Studies have shown the best way for us to reduce deforestation, land use, fresh water use, eutrophication, and biodiversity loss is to change from omnivore diets to plant-based diets. This is because animal agriculture is the leading driver of all of these factors, and switching to a plant-based diet can reduce them by as much as 75% (example source 1, 2, 3). Per the FAO, animal agriculture also emits more greenhouse gases than the entire transportation sector.

We need to protect what is left of our biodiversity and change the way we interact with the environment. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) states we’ve lost an estimated 69% of wild animals in the past 50 years, with losses as high as 94% in places like Latin America. We’ve already changed the world so much that 96% of mammalian biomass is now humans and our livestock.

One of the most common rebuttals to the above is a plant-based diet isn’t healthy, and therefore isn’t a viable solution for sustainability. In fact, it can be a major improvement over what many in the west are currently eating. My country (USA) gets 150-200% of the protein we require and only 5% hit the recommended minimum daily fiber intake. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the largest nutritional body in the world with over 112,000 experts, and its position is a plant-based diet is healthy for all stages of life and can reduce the chances of getting the top chronic diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers.

Corporations and governments won’t lead the charge alone against the status quo, so it’s important that we as consumers take responsibility at the same time.

This does not include the rare exceptions, such as people who have no other choice, hunt/fish overpopulated animals, or otherwise. Since only a few hundred million (vertebrate) animals are hunted/non-commercially fished each year, whereas hundreds of billions are commercially farmed and fished, this post is in regards to the latter 99%.

Also, if it’s between reducing by, say, 90% or not reducing at all, the prior is clearly preferred.

The dominant diets in developed nations are based on societal and behavioral norms, but are far from optimal. It’s true that diet is a personal choice, so I hold it is better to choose a diet that is much more sustainable than what we’re currently eating.

Since we’re in the midst of earth’s 6th mass extinction, it’s time for us to step up and take responsibility for our own impact.