VEGANISM Part One: World Hunger

So here’s the thing, veganism is kind of the best thing ever and everyone needs to adopt it as a lifestyle. Now, I know you probably have some questions- for starters, what is veganism? In layman’s terms, a vegan doesn’t eat meat or anything else that comes from an animal (so no milk, eggs, etc.). Some people solely identify as dietary vegans and do wear leather or use other animal-derived products such as silk and non-vegan makeup. By definition, though, a true vegan does not consume nor use animal products.

Next question: Why would someone choose veganism?

Well, there are a few prominent reasons people choose veganism: Ethicality, improved health, lessening world hunger and helping the environment are just some of these reasons. In this series, cleverly titled “VEGANISM,” I will be addressing each of these points in separate pieces. Today’s focus: World Hunger! Or rather, how veganism can end world hunger.

Starting off with some facts, on average, 1,200 gallons of water are needed for every serving of beef- each serving! How is this possible? Well, this number includes the water being used directly for the cows, as well as the water being used to grow the crops to feed the cows. In comparison, only 12 gallons are needed for a serving of grain. Additionally, 13 pounds of grain are used to produce one pound of beef- this 13 pounds of grain could be going to help those struggling with hunger worldwide. It seems ridiculous to me to waste such a large amount of food and water when there are roughly 925 million people who do not receive enough food, 5 million of whom will die in the next year because of this. The food being fed to animals who are raised for consumption would be more than enough to feed all those suffering from hunger. In the same light, the water being wasted on animal agriculture could be going to help the 844 million people who do not have access to clean water. Being vegan legitimately saves lives, animal, and human. To make a substantial impact, we need numbers. We need more people to walk past the deli section and start to peruse the produce section. We need more people willing to put their morals before their mouths, and align their actions with their beliefs.

Think about the effect that going vegan would have- it could legitimately end world hunger.