If we’re serious about saving water we need people to go vegan - Tania Isabel
Remember summertime in years gone by? People would race barefoot through the garden, turn on the hosepipe and drink like it was the finest water on Earth. But that sweet Yorkshire summer seems to be gone.
Now, the grass crackles underfoot, flowers crumble, the reservoirs are at just over 50 per cent (a record low for this time of the year), and the county’s five million residents have been ordered to turn off their hosepipes.
It’s not the first time – yet every hosepipe ban feels like a soggy plaster. Officials urge us to let our lawns brown and to take shorter showers, even though the real guzzler is animal agriculture. If we truly want to conserve water, we must go vegan.
Animal agriculture uses a jaw-dropping amount of water – from soaking feed crops and filling water troughs to hosing blood and faeces off the floors of farms and slaughterhouses. Each egg, pound of flesh, and drop of milk comes with a steep water footprint.
It takes around 2,350 litres of fresh water to produce a single burger – enough to fill 30 bathtubs or stand under a running shower for five hours. Scale that up to a kilogram of beef and the figure swells to over 15,000 litres. That’s more water than many of us use all month.
70 per cent of the world’s total managed water is used to grow food – but not for human beings.
Instead, much of this water goes to grow crops like corn and soy for animals we exploit for eggs, meat and dairy. And in the UK, it’s estimated that 85 per cent of agricultural land is dedicated to animal agriculture.
The meat and dairy industries drain rivers and pollute what little clean water we have left. Run-off from animal farms floods the waterways with antibiotics, hormones, faeces, and pathogens like E. coli, degrading ecosystems and polluting rivers across the UK.
So, it should come as no surprise that the UN has identified animal agriculture as one of the most significant contributors to the gravest environmental issues of our time, from water pollution and deforestation to air pollution and the accelerating climate catastrophe.
Today’s farms cram animals by the thousands into wire pens, metal crates and stuffy sheds. These animals never get to root in the soil, build nests, raise their young, or do anything that comes naturally to them. They’ll never feel the sun on their backs or breathe fresh air until workers force them onto slaughterhouse-bound trucks. Driven by profit, the industry cuts corners at every turn, always at the animals’ expense.
No cow, pig, chicken, or any other sentient being wants to live this way. And they are killed for burgers and sausages that could easily be made using plants.
Beyond Burger, for example, is a delicious vegan upgrade and uses 99 per cent less water, 93 per cent less land and 90 per cent fewer greenhouse gases than its fleshy counterpart. There is no justification to continue killing animals for food – especially in the face of growing droughts and disappearing rivers.
And yet, Yorkshire continues to celebrate this destructive industry. Last week it was the Great Yorkshire Show – an annual event showcasing meat and dairy production. The timing is painfully ironic as the event symbolises exactly the kind of water-intensive, industrial animal agriculture that’s exacerbating the crisis.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has publicly urged the show’s organisers to pivot towards showcasing sustainable, vegan agriculture and encouraging local farmers to cultivate vegetables, grains, pulses, and fruit instead. Such a shift would align farmers with environmental goals, reduce their reliance on dwindling water resources, and promote healthier, cruelty-free food production.
Of course, we need not wait to make good choices as Yorkshire is brimming with options that are kind to animals and the planet. In Leeds, The Happy Yak Café serves steaming Tibetan momos and hearty vegan sandwiches, while Döner Summer serves wildly popular vegan Berlin-style Street food.
Over in York, Kohaku Vegan Sushi, in collaboration with Wawin Vegan Chinese, offers stunning rolls and delicious Asian fare. In Harrogate, Revolución de Cuba offers zesty plantain tacos and loaded vegan chicken sandwiches – all clearly marked on the menu. And compassionate vegan cuisine is everywhere across smaller towns, from Scarlett’s Vintage Tea Rooms in Knaresborough to The Knights Table in Settle.
Hosepipe bans might make headlines, but it's what's on our plates that will determine whether Yorkshire’s rivers – and its future – run dry.
If we are serious about saving water, fighting climate change, and preserving this country and planet for future generations, we must stop eating animals.
Tania Isabel is a PETA member who lives in Sheffield.