A new study reveals that the surge of disastrous wildfires in California is almost entirely due to the changing climate. So as Independence From Meat Day (July 4) draws near, let’s help to tame the flames with planet-friendly vegan food.
Animal agriculture is a leading driver of the climate catastrophe. It’s responsible for copious amounts of greenhouse gas emissions and requires massive amounts of land, food, energy, and water. Going vegan can help conserve these precious resources. For instance, producing 1 pound of beef requires around 1,847 gallons of water—equivalent to filling 39 bathtubs. Compare that to soybeans, which require much less water at 216 gallons per pound. By opting for vegan food, we automatically reduce our water footprint. We also help to save the trees that wildfires haven’t ravaged.
The expansion of animal agriculture—particularly for grazing and feed crop cultivation—is a leading cause of deforestation, including the Amazon rainforest. The loss of forests not only results in the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere but also leads to the destruction of diverse ecosystems. We can reduce the demand for animal-derived foods and promote forest preservation by ditching meat, eggs, and dairy.
According to the United Nations, a global shift toward vegan living is vital to combat the worst effects of the climate crisis. So this National Independence From Meat Day—and every day—let’s ditch meat and all animal-derived foods.
Rebecca Libauskas
The PETA Foundation
Norfolk, Virginia
This article appears in Jun 29 – Jul 9, 2023.