The Vegans Are Coming!

The Economist boldly declared that 2019 would be the year that veganism goes mainstream. In America alone, the sale of vegan foods rose ten times higher than those of general foods. In over 190 countries, 250,000 people made Veganuary pledges to switch to a plant-based diet. The Chinese government has voiced aims to reduce meat consumption by 50% by 2030. It seems as if every restaurant and fast food chain is hopping on the vegan-friendly bandwagon. Veganism has truly grown into a political force to be reckoned with, no longer disparaged as simply a fashionable diet fad. [su_pullquote align=”right”]Veganism has truly grown into a political force to be reckoned with, no longer disparaged as simply a fashionable diet fad.[/su_pullquote]

While the word “vegan” was not coined until 1944, the lifestyle was practiced long beforehand. Donald Watson, co-founder of the Vegan Society, defined veganism as “the doctrine that man should live without exploiting animals.” Today, interest in the philosophy and way of life is exploding. According to Open Democracy, a global affairs media platform, Google searches for the English term “vegan” have surpassed queries for “vegetarian” since 2011. But, cynics would say that veganism has always been somewhat visible. Indeed, the saying goes: “how do you know if someone is vegan? Don’t worry – they’ll tell you.” However, word-of-the-mouth has significantly changed both the perception and visibility of the movement. For example Veganuary and Meatless Mondays push for short term commitments in the elimination of dairy and/or meat consumption. The campaigns bolster awareness and make a long-term diet transition seem more manageable and realistic.

People become vegan for  many reasons. For some, it seems like the next logical step after vegetarianism – perhaps they tried a short-term diet switch and have simply decided to  keep going . For others, they’ve seen one to many videos of the systemic, unchecked abuse faced by the animals that end up in their fridge and on their plate.  There are also very real environmental concerns. According to the National Geographic, standard meat-based diet in the US requires 1000 gallons of water to be produced versus the 400 used by a vegan diet. Pachamama Alliance, also cited that animal agriculture consumes ⅓ of the planet’s freshwater occupies 45% of land, and accounts for 91% of the Amazon’s destruction, all of which greatly contribute to human-caused climate change. When eating dinner, it can be hard to realise that it’s not just a ‘half and half’ that you are paying for, but an entire system of environmental degradation. What you do and don’t choose to eat can have both personal and political implications.[su_pullquote align=”right”]What you do and don’t choose to eat can have both personal and political implications.[/su_pullquote]

More and more businesses are looking to tap into the  vegan food market, which constitutes a diverse, global consumer base. McDonald’s, KFC, and Burger King are just a few of the food giants who have contributed to the explosion of mainstream vegan food in order to reap  profits and garner good publicity. With its scope, the growing vegan population has incredible potential to truly impact the activities of big food corporations in the future by applying pressure on the issues of greatest concern, like more menu options and changes to environmental policy. . Even if people have not turned to veganism, it is common that they  put animal rights and the condition of the environment on their list of causes they care about. And we all know  who likes to pander to the issues that you seem to care about most: politicians. Vegan beliefs have become an important, controlling issue in terms of the political market for votes. In a system that rewards politicians and corporations that act – or at least try to appear to act – in these interests, switching lifestyles can have both a personal and political impact. You don’t have to throw red paint on fur to make a political statement; what food you buy and where you do and don’t buy it from can also powerfully signal your power.

