What does it mean to be "plant based"?
What does it mean to be "plant based"?
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There are a few ways and methods that can have bigger impacts than one may think. To begin being plant based means transitioning to mainly plant based foods, clothes, and methods of living. This may include going zero waste, vegan, vegetarian, and or buying reused or hemp clothing and bags and blankets, ect.
Important points:
A plant-based diet can vary. Some people are 100% plant-based (no animal products at all), while others are mostly plant-based but might still eat small amounts of meat, dairy, or eggs.
Being plant-based is usually focused on health, the environment, or both.
It is not always the same as being vegan, which also includes avoiding animal products in clothes, cosmetics, and lifestyle—not just food.
What is the difference?
What is the difference?
Plant-Based
Plant-Based
A plant-based person eats mostly foods that come from plants like fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. Usually avoiding meat and animal products, but some might still eat small amounts of dairy, eggs, or fish. Their main reason is usually for health or the environment, not necessarily for animal rights. They may or may not use animal products in clothing or other parts of life.
Vegetarian
Vegetarian
A vegetarian does not eat meat or fish but usually still eats dairy products and eggs. They may eat honey and use animal products in clothing. The reasons for being vegetarian can include health, religion, or caring about animals, but they aren't as strict as vegans.
Vegan
Vegan
A vegan does not eat or use any animal products at all. That means no meat, no fish, no eggs, no dairy, and not even honey. Vegans also avoid things like leather, wool, and products tested on animals. The main reason is to avoid harming animals and protect the environment.
Why go Vegan?
Why go Vegan?
For the animals
For the animals
Preventing the exploitation of animals is not the only reason for becoming vegan, but for many it remains the key factor in their decision to go vegan and stay vegan. Having emotional attachments with animals may form part of that reason, while many believe that all sentient creatures have a right to life and freedom. Specifics aside, avoiding animal products is one of the most obvious ways you can take a stand against animal cruelty and animal exploitation everywhere.
For your health
For your health
Well-planned vegan diets follow healthy eating guidelines, and contain all the nutrients that our bodies need. Both the British Dietetic Association and the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recognise that they are suitable for every age and stage of life. Some research has linked that there are certain health benefits to vegan diets with lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and lower rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer.
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.
For the environment
For the environment
From recycling our household rubbish to cycling to work, we're all aware of ways to live a greener life. One of the most effective things an individual can do to lower their carbon footprint is to avoid all animal products. This goes way beyond the problem of cow flatulence and air pollution!
Why is meat and dairy so bad for the environment?
The production of meat and other animal derived products places a heavy burden on the environment. The vast amount of grain feed required for meat production is a significant contributor to deforestation, habitat loss and species extinction. In Brazil alone, the equivalent of 5.6 million acres of land is used to grow soya beans for animals in Europe. This land contributes to developing world malnutrition by driving impoverished populations to grow cash crops for animal feed, rather than food for themselves. On the other hand, considerably lower quantities of crops and water are required to sustain a vegan diet, making the switch to veganism one of the easiest, most enjoyable and most effective ways to reduce our impact on the environment.
For people
For people
Just like veganism is the sustainable option when it comes to looking after our planet, plant-based living is also a more sustainable way of feeding the human family. A plant-based diet requires only one third of the land needed to support a meat and dairy diet. With rising global food and water insecurity due to a myriad of environmental and socio-economic problems, there's never been a better time to adopt a more sustainable way of living. Avoiding animal products is not just one of the simplest ways an individual can reduce the strain on food as well as other resources, it's the simplest way to take a stand against inefficient food systems which disproportionately affect the poorest people all over the world.
Why vegetarian isn't enough
Why vegetarian isn't enough
The suffering caused by the dairy and egg industry is possibly less well publicized than the plight of factory farmed animals. The production of dairy products necessitates the death of countless male calves that are of no use to the dairy farmer, as well as the premature death of cows slaughtered when their milk production decreases. Similarly, in egg production, even 'ethical' or 'free range' eggs involve the killing of the 'unnecessary' male chicks when just a day old.
Ethical meat?
Ethical meat?
It's tempting to want to believe that the meat we eat is ethical, that our 'food animals' have lived full, happy lives and that they have experienced no pain or fear at the slaughterhouse. Yet the sad truth is that all living creatures fear death, just as we do. No matter how they are treated when alive, whether they are raised on a factory farm, or labelled as 'free range' or 'organic', they all experience the same fear when it comes to slaughter.
The good news
The good news
The good news is there IS something we can do about it. Every time we shop or order food in a restaurant - every time we eat - we can choose to help these animals. Every time we make the switch from an animal product to a vegan alternative we are standing up for farmed animals everywhere. Going vegan is easier than ever before with veganism becoming increasingly mainstream as more and more people from all walks of life discover the benefits of living this way.
It's time to ask ourselves: if it is now possible to live a life that involves delicious food and drink, delivers better health, leaves a smaller carbon footprint and avoids killing other creatures - then why don't we?
(All information from the VEGAN SOCIETY)
The Statistics
The Statistics
1. Animal Agriculture Is a Major Contributor to Climate Change
Livestock farming accounts for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions — more than all transportation combined (cars, planes, trains, and ships).
Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Beef production emits 60 kg of CO₂ per kg of meat, while plant foods like lentils emit just 0.9 kg of CO₂ per kg.
Source: Poore & Nemecek, Science, 2018
2. Going Vegan Saves Water
Producing 1 pound of beef requires about 1,800 gallons of water, compared to just 25 gallons for a pound of wheat.
Source: Water Footprint Network
A vegan diet can reduce your water footprint by up to 55%.
Source: Mekonnen & Hoekstra, 2012, UNESCO Institute for Water Education
3. Personal Impact Is Powerful
Switching to a plant-based diet is the single most effective way to reduce your environmental impact.
Source: Oxford University study, published in Science (2018)
A person who eats vegan for a year saves:
1.5 tons of CO₂ emissions
400,000 gallons of water
30 animal lives
Sources: Cowspiracy calculations based on USDA, FAO, and water use data
4. Land Use and Deforestation
83% of farmland is used for livestock, yet it provides only 18% of the world’s calories.
Source: Poore & Nemecek, Science, 2018
91% of Amazon deforestation is linked to animal agriculture, especially for cattle grazing and growing soy for animal feed.
Source: Rainforest Foundation, WWF
5. Methane from Livestock Heats the Planet Faster
Cows emit methane, a greenhouse gas that is 86 times more potent than CO₂ over 20 years.
Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
6. Beyond Diet — Other Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Transportation: Switching from a car to a bike or public transit can reduce your footprint by up to 2.5 tons of CO₂ per year.
Source: EPA
Energy: Using renewable electricity in your home can cut emissions by up to 50%.
Source: International Energy Agency (IEA)
Fashion: Buying secondhand clothes and reducing fast fashion cuts emissions and waste. The fashion industry contributes 10% of global emissions.
Source: UNEP
Summary
Action- CO₂ Saved Per Year
Going vegan- 1.5–2 tons
Biking instead of driving- ~2.5 tons
Using green energy- Up to 50% of home emissions
Avoiding fast fashion- Several hundred kg
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