Impact of Veganism on Animals & Environment

This research assignment examines the positive effects of veganism on animal welfare and the environment. It delves into the ethical concerns surrounding animal testing for cosmetic products and highlights how animal product consumption contributes to environmental degradation. The report also analyzes the challenges researchers face when conducting studies on veganism, such as obtaining reliable data through interviews and observations. Ultimately, this assignment aims to raise awareness about the multifaceted implications of adopting a vegan lifestyle.

A REFLECTIVE ESSAY ON
DESIGNING AND
CARRYING OUT MY
RESEARCH PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Overview......................................................................................................................................3
Rationale......................................................................................................................................4
Sampling strategies .....................................................................................................................5
Data collection methods...............................................................................................................6
Challenges faced during research................................................................................................7
Lessons learned............................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Veganism refers to a practice in diet of humans with abstain of animal products. It is
associated with a philosophy which is responsible for rejecting the commodity status of animals.
A person who follows veggie diet is known as vegan. This report is about a reflective essay
where an individual experience is noted to research about veganism. It discusses about the
problems that are occurred during researching and what are the steps taken by an individual to
overcome those challenges and issues. Veganism is highly for those people who are strictly
prohibited to animal products even egg as well.
MAIN BODY
Overview
I research about the veganism and I get to know that Veganism is about the lifestyle of
vegetarians where they totally abstained the use of animal products from egg to wool. There is
one difference between vegetarians and vegans; vegetarians prefer to not to eat animals, bur
vegans prefer top not to use any animal products like eggs, wool, fur, leather, or any cosmetic
products. Veganism is the practice of vegans. Diet of vegans is like to have nutritional food like
fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes and all. They even abstain those products which are tested on animals
first. They do not want to harm animals. It is not limited to their food diet but also to their area of
clothing (Appleby and Key, 2019).
Vegans has certain advantage over vegetarians such as like reduction in risks related to
health, decrease in harm to environment, avoidance of mistreatment to animals. Diet which is
used by vegans is found to be more nutritious which has full percentage of proteins and vitamins
like magnesium, dietary fibre, vitamin c, folic acid, vitamin E, phytochemicals and iron. But they
have lower percentage in vitamin D, fatty acids, cholesterol, vitamin B. It can lead to deficiency
in nutrients that can cause a serious problem related to health. When I know about this they have
deficiency criteria too, I feel that it does not suitable for children or adults for increasing their
immunity power. Even it can cause blood disorders and can results in neurological damage.
I researched about the history of vegans that from where this come from, then I analysed
that this word come from Vegan society which is situated in England. Donald Watson, the
person who is responsible for defining this term in 1944. Early, it is defined as non dairy
vegetarians. There are many stores and restaurants in market where food is available according
to vegan diet plan (Linzey and Linzey, 2019).
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There are some cases where use of animal products cannot be ignored. It is a necessary to
sustain in life. One of the use is of medications, where scientists and researches use their
products such as lactose, stearates or gelatine. There is no other option available in world where
alternative of medicine takes place. Even medicines are tested on animals but this is done under
safety and security. Household products, food additives, chemicals, cosmetic products are tested
on animals only. It is not possible to be entirely vegan. Animals and humans are deeply inter-
related. Even vegetables and fruits that they are eating are also made on the basis on animal
manure. Then they also should stop eating those. But this cannot be possible. So its saying to
fully vegan is not a possible thing.
Rationale
Reason behind chosen topic is veganism is upcoming news of animal products. Its been in
2019, that it is declaring as veganism year. So, I think this topic will give an enhanced
researching and learning about the vegans and vegetarians. And I was right to choose this topic
as my on research project. For researching, I met with many people; it gives an broad view of
thinking and to collect data. Veganism is found to be one of the interesting topics where different
things related to animals, humans and environments are known (Iguacel and et.al., 2019). it was
inter sting to know the lifestyles of vegans and why they do such abstaining. It motivates me to
research about them.
I get to know that vegans cannot be fully pure or they obliged to basic nutrients. They are
indirectly connected to animal products. I analysed that they can avoid some things or products
only. They are indirectly taken the animal products in term of medicines, cloths. But some
vegans are using substitutes in place of animal products. They are using soy in place of meat. It
has been outlined that plan protein has a source like wheat based seitan. This can be used in form
of sausage, veggie burgers. In place of cow milk, plant milk are used which give same nutrients
as compared with cow milk. Plant milk is like coconut milk, grains milk, almond milk, hemp
milk and soy milk. Butter which is also a cow product is also replaced with vegan cheese
products. Substitutes are available in market, but these are made with organic material which
consumes money.
