vBriefings

Category: Core Briefings

  • Veganism 101: An Introduction

    Veganism 101: An Introduction

    Veganism is about living in a way that avoids contributing to the exploitation and cruelty toward other animals when feasible. It’s grounded in ethics while also recognizing benefits to the planet and human health.

    The movement began by name in 1944, but its principles trace back to figures like Leonardo da Vinci and Mahatma Gandhi.

    Major health organizations recognize vegan diets as not only nutritionally adequate but also health-promoting, while research shows they are the most sustainable choice, reducing the environmental impacts of animal agriculture.

    By confronting systemic exploitation and suffering through advocacy for other animals, veganism aligns with social justice and ethical frameworks, offering a clear and compassionate way forward.

    Summary by Section

    History. Historical figures practiced the ideals of veganism long before Donald Watson coined the word “vegan” in 1944. Such figures include Pythagoras, Leonardo da Vinci, Mahatma Gandhi, and others.

    Animal Injustices. Despite humane-sounding labels and certifications, farmed animals suffer many injustices and abuses before they are violently slaughtered while still young. These abuses include horrid living conditions, painful mutilations, denial of their natural behaviors, debilitating selective breeding, reproductive violations, cruel handling, and violent, painful slaughter.

    Health. Leading dietetic associations of the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Australia—as well as major medical institutions, such as Harvard Public Health, Mayo Clinic, and Cleveland Clinic—have all stated that a vegan diet is not only sufficient but also promotes health and helps prevent chronic disease. 

    Environment. Studies show that vegan diets have the smallest environmental footprint. It’s widely agreed that animal agriculture is extremely destructive and contributes heavily to global warming, habitat destruction, deforestation, water waste, water and air pollution, biodiversity loss, desertification, ocean dead zones, and fecal contamination. 

    Social Justice. Veganism has been a social justice movement from the start, recognizing that all forms of oppression are related, whether inflicted on humans or other animals. But veganism is also a social justice movement in another sense: it challenges an industry—animal agriculture—that disproportionately harms poor and marginalized people.

    Philosophical Frameworks. The deontological rights-based approach, utilitarianism, virtue ethics, and the ethics of care, when followed to their logical conclusion, all support veganism.

    Finally. The case for veganism is simple, the objections to veganism are weak, and getting started may be easier than you think.

    As veganism grows globally, it challenges existing systems and paves the way for change across society. 

    Through the lens of veganism, we can reimagine our relationship with the planet and its inhabitants—and align our actions with the values we hold dear. This is especially important in a world that’s growing increasingly aware of not only the injustices we inflict on animals but also the climate change and resource scarcity we inflict on the planet.

    Veganism is a way of living that has a rich and ongoing history.

    Before the Word “Vegan” (proto-veganism)

    Note: We refer to proto-veganism as the early historical or cultural practices, philosophies, or diets that resemble or anticipate modern veganism, even if they predate the formal term “vegan.”

    The word “vegan” may be relatively new, but the idea isn’t. Veganism is just one point on a historical continuum of human concern for other animals. 

    Long before factory farming, and long before the word “vegan,” prominent historical figures saw that exploiting animals requires animal suffering, and they embodied vegan ethics in their writings and actions. 

    Pythagoras (570–495 BCE)
    • Pythagoras, an influential Greek philosopher and mathematician, invented the word “philosophy,” first called the universe the “cosmos,” and first used the word “theory” the way it’s used. He’s perhaps best known for the Pythagorean Theorem.1
    • Pythagoras believed humans and animals have a special kinship. He refused to eat animals not because of their intelligence but because of their capacity to feel pleasure and pain.2
    • Pythagoras had followers known as Pythagoreans. Until the 19th century, when the word “vegetarian” came into use, the Pythagorean diet meant what “vegetarian” means now.3
    Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)
    • Leonardo da Vinci was a quintessential Renaissance polymath, renowned for his mastery of art, science, engineering, and painting. Da Vinci was ahead of his time, not only in designing bicycles, airplanes, and helicopters but also in his attitude toward animals. According to one biographer, he was “a man imbued with an uncommon compassion for all living things.”4
    • Leonardo da Vinci said he would not let his body become “a tomb for other animals, an inn of the dead…”5 He loved animals, refused to eat them, and abhorred the thought of hurting them.6
    • In the open markets of Florence, Leonardo da Vinci frequently bought caged birds just to release them, giving back their freedom.7
    Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822)
    • Shelley was a major English Romantic poet known for his lyrical poetry. His works, including “Ozymandias,” “Prometheus Unbound,” and “To a Skylark,” reflect his passion for political and social reform, as well as exploring nature and the human condition. Shelley’s idealism and imaginative style helped shape future literary movements. 
    • Shelley, who one biographer calls the first celebrity vegan,8 regretted that “beings capable of the gentlest and most admirable sympathies, should take delight in the death-pangs and last convulsions of dying animals.”9
    • He wrote a book, A Vindication of Natural Diet, which uses comparative anatomy to show that vegetable diets suit humans best.10
    Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910)
    • Leo Tolstoy was a Russian novelist, philosopher, and social reformer, best known for his epic novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, which explore complex themes of history, morality, and the human experience. He is a leading figure in realist literature and one of the most important literary and philosophical minds of the 19th century.
    • Tolstoy wrote a book titled The First Step: An Essay on the Morals of Diet, which called abstaining from animal foods the first step toward moral perfection.11
    • He says using animal foods “is simply immoral, as it involves the performance of an act which is contrary to the moral feeling—killing; and is called forth only by greediness and the desire for tasty food.12
    • He also condemns self-delusion, saying, “we are not ostriches, and cannot believe that if we refuse to look at what we do not wish to see it will not exist.”13
    George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)
    • George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright, critic, and polemic, renowned for his sharp wit and social commentary. His plays, such as Pygmalion, tackle issues such as class, feminism, and religion. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925.
    • Shaw was one of many to connect animal slaughter to the lack of world peace, saying, “While we ourselves are the living graves of murdered beasts, how can we expect any ideal conditions on this earth?”14
    • Shaw is credited with the famous quote, “Animals are my friends…and I don’t eat my friends.”15
    Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948)
    • Mahatma Gandhi led India’s nonviolent struggle for independence from British rule. He developed and popularized nonviolent resistance, which inspired civil rights movements worldwide—and leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.
    • Gandhi believed “the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man.”16
    • As a young law student in London, he made spreading vegetarianism (the animal ethics standard of the time) his mission,17 and he carried out that mission by writing essays and giving speeches.18
    • It seems he honed his activism skills by being a voice for animals and then used those skills to change the course of human history.

    The Birth of a Movement

    Donald Watson, perhaps with the help of his wife Dorothy or others, coined the word “vegan” in 1944. “Vegan” was formed using the first three letters and last two letters of the word “vegetarian.” That same year, the Vegan Society was formed.19

    Watson was unhappy that “vegetarian” had morphed to include dairy, and he thought a new word for “non-dairy vegetarian” was needed.20

    The Vegan Society’s definition of “veganism” changed over the years, but by 1988, it settled as the one most cited today: “a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose.”21

    This first issue of the Vegan Society newsletter was published in November, 1944.22 The Vegan Society is still active today.23

    In the first issue of the Vegan Society newsletter, Watson predicted humankind would eventually “view with abhorrence the idea that men once fed on the products of animals’ bodies.”24

    Animal exploitation is unjust and causes egregious suffering on a massive scale.

    Note: See our briefing “Animal Agriculture: Cruel and Unjust” for more details, or our even more focused briefings on cows, pigs, chickens, and fish. Future briefings will address the exploitation of animals in entertainment, clothing, sport, and research.

    Slaughter is unjust even if done suddenly and painlessly (which it is not).

    Slaughter, even if sudden and painless, is unjust because it deprives an individual of their future experiences, choices, and right to live.

    Life has inherent value, and ending it disregards the moral worth of the being, regardless of the method.

    The harm of killing goes beyond physical suffering; it is the fundamental injustice of taking away a life that is valued and could have continued.

    Because we have no nutritional need for meat, dairy, or eggs, the deaths those products require are unnecessary, as is the suffering.

    Exploited animals suffer many abuses.

    Below is just a sample of the abuses farmed animals face—abuses that also cause stress, depression, and poor mental health.25

    Violent Slaughter: Shooting | Maceration | Throat Slitting
    • Slaughter methods such as throat slitting, shooting, maceration, electrocution, and gassing inflict extreme suffering, often causing prolonged pain, suffocation, internal burning, or severe bodily trauma due to ineffective stunning and high-speed processing.2627282930313233
    Horrid Living Conditions: Confinement | Crowding | Fecal Filth
    • Farm animals endure extreme confinement, standing in waste-filled enclosures, packed so tightly they cannot move, and suffer from respiratory issues, oxygen deprivation, and disease due to overcrowding and unsanitary conditions.343536373839
    Painful Mutilations: Debeaking | Dehorning | Tail Docking | Castration
    • Farm animals undergo painful mutilations, including beak trimming, castration, tail docking, ear notching, and dehorning, often without anesthetic or pain relief.4041 424344454647
    Denial of Natural Behaviors: Free Movement | Courtship | Sex | Roosting | Rooting | Nurturing and Being Nurtured | Playing | Teaching
    • Farm animals are often separated from their offspring, causing distress and long-term anxiety, while extreme crowding prevents natural behaviors, leading to constant fear and stress..484950515253
    Debilitating Selective Breeding: Larger Breasts | More Milk | More & Bigger Eggs
    • Farm animals are bred for more and larger eggs, larger breasts, excessive milk, and more muscle, causing osteoporosis, broken bones, uterine prolapse, deformities, heart attacks, metabolic diseases, and high mortality rates.5455565758596061
    Reproductive Violations: Semen Collection | Insemination | Separation of Offspring
    • Farm animals endure painful semen collection through electro-ejaculation or forced mounting, while artificial insemination involves invasive procedures that require manual penetration and cause significant stress and discomfort.626364
    Cruel Handling: Beating | Prodding | Transportation | Maceration | Slaughter
    • Farm animals suffer violent handling during transport and confinement, often grabbed, thrown, and crammed into crowded spaces, leading to broken bones, suffocation, and severe injuries. Many endure beatings, kicks, and other physical abuse, causing pain, fear, and lasting harm.6566676869
    Downers: Dragging | Electrocution | Forklifting | Spraying | Left to Die
    • Farm animals who are too weak or injured to stand are often denied veterinary care, beaten, dragged, electrocuted, rammed with forklifts, or simply left to die.70717273

    Farmed animals are slaughtered very young, after living only a fraction of their natural lifespans.

    Animals slaughtered for meat live only 2%–7% of their natural lifespan, laying hens live less than 20% of their natural lifespan, and dairy cows live 30% of their natural lifespan.747576777879

    Humane-sounding labels and certifications are deceptive and largely meaningless.

    Humane labels and certifications are a form of humane washing, deceiving consumers by portraying animal products as ethical while hiding the reality of suffering. Investigations by Consumer Reports and the Open Philanthropy Project found that terms like cage-free, free-range, and pasture-raised are largely meaningless, with audits that are infrequent, ineffective, and rarely enforced.80818283

    Even the highest-tier certifications allow for extreme confinement, lack of exercise and socialization, genetic modifications that cause health issues, and routine practices such as separating calves from their mothers and mass-killing male chicks.”84

    The scope of suffering, as indicated by the numbers slaughtered, is beyond imagination.

    The scale of suffering is immense, with over 70 billion land animals slaughtered each year (FAO85)—99% from factory farms(Sentience86).

    The yearly slaughter toll exceeds the total number of humans who have ever lived.

    Calculation Details

    Public Broadcasting Radio estimates that as of 2022, the total number of humans who have ever lived on Earth is 117 billion.87

    Annually, over 70 billion land animals88 and 51 to 167 billion fish89 are slaughtered.

    The root of the problem is viewing animals as mere things with no inherent worth—that exist only for humans and for maximizing profit.

    Industry publications openly depict farm animals as machines, such as those stating that pigs should be treated like factory equipment and that sows’ purpose is “to pump out baby pigs like a sausage machine.”9091

    Vegan diets can be healthy and protect against chronic disease.

    Note: See our briefing titled “Vegan Diets Can Be Healthy and Protective Against Chronic Disease” for a more detailed look at vegan diets.

    Prominent health organizations embrace a vegan diet.

    Mayo Clinic,92 Harvard Public Health,93 Cleveland Clinic,94 Kaiser Permanente,95 NewYork-Presbyterian,96 and others have all said plant-based diets are not only sufficient but also promote health and help prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol.

    Cleveland Clinic said, “There really are no disadvantages to a herbivorous diet!” and “Obtaining proper nutrients from non-animal sources is simple for the modern herbivore.”97

    Kaiser Permanente even advises their doctors to recommend a plant-based diet to their patients, especially those with high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or obesity.98

    Dietetic associations endorse a vegan diet.

    The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the largest nutrition-focused organization in the world, with over 100,000 credentialed professionals.99 Their 2025 formal position statement endorses well-planned vegan diets as healthy and nutritionally adequate for adults, and says that “…vegan dietary patterns can be recommended by RDNs [Registered Dietitian Nutritionists], when appropriate, for prevention and management of some chronic diseases…”100

    The dietetic associations of other countries, including Canada,101 England,102 and Australia,103 have made similar statements.

    Various plant-based initiatives have shown excellent results.

    Plant Pure Nation

    The Plant Pure Nation initiative went into various rural communities and fed people veganized versions of standard dishes.104

    Participants experienced significant improvements in key health markers, such as reductions in cholesterol levels, blood pressure, blood sugar, triglycerides, and body weight. Many reported better energy levels and a decrease in reliance on medications.105

    The Ornish Reversal Program

    Dr. Ornish’s program106 has been implemented in numerous hospitals and is approved by Medicare.107

    It is the only program scientifically proven in randomized controlled trials to reverse the progression of even severe coronary heart disease without drugs or surgery.108


    All essential nutrients can be obtained without consuming animal products.

    When major health organizations, research institutions, and dietetic associations all say we have no nutritional need for animal products, we’ve reached a scientific consensus.

    Animal agriculture destroys the environment.

    Note: See our briefing titled “The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture” for a more detailed look at animal agriculture’s environmental impacts. 

    Scientists agree animal agriculture is a major driver of environmental destruction.

    The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) called meat the “world’s most urgent problem” and said, “our use of animals as a food-production technology has brought us to the verge of catastrophe.”109

    The Worldwatch Institute said, “The human appetite for animal flesh is a driving force behind virtually every major category of environmental damage now threatening the human future.110

    An article in Georgetown Environmental Law Review sums it up nicely, calling animal agriculture the “one industry that is destroying our planet and our ability to thrive on it.”111

    Vegan diets have the smallest environmental footprint.

    An analysis using data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) determined that vegan diets have roughly half the environmental footprint of a meat-centric diet and 60% the footprint of the average American diet.112

    Findings published in the journal Nature Food in 2023 showed that plant-based diets, compared to meat-rich diets…113

    • produce ~75% fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
    • use ~54% less water.
    • use ~75% less land.

    Animal agriculture’s devastation is far-reaching.

    Livestock or animal agriculture’s contribution to global warming varies from 14.5% to 87% depending on the assumptions made. The higher numbers include the lost opportunity cost of carbon sequestration through reforestation, which is reasonable to include.

    Animal agriculture is not only a leading cause of global warming but also contributes greatly to habitat destruction, deforestation, water waste, water and air pollution, biodiversity loss, desertification, ocean dead zones, and fecal contamination.114

    Animal agriculture is responsible for 80% to 90% of Amazon rainforest destruction (Yale115 and World Bank116).

    Livestock overgrazing is the single greatest cause of desertification worldwide, according to a study published in the Annual Review of Environment and Resources.117

    According to a 2023 study published in Nature Communications, reduced air pollution due to plant-based diets could save over 200,000 human lives per year.118

    Biomass research puts animal agriculture’s dominance of the planet in perspective.

    A 2018 study titled “The biomass distribution on Earth” published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), as analyzed by Our World in Data, revealed the following:119

    • Of all the mammal biomass on Earth, 62% is farm animals, 34% is humans, and 4% is wild animals.
    • The total weight of chickens on farms is approximately 2.5 times the total weight of all wild birds.
    • Humans and livestock combined outweigh wild mammals by about 24 to 1.

    Animal agriculture’s environmental harm stems from its inefficiency.

    Animal agriculture is so inefficient because most of the calories farmed animals consume go toward the animals’ daily living. Also, some calories they consume go toward growing body parts that are not consumed (Applied Animal Nutrition Journal120).

    On average, it takes 24 calories of plant-based feed to produce 1 calorie of animal-based food (World Resources Institute, “Creating a Sustainable Food Future”121).

    Animal agriculture uses 83% of global farmland while producing only 18% of the total calories and 37% of the protein calories that humans consume (2018 study from Oxford122).

    From an environmental perspective, reducing animal agriculture is crucial.

    The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) said, “A substantial reduction of [harmful environmental] impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products.”123

    Sir David Attenborough, broadcaster and naturalist, said,
    “We must change our diet. The planet can’t support billions of meat-eaters.”124

    Veganism is a social justice movement.

    Veganism is a social justice movement in two significant ways. The first concerns how human injustices arise from using animals for food; the second concerns its commonalities with all forms of oppression.

    Human social injustices arising from using animals for food production.

