2024 was my year of alignment - where personal growth met global impact. 🌱

As a Product Manager and follower of stoic principles, I believe in data-driven decisions and living in harmony with nature. The data was clear: going vegan was not only the best choice for our environment but also became my way of living up to “arete” - the Greek idea of being your best self. It perfectly matched my values, helping the environment and taking an ethical stance. Having been vegetarian briefly, this was my natural next step toward cutting pollution, stopping animal cruelty, and living by my principles.

The PM in me loves tracking numbers, so here’s what changed: ✅ Resting heart rate: 69 → 58bpm over 4 years ✅ Weight: 74kg → 65kg (personal goal) in 6 months ✅ High heart rate alerts: 7 (2023) → 1 (2024) ✅ First time reaching “Above Average” cardio fitness score (Apple Watch)

All this while doing the same amount of exercise as before. The big change? My diet. 🔍

What’s interesting is how this fits with “eudaimonia” - the Greek idea of finding happiness by living well and being your best self. By matching my actions with my values, including supporting nonprofits (currently Wikipedia, Amnesty International, and UNRWA), I found myself getting closer to this ideal.

The impact of this choice is quantifiable: according to Oxford University research*, one year of being vegan saves approximately 1.8 tonnes (1,800 kg) of CO2 emissions (equivalent to driving 2,400 kilometers less), 350,000 gallons (1.3 million liters) of water, and based on Animal Charity Evaluators’ estimates**, spares around 30-35 animals from industrial farming each year. These numbers represent real change for our planet - equal to cutting out 6 months of average household electricity use in CO2 savings alone.

Furthering this commitment to our environment, I also switched to an electric vehicle this year. The environmental cost of the battery production has already been offset by the reduced emissions from daily use, making this another data-backed decision for long-term impact.

For those thinking about making the switch: vegan options have come a long way in 5 years. Most foods now come with added B12, and my blood tests show I’m perfectly healthy. I highly recommend reading “This Is Vegan Propaganda” by Ed Winters - while it’s emotionally tough to read because it shows hard truths, it really helps you understand why this change matters.

Fun fact: As someone who’s tracked every song since 2007 (Last.fm) and every euro spent since 2016 (using YNAB), I can honestly say this was my most impactful data-driven decision yet. 📊

To 2025: May we all find our path to happiness through thoughtful, informed choices that help ourselves and our planet. 🌍

  • Poore J., Nemecek T. Science, 2018 - “Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers” ** Animal Charity Evaluators - “Impact of Diet on Animals”