Impact calculators
Directional estimates for the real-world impact of ethical swaps. All numbers are rounded and sourced.
Going vegan
Plastic avoided per year
Sources
Numbers are annual averages for one person and rounded. Real-world impact varies with region, diet composition, and product mix.
Impact calculator FAQ
Where do the vegan impact numbers come from?+
Annual per-person figures for animals, CO₂, water and land aggregate peer-reviewed averages: Oxford's Poore & Nemecek 2018 meta-analysis for CO₂/water/land, and USDA/ADAPTT slaughter statistics for animals. They are directional — regional diet composition, fish vs. shellfish, and dairy substitutes change the exact totals.
Why is the CO₂ figure lower than headlines I've seen?+
Popular headlines often quote the difference between a heavy meat-eater and a strict vegan. Our default reflects an average omnivore in a high-income country going fully plant-based — roughly 0.8–1.5 tonnes CO₂e per year saved.
Are the plastic-swap numbers per year or per swap?+
The 'grams per swap' constants are what a single swap avoids in a typical year of use. Multiply by 'years' to see cumulative avoided plastic.
Can I trust a single-swap plastic figure?+
Manufacturing footprints for reusables (bottles, cups, cups) are amortized over expected lifetime. If a reusable is discarded within the first few months, the plastic saving is much smaller — reuse it long enough to break even (usually 3–6 months of daily use).
How should I use these numbers?+
Directionally, not for scientific reporting. They're most useful for comparing categories of swaps against each other: diet dominates, then transport, then home energy, then materials, then packaging.
Impact per swap, at a glance
Order of magnitude matters more than precision. Here's roughly how the biggest levers stack up for one person per year, based on the same peer-reviewed sources.
How to read these numbers
- Directional, not certified. Use to compare categories of swaps, not to claim a specific footprint.
- One person, one year. Multiply by household size or years, not both without care.
- Reusables need to be reused. The break-even for a stainless bottle is roughly 20–40 uses; for a menstrual cup, one full cycle vs. disposables.
- Diet dominates. For most people, food swaps out-perform every other lever combined.