Publico, Victoria Angelene B
ACT21A
ETHICS
March 16, 2022
Output #5 Environmental Ethics
Veganism: A Difficult Path, but Rewarding Nevertheless
There has been a stigma against vegans since time immemorial due to their
constant preaching on the internet, the never-ending story of how and why they
became vegans, and the forceful way they are trying to convince others to become
one of their own. Furthermore, it was only a matter of time before the entire
internet joined the bandwagon of hating vegans; even the mere mention of the
name corresponds to thousands of hate comments from the public. The hate was
understandable, not because the comments were truthful, but because it is so easy
in this day and age to hate on someone or something, especially if it is trending.
The internet is a safe space to blurt out one's opinion about something or someone
after all; unfortunately, its advantage has also become its downfall—a public space
for everyone to express their opinion? It is horrific. People on the internet so love
the idea of tormenting an individual either for entertainment purposes or not. Sure,
some people might deserve it—e.g., sexual predators, pedophiles, racists, sexists,
homophobes—but the hate towards vegans is uncalled for, and today, we venture
the road towards veganism. Why does it exist? Why should we understand their
ways? What are the possible risks of this practice? Moreover, what are the benefits
of doing it?
To understand veganism, we must also learn vegetarianism. In a nutshell,
both lifestyles avoid eating animals, but vegans not only avoid eating animals but
also avoid anything dairy, eggs, and honey, unlike vegetarians. In essence, a vegan
diet is purely plant-based, and there is something to say about this way of living-for Filipino moms, this is a desirable menu to feed their children, but eggs on fried
rice make much more sense for most adults. But mother really knows best as,
according to a study conducted by Kim, H., et.al. (2019), vegan diets can satisfy a
person's every nutritional because these foods are high in fiber, antioxidants, and
substances in addition to removing some of the hazards linked with toxic animal
fats. In an article by Smith, J. (2020), a vegan diet also reduces the risk of chronic
diseases, lowers the risk of cancer and diabetes, and prevents weight gain.
However, despite its health benefits, a vegan diet also poses a particular
danger to an individual's well-being; the most concerning is the risk of leaky gut
due to a lack of animal protein. Since veganism excludes all animal meat and dairy,
Publico, Victoria Angelene B
ACT21A
ETHICS
March 16, 2022
vegans often turn to legumes as a substitute protein source. Legumes include
beans, peas, lentils, soybeans, and peanuts--which contains antinutrients, such as
lectins and phytates, that can cause intestinal permeability, often known as leaky
gut syndrome. In addition to the lack of animal protein is the risk of anemia.
Consuming soy protein also causes hormone disruptions and higher heavy metal
intake. Due to the possible danger, vegans are encouraged to take supplements to
compensate for the lack of animal protein.
But veganism does not focus on the numerous benefits of 'going green' as
one would say; it is primarily concerned with compassion for nonhuman animals
and alleviating some of the world's suffering. It extends from avoiding animal meat
to avoiding any products with animal components such as fur, leather, wool,
cosmetics, or chemical products tested on animals. It is a moral viewpoint that
rejects the exploitation and hurting of animals in any way. This covers activities
such as hunting and fishing. As another human being cares for their love ones—it
argues the idea that nonhuman animals also feel pleasure and pain, so don’t they
also deserve a chance at life? Not just as mere livestock for us human beings? Take
note of Peter Singer's animal liberation theory. The accomplishment of animal
rights, or even the removal of all animal exploitation, is not Singer's long-term goal.
Singer's notion of “animal liberation” necessitates the rejection of speciesism,
which would forbid the use of animals in research in instances where humans with
similar goals would be used instead. He argued that the interests of animals and
humans should be treated equally as animals are not that far off from our humans
drawing reference from Darwin’s theory of evolution. This is the main reason why
veganism is not just a trend one can take—it is a lifestyle, to take a stand against
animal cruelty and to show empathy towards these beings.
Due to the benevolent nature of veganism towards nonhuman animals, this
also means that the being vegan promotes the ethical method of food production.
Which takes into consideration the environment, animals and the people (workers)
in food production. And considering that the practice itself focuses on the salvation
of animals, not damaging to the environment and takes regard of the people, one
can consider the practice of veganism ethical in terms of food production.
But similar to all other things, this type of lifestyle also has its disadvantages.
Several studies have shown that veganism is not always environmentally friendly,
Publico, Victoria Angelene B
ACT21A
ETHICS
March 16, 2022
and therefore not sustainable. Several produce needs to be imported from other
locations such as delicate fruits like blueberries and strawberries which increases
carbon footprint. In a research study conducted by Fankowska, A. (2020), it was
found out that asparagus consumed in the UK has the highest carbon footprint out
of all vegetables in the area. In fact, they discovered asparagus has the greatest
environmental footprint of any of the 56 vegetables they studied, taking into
account both land and water use. Suffice to say, when it comes to responsible
resource management, being vegan requires more resources to satisfy their
recommended diet.
At the end of the day, we cannot talk about veganism and just focus on the
positive effects of the practice, because every single thing on earth has an
advantage and disadvantage. Safe to say, the road to veganism certainly has huge
positive consequences to the world focused primarily to saving the animals and
improving one’s health. And yes, growing produce is a long and arduous work (not
to mention not sustainable), but that’s why creating a personal garden is an
encouraged task for all vegans—not only will it lessen carbon footprint, but it also
promotes green thumb. With all these combined, shouldn’t we give vegans the
benefit the doubt? The internet may be a space for us to voice out our opinions but
hating solely based on hasty generalization is an irresponsible way towards making
the world a better place especially if the hatred is pointed towards those who are
trying to make a difference, those who have a good cause, and those who are doing
what they can to save the nonhuman animals.
References:
Vegan diet: Health benefits, foods, and tips. (2022). Retrieved 16 March 2022, from
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149636#benefits
Potential Risks of Vegan Diet. (2022). Retrieved 16 March 2022, from
https://www.cleaneatingkitchen.com/vegan-diet-dangers-health/
About Veganism. (2022). Retrieved 16 March 2022, from https://vegan.org/aboutveganism/
Veganism - Food Empowerment Project. (2022). Retrieved 16 March 2022, from
https://foodispower.org/our-food-choices/veganism/
Publico, Victoria Angelene B
ACT21A
ETHICS
March 16, 2022
Animal Rights Theory and Utilitarianism: Relative Normative Guidance | Animal
Legal & Historical Center. (2022). Retrieved 16 March 2022, from
https://www.animallaw.info/article/animal-rights-theory-andutilitarianism-relative-normative-guidance
Sustainable and ethical food production. (2022). Retrieved 16 March 2022, from
https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/food-supplysystems/0/steps/53673#:~:text=What%20is%20ethical%20food%20product
ion,and%20welfare)%20%5B10%5D.
Gray, R. (2022). Why the vegan diet is not always green. Retrieved 16 March 2022,
from https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200211-why-the-vegan-dietis-not-always-green