WHY VEGAN?

WE BELIEVE WE SHOULD STRIVE TO MINIMIZE HARM TO OTHER SENTIENT BEINGS, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND OUR HEALTH.

WE'VE CONCLUDED THAT LIVING A VEGAN LIFESTYLE IS ALIGNED WITH THIS MORAL VALUE.

HERE ARE A FEW FACTS THAT LED US TO DRAW THIS CONCLUSION:

 

MOST NON-HUMAN ANIMALS ARE SENTIENT — THAT IS, THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO FEEL, PERCEIVE, AND EXPERIENCE SUBJECTIVELY. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY CAN BE HARMED BOTH PHYSICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY.

IN 2012, A GROUP OF NEUROSCIENTISTS ATTENDING A CONFERENCE ON CONSCIOUSNESS IN HUMAN AND NON-HUMAN ANIMALS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE SIGNED THE CAMBRIDGE DECLARATION ON CONSCIOUSNESS, DECLARING:

"THE ABSENCE OF A NEOCORTEX DOES NOT APPEAR TO PRECLUDE AN ORGANISM FROM EXPERIENCING AFFECTIVE STATES.

CONVERGENT EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT NON-HUMAN ANIMALS HAVE THE NEUROANATOMICAL, NEUROCHEMICAL, AND NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL SUBSTRATES OF CONSCIOUS STATES ALONG WITH THE CAPACITY TO EXHIBIT INTENTIONAL BEHAVIORS

CONSEQUENTLY, THE WEIGHT OF EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT HUMANS ARE NOT UNIQUE IN POSSESSING THE NEUROLOGICAL SUBSTRATES THAT GENERATE CONSCIOUSNESS.

NON-HUMAN ANIMALS, INCLUDING MAMMALS AND BIRDS, AND MANY OTHER CREATURES, INCLUDING OCTOPUSES, ALSO POSSESS THESE NEUROLOGICAL SUBSTRATES" (1).

 

MORE THAN 200 MILLION LAND ANIMALS ARE KILLED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION AROUND THE WORLD EVERY DAY. THAT COMES OUT TO 72 BILLION LAND ANIMALS KILLED EVERY YEAR FOR FOOD AROUND THE WORLD EVERY YEAR (2).

 

OVER 1.2 TRILLION AQUATIC ANIMALS ARE KILLED EVERY YEAR FOR FOOD AROUND THE WORLD (3).

 

THE MODERN LIVESTOCK SECTOR CONTRIBUTES MORE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS THAN THE WHOLE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR — CARS, BUSES, PLANES, TRAINS, BOATS AND OTHER VEHICLES.

ANALYSIS OF 94 DIFFERENT STUDIES, PAPERS, ARTICLES, AND OTHER ACADEMIC RESOURCES INDICATE THAT ANIMAL AGRICULTURE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AT LEAST 37% OF ALL GHG EMISSIONS (4).

 

BEEF AND SOY TO FEED LIVESTOCK ARE THE LEADING DRIVERS OF TROPICAL DEFORESTATION (5).

DEFORESTATION RESULTS IN HABITAT LOSS, BIODIVERSITY LOSS, AMPLIFICATION OF GHG EMISSIONS, DECREASES CARBON ABSORPTION, MAGNIFIES NATURAL DISASTER DAMAGE, DISRUPTION OF WATER CYCLES, INCREASED SOIL EROSION, AND EXCESSIVE FLOODING AMONG OTHER EFFECTS (6).

 

FACTORY FARMS CONFINE MANY ANIMALS IN ONE PLACE, PRODUCING MORE WASTE THAN THE LAND CAN HANDLE.

THIS RESULTS IN VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS SUCH AS WATER, LAND, AND AIR POLLUTION WHICH CAN CAUSE SEVERE HARM TO HUMANS AND ANIMALS LIVING IN THE SURROUNDING AREA (7).

 

IF EVERYONE ATE A PLANT-BASED DIET, WE WOULD SAVE 3.1 BILLION HECTARES (7.66 BILLION ACRES).

WE WOULD USE 76% LESS FARMLAND THAN CURRENTLY USED. THIS IS AN AREA EQUIVALENT TO THE SIZE OF THE U.S., CHINA, AUSTRALIA, AND THE EU COMBINED (8,9).

  

THE MEAT AND DAIRY INDUSTRIES COMBINE TO ACCOUNT FOR 29% OF ALL THE FRESH WATER USED IN THE WORLD TODAY (10).