Why vegan?

In this probably last post in 2012 I will not write about Australia. I will tell youabout something very close to my heart. If this does not interest you feel free to stop reading here and just look at the pictures (random choice from our stay thus far).

Park in Adelaide and view over Adelaide

 

Like most people I am extremely grateful for everything my parents passed on to myself and my brother. But two specific values need highlighting to create a backdrop for this post. The first is a deep love and respect for our nature. I was fortunate enough to not grow up with a TV so I spent endless hours outdoors. My dad would draw my attention to the beautiful jay up in the sky and the woodlouse under the rocks. It was him who named bushes, trees and animals and explained how they all have their important place ecosystems and consequently on the planet. And secondly they always did what they, deep down in their hearts, believed to be the right thing. Irrespective of possible inconveniences, personal sacrifices or consequences. And that - luckily - rubbed off. Thanks mum and dad.
My decision to live vegan needs to be seen in this context. Now first things first: it is and can only be a personal choice. I do not want to convince anyone to convert to a vegan nor do I think badly of people who enjoy dairy or eating meat. I enjoyed both very much for roughly 26 years of my life... I would simply like to explain how I came to that decision because most people outside of Australia do not know about that yet.

Sleeping koala in the wild

 

The real spark was the World Vegan Day in Adelaide. Elvira and I decided to attend - mainly out of curiosity and because we were vegetarians (myself for about three months, Elvira for a 1.5 years). The people I met there were great and a peaceful atmosphere seemed to hover over Victoria Square. Having come home, like my usual self, I started researching the matter deeper...

I came across "Livestock's Long Shadow" published by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and learnt that livestock farming could account for as much as 18 % of the global CO2 equivalents (under their model assumptions of course). That is more than all planes, ships, trucks and cars put together.

Like everyone I knew the availability of drinking water will be one of the biggest challenges ahead. Little did I know about all the publications on water foorprints. In these one finds that, compared to plant based products, the water usage / kcal for all investigated animal products (with the exception of butter) is higher. In some cases this factor can be huge. Beef for example has a 20 fold higher water footprint than cereals. 

I read about the main cause for deforestation in the Amazon - the "lungs" of our planet and one of the most intriguing ecosystems - being soy beans. A crop which is mainly used to feed cattle. Roughly 90 % of the world wide harvest goes into the production of animal food. Despite its perfect suitability as source of protein. Moreover the rising prices of soy have lead neighbouring countries like Paraguay to follow Brazil's example - resulting in a huge GDP growth and devastating social consequences. A small handful of prepotent latifundistas push small farmers out of business, depriving them of their lievelihood and forcing them out of their houses into favela like shelters. The few who stay or the ones misfortunate ehough to live in the vicinity of soy fields are poisoned by pesticides and fertilizers. A rise in newborn deformity rates and a substantially lower life expectancy are the results.

Then there is the EU. The insatiable appetite for meat on the old continent has lead to a massive increase of meat production. In fact, the farming of chickens has risen so steeply that producers had to search for new channels to sell the "low quality" parts i.e. everything that isn't breast meat. Solution? Freeze everything and export it to certain countries in Africa. Because of factory farming the price is ten times lower than that of locally produced poultry. Result? African farmers give up - and the EU increases the budget for development aid. "The market will regulate it". 

And what about the bonoboesque desire of the human race to reproduce? How will 9'000'000'000 be fed in 2050? Depending on the calculation an estimated 2.5 - 3 planets would be needed to sustain a western diet for every citizen on earth today. And whenever someone uses more than his share there is someone else who doesn't have enough. Even if it is not directly visible due to a large geographical distance. 

And I studied more. A lot more. But I will spare you with it because Christmas is a time of happy meet ups with family and friends.

Somewhere in that process I paused - and tears started running down my face. Numerous enough to irrigate the lawn in front of the house and there was nothing that could stop it. It saddened me how the "pride of creation" treats his habitat and fellow humans - how he can destroy something so beautiful and awe inspriring like nature. Even worse: the thought of my son or grandson to be, looking up at me with tearful eyes, asking me why he cannot enjoy an intact planet any more popped into my mind. Knowing that I would have to answer "Because I, like many others, was too lazy to make a change" litreally tore my heart into shreds. 

Once I mopped the floor dry and could think clearly again I knew: From here on in I will do everything possible to never, ever see that look on my childrens or grand childrens face. And if I do see it then at least I can leave this earth in peace. Knowing that I did what I thought to be the best, simplest and most effective way for an individual to create a fairer, more humain planet. With humans treading on it in the lightest possible manner, respecting and taking care of nature.

To close I wish to repeat what I said in the beginning: This is NOT an attempt to turn anyone into a vegan. Everybody needs to decide on his or her own. It is an insight into my personal thoughts that led me into making this decision. Nothing more. Nothing less. The same contemplations in someone elses head could lead to a completely different conclusion on what could benefit our planet most. But what we can hopefully all agree on is that we need to change something and that we need to do it quickly. Before it is all too late...

Vegan carrot and praline cake

 

Now I am left with one last thing. I wish you all a lovely festive season and a brilliant start into 2013. Thanks to everyone who read this blog, you made writing it so much more fun. 

Love and Peace