A staggering new statistic reveals that a record-breaking 92.2 billion animals are exploited and killed yearly for food consumption globally, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This unsettling figure highlights the immense suffering experienced by these animals and underscores the urgent need for change to alleviate the strain on our planet. So for Animal Rights Awareness Week (June 19-26), let’s upgrade our plates with delicious vegan food.
Many animals used in the food industry endure constant suffering. They are confined in cramped spaces, unable to move or rest comfortably. Painful mutilations such as debeaking, dehorning, and castration are inflicted on them without pain relief. And many newborn animals are forcibly separated from their mothers, causing both mother and infant distress.
The impact that animal agriculture has on the planet cannot be ignored. Raising animals for food requires massive amounts of land, food, energy, and water. And by some estimates, animal agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse gases than all of the world’s transportation systems combined.
According to the United Nations, a global shift toward a vegan diet is vital to combat the worst effects of the climate crisis. Fortunately, a wide range of affordable vegan food options are readily available. So let’s stock our kitchens with nutritious foods like fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, legumes, tofu, and innovative meat and dairy alternatives like Beyond Meat and Almond Breeze.
Healthy vegan eating supports a lifetime of good health and protects against numerous diseases, including some of our country’s biggest killers: heart disease, cancer, and strokes.
Together, let’s embrace this positive change.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Libauskas
Climate Research Specialist
The PETA Foundation
501 Front St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
219-488-7844
rebeccal@petaf.org
