Could Veganism save our planet?

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Written by Trisha Bhullar

Veganism could just save our planet.

Veganism has taken the world by storm, becoming a popular diet as climate awareness heightens. Although well-intentioned, this diet is incredibly challenging to maintain – but can all that effort save our planet? 

BUT FIRST…WHAT IS VEGANISM? 

Veganism is the practice of abstaining from using animal products. This includes adopting a vegan diet, whereby you cannot eat meat, additives derived from animals, and foods that may contain animals in them.

Many people have a misconception that vegans avoid meat and just eat salad, but that’s vegetarianism. Veganism prevents you from consuming products like dairy, eggs, honey, some breads, and even some beers. The worst part is that we live in a world of processed foods, where animal ingredients are often subtly integrated into unsuspecting products (like some dark chocolates), largely limiting the food Vegans can consume. 

 

WHY WOULD ANYONE BOTHER WITH SUCH A RESTRAINING DIET? 

All this effort doesn’t go to waste. Veganism is deeply rooted in ethical, sustainable consumption. Of course, similar to meditation, many people practice Veganism for an array of personal reasons. However, the popularity of Veganism has recently skyrocketed due to the terrible state of our climate. 

 

HOW COULD VEGANISM SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT? 

The answer to this is multifaceted but here are some great reasons: 

  1. Veganism helps stabilize our oceans: By switching to Veganism and decreasing the demand for livestock, you can greatly reduce the volume of agricultural carbon in our atmosphere, helping re-stabilize the acidity in ocean ecosystems 
  2. Reducing dead zones: Raising livestock to meet global demand requires tonnes of chemicals including fertilizers and antibiotics that are often released into natural waterways. These chemicals kill all forms of water-life, creating “dead zones” that cannot sustain living creatures. Veganism can reduce the extent of this phenomenon. 
  3. Veganism purifies the air we breathe:  Did you know that all the livestock in our world, combined, cause more air pollution than automobiles do? By reducing our demand for livestock, Veganism can help improve our air quality. 

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IT JUST TAKES A SMALL CHANGE TO SAVE OUR PLANET!

Veganism sounds daunting but taking small steps to reduce your meat and dairy consumption could really save our planet! If you aren’t ready to commit to a strictly vegan diet, try out a transition period whereby you allocate two or three days a week for Veganism. Find really great tips on how to transition to vegan diet here.

Ultimately, it really is the thought that counts. If dietary changes don’t appeal to you, try living a more sustainable lifestyle (including fashion which you can learn more about vegan fashion in any way you can. For example, here at Timeqube, we plant a tree for every cube sold. Similarly, you can make eco-friendliness a core objective at work, or simply integrate it into your personal life!