Does the chart above look familiar? If you've taken business classes, you might recognize its similarity to the technology adoption life cycle. That's because I totally copied the technology adoption life cycle. Here at Passionoat, we don't view veganism as a trend, we view it as a movement. Similar to the rise of cell phones, the internet, and the automobile, veganism is a lifestyle that will inevitably be adopted by the world writ large. Let's look at the "early adopters" in this chart, and why they are adopting a vegan lifestyle. Specifically we'll discuss the animal activists, climate change activists, and health advocates.
ETHICS
When asked if they are against animal abuse, the vast majority of people reply with an emphatic “yes!” However, it is impossible to kill an animal who doesn’t want to die without some form of abuse. Having watched hours of slaughterhouse footage, I am confident in stating that killing animals for food does not align with ~99% of peoples’ values. The animal agriculture industry has relied on veiling their actions to purport “humane” practices. Fortunately, undercover footage is widely available on free video sites like Youtube, along with documentaries like Earthlings and Dominion, narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, meaning the truth of this horrendous industry is increasingly coming to light. Most people struggle to watch either of these documentaries which speaks volumes to how they feel about it.
ENVIRONMENT
Veganism is the single biggest way to reduce our environmental impact. Food production is responsible for one-quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Mistakenly, many organizations have stressed the importance of eating locally sourced food, despite transportation accounting for a small proportion of total food production ghg emissions. According to a 2018 study conducted in the EU, dairy, meat, and eggs accounted for 83% of total ghg emissions associated with food production; transportation accounted for an average of only 6% of total ghg emissions. Please see the chart below from ourworldindata.org displaying the land usage of agriculture.
HEALTH
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a vegan diet is healthy throughout all stages of life, for both men and women. Heart disease and diabetes are among the top 10 human killers on our planet today, with heart disease topping the list. According to virtua.org, “[s]tudies published recently in the Journal of the American Heart Association and JAMA Internal Medicine found that diets high in plant-based foods can decrease your risk of dying of heart attack, stroke, or heart failure by 32 percent, and developing type 2 diabetes by 30 percent.” A vegan diet low in oil is an effective way to prevent some of the most prevalent diseases of our time.
Fundamentally, animal agriculture has no place in the developed world in 2021. It is unethical, ruining our planet, and we can thrive from eating plants alone. Every generation experiences their own, unique challenges. Ending animal agriculture is our challenge. It is up to us, the animal and climate activists, to lead our world into a more peaceful and just future. Godspeed.