Veganism is more than just dietary choice. It is a lifestyle that protects animals, conserves natural resources and supports a healthier, more equitable planet. In the bigger picture a vegan lifestyle almost inevitably contributes to a more sustainable world and society. But what does it mean to be vegan for sustainability?
The term itself encompasses environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Choosing a plant-based diet addresses all three, making it one of the most impactful personal actions you can take for the future.
Veganism for balance and fairness
One of the pillars of the vegan mindset is fairness. We strive to live in a way that no one has to suffer or die for our personal pleasure – be it in the form of a meal, clothing, or entertainment.
But the fairness aspect extends far beyond that. Veganism includes the goal, the vision, that all humans on this planet can live in peace with access to clean water, good nutrition, sanitation, medical care, and more.
Currently, the bulk of all of these is concentrated in a few parts of the world, what we typically call “the Western world.” According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), people in the USA and Europe derive a third of their daily caloric intake from animal products.
As long as we feed, fatten, and kill livestock animals while there are humans in the world who are starving, there can never be fairness, and there can never be peace. Here is why, in a few numbers from the FAO:
- Two thirds of all farmland is used for livestock: About 3.2 billion hectares are devoted to grazing and growing feed crops.
- Producing 1 kg of beef requires up to 15,000 litres of water, compared to 1,250 litres for 1 kg of lentils.
- Deforestation for livestock and soy production: Between 1990 and 2020, around 420 million hectares of forest were lost due to livestock expansion and feed cultivation.
- Potential to feed more people: Redirecting crops from animal feed to humans could feed an additional 4 billion people.
- Health impacts: Food-related diseases like diabetes and coronary heart disease account for a substantial share of global health costs, estimated at 70%.
Abundance and disease vs. deprivation and insufficient medical care
This is not sustainable! While some people live in abundance, which does not in fact make them healthy but instead causes them to suffer all sorts of lifestyle-related diseases, other people remain undernourished and without access to medical care for problems related to undernourishment or lack of hygiene.
If everyone were vegan, these massive imbalances would not have to exist. We say “have to” because there might be other reasons why “those in charge” might make sure that things stay imbalanced, but that’s a different topic, of course.
However, as long as the majority of people cling to not being vegan, these imbalances do have to persist. If veganism were a nutritionally inferior diet, there would be some justification for all of it. But it isn’t. If we stick to whole foods and simple staples that humanity has focused on for thousands of years, then veganism is nutritionally far superior to the mainstream way of eating.
Vegan for the environment
The unfair and unbalanced distribution of food and medical care, which inevitably accompanies a diet based on animal products for large populations, is also a source of environmental destruction and pollution.
According to the FAO, agriculture, particularly livestock farming, is responsible for around 52.3 % of global deforestation between 2000 and 2018. Tropical forests, which are home to over 13 million different species and represent more than two-thirds of all plant and animal species worldwide, are therefore severely threatened.
Livestock farming significantly contributes to the loss of biodiversity, as it not only drives deforestation but also causes soil degradation and water pollution. Switching to a plant-based diet can substantially reduce habitat destruction and deforestation.
Vegan for clean air and drinking water
Studies show that a vegan diet can reduce wildlife loss by up to 66 % and water use by about 54 %. Air and water pollution are also significantly lowered through reduced animal production.
Of particular relevance is the reduction of ammonia emissions, which are common in intensive livestock farming. Ammonia contributes significantly to air pollution, promotes the formation of fine particulate matter, and can overload water bodies with nutrients, leading to eutrophication and related ecological damage.
A vegan lifestyle can therefore directly support cleaner air and water. Both are essential for healthy survival, regardless of whether people are rich or poor, well-nourished or undernourished.