I don't like to look at people as "vegans" or "meat-eaters". No. No, I much prefer to see all these such people as "pre-vegans" - simply people who have not yet recieved the information that they need to be inspired to go vegan.
Surely, for everybody this reason will be different.
Personally, it was the health aspects for me - with a little bit of ethics sprinkled generously on top.
For others, it may be humanitarian reasons - wishing to end the starvation caused in third world countries by the western world's excessive meat consumption.
Some may be concerned entirely with the dismal treatment of factory-farmed animals.
Yet others may be moved by evironmental reasons.
Luckily, there are so many fantastic benefits to just about everybody through a vegan diet, so unless somebody literally does not care about anything there must be some aspect of veganism that will appeal to each individual.
At any rate, never be discouraged or inclined to stop sharing your veganism with those around you. You never know what could be that one little fact or statistic or picture or explanation that will just click with somebody.
The Hunger Argument Number of people worldwide who will die as a result of malnutrition this year: 20 million Number of people who could be adequately fed using land freed if Americans reduced their intake of meat by 10%: 100 million Percentage of corn grown in the U.S. eaten by people:20 Percentage of corn grown in the U.S. eaten by livestock:80 Percentage of oats grown in the U.S. eaten by livestock: 95 Percentage of protein wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 90 How frequently a child dies as a result of malnutrition: every 2.3 seconds Pounds of potatoes that can be grown on an acre: 40,000 Pounds of beef produced on an acre: 250 Percentage of U.S. farmland devoted to beef production: 56 Pounds of grain and soybeans needed to produce a pound of edible flesh from feedlot beef: 16
The Environmental Argument Cause of global warming: greenhouse effect Primary cause of greenhouse effect: carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels Fossil fuels needed to produce meat-centered diet vs. a meat-free diet: 3 times more Percentage of U.S. topsoil lost to date: 75 Percentage of U.S. topsoil loss directly related to livestock raising: 85 Number of acres of U.S. forest cleared for cropland to produce meat-centered diet: 260 million Amount of meat imported to U.S. annually from Central and South America: 300,000,000 pounds Percentage of Central American children under the age of five who are undernourished: 75 Area of tropical rainforest consumed in every quarter-pound of rainforest beef: 55 square feet Current rate of species extinction due to destruction of tropical rainforests for meat grazing and other uses:1,000 per year
The Cancer Argument Increased risk of breast cancer for women who eat meat daily compared to less than once a week: 3.8 times For women who eat eggs daily compared to once a week: 2.8 times For women who eat butter and cheese 2-4 times a week: 3.25 times Increased risk of fatal ovarian cancer for women who eat eggs 3 or more times a week vs. less than once a week: 3 times Increased risk of fatal prostate cancer for men who consume meat, cheese, eggs and milk daily vs. sparingly or not at all: 3.6 times.
The Cholesterol Argument Number of U.S. medical schools: 125 Number requiring a course in nutrition: 30 Nutrition training received by average U.S. physician during four years in medical school: 2.5 hours Most common cause of death in the U.S.: heart attack How frequently a heart attack kills in the U.S.: every 45 seconds Average U.S. man's risk of death from heart attack: 50 percent Risk of average U.S. man who eats no meat: 15 percent Risk of average U.S. man who eats no meat, dairy or eggs: 4 percent Amount you reduce risk of heart attack if you reduce consumption of meat, dairy and eggs by 10 percent: 9 percent Amount you reduce risk of heart attack if you reduce consumption by 50 percent: 45 percent Amount you reduce risk if you eliminate meat, dairy and eggs from your diet: 90 percent Average cholesterol level of people eating meat-centered-diet: 210 mg/dl Chance of dying from heart disease if you are male and your blood cholesterol level is 210 mg/dl: greater than 50 percent
The Natural Resources Argument User of more than half of all water used for all purposes in the U.S.: livestock production Amount of water used in production of the average cow: sufficient to float a destroyer Gallons of water needed to produce a pound of wheat: 25 Gallons of water needed to produce a pound of California beef: 5,000 Years the world's known oil reserves would last if every human ate a meat-centered diet: 13 Years they would last if human beings no longer ate meat: 260 Calories of fossil fuel expended to get 1 calorie of protein from beef: 78 To get 1 calorie of protein from soybeans: 2 Percentage of all raw materials (base products of farming, forestry and mining, including fossil fuels) consumed by U.S. that is devoted to the production of livestock: 33 Percentage of all raw materials consumed by the U.S. needed to produce a complete vegetarian diet: 2