    Animal agriculture leads to food sequestering and shortages, while veganism does the opposite—mitigating global hunger and starvation—as shown in our briefing on the topic.

    Climate change, in which animal agriculture plays a significant role, disproportionately affects the poor, as they are more vulnerable to natural disasters, crop yield losses, and other tragedies.125

    Slaughterhouse workers suffer from high rates of injuries, infections, illnesses, and PITS (Perpetration-Induced Traumatic Stress), a form of PTSD126

    Rates of violent crime, including domestic abuse and rape, are higher in communities near slaughterhouses.127

    One example of animal agriculture’s environmental injustice comes from North Carolina, where the feces and urine of 9.5 million swine from over 2,000 high-density farms is stored in open-air cesspools. Due to this inadequate storage, the waste is sprayed into fields and drifts into the yards and homes of the poor community nearby. This results in not only foul odors but also asthma attacks, bronchitis, and runny noses and eyes.128 After decades, the problem still persists.129

    Social justice is anti-oppression.

    Veganism has been recognized as a social justice movement since the movement’s beginning in 1944.

    • In the first issue of the Vegan Society newsletter, The Vegan News, Watson says, “We can see quite plainly that our present civilization is built on the exploitation of animals, just as past civilizations were built on the exploitation of slaves…”130

    The various forms of oppression, whether of humans or animals, share common mechanisms and structures. All forms of oppression use power dynamics, social hierarchies, and cultural norms to objectify, dehumanize, hurt, and control.131132

    A. Breeze Harper (aka Sistah Vegan), Carol Adams, and other ecofeminists have written extensively on how various forms of oppression are connected.133134

    Joaquin Phoenix, during his Academy Award acceptance speech in 2020, summarized this connection:

    • “I see commonality. Whether we’re talking about gender inequality or racism or queer rights or indigenous rights or animal rights, we’re talking about the fight against injustice. We’re talking about the fight against the belief that one nation, one people, one race, one gender or one species has the right to dominate, control and use and exploit another with impunity.”135

    Philosophical frameworks support ethical veganism.

    The Deontological Rights-Based Approach

    Tom Regan, in his book The Case for Animal Rights (1983), argues that animals are “subjects of a life” and thus possess inherent value, making animal exploitation morally impermissible, regardless of the circumstances.136

    Tom Regan says, “The philosophy of animal rights stands for, not against, justice. We are not to violate the rights of the few so that the many might benefit. Slavery allows this, child labor allows this, all unjust social institutions allow this, but not the philosophy of animal rights, whose highest principle is justice.”137

    See The Rights-Based Approach to Animal Ethics for more on this framework.

    Utilitarianism

    Utilitarianism, a philosophical framework developed by Jeremy Bentham and later expanded by John Stuart Mill, supports the end of animal exploitation by emphasizing the principle of the greatest happiness for the greatest number.138

    Jeremy Bentham famously applies this principle to animals: “The question is not, can they reason, nor can they talk, but can they suffer?139

    Peter Singer, a contemporary philosopher, applies utilitarianism to animal ethics in his seminal work Animal Liberation (1975), arguing that causing animals unnecessary suffering for human benefit is ethically unjustifiable. He applies the concept of “equal consideration of interests.”140

    Virtue Ethics

    Virtue ethics, first articulated by Aristotle, focuses on the moral agent’s character rather than specific actions or consequences.141

    In the context of animal ethics, philosopher Rosalind Hursthouse argues that a virtuous person would be compassionate and kind toward animals—and oppose practices that cause suffering.142

    The Ethics of Care

    The ethics of care, developed by feminist philosophers like Carol Gilligan and Nel Noddings, emphasizes the importance of relationships, empathy, and care in moral decision-making. This approach argues that ethical considerations should be grounded in the nurturing of relationships and the well-being of others, including animals.143

    From an ethics of care perspective, exploiting animals is wrong because it neglects our responsibility to care for and protect vulnerable beings who depend on us.144

    The case for veganism is simple.

    We have shown that plant-based diets can be healthy and protect against chronic disease and that exploiting animals greatly harms the environment and causes suffering on a massive scale.

    If you can live a healthy life without the culpability of paying others to breed, mistreat, and violently kill animals, why wouldn’t you?

    By living vegan, you prevent the suffering and slaughter of many innocent lives who would’ve been born or hatched into a system of violence.

    An analysis by Animal Charity Evaluators concluded that a person can spare 105 vertebrates a year by going vegan.145 A popular vegan calculator, using different assumptions, estimates the total number of animals (not just vertebrates) spared annually to be over 300.146

    Getting started may be easier than you think.

    Many vegans once said, “I could never be vegan.” Our briefing Getting Started with Going Vegan provides helpful suggestions that will send you on your way.

    Claim: Veganism is invalid because [fill in the blank].

    The objections to veganism are weak and often based on inadequate research, bad logic, or irrelevant arguments.

    We cover the most common objections to veganism in our growing objections section. More such briefings are on the way.

    Veganism is on the rise.

    Veganism’s rising popularity is reflected in the rapidly growing number of vegan choices in restaurants, grocery stores, clothing stores, cosmetics, etc., as well as the proliferation of vegan celebrities, public figures, and professional athletes.147 Veganism is becoming mainstream.148

    According to the high-dollar market research firm Global Data, between 2014 and 2017, the number of vegans in the U.S. grew five-fold (500%).149

    The meat industry not only harms animals.

    Video: Inside the Meat Industry
    Related Briefings

    Getting Started with Going Vegan provides practical suggestions and links to helpful resources.

    Our briefings on the injustices suffered by cows, pigs, chickens, and fish provide a fuller picture of the horrors they endure.

    Our briefing on vegan diets looks at vegan health and nutrition.

    Our briefing on the environment delves into animal agriculture’s environmental destruction.

    Other Resources

    “Veganism in 2025: Breaking Barriers, Building Change” by Michael Corthel discusses the significant advancements and societal shifts in veganism by 2025, highlighting the growing mainstream acceptance, innovative food technologies, and the positive impacts on health, environment, and animal rights and welfare.

    The Vegan Society’s History page outlines the organization’s history, from its founding in 1944 by Donald Watson to its ongoing mission to promote veganism.

    Advocacy Notes
    Elevator Pitch

    The first four paragraphs in the Summary section make for an excellent forty-second elevator pitch. Here is an even more condensed version for a seventeen-second pitch:

    • Veganism is about living in a way that avoids contributing to the exploitation and cruelty toward other animals, when feasible. It’s grounded in ethics while also recognizing benefits to the planet and human health. And by advocating for other animals, it aligns with other social justice movements, offering a clear and compassionate way forward.
    Tips for Advocacy and Outreach

    General Tips

    This briefing is not only a core briefing but also the foundation of the briefing hierarchy, in the sense that many of the other briefings expand on this one.

    This briefing, together with the other core briefings and the objections briefings,  provide essential knowledge that will go a long way in preparing you to discuss veganism with others.

    The Socratic-style questions shown here are broad and general—the topic is just too large for anything more. See the Advocacy Notes sections of other briefings for more detailed responses.

    Since many people have little knowledge about what veganism actually is, your role in outreach is to make it accessible, compelling, and aligned with their values.

    Show That Veganism Is About Ethics, Not Just Diet

    People often think veganism is just a diet rather than a way of living and a movement to minimize harm.

    • “If we can live without harming animals unnecessarily, why wouldn’t we?”
    • “Veganism isn’t about personal purity—it’s about reducing suffering. Does that align with your values?”

    Why? This shifts the focus from food choices to ethical responsibility.

    Make It Clear That Veganism Has a Long History

    Many assume veganism is a modern trend, but it has deep historical roots.

    • “Did you know figures like Pythagoras, Leonardo da Vinci, and Gandhi rejected eating animals long before the term ‘vegan’ existed?”
    • “’Vegan’ as a word didn’t appear until 1944—but it’s part of a long tradition of people questioning the ethics of exploiting animals. Why do you think so many great thinkers took this stance?”

    Why? This shows that concern for animals isn’t new or extreme—it’s a long-standing moral stance.

    Highlight That Major Health Institutions Support Vegan Diets

    People worry that vegan diets are nutritionally inadequate, but major health organizations disagree.

    • “Did you know the world’s largest dietetic association, The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, says a well-planned vegan diet is healthy and protective against some diseases?”
    • “If the Mayo Clinic, Harvard Public Health, and the Cleveland Clinic all say plant-based diets promote health and prevent disease, does that change your perception?”

    Why? This combats the misconception that veganism is unhealthy or extreme.

    Connect Veganism to Environmental Sustainability

    Animal agriculture is one of the biggest drivers of environmental destruction.

    • “Did you know the UN called meat ‘the world’s most urgent problem’ due to its environmental impact?”
    • “Since animal agriculture contributes at least as much to climate change than the entire transportation sector, how do you think food choices impact the planet?”

    Why? This reframes veganism as a solution to environmental crises, not just an individual choice.

    Expose the Reality of Animal Agriculture

    Many people don’t realize the scale of suffering farmed animals endure.

    • “Are you aware that over 70 billion land animals are slaughtered every year for food—more than the total number of humans who have ever lived?”
    • “Labels like ‘cage-free’ and ‘humane-certified’ often mislead consumers—would it surprise you that most of these animals still endure extreme suffering?”

    Why? This encourages people to question the humane myth and reconsider their participation.

    Frame Veganism as a Social Justice Issue for Humans and Other Animals

    It challenges all forms of oppression and systems that harm marginalized communities.

    • “Can you see that all forms of oppression are related, whether inflicted on humans or other animals. “
    • “Did you know slaughterhouse workers suffer PTSD-like symptoms from killing animals every day?”
    • “Factory farms disproportionately pollute poor communities. Does it seem fair that low-income areas suffer from the waste of industrial farms?”

    Why? This helps connect veganism to other justice movements, making it more relevant.

    Show That All Major Ethical Philosophies Support Veganism

    No matter what ethical framework someone follows, it leads to rejecting animal exploitation.

    • “Rights-based ethics say sentient beings deserve respect and the right to live their lives without human oppression. If animals are ‘subjects of a life,’ don’t they deserve the same moral consideration?”
    • “Utilitarianism says we should minimize suffering. Since animal agriculture causes immense suffering, doesn’t that mean we should avoid it?”

    Why? This forces them to reconcile their beliefs with their food choices.

    Make It Clear That Going Vegan Is Easier Than Ever

    People resist veganism because they assume it’s too hard.

    • “With plant-based options everywhere, do you think going vegan today is harder than it was ten years ago?”
    • “If I could show you easy ways to transition, would you be open to trying it for a week?”

    Why? This makes veganism feel practical and achievable.

    Leave Them With a Thought-Provoking Question

    Instead of arguing, leave them with a question that challenges their perspective.

    • “If you can live a healthy life without contributing to suffering, what’s stopping you?”
    • “What’s the biggest barrier for you in considering veganism? I’d love to hear your thoughts.”

    Why? This keeps the conversation open and encourages self-reflection.

