Fewer greenhouse gases, protecting forests and biodiversity and conserving resources: It is well proven that by avoiding animal foods we have a direct impact on our environment. And yet the trend is in the opposite direction: as the world population increases, so does the hunger for meat, cheese and eggs.
The mission of World Nature Conservation Day on July 28th is to raise public awareness of environmental protection and to remind us how important our sustainable actions are with regard to nature and climate protection.
We take the opportunity to play a thought game: What would happen if the whole world ate a vegan diet?
Assuming that...
Various studies and investigations have already investigated this question. With a clear result:
There is no more effective way than a vegan diet to protect the environment and biodiversity.
Various researchers and studies come to the following conclusions:
- Up to 70 percent of the agricultural greenhouse gases generated by the production of our food would be saved and climate change would be slowed
- Without livestock farming, the global agricultural land used to keep animals or grow animal feed could be reduced by up to 75 percent or used to grow grain, vegetables, fruit or other plant-based foods - an area the size of the USA, China, the EU and Australia together
- Hardly any food is as resource-intensive as meat. In addition to freeing up agricultural land, a vegan diet would also save billions of liters of water that are used for the production of meat and other animal products (including the production of animal feed).
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Threatened animal species could recover and displaced wild animal species would have more space to live
In addition to the impact on the planet, a global, vegan diet would also have a positive impact on the health system, world hunger - and, last but not least, every individual:
- Animal products such as meat and milk currently cover 18 percent of our calorie and 37 percent of our protein needs. The amount of grain and soy currently used every day to feed livestock could feed four billion more people.
- People in economically weak countries could benefit from falling grain prices and afford more food
- Studies have shown that vegans are, on average, slimmer, have lower blood pressure and total and LDL cholesterol levels than people with a meat-containing diet. This reduces the likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases or type 2 diabetes
- Switching to a plant-based diet that meets whole food guidelines could reduce global mortality by up to 10 percent
- The global health system would be relieved and an additional 900 billion euros would be saved annually
The numbersn also apply to organic meat and animal products with a comparatively low environmental impact. According to an Oxford study, beef with the lowest environmental impact still produces six times more greenhouse gases than the same amount of beans - and requires 36 (!) times more land.
According to study leader Joseph Poore, avoiding animal products has "a much greater effect than not flying by plane or buying an electric car." In addition, completely avoiding animal products has far greater benefits than consuming organically produced meat and dairy products.
And not to forget: the sad lives of many billions of farm animals would not end in a painful and premature death. If the entire world were to eat vegan, values such as non-violence, empathy and compassion would take on a whole new meaning.
Beautiful (vegan) life, beautiful world?
So from now on we just have to eat a vegan diet and everyone will dance happily and in step on a pink cloud towards a better world? The matter is of course a little more complex. One thing is certain: switching to a plant-based diet would have an enormous positive impact on the environment and the planet.
However, it would also bring with it some challenges. This includes, for example, the fact that millions of people who work in animal breeding and the production of animal products would become unemployed overnight. It is also questionable whether the freed-up pasture land could even be used to grow plant-based foods. Since meat is viewed as a luxury good in many societies, the social and cultural aspect also plays a role and must be taken into account.
Every meal helps already
It's unrealistic to completely change your lifestyle overnight. And it doesn't have to be that way. Because even small steps help to protect our environment: Every vegan meal raises awareness and has a positive influence on us and our planet.
World Nature Conservation Day is the ideal opportunity to actively address the issue of environmental and nature conservation and to make a contribution. Why don't you start with breakfast? With our bowls, your healthy, plant-based breakfast can be on the table in less than five minutes - good vibes and karma points included. Have fun trying it out!
You can also find many other vegan recipes on our blog. You will learn how to make your own granola or banana bread or fluffy porridge pancakes and get more information about a plant-based diet.
Sources:
Springmann M, Wiebe K, Mason-D'Croz D, Sulser TB, Rayner M, Scarborough P. Health and nutritional aspects of sustainable diet strategies and their association with environmental impacts: a global modelling analysis with country-level detail. Lancet Planet Health. 2018 Oct;2(10):e451-e461. doi: 10.1016/S2542-5196(18)30206-7. PMID: 30318102; PMCID: PMC6182055. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(18)30206-7/fulltext
Springmann M, Godfray HC, Rayner M, Scarborough P. Analysis and valuation of the health and climate change cobenefits of dietary change. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Apr 12;113(15):4146-51. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1523119113. Epub 2016 Mar 21. PMID: 27001851; PMCID: PMC4839446. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27001851/
Appleby, P. N., M. Thorogood, J. I. Mann, et al. (1999): The Oxford Vegetarian Study: an overview. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 70(3 Suppl), p. 525S–531S. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10479226/
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