1. Growing up in an Italian family, food is something that we bond over and take very seriously. For generations, my family has owned a chain of butchers markets and meat has always been on the menu for basically every meal. However, after being influenced by a vegan activist on Instagram named Dom Thompson I decided to give the no animal products thing a try. His account showed how badly some of the animals were treated and was about how animal products are linked to negative effects on the human body. He called his followers crazies and weirdos, explaining how that is how society sees vegans. When my grandparents found out, they were not happy about it because they didn’t want me straying from my roots. While I did enjoy the time period that was a vegan and did feel healthier, this was only a phase and didn’t last long. This is mainly because of the influence that my family has had on me growing up and because avoiding animal products made everyday life more difficult.

2. During this time period, I had a serious impact on societal issues. I have a big appetite and am constantly hungry. When people would offer me food and I declined, they would often ask why. When I told them that I was a vegan, they again asked why, and I was bringing up awareness about societal issues involved with consuming animal products. I would pull up Dom’s Instagram account and show them videos of the animals being tortured and read to them all of the negative effects meats and dairy have on your body, and I even got a few people on board with me who are still vegans today. What I did not know however was how the production of animal products places a heavy burden on the environment. The grain feed required for meat production contributes to deforestation. Feeding these animals uses a lot of water. Methane gas is used to produce meats. It is also just easier and healthier to obtain nutrients from a plant based diet.

3. Diagram