    1. Magee, Bryan. The Story of Philosophy. DK Pub., 1998. 15 ↩︎
    2. Huffman, Carl. “Pythagoras.” In The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, edited by Edward N. Zalta, Summer 2014. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, 2014. ↩︎
    3. Zaraska, Marta. Meathooked: The History and Science of Our 2.5-Million-Year Obsession with Meat. 1 edition. New York: Basic Books, 2016. 119-120 ↩︎
    4. White, Michael. Leonardo: The First Scientist. 1st edition. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2000, 131 ↩︎
    5. White, Michael. Leonardo: The First Scientist. 1st edition. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2000, 131 ↩︎
    6. Horowitz, David. “History of Vegetarianism – Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519).” International Vegetarian Union, July 19, 2002. ↩︎
    7. McCurdy, Edward. The Mind of Leonardo Da Vinci. Dover Ed edition. Dover Publications, 2013, 78. ↩︎
    8. Jones, Michael Owen. “In Pursuit of Percy Shelley, “The First Celebrity Vegan”: An Essay on Meat, Sex, and Broccoli.” Journal of Folklore Research, vol. 53 no. 2, 2016, p. 1-30. Project MUSE. ↩︎
    9. Shelley, Percy Bysshe. A Vindication of Natural Diet. Percy Bysshe Shelley. A public domain book. Vegetarian Society, 1884. A Public Domain Book. 25. ↩︎
    10. Shelley, Percy Bysshe. A Vindication of Natural Diet. Percy Bysshe Shelley. A public domain book. Vegetarian Society, 1884. A Public Domain Book. 25 ↩︎
    11. Tolstoy, Leo. 1900. The First Step: An Essay on the Morals of Diet, to Which Are Added Two Stories. Albert Broadbent. 61, 6 ↩︎
    12. Tolstoy, Leo. 1900. The First Step: An Essay on the Morals of Diet, to Which Are Added Two Stories. Albert Broadbent. 61, 6 ↩︎
    13. Tolstoy, Leo. 1900. The First Step: An Essay on the Morals of Diet, to Which Are Added Two Stories. Albert Broadbent. 58-59 ↩︎
    14. Richards, Jennie. “George Bernard Shaw Poem, ‘We Are The Living Graves of Murdered Beasts.’” Humane Decisions, January 15, 2015. ↩︎
    15. Richards, Jennie. “George Bernard Shaw Poem, ‘We Are The Living Graves of Murdered Beasts.’” Humane Decisions, January 15, 2015. ↩︎
    16. Gandhi, Mahatma. “Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth.” Courier Corporation, 1948, 208..
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    17. Gandhi, Mahatma. “Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth.” Accessed February 3, 2018. 52. ↩︎
    18. Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948).” International Vegetarian Union. Accessed October 16, 2017. ↩︎
    19. “History.” The Vegan Society, 2019. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
    20. “History.” The Vegan Society, 2019. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
    21. “History.” The Vegan Society, 2019. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
    22. Watson, Donald. “The Vegan News – No. 1.” UK Veggie, November 1944. ↩︎
    23. The Vegan Society. “The Vegan Society.” The Vegan Society, 2022. ↩︎
    24. Watson, Donald. “The Vegan News – No. 1.” UK Veggie, November 1944. ↩︎
    25. O’keffee, Jill. “The Inhumane Psychological Treatment of Factory Farmed Animals | New Roots Institute”. ↩︎
    26. Shields, Sara J., and A. B. M. Raj. “A Critical Review of Electrical Water-Bath Stun Systems for Poultry Slaughter and Recent Developments in Alternative Technologies.” Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science13, no. 4 (September 17, 2010): 281–99. ↩︎
    27. Pitney, Nico. “Scientists Believe The Chickens We Eat Are Being Slaughtered While Conscious.” HuffPost, 24:58 400AD.  ↩︎
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    29. Warrick, Jo. “‘They Die Piece by Piece.’” Washington Post, April 10, 2001. Accessed December 3, 2019 ↩︎
    30. Mood, Alison. “Worse Things Happen at Sea: The Welfare of Wild-Caught Fish.” fishcount.org.uk, 2010  ↩︎
    31. “The Stunning and Killing of Pigs“, Humane Slaughter Association, May 2007 ↩︎
    32. “Is Gas Killing the Pig Industry’s Darkest Secret?“, Phillip Lymbery, November 11, 2021 ↩︎
    33. Matthew Zampa, “There’s Nothing “Humane” About Killing Pigs in Gas Chambers,” Sentient Media, November 12, 2019 ↩︎
    34. “Overview of Cattle Laws | Animal Legal & Historical Center.” Accessed November 28, 2019. ↩︎
    35. Haarlem, R. P. van, R. L. Desjardins, Z. Gao, T. K. Flesch, and X. Li. “Methane and Ammonia Emissions from a Beef Feedlot in Western Canada for a Twelve-Day Period in the Fall.” Canadian Journal of Animal Science 88, no. 4 (December 2008): 641–49. Accessed December 3, 2019. ↩︎
    36. Fox, Michael. “Factory Farming.” The Humane Society Institute for Science and Policy, 1980 ↩︎
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    38. Stevenson, Peter, Compassion in World Farming (Organization), and World Society for the Protection of Animals. Closed Waters: The Welfare of Farmed Atlantic Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Atlantic Cod and Atlantic Halibut. Godalming, Surrey: Compassion in World Farming, 2007. ↩︎
    39. Consumer Reports Greener Choices. “Cage-free on a package of chicken: Does It Add Value?” March 5, 2018. ↩︎
    40. Welfare Implications of Beak Trimming.” American Veterinary Medical Association, February 7, 2010 ↩︎
    41. See https://vbriefings.org/pig-injustices for citations. ↩︎
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    44. Robbins, Ja, Dm Weary, Ca Schuppli, and Mag von Keyserlingk. “Stakeholder Views on Treating Pain Due to Dehorning Dairy Calves.” Animal Welfare 24, no. 4 (November 14, 2015): 399–406. Accessed December 3, 2019. ↩︎
    45. USDA: Reference of Beef Cow-calf Management Practices in the United States, 2007–08 ↩︎
    46. “Castration of Calves.” Accessed November 19, 2019 ↩︎
    47. Robertson, I.S., J.E. Kent, and V. Molony. “Effect of Different Methods of Castration on Behaviour and Plasma Cortisol in Calves of Three Ages.” Research in Veterinary Science 56, no. 1 (January 1994): 8–17. Accessed December 3, 2019 ↩︎
    48. Marchant-Forde, Jeremy N., Ruth M. Marchant-Forde, and Daniel M. Weary. “Responses of Dairy Cows and Calves to Each Other’s Vocalisations after Early Separation.” Applied Animal Behaviour Science 78, no. 1 (August 2002): 19–28. Accessed December 3, 2019. ↩︎
    49. Wagner, Kathrin, Daniel Seitner, Kerstin Barth, Rupert Palme, Andreas Futschik, and Susanne Waiblinger. “Effects of Mother versus Artificial Rearing during the First 12 Weeks of Life on Challenge Responses of Dairy Cows.” Applied Animal Behaviour Science 164 (March 2015): 1–11. Accessed December 3, 2019. ↩︎
    50. Prescott, N.B. and Wathes, C.M., (2002). Preference and motivation of laying hens to eat under different illuminances and the effect of illuminance on eating behavior.  British Poultry Science, 43: 190-195 ↩︎
    51. Eugen, Kaya von, Rebecca E. Nordquist, Elly Zeinstra, and Franz Josef van der Staay. “Stocking Density Affects Stress and Anxious Behavior in the Laying Hen Chick During Rearing.” Animals : An Open Access Journal from MDPI9, no. 2 (February 10, 2019). ↩︎
    52. Marino, Lori. “Thinking Chickens: A Review of Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior in the Domestic Chicken.” Animal Cognition20, no. 2 (2017): 127–47. ↩︎
    53. Appleby, M.C. “What Causes Crowding? Effects of Space, Facilities and Group Size on Behavior, with Particular Reference to Furnished Cages for Hens.” Animal Welfare13 (August 1, 2004): 313–20. ↩︎
    54. Cheng, H.-W. “Breeding of Tomorrow’s Chickens to Improve Well-Being.” Poultry Science 89, no. 4 (April 1, 2010): 805–13 ↩︎
    55. Jamieson, Alastair. “Large Eggs Cause Pain and Stress to Hens, Shoppers Are Told,” March 11, 2009, sec. Finance ↩︎
    56. Hartcher, K.M., and H.K. Lum. “Genetic Selection of Broilers and Welfare Consequences: A Review.” World’s Poultry Science Journal, vol. 76, no. 1, 21 Dec. 2019, pp. 154–167. ↩︎
    57. Prunier, A., M. Heinonen, and H. Quesnel. “High Physiological Demands in Intensively Raised Pigs: Impact on Health and Welfare.” Animal 4, no. 6 (June 2010): 886–98. ↩︎
    58. Prunier, A., M. Heinonen, and H. Quesnel. “High Physiological Demands in Intensively Raised Pigs: Impact on Health and Welfare.” Animal 4, no. 6 (June 2010): 886–98. ↩︎
    59. Broom, Donald. “The Roles of Industry and Science, including genetic selection, in improving animal welfare,” Animal Science and Biotechnologies 42, no. 2 (2009): 532–46. ↩︎
    60. Prunier, A., M. Heinonen, and H. Quesnel. “High Physiological Demands in Intensively Raised Pigs: Impact on Health and Welfare.” Animal 4, no. 6 (June 2010): 886–98. ↩︎
    61. Webster, John. Animal Welfare. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2000. 88, 139-140. ↩︎
    62. Colorado State Animal Science, “Semen Collection from Bulls.” September 2, 2002 ↩︎
    63. Rajala-Schultz, Gustavo M. Schuenemann, Santiago Bas, Armando Hoet, Eric Gordon, Donald Sanders, Klibs N. Galvão and Päivi. “A.I. Cover Sheaths Improved Fertility in Lactating Dairy Cows.” Progressive Dairy. Accessed December 3, 2019. ↩︎
    64. The Beef Site. “Artificial Insemination for Beef Cattle.” Accessed November 29, 2019. ↩︎
    65. Chickens Suffer during Catching, Loading, and Transport.” Accessed June 12, 2019  ↩︎
    66. Jacobs, Leonie, Evelyne Delezie, Luc Duchateau, Klara Goethals, and Frank A. M. Tuyttens. “Impact of the Separate Pre-Slaughter Stages on Broiler Chicken Welfare. ↩︎
    67. “WATCH: Criminal Animal Abuse Caught on Video at Walmart Pork Supplier,” Mercy for Animals, May 6, 2015 ↩︎
    68. One can find numerous pig abuse videos from multiple sources with this search ↩︎
    69. “The Horrifying Truth About Pig Farms,” NowThis February 25, 2020 ↩︎
    70. Slaughterhouse Investigation: Cruel and Unhealthy Practices. Humane Society of the United States, Youtube, 2008. Accessed December 3, 2019. ↩︎
    71. “Cattle abuse wasn’t rare occurrence“, ABC New ↩︎
    72. Guest Contributor. “Watch: A Dairy Industry Exposé: Death, Cages and Downers.” The London Economic, 9 May 2018, www.thelondoneconomic.com/must-reads/a-dairy-industry-expose-death-cages-and-downers-88240/. Accessed 31 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
    73. “WATCH: Criminal Animal Abuse Caught on Video at Walmart Pork Supplier,” Mercy for Animals, May 6, 2015 ↩︎
    74. “Age of Animals Slaughtered,” Farm Transparency Project, October 12, 2017. ↩︎
    75. “Age of Animals Slaughtered,” Farm Transparency Project, October 12, 2017. ↩︎
    76. “Age of Animals Slaughtered,” Farm Transparency Project, October 12, 2017. ↩︎
    77. What Happens with Male Chicks in the Egg Industry? – RSPCA Knowledgebase. ↩︎
    78. “Age of Animals Slaughtered,” Farm Transparency Project, October 12, 2017. ↩︎
    79. “Age of Animals Slaughtered,” Farm Transparency Project, October 12, 2017. ↩︎
    80. “The Dirt on Humanewashing | Publications.” Farm Forward, 13 Dec. 2020. ↩︎
    81. Investigations were carried out in 2016 by Consumer Reports and published on various pages of their greenchoices.org website. These pages have since been removed, but can reached from this archive link. ↩︎
    82. Investigations were carried out in 2016 by Consumer Reports and published on various pages of their greenchoices.org website. These pages have since been removed, but can reached from this archive link. ↩︎
    83. “Global Animal Partnership — General Support (2016) | Open Philanthropy.” Open Philanthropy, 30 July 2024, www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/global-animal-partnership-general-support-2016/. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
    84. “The Dirt on Humanewashing | Publications.” Farm Forward, 13 Dec. 2020. ↩︎
    85. Derived from United Nations FAO statistics for 2017: “FAOSTAT.” ↩︎
    86. “US Factory Farming Estimates.” Sentience Institute. Accessed 2022-06-23 ↩︎
    87. Kaneda, Toshiko, and Carl Haub. “How Many People Have Ever Lived on Earth?” PRB, 15 Nov 2022. ↩︎
    88. Derived from United Nations FAO statistics for 2017: “FAOSTAT.” ↩︎
    89. Estimates are from United Nations FAO data compiled by Fishcount UK. Fish Count UK: “Estimated Numbers of Individuals in Annual Global Capture Tonnage (FAO) of Fish Species (2007 – 2016)“; “Estimated Numbers of Individuals in Global Aquaculture Production (FAO) of Fish Species (2017)“; “Estimated numbers of individuals in average annual fish capture (FAO) by country fishing fleets (2007 – 2016)”; “Estimated numbers of individuals in aquaculture production (FAO) of fish species (2017).” ↩︎
    90. Marina Bolotnikova provided solid visual evidence for this quote in “Forget They Are an Animal”, Current Affairs, August 2022 ↩︎
    91. Marina Bolotnikova provided solid visual evidence for this quote in “Forget They Are an Animal”, Current Affairs, August 2022 ↩︎
    92. {{{“Vegetarian Diet: How to Get the Best Nutrition.” Mayo Clinic. Accessed August 2, 2017. ↩︎
    93. “Becoming a Vegetarian.” Harvard Health Publications Harvard Medical School, March 18, 2016. ↩︎
    94. ↩︎
    95. Phillip J Tuso, MD, Mohamed H Ismail, MD, Benjamin P Ha, MD, and Carole Bartolotto, MD, RD. “Nutritional Update for Physicians: Plant-Based Diets.” The Permanente Journal – The Permanente Press – Kaiser Permanente – Permanente Medical Groups, 2013. ↩︎
    96. Ask A Nutritionist: Plant-Based Diets.” NewYork-Presbyterian, March 30, 2017 ↩︎
    97. “Understanding Vegetarianism & Heart Health.” Cleveland Clinic, December 2013. ↩︎
    98. Phillip J Tuso, MD, Mohamed H Ismail, MD, Benjamin P Ha, MD, and Carole Bartolotto, MD, RD. “Nutritional Update for Physicians: Plant-Based Diets.” The Permanente Journal – The Permanente Press – Kaiser Permanente – Permanente Medical Groups, 2013. ↩︎
    99. “About Us.” Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Accessed August 2, 2017. ↩︎
    100. Raj, Sudha, et al. “Vegetarian Dietary Patterns for Adults: A Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.” PDF. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 7 Feb. 2025.  ↩︎
    101. “Healthy Eating Guidelines for Vegans.” Dietitians of Canada, November 2017. ↩︎
    102. “British Dietetic Association.” The Vegan Society. Accessed August 3, 2017. ↩︎
    103. “Vegan Diets: Everything You Need to Know – Dietitians Association of Australia.” Dietitians Association of Australia. Accessed August 3, 2017. ↩︎
    104. The PlantPure Nation documentary video can be watched free on Tubi and Amazon Prime Video, and is also available for rent or purchase on Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Apple. ↩︎
    105. The PlantPure Nation documentary video can be watched free on Tubi and Amazon Prime Video, and is also available for rent or purchase on Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Apple. ↩︎
    106. Ornish, Dean. “Ornish Reversal Program.” Ornish Lifestyle Medicine, ↩︎
      CDC. “Leading Causes of Death.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 May 2024.  ↩︎
    107. “Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation (ICR) Programs | CMS.” Cms.gov, 2014. Accessed 12 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
    108. UCLA Health. Scientifically Proven Research for the Dr. Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease. ↩︎
      ↩︎
    109. UNEP Article 2018, “Tackling the world’s most urgent problem: meat,” Accessed 2022-05-21 ↩︎
    110. World Watch Magazine July-August 2004 via The Face on Your Plate: The Truth About Food, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson · 2010. 57, Google Books, Accessed 2022-06-20 ↩︎
    111. Christopher Hyner. “A Leading Cause of Everything: One Industry That Is Destroying Our Planet and Our Ability to Thrive on It.” Georgetown Environmental Law Review, October 23, 2015. ↩︎
    112. Wilson, Lindsay. “The Carbon Foodprint of 5 Diets Compared.” Shrink That Footprint, 28 June 2022. ↩︎
    113. Scarborough, P., Clark, M., Cobiac, L. et al. Vegans, vegetarians, fish-eaters and meat-eaters in the UK show discrepant environmental impacts. Nat Food 4, 565–574 (2023) via Yale Environment 360 ↩︎
    114. vBriefings. The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture.Section. 2024. ↩︎
    115. “Cattle Ranching in the Amazon Region | Yale School of the Environment,Global Forest Atlas.”Accessed 19 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
    116. “Margulis, Sergio. 2004. Causes of Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon. World Bank Working Paper;No. 22. © Washington, DC: World Bank. ↩︎
    117. Asner, Gregory P., et al. “GRAZING SYSTEMS, ECOSYSTEM RESPONSES, and GLOBAL CHANGE.” Annual Review of Environment and Resources, vol. 29, no. 1, 21 Nov. 2004, pp. 261–299. ↩︎
    118. Springmann, M., Van Dingenen, R., Vandyck, T. et al. The global and regional air quality impacts of dietary change. Nat Commun 14, 6227 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41789-3 ↩︎
    119. Hannah Ritchie (2022) – “Wild mammals make up only a few percent of the world’s mammals” Published online at OurWorldinData.org. ↩︎
    120. James Rowe and John Nolan, Energy Requirements of Livestock. The Theory and Practice of Animal Nutrition, Applied Animal Nutrition Journal 2009 ↩︎
    121. The 24 to 1 figure was calculated from the table on page 37, figure 12, by averaging the ratios of calories in to calories out among the different animal products. For example, pigs consume 10 calories to get one calorie of pork out (100/10). If you average beef (100), milk (14), shrimp (14), pork (10), chicken (9), fin fish (8), and egg (13), you get 24. If sheep and buffalo milk were included, the average would be even more concerning.. “Creating a Sustainable Food Future.” World Resources Institute, 2013-2014. ↩︎
    122. Poore, J., and T. Nemecek. “Reducing Food’s Environmental Impacts through Producers and Consumers.” Science 360, no. 6392 (June 2018): 987–92 ↩︎
    123. UNEP Analysis 2010, Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production Accessed 2022-05-20 ↩︎
    124. Pritchett, Liam. “David Attenborough Wants You to Go Plant-Based for the Planet.” LIVEKINDLY, 26 Aug. 2020. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
    125. Roome, John. “Rapid, Climate-Informed Development Needed to Keep Climate Change from Pushing More than 100 Million People into Poverty by 2030.” World Bank, 2015. ↩︎
    126. Heanue, Oscar. “For Slaughterhouse Workers, Physical Injuries Are Only the Beginning.” OnLabor, 17 Jan. 2022. ↩︎
    127. Fitzgerald, Amy J., Linda Kalof, and Thomas Dietz. “Slaughterhouses and Increased Crime Rates: An Empirical Analysis of the Spillover From ‘The Jungle’ Into the Surrounding Community.” Organization & Environment 22, no. 2 (June 2009): 158–84. Accessed December 3 2019. ↩︎
    128. Bernard, Sara. “Giant Hog Farms Are Making People Sick. Here’s Why It’s a Civil Rights Issue.” Grist, Grist, 6 Nov. 2014. Accessed 30 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
    129. Newsome, Melba. “Decades of Legal Battles over Pollution by Industrial Hog Farms Haven’t Changed Much for Eastern NC Residents Burdened by Environmental Racism.” North Carolina Health News, 29 Oct. 2021. ↩︎
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    133. Adams, Carol J. The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory. Bloomsbury Academic, 2010 ↩︎
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  • Getting Started with Going Vegan

    Getting Started with Going Vegan

    Transitioning to a vegan lifestyle starts with a commitment to change, supported by a transition strategy that’s right for you. Seeking help from local or online vegan communities provides encouragement, answers to questions, and valuable resources. While no vegan is perfect and perfection is impossible, embracing this journey as an adventure opens the door to discovering new foods, recipes, and flavors, making the transition both enriching and enjoyable.

    It’s common for someone interested in taking the next steps toward veganism to ask how to go about it.

    We hope the suggestions in this briefing will help you make the transition.

    It’s also important that you continue to learn about how the ethical, environmental, and human health issues intersect with our exploitation of animals.

    Make a commitment.

    Perhaps the most important way to start is to make a commitment—a promise to yourself to follow some course of action.

    Once you read the tips below, particularly the ones involving strategies, commit to the strategies you have chosen and stick to the commitment.

    Make the commitment as strong as possible and as concrete as possible.

    Realize that perfection is impossible.

    Animal products are near ubiquitous—they can be found in bags, car tires, glue, and a wide range of other products for which there are no viable substitutes or for which alternatives are difficult to obtain.

    Vegans seek to eliminate harm to animals, according to the most widely accepted definition of veganism, “as far as is possible and practicable…”1

    Don’t get frustrated because you can’t be perfect. There are no perfect vegans.

    Get support and stay connected.

    Seeking connections and support and from other vegans can make your transition easier and more enjoyable. Here are some ways to stay connected and find encouragement.

    Find Local Vegan Groups

    Look for vegan meetups and Facebook groups in your area that organize potlucks, dining outings, and other social activities. These groups provide a great way to connect with like-minded individuals, share experiences, and get practical advice.

    To find vegan groups in a specific location, try searching Google with phrases like “Vegan meetups near [Your City]” or look on Facebook for groups such as “Vegans [Your City]”.

    Stay Informed with Vegan News

    Keep up with the latest in veganism by following vegan news sources.

    • Plant Based News. A leading platform offering the latest updates on veganism, including health, environmental issues, and animal rights. 
    • VegNews. A popular website and magazine featuring vegan recipes, travel guides, news, and product reviews. 

    Join Online Support Communities

    In addition to local groups, there are several national and international groups dedicated to helping new vegans.

    • New Vegan Support is a private Facebook group with over 50,000 members and frequent discussions. While anyone can join, only members can see posts, providing a supportive and private space for questions and advice. Anyone can post, so beware of misinformation.

    Get Structured Guidance

    Structured programs offer step-by-step support, practical resources, and expert guidance to help you transition to a vegan lifestyle with confidence.

    • Vegan Outreach’s “10 Weeks to Vegan” program, which provides weekly tips, resources, and community support to help you successfully transition to a vegan lifestyle.
    • Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s 30-Day Vegan Challenge is a comprehensive paid program designed to guide individuals through a month-long transition to a vegan lifestyle. The challenge offers daily support and resources to address common questions and challenges faced by new vegans.

    Transition at a sustainable pace.

    There are numerous ways to go about transitioning to veganism—and the process is so personal—that it is virtually impossible to lay out a strict blueprint that will work for everyone. However, you should consider how fast you want to transition.

    A good general rule is to proceed as rapidly as you can, but not so fast that you feel overwhelmed and give up. Keep in mind that once the transition has been made, your new ways of eating and purchasing will become second nature.

