Over the past decade, more and more people have been going vegan. Veganism, for those who don’t know, is when a person doesn’t consume any animal products. No meat, poultry, fish, dairy or eggs. And strict vegans don’t eat honey or sugar, with many avoiding leather and fur clothing items. People usually go vegan for health, ethical or environmental reasons. So here’s a breakdown of those two main reasons!

Health: Studies show that going vegan has a positive effect on people’s health. Because vegans don't eat animal products, their diets are often high in fiber and vitamin C and E. Staples in vegan diets are fruit, vegetables and grains, which results in meals low in calories and fat. Because of this, there is scientific evidence that shows that vegetarians, and especially vegans, are less likely to develop health problems like cancer, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Studies from Harvard University show that without meat in the diet, people are less likely to develop colon cancer.

Environmental/Ethical: A vegan diet has a significantly smaller carbon footprint than those of meat eaters and vegetarians. Many argue that animal agriculture is the main cause of global warming and climate change. With movies like Cowspiracy, this issue is becoming more and more recognizable, but many are still unaware of the frightening facts. While many people think cars and factories are the main cause of global warming, research shows that animal agriculture is responsible for 51 percent of all greenhouse gas emission. That’s more than all forms of transportation combined! 70 billion farm animals are raised every year, with cows producing 150 billion gallons of methane, which is 20 to 100 times worse than carbon dioxide, every day. And, by 2030, the amount of methane pollution alone could surpass our safe CO2E limit. Because of the insane amount of livestock covering forty-five percent of Earth’s land, over 136 million acres of rainforest has been destroyed for more farming space. The food industry is also destroying our oceans. Fish populations around the whole are nearly depleted or, at least, exploited to a degree in which there could be no more fish by the year 2048. Over two trillion sea creatures are killed each year, including 650,000 whales and dolphins, who aren’t even eaten.

But despite these upsetting facts, it seems little people actually know about it. Hollywood director James Cameron has been speaking out about animal agriculture and how veganism can solve this issue. Cameron advocates for a vegan lifestyle, saying that it’s healthier for people and the environment, and can be cheaper. The facts are true. Vegans have a fifty percent smaller carbon footprint than meat eaters. This is because, for example, it takes over 2,500 gallons of water just to produce one pound of beef. It takes over 4,000 gallons of water to make one day’s worth of food for a carnivore, while only 300 gallons of water for a vegan. If the world doesn’t change animal agriculture, methane gas emission will increase by eighty percent over the next fifty years. This is obviously not sustainable and action must taken. While it may seem small, just one person going vegan can make a difference, and, as veganism becomes more popular, hopefully over time people can solve this problem before it’s too late.

Hopefully, now you better understand veganism and its many benefits! And it's becoming more and more accessible and common to go vegan. Did you hear that Ben & Jerry's just released

vegan flavors? There is really no reason to not be vegan, so everyone should give it a try.