Where Veganism and Environmentalism Intersect

At a young age I determined that I had a profound respect for all life, regardless of species. I soon developed a sense of obligation towards protecting that life from the possibility of its destruction at human hands. We are now entering an age in which human involvement with the environment more often than not results in catastrophic devastation. Never in recorded history have we seen so much documented evidence of loss of life. Whether it be the extreme decline in biodiversity or the complete destruction of entire ecosystems, it's easy to see the price of human "progress".

Deforestation in the wake of industrial agriculture.

I often struggle with the moral dilemma of whether to exert my energies towards experiencing the natural world before it's gone, or to defend it. I can't honestly say I've found a healthy road to walk within the two, but I've discovered that being out in nature puts my psyche at ease and all but eliminates the anxiety I feel in our artificial world. Hiking helps me to appreciate the environment is ways that I can't do behind a computer screen. I've seen these same thoughts echoed in many others that I've encountered throughout my years of outdoor exploration. Whether they be backpackers, ultrarunners, kayakers, mountaineers, climbers, I've come to find that the sense of respect and appreciation for the natural world is widespread amongst those who spend their time outdoors. Indeed, many of these people identify themselves as environmentalists.

Max Patch Bald, Hot Springs, NC. Taken by Stevie.

That kinship with those who stand in awe and admiration of nature's grandeur is one of the best elements of a thruhike. But therein lies a contradiction. These individuals whose lives are dedicated to experiencing all that nature has to offer often don't feel an obligation to defend it. We need to change this. We need to do more than simply spend time outdoors, we need to care for our planet, especially the places that are still wild and free.

"The splendor and travail of this Earth". Grand Canyon, taken by Colton.

Boycotting the industries responsible for destroying our world should be at the forefront of our lifestyle choices. An easy way to do that is to adopt a vegan diet. Veganism immediately severs a consumers' ties with animal agriculture, possibly the worst culprit of environmental destruction.

The image to the left accurately portrays a number of the problems associated with animal agriculture and consuming animals. Livestock farming contributes so heavily to global warming that it may in fact be the leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions. 

And that's just the start.

The image also illustrates the ways in which water is squandered and forests (indeed, whole ecosystems) are razed for the expansion and maintenance of animal agriculture. But water isn't just being wasted, it's also being polluted. This article by Farm Sanctuary, a farmed animal sanctuary, describes the frightening ways in which ground water contamination occurs:

"In the U.S. alone, animals raised on factory farms generate more than 1 million tons of manure per day — three times the amount generated by the country’s human population. Factory farms typically store animal waste in huge, open-air lagoons, often as big as several football fields, which are prone to leaks and spills. In 2011, an Illinois hog farm spilled 200,000 gallons of manure into a creek, killing over 110,000 fish. When lagoons reach capacity, farmers will often opt to apply manure to surrounding areas rather than pay to have the waste transported off-site. According to the USDA, animal waste can contaminate water supplies and omit harmful gases into the atmosphere when over-applied to land."

And:

"In order to prevent the spread of disease in the crowded, filthy conditions of confinement operations, and to promote faster growth, producers feed farm animals a number of antibiotics.  Upwards of 75 percent of the antibiotics fed to farm animals end up undigested in their urine and manure. Through this waste, the antibiotics may contaminate crops and waterways and ultimately be ingested by humans."

Scary, isn't it? The fact is that animal agriculture, unchecked, will continue to despoil and harm the precious environments that we have here on Earth, unless we do something to stop it.

But where do we start? Sometimes it feels overwhelming to be faced with the numbers and facts and statistics regarding the damage humans have done and continue to do to this earth. In times like those, we can lose heart. It seems like the damage done is indeed beyond repair and any action an individual can take towards recovery is just not enough. I know, I've been there many times. It's a dark place to be.

But all is not lost.

In the last few years, the meat industry in America has been in steady decline. Meat, in demand and consumption, has dropped considerably, for the first time in the history of the industry. You want proof? Here, is proof. For the sake of unbiased facts, those are links to 1) an animal rights group 2) a NY Times article and 3) a beef farming website. All report the same finds: less animal consumption.

The decline in meat consumption is no coincidence. It's because of people. People making changes in the way they live, they way they eat. And that change is palpable, it's quantifiable, and not just in numbers, but in life. Less meat means less animal agriculture which means less animals slaughtered, less environment destroyed, less carbon emissions, less water contaminated, less food squandered, and MORE LIFE. And if there's one goal of environmentalists, it should always be "more life".

There are things we can do, and going vegan, boycotting the industries responsible, standing up for life on earth, are all choices we can make to help save this world, not just for us, but for future inhabitants, whether they be human, plant, or animal. Backpackers, hikers, and especially thruhikers, should know how important it is to preserve and protect this world. It's time for us to make a commitment, not just to the trail, but to the environment that nurtures it.

Please, for the environment, for the animals, for ourselves. Consider veganism.