World Vegan Day brings up a popular debate that has been ongoing for years: Is it immoral to not be a vegan? When you look at the facts, the answer is simple, veganism is beneficial for its health purposes, ecological assistance and ethics.
The biggest concern with the consumption of animal products like meat is the level of pain and emotion that animals are capable of experiencing, which is comparable to human beings.
According to a 2015 Vox article “Is There a Moral Case for Eating Meat?”,“well-respected scientists are saying that animals are probably capable of feeling and consciousness”. This lets us know that animals do in fact have emotions, making it difficult to defend non-vegan lifestyles.
According to the scientific journal Trends In Cognitive Science, a community of animal consciousness researchers have begun researching the lives of animals in a scientific way on the model of the scientific study of human consciousness.
This information suggests animals have the capability to feel emotions on a deeper level than most commonly believed. It’s hard not feeling bad when we take into consideration the animals’ living conditions and overall quality of life.
Discussions have happened by meat-eaters who claim that it is a part of their culture or lifestyle. The conflict at hand, though, is whether or not eating meat is an ethical issue.
When we reflect on the living conditions that most farm animals live in before they are slaughtered, it becomes easier to understand why vegans feel that it is our moral obligation to not eat meat.
These animals are confined into small, crowded areas and not given the proper nutrients for a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, a lot of the meat and chicken products we as consumers are receiving are from unhealthy and disease ridden animals.
Doctors and health enthusiasts also claim many digestive issues can occur from the consumption of red meat.
An article from the Cleveland Clinic defends this statement and other health concerns using data that points to the nutrients in red meat that get broken down to create TMAO (Trimethylamine N-oxide), which can cause an increased risk of hardened arteries, heart attack and stroke.
Even though the protection and well-being of animals tends to be the mainstream argument for veganism, another argument has to do with the desire to reduce our collective ecological footprint.
The Vegan Society discusses important statistics veganism has on the environment, “If the world went vegan, it could save 8 million human lives by 2050, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by two-thirds and lead to healthcare-related savings and avoided climate damages of $1.5 trillion”.
Veganism is a much more popular trend in younger generations. Whether it is what they are drinking, eating or wearing, the younger crowd takes much more pride and a much greater stance in the protection and well-being of animals. Veganism has reached mainstream culture, and that is where change will begin and continue to thrive.
In 2020, Statista published data on the vegan market that showed the growth in Google searches for vegan ice cream was up by 109%. It also showed that only 2% of Americans actually considered themselves to be vegan but that 27% of millennials found vegan food and beverages to be very important.
Social media and culture also play a big role in veganism’s continued growth among younger generations, because if a celebrity posts a video or photo that shows them wearing a fur coat or any other animal made article of clothing, they experience harsh criticisms.
According to a German publication Deutsche Welle (DW), “Vegan supporters insist, however, that a plant-based diet is manageable for everybody, including children, pregnant and lactating women”.
Not only is veganism healthy for the individual, it also saves the lives of innocent animals which reduces our ecological footprint and helps with digestive issues if done safely.
World Vegan Day is a day to spread awareness on the benefits of veganism. Statistics show that choosing to go vegan will not only benefit you and your health, but also the environment and world in the long term.