The Antibiotic Argument Percentage of U.S. antibiotics fed to livestock: 55 Percentage of staphylococci infections resistant to penicillin in 1960: 13 Percentage resistant in 1988: 91 Response of European Economic Community to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: ban Response of U.S. meat and pharmaceutical industries to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: full and complete support
The Pesticide Argument Common belief: U.S. Department of Agriculture protects our health through meat inspection Reality: fewer than 1 out of every 250,000 slaughtered animals is tested for toxic chemical residues Percentage of U.S. mother's milk containing significant levels of DDT: 99 Percentage of U.S. vegetarian mother's milk containing significant levels of DDT: 8 Contamination of breast milk, due to chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides in animal products, found in meat-eating mothers vs. non-meat eating mothers: 35 times higher Amount of Dieldrin ingested by the average breast-fed American infant: 9 times the permissible level
The Ethical Argument Number of animals killed for meat per hour in the U.S.: 660,000 Occupation with highest turnover rate in U.S.: slaughterhouse worker Occupation with highest rate of on-the-job-injury in U.S.: slaughterhouse worker
A good number people have probably heard of Monsanto. I'm sure a lot haven't. At any rate, I think it is very important that people understand just what this company does, and what they really stand for.
To start off, Monsanto is a huge, American corporation that produces herbicides and pesticides.... But that's not all they do! They also genetically modify crops for the food we eat.
Because these foods are "created" by Monsanto, they "own" them and all the offspring, etc. Farmers that buy Monsanto seeds are not permitted to save seeds for the next year - rather, they have to buy new seeds from Monsanto the following year. Clever concept, right? Annoying - but clever.
Just wait. This is about to get a little more clever....and a lot more annoying.
Even if a farmer doesn't buy Monsanto's product, should GMO crops cross pollinate with non-GMO crops, the gene can be found in this farmers crop the next year. So if said farmer reuses the seeds from his non-GMO crop, Monsanto could test for their genes and find them. This means a lawsuit for the farmer - which the rich and powerful Monsanto almost never loses.
So farmers not caving to Monsanto and using their product, are now in danger of a lawsuit that would leave them bankrupt. In this way, Monsanto is moving towards monopolizing the food industry in America.
If that's not scary enough for you, don't let out your sigh of relief yet.
Recently, Monsanto released their first direct-to-costumer product: GMO corn. This corn contains a Bt toxin - a protein that ruptures the stomach of any insects that attempt to feed on it.
This toxin has been found to cause organ failure in small mammals.
Umm. I know it's a stretch to say that the corn could be dangerous to people - but I'd prefer my corn the way millions of years of evolution designed it...not exploding my insides.
Well, there's a special PLU code for GMO products. I could just make sure to stay away from codes with five numbers, starting with an eight.
OH WAIT! Companies aren't required to use the special PLU, so I really have no way of knowing whether I'm eating genetically modified "food" or not.
That makes me a little scared, super frustrated, and even angry. Does it make you angry? Because it should.
But what can We do about it? Well, There's actually a few things you can do to help make a difference. Send letters to your legislature or house of representatives protesting Monsanto. Elsewhere in the world, GMO products are already illegal or at least regulated by the government. We deserve the same protections.
Also, you should know about the companies that are known to use GMO products.
"Control the food supply, control the people." Dont let that happen. Fight back. Just say no...to Monsanto.
(the video and text say the same thing, so you can watch or read, based on your preference)
Do you eat meat? If so, could you tell me why, if i asked? Honestly, it blows my mind that so many people still eat animal products, and i want to tell you why. A lot of meat eaters aren't going to want to hear about this, but I really hope you'll read this through youth the end. I can't make you agree with me - but I really want to help you at least understand why many people are switching to a vegan diet themselves.
