Ecological Footprint of a Vegan Diet Vs. Carnivorous Diet

Go vegan and reduce your ecological footprint.

In a 2008 "Vegetarian Times" magazine study, approximately 1 million US adults identified as vegan. You can reduce your ecological footprint by adopting a vegan diet.

The Vegan Diet

According to the Vegan Society, vegans reject all forms of cruelty to animals. A vegan diet avoids all animal products.

Vegan Nutrition

A 2009 American Dietetic Association position paper states that a properly planned vegan diet proves healthy and nutritionally adequate for most people.

Humanity's Ecological Footprint

The term "ecological footprint" refers to an individual's impact on the planet. It measures how much of the earth's resources prove necessary to support a given lifestyle.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

A 2006 report by the United Nations found that animal agriculture produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all forms of transport combined. A University of Chicago study calculated that eating vegan proves 50 percent more effective in reducing your carbon footprint than driving a hybrid vehicle.

Deforestation

Livestock currently use 30 percent of the earth's land resulting in deforestation. The UN notes that 70 percent of Amazon forests have been cleared.

Water

Animal agriculture is a major source of water pollution (e.g. animal waste and antibiotics). Scarce water resources are drained for the production of animal feed.

References

• The Vegan Society: Who We Are
• American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets
• Vegetarian Times: Vegetarianism in America

Resources

• New Scientist: It's Better to Green your Diet than your Car
• Go Veg: Meat and the Environment
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Livestock a Major Threat to Environment