    Choose a grocery transition strategy.

    Here are a few overall strategies you might choose in purchasing groceries:

    Transition All at Once

    Not everyone finds it agreeable to immediately throw out existing supplies of meat, eggs, cheese, milk, and processed foods that have animal ingredients.

    For those who can, transitioning all at once shows the highest commitment and encourages success.

    In being exposed to the information that contributed to your decision to go vegan, you have likely lost at least some of your appetite for animal products. If this is true for you, then this option is the most viable.

    As Food Runs Out

    With this strategy, you run down existing supplies and replace animal products with vegan items when the supply of any particular item is exhausted.

    Some choose this method because they are on a tight budget.

    A Hybrid Strategy

    A compromise approach between the above two strategies is to throw out the items that are most obviously animals, such as meat, eggs, cheese, and milk, and then replace other things that have smaller quantities of animal ingredients as they run out.

    A Meal or a Type of Food at a Time

    Some have chosen to eat vegan for breakfast for a week, then also lunch for the next week, then also dinner.

    Others have chosen to replace one food at a time.

    For example, you might decide to replace animal milk with plant milk this week and then meat with either vegan meats or whole-food recipes the next week. And so on.

    Learn new recipes and how to veganize your favorites.

    There are plenty of vegan recipes available with a quick online search. There are many vegan recipe books as well.

    As you start to interact with other vegans at meetups—and on Facebook and other platforms—exchanging information on recipes and recipe books will become a joy.

    You can also make your favorite recipes vegan by substituting ingredients. Just search for “how to veganize recipes,” and you will be connected to several articles discussing how to accomplish this.

    Here are a few popular vegan recipe sites:

    • Forks Over Knives, in their recipe section, provides hundreds of healthy, delicious and easy to prepare recipes developed by professional chefs.
    • Oh She Glows was created by New York Times bestselling author Angela Liddon, this site offers a wide range of healthy and accessible vegan recipes.
    • Nora Cooks offers easy and delicious vegan recipes that are approachable, full of flavor, and made with everyday ingredients.

    Become familiar with food labeling.

    Note: Some vegans choose to overlook trace animal ingredients in packaged foods or products, recognizing that perfection isn’t practicable or possible.

    Many foods have ingredients with names that obscure that the ingredients are derived from animals.

    Some ingredients are almost always animal-based. These include albumin, aspic, casein, cod liver oil, collagen, elastin, gelatin, honey, isinglass, keratin, lactose, lard, pepsin, propolis, royal jelly, shellac, tallow, certain forms of vitamin D3, and whey.2

    Other ingredients, such as glycerine, glycerol, lactic acid, mono- and diglycerides, and stearic acid, can come from either animal or plant sources.3 Hopefully, the label will indicate if they are plant-derived.

    Online resources and apps can help:

    • Is It Vegan provides an app that allows users to scan product barcodes to determine if they are vegan. It analyzes ingredients and provides a clear answer, helping users make informed choices while shopping.
    • Double Check Vegan is a free online tool that allows users to verify the vegan status of products by pasting a list of ingredients.

    Plan for eating out.

    Dining out as a vegan is easier than ever with the growing availability of plant-based options. Before eating out, it’s a good idea to check the online menu and call ahead with any questions about what is vegan or can be made vegan. This can help you avoid surprises and ensure a smoother experience. Also, you should never hesitate to ask your server for clarification.

    Supporting fully vegan restaurants whenever possible helps grow demand for ethical dining options, but if you’re eating at an establishment without vegan options, simple modifications and plant-based substitutions can often be accommodated.

    Apps and online guides can make it easier to find vegan-friendly restaurants in your area:

    • Veggl provides a comprehensive online guide and a mobile app showing vegan options at chain restaurants, airports, and sports venues across the U.S.
    • Happy Cow‘s website and mobile app will help you find vegan-friendly restaurants and cafes. Users can search for nearby establishments, read reviews, and view photos.
    • Barnivore‘s website provides an extensive online directory for information on the vegan status of beers, wines, and liquors—useful for ordering at restaurants or buying in a store.

    Choose vegan-friendly entertainment, clothing, furniture, and sundries.

    As you make progress on food, consider your purchases in other areas that might involve animal exploitation. Note that some vegans choose to overlook trace animal ingredients in packaged products, recognizing that perfection isn’t practicable or possible.

    Entertainment & Experiences

    Many people assume that zoos, aquariums, rodeos, and circuses are harmless, but a closer look reveals systemic cruelty and exploitation. Look into ethical alternatives—natural history museums, human circuses such as Cirque du Soleil , and farm animal sanctuaries.

    Clothing & Furniture

    Animal-derived materials like leather, wool, and silk come from industries built on suffering. As you transition, you might choose to:

    • Use your existing non-vegan items until they wear out, replacing them with vegan alternatives over time.
    • Donate them to reduce waste while ensuring they continue to be used.
    • Discard them to fully disengage from industries built on exploitation.

    Personal & Household Products

    Many soaps, cosmetics, cleaning supplies, and everyday items contain animal-derived ingredients or have been tested on animals.

    • Look for the Leaping Bunny symbol: Leaping Bunny cruelty free symbol. . Leaping Bunny is the most trusted certification and requires independent audits.
    • Look for the following wording on product packaging: “Not Tested on Animals”, “Cruelty-Free”, “100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free.”

    Several online guides and mobile guides are available to help you purchase vegan and cruelty-free products. One such guide is Redfin’s “The Ultimate Guide to Make Your Home 100% Cruelty-Free and Vegan.”4

    Be prepared for the social ramifications.

    It’s not unusual for those new to veganism to feel a little isolated from family and friends during mealtime. You will experience various degrees of understanding and acceptance from those you care about.

    As time moves forward and they see how important your commitment is to you, almost everyone will accept your choices. Many will admire your conviction.

    You need to keep in mind the reasons you became vegan, remember what it was like to not be vegan, and give others time to accept and embrace your compassionate way of living.

    It’s likely that some of your family and friends will eventually become vegan because of the example you set and your conviction. With this in mind, it’s helpful to think of others as pre-vegans.

    Bring a vegan dish when asked over for dinner.

    There is no need to panic when you’re asked over for dinner by friends, acquaintances, or family.

    If your hosts don’t know you’re vegan, you should mention it to them as casually as possible. Then you should offer to bring a delicious vegan dish that can be enjoyed by everyone.

    Keep educating yourself.

    As you have no doubt discovered, there is a wealth of information available about veganism on this site and others.

    Never stop learning and growing.

    Think of going vegan as the adventure it is.

    Many have found leaving animals off the plate to be an adventure, discovering new foods, recipes, and tastes they have never before experienced. Like many changes, being vegan will soon be second nature.

    The topic of this briefing doesn’t exactly lend itself to counterclaims, but our briefings on objections to veganism to veganism may help.

    Video: How to Start a Vegan Diet

    This video guide offers practical advice on adopting a plant-based diet. The content covers essential topics such as meal planning, nutritional considerations, and tips for maintaining a balanced diet without animal products. The creator also shares personal experiences and insights to help newcomers navigate common challenges associated with going vegan.

    Video: Ed Winter’s How to Go Vegan

    This popular video by Ed Winters provides practical advice and tips for those interested in going vegan, addressing common concerns and offering strategies for making the switch.

    Video: Plant-Based Eating: First 21 Days

    In this video, Dr. Neal Barnard explains what happens when you adopt a plant-based diet, and provides some tips for making the transition.

    Related Briefings

    Veganism 101: An Introduction provides an overview of veganism, the history of vegan thinking, and reasons to consider veganism.

    Other Resources

    See the links provided throughout this briefing for additional resources such as recipe websites and mobile apps, and the videos in the supplementary info section of this briefing for help in getting started.

    Advocacy Notes
    Tips for Advocacy and Outreach

    General Tips

    Many people are open to the idea of going vegan but feel overwhelmed about where to start. Your goal isn’t just to give them steps—it’s to remove barriers, provide reassurance, and make the transition feel exciting rather than daunting.

    If you are conveying these suggestions to a vegetarian, remember to encourage them toward veganism rather than demean them for steps they have already taken.

    Keep some pamphlets or brochures with easy recipes and other information on hand, ready to give to give them. This makes it easier for them to explore veganism on their own time, reinforcing the conversation and giving them practical steps to take without pressure.

    Find out and Address What’s Stopping Them

    “I sense you really do want to align your values of compassion, justice, and sustainability with your personal choices. So what’s stopping you from giving it a try? Maybe I can help with that.”

    Why? This helps them recognize that their hesitation isn’t about a lack of alignment with vegan values but about perceived barriers—barriers that can often be overcome with support and practical guidance.

    Don’t Overload Them—Keep It Simple

    One mistake in outreach is giving too much information at once. Instead of listing every possible resource, meet them where they are.

    • What’s one animal product you think would be easiest for you to swap out?”
    • “Would you like a couple of really easy meal ideas to start with?”

    Why? This turns a big lifestyle change into a small, manageable step.

    Reassure Them That Perfection Isn’t Required

    Some people hesitate to try veganism because they think they’ll fail or won’t do it “perfectly.” Help them let go of that pressure.

    • “Did you know veganism isn’t about being perfect—it’s about doing the best we can?”
    • “If you accidentally eat something with animal products, do you think that means you’ve ‘failed,’ or is it just part of learning something new?”

    Why? This removes the fear of failure, making them more likely to try.

    Offer Different Transition Strategies

    Not everyone can or wants to go vegan overnight. Instead of pushing one method, help them find what works for them.

    • “Some people go vegan all at once, some do it meal by meal, and others replace one product at a time. Which approach sounds easiest for you?”
    • “If you’re not ready to drop everything, what do you think about starting with one vegan meal a day?”

    Why? This gives them options so they feel in control of the process.

    Make It Social—They Don’t Have to Do It Alone

    People worry about feeling isolated when they go vegan. Show them they can find support.

    • “Have checked out any local vegan meetup groups or online support groups? It’s easier when you have support.”
    • “Did you know there are Facebook groups just for new vegans where people share easy recipes and get advice?”

    Why? This makes veganism feel more social and inviting rather than lonely.

    Address Concerns About Eating Out

    Eating out is a major concern for people considering veganism. Help them prepare.

    • “Did you know that almost every restaurant has vegan options now? What’s your favorite place to eat—I can probably tell you what’s vegan there!”
    • “Have you ever checked menus online before going out? This can help you avoid awkwardness with friends when you get there. If they don’t seem to have good vegan options, give them a call to see what they can do.”

    Why? This removes the fear of inconvenience, making veganism feel practical.

    Show Them That They Don’t Have to Give Up Their Favorite Foods

    One of the biggest fears people have is that they’ll miss their favorite foods. Help them see that they don’t have to.

    • “If you love burgers, pizza, or ice cream, there are vegan versions of all of them. Have you ever tried one?”
    • “You don’t have to give up comfort foods—you just swap out ingredients. Would you like some help with that?”

    Why? This makes veganism feel like a swap, not a sacrifice.

    Give Them a Reason to Be Excited About It

    If they see veganism as a burden, they won’t want to try. Frame it as an adventure instead.

    • “Most people eat the same foods every week—have you ever thought about how going vegan could be a chance to discover amazing new meals?”
    • “Have you ever thought of veganism like traveling to a new country, where you get to explore different flavors, ingredients, and ways of cooking?”

    Why? This makes veganism exciting, not restrictive.

    1. “Vegan Society – About Us – History” The Vegan Society. Accessed 2022-06-22. ↩︎
    2. A Vegan’s Guide to Reading Food Labels.” Vegan Food & Living, February 23, 2018. ↩︎
    3. A Vegan’s Guide to Reading Food Labels.” Vegan Food & Living, February 23, 2018. ↩︎
    4. “The Ultimate Vegan and Cruelty-Free Guide for Your Home.” Redfin Real-Time, January 2016. ↩︎
  • The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture

    The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture

    Animal agriculture is a major driver of global warming, deforestation, habitat loss, pollution, biodiversity decline, and ocean dead zones. Its inefficiency plays a key role, as large areas of farmland are devoted to feeding livestock while providing relatively few calories and protein for people. Adopting plant-based diets, which have the smallest environmental impact, is one of the most effective steps toward reducing these harms and ensuring a sustainable future.

    Environmental concerns are often a door into veganism. Some start a vegan diet for environmental reasons and later embrace the ethical arguments against animal exploitation. This progression from environmental to ethical veganism is common, as people recognize the broader effects of their dietary choices.

    Scientists, institutions, and experts agree on the severely destructive impact of animal agriculture.

    Worldwatch Institute:

    Said that “the human appetite for animal flesh is a driving force behind virtually every major category of environmental damage now threatening the human future—deforestation, erosion, fresh water scarcity, air and water pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, social justice, the stabilization of communities and the spread of disease.“1

    United Nations Environment Program (UNEP):

    Called meat the “world’s most urgent problem,”2

    Said that “our use of animals as a food-production technology has brought us to the verge of catastrophe.”3

    Said that “a substantial reduction of [harmful environmental] impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products.”4

    Joseph Poore

    Joseph Poore is a PhD Oxford researcher who led what The Guardian called “the most comprehensive analysis to date”5 on how agriculture impacts the environment. It examined 38,700 farms in 119 countries, representing 90% of the world’s protein and calorie consumption.6

    He said, “a vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth…” and “avoiding consumption of animal products delivers far better environmental benefits than trying to purchase sustainable meat and dairy.” He also notes, “it is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car.”7

    Sir David Attenborough

    Sir David Attenborough, broadcaster and naturalist, said that
    “we must change our diet. The planet can’t support billions of meat-eaters.”8

    Vegan diets have by far the smallest environmental footprint.

    Economist Lindsay Wilson used data from the Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture to compare the carbon footprint of 5 diets. She determined that vegan diets have roughly half the footprint as a meat-centric diet, and 60% of the average American diet.9

    Findings published in the journal Nature Food in 2023 showed that plant-based diets, compared to meat-rich diets…10

    • produce ~75% fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
    • use ~54% less water.
    • use ~75% less land.

    Animal agriculture plays a major role, if not the major role, in our most urgent environmental problem—global warming.

    Phasing out animal agriculture offers “our best and most immediate chance to reverse the trajectory of climate change,” according to a model developed by scientists from Stanford and UC Berkeley in 2022.11

    A 2020 study published in Science found that even if we eliminate all non-food emissions, it is unlikely we could meet our climate targets without reducing food system emissions, which include transitioning to plant-rich diets.12

    According to a 2022 study out of Stanford and Berkeley, phasing out animal agriculture has the potential to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions.13 This is at least partially because methane, which is emitted by livestock, is 80 times more potent at warming than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.14

    Estimates of livestock’s contribution to global warming vary from 14.5% to 87% percent, depending on the assumptions made. The higher numbers weigh in the opportunity cost of reforestation, which is reasonable to include.

    Various estimates of livestock or animal agriculture’s contribution to global warming:

    18%: 2006 UN FAO Livestock’s Long Shadow15 (Not Peer Reviewed)

    51%: 2009 Worldwatch Institute Goodland and Anhang: at least 51%. In a peer-reviewed report, they identified and corrected many undercounted emissions and other problems with the UN report.16

    14.5%: 2013, UN revised to 14.5%17 after forming partnerships with the International Meat Secretariat and International Dairy Federation.18

    87%: 2019 – Dr. Sailesh Rao, The Climate Healers organization performed a global sensitivity analysis and concluded the best estimate of animal agriculture’s contribution to GHG emissions is 87%.19

    By almost all estimates, livestock’s contribution is greater than all of the transportation sector — all cars, trucks, trains, airplanes, and ships—which the EPA estimates to be 15% globally.20

    Global warming, driven by increased greenhouse gas emissions, has profound consequences for both humanity and non-human animals. The impacts span across various aspects of life, threatening ecosystems, biodiversity, and the survival of countless species, alongside disrupting human societies.

    Key consequences of global warming for human populations and wildlife include:

    Rising Temperatures and Heat Waves: Global warming is associated with an increase in the frequency and severity of heat waves. Exposure to extreme heat can cause heat stroke, dehydration, and various health issues for humans, including cardiovascular, respiratory, and cerebrovascular diseases.21 For wildlife, many species struggle to adapt to rapid changes in their habitats, leading to heat stress, reduced reproductive success, and increased mortality.2223

    Sea-Level Rise: Melting ice caps and glaciers, along with the thermal expansion of seawater, contribute to rising sea levels. This threatens coastal communities with increased flooding, land loss, and displacement. Similarly, coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves, coral reefs, and wetlands, are at risk. These habitats are crucial for many species, providing breeding grounds and protection. As these areas are lost, species dependent on them face higher risks of extinction (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 202224).

    Extreme Weather Events: The intensification of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, and wildfires, disrupts human lives, damages infrastructure, and causes significant economic losses. These events also wreak havoc on habitats, forcing animals to migrate or perish. For example, forest fires destroy habitats and kill large numbers of animals, while floods can drown or displace wildlife (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, 202025).

