Why I've chosen the vegan lifestyle as a social entrepreneur

In 2009, I made a major, life-changing decision: I decided to fully cut out all animal products from my diet and lifestyle and transition to #vegan – and I haven’t looked back since.

Becoming vegan meant adjusting my consumption habits – from cleaning products and groceries to cosmetics and beyond. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has been rewarding.

So why did I do it, what are the benefits, and what can I share that I have learned along the way?

THE MOTIVATOR

First and foremost, I made this highly personal decision because it aligned with my values.?

As a young student eager to make a change for the planet, I felt uncomfortable and hypocritical contributing to an exploitative system that was causing living creatures to suffer – let alone being a leading contributor to the #climatecrisis. With that knowledge, I could not in good faith continue to consume or purchase anything that did not resonate with my work and life’s calling.

A new model developed by scientists from 美国斯坦福大学 and the 美国加州大学伯克利分校 indicates that phasing out animal agriculture represents “our best and most immediate chance to reverse the trajectory of climate change.”

Then, as the #founder of a #nonprofit that focuses on restoring the health of our ocean, I’ve also witnessed firsthand the impacts of #overfishing on marine populations worldwide and the dwindling supplies of seafood as a result of human behavior and the climate crisis.

THE STATISTICS & NUTRITION

Here are some jarring #statistics on the impacts of animal agriculture, and alternately, on the benefits to the planet and to one’s health that come from adopting a vegan lifestyle:

• ~88 billion livestock animals are bred and butchered for food annually ??
• 1/3 of biodiversity loss and 55% of land erosion are linked to animal agriculture ??
• 80% of deforestation in the Amazon is for cattle ranching ??
• Adopting a plant-based diet could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% ??
• A plant-based diet can: lower blood pressure, promote heart health, prevent type 2 diabetes, decrease the risk of cancer and stroke, improve cholesterol, strengthen cognitive function, and improve overall longevity and livelihood!

Of course, there are certainly challenges when it comes to going vegan. For one, the biggest barrier many (including myself), have faced when making the switch is getting all of the necessary vitamins and minerals, such as protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin B-12.

Personally, I’ve found that taking vitamins and supplements is a relatively simple way to ensure these essential nutrients are part of my diet.?

Some of my favorites:

• Protein: lentils, beans, chickpeas, nuts, spirulina, quinoa, chia and hemp seeds, and beans (these are also great sources for the following nutrients).
• Calcium: Soy, nuts, seeds, beans, oranges, blackberries, seaweed (an obvious favorite), and leafy greens, as well as amaranth – a lesser-known ancient grain.
• Iron: dried figs, apricots, hemp and pumpkin seeds, tofu, kale, and raisins.
• As for vitamin B-12, sprinkling nutritional yeast on dishes, drinking and cooking with almond or soy milk, and consuming mushrooms and algae can help fortify a newly meatless diet.

THE BLUE FOODS REVOLUTION

Sustainable Ocean Alliance is paving the way to make sustainable plant-based protein scalable and accessible around the globe – what we call the #bluefoods revolution. Since 2018, we have had the honor to accelerate some incredible cell-based and plant-based alternatives that do not harm the ocean, can be generated sustainably, meet humanity’s growing protein needs, and taste delicious!

A few of the amazing startups on the market today include:

Oshi and Current Foods ?? create plant-based fish packed with protein, Omega-3, and healthy fats – free of mercury, microplastics, and antibiotics.

AKUA PBC ?? ?? has developed an award-winning kelp burger sourced from their regenerative aquaculture kelp farm.

Finless Foods offers both plant-based tuna and cell-cultured tuna (made from real tuna cells!) that don’t harm endangered tuna populations.?

With so many emerging alternative sources of protein, making this change is actually more doable than you might think.

THE RESOURCES

If you’re interested in learning more about veganism, I highly encourage you to check out an informative and eye-opening documentary, “The Game Changers” – directed by my dear friend Louie Psihoyos and presented by the legendary James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan, Lewis Hamilton, Novak Djokovic, and Chris Paul.

This film lays out the facts from the perspective of scientific experts and offers real-world applications of how doable going vegan is, even for some of the world’s most elite athletes and high-endurance professionals. You can stream it on a variety of platforms and take advantage of helpful recipes to ease the transition.

To sum it all up, being vegan has changed my life in countless ways. It has influenced my personal and professional life and allows me to walk through life on this Earth with one less worry or taxing contribution to the planet.

If you have questions about going vegan, please don’t hesitate to reach out – I’m an open book!

– Daniela V. Fernandez , CEO & Founder of Sustainable Ocean Alliance