Voices is the Dorset Echo's weekly youth page - written for young people by young people.

This week Rachel Archer thinks about what would happen if the world went vegan.

Ever wondered what would actually happen if every person on this planet stopped eating animal products?

The number of vegans in Britain has increased by 360 per cent in the last ten years and it’s a very trendy and topical subject.

Many people are drawn to the lifestyle because they hear about miraculous health benefits or how eco-friendly it seems.

So how would our Earth take it if none of us ate a bacon sandwich again, or drank a glass of milk? The truth is, environmentally it would probably thank us.

The emissions of greenhouse gases would decrease a measurable amount, causing global warming to slow drastically. Thousands of square miles would be freed of livestock and machinery used to produce animal products.

Despite natures gain from veganism, it would cause an immense setback for the world’s economy. Livestock production provides income for over 1.5 billion people. With no more use for all these animals, trades everywhere would begin to fail.

And what about Weymouth, being a town surrounded by sea and farmland, how would all of our businesses be affected? There’d be no one going down to the local fish and chips shop, or no more of Dorset’s favourite ice cream. If we all turned plant-based overnight, our county’s companies would wither and our animals would be left to fend for themselves. However, overtime our famous landscapes would become ever more beautiful and picturesque.

So would we benefit? Do meat products really play a big a part in our lives as we think?

By Rachel Archer