Mindful Consumption For A Better Tomorrow

Suhana Maledan

Arabian Youth Environmental Program 

21st October 2023

You may have definitely come across the term ‘veganism’ at least once in your life. Whether that may be from widespread awareness throughout your community, referrals or what may seem like an unnecessary suggestion from a friend or a family member or even possibly from any of the enormous social platform giants on the Internet. Whatever the reason may be, it’s vital to understand how veganism could potentially even be an outstanding contributing factor to saving us from landing in our own pitfall of destruction, climate change. 

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve spent quite some time questioning environmentalists around the community and gathered some data on 2 interviewees. I asked them their opinions on the following frequently-asked questions regarding veganism and whether a sustainable diet is truly just ethical or has some impact on the environment as well.  Below is a transcript interview of a teacher of sustainability at the local Clarion School, located in Dubai: 

• Roisin Casey, Assistant Head of EYFS & Head of Sustainability at Clarion School, UAE

Q1) What exactly is 'veganism'? Why do people do it?

 “Veganism is a definitely more of a lifestyle choice rather than a sole dietary choice that involves avoiding the consumption of all animal-derived products, like meat, 

dairy, eggs, and honey. People choose to become vegan for a lot of different reasons. Most common I think would be the ethical concerns. It’s a wholerejection of the system society has in place that has allowed for animal exploitation and cruelty. Some adopt veganism to reduce their environmental impact. Agriculture is seen as a big contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and water pollution. By avoiding animal products, I think vegans aim to lower their carbon footprint and support sustainable agricultural practices, as well as possibly health-concern reasons. So far, I have found that a plant-based diet has helped me to lose weight and overall my well-being is improving and my energy levels.”

Q2) Is going vegan a favor to the environment?

“Yes, going vegan can be a significant favor to the environment. Modernized animal agriculture has a substantial environmental impact. It contributes to deforestation, water pollution, habitat destruction, and greenhouse gas emissions, primarily in the form of methane from livestock. By adopting a vegan lifestyle, individuals reduce their contribution to these environmental issues. They also promote more sustainable food production practices by supporting plant-based agriculture. However, I do think it is important to consider that the environmental impact of veganism can vary based on individual food choices and sourcing. A diet heavy in processed and imported foods can still have a notable environmental footprint. A balanced and locally sourced vegan diet tends to be more environmentally friendly.”

Q3) Do vegans have a higher carbon footprint than meat-eaters?

“In general, vegans tend to have a lower carbon footprint compared to meat-eaters. But then Avocados being flown halfway round the world compared to the journey of meat in a country is one argument I hear a lot. The production of plant-based foods typically requires fewer resources and generates fewer greenhouse gas emissions than animal agriculture. It's crucial for vegans to make mindful choices and prioritize environmentally friendly options to ensure they have a lower carbon footprint. I am really impressed by the options we have in Dubai for vegan choices.”

Q4) Why can veganism NOT be the right solution towards climate change?

“While veganism can contribute significantly to reducing the environmental impact of food production, it alone may not be the complete solution to climate change. Climate change is such a complex and multifaceted problem that requires comprehensive efforts across various sectors. Greenhouse gas emissions are not solely attributable to agriculture. Energy production, transportation, and industrial processes also contribute significantly to climate change. Addressing these sectors is crucial in mitigating climate change. I have read articles that argue that simply replacing animal agriculture with crop farming may not be ideal for all ecosystems. Sustainable land use practices, including reforestation and protecting natural habitats, are vital to climate change mitigation. I think looking into traditional ‘old-school’ farming practices could be a good way to help climate change.”

Q5) What do you, personally, think is going to actually save our planet?

“I don't think many people have that one magic solution. I do think we need to look seriously at shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower. I do believe is crucial to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change. Helping support farmers by implementing sustainable farming practices, reducing food waste, and promoting plant-based diets can help lessen the environmental impact of food production.

