Why vegan?
If you've ever been curious about the reasons why people become vegan, then read on and be prepared to have some of your own views questioned.
Whenever I’m asked the question “Why are you vegan?”, I usually go for these two standard responses: A:“I do it for the animals” and B: “Because of the environment”. Yes, I know, I don’t go into much depth with my responses, typically because I would end up ranting about how we don’t need to survive by eating meat and dairy in the expense of exploiting animals, and how without that the planet would feel protected, thriving on sustainability without the fear of industrialised animal agriculture fueling the climate crisis with its harmful GHG emissions etc.
I was conditioned to give these standard, surface-level replies as I would occasionally face judgement when expressing my opinions on the farming of animals, to which I’ve grown to understand why it offends some people and learnt to always respect others despite having dissenting views on certain topics. Having said that, the passion and dedication I have towards animals and the environment are still inherent within me, I simply choose the gentler approach. As people don’t choose to become vegan because they are guilted into it by someone else, no, they choose veganism because they are confronted by their own unsustainable habits and therefore reflect on ways to improve for themselves, the planet and the animals.
Why did I become vegan?
It started about two years ago when I decided to become vegetarian because I no longer wanted to eat meat after researching and watching distressing videos exposing the ways animals are abused and treated with cruelty before being stunned and hung upside down, while having their throats slit and being left to bleed out dry. This ‘Humane Slaughter’ is believed to be the most practical way of killing the animal without causing it any pain or unnecessary suffering. However, it fails to account for the years of captivity and exploitation these animals have endured while awaiting their daunting death.
A year later, I realised being vegetarian still inflicted suffering on animals through their prolonged captivity, causing emotional, psychological and physical harm to them and being vegetarian simply wasn’t enough for me. I decided to be vegan and cut out all dairy and eggs. This transition was not as difficult as I previously had thought it to be. I associate all non-vegan foods with the unjustified suffering of animals. Honestly, I wish I had become vegan much sooner as innocent animals do not deserve to die for our consumption. The well known quote by Paul McCartney “If slaughterhouses had glass walls the whole world would be vegetarian” reflects back on the phrase “Humane Slaughter”, to which the word ‘humane’ is commonly used as a premise to the word ‘slaughter’ which is oxymoronic, as the act of killing an animal can never be justified as ‘humane’. Yet we put it there because we want to believe that slaughterhouses are humane places. However, the meaning of the word ‘humane’ is to show compassion and kindness. Does an animal in a slaughterhouse feel compassion from us? Does cutting someone’s throat equate to kindness? No. How could you possibly take the life of a sentient being who doesn’t want to die and doesn’t need to die in a compassionate way? You can’t. There is no such thing as humane slaughter.
This is the reason why I became vegan. I cannot force anyone to have the same compassion for animals as I do, but I can show you the tragic, unfiltered reality that these animals face every second: Click here to see what the meat industry doesn't want to show you.
After watching that short video, did you notice the animals crying for help? Their awareness of what was going to happen next? Why is it that if we saw a dog being murdered and abused on the street or even in the news, we would find that absolutely horrific and immoral, yet when the same concept is applied to farm animals we don’t question it? The cognitive dissonance astounds me. Is it because it has become a norm to eat animals? Does the taste of meat justify someone’s life being taken?
Here’s the link that made me never want to consume dairy ever again, Cow’s milk is for baby cows, not for you.
What are the effects of going vegan?
Environmental benefits: Being vegan is great for our planet Earth! Reduced air pollution and energy consumption: By choosing plants over animals, we are not supporting the intensive pollution output that comes from raising, slaughtering, shipping and processing animals for food. Remember that ruminant animals, such as cows and sheep, generate about 33% of all human-made methane emissions. According to research conducted at Oxford University, choosing a vegan lifestyle can reduce a person’s carbon footprint by up to 73%.
Positive impacts on your health: Going vegan is a great opportunity to learn more about nutrition and cooking, and improve your diet. Getting your nutrients from plant foods allows more room in your diet for health-promoting options like whole grains, fruit, nuts, seeds and vegetables, which are packed full of beneficial fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Actively fulfilling your moral principles: By preventing the exploitation of animals, you are consciously taking an active role by not purchasing items that profit on animal cruelty. Avoiding animal products is one of the most obvious ways you can take a stand against animal cruelty and animal exploitation everywhere.
If anything I’ve mentioned in this newsletter provoked a certain unsettling emotion within you about the food you choose to consume, I’d advise you to continue to question yourself; don’t fear change, welcome it. Be vegan for a day and observe how much you used to rely on animals to fuel you, when you have so many delicious alternatives. Most farm animals are herbivores and consume plant-based diets. If you keep thinking about that concept, you’ll realise how strange it is that we eat animals that eat plants. Why not just leave animals alone and eat plants instead, skip the intermediary?
Cow milk is for baby cows. Exactly the same as how breast milk is for baby humans, and you wouldn’t buy breast milk would you?