Making a conscious change to be eco-conscious
28th June 2021 | 5 mins read
Change is scary, especially when it involves overturning your lifestyle. The massive switch from meat eating to an increasingly vegetarian diet is one such monumental change in one’s life. It is natural therefore, to wonder what is causing people to take such a significant step. There are many reasons for moving towards a plant-based diet. Some take the step due to their love and empathy for animals while others may do it for their health or to lower their carbon and water footprint. Whatever may be the reason, the choice is made for self-growth and improvement. Let’s explore some of those reasons to understand the plant-based movement better.
A way to help animals
For many people going vegetarian or vegan is in response to the exploitation of animals. Concerns like the ‘right to life’ of animals, ethical and moral dilemmas might further push some to change their eating habits.Egg-laying chickens raised in factory farms usually live in small cages with no room to stretch or walk. Although they can live more than a decade, most are slaughtered after two years. Objections have also been raised to treatment of dairy cows. Like chickens, dairy cows are killed when their productivity rates drop. Cows can live up to 25 years, but most dairy cows die after five. Male calves, which have no value to dairy farms, are quickly sold and slaughtered in veal farms.
Health concerns
Many people choose the diet for its health benefits. Whole grains, vegetables and fruits are naturally low in fat, cholesterol and rich in fibre, magnesium, potassium and many vitamins. Advocates of plant-based eating say vegans typically have lower levels of cholesterol and blood pressure, a lower body mass index, and reduced risk of death from heart disease and cancer.
Carbon footprint
Meat production accounts for as much as 15 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, and clear-cutting for pasture land destroys 6.7 million acres of tropical forest per year. While some debate exists on the actual figures, it is clear that meat emits more greenhouse gases than plants, and population growth is increasing demand for quality protein.
The billions of chickens, turkeys, pigs, and cows who are crammed onto factory farms produce enormous amounts of methane, both during digestion and from the acres of cesspools filled with their faeces.
Scientists report that every pound of methane is more than 84 times as effective as carbon dioxide is at trapping heat in our atmosphere. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency shows that animal agriculture is the single largest source of methane emissions in the U.S.
Impending water crisis
It takes an enormous amount of water to grow crops for animals to eat, clean factory farms, and give animals water to drink. A single cow used for milk can drink up to 50 gallons of water per day—or twice that amount in hot weather—and it takes 683 gallons of water to produce just 1 gallon of milk. It takes more than 2,400 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef, while producing 1 pound of tofu only requires 244 gallons of water. By going vegan, one person can save approximately 219,000 gallons of water a year. With the increase in world population the demand for meat will consequently grow thus limited freshwater sources are at risk. If we look at the Indian context, the country is moving towards becoming the largest population while its groundwater level is already decreasing and rivers are highly polluted. Any increase in demand for meat in the country will only drive the water consumption higher thus risking water availability for all other purposes.
Individuals are conscious consumers and are increasingly concerned about their health and the future of the planet. In our modern world we are spoiled for choice when it comes to plant-based options or replacements. One is free to choose oat, almond or any other plant-based milk over milk from animals. Extending beyond the plate, there are vegan makeup and skincare brands as well. The new age conscious consumer is slowly turning towards veganism or a plant-based diet as they have the means to make a choice which good for their health, their fellow living beings and the environment.
