By Rebecca Libauskas
In reference to the recent column, READY, FIRE, AIM: What If I Didn’t Eat the Chicken?”…
Kudos to Louis Cannon for sharing his thoughts about the immorality of eating meat. I encourage Mr. Cannon to lean into his instincts and go vegan for animals, his health, and the planet.
If we wouldn’t eat a dog, why eat chicken? Dogs and chickens have the same capacity to feel pain, but speciesism allows us to think of one animal as a friend — and the other as dinner.
While most of us were raised in a culture of speciesism, we can overcome this harmful way of thinking.
Humans don’t require any meat, dairy, or eggs, as all necessary nutrients can be obtained from vegan foods. Plus, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics emphasizes that going vegan lowers the risk of numerous chronic illnesses like heart disease, cancer, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Animal agriculture demands extensive land, food, energy, and water. And the waste from this industry pollutes both the air and water. Researchers at the University of Oxford found that we can reduce our food-related carbon footprints by up to 73% by ditching meat and dairy.
Every animal is someone, so let’s go vegan. For tips, recipes, and more, check out PETA.org (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).
Rebecca Libauskas is a Staff Writer with PETA’s Written Communications Department.