KATHLEEN CORBIN

I gave up dairy for two main reasons. First, I believe animals have a right to a happy and humane life. I always believed this but, until the last few years, I had not educated myself on the brutality of animal agriculture. Now I know the truth. Second, animal agriculture has a huge negative impact on climate change.

Cows only produce milk after they have given birth. After giving birth, mothers lactate for about 10 months and then must be impregnated again. Each cow generally gives birth to one calf per year through artificial insemination. The calf is immediately taken away from the mother. Three months after the birth of their calf, they are impregnated again. Cows spend their entire lives pregnant so that they continuously provide milk. What a miserable life they have.

The dairy industry also has an enormous impact on the environment and contributes in a very substantial way to water pollution and climate change. Cows digestive systems create a lot of methane and carbon dioxide gas from the food they eat. Methane gas is a huge contributor to climate warming. In addition to the gas created from cow digestion, the dairy industry uses a huge amount of our natural resources. It contributes to deforestation, poor soil health, and depletion of water resources.

One of the best ways the world can slash emissions and reduce climate change is to stop animal agriculture. Instead of dairy products, we can shift to a plant-based alternative to milk. Almond, soy, oat, and hemp milk are available. Our family has found alternatives to dairy based food products like cheese, yogurt, and ice cream.

For those wanting to help protect our planet and stop animal cruelty, make the switch! I love the taste of foods containing dairy and wondered if I could eliminate it from my diet. I made the change and it wasn’t difficult. It took a little getting used to but now it is just second nature.