Englisch · 2023 · B Text Based Tasks

Going Vegan

Before the word "vegetarian" first came into use in the 19th century,
people who avoided eating meat were known as "Pythagoreans." The
ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras required his
students to fast for 40 days before being allowed to join his school,
and to follow a plants-only diet once they had begun attending.
In the 20th century, some vegetarians felt that giving up meat and
fish alone was not enough for them, and as a result, they went vegan.

Vegans avoid any food products that come from animals, such as
eggs, milk or honey, and try to live in a way that avoids being
cruel to animals, which they believe should have the right to life
and freedom. Some vegans, known as "fruitarians," live exclusively
on fruit. So as not to harm the plants, some fruitarians won't even
pick the fruit themselves, waiting instead until it falls naturally.
Although a vegan lifestyle is often seen as very healthy, the
scientific evidence remains weak, since there are too few long-term studies.

In the UK, 30 per cent of all vegans say their lifestyle helps the
environment by fighting global warming, and research has shown that
going vegan is the most effective way to shrink our environmental
footprint. While many people still believe greenhouse gases only
come from smoking factory chimneys and car exhaust fumes, a report
by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization states that the meat
industry is actually responsible for 14.5 per cent of all greenhouse
gas emissions. These emissions come not only from meat production
and transport but also from the cattle themselves: as they digest
their food, they release methane, a greenhouse gas far more
effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.

According to a British survey, 44 per cent of young Londoners
believe the future is meat-free, and that veganism is cooler than
smoking. This might explain why the UK's top ten supermarkets now
offer their own vegan products, and why the UK has the highest
consumption rates of vegan alternatives in Europe. As more people
turn vegan, more fruit and vegetables are needed, and since many of
these popular, nutritious foods aren't grown in the UK, they have to be imported.

Avocados make a good substitute for meat and dairy, since they
provide exactly what vegans miss in their diet. This is why the
popularity of and demand for avocados have increased enormously.
But growing avocados uses a huge amount of water, and wherever
water is needed, energy-consuming pumps are involved, which means
high carbon emissions. As a result, a small pack containing just
two avocados has a carbon footprint almost twice as high as
importing a whole kilo of bananas, according to a study by Carbon
Footprint Ltd. What's more, high demand for avocados is the reason
trees are being illegally cut down so avocados can be planted in
their place. This deforestation not only raises carbon dioxide
levels but also threatens wildlife by destroying its natural habitat.

As a result, many species risk becoming extinct - something most
vegans would certainly not want. According to Martin Heller, a
sustainability researcher at the University of Michigan, these
environmental problems could be reduced by paying closer attention
to how food is grown and transported. Foods like kale, a nutrient-
rich vegetable that can be grown locally, are good substitutes for exotic imports. Making a few small changes to your diet, and understanding how the food system works, can help improve the health of our planet.