Why I’m Not Vegan “For the Environment”

Often, you hear the word “vegan” in the same sentence as “sustainable.” While the idea that vegans are eco-friendly-hippie-dippie-tree-hugging-patchouli-smelling-activists didn’t come from nowhere, we’ve expanded our scope a bit. I’ve actually had people tell me, “you don’t look vegan” referring to my personal style. I’ve also had people criticize me, before asking my reasons, for driving a car and “claiming to be green.” There are a few reasons why those statements are a bit ignorant but mostly, this all or nothing mindset is dangerous – as if you can’t be vegan for sustainable reasons and make other not-as-sustainable choices.

Veganism is a growing community, with a surprising 25% of American millennials describing themselves as vegan. While our core belief that this lifestyle is best, our reasons vary. This is why I can comfortably say: I am not vegan because it’s more sustainable than other diets. While I do believe there is valuable evidence to support it can be more eco-friendly, I think it’s more of a perk than a reason. Sidenote: if I had a dollar for every person that has told me how much water it takes to grow almonds for almond milk without showing me how much water it takes to grow a cow, I’d buy myself something pretty.

I give kudos to companies, brands and individuals that do it all like Vega or Endangered Species Chocolate by promoting sustainable business practices in addition to a cruelty-free lifestyle. But, just like meat and dairy products, there are plenty of vegan alternatives that come in plastic packaging or include unsustainable crops (hello evil palm oil.) The pursuit of veganism does not have to be the pursuit of perfection when it comes to sustainability. Plus, in order to be 100% sustainable, we’d have to find a way to close the loop and re-use our own human waste and yes, that means re-using or composting our poop. Though, composting toilets do exist and that is another conversation I would be glad to have with someone.

Maybe your reason for considering the vegan diet is because you believe it’s more sustainable. For that, I applaud you. I applaud anyone for making a choice to change their lifestyle because they believe it will be better for themselves, their health, the animals, or the planet.