Can Veganism Save Our Animal Species?
By: Ali Niefield
Edited By: Brady Brooks
Over the last several years, the vegan diet has become more and more popular. We have seen the vegan options displayed on menus and in grocery stores, but do you really know what veganism is? Before we get into how veganism is beneficial to our animal life, let’s take a look into what it means to be vegan.
Being a vegan means eating only food not derived from animals and typically avoiding the use of other animal products. Foods such as beans, peas, fruits, vegetables, breads, rice, and pastas are some of the few items that are consumed on the diet. Not only is going vegan a healthy option, but it is one that could potentially cure our ecological devastation. Now that you have the basic information, let’s get into three ways on how veganism can save our animal species.
Species Extinction
Food is essentially at the heart of many issues our environment faces. Our eating habits threaten the biodiversity of many areas, along with the resource and water security of their inhabitants. Unless greenhouse gas emissions are severely reduced, climate change could cause a quarter of land animals, bridle and plants to become extinct. Since a vegan abstains from using animal products, eating animal meat, or using animals for clothing, it spares these animals and allows for greater numbers to continue thriving in the wild. It is essentially the circle of life. We need our animals for oxygen and clean water and soil. Cleary, abstaining from eating meat will contribute to keep our animals alive, well and thriving! Without animals, our lives would not be possible.
Climate Change
Arguably, the most impactful factor lies within our environmental footprint. Global warming is one of the biggest effects on land and marine animals. It impacts entire ecosystems; sea levels and temperature change, animal Animal agriculture is the leading cause of desertification and deforestation as. Similarly, livestock and their byproducts account for 51% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Animal agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than all of the world’s transports combined. Global warming impacts entire ecosystems including sea levels, temperate change, and food chains that become altered. Going vegan will mean producing 50% less carbon dioxide than an average meat-eater. Just by cutting out meat from your diet can have a monumental effect on the planet and the species we share the planet with. Next time you are preparing a meal, think about the impact you could be making!
Ocean Dead Zones
The oceans “dead zone” is the region that has such low oxygen levels, marine life is unable to survive. Animal agriculture is the leading cause of these zones. Because producing feed for animals needs to be done at a rapid rate, it means there is a higher use of chemical fertilizers being used which, at the end of the day, cause these dead zones. It has been projected that our oceans will be fish-less by 2048. Eating organically helps to eradicate these dead zones because of the lack of chemicals that are needed to grow crops! While vegans follow a plant based diet, most follow permaculture practices when growing their own food, meaning nothing wasted and the soil is maintained with natural compost from plants and there are no pesticides used to keep insects away. Nothing is wasted and nothing artificial is needed. All in all, veganism does in fact have a direct correlation to our oceans dead zones. Let’s try to reverse them!
Now that you know more about going vegan and all of the benefits it has not only on our environment but in regards to wildlife, let us know what you think! Reach out to us on Twitter @GoGreenGO10 or through our Instagram @gogreengo_tx. Let’s chat!
