Vegans should get tax breaks for helping save the planet

By Gloria Stovall

Vegans are significantly helping to save the planet simply by living a lifestyle that abstains from the exploitation of another living being and should get tax breaks. I will explain.  Did you know that changing the foods you consume will have a huge impact on your carbon footprint by reducing pollution, preserving the environment, and slowing global warming!  Truth be told, plant-based sources of food and protein require much less processing which greatly conserves energy and the reduction of fossil fuel emissions, whereas animal-based food production contributes close to 60% of greenhouse gases, which is the highest contributor to the number of damaging emissions on the planet.  In other words, the growing and processing of fruits and vegetables is not nearly as harmful for the planet as the detrimental effects of meat production.  According to a new study, the production of food, globally, is responsible for one-third of all planet-heating gases produced by human activity; and the use of animals for meat causing twice the pollution of producing plant-based foods.    

• The use of animals for food in addition to livestock feed is responsible for close to 60% of all food production emissions.
• Livestock produce large quantities of methane.
• The majority of the world’s cropland is used to feed livestock.
• Beef, cow milk, chicken meat, sheep meat, buffalo meat, and chicken eggs are contributing to the damaging greenhouse gas emissions.  
• Meat, cheese, and eggs have the highest carbon footprint for food.
• Meat-eaters have the highest carbon footprint amongst humans.

• To produce 1 kg of wheat, only 2.5kg of greenhouse gases are emitted. 
• Fruits and vegetables have much lower greenhouse gas emissions than beef and dairy. 
• A vegan diet only produces about 2.9kg of carbon dioxide. 
• Vegans significantly help save the planet, environment, and fight climate change by their lifestyles.
• The vegan lifestyle has the biggest impact on cutting emissions in the atmosphere.

I have often pondered writing a blog entry about vegans deserving a tax break for contributing to the preservation of the environment, as I strongly believe the earth would be in much worse shape if vegans were not in existence.  The carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, that are generated by our actions; and tragically, the average carbon footprint for a person in the United States is 16 tons, which is one of the highest rates in the world.  However, the vegan’s carbon footprint is 40% less than the average meat-eater, making vegans the proud owners of the smallest carbon footprint, which is a milestone and something to celebrate.  Yes, vegans are wholeheartedly deserving of major tax breaks as we are literally slowing down the devastating effects of the greenhouse gases produced by the meat industry. Raising and killing animals for food is cruel, as the conditions and treatment these precious animals endure is unimaginable; not to mention, the detrimental effect it has on the planet, climate, and environment.  Raising and killing animals for food should be illegal and banned, but I digress. Yes… vegans are most definitely deserving of major tax breaks, and I am prayerful and hopeful lawmakers will begin to open their eyes to this reality.  

I pray you are well, thriving and working towards achieving your goals, which hopefully includes trying out the enjoyable and rewarding vegan lifestyle for a month or two, or better yet permanently.  Thank you always for following my blog! I will be in touch soon and I wish you a blessed weekend!