Good News: Meat and Dairy Consumption Is Falling. The Better News Is Why.

According to the USDA, 400 million fewer animals were slaughtered in 2014 than in 2007. That’s 400 million individuals who were spared a lifetime of unimaginable suffering.

This staggering statistic shows the decline of dairy and meat consumption, a trend that will only continue to grow. It’s been on the decline for decades, but now it’s decreasing at the fastest rate ever. Why? The answer is simple: the rise of millennials.

Born between 1980 and 1999, this generation often gets a bad rep, portrayed as lazy and entitled by the media. But those claims couldn’t be further from the truth.

Millennials are now the largest generation in U.S. history. Thanks to the latest technology, they’re able to seek out facts and find them in an instant. They’re weary of big corporations, refuse to buy into traditional beliefs, and aren’t afraid to try new things. Millennials are compassionate and care about their future and the future of the planet.

It’s no surprise that an estimated 12 percent of millennials say they are “faithful vegetarians, compared with 4 percent of Gen Xers and 1 percent of baby boomers. As this generation matures and gains more buying power, we will see a continued dramatic decrease in meat and dairy consumption.

It’s true: The future is vegan. With factory farming and meat consumption linked to climate change, pollution, chronic disease, and extreme animal abuse, this is great news for the planet, humanity, and animals.

You can be part of this exciting change by switching to a plant-based diet today. Click here for free recipes and tips.