    Impact on Agriculture and Food Security: Changing climate patterns threaten human food security by affecting crop yields and making food production more unpredictable. This also disrupts ecosystems and food chains, with species that rely on specific plants or prey facing food shortages, leading to population decline (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations).26

    Biodiversity Loss: Global warming accelerates biodiversity loss. Species that cannot migrate or adapt quickly enough to changing conditions face extinction. This loss of biodiversity destabilizes ecosystems, reducing their resilience and the services they provide to humanity, such as pollination, clean water, and climate regulation (World Wildlife Fund, 2022).27

    Health Risks: Besides heat-related illnesses, global warming exacerbates the spread of vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever as warmer temperatures expand the habitats of disease-carrying insects. This presents significant health risks to humans, especially in regions where healthcare infrastructure is inadequate (World Health Organization).28

    Ocean Acidification and Coral Bleaching: Increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere also leads to ocean acidification, harming marine life, particularly shell-forming organisms like corals and mollusks. Coral bleaching, driven by warmer ocean temperatures, devastates coral reefs, which are home to a quarter of all marine species. The decline of coral reefs not only impacts marine biodiversity but also affects the millions of people who rely on them for food and livelihoods (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2023).29

    Disruption of Migration Patterns: Global warming disrupts migration patterns for many species, including birds, fish, and mammals. Changes in temperature and seasonal cues can cause animals to migrate at the wrong times, leading to mismatches in food availability, increased mortality rates, and further stress on ecosystems (World Wildlife Fund, 2022).30

    Social and Economic Inequality: The effects of global warming are disproportionately felt by poorer communities and developing nations. These populations have fewer resources to adapt to climate change, leading to greater inequality and exacerbating existing social tensions (World Bank, 2023).31

    The problem is urgent. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says, “The scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change is a threat to human wellbeing and the health of the planet. Any further delay in concerted global action will miss a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a livable future.”32

    Animal agriculture is strongly implicated in habitat loss, deforestation, desertification, water waste, air pollution, and excrement contamination.

    Rainforest Destruction and Biodiversity Loss

    Our rainforests are the lungs of the planet, creating the oxygen that sustains animal life. The loss of rainforests contributes to the decline of biodiversity and reduces carbon sequestration, which in turn exacerbates global warming.33

    According to the Smithsonian Institution, from 1995 to 2000, the equivalent of seven football fields of Amazon rainforest were destroyed every minute.34

    Yale University maintains that 80% of Amazon Rainforest destruction is caused by animal agriculture.35

    Desertification

    Overgrazing by livestock is considered an important factor in desertification worldwide, according to a study published in the Annual Review of Environment and Resources.36

    Ocean Dead Zones

    Ocean and coastal water dead zones are areas where oxygen levels are so low that most marine life cannot survive because of an oxygen deficiency known as hypoxia. Hypoxia is caused by eutrophication, which is an excess of nutrients—mainly nitrogen and phosphorus from runoff of animal waste and fertilizers.373839

    Animal agriculture not only accounts for all the animal waste contributing to dead zones, but it’s also likely that it accounts for most of the fertilizers, since animal agriculture uses 83 percent of global farmland.40

    Water Pollution and Wastage

    The large amounts of water required for animal agriculture not only strain water resources but also contribute to water pollution.

    • Blood, Urine, Feces, etc. Wastewater generated from slaughterhouses and processing plants often contains blood, fat, and other contaminants that can degrade water quality (Mekonnen and Hoekstra).41 (Mekonnen and Hoekstra).
    • Pathogens. Manure from livestock can carry pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella, and Giardia, which can contaminate water supplies. Manure can leach into groundwater or runoff into surface water, posing a risk to human and animal health.42
    • Antibiotics and Hormones. Animal agriculture often involves the use of antibiotics and growth hormones, which can enter water systems through manure runoff. These substances can disrupt aquatic ecosystems and contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a growing public health concern.43

    The following shows the gallons of water required to produce one pound of…44

    • Beef: 1,850
    • Pork: 720
    • Chicken: 520
    • Soybeans: 256
    • Wheat: 220
    • Corn: 148

    Air Pollution

    According to a 2023 study published in Nature Communications, reduced air pollution due to plant-based diets could save over 200,000 human lives per year.45

    Biomass distribution figures put animal agriculture’s dominance of the planet in perspective.

    A 2018 Study titled “The biomass distribution on earth,” published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), as analyzed by Our World in Data, revealed the following:46

    • Of all the mammal biomass on earth, 62% is farm animals, 34% is human, and 4% is wild animals.
    • The total weight of chickens on farms is approximately 2.5 times that of the total weight of all wild birds.
    • Humans and their livestock, combined, outweigh wild mammals at a ratio of about 24 to 1.

    The root cause of animal agriculture’s environmental harm is its extreme inefficiency.

    Animal agriculture is so inefficient because most of the feed calories consumed by an animal go toward energy for daily living. Also, some energy is expended to produce body parts that are not consumed (Applied Animal Nutrition Journal).47

    Animal agriculture uses 83% of global farmland while producing only 18% of total calories and 37% of calories from protein. This according to a 2018 J Poor led study from Oxford which has been called “the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet,” having examined 38,700 farms in 119 countries representing 90% of the world’s protein and calorie consumption (The Guardian;48 “Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers”, published in Science Magazine.)49

    • The logical converse of this startling statistic is that 17% of farmland is used to grow food for human consumption, yet produces 82% of total calories and 63% of calories from protein.

    Calorie conversion: It takes on average 24 calories of plant feed to produce one calorie of food from animals (World Resources Institute, “Creating a Sustainable Food Future”).50

    Feed conversion: On average, it takes 4 to 6 pounds of feed to produce one pound of meat from farm animals.51

    • Even with the dismal feed conversion ratio of 5 to 1, such a ratio understates the inefficiency because it “improperly compares the weight of a relatively wet output (meat) to the weight of a relatively dry input (feed grains)” (World Resources Institute, “Creating a Sustainable Food Future”).52

    According to a University of Minnesota study, only 12% of crops fed to animals contribute to the human diet as meat and other animal products.53

    Claim: In the Agriculture and Human Values journal in 2021, Finnish researchers put forth a reasonable argument that there is no convincing case for climate veganism.

    Their argument seems reasonable enough, but they did not argue that there is no convincing case for climate veganism. Even though the title of the article is “Is there a convincing case for climate veganism?”54, their conclusion is more nuanced.

    They conclude that climate considerations “obliges one to follow a predominantly, but not strictly, vegan diet.”

    Even this study, which appears to be averse to veganism, acknowledges a moral obligation to follow a predominantly vegan diet. It mentions some kinds of fish consumption and discarded foods as reasons for the qualification.

    This analysis concurs with, and does not dispute what this briefing demonstrates: that overall, and compared to other diets, vegan diets are more sustainable.

    Animal ethics considerations should be foremost, with environmental considerations serving to enforce the desirability of veganism.

    Environmentalism was part of veganism from the beginning.

    Early vegans were forerunners of today’s environmental and sustainability movements. Their lifestyle embraced a natural way of living that showed respect for both sentient beings and the planet.55

    Related Briefings

    “Using Almonds’ Environmental Impact as a Detraction from Veganism”

    Other Resources

    Plant Based Treaty – a global initiative urging governments to address the climate crisis by shifting away from animal agriculture and toward a just, sustainable, plant-based food system. They also provide educational resources.

    Our World in Data – This website provides extensive data on the environmental impacts of different food systems, including animal agriculture. It covers aspects such as greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water consumption.

    Greenpeace provides valuable insights into how industrial meat production contributes to climate change, deforestation, and biodiversity loss.

    The Guardian – The Guardian frequently publishes articles and investigative pieces on the environmental costs of meat production, focusing on issues like deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

    Advocacy Notes
    Tips for Advocacy and Outreach

    General Tips

    Early in the conversation, try to gauge their primary concerns—whether they are more focused on the environment, health, or ethics.

    If they are deeply concerned about the environment, spend more time discussing that aspect. People who adopt a vegan diet for environmental reasons are often more receptive to the ethical message later on.

    Emphasize how the environmental benefits of veganism align with broader values like sustainability and justice, while keeping the core message in focus: animals are sentient beings who deserve compassion.

    Your goal isn’t just to throw out statistics—it’s to help people connect the dots between animal agriculture and environmental destruction in a way that makes change feel urgent, logical, and achievable.

    Segue the Conversation Back to Animal Ethics

    Environmental concerns are an important door into veganism, but at some point in the conversation consider skillfully directing the conversation back to animal ethics.

    • “Even if animal agriculture were perfectly sustainable, would that make it ethical to confine, exploit, and kill animals unnecessarily?”
    • “If we care about the destruction of forests and oceans, shouldn’t we also care about the destruction of the lives of billions of sentient beings?”
    • “If we wouldn’t destroy entire forests for a burger, should we also question the morality of taking an animal’s life for one?”
    • “It’s shocking that we clear rainforests to grow crops—not to feed hungry people, but to feed farmed animals who are then slaughtered for food.”
    • “If we oppose factory farms because they harm the planet, shouldn’t we also oppose them because they cause immense suffering?”
    • “80% of Amazon deforestation is caused by animal agriculture. How do you feel knowing that millions of wild animals are losing their homes just so we can have cheap burgers?”
    • “Have you heard of ocean dead zones? Factory farming runoff creates massive areas where no marine life can survive. If we care about the planet, shouldn’t we be concerned about that?”

    Why?  It helps people recognize that even if animal agriculture weren’t environmentally destructive, the fundamental ethical problem would remain—the unjust suffering and killing of sentient beings for human consumption.

    Suggest a Personal Connection

    Many people underestimate the role of animal agriculture in climate change compared to transportation or industry. Rather than bombarding them with numbers, make it relatable.

    • “If you’re trying to lower your environmental impact, did you know that if you ditch meat it will have a bigger impact than giving up your car?”
    • “Most people focus on cars and planes when they think about climate change, but did you know that raising animals for food contributes more greenhouse gases than all transportation combined?”

    Why? This makes the issue immediate and relevant rather than abstract.

    Appeal to Their Environmental Concerns

    Help them see how unsustainable and inefficient animal agriculture is compared to plant-based farming.

    • If we truly care about the planet, shouldn’t we align our diets with the most sustainable choices?”
    • “Did you know that animal agriculture takes up 83% of farmland but only gives us 18% of our calories? Just think of what re-wilding that land could do for the environment.”

    Why? This shifts their thinking to sustainability.

    Instill a Sense of Urgency

    Many people believe personal action won’t make a difference or that we have time to fix things later. Counter this by showing the stakes are immediate.

    • “The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says we’re running out of time to prevent the worst effects of climate change. If one of the biggest causes is what we eat, shouldn’t we take that seriously?”
    • “Scientists say we need massive diet shifts to prevent climate catastrophe. If the experts are saying this, why aren’t we acting on it?”

    Why? This makes the issue urgent, rather than just another long-term problem.

    1. Worldwatch Magazine July-August 2004 via The Face on Your Plate: The Truth About Food, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson · 2010, 57, Google Books, Accessed 2022-06-20 ↩︎
    2. UNEP Article 2018, “Tackling the world’s most urgent problem: meat,” Accessed 2022-05-21 ↩︎
    3. UNEP Article 2018, “Tackling the world’s most urgent problem: meat,” Accessed 2022-05-21 ↩︎
    4. UNEP Analysis 2010, Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production Accessed 2022-05-20 ↩︎
    5. Carrington, Damian, and Damian Carrington Environment editor. “Avoiding Meat and Dairy Is ‘Single Biggest Way’ to Reduce Your Impact on Earth.” The Guardian, May 31, 2018. ↩︎
    6. Poore, J., and T. Nemecek. “Reducing Food’s Environmental Impacts through Producers and Consumers.” Science 360, no. 6392 (June 2018): 987–92. ↩︎
    7. Carrington, Damian, and Damian Carrington Environment editor. “Avoiding Meat and Dairy Is ‘Single Biggest Way’ to Reduce Your Impact on Earth.” The Guardian, May 31, 2018.  ↩︎
    8. Pritchett, Liam. “David Attenborough Wants You to Go Plant-Based for the Planet.” LIVEKINDLY, 26 Aug. 2020. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
    9. Wilson, Lindsay. “The Carbon Foodprint of 5 Diets Compared.” Shrink That Footprint, 28 June 2022. ↩︎
    10. Scarborough, P., Clark, M., Cobiac, L. et al. Vegans, vegetarians, fish-eaters and meat-eaters in the UK show discrepant environmental impacts. Nat Food 4, 565–574 (2023) via Yale Environment 360. ↩︎
    11. Than, Ker. “Replacing Animal Agriculture and Shifting to a Plant-Based Diet Could Drastically Curb Greenhouse Gas Emissions, according to New Model – MAHB.” MAHB, 1 Feb. 2022, mahb.stanford.edu/library-item/replacing-animal-agriculture-and-shifting-to-a-plant-based-diet-could-drastically-curb-greenhouse-gas-emissions-according-to-new-model/. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025. ↩︎
    12. Clark, Michael A., et al. “Global Food System Emissions Could Preclude Achieving the 1.5° and 2°c Climate Change Targets.” Science, vol. 370, no. 6517, 6 Nov. 2020, pp. 705–708. Accessed 24 Feb 2025. ↩︎
    13. Eisen MB, Brown PO (2022) Rapid global phaseout of animal agriculture has the potential to stabilize greenhouse gas levels for 30 years and offset 68 percent of CO2 emissions this century. PLOS Clim 1(2): e0000010. ↩︎
    14. McArthur, Jo-Anne. “Methane Emissions Are Driving Climate Change. Here’s How to Reduce Them.” United Nations Environment Programme, 20 Aug. 2021. ↩︎
    15. Livestock’s long shadow: environmental issues and options. Steinfeld, Henning., Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations., Livestock, Environment and Development (Firm). Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2006. ISBN 978-92-5-105571-7.  ↩︎
    16. Goodland, Robert; Anhang, Jeff (Nov–Dec 2009). “Livestock and Climate Change, Worldwatch Magazine. Worldwatch Institute. pp. 10–19. S2CID 27218645. ↩︎
    17. “Tackling climate change through livestock // FAO’s Animal Production and Health Division”. Fao.org. ↩︎
    18. Goodland, Robert. “FAO Yields to Meat Industry Pressure on Climate Change.” Mark Bittman Blog, 12 July 2012. ↩︎
    19. Rao, Dr, Sailesh. “Animal Agriculture Position Paper.” Climate Healers, Nov. 2019. ↩︎
    20. US EPA. “Global Greenhouse Gas Overview.” Www.epa.gov, 11 Apr. 2024. ↩︎
    21. EPA. “Climate Impacts on Human Health | Climate Change Impacts | US EPA.” Chicago.gov, 2016, climatechange.chicago.gov/climate-impacts/climate-impacts-human-health. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024. ↩︎
    22. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. “The Effects of Climate Change.” NASA, 2023. Accessed 2024-08-16. ↩︎
    23. Nature Publishing. “Animals at Risk from Heat Waves If Global Temperatures Keep Rising, Says Study.” Phys.org, 19 Jan. 2023. ↩︎
    24. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability.” IPCC, 2022. ↩︎
    25. United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. “Human Cost of Disasters: An Overview.” UNDRR, 2020, ↩︎
    26. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. “The Impact of Climate Change on Food Security and Nutrition.” FAO, 2021. ↩︎
    27. World Wildlife Fund. “Living Planet Report 2022 WWF, 2022. ↩︎
    28. World Health Organization. “Climate Change and Health.” WHO, 2023. ↩︎
    29. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “Ocean Acidification.” NOAA, 2023. ↩︎
    30. World Wildlife Fund. “Living Planet Report 2022 WWF, 2022. ↩︎
    31. “Why Climate Action Is Critical to Reducing Poverty and What It Means for Policy Tradeoffs.” World Bank Blogs, 2023. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
    32. “IPCC Adaptation Report “a Damning Indictment of Failed Global Leadership on Climate.”” UN News, 28 Feb. 2022, news.un.org/en/story/2022/02/1112852. ↩︎
    33. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Why are rainforests so important?”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/science/Why-are-rainforests-so-important. Accessed 19 August 2024. ↩︎
    34. Smithsonian Institution. “Smithsonian Researchers Show Amazonian Deforestation Accelerating.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 January 2002. ↩︎
    35. “Cattle Ranching in the Amazon Region | Yale School of the Environment,Global Forest Atlas.”Accessed 19 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
    36. Asner, Gregory P., et al. “GRAZING SYSTEMS, ECOSYSTEM RESPONSES, and GLOBAL CHANGE.” Annual Review of Environment and Resources, vol. 29, no. 1, 21 Nov. 2004, pp. 261–299. ↩︎
    37. Bailey, A., Meyer, L., Pettingell, N., Macie, M., Korstad, J. (2020). Agricultural Practices Contributing to Aquatic Dead Zones. In: Bauddh, K., Kumar, S., Singh, R., Korstad, J. (eds) Ecological and Practical Applications for Sustainable Agriculture. Springer, Singapore. ↩︎
    38. Ngatia, Lucy, et al. “Nitrogen and Phosphorus Eutrophication in Marine Ecosystems.” Monitoring of Marine Pollution, 5 June 2019. ↩︎
    39. US EPA, OW. “Estimated Animal Agriculture Nitrogen and Phosphorus from Manure.” Www.epa.gov, 26 Mar. 2013. ↩︎
    40. Poore, J., and T. Nemecek. “Reducing Food’s Environmental Impacts through Producers and Consumers.” Science 360, no. 6392 (June 2018): 987–92 ↩︎
    41. Tom Pelton, Environmental Integrity Project. Environmental Integrity Water Pollution from Slaughterhouses. Oct 11, 2018, environmentalintegrity.org/reports/water-pollution-from-slaughterhouses/. ↩︎
    42. Burkholder, JoAnn, et al. “Impacts of Waste from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations on Water Quality.” Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 115, no. 2, Feb. 2007, pp. 308–12. ↩︎
    43. Ajit K. Sarmah, Michael T. Meyer, Alistair B.A. Boxall,
      A global perspective on the use, sales, exposure pathways, occurrence, fate and effects of veterinary antibiotics (VAs) in the environment, Chemosphere,
      Volume 65, Issue 5, 2006, Pages 725-759, ISSN 0045-6535. ↩︎
    44. “Beef: The ‘King’ of the Big Water Footprints.” Water Footprint Calculator. ↩︎
    45. Springmann, M., Van Dingenen, R., Vandyck, T. et al. The global and regional air quality impacts of dietary change. Nat Commun 14, 6227 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41789-3 ↩︎
    46. Hannah Ritchie (2022) – “Wild mammals make up only a few percent of the world’s mammals” Published online at OurWorldinData.org. ↩︎
    47. James Rowe and John Nolan, Energy Requirements of Livestock. The Theory and Practice of Animal Nutrition, Applied Animal Nutrition Journal 2009 ↩︎
    48. Carrington, Damian, and Damian Carrington Environment editor. “Avoiding Meat and Dairy Is ‘Single Biggest Way’ to Reduce Your Impact on Earth.” The Guardian, May 31, 2018, sec. Environment  ↩︎
    49. Poore, J., and T. Nemecek. “Reducing Food’s Environmental Impacts through Producers and Consumers.” Science 360, no. 6392 (June 2018): 987–92 ↩︎
    50. The 24 to 1 figure was calculated from the table on page 37, figure 2, by averaging the ratios of calories in to calories out among the different animal products. For example, pigs consume 10 calories to get one calorie of pork out (100/10). If you average beef (100), milk (14), shrimp (14), pork (10), chicken (9), fin fish (8), and egg (13), you get 24. If sheep and buffalo milk were included, the average would be even more concerning.. “Creating a Sustainable Food Future.” World Resources Institute, 2013-2014. ↩︎
    51. The 4-6 figure was taken by averaging the highs and low of the three most eaten farm animals, cows, pigs, and chickens, from this report: Farmbrite. “Feed Conversion Ratio Calculator.” Farmbrite, 5 Jan. 2023, www.farmbrite.com/post/feed-conversion-ratio-calculator. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024. ↩︎
    52. “Creating a Sustainable Food Future: Interim Findings | World Resources Institute.” December 2, 2013. 36. ↩︎
    53. “Redefining Agricultural Yields: From Tonnes to People Nourished per Hectare – IOPscience,” August 13, 2013. ↩︎
    54. Kortetmäki, T., Oksanen, M. Is there a convincing case for climate veganism?. Agric Hum Values 38, 729–740 (2021). ↩︎
    55. Slater, Bronwyn . “History of the Vegan Movement.” Vegan Sustainability Magazine, 27 Feb. 2023. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025. ↩︎
  • Vegan Diets Can Be Healthy and Protective Against Chronic Diseases

