By Lee Hall
Part 7 of a Series
Sustainable Development Goals: They’re a major topic on social media. But if humans want to be sustainable, we’ve got to get serious. We must divest from customs and businesses that treat animal life as commodities. This blog entry is the fourth in a series, as we look at each of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The sixth goal is “Clean Water and Sanitation.”
Much of the sustainability talk focuses on renewable energy. Not so much about shifting food systems to plants.
We use vast amounts of energy to produce, process, transport, and preserve animal products — and to provide the feed.
“Most governments shy away from providing clear recommendations” on divesting our diets from animal products, says food-systems researcher Marco Springmann — this despite these products’ “exceptionally high emissions and resource use.”
So, let’s get that official dietary advice in line with environmental knowledge, just as our vegan RDs have done for health knowledge.
Lee Hall is a member of the Speakers Bureau of the American Vegan Society. Lee’s entry on “Nonhuman Rights and Human Sustainability” appears in the Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Springer). Lee holds a Master’s degree in environmental law with a focus on climate change from Vermont Law School, and has taught environmental law at the University level.
