Individual Action for the Planet

From this pandemic we have seen global action for the sake of human lives, but we need to think bigger; our global actions today should be inclusive with conservation. As humans we have power, and it is important to utilize this for all living beings coexisting on our planet.

Environmental organizations claim that oil and gas are the biggest threats to climate change, but what they don’t tell us is that animal agriculture is actually the “…leading cause of species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution, and habitat destruction” (Cowspiracy).

Animal agriculture occupies 45 percent of the earth’s land and is responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse-gas emissions, more than the entire transportation sector combined. Despite the assumption that the Midwest is to blame for these animal agriculture caused issues, California is the largest dairy-producing state in the U.S. (California State Senate).The thousands of cattle feedlots in California generate runoff from manure, urine, and dead animals, which end up in rivers and oceans. This excessive influx of nutrients into the sea causes ocean dead zones, killing marine life.

Each day, a person on a vegan diet saves around 1,000 gallons of water, 30 square feet of forest land, and prevents production of greenhouse gases like methane and CO2. Given this information, the best way to preserve our California coast and the environment is to embrace a plant-based diet. In eating more plants and reducing animal products in one’s diet, we can create change for the better!