New Documentary ‘I Could Never Go Vegan’ Aims to Convince You Otherwise

The new feature documentary I Could Never Go Vegan explores common myths and arguments surrounding the vegan diet.

Attaching its name to one of the more common statements heard when the topic comes up, I Could Never Go Vegan is an attempt to convince naysayers to give the vegan diet a chance.

The new film, produced by brothers Thomas and James Pickering, who were both raised on a plant-based diet, features interviews with athletes, health professionals, scientists, former slaughterhouse workers, and other experts including writer and environmentalist George Monbiot, social psychologist and founder of Beyond Carnism, Dr. Melanie Joy, and Olympic silver medalist Dotsie Bausch, among others.

Is the vegan diet sustainable?

“I’ve never eaten meat. But it seems every other day a new argument pops up against veganism. Certain reasons started to pop up more frequently. Cheese. Bacon. Canines. The food’s terrible. It doesn’t help the planet. Humane slaughter. The list goes on,” Thomas Pickering said in a statement.

“This led me on a path to find out why so many people had opposing views to the movement, and why these arguments exist in the first place. In the film, we ask whether there’s any justification to them, or is there something else at play here?”

The film explores common arguments against the vegan diet including those that humans have a genetic predisposition for eating meat, that vegans are malnourished, and that the diet is too expensive and difficult in an effort to understand whether or not they’re justified reasons for eating animals.

“We created I Could Never Go Vegan to address common themes, myths, and misconceptions around veganism, in a way that will draw interest from even the staunchest meat eater,” James Pickering said.

“The documentary is an eye-opening look into the key barriers preventing people from reducing their intake of animal products, and what will happen if we continue to eat meat at the current rate of consumption. It’s a must-see for all – whether you’re already vegan, a flexitarian, or think you could never give up steak.”

Climate impact of meat

The film, which is set to release later this year, comes on the heels of recent warnings about the climate crisis and meat’s impact on the planet.

A recently released study found that corporate pledges to end deforestation have fallen short. Forests sequester carbon, but demand for meat is a leading driver of Amazon deforestation for growing soy for cattle feed.

Other research found climate change is making plants less nutritious and less capable of sequestering carbon. But according to a study published last year, a global shift to a plant-based diet within the next 15 years would have significant benefits for the planet, reducing emissions by nearly 70 percent and enough to meet Paris Agreement targets of keeping global temperatures below 1.5°C over pre-industrial levels.

Lead image courtesy of ‘I Could Never Go Vegan’.