Even many examples are there which replaced animal products with vegan products. Like
for vitamin B which is needed for making red blood cells and cause deficiency in blood and
leads to problems like anaemia. Academy of nutrition and dietetics found that hori, temeph and
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nutritional yeast are found to be sources of vitamin B. Another example is of calcium which is
need to provide the stamina and strength for bones. Those who are avoiding milk like vegans has
to suffer from these calcium essentials. Or they have to take more percentage of green vegetable
like broccoli, collards, kale, bok choy. But I researched that this take will give them only 526mg
of calcium which is very less.
Another product rather than food is about cosmetic products which are tested on animals
first. When animals are slaughtered for meat, their leftovers are gone for a rendering process for
use in toilets or any other place (Bousquet and et.al., 2017). In cosmetic products like lip balm, I
found that Lanolin, that us found from sheep's wool used in making lip balm. Even lactic acid
that comes from milk of animals are found in moisturisers. Similarly, allantoin that is found in
Cow's urine is used in making shampoo, toothpaste, lotions and all.
Sampling strategies
Whatever I researched about the veganism, I feel that it is influencing my outcomes. I
want to researched about the vegans culture and their lifestyle. But what I get to know that their
reason to stop use of animal products. So, I think to put some sampling strategies which will
segment my researching data and put me into a conclusion. Some of the sampling strategies are
described below:
Separate the research
in this, I separate my research topics related to vegans. For example, vegans are
abstaining the use of animal products in diet, in clothing and in using cosmetic products. So, I pt
these topic in different sections. Food diet is separated. Because it is one of the main reason of
vegans to prohibit animal products. Another topic is to use cloths and cosmetic products; these
are prohibited because they are influencing environment and animals. Scientists take animals as a
median where they feel that they are free to use animals for testing means (Phua, Jin and Kim,
2019).
Stratified sampling:
As I have collected data from different members of group, then I feel this sampling w\
method will help me to reach to an outcome. In this, ideas and information from different
members are sampled and recorded in different sections, so, that it becomes easy for me to
collect information and to reach to an outcome. This gives me one more help to randomly select
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a person and then research about that idea. It saves my time and givers worth full information as
compared to the previous.
Purposive sampling:
This method of sampling related to combination of same ideas in same groups. As
different candidates have different ideas and information related to veganism. But to arrange
them in systematic order, it becomes a challenge for me. This sampling method helps me to
arrange these data in group so that I can easily make a conclusion from them (Oksanen, 2015).
This will help me to not to get confused with different ideas. Therefore, it helps me to put them
in a single group.
Expert sampling:
this method of sampling refers to a expert member who has knowledge of veganism more
better than others. I believe on this sampling strategy because it is a choice of experts where they
give information very systemically and qualitatively. This is that research information which can
never be ignored. So, I put their data first which helps me a lot to made to a conclusion.
Data collection methods
I get the information from various types of sources. Here, I describe about the data
collection methods which help me to collect data in efficient way:
Interview:
This is one of the method of collecting data. In this, I decided to take interview of
different candidates who are vegans. My approach of selective vegans is to collect data more
qualitatively which does not include fake information. Taking interview becomes a challenge for
me because for taking interview I need to go to different places. this will consume time. So, I
prefer to choose social media channels for taking interviews. I send them questions and then
received a feedback reply of answers that questions. But this method helps me a lot to have ideas
from different vegans (methods of data collection 2017).
Food stores:
I went to some vegan food stores where they sell materials of food according to need of
vegans only. Then I get to know about some materials and food that are preferred by vegans.
They are high nutritional value food which do not include a single percentage of animal product.
But they are high costly materials because they are in terms of organic matter.
Magazines and books:
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this is the best way to reach to an outcome. All the information are getting atone lace.
This include information regarding current news, history and middle one. I get to know the
importance and benefits of veganism through the magazines. It gives me a chance to have a deep
research about the sources of vegans. Then I analyze that this is all done for the sake of animals
and environment. They have high priority over vegetarians.
Case studies:
I prefer this method because it give me a deep analysis about the topic. A case study
makes be identifies the advantages and disadvantages of veganism. Case study has perception of
different person and also their different roles. This is a primary collection method which do not
required another source for collecting data. It is as self approach of data collection (Dinu and
et.al., 2017).
