The popularity of veganism has gotten more people curious about this lifestyle. Why people opt to go vegan varies, but it’s usually for health reasons, environmental concerns, the welfare of animals, or all of the above. If you’ve been second-guessing whether or not to go vegan, these Netflix documentaries may help you decide.
The Game Changers
One of the most talked-about documentaries about veganism is The Game Changers. Louie Psihoyos’s documentary follows the lives of athletes that are on a vegan diet and prove that it’s possible to still be strong and healthy even without the consumption of animal products. Many of them have seen the benefits of a plant-based diet, including UFC fighter James Wilks and marathon runner Scott Jordan Jurek.
Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret
After reading about animal agriculture’s overconsumption of water and land resources, Kip Anderson decided to delve further into industrial livestock farming. In this documentary he directed with Keegan Kuhn, they tackle how eating animal products affects the environment and its contribution to climate change. They also reach out to major environmental groups like Greenpeace and Sierra Club to see what actions they are taking to address this.
What the Health
Another documentary directed by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn focuses on the impact of meat consumption on people’s health rather than the environment. They further examine what role animal agriculture and pharmaceutical companies play concerning the diets of millions of Americans, and touch on diabetes and cancer. It will make you think more about what you put into your body and what these industries are trying to sell.
Seaspiracy
Director Ali Tabrizi highlights overfishing and prompts if there is such thing as sustainable fishing in this documentary. It turns out plastic straws in the ocean are a small problem compared to the harm caused by the modern fishing industry. Inverse did a fact-check and revealed some of the things discussed were exaggerated or taken out of context, but it doesn’t take away from the truth that marine life is at risk.
Veganism may not be for everyone but just by consuming fewer animal products, you’ll be doing yourself and the environment a huge favor. Take the information in these documentaries with a grain of salt and do your own research to know which diet or lifestyle may best suit you.
