What’s the environmental impact of going vegan?
A vegan or vegetarian diet and lifestyle requires far fewer resources like grain, water, oil, and forested land. It contributes less CO2 to the atmosphere, and no animals are killed for consumption.
Did you know that raising livestock contributes more to global warming than automobiles?
Choosing to go vegan or vegetarian is one of the most effective things you can do for the environment. A 2023 study from the University of Oxford analyzed data from over 55,000 people and found that vegans produce just 25% of the greenhouse gas emissions of high meat-eaters.
But what’s the real environmental impact of not eating meat?
How Much Water, CO2 & Animals Do Vegans Save?
Each day, a person who follows a vegan diet saves 4,164 Liters of water, 18 kg of grain, 3 m² of forested land, 9 kg CO2, and one animal life.
In imperial numbers, this translates to 1,100 gallons of water, 45 pounds of grain, 30 ft² of forest land, and 20 lbs CO2.
Those numbers are a bit lower for a vegetarian diet, but you’re still making a significant impact.
Vegan vs Vegetarian: Which Has a Lower Carbon Footprint?
Both diets reduce your environmental impact, but vegan diets come out ahead. A 2023 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research found that vegan diets have 44% less total environmental impact than Mediterranean diets (which include some animal products).
The difference comes down to dairy and eggs. Producing milk and eggs still requires significant land, water, and feed resources. According to research from the UK, vegetarians produce about 45% of meat-eaters’ greenhouse gas emissions, while vegans produce just 25%.
To learn more about how these numbers were calculated, see our list of sources.
If you’re curious how much your environmental impact has lessened since going vegan or vegetarian, use the vegan calculator above.
Quit meat & track your progress
You want to eat less meat and dairy products? If you’re thinking of becoming vegan or vegetarian, there is no better way of staying motivated by tracking your progress and see how much impact you’re having on animals and the environment.
The easiest way to become vegan or vegetarian
Bookmark this page and check back every once in a while to see your progress. We’ll keep track of when you started your journey and update the calculator based on your days since you have gone vegan or vegetarian.
The difference one person can make by becoming a vegan
How much impact does one person have? It turns out, a single person can make a meaningful difference.
According to research published in Climatic Change, the daily greenhouse gas emissions from a meat-eater’s diet are 7.19 kg CO2 equivalent, compared to just 2.89 kg CO2e for a vegan. That’s a 60% reduction in your daily carbon footprint from food alone.
Over a year, that adds up to roughly 1.5 tonnes of CO2 saved per person. Whether you’re going vegan for animal rights or to reduce your carbon footprint, the numbers show you’re making a real difference.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Plant-Based vs Meat-Based Diets
A systematic review of 34 studies found that switching to a vegan diet reduces greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 70.3% compared to typical Western diets. This makes changing what you eat one of the most effective individual actions for fighting climate change.
The same research found that even flexitarian diets (reducing meat rather than eliminating it) can cut emissions by 20-30%. Every meal without meat counts.
How is this estimation calculated?
The vegan calculator combines data from peer-reviewed research and established environmental organizations. Our primary sources include studies published in Nature Food, Climatic Change, and the Journal of Cleaner Production, alongside data from the Water Footprint Network and Environmental Working Group.
The daily savings estimate (4,164 liters of water, 18 kg of grain, 3 m² of forested land, 9 kg CO2, and one animal life) is based on average U.S. meat and dairy consumption patterns.
Regional variations: These numbers are U.S. averages and may differ in other countries. For example, a UK-based study found slightly different figures, with vegans producing 2.89 kg CO2e per day compared to 7.19 kg for high meat-eaters. The relative savings (60-75% reduction) remain consistent across studies.
Statistic sources
Peer-reviewed studies
- Vegans, vegetarians, fish-eaters and meat-eaters in the UK show discrepant environmental impacts (Nature Food, 2023) - Oxford study of 55,504 participants
- Environmental Impact of Two Plant-Based, Isocaloric and Isoproteic Diets: The Vegan Diet vs. the Mediterranean Diet (Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2023)
- Climate change mitigation through dietary change: a systematic review (Nutr Rev, 2021) - Review of 34 studies
- Dietary greenhouse gas emissions of meat-eaters, fish-eaters, vegetarians and vegans in the UK (Climatic Change, 2014)
- Environmental impact of omnivorous, ovo-lacto-vegetarian, and vegan diet (J Cleaner Production, 2017)
Other sources
Breakdown of the used data
Water calculation
The average person in the U.S. uses 405,000 gallons of freshwater per year (a combination of the subfractions which comprise 206 pounds of meat per year– divided between 46 pounds of pig, 58 pounds of cow, 102 pounds of chicken and turkey in addition to 248 eggs and 616 pounds of dairy products), which equates to saving 1,100 gallons of water each day.
Grain calculation
This is calculated by multiplying ounces of each meat consumed daily per person by the feed conversion factor for each animal. This equals 45lbs of grain saved per day.
Forested land calculation
Experts estimated that 80,000 acres of rainforest are cleared each day with an additional 80,000 degraded, with 70-91% of that degradation for the livestock industry.
CO2 calculation
This calculation is based on the feed conversion ratios and the average US meat and dairy consumption per year, per person.
More vegan resources
If you’re interested to learn more about the vegan lifestyle, visit our blog to learn more: Blog