About two weeks after I finally took the plunge and became vegan, I read a guest column in The New York Times written by Nicolette Hahn Niman, a traditional rancher and ethical meat eater. Though she did not touch on animal welfare issues, I was struck by what she had to say. She argued that a conscientious omnivorous diet — in which one eats local, traditionally raised animals and avoids meat from industrial farms — was better for the environment than a vegan diet. She explained that soybean cultivation is a major source of tropical rainforest deforestation, especially in Brazil. While animals on factory farms are fed a high-soy diet, animals on traditional farms apparently are not. And soy is a major protein source for many vegans. Thus she argued that the best way to not contribute to deforestation — and also not contribute to methane emissions from cows — is to avoid eating meat and dairy from factory farms, rather than avoiding all animal products.
I was perplexed. Could I eat in a way that was consistent with both my animal welfare and environmentalist values? I certainly did not want to save cows and chickens by destroying the habitats of countless other animals, contributing to extinctions, ruining ecosystems and exacerbating climate change. Eventually I decided that I still wanted to be vegan, but I realized that veganism is not a panacea by itself. It is true that industrial farming is both cruel and environmentally unsound. It is also true that about 70 percent of soybeans end up as animal feed. But a vegan diet that is high in soy and other non-local produce is not environmentally sustainable. The solution for me was to become a vegan who eats local organic produce, including limited soy, and limits her intake of highly processed food.
In the United States today, it is easy for us to grab food without any thought to what we are eating. At Princeton, where most students get their food from the dining halls or eating clubs, this is especially true. We have seemingly little control over what we eat, and our diets are mostly based on convenience and availability. But whether or not you believe in animal welfare or care about the environment, our food choices help drive the economy and determine what and how food is produced. It is important to wield this power consciously.
Niman made a good point when she argued that a high-soy, non-local vegan diet is not eco-friendly. In truth, any diet — whether it’s omnivorous, vegetarian or vegan — is not environmentally sustainable if it contributes to deforestation, relies on the use of fossil fuels to transport food thousands of miles, causes environmental degradation through the use of pesticides and fertilizers or increases carbon emissions through the creation of highly processed food. These are all important issues for everyone to consider, but they are not the only ones. Health, for example, is also important. Diets that are high in processed foods, carbohydrates (especially simple carbs) and animal fats or low in protein or necessary vitamins and minerals are not personally sustainable. And a diet high in locally grown produce can help sustain local farmers. All of these issues can be the concern of meat eaters and vegans alike.
I disagree with Niman’s thesis that eating locally raised meat is the best way to go, but I am grateful for the realization that I should continue to think about what I eat. Many of you may disagree with the issues I choose to address through my diet, but I hope you will recognize the power of conscientious eating. Food choices cannot solve all the world’s problems — they cannot even completely address the issues of animal welfare, environmentalism, health or local economies — but eating conscientiously is a way for individuals to help address some problems through their daily lives. Though dining hall and eating club options are limited, choices are available at every meal and dining services responds to student feedback. Going independent or eating at the more sustainable co-ops is another option. Additionally, students can work on these issues with the University through groups like Greening Princeton, Greening Princeton’s farmer’s market, and Slow Food Princeton. By continuing to think about these choices, you can constantly improve the degree to which your food consumption is in line with your personal values.
Miriam Geronimus is a sophomore from Ann Arbor, Mich. She can be reached at mgeronim@princeton.edu.
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