    Vegan Diets Can Be Healthy and Protective Against Chronic Diseases

    Leading health organizations, including Harvard Health, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, and NewYork-Presbyterian, endorse plant-based diets as healthy and effective against heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, and other conditions. Kaiser Permanente advises doctors to recommend plant-based diets, and Cleveland Clinic affirms they have no disadvantages. Major dietetic associations, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, state that vegan diets can be healthy. Even the USDA, despite its ties to animal agriculture, recognizes that vegan diets are healthy, confirming that all essential nutrients can be obtained without animal products.

    For veganism to be considered valid, it’s not required to prove that a vegan diet is superior, only that it is sufficient for good health. Demonstrating the benefits of a vegan diet can support its viability, which is why we explore some of those benefits here.

    However unlikely, if future research were to reveal that a required nutrient could only be sourced from animals, veganism would remain valid. In such a scenario, we would have a moral duty to consume only the necessary animal products in the smallest necessary quantity and acquire them in the least harmful way.

    Prominent health organizations embrace a vegan diet.

    Harvard Health,1 Mayo Clinic,2 Cleveland Clinic,3 Kaiser Permanente,4 and NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare,5 all say that a plant-based diet is healthy.

    • Harvard Health said, “Nowadays, plant-based eating is recognized as not only nutritionally sufficient but also as a way to reduce the risk for many chronic illnesses.”6
    • Mayo Clinic said, “A well-planned vegetarian [explicitly defined to include a vegan diet] diet is a healthy way to meet your nutritional needs.”7
    • Cleveland Clinic said, “There really are no disadvantages to a herbivorous diet!” and “Obtaining proper nutrients from non-animal sources is simple for the modern herbivore.8
    • Kaiser Permanente said “Healthy eating may be best achieved with a plant-based diet, which we define as a regimen that encourages whole, plant-based foods and discourages meats, dairy products, and eggs as well as all refined and processed foods.9
    • NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare said, “Plant-based diets are believed to be an effective means of treating chronic disease, including diabetes.”10

    These organizations also acknowledge the ability of a plant-based diet to fight health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol.11121314

    Kaiser Permanente even advises their doctors to recommend a plant-based diet to their patients, especially those with high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or obesity.15

    Dietetic associations endorse a vegan diet.

    The endorsement of totally vegan diets by dietetic associations has maximum credibility because human nutrition is their primary concern and the focus of their research.

    The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (United States),16 the British Dietetic Association,17 the Dietitians of Canada,18 and the Dietitians Association of Australia,19 have all made pronouncements on the viability of a vegan diet.

    The 2025 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics formal position statement endorses well-planned vegan diets as healthy and nutritionally adequate for adults, and said that “…vegan dietary patterns can be recommended by RDNs [Registered Dietitian Nutritionists], when appropriate, for prevention and management of some chronic diseases…”20

    • Note: The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the largest global organization of food and dietetics practitioners, comprising more than 100,000 certified professionals.21

    The U.S. government said a vegan diet is healthy.

    • In its dietary guidelines, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) acknowledged that a vegan diet is a healthy eating pattern. It acknowledged this in its discussion of Vegetarian Eating.22
    • This is particularly telling since the USDA is a strong supporter of animal agriculture, providing billions annually in subsidies.23

    Various plant-based initiatives have shown excellent results.

    The PlantPure Nation Initiative

    PlantPure Nation is a movie documenting a community health initiative.24

    • Note: At the time of writing, the PlantPure Nation documentary video can be watched free on Tubi and Amazon Prime Video, and is also available for rent or purchase on Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Apple.

    This initiative ran pilot programs, called pods, in rural communities where participants were provided veganized versions of traditional recipes for 10 days, including lasagna, spaghetti, vegan meatballs, veggie burgers, etc… Participants received lab tests before and after the 10 days.

    In just 10 days, participants experienced significant improvements in key health markers, such as reductions in cholesterol levels, blood pressure, blood sugar, triglycerides, and body weight. Many reported better energy levels and a decrease in reliance on medications.

    Michael McEntee of Impact Health, the biometric tester, said “I’ve been testing for 26 years, we’ve tested millions of people, and I’ve never seen results like this.”

    One participant, whose results were not unusual, expressed disbelief on being told his results: his cholesterol went from 277 to 150 and triglycerides went from 395 to 98, all in less than two weeks.

    The Ornish Reversal Program

    The Dean Ornish Reversal Program, is a comprehensive lifestyle intervention designed to reverse heart disease,25 the number one cause of death in the United States.26

    It is the only program scientifically proven in randomized controlled trials to reverse the progression of even severe coronary heart disease without drugs or surgery.27

    Key components of this whole food, plant-based diet are that it is naturally low in fat and refined carbohydrates, and benefits from stress management, exercise, and social support lifestyle changes.28

    The program has been implemented in numerous hospitals29 and is approved by Medicare.30

    Caldwell Esselstyn: Heart Disease Prevention and Reversal

    Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure presents a compelling argument for the power of a plant-based diet in combating heart disease.31

    The book draws on the results of Dr. Esselstyn’s nutritional study, which demonstrated that a plant-based diet can prevent, stop, and even reverse heart disease.32

    The images of angiograms in the book provide visual evidence of the diet’s effectiveness. The “before” images show coronary arteries narrowed by plaque buildup, while the “after” images, taken after patients followed a plant-based diet, reveal widened arteries with reduced plaque and improved blood flow.33

    The original 199534 study was criticized because of its patient population size of 22, so he conducted another study in 2014 with 198 patients. The larger study showed virtually the same results.35

    All essential nutrients can be obtained without consuming animal products.

    • Even though certain vested interests have insinuated that certain nutrients must come from the animal kingdom, there is no convincing evidence to support this.
    • If such evidence existed, the organizations mentioned could not have endorsed and praised a vegan diet. 
    • It is impossible to name even one required nutrient that must come from animals.

    Claim: Some vegans are unhealthy.

    Just as there are individuals who follow an unhealthy diet while consuming animal products, there are also vegans who make poor nutritional choices.

    The existence of unhealthy individuals within any dietary pattern does not inherently render that diet unhealthy as a whole. Some health problems are genetic and have nothing to do with any dietary pattern.

    The issue of poor nutrition is a broader concern, emphasizing the need for education and awareness about healthy eating. Americans are commonly deficient in nine nutrients, according to the US Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP).36

    Claim: A vegan diet is not for everyone; it made me sick.

    This more specific claim is addressed in a separate briefing, which highlights the potential challenges of a vegan diet and suggests ways to address them.

    Quotes and Paraphrases from Medical Professionals

    Dr. Walter Willet, past chair of Harvard’s Department of Nutrition; current professor

    • Dr. Willett said that for the sake of future generations, we should move toward a vegan diet—which benefits both the planet and our health.37
    More on Dr. Willet and the quote

    About Dr Willet (summarized from Wikipedia)38:

    • Physician and nutrition researcher, born in 1945
    • Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health,
    • Past chair of Harvard’s Department of Nutrition (26 years served)
    • Also a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School
    • Published over 2,000 scientific articles on diet and disease
    • Principal investigator of the second Nurses’ Health Study (NHS2 or NHS II)
    • Author of Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy (2001) [subtitled as “The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating.”]
    • Called by an article in The Boston Globe the “world’s most influential nutritionist”.
    • In 2016, Dr. Willett was named one of the ten most influential biomedical researchers by the Semantic Scholar AI program.

    Exact quote, as reported by Harvard School of Public Health:

    • “I think if we really care about the world our children and grandchildren will inherit, we do need to shift toward [a vegan diet],” said Willett. “And the good news is that it’s not just our planet that will be more healthy, but we will be more healthy as well.”39

    Dr. Kim Williams, past president of the American College of Cardiology, advises his patients to go vegan40 and said that…

    “There are two kinds of cardiologists: vegans and those who haven’t read the data.”41

    Related Briefings

    “A Vegan Diet Is Not for Everyone; It Made Me Sick” provides possible reasons you may not be feeling well on your vegan diet.

    See the Human Health Section of our knowledge base for related briefings.

    Other Resources

    VeganHealth.org is a comprehensive online resource dedicated to providing evidence-based nutritional information for individuals following a vegan diet, maintained by registered dietitian Jack Norris. Get started with his nutrition tips for vegans.

    The comprehensive edition of Brenda Davis’s book Becoming Vegan provides an exhaustive treatment of vegan nutrition.

    Sentient‘s article “Plant-Based Diets Boast Many Health Claims, but What Does the Science Show?” takes care not to overstate health claims.

    Advocacy Notes
    Tips for Advocacy and Outreach

    General Tips

    When engaging in a general conversation to promote veganism and animal rights, consider starting by asking whether the person believes vegan diets can be healthy. If they respond positively, you can transition to discussing ethical considerations without spending additional time on the health aspect.

    However, if they respond negatively, they may be using the belief that vegan diets are unhealthy as a justification for supporting practices that contribute to animal cruelty. In this case, you can address their concerns by sharing information that challenges this misconception, as outlined in the summary. Once you help them move past this barrier, you can shift the conversation to focus on the ethics of exploiting animals.

    If you need to converse on the topic of vegan diets in greater detail, the information in the Supplementary Info section can be highly persuasive. This content was included because the author of this briefing found it to be particularly effective based on their personal experience.

    Avoid getting caught up in the intricate details of studies, which takes you off-message. Instead, rely on expert testimony from well-respected and authoritative sources, such as the Mayo Clinic and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

    • Note: referencing respected institutions or experts like the Mayo Clinic and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is not an example of the appeal to authority fallacy; rather, it is an appeal to legitimate expertise.

    Your goal isn’t just to list nutrients and studies but to challenge their assumptions and show that plant-based diets are not only sufficient but often superior for long-term health.

    Segue the Conversation Back to Animal Ethics

    People often discuss vegan diets in terms of nutrition, convenience, or personal preference, rather than ethics. While these topics matter, bring the discussion back to the ethical reasons for being vegan as soon as you can.

    • “Since we can thrive on a plant-based diet, what ethical justification remains for continuing to support industries that harm animals?”
    • “If someone said they couldn’t go vegan because it’s inconvenient, would that really justify causing unnecessary suffering?””
    • Are we talking about nutrition because we truly think vegan diets are deficient, or because it’s an easy way to avoid the ethical issue of animal suffering?”

    Why? This keeps the focus on ethics instead of letting them use this argument as a distraction.

    Use Trust in Respected Health Organizations

    Most people place at least some degree of trust in credentialed professionals and health institutions, compared to trust in influencers.

    • “Harvard, the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and Kaiser Permanente all say a well-planned vegan diet is healthy and helps prevent disease. Do you think they would endorse it if it were dangerous?”
    • Kaiser Permanente advises its doctors to recommend plant-based diets, and the Cleveland Clinic says they have no disadvantages. Why would they do that if vegan diets were unhealthy?”

    Why? This shifts the conversation away from opinion and toward expert consensus.

    Challenge the Idea That Animal Products Are Necessary

    People often assume that certain nutrients must come from animals—show them that’s not true.

    • “Can you name one essential nutrient that we can only get from animal products? Because no health organization has been able to.”
    • “The USDA, which heavily supports animal agriculture, still acknowledges that a vegan diet is healthy. If there were a required nutrient missing, wouldn’t they say so?”

    Why? This forces them to rethink their reliance on animal products for nutrients.

    Address the “But Some Vegans Are Unhealthy” Argument

    People love to bring up anecdotal evidence of unhealthy vegans. Counter it by showing that any diet can be unhealthy if done wrong.

    • “If someone eats too much junk food isn’t that a nutrition problem and not a vegan problem?”
    • “There are unhealthy vegans just like there are unhealthy meat-eaters, but would you say an omnivorous diet is unhealthy because some people don’t pay attention to nutrition?”

    Why? This shuts down anecdotal evidence and brings the focus back to science.

    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Position Paper Update

    In February 2025, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics released a new position paper42 replacing the 2016 paper43.

    The new paper applies only to adults, and removes the wording that a vegan diet is appropriate “for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes.”

    We anticipate another paper covering non-adults may be forthcoming.

