Summary for those who don't want to read my wall of text :(:
There’s evidence that a vegan diet could potentially help reduce the effects of climate change to a significant degree, but this is often outright dismissed, even by people who feel strongly about the necessity to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Are the reasons for this dismissal similar to the reasons people have to deny climate change, i.e. a refusal to give up something they consider indispensable, both in their personal lives and to the world as a whole (e.g. the economy)?
Full post for those that are okay with reading my wall of text (pretty please?):
A disclaimer first – I’m vegan, and I originally became vegan because I'm of the opinion that the consumption of meat and dairy in first world countries creates completely unnecessary suffering. My opinion on this matter hasn’t changed, and I’m always willing to argue this point with anyone who wants to discuss it. But ethics is a complex and difficult subject, and I don’t try to force this opinion on people. Also, I really hate philosophy.
What I’m much more interested in is the environmental impact of the meat and dairy industry, and how veganism could help prevent climate change. This is a much more tangible concept. Most importantly, it’s falsifiable, and studies have already been done that show the significantly lower impact of vegetables compared to animal products (see the study "Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers") Of course, many people question these conclusions, and I definitely agree that there isn’t nearly as much consensus on this matter as there is on climate change. The number of available studies is simply too sparse. My question is: Why?
You see, I’ve noticed an odd parallel when discussing climate change and veganism with people that feel strongly about dismissing one or the other. Many of them immediately reject the idea without even bothering to consider any of the facts. Others, after being presented with facts that might give them pause, scramble to find anything that might disprove them, even if it’s only tangentially related or if the source is extremely unreliable. Again others, accepting that there might be something to it, still completely reject the idea of doing anything about it, i.e. limiting the use of fossil fuels or cutting down on meat, because it'd be too inconvenient.
When it comes to climate change denial, I’ve very rarely encountered this in people who are educated and who I consider to be critical thinkers, probably because of the overwhelming scientific consensus. But when it comes to the environmental impact of animal products, such behaviour is all over the place, and many people who scorn climate change deniers will resort to derision and fallacies with regards to veganism.
I don’t want to discuss whether veganism would be a great way to reduce our impact on the environment. There are many complex factors to consider, and they need to be considered by people that have the requisite background. What I do want to discuss is whether the consumption of animal products is so ingrained in modern society that it hampers our ability to even approach this issue. Cutting down on meat could be the biggest and simplest way for individuals to help the planet, so why is the idea met with such hatred by many? Are people so opposed to the idea of giving up meat that only a unanimous consensus would convince them? Are animal products such an important part of the economy that a serious effort to cut down on them would encounter widespread opposition from powerful groups? Is one reason for the lack of research on the subject that many climate scientists aren’t willing to consider it?
Anyway, umm … discuss.
There’s evidence that a vegan diet could potentially help reduce the effects of climate change to a significant degree, but this is often outright dismissed, even by people who feel strongly about the necessity to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Are the reasons for this dismissal similar to the reasons people have to deny climate change, i.e. a refusal to give up something they consider indispensable, both in their personal lives and to the world as a whole (e.g. the economy)?
Full post for those that are okay with reading my wall of text (pretty please?):
A disclaimer first – I’m vegan, and I originally became vegan because I'm of the opinion that the consumption of meat and dairy in first world countries creates completely unnecessary suffering. My opinion on this matter hasn’t changed, and I’m always willing to argue this point with anyone who wants to discuss it. But ethics is a complex and difficult subject, and I don’t try to force this opinion on people. Also, I really hate philosophy.
What I’m much more interested in is the environmental impact of the meat and dairy industry, and how veganism could help prevent climate change. This is a much more tangible concept. Most importantly, it’s falsifiable, and studies have already been done that show the significantly lower impact of vegetables compared to animal products (see the study "Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers") Of course, many people question these conclusions, and I definitely agree that there isn’t nearly as much consensus on this matter as there is on climate change. The number of available studies is simply too sparse. My question is: Why?
You see, I’ve noticed an odd parallel when discussing climate change and veganism with people that feel strongly about dismissing one or the other. Many of them immediately reject the idea without even bothering to consider any of the facts. Others, after being presented with facts that might give them pause, scramble to find anything that might disprove them, even if it’s only tangentially related or if the source is extremely unreliable. Again others, accepting that there might be something to it, still completely reject the idea of doing anything about it, i.e. limiting the use of fossil fuels or cutting down on meat, because it'd be too inconvenient.
When it comes to climate change denial, I’ve very rarely encountered this in people who are educated and who I consider to be critical thinkers, probably because of the overwhelming scientific consensus. But when it comes to the environmental impact of animal products, such behaviour is all over the place, and many people who scorn climate change deniers will resort to derision and fallacies with regards to veganism.
I don’t want to discuss whether veganism would be a great way to reduce our impact on the environment. There are many complex factors to consider, and they need to be considered by people that have the requisite background. What I do want to discuss is whether the consumption of animal products is so ingrained in modern society that it hampers our ability to even approach this issue. Cutting down on meat could be the biggest and simplest way for individuals to help the planet, so why is the idea met with such hatred by many? Are people so opposed to the idea of giving up meat that only a unanimous consensus would convince them? Are animal products such an important part of the economy that a serious effort to cut down on them would encounter widespread opposition from powerful groups? Is one reason for the lack of research on the subject that many climate scientists aren’t willing to consider it?
Anyway, umm … discuss.
via International Skeptics Forum https://ift.tt/2QOQORn
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