Before vegans start imagining on how to murder me, hear me out.
First of all, yes going vegan puts you at risk for malnutrition. Now you may say "no problem, I'll supplement", but those supplements have to come up from somewhere too, and they're not nearly as effective as real food itself. While you're trying to "save" animals and planet Earth, the supplement manufacturers still need those resources (and still contribute to the carbon footprint) to make sure you don't become nutrient deficient.
But that's just a drop in the bucket. If you're REALLY concerned with global warming and the carbon footprint and the planet's resources and so on, then you need to also:
- Stop using planes and cars for transportation, including getting your "superfoods" from another country, delivered to your grocer (and eventually your home).
- Stop having children. Nobody wants to talk about this, but overpopulating this planet doesn't help matters either, does it?
- Stop using electricity and heat. 25% of greenhouse gas emissions come from these essential comforts that you're taking for granted.
- Stop eating altogether. As mentioned on the first point, transporting by air fresh produce is far worse for the planet than poultry farming. And do you have any idea how much water and land it takes so you can have things like avocado, almonds etc? And don't get me started on soy. Tofu itself is a lot more damaging to the planet than meat will ever be.
And while you're starving yourself to death in a cave somewhere, that still won't do a goddamn thing unless the rest of the world does the same too. Even if the whole world would go vegan right now, it won't even scratch the surface in terms of getting the planet back on its feet.
As for "sources to my claims", stop being lazy. Make your own research and use some common sense. Even if I would present you with all the facts in the world, if you're stuck on an idea, then nothing I will say or show will change your mind. So why should I waste my time?
And as for the "poor animals", this is the circle of life. Sharks need to eat, lions need to eat, even the carnivore plants need to eat! As for the "inhumane" way of raising cattle and slaughtering them for consumption, well again, that's another consequence of us overpopulating the Earth. That's also the reason GMO plant-based products exist, isn't it? There are too many of us fools on this planet to meet the demand.
You want to make a difference? Quit your job and your comforts, and do something that will change all that in a global scale. Invent something, come up with a solution. Or go into politics and change the laws for sustainable living.
Don't just say "I won't eat meat", and then preach veganism all day long online to strangers and then assume your work is done. You've done NOTHING. The fact that you're using your electrically charged computer / phone to waste everyone's time about why they should become vegans, only contributes to the problem.
Now of course, I don't have all the answers, but what I do know, is that I won't allow myself to get depleted from important nutrients coming from foods like dairy and poultry, when I know for a fact there are far worse things out there contributing to the planet's destruction.
Bottom line, the effect on the planet by eating plant-based only is minuscule. But the effect it can have on your health can be devastating. So think whether it's even worth it.