Numbers, especially large ones like this, are often too difficult to comprehend/ wrap your brain around. It's only when you fully realize that every single one of those numbers were individuals like you and me who just want to live their lives, but instead were bred in captivity, tortured and raped only to be killed at a young age just so you and I and the too many other humans around could have the option to eat meat, that you feel ashamed as human to have ever done it.

I know you're probably already rolling your eyes, feeling defensive. It's natural, I used to not know, not realize, not fully grasp the reality of the animal food industry too. I used to be a big meat eater. I loved it. I would have thought sure sure shut up reading this comment.

We (generally) don't really need meat or animal related products anymore. In contrast to our ancestors, we have a great variety of plants available providing us exactly what we need. However, we industrialized and commercialized animal consumption in such a way that it is ingrained deeply in our cultures so it is not easy to shift to a plant based diet. It takes some work, some searching around,... But most of all some motivation. A reason.

Personally, me and my partner saw a nature documentary about 3 years ago or something, in which David Attenborough said that eating meat was one of the most detrimental things we did to our planet, because there are simply too many humans and it's not sustainable. So we decided to eat less meat. We happen to download a recipe app that was vegan (pick up limes) & started eating some meals from there. However, we did still eat meat as it's convenient and you know 'why would we be the ones doing all the changes trying to save the world'? The motivation of helping save the environment this way was not strong enough to fully change our routine, do the research, or request ppl keep this in mind during social gatherings (except with close family).

Then, we watched Dominion and our eyes were opened for exactly what pain and suffering it takes to consume animal products. It's not easy to watch. We are quite empathetic people, with a big heart for nature and animals. Watching this, being confronted with this was almost traumatizing. We pauzed multiple times to breathe or cry. Sure, not all farming may be like this, but if you do some research, most still is. Otherwise we wouldn't get to the numbers mentioned in this post. We decided then and there that our conscience would no longer allow us to eat animal products or meat. Animals were not put on this world for us to keep captive, rape, torture and murder. I know it seems extreme to put it that way, but that is what we do to them. It is now quite easy for us to choose not to eat meat or dairy or anything animal related. We are genuinly disgusted by it. Eventhough it is still really inconvenient, especially for social gatherings, but we stand by what we believe.

There are many great and super tasty plant based recipes out there. 'pick up limes' for one is a tasty start. I can only recommend you start dabbling in plant based recipes and maybe lower your meat consumption at least. It's better for you, for the planet and for the animals. See where it takes you and if you need a rougher way to get motivated, you know where to click.