WHY VEGAN?

FOR THE ANIMALS

Animals are sentient beings with complex social behavior. As us, they have the ability to feel, think and experience. Pigs are friendly, playful and the fifth most intelligent animal in the world. Cows have best friends and mourn the separation and deaths from those they love. Chickens can count, have a complex nervous system and have vast abilities that are comparable to a human toddler. Fish have impressive long-term memories and sophisticated social structures. These and many other animals have no legal protection and they are seen as simply products, facing a life full of privations and suffering. Every year, more than 70 billion land animals are brutally slaughtered for meat and another 2.7 trillion fish caught and killed in the wild. By avoiding animal products, you make a stand against animal abuse and speciesism.

FOR THE PLANET

Animal agriculture is responsible for 80% of the deforestation worldwide and it is the main reason why Amazon rainforest is vanishing. It produces more greenhouse gases than all the modes of transportation in the world combined and it uses massive amounts of drinking water. It pollutes the soil and groundwater with pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers and it is the leading cause of mass species extinction and ocean dead zones. If we keep fishing at the current pace, oceans will be fishless by 2048 - for each fish caught, 5 unintended marine species are caught and discarded as by-kill. Abandoned fishing nets are responsible for 46% of the ocean’s plastic pollution and it is responsible for the death of millions of animals every year – including whales, dolphins, seals and sharks.

FOR THE HEALTH

Following a vegan diet reduces the risk of cancer and type 2 diabetes. As it is lower in saturated fat, it decreases the chances of heart diseases, hypertension and cholesterol. Plus, it provides more antioxidants and fibers than any other diet and it helps you to achieve and keep a healthy weight range. Eating vegan also strengthens the immune system - you have more energy, feel cleaner and stronger. Many top athletes changed to a vegan diet, as it reduces inflammation and it provides a better recovery and overall health. Plants give us all the protein, calcium, iron and other nutrients that our body needs. The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the British Dietetic Association recognize that a well-planned vegan diet is suitable for every age and stage of life, supporting healthy living.

FOR THE PEOPLE

The world’s population is expected to reach 9,7 billion by 2050. As nowadays livestock already covers 45% of the Earth’s total land, we do not have enough land to feed a growing population on an animal-based diet. While more than 800 million people do not have enough food, we currently grow enough grains to feed 10 billion people, but at least 50% of them is fed to livestock. The deforestation for cattle pastures and feed crops causes not just environmental problems, but also social damage and it displaces rural communities.