For many students in India, their first exposure to the environmental and ethical impact of food comes through Vegan Outreach’s Food Planet Health Awareness Program, which reaches over 50,000 young people every year.

When Curiosity Meets Awareness

One of the most powerful things we can do through outreach is create space for questions about the food on our plates, the systems behind it, and the impact it leaves behind. For thousands of students across India, those questions begin with Vegan Outreach’s Food Planet Health Awareness Program.

For Jagruti, a tourist guide from Ektanagar and a student pursuing a Master’s in Social Work in Dabhoi, it all started with one webinar. Already a vegetarian, she joined out of curiosity. Here’s what she learned!

What was the most shocking thing you learned during the Food-Planet-Health webinar? 

I’m a vegetarian, but I hadn’t realized how much damage even vegetarian foods like dairy can cause. The webinar made me realise that when the demand for animal products like milk and meat increases, more animals are bred, and they are given chemical injections (oxytocin) to boost production. After learning that, I’ve started switching to plant-based options.

What changes when awareness becomes a daily habit?

I’ve reduced dairy since the webinar. Outside the house, I’ve stopped eating things like butter and cheese, especially from places that serve food that isn’t organic. I’ve even made almond milk at home. It takes a bit of time, but I really liked it.

Since making these changes, my migraines have gone down, and my menstrual cycle has become more regular. I didn’t expect that. I just feel like my health has improved a lot. These small changes matter.

Can small food choices really impact animals and the planet?

The amount of water used in dairy production and the injections (oxytocin) given to animals harm both our bodies and the environment. It not only affects the health of the animals, but it also affects ours. I started thinking, if I keep supporting this system, I’m part of the problem. So I decided to stop consuming these products. I feel like even these small changes in my food habits are helping the environment, animals, and my own body.

A Bigger Picture

For Jagruti, the webinar exposed the hidden costs of dairy, including its significant water footprint and the routine use of hormonal inputs to increase production at the expense of animal and human health. 

Jagruti also shared how the webinar helped her understand the wider ethical and systemic issues tied to animal agriculture. She reflected on how demand fuels production, and production often comes at a cost to both animals and people.

“The demand for milk and meat means more animals are bred, and to produce more, they’re given chemical injections. That harms them and us. These products should really be stopped.”

Her story is one of many inspired by our Food Planet Health Awareness Program. It’s a reminder that when students are given the facts, they’re more than ready to make compassionate, informed choices for themselves, for animals, and for the planet.

With your support, Vegan Outreach is able to reach thousands of students every month with life-changing information about sustainable, ethical, and health-conscious eating.

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