Being Vegan: Why Would You do That to Yourself? (A Rant)

After being vegetarian for about a year and a half, and after doing hours of research, I went fully vegan when I moved out of the house and into the dorms at college. Here in Southern California, people are generally pretty accepting of veganism and there are plenty of food options for me on and off campus. Luckily I met a wonderful group of people who respect my decision not to eat animal products and are pretty respectful of my diet.
However, being an herbivore there is something that I (and many others) grow tired of hearing; and that's the general "I couldn't give up (insert animal product) ever, it's too good," or "how do you live without (animal product)," or even that I "need" to be eating meat to survive/be healthy. I understand people's connection to eating meat and I respect their choice to do so, I don't generally judge people on what they eat and I don't hold my friends in any less esteem for eating animals. This post is not about refuting those comments because that particular set basically creates the debate platform for and against veganism.
Last night, however, one of my friends who didn't yet know I was vegan found out when my suitemate bought me vegan cookie dough because I wasn't eating the one with eggs and milk in it. His response was: "Vegan? Why would you do that to yourself?" I played it off with a casual "I'm into it, it's kinda my thing," but as I was going to bed his words kind of stuck with me, and here's what I have to say:
I'm "doing it to myself" because I care about more than myself. I'm not "doing it" for myself either, I'm doing it for you. As long as people like me are eating the way we are, the world put off it's fiery, polluted doom for just that much longer, whereas as long as people continue to eat like you, the forests will continue to burn, the ocean to acidify, and the air to grow unbreathable. I'm also doing it for them. Who, you ask? The animals, all animals. The cows, pigs, chickens, fish, turkey, and more that you choose to slaughter and consume, as well as the elephants, dolphins, tigers, and apes who's homes are in grave danger. Each day thousands (if not millions) of acres of habitats are destroyed for the purpose of your eating.
Not to mention the adverse health effects meat and dairy consumption has on your body. Cholesterol, obesity, cancer, heart disease, diabetes; these are just a few of the lovely things you can experience on an animal-product diet. The more death you put in your body, the more your body dies.
Eating an animal product centered diet hurts the environment, your body, and everyone and thing around you.
So to wrap it all up I guess I just have one thing to say (ask) to/of you:
Why would you do that to yourself?

World Health Organization Claims Processed Meats Cause Cancer

The World Health Organization has officially declared that processed meats are a level 1 carcinogens, right up there with asbestos and tobacco smoking. Red meat was then placed as a level 2A carcinogen, which is just the next step down. This is a huge step forward for vegan movement, but it's even better for the planet as a whole. The less meat people eat, the cleaner our world will become, as justified in Cowspiracy.
The article continues on to claim that there are health benefits to eating red meat, such as iron and B12. However these can be found risk free in many plant foods and are abundant in many other non-animal resources. The meat industry is of course mortified and against the article, claiming that studies the industry funded prove that the link is non-existent, but who are you going to believe: the composite of 800 studies or the biased few of payed-off scientists?
This is great news and such a large step toward improving the health of the planet and those who live on it as a whole.

Check out news articles on the reports here:
http://money.cnn.com/2015/10/26/news/red-meat-processed-cancer-world-health-organization/index.html?section=money_latest
http://www.news4jax.com/news/money/meat-industry-slams-cancer-report-alarmist-and-theoretical/36051310
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/cancer/processed-meat-causes-cancer-red-meat-probably-does-group-says-n451396

And a few fun videos about it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATvv71ycifU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cig4tNvulAc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbtP_LrmRHQ

COWSPIRACY: The Sustainablility Secret (And Why You Should Watch It)

One of the most talked about documentaries in the plant based world is "COWSPIRACY: The Sustainability Secret," and last night I finally watched it. Due to its recent unveiling on Netflix, I felt a good way to kick off its career was to review it. I was not sure what to expect from the film, based on the many people raving about it I assumed that it would be along the lines of "Earthlings," which is why I put it off for so long because I wasn't prepared to go through something so heavy again. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the film had a healthy dose of humor and centered mainly along the lines of environmentalism and how food animal production has on the planet and the imminent threat that eating animal products causes.

If you enjoyed "Vegucated," "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead," or other films that follow a specific person's journey, you will love this film. It follows the directors, Kip Anderson and Keegan Kuhn, as they travel to the different head quarters of big environmental groups like Green Peace, the Sierra Club, and the Surfrider Foundation to ask for opinions on the impact raising cows has on the planet and what can be done to reduce it. However, none of the organizations are willing to admit that agribusiness is the main issue, instead they focus on fossil fuels, palm oil, and coal.

This film is a wake up call to any and all people; environmentalists, big business, farmers, teenagers, everyone inhabiting the Earth. It is chock full of facts that are broken down in an easy, understandable, and entertaining way, as well as plenty of non-aggressive warnings about the overuse of land, the dead zones in the oceans, deforestation, and the very real threat that pollution is providing.

If you are considering switching to a plant based lifestyle but can't seem to motivate yourself to do so, watch this film. If you are already plant based and want to know more about your carbon footprint, watch this film. If you are simply looking for an educational film, watch "Cowspiracy."

I honestly cannot stress enough how important it is that this film is spread around and watched by as many people as possible. It is very well done, it is very entertaining, and its message is so damn important.

As of today, September 15, 2015, "Cowspiracy" is available on Netflix streaming. If you do not have Netflix you can buy the DVD or the download on their website. And if you absolutely don't want to spend money on the film but still want to watch it I'm sure there are websites where you can find the movie for free (although I strongly advise against it because Keegan and Kip could use all the help they can get and buying the film or watching it on Netflix are the best ways to do that).