasons to go vegan, however this could easily be one of the biggest issues our world faces today. The rich space is destroyed, usually by burning – which in itself releases large amounts of CO2– in order to clear space for animals to graze. Rainforests are quite possibly the most luscious type of area this planet has and destroying them leads to a loss of habitat for numerous animals – resulting in a loss in biodiversity and risk of extinction to many types of animals. Once these trees are removed, they can no longer remove CO2 from the atmosphere meaning that greenhouse gas levels cannot be reduced as they were before. And more greenhouse gases lead to heat being readily trapped in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.
Food Security
With improvements to technology, people are living much longer lives than in the past. This, combined with a growing population, means that food security and land security are developing into pressing issues. Meat production – and production of most animal products – requires large amounts of space and resources, such as energy and water. So why shouldn’t we try being more efficient by shifting towards a society that values the benefits of plant-based diets? Worryingly, humans currently pose as omnivores. This means we’re being less efficient in terms of gaining energy. There has to be space to grow the plants that animals eat and space for the animals to live – threatening land security if the demand for animal products further increases.
My geography teacher, Jessica Page, explains to me that she feels "The significance of climate change is becoming increasingly more important to me both at home and in the classroom. Maintaining biodiversity on both land and waters is one of the solutions to achieving this ‘environmentally friendly’ world we strive for".
These are but a few reasons some might choose to switch to veganism. However, completely changing lifestyle is much easier said than done. Here’s a change in perspective:
Plants count
To take the climate of Great Britain for example, it is simply not possible to grow every type of fruit or vegetable that you see in your local supermarket within the country. Fruits like strawberries, bananas and oranges are most often imported from different parts of the globe. The items in your fruit basket may have travelled over four and a half thousand miles to get to you – an example of bananas coming from the Caribbean. And this involves transportation by ships and lorries, which releases pollutants. Clearly, it’s not just meat that’s harming our environment. Therefore, a rise in plant-based diets could also mean added exports from countries with suitable climates for the growth of different crops.
Change isn’t easy
Unfortunately, developed countries like ours have become used to eating meats multiple times a week. And lest we forget about the milk that goes with morning cereal, your midnight chocolate stash or a weekend takeaway. So pulling away from things we like and have become used to is understandably difficult. Miss Page agrees, by quoting, "[dietary shift] comes at the cost of certain traditions and cultures. A transition in agri-food has already begun, but I do believe that even the smallest of changes, for example simply drinking an alternative milk on weekends, could be a pioneering step to achieving some form of future sustainability."
There are other ways to help the environment.
You might choose to drive an electric car; or to use search engines such as ecosia (Ecosia is a free search engine nearly identical to google, yet it plants a tree for each search); before the coronavirus pandemic you might have handed your barista a reusable coffee cup to cut down on plastic. Whatever it may be – veganism is definitely not the only option out there for being more environmentally conscious. If cutting out meat or other animal products is definitely not for you then try buying locally. Why not try farm shop eggs for a change, or local meat and fish? Not only does this help the environment, but it also supports local businesses that have without a doubt, struggled against large supermarkets. If you haven’t got anywhere that specifies in local goods, then aim for buying British. This helps prevent your food from travelling hundreds, or even thousands, of miles to get to you.
You might have decided that veganism is your thing (or the total opposite!). But don’t be afraid to give it a try or to incorporate it into your diet – even if it’s just once a week. The Meat Free Mondays initiative estimates that if one person goes meat free once a week for just one year, they can save 789.25 bath tubs of water. Jessica Page also stresses that "The universal option with regards to diet is to become more plant based" Remember, whatever steps you take - big or small - it makes a difference.
