“Go vegan, stop the climate crisis. Switch to a plant-based diet; improve your health.”
About 1% of the U.S. population call themselves vegan, giving up meat and dairy products.
Most people believe that eliminating these foods from their diet lowers greenhouse gas emissions, which subsequently helps save the planet. However, this notion isn’t entirely true. Although meat manufacturing industries do release methane and carbon dioxide, contributing to global warming, adopting a vegan lifestyle may not be the best solution.
By cutting out sustenance from their diets, vegans need to find substitutes elsewhere.
For example, milk is widely consumed, a dietary staple for many and a key ingredient in numerous dishes and beverages. Sixty-two percent of Americans drink coffee every day. Due to the drink’s content, vegans usually substitute dairy with products such as almond or soy milk. However, these products are disastrous for the planet.
In fact, the production of almonds requires so much water that it has caused droughts in California. A single almond needs as much as 3.5 liters of water before its harvest, and the manufacture of these nuts significantly disrupts the ecosystem.
Many pesticides used on almond trees, such as weed-killing herbicides, have directly harmed bees. In the 2018-2019 winter, almond farming impacted pollinators so significantly that it led to a record number of bee deaths in the United States. Within just a few months, 50 billion bees were wiped out.
Unfortunately, every year, around 30% of the bee population dies out due to the harvest of these plants. Bees contribute to the manufacture of 35% of the world’s global harvest of crops; therefore, without these insects, the diversity and availability of global fresh produce would decline.
In addition to almonds, soybeans are also frequently utilized in vegan products. These plants, which vegans primarily use to substitute dairy, not only fuel deforestation but also lead to soil erosion due to extensive water usage, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Although maintaining a balanced diet to obtain essential nutrients is vital, vegans must be aware of the environmental consequences of many of their food substitutes.
Consider avocado toast, for instance; some vegans may believe this dish leaves a minimal impact on the environment, but they are wrong. Many substitutes that are regularly eaten by vegans leave a bigger carbon footprint compared to the traditional versions, such as milk and meat.
Making the commitment to eat a plant-based diet may seem like an effective strategy to combat climate change, but in reality, it does more harm than good for both your body and our planet.
