Why Go Vegan?

For compassion: animals are here with us, not for us

Farmed animals are individuals who can experience fear, comfort, connection, and pain. Yet billions are raised and killed for food, while other animals are used for clothing, testing, and entertainment. Choosing vegan food, animal-free materials, and products not tested on animals is one way to stop supporting these practices. Compassion should not depend on an animal's species or on what humans can gain from them.

For water: protect a resource every living being needs

Food production uses water to grow crops, raise animals, and process ingredients. Animal agriculture also requires crops to feed livestock, adding to its resource demands. Many plant-based foods have a lower water footprint than animal products, particularly when they replace beef and dairy. Choosing what we eat more thoughtfully can be one meaningful way to conserve water and respect communities and ecosystems that depend on it.

For the planet: reduce the impact of our food choices

Animal agriculture is a major contributor to food-related greenhouse gas emissions and requires extensive land for grazing and feed production. Moving toward plant-based foods can reduce emissions and pressure on forests, habitats, and biodiversity. Protecting the planet also means considering waste, transportation, and other environmental choices, but what we put on our plates is a powerful place to act.

For hungry children: why feed crops to animals while people go without food?

Around the world, children are going hungry while crops that people could eat, including corn and soy, are fed to farmed animals raised for slaughter. Feeding edible plants to animals before eating the animals generally uses more land and loses much of the food energy along the way. These animals are bred and killed for a profitable food industry, even as families struggle to put meals on the table. That contradiction deserves our attention. Hunger is also driven by poverty, conflict and unequal access to food, so changing what we feed livestock cannot solve it alone. But choosing to nourish people more directly with plant-based foods can help us use agricultural resources more fairly, while sparing animals from exploitation and suffering.

For peace: put nonviolence into everyday practice

Peace is more than something we wish for. It is also reflected in the way we live and how we treat vulnerable beings. When we have the ability to meet our needs without exploiting animals, choosing a less harmful path is an expression of respect. A more compassionate world begins when we extend consideration beyond ourselves, our families, and even our own species.

For health and strength: fuel your body with plants

A well-planned vegan diet can support strength, endurance, recovery, and overall health. Beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds can provide a broad range of nutrients. A reliable source of vitamin B12 is essential, and planning for protein, iron, calcium, and other nutrients matters. Being strong and being compassionate are not opposing goals. They can reinforce each other.