The principles of veganism extend beyond farmed animals and captive animals and into the realms of free-living beings and the oceans. We’ve seen already how animal agriculture impacts significantly on habitats and wildlife, and a shift to plant based food systems, and in particular veganic growing techniques for both farms and allotments & inner city growing would see a proliferation of wildlife and free living beings as natural habitats are restored, whilst freeing up land & returning large areas of farmed & grazing land into completely natural habitats (rewilding). Rivers are suffering intensely due to animal agriculture and the ensuing effluent and waste products are destroying natural habitats and fuelling species extinction. Woodlands and other rural areas are littered with snares, causing over 1.7 million deaths a year for free living beings caught up in snares, often dying in excruciating pain and agony. And our pursuit of pleasure sees close to 18 million pheasants, grouse and other birds shot every year in the name of ‘entertainment’ and ‘food’. Fox hunting laws are regularly exploited, and foxes continue to be hunted in the UK by bloodthirsty packs of people and dogs – once more in the name of sport and tradition. Going vegan in numbers helps protect free living beings on multiple levels, as well as helping insects thrive – quite simply, less land use, less water use, & less pollution & effluent leads to more wildlife, free living beings and insects.

 

The oceans suffer terribly for our love of seafood, with over a trillion sea animals killed annually across the globe – a staggering figure. So much destruction is caused to ocean beds by modern day fishing and trawlers, on top of the wanton destruction of so many individual sentient beings’ lives. Meanwhile industrial salmon farming continues to desecrate both salmon and habitats alike, with unprecedented levels of infection and pollution. Living vegan means living without using sea animals as much as any other animals, and a switch to plant-based lifestyles will once again help the oceans restore themselves to natural balances on many occasions. Not only do we overfish the oceans, but we also have the issue of by catch – switching to plant-based options (and there are a lot of new developments & innovative products on the market that cover alternatives to fish including salmon and tuna) addresses these issues.. Of course, other pollution threatens still, like oil spills – a vegan way of life would in many respects recognise this and would be in support of green energy sources and an end to the use of fossil fuels.

 

Recently the threat of global pandemics has re-entered modern day living, and once more animal agriculture is pointing to increased loss of habitats, cramping conditions for free living beings and increasing the likelihood of zoonotics. How well prepared are we for the next pandemic, and how likely is it to emerge? Switching to plant based food systems can play a big part in reducing that risk at source.