Veganism – Reaching a tipping point and becoming crucial for the environment

Going vegan is increasingly becoming popular nowadays. Recently, with growing attention towards boosting immunity to combat COVID-19, people are turning to green, clean and plant-based diets, which brings us to a pertinent question – is veganism the new future post-COVID-19?

A vegan lifestyle promotes the use of animal-free alternatives in order to reduce the exploitation of animals to the maximum extent possible. A vegan lifestyle has numerous health, ethical and environmental benefits. People who strictly follow a vegan life, also tend to avoid accessories, clothing, cosmetics and any items that harm the animals in some way or the other, out of sheer compassion for the animals. It has become a way of living for many and one can see hundreds of easily sourced alternatives flooding the market, making the vegan lifestyle much easier than before.

We spoke to Chef Nilesh Chavda to share his take on veganism and why people are increasingly advocating veganism. Chef Nilesh has made conscious efforts in support of a vegan diet lately and fervently believes that a vegan diet is better for the environment and its sustainability and has good nutritional values. He loves challenges and different vegan meals allow him to experiment with his cooking. He feels that the most common reservation with a vegan diet is that people fear not enough nutritional ingredients, protein or micronutrients go in the body. He, therefore, goes on to debunk certain such myths and states that planning meals in advance, making a conscious effort to eat a balanced diet and taking any supplements necessary as an addition to the diet enables the vegan diet to be complete and a sustainable lifestyle choice.

Veganism- A natural evolution of society

Research suggests a global switch to a plant-based diet from meat and dairy could save up to eight million lives by 2050, all the while curtailing greenhouse gas emissions by two-thirds, and bringing down the number of climate-related deaths significantly. Farm animals are believed to release methane gas through their digestive process which is said to have a warming effect that is 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide, leading to a significant contribution to the climate crisis. Cutting meat and dairy products from your diet significantly, if not entirely, can therefore reduce an individual’s carbon footprint generated on account of unhealthy food habits. Vegan diets can also help with blood pressure problems, cholesterol, diabetes, certain types of cancer and many other medical ailments. For the sake of the environment, apart from following the 3 R’s of reduce, reuse and recycle, a person can lower his/her carbon footprint by avoiding animal products.

Our Go Green campaign is a small step towards saving our planet from the threats of global warming and climate change. Go Dharmic believes in working compassionately for our environment, and in line with our mission, we have launched an incredible initiative of Go Green. It includes essential campaigns designed to safeguard the environment and provide a more sustainable way of living. Together, the campaigns promote organic produce, tree plantation, plant-based consumption, reducing energy and fuel usage, promoting renewable sources of energy and so on. A plant-based diet requires one-third of the land in comparison to a meat or dairy-based dietary system. With acute food and water shortage looming over us, now is the time to switch to plant-based foods, and adopt a more sustainable standard of living.

In association with our Go Green campaign, we will be organizing a vegan cook along session with Chef Nilesh Chavda on the 17th of April where he will teach three delicious and easy to cook vegan recipes on Zoom.

It’s time to ask ourselves if we can live a life with tasty yet healthy food that not only provides nourishment but leaves a considerably smaller carbon footprint and avoids killing other creatures, then why shouldn’t we switch? Turning vegan is now easier than ever. It has become mainstream with more and more people realizing the umpteen benefits following such a diet; there is still a long way to go!

PLEDGE HERE TO GO PLANT-BASED