Overall, protecting natural habitats, conserving biodiversity, and reforesting areas can help sequester carbon and preserve ecosystems. I am excited the COP 28 is in Dubai later this year and this provides governments and international organizations the opportunity to implement policies and agreements that address environmental issues on a global scale.”

Q6) What would happen if everyone turned vegan?

“If everyone were to adopt a vegan lifestyle, there would be less pressure on land, water, and forests, as plant-based agriculture is generally more resource-efficient than animal agriculture.

The suffering of animals in factory farming and related industries would be greatly reduced or eliminated. But it's important to accept that a sudden, global shift to veganism would also present challenges. It would require a significant restructuring of the food system, changes in employment patterns, and adjustments in cultural and culinary traditions. A more gradual and mindful transition may be more feasible and sustainable.”

A short summary to the above transcript interview, it is evident that Roisin Casey strongly supports the implementation of veganism into an individual’s lifestyle or dietary choice as she believes that this contributes to effective, sustainable food production practices by supporting plant-based agriculture, however this just doesn’t seem to be the only ‘right’ solution to ‘fixing’ climate change as it is such a complex and multifaceted problem consisting of various sectors that would have to be imminently changed, such as energy production and industrial processes. Nonetheless, this certainly does not disregard veganism of it’s various benefits and impact on agricultural practices and solely, the environment. 

Another fellow environmentalist that I was grateful to get in touch with was Navin Shetty, a marketing manager by day yet an environmental advocate by soul. To read his response to the following questions, view the attached below: 

Navin Shetty Interview - Veganism 

Analyzing both of the transcript interviews, it is quite evident that the concept of ‘veganism’ and whether the impact truly does matter on the environment is quite debatable therefore conatins no definitive answer. However, I personally believe that whether an individual decides upon adapting a sustainable diet or not will certainly still have an impact, in someway or another. Over time, multiple studies have indicated that substituting your diet to avoid animal-derived products reduces your emissions by a typical global consumer rate of 28% along with land use by 75% and water pollution by 60%, therefore supporting the evidence indicating that vegan diets have far lower carbon, water and ecological footprints than those of meat-fish eaters. 

Referring back to one of the previous asked questions in both of the interviews, ‘what  would happen if everyone turned vegan?’, research has indicated over time that if in time we ever do reach this possibility then we might as well be able to reduce the amount of emissions corresponding to the planet’s second largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Not to mention, as we know that biodiversity loss is a major environmental threat as well, this source of action would contribute to an enormous turn-over in the ecosystem itself as animals and plants are the fundamentals to the healthy function of our pristine planet. When the deforestation of lands occurs for beef production, or overfishing ocean ecosystems, we happen to disrupt this ‘healthy balance’ of our planet. Subsequently, this results in drastic consequences for us as well as the environment. In fact, plant-based foods use less land than animal agriculture, thus land wouldn’t need to be deforested, and actually we could return an enormous amount to its original state, thereby conserving or supporting wildlife and allowing nature to provide for us, as it always has done. 

Therefore, if you perhaps believe that adopting a sustainable diet or going vegan just seems right to you, then definitely do go for it! As mindful consumption has never been unethical to say the least, and in someway or another, will lead to a better tomorrow. 

                                     References & Further Readings 

Environmental Benefits Of Veganism: How Does Veganism Help The Environment? (2021, September 21). GenV. https://genv.org/environmental-benefits-of-veganism/#:~:text=So%2C%20if%20we%20all%20went,function%20of%20our%20beautiful%20planet.

Carrington, D. (2023, July 21). Vegan diet massively cuts environmental damage, study shows. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/20/vegan-diet-cuts-environmental-damage-climate-heating-emissions-study#:~:text=The%20research%20showed%20that%20vegan,54%25%2C%20the%20study%20found.

Than, K. (2022, February 4). Could going vegan help reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Stanford Earth. https://earth.stanford.edu/news/could-going-vegan-help-reduce-greenhouse-gas-emissions

Reynolds, M. (2019, September 8). How does going vegan help save the planet? Here are the facts. WIRED UK. https://www.wired.co.uk/article/vegan-diet-environmental-carbon-impact