Fighting Environmental Issues Affecting Our Community : Veganism

Our troop is located in the Bay Area. And the main environmental issues we face here are rising temperatures, forest fires, and rising sea levels. We know the cause for all of these problems: global warming.

I’m proud to say, as a member of this troop, that we respect the environment and we are not only aware of the issues affecting our community, but we’re also taking action to solve them. We’ve done 1 litter clean-up and we ritualistically perform the “Sweep” (a Scouting practice where we pick up the trash in the areas we use for activities) at every outing. And at home, most of us recycle and make sure not to waste resources like water and electricity.

However, I want to address a more serious and involved approach to cutting down on carbon emissions: veganism. Veganism is a lifestyle where someone does not use meat or animal products in any way, whether it’s for food or attire or any other product. Veganism promotes animal welfare and advocates against animal cruelty. And fortunately for us, it also reduces carbon emissions. Basically, the process of raising, slaughtering, and transporting livestock takes a lot of energy that comes fossil fuels and other dangerous sources. If less people create the demand for this industrial activity, there’ll be less greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. And if enough people contribute to this cause, we can make a dent in global warming.

Not only does veganism cut down on carbon emissions, it also saves water. An animal will use a lot of water from when it is born to when it is ready to be killed for consumers. If less animals go through this process because of less demand from consumers, a lot of drinking water can be saved and given to areas with droughts. Check out https://www.truthordrought.com/water for some statistics on exactly how much water a vegan diet can save.

Veganism is easier to attain now than ever before. Many local grocery stores sell the vegan version of household staples like butter, milk, bread, and much more. And there are plenty of easy and delicious vegan recipes available online. And you don’t have to cut animal products from your diet all at once. You can make gradual changes like eliminating one product at a time from your refrigerator.

It’s 2022 and let’s start the new year off being more aware and taking more action towards global warming!

Thanks for reading,

Sabya Challa

Sources

Three Environmental Issues And Ways To Combat Them

Fight The Climate Crisis By Going Vegan

How would a vegan shift change water?