Although, I staunchly support and recognise the multifaceted benefits to veganism, it would be remiss of me to not acknowledge the ‘dark side’ of the movement’s growth. At its worst, certain aspects  of the movement are exclusionary, illusory, and unhealthy. The extreme sect of the vegan movement – which is often erroneously presented as the only side of it – has marred the reputation of the wider movement. Butcher shops have been vandalised and threatened with petrol bombs.  Activists have pursued intimidation campaigns on and offline. ‘Purists’ have condemned any deviations from the diet – think youtubers crying as they confess to snacking on *gasp* animal flesh. This militant, fundamentalist approach is unfair and unproductive; it demonises those who care about the cause and try to participate in it in a way that their willpower and resources allow. Another thorn in the side of those who claim veganism to be a panacea is the impact of producing the diet’s staple foodstuffs. According to Emma Henderson of The Independent, demand for plant-based products like Beyond Meat also contributes to deforestation in the Amazon for soybean farming. While many see it as an  attractive alternative to cow’s milk and the abuse rife in its production, almond farming is actually one of the most water intensive agricultural processes. Moreover, vegan staples, such as quinoa, have become such a lucrative cash crops that locals can no longer afford to eat them. Veganism is not immune to some of the same problematic, harmful systems that it seeks to combat. This fact does not diminish its numerous benefits; but it is important to acknowledge the problems and changes that have and will arise as vegan diets become more popular.[su_pullquote]Veganism is not immune to some of the same problematic, harmful systems that it seeks to combat.[/su_pullquote]

With all that there is to be said about the personal and external benefits of veganism, not everyone can afford to pursue the lifestyle. A plant-based diet remains a class privilege, and it would be both ignorant and careless to paint all meat eaters as evil, uneducated people hellbent on murdering animals. All around the world, governments provide heavy subsidies to the farming industry to ensure mass production of cash crops, such as corn and beef. This keeps the costs of processed, unhealthy foods low, and the attractiveness of its consumption high. Privilege and systemic barriers are too often ignored or exploited in debates on alternative diets and lifestyles. The vegans very well may be coming – just not to a neighborhood near you.

If this is the point in the article where you feel that you are an awful human being for not being a vegan, fear not, for we are not doomed to condemn the rest of humanity to face the full fury of climate change. A vegan lifestyle is not possible or favourable for everyone. Even I, the humble writer of this article, am not a vegan. Fortunately, there are other ways to change and adapt the way we live to reduce our impact on the Earth (albeit less effectively than switching to veganism). For example, numerous studies have supported “flexitarian” diets that reduce rather than exclude meat and dairy products. Think Meatless Monday but on a few more days. You wouldn’t be alone in trying, either. Waitrose found that ⅓ of UK consumers have deliberately reduced the amount of meat they eat or removed it from their diet entirely.  Add this to the 1 in 8 vegetarian or vegan Britons,  with a further 21% who identify as flexitarian, and the growth of the movement becomes even more visible. If you can, try to source your food more locally to cut down on the dangerous carbon footprint that’s created when produce is flown halfway across the world. In the Age of Social Media, even just liking and sharing a pro-vegan/vegetarian/flexitarian post can help our dying planet. At the end of the day, doing what we can with whatever little resources we  have can go a long way.

Writing on the relationship between population pressure and agrarian change, the economist Ester Boserup opined that ‘necessity is the mother of invention.’ As global meat consumption rises, some scientists have begun to explore technology-based diet alternatives. In vitro meat – or cultured meat – is a promising process that would use the harvested stem cells of animals to generate industrial-scale quantities of meat. This would lead to less animals needed to meet consumer demand, less land, food and water need to rear them, and less slaughtering. But before we all hail the miracles of science, critics point to a more obvious strategy: a switch to veganism. Put simply, our planet and everyone on it may not have enough time to wait for lab meat. The future may already be here — we just have to put down our burgers and wake up to it.

We all know the stereotypical recipe for a vegan: hippy, young, obnoxiously and constantly name-drops their dietary plan without anyone asking, prays to avocadoes, and mutters ‘meat is murder’ in their sleep. The list could go on. But now it’s 2019, and it seems that this butt of the joke has had the last laugh. It’s nigh impossible to stick one belittling, stereotypical label on all those who are interested in or have actively begun reducing their meat and dairy consumption. Extending beyond a hippie fad or fashionable trend, veganism is a personal choice that can have wide-reaching political implications. In their own way, everyday people are tackling critical issues, from animal cruelty to global health and environmental justice. The vegans aren’t just coming – they’re already here and on the rise.

Helen Webley-Brown ‘22 studies in the College of Arts & Sciences. She can be reached at h.webley-brown@wustl.edu.