Why should they suffer and die just so that you feel less bloated and have your tongue treated?

Not all animals are treated badly, I was raised on a farm and our livestock was treated really good.

buying veggies from across the globe is still more environmentally friendly than buying local animal products, what you buy is more important that where you buy from.

Supporting locally produce just makes sense imo. Being self sufficient in an unstable world is security. Nobody knows what the future brings, and being dependant on nations far away doesn't make any sense. It's also easier to stay lean and healthy on a low carb meat diet.

And the whole vegan thing is just strange to me. I don't know any vegetarians and to my knowledge I don't think I've ever met one (that I know of).