I have spent a lot of time reading, watching and thinking about how absolutely awful humans are in the grand scheme of things. We cruelly destroy animal lives and the planet hand in hand without even thinking about what we are doing. How did I do this for over 36 years, it hurts me to even think about my past consumption.
I haven't written anything in a while because I have struggled with how honest I want to be with others and the truth is BRUTALLY HONEST. I will always take the time to listen to the point of view of others, but there is no way in hell you can convince me that being vegan isn't the way to go.
What we're doing isn't sustainable, not even close. We destroy much of the earth so that we can farm land to feed the animals we "need" to eat? Deforestation, land destruction, air and water pollution, loss of habitat and more contribution to greenhouse gases than all of the transportation combined worldwide is supposed to be good for this world?
We kill 77 billion animals a year for food. 77 BILLION. That is incomprehensible but Ill try my best because I could not comprehend it without some sort of breakdown. If you were to save $100/day it would take you 2,109,589 days to save $77 billion. Over 2 million days of saving. How is that even possible, how can we need animal products that much? Now maybe the fact that we need so much of the planet just to feed the sheer amount of animals we farm for food makes sense. THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.
As for animal cruelty...I can't even begin to say how much this actually impacts my mental health. Humans literally "rape", kidnap, murder and torture animals all so we can consume products that we don't even need to survive. The dairy industry is an example of how terrible humans really can be. Cows are impregnated (not nicely, the device is often called a "rape rack"), have their babies whom are shortly thereafter removed from their mothers so we can consume another animals breastmilk? WHAT THE FUCK. Oh and if that baby is a boy he is of no use to a dairy farmer. Sold away to be raised and slaughtered for beef, or killed by 2 months of age for veal. Sadly there are also a high number of male calves killed immediately for removal because it is the cheapest route for the farmer.
But there are regulations in place right? That's where ag-gag laws come into place. These laws are in place to protect large corporations from whistleblowers and activists because why? Because what human in their right mind would buy products that come from such horrendous practices.....these laws exist in Canada as well, as recent as last year in Ontario.
There are plenty of documentaries, articles and videos out there that show what truly goes on behind closed doors and it is not something you can unsee. I have seen videos of calves, piglets beaten brutally, kicked around and dropped and murdered. Animals mutilated, castrated, tortured with little or no anesthesia in place. We place animals in such cruel conditions that we remove their teeth and tails so they don't bite at each other? We remove beaks and claws for the same reasons? Transport to a slaughterhouse for up to 52 hours in a cramped trailer with no protection from the elements, or each other? (52 hours is in Canada) How about standing in a line to be killed at a slaughterhouse and seeing the animal in front of you killed, or have to suffer because they survived the kill? How do you think that next animal reacts? These are sentient beings with feelings, strong emotions and bonds just like humans. These last moments are truly terrifying. Oh wait, not just the last moments. So much of their lives is to put it simply, suffering.
If you buy and eat meat or dairy products and yet you believe there is something wrong with how we factory farm these "products" there is a problem. There are more than enough plant based items at any store to sustain a MUCH HEALTHIER diet. I often hear the what about where will I get my protein from? Well, where do you think all of these animals we consume get their protein from? PLANTS. This is a prominent issue in the fitness industry which I find surprising. Have you seen a gorilla, or an ox? Huge powerful animals with plant diets.
In addition to this there is the fur industry. Yet another exceptionally cruel and deceitful practice. Over 2 million cats and dogs are cruelly treated and slaughtered for fur and sold as other products such as rabbit fur or even faux fur. Could you fucking imagine your pets being tortured and skinned for a hat or jacket? And believe it or not, there are fur farms in Canada too, at a pace of 3 million animals per year.
If we can't show our children what is being done to obtain their food, how can it be right? How can we accept that? We need to make drastic changes. If we don't, future generations will certainly suffer from our way of life.
I dare you to look into this for yourself. I dare you to try and watch an industrial farming cruelty video. I dare you to challenge me with a better option that a vegan lifestyle. I FUCKING DARE YOU.
One final thing, go visit an animal sanctuary and have your eyes opened to the love and compassion shared by all of these animals as well as the tremendous care that any volunteer or owner of a sanctuary will share with you. Many of these animals somehow survived their horror and are now living the life they were intended to. It will change your life. It changed mine.
