Do something powerful for Earth Day – Go VEGAN!

I have some great news for the planet. The food and drink an average person consumes are the single largest determining factor of one’s overall ecological footprint. Why is this good news? Because knowing this, it’s easy and affordable to make important improvements in your own global impact. You don’t need to buy a hybrid or get solar panels to make the biggest impact.

Our food choices have dramatic consequences on the environment. Reducing or eliminating the consumption of animal products is one of the most powerful ways an individual reduce his or her carbon footprint. What we put into our bags at the grocery store actually has more environmental impact than whether we bring reusable shopping bag or drive a hybrid to the store. Animal agriculture is responsible for many of the world’s most serious environmental problems- global warming, water use and pollution, massive energy consumption, deforestation, loss of biodiversity and spices, as well as the deep impact of fishing on our oceans.

When it comes to global warming, farmed animals and their byproducts are responsible for 51 percent of annual worldwide human caused greenhouse gas emissions. This is according to a new report from two prominent World Bank environmental advisers. Based on their research, they conclude that replacing animal products with plant-based foods would be the best strategy for reversing climate change. They advise that this can reduce emissions even more than the actions currently taken to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy.

A study by the University of Chicago found that consuming no animal products is 50 percent more effective at fighting global warming than switching from a standard car to a hybrid.

Earth Day is April 22 and events will be taking place all over the world during the month of April. This is a perfect time to educate people who care about the planet about one of the biggest contributors to the most serious environmental problems around the world, animal agriculture. Write a letter to the editor and educate your community. Please check out our Eco-Eating pages to get information on this important issue.

Reducing or eliminating the consumption of animal products is one of the most powerful ways an individual can stop harming the environment. The next time you’re assessing a food’s ecological footprint, be sure to remember: organic is important, local is good, but vegan is best.

A plant-based diet is by far the most ecological dietary choice we can make