Those Crazy Vegans. Now they're concerned about the world we live in and how human manipulation of animals might fit in? First, it was ethics, then it was health, and now the environment! Why would anyone care about the earth we all share as our home? And what does farming animals have to do with it?

Imagine a lush virgin tropical rainforest. An untouched wooded hillside. Or even just a field of native grasses gleaming under the afternoon sun. Now imagine a tractor blazing through to turn that land into stumps and rubble. Mmm...kind of disturbing.

Humans are destroying the earth in many ways and for many reasons, without consideration for sustainability, the health of the ecosystems, or our future generations. And what is the #1 cause of the deforestation and desertification of our precious Mother? Well, it's not to put up more arcades or parking lots, but rather to clear the land for animal agriculture. Oh, snap. Could those crazy vegans possibly be onto something?

At one point in time, before the industrial revolution and the expansion of animal farming, the earth was home to a wider variety of plants, animals, and many biodiverse ecosystems. However today, our brothers and sisters are pillaging the land at record rates, mostly to make space to raise animals for food or to grow crops to feed those animals. The result of these practices includes overuse of water, overgrazing, methane and mass fecal production, mono cropping, greenhouse gas emissions, droughts, floods, loss of topsoil, the introduction of chemicals into the environment, and lots of other pretty undesirable effects.

Commercial fishing is depleting oceans and rivers at remarkable rates, with statistics floating around that well over a trillion fish are taken from the ocean every year. Clams, oysters, mussels, and other ocean cleansers are also being removed faster than ever, but we're not seeing very many humans volunteering to help clean up the mess. They sure do taste good with lime and salt though, right? But at what expense to Mother Nature?

Industrial farming is a major user of oil as well, which causes great devastation when extracted from the ground. Animal agriculture is also one of the leading users of land and water, two of the most precious and limited resources on earth. If they could extract a few diamonds and gold along with it they'd pretty much cover all the bases, but doesn't it seem like they're doing enough irreparable damage as it is?

So when someone chooses to eat, wear, or otherwise use some animal product, they're not just risking their health or participating in harming the animals; they are supporting the very industries that are doing some of the greatest damage to the world we live in. Most people aren't making that connection yet, but that's where those crazy vegans come in. To try to open other people's minds to the effects of our actions.

Agree or disagree? We would like to hear your opinion. Please feel free to join our forum and provide your input so that we may all learn together and work towards creating a better world for the earth and all of its inhabitants.