Because You Already Care: 23 Reasons to Leave Animals Off Your Plate in 2023

Guyute pig at Farm Sanctuary

Because You Already Care: 23 Reasons to Leave Animals Off Your Plate in 2023

Veganuary

Try vegan with Veganuary and Farm Sanctuary! You can start any time and it includes a celebrity cookbook, easy meal plans, nutrition guides, and coaching emails — FREE.

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“Try vegan for the planet, for your health, for the animals.”

If you’re not vegan, you probably see this line again and again and wonder, what does that even mean? And we get it — it’s hard to imagine how a “diet” checks all these boxes. With so many pressing issues occupying our thoughts (the pandemic, the plastic garbage patch in the ocean, the shrinking ice caps), it can be hard to see how eating plant-based foods could possibly matter right now.

But veganism isn’t just a diet, and its reach goes further than your plate. And, if you consider the issues you already care about, you’ll likely find that they intersect at one place: animal agriculture.

If you’re looking for a New Year’s Resolution that does more, explore the links below and find your reason(s) to try eating vegan in 2023. If you’re already vegan, share this list with friends.

1. You love native wildlife.

A red squirrel studies the photographer from a tree at Sanctuary

A red squirrel studies the photographer from a tree at Farm Sanctuary.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) kills wildlife who threaten animals raised for food production. Their program, called Wildlife Services, targets wolves, coyotes, cougars, birds, and other wild animals, primarily to benefit animal agriculture. And of the 2.6 million animals killed [in 2018], nearly 1.5 million were native wildlife species.

Learn more.

2. You want to save the rainforests.
Beef, soy, and palm oil are responsible for 60% of tropical deforestation. And while soy may feel like a “gotcha moment” for non-vegans, just 6% of soy is used for direct human food: 77% of the world’s soybeans is fed to animals raised for food production! Learn how the rampant deforestation of the Amazon is driven by global greed for meat.

3. You love the ocean.
Learn how eating meat creates a seasonal ‘dead zone’ the size of New Jersey in the Gulf of Mexico every year.

4. You’re angry about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
This massive accumulation of ocean plastic weighs around 79 thousand tons — and it’s approximately 46% fishing nets.

5. You want to protect endangered species.
Animal agriculture destroys natural habitats. Of the 28,000 animals on the IUCN Red List of endangered species, 24,000 of them are threatened by agriculture. Learn more.

6. You’re worried about wildfires.
Animal agriculture is a major contributor to human-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These gases raise temperatures — and hotter weather makes forests drier and more susceptible to burning. Learn how much food contributes to climate change—and how wildfires are exacerbated by climate change.

Millions

of people across the world are living on a vegan diet.

7. You care about your health.

A hand feeds Bitsy pig a green apple

Bitsy enjoys a tart green apple at Farm Sanctuary.

People who eat a plant-based diet lower their risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other health conditions. Learn the power of a plant-based diet for achieving good health.

Learn more.

8. You care about the health of low-income communities of color.
Industrialized agriculture facilities are frequently located near low-income communities and communities of color. On these factory farms, animal waste is generally kept in manure lagoons or sprayed onto nearby fields causing nitrates, hydrogen sulfide, methane, and ammonia to leach into the surrounding land, air, and water. As a result, community members report health complications such as headaches, respiratory issues, skin infections, birth defects, and premature death. Learn about the connection between industrial agriculture and environmental racism.

9. You care about the health of society.
Poor air quality caused by food production in the U.S. is estimated to result in 16,000 deaths annually — and 80% are related to animal production. Learn how animal agriculture costs more in health damage than it contributes to the economy.

10. You’re nervous about future pandemics.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that, “3 out of every 4 new or emerging infectious diseases in people come from animals.” These include viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites, and they infect millions of U.S. citizens every year. Learn more.

11. You go out of your way to choose “humane meat.”
Unfortunately, claims of humane treatment on meat, egg, and dairy labels are dubious at best. Labeling is complicated and falls under the purview of two government agencies and each has a different process for approving labels—not to mention there are too few inspectors—enabling the animal agriculture industry to exaggerate animal welfare claims. Plus, isn’t “humane slaughter” an oxymoron?

