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.

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.

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.

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.