Campaigns:
I also follow this method of data collecting because, it gives me information through
different types of persons. In this, non vegetarians also present their views on group of vegans.
Campaigns makes me learning about the attitude and behavior of vegans. Campaigns refer to
data acquisition method where I need to go to different places to meet different types of people
and to take their own opinions related to veganism.
Challenges faced during research
There is no process where problems do not occur. Same is with me, when I researched
about the topic, I also have been faced so many challenges. But I motivate myself and then reach
to a solution to overcomes those challenges with deep understanding and analysis;
 I face a challenge during data collection from different interviews. I want to take it as a
face to face interview but t\due to time consuming, I cannot take it. I use Facebook as a
channel to questions them. After some days I get a reply from them. But this limit my
quantity of questions because I can send them a list of specific questions only. Therefore,
to collect data from different interviews gives me limited information regarding veganism
(Janssen and et.al., 2016).
 Another challenge I faced was collecting data at one place. Though I researched about
different field in veganism from different persons and different veganism. It become a
problem for me to made a conclusion from overall data. At last, all information confused
me a lot but sampling strategies helped me to segment data and then draw a conclusion.
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Lessons learned
During the overall research, I learned that vegans are different from vegetarians. Vegans
prohibit use of full animal products. I found that vegans think that animals products are
influencing health of animals and environment as well. They use different diets like fruits,
vegetables, nuts, seeds ans all. But I get to know that vegans cannot avoid fully use of animal
products. They somehow connected to animal products. For getting treatment from doctors,
medications that they are using also contain some percentage of animal products. So, it can be
said that vegans are also not pure (Richter and et.al., 2016).
I learned from researching that challenges can occurred at any time but to overcome from
that, it is in our hands. Challenges required planned strategies that helps to achieve targets on
time. These strategies need to be followed efficiently to get better outcomes. An alternative
option helps me to get rid of challenges. Like in face to face interview, another option of social
media helps to collect data from same persons. Even I learned about sampling strategies that can
influence the outcome of research. A research on veganism puts me in dilemma that it is good or
bad. But sampling strategies helped me to draw a conclusion.
CONCLUSION
This report concluded about a research study on veganism. This includes overall process
of research that taken place to collect information about particular topic. Veganism is found to be
a practice where vegans avoid the use of animal products. Abstaining uses this products will
decrease impacts on animals and environment. It has been researched that scientists uses animals
for testing purpose. Different cosmetic products are made by animal products and are even tested
on animals only. It influence the environmental conditions to make animals species in
endangered. This report also outlined the challenges that are occurred during the research
process. Challenges like face to face interview and observing data are analysed where individual
takes some alternative options to handle them. This report makes an individual learned about
some challenges and strategies in research methodology.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Appleby, P.N. and Key, T.J., 2019. Veganism, vegetarianism, bone mineral density, and fracture
risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Reviews.
Bousquet, O. and et.al., 2017. From optimal transport to generative modeling: the VEGAN
cookbook. arXiv preprint arXiv:1705.07642.
Dinu, M. and et.al., 2017. Vegetarian, vegan diets and multiple health outcomes: a systematic
review with meta-analysis of observational studies. Critical reviews in food science and
nutrition. 57(17). pp.3640-3649.
Iguacel, I.and et.al., 2019. Authors’ Reply: Veganism, vegetarianism, bone mineral density, and
fracture risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Reviews.
Janssen, M. and et.al., 2016. Motives of consumers following a vegan diet and their attitudes
towards animal agriculture. Appetite. 105. pp.643-651.
Linzey, A. and Linzey, C. eds., 2018. Ethical Vegetarianism and Veganism. Routledge.
Oksanen, J., 2015. Multivariate analysis of ecological communities in R: vegan tutorial. R
Doc. 43. pp.11-12.
Phua, J., Jin, S.V. and Kim, J., 2019. The roles of celebrity endorsers’ and consumers’ vegan
identity in marketing communication about veganism. Journal of Marketing
Communications.pp.1-23.
Richter, M. and et.al., 2016. Vegan diet. Position of the German Nutrition Society (DGE)
Ernahrungs Umschau. 63. pp.92-102.
Wrenn, C., 2016. The Weight of Veganism.
Online
methods of data collection 2017. [online]. Available through: <https://bbamantra.com/methods-
of-data-collection-primary-and-secondary-data/>.
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