I would like to start off my saying that this article is not an attempt to convert all of the meat-eating sinners to veganism. This is far more complicated than that. This is an article about someone who took an intuitive leap into veganism and discovered health, happiness and a moral philosophy.

Before this summer, I never would have considered becoming vegan. Now, this is coming from a self-professed glutton who spent their days eating mac and cheese off their stomach while perusing Netflix and washing it all down with a bag of chocolate chips and a giant glass of milk with maple syrup. Needless to say, I have never been someone who has been particularly conscious about what they put into their body. (Is this next part offensive?!) (This lack of awareness had become so great that the presumed state of my pancreas and inevitable onset of Type 2 diabetes had become prime joking material for both of my parents).

My life of sin came to an end the eve of June 13th as I ate mint chocolate chip ice cream in a bowl carefully balanced on my chest while deciding what to watch on Netflix. On a whim, I clicked on "Cowspiracy," which turned out to be an incredible documentary about the environment and veganism. Two and a half-hours later, I was in a moral crisis and realized that I had to become a vegan. I spent that night reading article after article about veganism and haven’t looked back.

Initially, being vegan was difficult. My brother pelted me with cheese on countless occasions, but my commitment to veganism has been fueled by a greater respect for the earth as a whole. To me, veganism is more than health, or animal rights, but a moral prescription of honoring the planet and it’s creatures as well as your own body.

1. Becoming vegan has a phenomenal impact on the environment.

Livestock operations take a tremendous toll on the environment. According to the documentary, "Cowspiracy," cows produce 150-billion gallons of Methane per day. This is 130 times more waste than the entire human population. Cows require 20-tons of grain per week (per cow) which adds up with 250 cows per farm. The farming industry has also contributed to incredible amounts of deforestation in places that depend on their economic capacity to raise and sell meat. If these farms were converted into plant-based agriculture that was well suited to the environment, ecosystems would be in much better shape.

2. Veganism helps you discover more food.

I didn’t really consider myself to be a food person pre-veganism. Once I became vegan, I really had to work to find food that wasn’t made from animal products. Because of this, I gained a greater respect and appreciation for food. I realized that most American food is comprised of two food groups: dairy and meat. The traditional American breakfast, of eggs, bacon and coffee is a prime example of this. After becoming vegan, I was forced to go out of my comfort zone. I began to value what I put into my body. I discovered rice milk, oat milk, kale, matcha tea, tahini, quinoa and many other nondairy foods, and I found that I actually preferred them to the endless amount of animal products that I used to have.

3. You are saving lives.

By becoming vegan, you are showing empathy toward your fellow creatures on this earth. The meat packing industry is an incredibly wealthy and powerful interest group who keeps its animals in horrible conditions. The conditions alone are enough to swear off eating meat forever and even on non-corporate and privately owned farms, pigs are killed when they are just seven-months-old.

4. You will feel much better.

Animal products, particularly dairy are not made for human consumption. Cow milk is created for the sole purpose of turning a baby calf into a 1,600-pound cow. We are socialized to see cow’s milk as a normal thing, without realizing the only baby animals should drink it. Dairy also makes you feel very lethargic. I used to drink at least two large glasses of cow’s milk a day, and after I became vegan I stopped feeling so tired during the middle of the day. Tiredness aside, almond, coconut, oat, and rice milk taste a lot better than milk that is intended for someone who has large ears and a tail.

5. Vegan food is amazing.

As I said before, vegan food is amazing. I was never someone who considered themselves a foodie but then I discovered all of the different ways that one can cook quinoa and it began from there. Eating vegan is not always easy or nor is it convenient, but there is a beauty in the difficulty and discipline that allows you to have a greater respect for the vegan movement in these small everyday sacrifices.

6. You are actively making the world a better place.

By choosing to become vegan, you are making an active choice to honor the world and all of its creatures. Mass shootings, genocide, sexism, racism, classism, and ignorance plague the world. People are not just cruel in large ways, but in the small personal ways that they use and disrespect each other on a daily basis. Veganism is making the constant choice to love, honor, and respect the world and all its creatures in a way that is infinitely bigger than the human experience.