First of all, the meat industry obviously causes suffering to the animal that is destined to be eaten. Most live out their lives in tiny, uncomfortable, unclean, crowded spaces where they are nearly unable to even move. On top of this, even free-range animals must go to slaughter, where they are still alive and frightened as they are hoisted into the air, and are still conscious and kicking as their throats are slit and the blood drains from their necks, taking their only life with it. A lot of people know this to some extent, though many pretend they don't, or they deny that it is true.
This is only the beginning, though. It's not just domestic animals that are being killed for the purpose of our animal consumption. Elsewhere in the world, rain forests are being cut down for space to raise animals or forage for these animals. As rainforest is cut down, exotic plant species are disappearing and animals are going extinct at a breathtaking rate as their habitat is destroyed.
Huge amounts of fossil fuels are used to grow crops for all of the animals that we eat, and even more are used to transport these grains, as well as water and other supplies...and finally, the livestock itself must me transported to and from the slaughterhouse. Add all of this up and - did you know that animal farming is the number one producer of greenhouse gasses emitted to the atmosphere?
Did you know that with all the grain we produce just for livestock in the US, we could feed 800 million people? That means that if we were to feed this grain directly to people, rather than animals, we could virtually eradicate world hunger. Knowing this, I believe that by extension, one could say that by eating meat, we are contributing to the starvation of men, women, and children in 3rd world countries.
Finally, it's about time we all just accepted that meat is not necessary for optimum health. In fact, many studies have been conducted which show that eating animal products is actually detrimental to human health (for more info see Forks Over Knives), and that a diet of whole plant foods is the best and most straightforward way to stay healthy. Despite this, there are many people who still argue that without meat, you will not get the protein you need. To those people, I say - did you know that there has never in history been a case of protein deficiency, without a caloric deficiency? This means that if a person is eating enough calories even from nothing but rice (not that i am suggesting it) they will NOT be deficient in protein. Supplement with some beans, greens, or nuts and seeds? Your getting more than enough.
When I asked you why you eat meat, you probably thought "because it tastes good", right? Well, I implore you right now - is all of this...starving children, species going extinct, poor health and degenerative diseases, as well as suffering animals...worth a few moments of sensual pleasure? If you know the answer to this and you don't like it, I hope you will try to take a step out of your comfort zone and try out some soy products and/or experiment with some vegan recipes.
What can a little bit of experimenting hurt? I think we've all got a lot more to gain than to lose from your brave, mature, and selfless decision to go vegan.
My dad sometimes alludes to the idea that I put myself on a pedestal, or that I think I am better than others because I am a vegan, and I know that this is not uncommon when thinking of vegans.
Umm, hello? I love Daddy, but honestly that is a really stupid argument. When I tell you that you should cut out dairy because it causes things like osteoporosis, obesity, and cancer, it's not because I want to put you down and make you feel bad about drinking it. It's because I care enough about you to want to help you do better. When I comment on the way eating steak contributes to starvation in Africa, it is a desperate attempt to make you understand how drastically your choices are effecting others, and to help you improve those choices. It is not me trying to make you feel bad about what you are eating. When I tell you that the chicken that laid those eggs you had for breakfast lived out her life in a tiny cage where she couldn't so much as flap her wings, I'm not trying to make myself feel better because I don't support that. I'm trying to make you understand, so you won't support it either.
I went vegan because I decided that me and my taste buds are not more important than a suffering animal, or a starving child. I did my homework and decided that rather than blaming big companies and people around me for my obesity and health problems, I was going to take responsibility for my own life and my own health.
The way I see it, if you see me pointing these things out to you as me "putting myself on a pedestal", then somewhere in your mind, you are putting my actions on that pedestal. When I tell you about how animal farming contributes to 18% of greenhouse gasses, you are, probably subconsciously, deciding that it would be better not to contribute to that - and therefore placing me (who does not support animal farming) above you (who does) in your head. Naturally, there are only two ways to combat this.
Your first option is to raise yourself to the same level as me in your mind, and go vegan.
The second is to resent me and tell yourself things like "vegans are snotty and self -absorbed," "vegans think they are better than everyone else," and "vegans are stupid and they are going to die from lack of protein." The idea is to pull me back down a few notches, so we are at the same level again in your mind.
So next time you are hating on vegans, think about that. Are you bettering yourself, or just bringing others down to make yourself feel better?
Edit: Decided to make a video based on this post, if you'd rather watch than read:
