Running head: HOW CAN GOING VEGAN HELP THE ENVIRONMENT 1

How can Going Vegan Help the Environment

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How can Going Vegan Help the Environment

Environmental conservation has been a significant concern for various world

organizations like the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP). Today, world

environmental organizations such as the UNEP have come up with various policies that try to

limit some human activities, which are a threat to the environment. Some of these policies seek

to prevent deforestation, air pollution from industries and factories and reduce the use of plastic

items in the environment. However, environmentalists have discovered that going vegan will

help to conserve the environment at a higher degree. Environmentalists explain that eating vegan

will mean that humans avoid feeding on animal products such as meat, milk, and eggs. It is

noteworthy to mention that rearing these animals requires much labor, food, and land. These

animals feed on large amounts of plants and grains, which can lead to deforestation. These

animals also require vast tracks of land, which can alternatively be useful in planting trees to

enhance oxygen concentration in the environment. Domestic animals such as cattle can lead to

adverse effects that can undermine the conservation and protection of the environment.

Environmental conservation is an essential concept for humanity; thus, people need to practice

veganism to prevent the occurrence of natural phenomena that can destroy the nature and

aesthetics of our environment.

It sounds ironic when people keep livestock, yet they cannot consume their products like

meat, eggs, and milk. The concept of veganism means that humans will depend on a plant-based

diet for survival (Petter, 2018). Humans will begin feeding on vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and

whole grains and avoid feeding on meat products to conserve the environment (Petter, 2018).

According to environmentalists, meat and dairy products facilitate the increase in greenhouse gas

emissions, such as methane and carbon dioxide to the atmosphere by 60% (Petter, 2018). High
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volumes of methane and carbon dioxide in the environment leads to greenhouse gas effects that

change the climate by global warming (Petter, 2018). Global warming has a significant impact

on the environment since it will lead to an increase in temperature within the planet. High-

temperature ranges within the planet will, in turn, lead to the melting of glaciers, rising sea

levels, heatwaves, and infectious diseases, among others (Petter, 2018). Researchers further

suggest that veganism reduces not only the emission of greenhouse gases but also global

acidification, eutrophication, and water use (Harrabin, 2019). Global acidification can lead to

acid rain, the growth of algal blooms in water bodies, forest damage, and, most importantly, the

depletion of the ozone layer (Harrabin, 2019). When people embrace veganism, the population of

livestock reared or consumed will decrease, consequently creating a reduction in the emission of

greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide.

Rearing livestock for consumption requires large tracks of land. When humans embrace

the concept of veganism, it will be possible to convert the land that would have applied for cattle

rearing into other vital purposes, such as growing crops and planting trees. Human activities such

as cattle farming lead to land clearance to pave the way for construction structures for keeping

livestock like cattle and goats. This factor results in deforestation, which leads to adverse

climatic conditions. Nonetheless, livestock tends to consume large volumes of plant materials in

the form of grains, leaves, and twigs from trees. Frequent cutting down of trees to feed and create

space for rearing animals leads to deforestation, which can result in desertification (Harrabin,

2019). Farmers can convert these lands into irrigation schemes to enhance the production of

vegetables, crops, and grains that would replace meat and dairy products as food. When people

start feeding on plant-based meals, the concept of rearing livestock for food will decrease,
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thereby reducing the production of greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide and

will also help in conserving the natural land and plants.

A vegan diet helps in environmental conservation, thus reducing the occurrence of

natural diseases that can affect people. Rearing livestock involves various activities as a means

of maintaining their health and production. Livestock keepers tend to use sprays and other

medicines used to control parasites and to improve the health of the livestock. The drugs used in

spraying can cause environmental pollution by releasing toxic compounds into the environment,

which can be life-threatening (Tiffany, 2019). Nonetheless, these drugs, when used in excess,

can contaminate waterways and induce other diseases that can endanger the aquatic biodiversity.

Livestock farmers also use excess chemicals and fertilizers to grow livestock feeds for their

animals. The excess chemicals used can contaminate water sources like rivers and streams,

creating "dead zones" (Tiffany, 2019). Dead zones are areas with a low-oxygen concentration

within water bodies; hence aquatic organisms cannot survive in such conditions (Tiffany, 2019).

When humans embrace a vegan diet, it will be possible to reduce livestock keeping, thereby

reducing the use of chemicals and their effects on the water bodies.

The practice of conserving biodiversity is an important approach to enhance

environmental conservation. Researchers have proved that the consumption of a vegan diet will

help to protect biodiversity both on land and in the sea. For instance, human activities such as

fishing can lead to the depletion of fish species. Many types of fish species dwell in the oceans,

and with the increase in fishing activities will lead to the loss of endangered species of fish

within the seas. Nonetheless, the fishing industry uses various materials, such as nets that

threaten aquatic ecosystems. Fishing nets tend to trap organisms such as dolphins, turtles, and

birds, causing injuries and even death (Tiffany, 2019). Boats and ships used in the fishing
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industry can suffer oil and fuel leakage that can pollute the sea, thereby endangering the lives of

aquatic organisms. Embracing a plant-based diet will reduce the consumption of fish, thus

conserving marine biodiversity. Consuming vegan will also conserve biodiversity by preventing

the deforestation during land clearance to create space for livestock keeping. Forests contain

endangered species of trees and other plants; hence consuming vegan will help to conserve the

environment by preventing deforestation through land clearing for livestock keeping.

The increased consumption of a plant-based diet will facilitate crop farming for food.

Researchers suggest that humans need to practice agroforestry to enhance food production to

replace the consumption of animal products (Harrabin, 2019). The practice of agroforestry will

mean that people can incorporate growing trees and food crops altogether. Agroforestry will help

to conserve the environment by increasing the concentration of oxygen in the air and increasing

the uptake of carbon dioxide by crops and trees (Harrabin, 2019). Agroforestry will also help in

reducing parasites and various diseases that affect the human population. Agroforestry will

increase rainfall, therefore, improving crop farming for food production. Researchers also

discovered that the increased consumption of vegan would result in the introduction of a variety

of crops (Harrabin, 2019). Since animal products will be scarce, there will be high demand for

vegan production; thus, researchers will introduce new varieties of crops to meet the demand on

a vegan diet (Harrabin, 2019). Researchers have studied that a reduction in animal products such

as meat, eggs, and dairy products will reduce the emission of nitrous oxide in the environment.

According to the United Nations, animal products produce about 65% of emissions of nitrous

oxide into the atmosphere (Tiffany, 2019). Nonetheless, nitrous oxide forms a major part of the

greenhouse gases, which can have adverse effects on the climate.

Scientists have conducted extensive research and discovered that a reduction in animal

product intake could help to reduce the carbon footprint of an individual for 73% (Willet, 2019).

Nevertheless, scientists also discovered that if incase the population of the world decides to cut

on the consumption of meat and dairy products, the farmland used globally could reduce by 75%

(Willet, 2019). This factor could help in the recovery of the "wild land lost to agriculture," which

leads to the "extinction of endangered species" (Willet, 2019). Also, scientists have discovered

that an increase in the plant-based diet would reduce the risk of suffering illnesses such as heart

diseases and type two diabetes (Willet, 2019). Vegans are healthy since they constitute of plant

products which are low in calories.

Environmental conservation should be a priority for the world population to prevent the

occurrence of phenomena that can threaten the entire planet's life. The concept of feeding on a

vegan diet will help in conserving the environment through the reduction in deforestation and

pollution. The introduction of vegan will reduce livestock keeping, which will help in conserving

the environment by reducing the concentration of methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Vegan consumption will also reduce the rate of deforestation, thereby increasing oxygen

concentration and rainfall in the environment. The consumption of vegan will increase the

demand for food crops, thereby facilitating environmental conservation through agroforestry.

The increase in vegan consumption will reduce the interference of the lakes and seas through a

reduction in fishing, thus conserving aquatic biodiversity. World environmental organizations

need to emphasize on vegan consumption to save the planet from the raising ecological and

atmospheric pollution that would lead to adverse effects in the near future.

References
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Harrabin, R. (2019, August 8). Plant-based diet can fight climate change - UN. Retrieved from

BBC NEWS: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-49238749

Petter, O. (2018, June 1). VEGANISM IS 'SINGLE BIGGEST WAY' TO REDUCE OUR

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ON PLANET, STUDY FINDS Avoiding meat and dairy

could reduce your carbo footprint from food by nearly three-quarters. Retrieved from

INDEPENDENT:

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/veganism-environmental-

impact-planet-reduced-plant-based-diet-humans-study-a8378631.html

Tiffany, F. (2019, April 4). 6 surprising ways veganism helps the environment. Retrieved from

Vegan Food & Living: https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/features/6-surprising-way-

veganism-helps-the-environment/

Willet, W. (2019, January 7). Vegan diet can benefit both health and the environment. Retrieved

from HARVARD T.H. CHAIN:

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/vegan-diet-health-environment/