IT’S OFFICIAL  Livestock farming directly causes 18 per cent of greenhouse gases and global warming – that’s more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together.  (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation - Livestock's Long Shadow. Environmental issues.  Rome, 2006)

IT’S SUSTAINABLE  90% of what farm animals eat and drink is used for their own energy needs, with only 10% on average being turned into meat or milk.  By reducing our use of animal products and ideally becoming vegan, we can stop this waste and also cut out massive amounts of pollution.  Animal farming is not necessary for growing crops.  There is no soil nutrient in animal manure that is not present in plant compost.  Long term soil fertility is achieved by composting, green manuring, and crop rotation and this has been amply proved in the UK and worldwide.  (www.veganorganic.net)

IT’S HEALTHY  A review of the current scientific data related to key nutrients for vegetarians, including protein, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B-12, vitamin A, n-3 fatty acids, and iodine, shows that a vegetarian, including vegan, diet can meet current recommendations for all of these nutrients.  “Well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence.” (J Am Diet Assoc 2003 Jun;103(6):748-65)

 IT’S COMPASSIONATE  In the UK, 17 million animals per week are slaughtered  (www.defra.gov.uk).    All this bloodshed affects the whole of society.  “As long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields” (attrib. Tolstoy)

IT’S EASY  Most cafes and restaurants will easily produce a vegan option and an internet search will quickly produce scores of tasty recipes.

IT’S ONLY RIGHT  Britain imports over 30 million tonnes a year of vegetable protein foods just to feed farm livestock – enough to provide the protein needs of at least 300 million human beings.  The world cannot now support meat eaters who need up to 10 acres of land each to feed them when there is only half an acre per person in the world.