Hey everyone, it’s Belle. I hope everyone’s doing well. It’s been summertime for me, and I’ve been genuinely loving every minute of it. I love being able to have time to do whatever I want, and I love being able to see my friends again. But it seems that as I finally get to reconnect with once busy friends, we always get to the topic of veganism — which I don’t mind, don’t get me wrong. But it’s just that whenever we talk about it, they always ask me why I’m vegan, and I don’t ever seem to know where to start since because there isn’t just one reason why I live the lifestyle I chose. It’s like asking someone why Donald Trump sucks. Where do you even begin with that?
So today I’m going to break it down for you guys. But before we get started, to serve as a refresher… veganism is a way of living that seeks to exclude, as far as possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing and any other purpose.
So you see, veganism is not just a diet because it actually extends far beyond that. If you want further clarification, don’t hesitate to check out my first post ever, Living Kindly.
Okay now that that’s out of the way, are you ready? Let’s get into this.
1. For the People
Yes, that’s right! Did you know veganism is the most sustainable way living? It takes up only one-third of the land needed to foster a conventional western diet. And quite frankly, we don’t have enough land to feed a growing population on an animal-based diet, considering 33% of land worldwide is occupied with growing livestock feed, while another 26% is being used to graze animals for consumption. And on top of that, westernized, meat-heavy diets are just plain wasteful because livestock consume much more protein, water and calories than they produce. With rising global food and water shortages arising due to a blend of environmental and socio-economic problems, adopting a vegan lifestyle has never been more suitable. The root cause of world hunger is a meat eating society. 65% of the world’s grains are set aside to feed 53 billion land animals that are killed on this planet, plus the tens of billions of marines animals. Instead of using those crops for 6 and a half billion people. According to a new UN DESA (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs) report, by the year 2050, there will be up to 9.7 billion people on this planet. This means that if we want to feed everyone and continue business as usual, we’d need 50% more land! So let’s face it. Industrial livestock production is just plain unjustified.
And if saving those starving children in Africa everyone seems to be talking about is so important, then let’s actually take action to do something. Let’s take action for the people now, and for the future. Veganism is the simplest and easiest way to reduce the strain of food and water insecurity for the 800 million people who don’t have enough food in the world.
2. For the Animals
Animals — sentient creatures that don’t deserve to die anymore than humans do. Life is a right, and humans don’t own the animal kingdom, we’re in it. Animal cruelty and exploitation is a huge problem, and it has been for much too long. In fact, more than 56 billion animals are killed every year for flesh, dairy, and eggs alone. Not to mention the tonnes of fish and sea creatures that are killed, or the millions of animals that get skinned alive and tortured to no end every day for leather and fur. Humans slaughter animals for sport, entertainment, fashion, and it’s a sick practice. Most of us have been brainwashed to think that animals are objects our whole life, and many of us don’t even realize where the fur or belts we wear come from. If consumers weren’t so detached from the violence, we’d see what really happens to our furry friends. Take charge to become an informed consumer.
Remember: Your dollar is your vote. So if you’re against animal cruelty, it’s important to show it. These days, fake leather is just as good as the real thing. So now you can look badass while being an altruistic angel.
And when you see someone making the choice to buy or eat animal-cruelty-free, always remember to thank them for making a compassionate choice!
Check out these documentaries to learn the truth behind animal products:
- Farm to Fridge – The Truth Behind Meat Production
- Stella McCartney Exposes the Leather Industry
- Exposing the Fur Industry
- Shocking Animal Cruelty at Tyson Foods Supplier (2013 Webby Award Winner)
- South Korean Dog Meat Cruelty
Thanks for reading, I know it’s a lot to digest. Part II to come soon!
