Published Letters and Op-Eds from COK’s Writers Group

Now the perfect time to become vegan

The Red and Black
April 5, 2010

As a UGA aluma and a vegan, thank you for Aspen Smith’s article about the benefits of a plant-based diet (“Many reasons to go veggie,” April 2).  Aspen is right-on in her assertion that there are plenty of reasons to go veg. More and more evidence supports that eating animals is bad for the earth, the animals and our health, making now the perfect time to go vegan! More than 10 billion birds, pigs and cows are raised and killed for food every year in the U.S.

Many of these animals suffer painful mutilations like debeaking and castration without any painkillers. Raising animals for food is a leading cause of both resource depletion and pollution.

Additionally, a plant-based diet has been shown to reduce our risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and some cancers. Luckily, each of us can help build a kinder, cleaner and healthier world by simply choosing animal-friendly foods. Learn more at TryVeg.com.

Francesca Valente
Alumna, Marietta