    1. “Becoming a Vegetarian.” Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School. April 15, 2020. ↩︎
    2. Vegetarian Diet: How to Get the Best Nutrition.” Mayo Clinic. March 14, 2016 ↩︎
    3. Understanding Vegetarianism & Heart Health” Cleveland Clinic, December 2013. ↩︎
    4. Phillip J Tuso, MD, Mohamed H Ismail, MD, Benjamin P Ha, MD, and Carole Bartolotto, MD, RD. “Nutritional Update for Physicians: Plant-Based Diets.” The Permanente Journal – The Permanente Press – Kaiser Permanente – Permanente Medical Groups, 2013. ↩︎
    5. Ask A Nutritionist: Plant-Based Diets.” NewYork-Presbyterian, March 30, 2017. ↩︎
    6. “Becoming a Vegetarian.” Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School. April 15, 2020. ↩︎
    7. Vegetarian Diet: How to Get the Best Nutrition.” Mayo Clinic. March 14, 2016 ↩︎
    8. Understanding Vegetarianism & Heart Health” Cleveland Clinic, December 2013. ↩︎
    9. Phillip J Tuso, MD, Mohamed H Ismail, MD, Benjamin P Ha, MD, and Carole Bartolotto, MD, RD. “Nutritional Update for Physicians: Plant-Based Diets.” The Permanente Journal – The Permanente Press – Kaiser Permanente – Permanente Medical Groups, 2013. ↩︎
    10. Ask A Nutritionist: Plant-Based Diets.” NewYork-Presbyterian, March 30, 2017.  ↩︎
    11. Becoming a Vegetarian.” Harvard Health Publications Harvard Medical School, March 18, 2016. ↩︎
    12. Phillip J Tuso, MD, Mohamed H Ismail, MD, Benjamin P Ha, MD, and Carole Bartolotto, MD, RD. “Nutritional Update for Physicians: Plant-Based Diets.” The Permanente Journal – The Permanente Press – Kaiser Permanente – Permanente Medical Groups, 2013. ↩︎
    13. Ask A Nutritionist: Plant-Based Diets.” NewYork-Presbyterian, March 30, 2017. ↩︎
    14. Understanding Vegetarianism & Heart Health” Cleveland Clinic, December 2013. ↩︎
    15. Phillip J Tuso, MD, Mohamed H Ismail, MD, Benjamin P Ha, MD, and Carole Bartolotto, MD, RD. “Nutritional Update for Physicians: Plant-Based Diets.” The Permanente Journal – The Permanente Press – Kaiser Permanente – Permanente Medical Groups, 2013. ↩︎
    16. Raj, Sudha, et al. “Vegetarian Dietary Patterns for Adults: A Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.” PDF. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 7 Feb. 2025. ↩︎
    17. British Dietetic Association.” The Vegan Society. Accessed August 3, 2017. ↩︎
    18. Healthy Eating Guidelines for Vegans.” Dietitians of Canada, November 2017. ↩︎
    19. Vegan Diets: Everything You Need to Know – Dietitians Association of Australia.” Dietitians Association of Australia. Accessed August 3, 2017. ↩︎
    20. Raj, Sudha, et al. “Vegetarian Dietary Patterns for Adults: A Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.” PDF. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 7 Feb. 2025. ↩︎
    21. “Join Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics | Indiana Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics.” Indiana Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics |, 17 Aug. 2020. Accessed 23 Feb. 2025. ↩︎
    22. USDA Food Patterns: Healthy Vegetarian Eating Pattern.” Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Eighth Edition. Accessed August 4, 2017. ↩︎
    23. Hayes, Jared. “USDA Livestock Subsidies Top $59 Billion | Environmental Working Group.” Www.ewg.org, 30 Aug. 2023. ↩︎
    24. The PlantPure Nation documentary video can be watched free on Tubi and Amazon Prime Video, and is also available for rent or purchase on Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Apple. ↩︎
    25. Ornish, Dean. “Ornish Reversal Program.” Ornish Lifestyle Medicine, ↩︎
    26. CDC. “Leading Causes of Death.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 May 2024. ↩︎
    27. UCLA Health. Scientifically Proven Research for the Dr. Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease. ↩︎
    28. Ornish, Dean. “Ornish Reversal Program.” Ornish Lifestyle Medicine. ↩︎
    29. Ornish, Dean. “Ornish Reversal Program.” Ornish Lifestyle Medicine. ↩︎
    30. “Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation (ICR) Programs | CMS.” Cms.gov, 2014. Accessed 12 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
    31. Caldwell B Esselstyn, Jr. Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure. New York, Avery, A Member Of Penguin Group (USA) Inc, 2008. ↩︎
    32. Caldwell B Esselstyn, Jr. Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure. New York, Avery, A Member Of Penguin Group (USA) Inc, 2008. ↩︎
    33. Caldwell Esselstyn, Caldwell. Dr. Esselstyn’s Story – Esselstyn Foundation. ↩︎
    34. Esselstyn CB Jr, Ellis SG, Medendorp SV, Crowe TD. A strategy to arrest and reverse coronary artery disease: a 5-year longitudinal study of a single physician’s practice. J Fam Pract. 1995 Dec;41(6):560-8. PMID: 7500065. ↩︎
    35. Esselstyn CB Jr, Gendy G, Doyle J, Golubic M, Roizen MF. A way to reverse CAD? The Journal of Family Practice. 2014 Jul;63(7):356-364b. PMID: 25198208. ↩︎
    36. “Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, Part D Chapter 1.” Health.gov ODPHP, 2015. ↩︎
    37. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, “Vegan diet can benefit both health and the environment“, In the New, 2019, Accessed July 31, 2024 ↩︎
    38. Wikipedia Contributors. “Walter Willett.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 15 Aug. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Willett. ↩︎
    39. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, “Vegan diet can benefit both health and the environment“, In the New, 2019, Accessed July 31, 2024 ↩︎
    40. O’Connor, Anahad. “Advice From a Vegan Cardiologist.” New York Times: Well (blog), August 6, 2014. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/06/advice-from-a-vegan-cardiologist/  ↩︎
    41. “Cardiologist Kim Williams, M.D. Wants To Eradicate Heart Disease.” Rich Roll, November 5, 2017. http://www.richroll.com/podcast/kim-williams/  ↩︎
    42. Raj, Sudha, et al. “Vegetarian Dietary Patterns for Adults: A Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.” PDF. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 7 Feb. 2025.  ↩︎
    43. Vegetarian Diets.” Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. PDF December 2016. ↩︎
  • Animal Agriculture: Cruel and Unjust

    Animal Agriculture: Cruel and Unjust

    Since consuming animal products is unnecessary, the systemic exploitation and killing of sentient beings is fundamentally unjust. Despite humane-sounding labels and certifications, farmed animals suffer many abuses before they are violently slaughtered while still young. These abuses include horrid living conditions, painful mutilations, denial of their natural behaviors, debilitating selective breeding, reproductive violations, cruel handling, and violent, painful slaughter.

    Exploiting animals for food is just one of the categories of exploration that results in injustices and suffering. The other forms of animal exploitation are for entertainment, clothing, research, labor and work, pet breeding and trade, religious and cultural practices, and wildlife trade and poaching.

    The root of the problem is viewing animals as mere things with no inherent worth—that exist only for humans and for maximizing profit.

    Killing is unjust even if done suddenly and painlessly (which it is not).

    Killing a sentient being means stealing its life—a life it values as much as we value ours. Because we have no nutritional need for meat, dairy, or eggs, the deaths those products require are unnecessary, as is the suffering.

    Farmed animals suffer many egregious abuses.

    Below is just a sample of the abuses farmed animals face—abuses that also cause stress, depression, and poor mental health.1

    Violent Slaughter: Shooting | Maceration | Throat Slitting

    • Chickens. Chickens are killed in several ways, including manual throat slitting, neck breaking, decapitation, and gassing, all of which are violent and painful. When low-voltage stuns are not effective, many chickens are alive and fully conscious when their throat is slit, and many remain conscious when entering the scalding tank.234
    • Cows. Despite the Humane Slaughter Act, fast line speeds and poorly trained workers mean cows are often improperly stunned and therefore still conscious when their throats are slit. Workers have reported cows blinking and looking around when they should be dead. Many cows have their limbs cut off and even their hides removed while fully conscious.5
    • Pigs. All accepted methods of pig slaughter are inhumane; these include electrocution, gassing, and shooting (via bolt gun or gunshot). Gassing, which is increasing in use, involves lowering pigs into a gas chamber. The gas “acidifies eyes, nostrils, mouths and lungs, meaning the animals feel like they are burning from the inside out.” Meanwhile, they also suffocate from lack of oxygen and violently convulse due to the abrasive poison in their lungs.6789
    • Fish. Instead of being slaughtered, wild-caught fish are often hauled onto fishing boats and left to suffocate. Fish caught at 20 meters (65 feet) or deeper may suffer rapid decompression when pulled to the surface, which can push their eyes out of their sockets or their organs out of their mouths or anuses, resulting in prolapse. Fish that survive being pulled to the surface may still be alive when put into onboard freezers and slowly freeze to death.10

    Horrid Living Conditions: Confinement | Crowding | Fecal Filth

    • Chickens. Chickens in commercial chicken houses may not be caged but are still confined by the mass of chickens around them, which is why Consumer Reports advises to “ignore ‘cage-free’ claims.”11
    • Cows. On feedlots, thousands of cows are crammed into and made to stand in small pens that quickly fill up with waste.12 The huge amounts of manure on feedlots emit gases like methane and ammonia, which may give cows chronic respiratory problems.13
    • Pigs. After being removed from their mothers, piglets are often crowded into pens with little room to move until they reach slaughter weight.14
    • Fish. Farmed fish overcrowding leads to fecal contamination and routinely causes stress, loss of scales, lack of oxygen, gill damage, and heart problems due to insufficient exercise.1516

    Painful Mutilations: Debeaking | Dehorning | Tail Docking | Castration

    • Chickens. Debeaking is painful, causes lasting suffering, impairs feeding, eliminates exploratory pecking, and impairs preening, which can lead to lice.17
    • Pigs. Per standard practices, pigs are often castrated and tattooed and have their teeth clipped, tail docked, and ears notched—often without anesthetic. These practices are painful (sometimes chronically) and can cause inflammation, abscesses, and other health issues.18
    • Cows. Cows are dehorned on 94% of dairy farms (USDA19), usually without anesthetic. The excruciatingly painful20 process involves cutting through bone and horn tissue with a wire, saw, or mechanical gouger.21
    • Calves. Most male calves in the United States are castrated (USDA22) to reduce aggression and prevent reproduction. The process is acutely painful,23 and pain relief is rarely provided.24

    Denial of Natural Behaviors: Free Movement | Courtship | Sex | Roosting | Rooting | Nurturing and Being Nurtured | Playing | Teaching

    • Cows. In the dairy industry, calves are usually taken from their mother soon after birth, which is very upsetting for both. Mother cows have strong maternal instincts and often call for their calves for hours or even days after separation.25 This isolation causes long-term stress and anxiety.26
    • Chickens. Crowding hinders or eliminates chickens’ ability to preen, roost, perch, spread their wings, establish social order, peck and scratch for food, teach their young to peck and scratch for food, and other natural things.27 This causes not only discomfort but also constant fear and anxiety.282930

    Debilitating Selective Breeding: Larger Breasts | More Milk | More & Bigger Eggs

    • Laying Hens. Modern laying hens produce over 300 eggs per year, which is 50 times more than the jungle fowl from which they are bred. This causes both physical and psychological stress.31 This higher production, whether for larger eggs or more eggs, often causes osteoporosis, broken bones, and uterine prolapse32
    • Broiler Chickens. A 2020 World’s Poultry Science journal study found that over the past 60 years, the selective breeding of broiler chickens for rapid growth, larger breasts, and feed efficiency has caused significant problems, including leg deformities, heart conditions, and elevated mortality rates.33
    • Pigs. Pigs have been bred to gain weight so fast that they sometimes struggle to support their own weight.34 This can also lead to joint and leg problems, heart attacks, and stress.353637
    • Cows. Because modern dairy cows have been selectively bred to produce much more milk than their ancestors, they may become deficient in nutrients such as calcium. Many develop metabolic diseases such as milk fever, ketosis, and fatty liver syndrome.38

    Reproductive Violations: Semen Collection | Insemination | Separation or Slaughter of Offspring

    • Chickens. Male chicks born to egg-laying hens are killed shortly after hatching because they can’t lay eggs and aren’t profitable for meat.39 Slaughter methods include maceration, gassing, and suffocation.40 Globally, about 7 billion male chicks are culled each year41 (260 million in the U.S.),42 meaning every laying hen statistically has a brother who was slaughtered at birth.
    • Bulls. Bull semen is collected by either painful electro ejaculation or the teaser method, in which one bull is artificially aroused into mounting another bull, often resulting in tissue damage.43
    • Cows. Cows. In the United States, approximately 78%44 of dairy cows are impregnated via artificial insemination. During artificial insemination, a human inserts a semen injection gun into the cow’s vulva and then inserts their entire other arm into the cow’s anus to feel for and guide the injection gun.45

    Cruel Handling: Beating | Prodding | Transportation | Maceration | Slaughter

    • Chickens. Chickens that are being transported or prepared for transport are grabbed by their feet (four chickens at a time) and thrown or shoved into crowded crates, resulting in crushed wings, bones, and heads. The heat, cold, and jostling experienced during transport lead to exhaustion, dehydration, and injuries, often resulting in pain, disease, wing and leg fractures, inability to stand, lesions, bleeding, bruising, and even death by suffocation.4647
    • Pigs. Multiple investigations by Mercy for Animals and others have recorded pigs being punched, kicked, beaten, shouted at, violently shaken, poked in the eyes, hit with boards, and having their hair pulled out.484950

    Downers: Dragging | Electrocution | Forklifting | Spraying | Left to Die

    Piglets. Sick piglets have been denied veterinary care and thrown into piles and left to die slowly.51

    Cows. Undercover investigations have revealed downed cows being dragged with chains, shocked with electric prods, rammed with forklifts, sprayed through the nose with water, and left to die.525354

    To add another key something: on the three dot menu, choose add before or add after, then type /key something.

    • This is a real list item. Totally optional. Use it or delete the List block.

    Farmed animals are slaughtered very young, after living only a fraction of their natural lifespans.

    Animals slaughtered for meat live only 2%–7% of their natural lifespan, laying hens live less than 20% of their natural lifespan, and dairy cows live 30% of their natural lifespan.

    Details

    Dairy cows are slaughtered at around 4 to 6 years old, after living less than 30 percent of a 15 to 20-year natural lifespan.55

    Cows used for beef are slaughtered at around 18 months old, after living less than 7% of their natural 15 to 20-year lifespan.56

    Pigs are slaughtered at around 5 to 6 months old, after living less than 6% of their natural lifespan.57

    In the egg industry, because male chicks can’t lay eggs, males are slaughtered soon after hatching, usually by being ground by steel blades.58

    Laying hens are slaughtered at around 18 months old, after living less than 20% of their natural 8-year lifespan.59

    Chickens used for meat are slaughtered at around 5 to 7 weeks old, after living less than 2% of their natural 8-year lifespan.60

    Humane-sounding labels and certifications are deceptive and largely meaningless.

    Humanewashing, akin to greenwashing, is described by Farm Forward as using deceptive labels and imagery to market animal products, “promoting the illusion of animal well-being while concealing the extent of animals’ illness and suffering.”61

    Consumer Reports determined that cage-free, free-range, pasture-raised, and other labels and certifications are largely meaningless and can be ignored62

    Consumer Reports also found that audits for certification labels, if they happen at all, are infrequent, ineffective, and unenforced, and there were often no penalties for violations63

    The Open Philanthropy Project, in looking at the Whole Foods certification program, found that the enforcement is weak and that the standards, even if followed, offer only slight improvements over standard factory farm conditions.64

    According to Farm Forward’s report on humanewashing, even the more thorough certifications “deceive consumers by branding as humane products from animals raised in intensive confinement on concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), animals deprived adequate exercise and socialization, animals genetically modified in ways that promote disease, cattle whose calves are taken from them shortly after birth, and male chicks who are killed en masse immediately after hatching.”65

    The scope of suffering, as indicated by numbers slaughtered, is beyond imagination.

    Over 70 billion land animals are slaughtered each year (FAO66), and 99% of those have lived on factory farms (Sentience Institute67).

    More farmed animals are slaughtered every year than the total number of humans who have ever lived on Earth.

    Calculation Details

    Public Broadcasting Radio estimates that as of 2022, the total number of humans who have ever lived on Earth is 117 billion.68

    Annually, over 70 billion land animals69 and 51 to 167 billion fish70 are slaughtered.

    The root of the problem is viewing animals as mere things with no inherent worth—that exist only for humans and for maximizing profit.

    This attitude is exemplified in two quotes from two separate farm publications:

    National Hog Farmer:”The breeding sow should be thought of, and treated as, a valuable piece of machinery whose function is to pump out baby pigs like a sausage machine.”71

    Hog Farm Management: “Forget the pig is an animal—treat him just like a machine in a factory.”72

    Claim: We give animals life, meaning, and protection—they should be grateful.

    Note: This claim is covered thoroughly in another briefing.

    Farmed animals are bred for human benefit, facing suffering and premature death, while protections prioritize human interests. Far from feeling gratitude, these animals endure lives of exploitation, highlighting the need to protect them more from humans than natural predators.

    About CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations)

    The EPA defines CAFOs as large-scale feeding operations where numerous animals are confined and fed for a minimum of 45 days per year—though often for much longer—with their waste presenting a pollution risk to surface water.73

    CAFOs come in different sizes—small, medium, and large—but the largest, containing thousands or even tens of thousands of animals, most clearly reflect industrialized farming. A major concern is the vast amount of manure produced in these facilities, which leads to significant environmental challenges.74

    In 2022, the United States had more than 21,000 large CAFOs. Estimates based on USDA data indicate that nearly 99 percent of livestock in the country is raised in these intensive farming operations.75

    In addition to the suffering and injustices to farm animals, large CAFOs contribute to environmental pollution, water contamination, air pollution, declining property values, and water shortages while also posing serious health risks such as respiratory illnesses, high blood pressure, cancer, and miscarriages. Their disproportionate placement in communities of color highlights ongoing environmental injustice.76

    Danny Ishay Video to Visualize the Scope of Suffering

    This video will help you visualize slaughter numbers, in support of the key point on the scope of suffering.

    Note: the numbers may differ from those presented in the briefing due to different assumptions, but they are in the ballpark. Also, third-party videos are not fact-checked.

    Related Briefings

    Our briefings on the injustices suffered by cows, pigs, chickens, and fish provide a fuller picture of the horrors they endure.

    Our briefing “We Give Animals Life, Meaning, and Protection; They Should Be Grateful” answers a related objection.

    Other Resources

    If you are not vegan, you really should watch some of the undercover investigation videos that bring the injustices outlined here to life. Hundreds are available with a quick search. One we find particularly touching and informative is “What Cody Saw.”

    Advocacy Notes
    Tips for Advocacy and Outreach

    General Tips

    Your goal is to help them question the justifications they may hold and recognize the fundamental injustice of using animals for food.

    Expose contradictions. Help them see how their actions conflict with their values.

    Make it personal. Encourage them to imagine the suffering from the animals’ perspective.

    Reframe the conversation. The issue isn’t whether animal agriculture can be ‘better’—it’s whether it should exist at all.

    Help Them Recognize Their Personal Role in the System

    Many people see animal suffering as a distant issue, failing to acknowledge their direct participation.

    • If we pay for something to be done, aren’t we responsible for the consequences of that action?”
    • “If you oppose animal cruelty, but your purchases fund industries that harm animals, isn’t that a contradiction?”

