his year there has been a highly noticeable rise in the amount of                                        people that have converted to the ethical vegan lifestyle. The number of                            vegans in Great Britain has said to have quadrupled between 2014 and                              2018. In the UK (2018), there were 600,000 vegans (1.16% of the                                              population), 276,000 (0.46%) in 2016; and 150,000 (0.25%) in 2014. 

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So, what is actually driving this sea of change in the ways we view animal products?

 

Firstly, veganism has been deemed as the single biggest way to reduce your carbon footprint- it has been found that the carbon footprint of a vegan diet is less than half than that of a meat-lovers. A chart put together by an association aiding to stop                                                                   climate change has showed that a meat lover has the                                                           highest carbon footprint, at a staggering 3.3 tons                                                                    of greenhouse gas emissions. Whereas a vegan diet has                                                        the lowest carbon footprint, at just 1.5 tons of CO2e                                                                (Carbon Dioxide Equivalent).  

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                                                     Not only is it better for the environment, but it’s good                                                           for the animals too. Most animals are raised in factory                                                         farms where they’re forced to live in horrendous                                                                   conditions; the factory workers also suffer greatly from                                                       highly dangerous working practises as well as poor wages. The conditions that these poor animals are subject to in these factory farms are completely unjustifiable, therefore, those following a vegan lifestyle aim to bring these practises to a standstill. Also, it has been proven that factory farms are very heavy polluters of the air and ground, and the meat they produce is polluted with manifestations of super-bugs. It’s been found that over 3.5 million people fall ill from eating ‘dirty’ meat every year.  

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​It has also been discovered that over 10 million pigs, 15 million sheep, 14 million turkeys, 15 million ducks and geese, 982 million broiler chickens, 50 million ‘spent hens’, 2.6 million cattle, 4.5 billion fish and 2.6 billion shellfish are killed each year in the UK for the purpose of human consumption. These staggering statistics are claimed by many to be one of the main contributing factors which convert individuals to veganism.  

 

​Among the rise in veganism, it has been highly apparent that the increase of this ethical lifestyle has been extremely popular among children and young adults. Statistics show that 10% of British children, aged 8 to 16, are either vegetarian or vegan, and 44% make a conscious effort to reduce their consumption of meat, dairy and eggs.  

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​This rise in veganism has also been thoroughly encouraged by supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s and Tesco, as they have vastly increased the amount of plant-based options that they now sell on their shelves, making it easier than ever to make an attempt at this plant-based, ethical way of living. There are products ranging from faux meat to dairy alternatives, you name it, these supermarkets probably have it. However, following this trendy yet ethical plant-based diet isn’t just about eating fake meat alternatives, it is also highly encouraged for people following this diet to also consume a range of wholefoods that you would eat whether you’re a vegan or not (for example: rice, pasta, and obviously a wide range of fruit and vegetables).  

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Due to the high degree of demand with regards to veganism, there has been a wide variety of veganised food options available on the market, ranging from mainstream fast food restaurants to places like the world-famous Manchester markets. Some of the fast food chains that have hopped on the vegan trend are: Gregg's- with their infamous vegan sausage rolls, Subway- with their vegan patty and many more. And with veganism still being on the rise, this is only going to increase as we move into 2020- many food chains are already advertising their new vegan options for the New Year. 

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However, it isn't just food chains that have been getting involved in the new attempt to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Varying companies are also ensuring that their products are vegan- so not tested on animals and also not containing any form of animal products in their items. For example, Lush- however they have always been a company that have made a conscious effort to make others more aware of animal cruelty. Whereas there are other companies such as Dr Martens- who are renowned for their fashionable leather boots- have created a vegan alternative to their classic staple, with faux leather (and they're apparently just as good- if not better!)

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To find out more information on veganism and how to reduce your carbon footprint, go to www.vegansociety.com (here you will find tips and tricks on how to convert to this sustainable and ethical lifestyle). 

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Alternatively, you could also gain access to more information on this topic on Instagram (@thevegansociety), Twitter (@thevegansociety) and Facebook (The Vegan Society).