Everybody has their own reasons for deciding to go vegan. For me, it was all about the animals. The more research I did, I came to realise that there was a much bigger picture. I came across an image online named Vegan for Everything which displayed 9 different reasons to go vegan. Let’s delve into these motives and see if one of them is enough to make you consider adopting a plant-based lifestyle.
1. Vegan For The Animals
Animal cruelty is a big factor in influencing people to go vegan. Although some may argue that animals are killed humanely, a life is still being taken. Can this really be seen as anything other than immoral? We see some animals as pets and some as food due to conditioning, but there really isn’t a difference. In some parts of Asia eating dog is the norm, whereas in India cows are sacred. It’s our mentality that is different, which has been influenced by things such as our culture and our upbringing. If you wouldn’t eat your new family puppy, don’t eat lamb. A soul is a soul. We see some animals as pets and some as food due to conditioning, but there really isn’t a difference.
“The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women created for men.”
– Alice Walker
2. Vegan For Our Water
The amount of water we use to feed a vegan we triple (at least) to feed a meat eater. We are using our precious water resources, when instead this could be saved by going plant-based. Animal agriculture is also the largest contributor to water pollution. So eating a meat-heavy diet not only wastes our water but also contaminates the water that we have. This not only negatively impacts marine life, but us too. We cannot survive without water. If clean water is inaccessible then the human race is out of luck. Everything is connected. We are not exempt from this and must realise that our actions have consequences. We cannot keep tainting something that keeps us alive.
“When the well is dry, we will know the worth of water.”
– Benjamin Franklin
3. Vegan For World Hunger
PETA has been claiming for years that going vegan can actually end world hunger. This is a big statement to make, and personally I don’t think that the solution is so black and white. The thinking behind it is that the amount of grain used to raise one cow for example, could feed far more people than said cow could. So cut out the middle man (in this case the cow) and feed people plants directly, so there is enough for everyone. Take a look at this image that explains the theory perfectly. There are wider issues surrounding the topic such as the way we view food contributing to the amount of food wasted.
The situation is definitely more complex and I don’t think that going vegan is some magic solution that will just fix everything, but I do think the idea has some validity. Many of us will donate money or volunteer to help those less fortunate, but it seems as though you can even help others by controlling what goes on your plate. The saying “charity starts at home” springs to mind here. Everybody deserves to have their basic needs met.
“The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.”
– Gandhi
4. Vegan For The Rainforest
91% of Amazon destruction is down to animal agriculture. As long as we keep supporting the meat industry, rainforest will continue to get destroyed. But don’t be fooled into thinking that just because a food is vegan that it isn’t a contributor to deforestation. Soy, palm oil and even coffee (to name a few), can all negatively affect the rainforest, so choose your food wisely. Humans are very capable of having a detrimental impact on the planet, likely in more ways than we realise. We must do our best to make our footprints on the earth as gentle as possible, and cutting animal products out of our diet is a good start.
“Destroying rainforest for economic gain is like burning a Renaissance painting to cook a meal.”
– E.O. Wilson
5. Vegan For Compassion
Children are born with compassion in their hearts, but they often become disconnected from this by being taught that some species lives are more valuable than others. Nurture and don’t discourage the kindness of children. Their gentle souls are something we could all learn a thing or two from. Think about this: someone who would intentionally cause harm to someone else, definitely wouldn’t have a problem harming an ant. But if you wouldn’t harm an ant, you wouldn’t harm a rabbit. If you wouldn’t harm a pig, you wouldn’t harm a dog. You wouldn’t harm a cow, so you wouldn’t harm a horse. And you wouldn’t harm an elephant, so you wouldn’t harm another person. Encourage and don’t mock the compassion we are born with, and don’t teach speciesism. The world will be a more loving place.
When man learns to respect even the smallest being of creation, nobody has to teach him to love his fellow man. Compassion for animals is intimately connected with goodness of character, and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man.
– Albert Schweitzer
6. Vegan For Wildlife
While you may be outraged by people shooting lions for ‘sport’ or the damaging effects of human action on marine life, there are numerous ways that animals are affected which could be stopped if everyone was vegan. Whether its due to overfishing, hunting, or direct targeting by the meat industry, wildlife is endangered by those of us who are not so animal loving. Animals that are seen as a threat to animal agriculture, such as wolves or foxes are killed, as well as grazing animals like elk and deer to make room for livestock. We are exhausting the amount of fish in our water before they have chance to replenish. Animals are not pawns in our games.
“The fascination of shooting as a sport depends almost wholly on whether you are at the right or wrong end of the gun.”
– P.G. Wodehouse
7. Vegan For Our Health
How many times throughout your childhood were you told to eat your vegetables? A lot, right? We know that fruit and veg are good for us, which is why we try so hard to get our 5 a day. Of course there are unhealthy vegan foods, as well as plenty of ‘junk food vegans’, and if you decide to live off Oreos and Coco Pops then obviously this one isn’t going to apply. But it’s undoubtedly good for your health to eat a predominantly plant-based diet filled with unprocessed foods and whole grains. That’s not to say that all meat-eaters are unhealthy, but if you’re looking for a way to improve your health, going vegan is a good route to take. Transitioning towards a vegan lifestyle can be overwhelming at first. Start your journey by taking part in Meatless Monday.
“The food you eat can either be the safest and most powerful form of medicine, or the slowest form of poison.”
– Ann Wigmore
8. Vegan For Peace
The meat, dairy and egg industries are anything but peaceful. Living your life in a way that causes the least harm to other people, the animals and the earth, allows you to live harmoniously. Many of us wouldn’t kill an animal directly. If you support the meat industry, you are still responsible for their lives being taken. If there was no demand for meat, the meat industry would perish. Live a life of nonviolence. Choose peace.
Veganism is not about giving anything up or losing anything; it is about gaining the peace within yourself that comes from embracing nonviolence and refusing to participate in the exploitation of the vulnerable.
– Gary L. Francione
9. Vegan For Our Planet
The earth is our home. Picture a world with contaminated waters, depleted rainforests and entire species wiped out. With no water to drink and no air to breathe, the planet will become uninhabitable. If we don’t start making changes now, this could become our reality. There is no backup plan. Ruin the earth, ruin human life. It’s time to tune in to our connection to nature. The time is now.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught, will we realise we cannot eat money.
– Cree Indian Proverb
It’s time we realised that veganism is about so much more than ourselves. Once you start seeing the bigger picture and realise how the food you eat affects not only you, but other people, animals and the planet, there’s no going back. Wanting to take responsibility for your actions due to your newfound compassion, overrides your reasons for not wanting to go vegan (even your love of cheese). Although veganism can sometimes limit you, it is a small price to pay in comparison to what you gain.
“Veganism is not a “sacrifice.” It is a joy.”
– Gary L. Francione
