Photo by Creatv Eight on Unsplash
By the Pittsburgh Vegan Society
On the occasion of World Vegan Day (November 1, 2020), we reflect on the multiple layers and benefits of veganism. Individuals make the choice to be vegan for a variety of reasons. Many are moved by the mistreatment of and violence towards animals, including chickens misused for their eggs, lamb for their hair to be turned to wool, and cows maltreated for their milk. Others practice plant-based living for health reasons. Some engage in veganism related to cultural and spiritual customs and philosophies. Many are motivated by the negative environmental impacts of animal agriculture. All reasons are meaningful and valid.
A vegan or plant-based lifestyle, when practiced prudently, is more environmentally sustainable than current Western consumption norms. We argue that going vegan is an imperative step for humanity to dramatically lessen its carbon footprint. A meta-analysis (Poore & Nemecek, 2018) of the practices at over 38,000 farms across 119 nations showed that even the least-impact animal products contribute more negatively to the environment than do plant foods. Methane, a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon dioxide, is emitted at an alarming rate from both large and small animal farms. The resource input is significantly higher for animal foods, including the land used to grow animal feed. This land is taken away from the planet's “wild spaces,” as David Attenborough says, lessening biodiversity and unlocking carbon from the ground.
Contemporaneously, a 2019 report compiled by over 200 scientists and put together by the United Nations’ (UN) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommends an increase in plant-based diets to curtail carbon emissions. Further, sustainable plant-based agricultural jobs and a vegan way of life are not mutually exclusive; in fact, they are symbiotic.
Animal slaughterhouses and meat packing plants are notoriously dangerous workplaces and have negative health effects on individuals and families who live near and work in them, including throughout Pennsylvania. These places tend to be located in the poorest regions of a state with higher percentages of people of color. For example, a slaughterhouse is located in McKeesport, PA, which is a community with a high poverty rate and large percentage of people of color. Please refer to Project Counterglow for more information.
Qualitative (Victor & Barnard, 2016) and quantitative (Leibler, Janulewicz, and Perry, 2017) research demonstrate higher rates of mental health problems among slaughterhouse workers compared to national averages and markedly higher rates of domestic violence. More recently, a May 2020 CDC report indicated that the infection rate of COVID-19 for workers in meat processing facilities can be as high as 18.2 percent. Significantly, this workforce largely consists of BIPOC individuals from communities generally with fewer socioeconomic resources and greater health and income disparities. Organizations (i.e., Food Empowerment Project, League of United Latin American Citizens) are advocating for systemic changes.
Personal and systemic barriers to veganism may exist particularly for some individuals and families. Among these obstacles are the effects of food apartheid (i.e., food swamps and deserts), and lack of access to educational resources. Fortunately, there are free programs (Factory Farming Awareness Coalition, Peace and Advocacy Network) throughout the nation that can help others find affordable vegan options in their local regions. The Pittsburgh Vegan Society (PVS) can also provide support, particularly for those in western Pennsylvania. Eating vegan can actually be the most affordable dietary option since healthy plant-based foods such as beans, grains, nuts and seeds and produce can be found both in bulk and at discount food stores and due to the positive health effects of a plant-based diet healthcare costs for vegans are lower.
Going and staying vegan is a compassionate practice that benefits animals, our planet, and our fellow humans. Fighting climate change and saving our remaining wild spaces is critical as we begin the next decade of the 21st century. PVS strongly urges that a meaningful environmental approach to mitigating climate change and other environmental harms include veganism as its baseline.
The Pittsburgh Vegan Society (PVS) is a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) non-profit with a mission to raise awareness of the benefits of veganism from intersectionalist, social justice, and inclusive perspectives. Via online meetings and programs, we focus on advocacy, community connection, and education. Meetings occur at least once monthly and are open to all - vegans and vegan-curious folx alike. To learn more about PVS, please visit them on Facebook: @PghVeganInfo, Instagram: @pgh_vegan_society, and take their PVS Community Needs Survey.
This blog was included as part of the 2021 Winter Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!