A plant-based diet may be a great way to start the new year

Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) is encouraging people to consider a plant-based diet for real change in the New Year. The organization claims that despite some positive changes, a greater number of animals are raised in factory farms. With the number of humans on the planet projected to reach ten billion by 2050, current dietary trends would lead to disastrous consequences. 

Scaling up the current global diet to feed a population of ten billion would increase greenhouse gasses, destroy wildlife and natural habitat and of course increase the suffering of livestock. Besides this, CIWF claims that a plant-based diet is healthier. A well-rounded diet without meat, eggs or dairy has been shown to decrease risk of heart disease, type II diabetes and cancer. 

Beyond these benefits, CIWF highlights the positive impacts that a plant-based diet can have on animals raised for food. Over 60 billion animals are farmed globally for food each year. 

Nine billion chickens are raised in the US annually alone. Factory farmed chickens suffer from a host of genetic ailments and are kept cruelly confined. 

“The more I learned about what goes on over in the factory farms, the less I was able to write it off as a necessary evil,” said Laura Union, a CIWF supporter.

“Switching to a plant-based diet was a simple swap of the meat on my plate to other protein sources like beans, tofu, lentils, or plant-based meat.”

“Everything else stayed the same. My plant-based diet has resulted in a much more diverse diet. I’m more inclined to try new things and have concocted various vegetable experiments in my kitchen – many of which are now requested by friends.”

“In addition to the economic, environmental, and health benefits, it’s just a pleasant change that is surprisingly easy to stick with. There are way more options out there than people realize.”

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By Zach Fitzner, Earth.com Staff Writer