“Although veganism is considered a diet, it’s more than just cutting out food like keto does,” says Nancy Pudwill, from the University of Denver Athletic Department. “I can speak about the health benefits but people stand by it for ethical, moral and environmental reasons too.”
Its emergence came during the Before Common Era (BCE) times, when the Greek philosopher Pythagoras of Somas garnered the idea of instilling peace between animals. He denounced the harm towards animals for sustenance when plants could sustain life.
According to Forbes magazine, its origins began long ago but it’s popularity is significantly new because from 2014 to 2017, there was a significant rise in self-identifying vegans worldwide. It went for 1% to 6%., this 600% increase demonstrates that there are serious considerations of the diet’s stability. With that being said, the percentage that has committed still remains immensely small.
The conversion to a plant-based diet is typically connected to three main aspects; environment, animal rights and health.
“You have the chance to save the planet three times everyday; breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s as simple as that,” Alexis Miller, the Outreach Coordinator for the Luvin’ Arms Animal Sanctuary.
As a vegan of six years, she rejoices in her decision because the environmental impacts. She mentions that, “Let’s pretend you went vegan for just one month, it might be hard but in reality you would save 620 pounds of detrimental carbon dioxide emissions, 913 square feet of forest – chopped down to make way for more livestock– and 33,481 gallons of water.”
According to David Pimental, an ecology and evolutionary biologist from Cornell, the environmental footprint of people would reduce with the implementation of a plant-based diet because less resources are being used to curate meal options. It has been deemed the most effective strategy for minimizing greenhouse gas emission and land space compared to animal-based food production.
“When I first learned how much water it took to produce one hamburger, 660 gallons. I tried to think about how many gallons of water I’ve drank in my lifetime and I think I fall short of that,” Miller says.
Traditionally people connect the dangers of greenhouse gases with gasoline from cars. However, derived from the digestive process of cows is methane gas, which is according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 86 times more destructive to the environment. Additionally industrial farming creates the majority of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere, which is 296 times more threatening to the ecosystem.
The MFJS Reporter -- Winter 2020 M-W 