12. You love good food.
Eating vegan doesn’t mean cold tofu and dry salads! Once you tune into vegan recipes (and vegan Instagram), you’ll see that eating plant-based isn’t a sacrifice. There are delicious choices for every cuisine! Find a new cookbook.

13. You love to support local!
Through Community Supported Agriculture, or CSAs, local farmers offer “shares” to the public. The share translates to a box of fresh produce delivered to you each week through farming season. This is an excellent way to support local farmers and farm workers who are being paid and treated fairly.

"Veganism is a philosophy & way of living which seeks to exclude — as far as is possible & practicable — all forms of exploitation of, & cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; & by extension, promotes the development & use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans & the environment."

- The Vegan Society

14. You love animals.

Thatcher Goose at Farm Sanctuary

Thatcher stands in the sunshine at Farm Sanctuary.

Many people say they love animals and yet they still eat farm animals, as though there is some difference between an eagle and a turkey. A horse and a cow. A dog and a goat. A goldfish and a salmon. The lines between who we love and who we eat are mainly cultural—and the animals we choose to eat are just like the animals we choose to love: They feel pain. They express joy. They experience fear and sorrow. If given the choice, they would choose to live.

And yet, farm animals are among the most abused creatures on Earth. Below, you’ll meet a few of our rescued residents and learn their stories. Once you know them like we do, it becomes easier than ever to choose a plant-based lifestyle.

Try Veganuary in 2023

Connor Oleary and Sookie sheep nuzzle in the snow at Sanctuary

Connor O’Leary (left) and Sookie nuzzle at Farm Sanctuary.

Ready to take the leap with us? It’s easy: Try vegan with Veganuary and Farm Sanctuary! You can start any time. This FREE program includes a celebrity cookbook, easy meal plans, nutrition guides, and coaching emails.

Do it for yourself, for the animals, for the planet.

What have you got to lose?

Sign up today

The Someone Project

Check out our peer-reviewed journal articles and white papers about pig, cow, chicken, and sheep sentience.

Additional sources:

1.
“Agriculture Department’s ‘Wildlife Services’ Killed Nearly 1.5 Million Native Animals in 2018.” Center for Biological Diversity, 04 June 2019, biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/agriculture-departments-wildlife-services-killed-nearly-15-million-native-animals-in-2018-2019-06-04/.

2.
Ritchie, Hannah. “Cutting down forests: what are the drivers of deforestation?” Our World in Data, 23 February 2021, .

Ritchie, Hannah, and Max Roser. “Forests and Deforestation.” Our World in Data, 2021, ourworldindata.org/forests-and-deforestation.

5.
“Our global food system is the primary driver of biodiversity loss.” UN Environment Programme, 03 February 2021, www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/our-global-food-system-primary-driver-biodiversity-loss.

6.
“Global Greenhouse Emissions Data.” United States Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data. Accessed 01 January 2022.

Harris, Nancy. “6 Graphics Explain the Climate Feedback Loop Fueling US Fires.” World Resources Institute, 16 September 2020, www.wri.org/insights/6-graphics-explain-climate-feedback-loop-fueling-us-fires.

8.
Wendee, Nicole. “CAFOs and Environmental Justice: The Case of North Carolina.” Environmental Health Perspectives, June 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3672924/.

Mirabelli, Maria C., et al. “Race, Poverty, and Potential Exposure of Middle-School Students to Air Emissions from Confined Swine Feeding Operations.” Environmental Health Perspectives, April, 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1440786/.

Kravchenko, Julia, et al. “Mortality and Health Outcomes in North Carolina Communities Located in Close Proximity to Hog Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations.” North Carolina Medical Journal, September 2018, www.ncmedicaljournal.com/content/79/5/278.

9.
University of Minnesota. “Animal production responsible for vast majority of air quality-related health impacts from U.S. food.” Science News, 10 May 2021, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210510161505.htm.

10.
“​​Zoonotic Diseases.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 01 July 2021, www.cdc.gov/onehealth/basics/zoonotic-diseases.html.

Connie sheep at Farm Sanctuary

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