By Hope Bohanec
The current tumultuous political climate has left many in our community feeling powerless and vulnerable. Amidst immediate concerns like climate disasters, declining health and well-being, and rampant injustices, we are now confronted with the reality that relying on government or legislation to effect positive change in the near future is likely futile.
However, there are choices we can make and daily actions we can take to alleviate suffering, support the planet and nurture our bodies. Eugene has been a hub for community-led action and we have been at the forefront of embracing vegetarianism, veganism and eco-conscious lifestyles. It’s vital that we collectively work to amplify this progress on a grassroots level to effect the necessary changes for our survival on planet Earth.
Personal choices hold immense power, and one of the most significant choices we can make every day, that impacts numerous aspects of our lives, is the food we choose to buy, cook, share and eat.
Many people agree that our food system is broken and that it harms workers, animals and the environment. As more people wake up to animal exploitation, the epidemic of degenerative disease, the climate crisis and other negative impacts of animal derived foods, veganism offers a solution.
At its core, vegan living is an economic boycott of a cruel, unsustainable and harmful industry. However, vegan philosophy transcends this to also encompass a social justice strategy for a just, global food system as well as a profound appeal for nonviolence and compassion for all animals with whom we share this planet.
Vegan living helps to considerably reduce one’s climate footprint, promotes fairness for those lacking access to healthy foods, and can help us potentially avert the next pandemic — just by extending our compassion to all sentient beings. Veganism reminds us just how political food is.
The damage that is being done to our planet is an imminent threat to our collective survival. Scientific research overwhelmingly demonstrates that producing food from animals has a significantly greater environmental impact compared to producing food from plants with equivalent dietary value. These studies consistently show that, regardless of the production method or product label, plant-based foods repeatedly require less water, energy and fossil fuels and generate substantially fewer greenhouse gas emissions than comparable calories of meat, dairy and eggs.
We are experiencing this damaging effect in Eastern Oregon with nitrate-laden drinking water caused primarily by animal agriculture. Eating plant-based is eating planet-based.
Experts agree that we need both systemic and individual behavior change to support a global transition to plant-based diets to mitigate climate disasters and alleviate numerous other impacts of animal agribusiness. While working to create systemic change is crucial — it’s incredibly challenging and agonizingly slow. Individual actions that support and demand these larger shifts can happen now, today, with your next meal.
Having been vegan for 35 years, I have witnessed the remarkable progress we’ve made in a relatively short period of time. In just a couple of decades, we have seen plant-based milks become common at coffee shops, most every restaurant menu offering vegan options, and countless cruelty-free products in grocery stores. This progress was made because of individuals standing up against injustice and making compassionate choices. Every day I am inspired to reclaim our agency and harness the collective power of our plates. Together, we can continue this progress to dismantle oppressive systems of violence and alleviate the immense suffering.
Plant-based is the global future of food, and it starts locally.
Hope Bohanec is the organizer of the Eugene VeganFest, EugeneVeganFest.org and the executive director of Compassionate Living, Compassionate-living.org. The first ever Eugene VeganFest is Sunday, May 4, at the Lane Events Center.