Harvesting plants kills animals too
Vegans kill just as many animals as meat eaters.
This claim does well to draw attention to the fact that unfortunately, we all cause harm in our daily lives.
In today's modern world human beings cause an awful lot of death and destruction simply by existing.
The problem with the argument though is the misunderstanding that veganism is about achieving some kind of unattainable cruelty-free perfection, a one hundred percent no-harm-caused nirvana. In reality veganism is simply trying the very best you can to cause the least harm possible. To avoid hurting others wherever you can.
We have to consume plants to survive and would die if we didn't so we've little choice but to grow and harvest them. This is not the case with meat however as we have no biological need to consume animal products and do it simply because we like the way they taste. So how does needlessly slitting the throats of these animals do anything to help those we kill accidentally in the harvesting of crops? It doesn't of course, and just because we're accidentally killing animals one way as we grow the food we need to survive, that doesn't suddenly justify the needless and deliberate slaughter of billions elsewhere.
Either way, this argument ultimately rings hollow due to the staggering volume of crops grown globally to feed livestock. A diet that includes animal products actually results in more plants being harvested than a vegan one - and so more of the accidental fatalities this argument worries about occur via those who eat animals and other animal products.
There's further info on the 'harvesting plants' argument here as well as this response that breaks down some of
the often-quoted numbers. This article also goes into plenty of detail looking at several different studies.
In today's modern world human beings cause an awful lot of death and destruction simply by existing.
The problem with the argument though is the misunderstanding that veganism is about achieving some kind of unattainable cruelty-free perfection, a one hundred percent no-harm-caused nirvana. In reality veganism is simply trying the very best you can to cause the least harm possible. To avoid hurting others wherever you can.
We have to consume plants to survive and would die if we didn't so we've little choice but to grow and harvest them. This is not the case with meat however as we have no biological need to consume animal products and do it simply because we like the way they taste. So how does needlessly slitting the throats of these animals do anything to help those we kill accidentally in the harvesting of crops? It doesn't of course, and just because we're accidentally killing animals one way as we grow the food we need to survive, that doesn't suddenly justify the needless and deliberate slaughter of billions elsewhere.
Either way, this argument ultimately rings hollow due to the staggering volume of crops grown globally to feed livestock. A diet that includes animal products actually results in more plants being harvested than a vegan one - and so more of the accidental fatalities this argument worries about occur via those who eat animals and other animal products.
There's further info on the 'harvesting plants' argument here as well as this response that breaks down some of
the often-quoted numbers. This article also goes into plenty of detail looking at several different studies.
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- Further Viewing -
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Bite Size Vegan: Vegans kill animals more than meat eaters? |
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Mic the Vegan: Vegans think they don't kill animals but they do. |
"Always let your conscience be your guide."
Jiminy Cricket
Jiminy Cricket