For starters, what is veganism? Well, to be vegan is to avoid consuming anything that comes from a non-human animal or an insect. This includes animals such as birds, as well as their eggs; milk from animals; honey; and fishes and other aquatic animals. Many people choose veganism because they do not want to participate in the suffering and violence that animals experience for the production of food, clothing, cosmetics, and entertainment. We know that we share this wonderful planet with animals, who have rich inner lives and social bonds with one another, including those who live in bodies of water. They experience love, joy, frustration, pain, and a whole range of other emotions. Sadly, animals are exploited in a variety of ways in which they experience bodily violence, psychological torment, and the trauma of repeated separation from their family and friends. For instance, cows in the dairy industry are forcibly impregnated over and over again, go through incredible anguish when their baby calves are taken away from them within a few hours or days of birth, and are milked intensively until they are deemed “spent” and sent to slaughter long before the end of their natural lifespan. Animals suffer tremendously so that humans can consume their bodies in many different forms. In addition to being compassionate for animals, veganism is also better for the environment. Both large- and small-scale farms that raise animals have profound negative consequences on our air, water, and soil quality, as well as immense greenhouse gas emissions, excessive finite resource consumption, and is a leading cause of all pollution and deforestation. In every category mentioned, the impact of growing plants as alternatives to “raising” animals is significantly lower. We believe a primary reason to go vegan is to show compassion and respect for other species by not causing them harm.