    Why? This makes them see that they are not just passive bystanders but active contributors—and that they have the power to stop supporting cruelty.

     Challenge the Discomfort of Avoiding the Truth

    People often say “I can’t watch those videos” because they instinctively know animal suffering is wrong but don’t want to confront it. After asking one of the questions below, suggest they watch “What Cody Saw,” a touching first-hand account on YouTube.

    • “If it’s too upsetting for you to watch, what about the animals who are actually living it?”
    • “If seeing the reality of what routinely happens on these farms makes you uncomfortable, wouldn’t that mean participating in it should make you even more uncomfortable? ” 

    Why? This helps them see that their avoidance is a sign of their moral discomfort—and that the solution isn’t to look away but to stop supporting the cruelty.

    Expose the Reality of Animal Agriculture

    Many people don’t realize the scale of suffering farmed animals endure.

    • “Are you aware that over 70 billion land animals are slaughtered every year for food—more than the total number of humans who have ever lived?”
    • “Labels like ‘cage-free’ and ‘humane-certified’ often mislead consumers—would it surprise you that most of these animals still endure extreme suffering?”

    Why? This encourages people to question the humane myth and reconsider their participation.

    Ask Why Killing Is Justified When It’s Unnecessary

    People assume that if animals are killed quickly, it isn’t cruel—but why is it acceptable at all?

    • “If a sentient being values their life as much as we do, how can taking that life be justified when we have no need for animal products?”
    • “If we agree that unnecessary harm is wrong, why do we justify killing billions of animals when plant-based foods are widely available?”

    Why? This forces them to confront the fact that killing is an ethical issue, not just a matter of method.

    Challenge the Idea That Animals Are Treated Humanely

    Many people believe that welfare laws and humane labels ensure ethical treatment.

    • “If labels like ‘cage-free’ and ‘humane-certified’ truly ensured animal well-being, why do investigations continue to expose horrific abuse?”
    • “If humane slaughter were real, why do so many animals remain conscious when they are killed?”

    Why? This exposes the gap between humane marketing and the harsh reality of animal agriculture.

    Highlight That Farmed Animals Are Denied Their Natural Lives

    Animals raised for food live only a fraction of their natural lifespan.

    • “Did you know that animals in agriculture are slaughtered at just 2-30% of their natural lifespan?”
    • “How can we say we ‘care’ about these animals when they never get to experience a full life?”

    Why? This helps them see that the system isn’t about care—it’s about maximizing profit at the expense of the animals.

    Expose the Reality of Routine Mutilations

    Farmed animals endure painful mutilations without pain relief.

    • “If castration without anesthesia were done to dogs or cats, would people still defend these practices?”
    • “Why do we allow industries to inflict pain on animals for efficiency when it would be illegal in any other context?”

    Why? This makes them question why farmed animals are treated differently from pets.

    Question the Acceptability of Reproductive Violations

    The dairy and meat industries routinely violate animals’ reproductive autonomy.

    • “If cows naturally nurse their calves, why are they forcibly impregnated and their babies taken from them?”
    • “Would we accept similar reproductive control if it were done to humans?”

    Why? This highlights the ethical issues surrounding artificial breeding and forced separation.

    Challenge the Perception That Fish Don’t Suffer

    Fish are often overlooked, but their suffering is immense.

    • “If fish weren’t capable of feeling pain, why do they struggle when pulled from the water?”
    • “Did you know fish can suffer decompression so severe that their eyes pop out and their organs prolapse?”

    Why? This pushes them to reconsider their assumptions about fish sentience and suffering.

    Expose How Animal Agriculture Treats Living Beings as Machines

    Industry language reveals the true mindset behind animal farming.

    “Why do industry publications compare pigs to factory machines, calling them ‘sausage makers’?”

    • “If animals are just ‘production units,’ what does that say about how we value their lives?”

    Why? This exposes the dehumanizing mindset that allows such extreme cruelty to persist.

    Encourage People to Question Their Own Standards

    Most people oppose animal cruelty but still support factory farming.

    • “If you’re against animal cruelty, why support an industry that mutilates, confines, and slaughters animals?”
    • “Would you personally slit an animal’s throat, or do you rely on paying others?”

    Why? This helps them recognize the disconnect between their values and their actions.

    Leave Them With a Thought-Provoking Question

    Instead of arguing, give them something to think about.

    • “If you could live a healthy life without contributing to suffering, what’s stopping you?”
    • “Knowing what you know now, does it still feel right to support this industry?”

    Why? A strong question stays with them long after the conversation ends.

    1. O’keffee, Jill. “The Inhumane Psychological Treatment of Factory Farmed Animals | New Roots Institute”. ↩︎
    2. Shields, Sara J., and A. B. M. Raj. “A Critical Review of Electrical Water-Bath Stun Systems for Poultry Slaughter and Recent Developments in Alternative Technologies.” Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science13, no. 4 (September 17, 2010): 281–99. ↩︎
    3. Pitney, Nico. “Scientists Believe The Chickens We Eat Are Being Slaughtered While Conscious.” HuffPost, 24:58 400AD.  ↩︎
    4. Welfare at Slaughter of Broiler Chickens: A Review.” Accessed June 12, 2019. ↩︎
    5. Warrick, Jo. “‘They Die Piece by Piece.’” Washington Post, April 10, 2001. Accessed December 3, 2019 ↩︎
    6. “The Stunning and Killing of Pigs“, Humane Slaughter Association, May 2007 ↩︎
    7. Matthew Zampa, “There’s Nothing “Humane” About Killing Pigs in Gas Chambers,” Sentient Media, November 12, 2019 ↩︎
    8. “Is Gas Killing the Pig Industry’s Darkest Secret?“, Phillip Lymbery, November 11, 2021 ↩︎
    9. Compassion in World Farming, “PROMISING NEWS FOR EUROPE’S PIGS, November 13, 2020″ ↩︎
    10. Mood, Alison. “Worse Things Happen at Sea: The Welfare of Wild-Caught Fish.” fishcount.org.uk, 2010 ↩︎
    11. Consumer Reports Greener Choices. “Cage-free on a package of chicken: Does It Add Value?” March 5, 2018. ↩︎
    12. “Overview of Cattle Laws | Animal Legal & Historical Center.” Accessed November 28, 2019. ↩︎
    13. Haarlem, R. P. van, R. L. Desjardins, Z. Gao, T. K. Flesch, and X. Li. “Methane and Ammonia Emissions from a Beef Feedlot in Western Canada for a Twelve-Day Period in the Fall.” Canadian Journal of Animal Science 88, no. 4 (December 2008): 641–49. Accessed December 3, 2019. ↩︎
    14. Fox, Michael. “Factory Farming.” The Humane Society Institute for Science and Policy, 1980 ↩︎
    15. Gregory, Neville G., and Temple Grandin. Animal Welfare and Meat Science. Oxon, UK ; New York, NY, USA: CABI Pub, 1998. 209-10. ↩︎
    16. Stevenson, Peter, Compassion in World Farming (Organization), and World Society for the Protection of Animals. Closed Waters: The Welfare of Farmed Atlantic Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Atlantic Cod and Atlantic Halibut. Godalming, Surrey: Compassion in World Farming, 2007. ↩︎
    17. Welfare Implications of Beak Trimming.” American Veterinary Medical Association, February 7, 2010 ↩︎
    18. See https://vbriefings.org/pig-injustices for citations. ↩︎
    19. “Changes in Dairy Cattle Health and Management Practices in the United States,1996-2007.” Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, July 2009. Accessed 3 December 2019 ↩︎
    20. News, A. B. C. “Dehorning: ‘Standard Practice’ on Dairy Farms.” ABC News. Accessed December 3, 2019. ↩︎
    21. Robbins, Ja, Dm Weary, Ca Schuppli, and Mag von Keyserlingk. “Stakeholder Views on Treating Pain Due to Dehorning Dairy Calves.” Animal Welfare 24, no. 4 (November 14, 2015): 399–406. Accessed December 3, 2019. ↩︎
    22. USDA: Reference of Beef Cow-calf Management Practices in the United States, 2007–08 ↩︎
    23. “Castration of Calves.” Accessed November 19, 2019 ↩︎
    24. Robertson, I.S., J.E. Kent, and V. Molony. “Effect of Different Methods of Castration on Behaviour and Plasma Cortisol in Calves of Three Ages.” Research in Veterinary Science 56, no. 1 (January 1994): 8–17. Accessed December 3, 2019 ↩︎
    25. Marchant-Forde, Jeremy N., Ruth M. Marchant-Forde, and Daniel M. Weary. “Responses of Dairy Cows and Calves to Each Other’s Vocalisations after Early Separation.” Applied Animal Behaviour Science 78, no. 1 (August 2002): 19–28. Accessed December 3, 2019. ↩︎
    26. Wagner, Kathrin, Daniel Seitner, Kerstin Barth, Rupert Palme, Andreas Futschik, and Susanne Waiblinger. “Effects of Mother versus Artificial Rearing during the First 12 Weeks of Life on Challenge Responses of Dairy Cows.” Applied Animal Behaviour Science 164 (March 2015): 1–11. Accessed December 3, 2019. ↩︎
    27. Prescott, N.B. and Wathes, C.M., (2002). Preference and motivation of laying hens to eat under different illuminances and the effect of illuminance on eating behavior.  British Poultry Science, 43: 190-195 ↩︎
    28. Eugen, Kaya von, Rebecca E. Nordquist, Elly Zeinstra, and Franz Josef van der Staay. “Stocking Density Affects Stress and Anxious Behavior in the Laying Hen Chick During Rearing.” Animals : An Open Access Journal from MDPI9, no. 2 (February 10, 2019). ↩︎
    29. Marino, Lori. “Thinking Chickens: A Review of Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior in the Domestic Chicken.” Animal Cognition20, no. 2 (2017): 127–47. ↩︎
    30. Appleby, M.C. “What Causes Crowding? Effects of Space, Facilities and Group Size on Behavior, with Particular Reference to Furnished Cages for Hens.” Animal Welfare13 (August 1, 2004): 313–20. ↩︎
    31. Cheng, H.-W. “Breeding of Tomorrow’s Chickens to Improve Well-Being.” Poultry Science 89, no. 4 (April 1, 2010): 805–13 ↩︎
    32. Jamieson, Alastair. “Large Eggs Cause Pain and Stress to Hens, Shoppers Are Told,” March 11, 2009, sec. Finance ↩︎
    33. Hartcher, K.M., and H.K. Lum. “Genetic Selection of Broilers and Welfare Consequences: A Review.” World’s Poultry Science Journal, vol. 76, no. 1, 21 Dec. 2019, pp. 154–167. ↩︎
    34. Prunier, A., M. Heinonen, and H. Quesnel. “High Physiological Demands in Intensively Raised Pigs: Impact on Health and Welfare.” Animal 4, no. 6 (June 2010): 886–98. ↩︎
    35. Prunier, A., M. Heinonen, and H. Quesnel. “High Physiological Demands in Intensively Raised Pigs: Impact on Health and Welfare.” Animal 4, no. 6 (June 2010): 886–98. ↩︎
    36. Broom, Donald. “The Roles of Industry and Science, including genetic selection, in improving animal welfare,” Animal Science and Biotechnologies 42, no. 2 (2009): 532–46. ↩︎
    37. Prunier, A., M. Heinonen, and H. Quesnel. “High Physiological Demands in Intensively Raised Pigs: Impact on Health and Welfare.” Animal 4, no. 6 (June 2010): 886–98. ↩︎
    38. Webster, John. Animal Welfare. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2000. 88, 139-140. ↩︎
    39. What Happens with Male Chicks in the Egg Industry? – RSPCA Knowledgebase.” Accessed June 10, 2019. ↩︎
    40. “Chick Culling.” Wikipedia, 19 Feb. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chick_culling. Accessed 11 Jan. 2025. ↩︎
    41. Communication, SCIENCE. “Researcher: Seven Billion Newly Hatched Chicks Are Killed Every Year – but a Ban Is Not the Solution.” Science.ku.dk, 21 Mar. 2024. Accessed 11 Jan. 2025. ↩︎
    42. Davidson, Ollie. “The Killing of Newborn Chicks Is yet Another Cruel Egg Industry Practice.” LifeGate, 5 May 2021, www.lifegate.com/male-chick-culling-egg-industry-animal-equality. Accessed 11 Jan. 2025. ↩︎
    43. Colorado State Animal Science, “Semen Collection from Bulls.” September 2, 2002 ↩︎
    44. Rajala-Schultz, Gustavo M. Schuenemann, Santiago Bas, Armando Hoet, Eric Gordon, Donald Sanders, Klibs N. Galvão and Päivi. “A.I. Cover Sheaths Improved Fertility in Lactating Dairy Cows.” Progressive Dairy. Accessed December 3, 2019. ↩︎
    45. The Beef Site. “Artificial Insemination for Beef Cattle.” Accessed November 29, 2019. ↩︎
    46. Chickens Suffer during Catching, Loading, and Transport.” Accessed June 12, 2019  ↩︎
    47. Jacobs, Leonie, Evelyne Delezie, Luc Duchateau, Klara Goethals, and Frank A. M. Tuyttens. “Impact of the Separate Pre-Slaughter Stages on Broiler Chicken Welfare. ↩︎
    48. “WATCH: Criminal Animal Abuse Caught on Video at Walmart Pork Supplier,” Mercy for Animals, May 6, 2015 ↩︎
    49. One can find numerous pig abuse videos from multiple sources with this search ↩︎
    50. “The Horrifying Truth About Pig Farms,” NowThis February 25, 2020 ↩︎
    51. “WATCH: Criminal Animal Abuse Caught on Video at Walmart Pork Supplier,” Mercy for Animals, May 6, 2015 ↩︎
    52. Slaughterhouse Investigation: Cruel and Unhealthy Practices. Humane Society of the United States, Youtube, 2008. Accessed December 3, 2019. ↩︎
    53. “Cattle abuse wasn’t rare occurrence“, ABC New ↩︎
    54. Guest Contributor. “Watch: A Dairy Industry Exposé: Death, Cages and Downers.” The London Economic, 9 May 2018, www.thelondoneconomic.com/must-reads/a-dairy-industry-expose-death-cages-and-downers-88240/. Accessed 31 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
    55. “Age of Animals Slaughtered,” Farm Transparency Project, October 12, 2017. ↩︎
    56. “Age of Animals Slaughtered,” Farm Transparency Project, October 12, 2017. ↩︎
    57. “Age of Animals Slaughtered,” Farm Transparency Project, October 12, 2017. ↩︎
    58. What Happens with Male Chicks in the Egg Industry? – RSPCA Knowledgebase. ↩︎
    59. “Age of Animals Slaughtered,” Farm Transparency Project, October 12, 2017. ↩︎
    60. “Age of Animals Slaughtered,” Farm Transparency Project, October 12, 2017. ↩︎
    61. “The Dirt on Humanewashing | Publications.” Farm Forward, 13 Dec. 2020. ↩︎
    62. Investigations were carried out in 2016 by Consumer Reports and published on various pages of their greenchoices.org website. These pages have since been removed, but can be reached from this archive link. ↩︎
    63. Investigations were carried out in 2016 by Consumer Reports and published on various pages of their greenchoices.org website. These pages have since been removed, but can be reached from this archive link. ↩︎
    64. “Global Animal Partnership — General Support (2016) | Open Philanthropy.” Open Philanthropy, 30 July 2024, www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/global-animal-partnership-general-support-2016/. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024. ↩︎
    65. “The Dirt on Humanewashing | Publications.” Farm Forward, 13 Dec. 2020. ↩︎
    66. Derived from United Nations FAO statistics for 2017: “FAOSTAT.” ↩︎
    67. “US Factory Farming Estimates.” Sentience Institute. Accessed 2022-06-23 ↩︎
    68. Kaneda, Toshiko, and Carl Haub. “How Many People Have Ever Lived on Earth?” PRB, 15 Nov 2022. ↩︎
    69. Derived from United Nations FAO statistics for 2017: “FAOSTAT.” ↩︎
    70. Estimates are from United Nations FAO data compiled by Fishcount UK. Fish Count UK: “Estimated Numbers of Individuals in Annual Global Capture Tonnage (FAO) of Fish Species (2007 – 2016)“; “Estimated Numbers of Individuals in Global Aquaculture Production (FAO) of Fish Species (2017)“; “Estimated numbers of individuals in average annual fish capture (FAO) by country fishing fleets (2007 – 2016)”; “Estimated numbers of individuals in aquaculture production (FAO) of fish species (2017).” ↩︎
    71. Marina Bolotnikova provided solid visual evidence for this quote in “Forget They Are an Animal”, Current Affairs, August 2022 ↩︎
    72. Marina Bolotnikova provided solid visual evidence for this quote in “Forget They Are an Animal”, Current Affairs, August 2022 ↩︎
    73. Beck, Lena. “Factory Farms Make Bad Neighbors. Meet the People Who Are Fighting Back.” Sentient, 3 Sept. 2024. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025. ↩︎
    74. Beck, Lena. “Factory Farms Make Bad Neighbors. Meet the People Who Are Fighting Back.” Sentient, 3 Sept. 2024. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025. ↩︎
    75. Beck, Lena. “Factory Farms Make Bad Neighbors. Meet the People Who Are Fighting Back.” Sentient, 3 Sept. 2024. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025. ↩︎
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