Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science

Welcome to the 2020s: The Era of Plant-Based Politics?

Is veganism a ... religion?

Contributing Author by Contributing Author
January 22, 2020
in Environment, Nutrition, Science
Image credits: Anna Pelzer.

It was supposed to be a low-key ruling and one that was not legally binding, but a judge’s decision in an employment tribunal in the city of Norwich, UK, in early January grabbed headlines around the world.

In short, the judge in the case ruled that veganism should be treated as a philosophical belief, and, as such, vegans should be afforded protections under in a similar manner to those practicing a religion.

Veganism, all the headlines read, can now be treated as a religion.

Of course, we shouldn’t get too ahead of ourselves here. While this is a compelling development, it’s not as if it’s going to be adopted around the world tomorrow — and veganism is most definitely not a religion. But, as with all legal rulings, setting a precedent can be very impactful, and it would be foolish to ignore this. Veganism is on the rise socially, commercially and politically, and it could become much more pronounced in the 2020s.

Taking a step back from politics for a moment, we know that there are positive aspects to a plant-based diet. Time and time again, plant-based diets (not necessarily vegan or even vegetarian — just those diets that include a lot of plants and not too much mat) have been shown to help protect a number of dangerous conditions, as well as help fight obesity.

A report in the LA Times recently claimed that the year 2030 would see almost 50% of all Americans classed as obese. Around 25% of those will be classified as severely obese. That’s an incredible statistic, but one likely to become more and more common as the years pass.

Calls for change to meat-heavy diets

People are always searching for ways to maintain a healthy diet, and veganism should not be viewed as the only answer. Indeed, while veganism has plenty of discernible benefits, the risks of extreme dieting shouldn’t be discounted.

Veganism is also not a new idea — or, if you like, not a new philosophical belief. But it does have a more multi-faceted set of beliefs fuelling its popularity; most notably, the charge that the eating of meat plays a pivotal role in climate change. There are calls from non-vegans to cut down our consumption of meat to avoid environmental catastrophe, something that has supercharged the activists for a plant-based diet.

Not only does producing meat generate a lot of emissions, but it also uses up vast water resources and takes up a lot of land area. This has added a new incentive for people to eliminate or at least reduce meat consumption.

Youth activism also plays a role in all of this. We can’t yet reflect on the part of generations of millennials and post-millennials as an awakening, but there is undoubtedly linkage between the youth-driven climate protests symbolised by Greta Thunberg and veganism as a political movement.

Image credits: Dina Dong.

When it comes to eating plant-based diets, at least some of the time, the generational gap between baby boomers and millennials is startling. And, it’s no coincidence that vegan activism is characterized, although sometimes erroneously, as a youth movement. It’s all about perception, and young people, climate change and ethical eating are all on-trend.

Economics have sent veganism ‘viral’

Ironically, but unsurprisingly, some of the corporations that benefit from the popularity of veganism are those that have helped cause the underlying issues in the first place. ‘Beyond Meat’ burgers and similar alternatives are being pushed by the same fast-food chains that sell endless supplies of meat around the globe.

Beef in McDonald’s, for example, constitutes around 30% its carbon footprint – equivalent to approximately 150 million metric tonnes. Although, we should say for fairness that the company has some ambitious plans to cut down emissions. Without going down the rabbit-hole of laying blame at the feet of different industries, we can still point out that it is possible to tout the solution while being part of the problem.

But a more important lesson can be taken from all this; namely, that veganism, and the activism around it, has been monetized in the latter half of the 2010s. That works to both fuel and refuel the number of people interested in going vegan, and the activism around it, like the equivalent of sending something viral online.

As we move into the 2020s, there is no doubt that the activism around plant-based diets will grow. It’s no longer about a single issue, such as animal welfare; instead, it’s a sophisticated ideology, one that goes beyond diet. Perhaps the judge was right to call veganism a philosophical belief, but it’s perhaps more apt to call it a political one.

Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Related posts:
  1. When people are offered more plant-based foods, they eat more plant-based food, study shows
  2. China launches its second space lab into Earth’s orbit, preps for full fledged space station in 2020s
  3. Car-centric suburbs seem to promote right-wing politics and resistance to change
  4. People, planet, profit or politics? Japan’s energy debate hots up
  5. Science can’t afford to be slowed down by unrealistic standards while politics runs around the house naked

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW