I dithered over veganism for years – until a friend’s simple message convinced me

From theguardian.com
By Melinda Salisbury

I’ve always cared about the planet, but giving up animal products felt daunting. Then a friendly conversation made me face up to the facts

If you had asked me three years ago if I would ever go vegan, the answer would have been a polite but firm “no”. I would have told you how I could never give up cheese and how I worried about a vegan diet being healthy. I knew that they weren’t the strongest nor the most informed of reasons, so I would have added that I only bought meat when I could afford to buy organic and British, and always bought free-range eggs. I would have wanted you to know I was informed about what was “good” or “bad” farming practice, and I shopped accordingly.

I had been a vegetarian on and off since I was a teenager, and cared deeply about the planet. I recycled diligently, carried a reusable water bottle, signed petitions to address the climate disaster and joined protests. I bought cruelty-free makeup, was fervently against animal testing. I was a conscious and conscientious shopper and consumer: I considered the planet when I made choices.

For almost my whole life I had been concerned about the planet. As a child, I’d lecture my hairspray-wielding nan about CFCs; in primary school I held a bake sale to raise money for the RSPB, the British bird-protection charity, after the Shetland oil disaster in 1993. I was mindful of the environment, and proud of it.

Just not mindful enough to make a huge lifestyle change that would be disruptive. Even these days, veganism is frequently inconvenient in that you are always having to check packaging (items you think are safe may have changed their ingredients), trust other people when they are preparing food for you and check everywhere you go in advance for vegan options.

So how did I end up a vegan? It all started when I met my friend Sophie’s partner, Rey. We were having a barbecue in Burgess park in south London, and Sophie and I had to wait to eat because Rey and his friends wanted to cook first as they were vegan. They weren’t righteous or aggressive about our food choices, and we didn’t roll our eyes or make jokes about theirs. We had a nice day out.

When Sophie and Rey announced they were expecting a baby, she told me she was going vegan, and would raise their child as a vegan. I’m embarrassed about it now, but I was concerned – all my knowledge of veganism came from random snippets of internet lore. What about calcium? What about protein? What about vitamins? Wasn’t it dangerous? Sophie very patiently told me what she knew, and directed me to look things up for myself.

So, I did; visiting websites, reading leaflets, watching documentaries and filling in the gaps of my knowledge. What I learned started to stick: I became vegetarian again, lapsed and then went back to it. I couldn’t reconcile what I had learned about the realities of the meat and dairy industries with the person I believed myself to be. I asked Sophie – for the first time – why she decided to become a vegan. She wasn’t like me, a so-called advocate for the planet and animal rights. In fact, she was probably the last person I’d expect to become a vegan. “Because I don’t need to eat meat, eggs or dairy,” she told me. “Things don’t have to suffer or die for me to live well.”

That was the moment it clicked. Consuming meat and dairy was admitting I was OK with animals suffering and dying for my pleasure/convenience/survival. But I could choose something different. So I did.

I became vegan two years ago. Of course, I am in a position where being a vegan is easy: no food allergies or relevant health issues, enough money to buy speciality vegan ingredients to liven things up, no dependents, time to cook. The impact that it has had on me has been huge. I have seen an improvement in my overall health – an unexpected benefit; tighter friendships with vegan friends (it’s the new smoking in terms of social connection). Before I became vegan, I was never much of a cook, but now it has become a hobby. I love experimenting and finding ways of “veganising” food I used to eat.

More than that, it has begun to change every aspect of how I live as I try to always minimise suffering, and do my best for the planet. I am lucky to live in a town with eco-friendly refill shops. I have started making my own body moisturiser, cleaning spray, laundry detergent and “toilet fizzers” to cut down on disposable plastics and chemicals. I question where things I buy come from: who made them? How did they get here? How long will they last? I am trying to be a better consumer, even if it is inconvenient sometimes.

In the end, what it came down to was having the courage of my convictions to embrace veganism. Now I am proud to be walking the walk.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jan/27/i-dithered-over-veganism-for-years-until-a-friends-simple-message-convinced-me

PETA’s Top 10 Tips for Being a Pragmatic Vegan

From peta.org.uk/blog

What made you decide to go vegan? For many of us, it was seeing how horribly animals suffer in the meat, fishing, egg, and dairy industries. So it makes sense that once we’ve made the transition to vegan living, we want to do everything in our power to help stop their suffering.

Our compassionate choices make a huge difference for animals – and we can have an even bigger impact by influencing others to go vegan and encouraging businesses to offer more animal-friendly options.
Don’t worry: it’s easy to spread the animal rights message. The key is to keep things positive and focus on how easy it can be, rather than striving to be a “perfect vegan” – an impossible goal – which risks making compassionate living look like hard work and deterring others from trying it. Check out our top 10 tips for being a down-to-earth, pragmatic vegan.

 1. Keep it positive.

Going vegan is an act of kindness, and if we’re upbeat and positive about our decision to protect animals, the environment, and our health, others around us will be, too.
On the other hand, if we moan about minor issues that we encounter as vegans, we’ll give people the impression that going vegan means struggling or missing out. For instance, if you’re hosting a party and a friend brings a vegan cake, interrogating them about whether the sugar they used was processed using bone char makes vegan living seem complicated and restrictive.
We all know that eating vegan is easy, fun, and delicious, so let it show!

2. Praise progress.

It can be easy to feel frustrated with friends and family who are resistant to going vegan, but most of us weren’t born vegan, and many of us made the transition gradually. Celebrate the positive steps people take towards a more compassionate life – criticising them for the ones they haven’t taken is likely to alienate them, and that doesn’t help animals.
There’s plenty you can do to help them keep moving in the right direction. If they have ditched meat but are still consuming dairy, you could offer to treat them to dairy-free ice cream, and if they’re struggling to leave eggs off their plate, you could whip them up a tasty tofu scramble.

3. Lead by example.

When heading to a summer BBQ, why not take some delicious vegan burgers to share with friends? When people discover just how enjoyable vegan food can be and realise there’s no need to miss out on familiar flavours, they’re likely to be more open to learning about the issues with animal agriculture.

 4. Don’t join the “vegan police”.

Effective advocacy is much more important than perfectionism. We live in a world where animal-derived products turn up in the unlikeliest of places – banknotes, anyone? – and it’s not always possible or practical to avoid them. Is taking a flight vegan? Rescuing a cat? Riding a rollercoaster? (There could be tallow in the lubricants.) It’s folly to think that where we draw the line is correct – and that anyone on one side is too restrictive while anyone on the other is too permissive. Criticising another person’s approach to being vegan is more likely to alienate them than to encourage change. And it’s dead boring. Don’t do it.

5. “May contain” milk? Don’t sweat it.

Most food products, even completely vegan ranges, are made in factories where products containing eggs and dairy are also manufactured. Unless you have an allergy, you don’t need to worry about this. If the label on a chocolate bar reads, “May contain traces of milk,” but there’s no milk or other animal-derived foods in the ingredients list, the product is suitable for vegans. Eat the chocolate!

6. Support vegan options from mainstream brands.

While it’s good to support vegan businesses, also buying the plant-based options available in non-vegan restaurants and supermarkets encourages these companies to extend their vegan ranges, making compassionate eating more accessible and appealing to new audiences.
Every time we choose a protein-packed vegan burger instead of a beef patty, a delicious vegan pizza over a meat-laden one, or non-dairy milk rather than cows’ milk, we’re voting with our wallets for more animal-friendly options.

7. Don’t grill the waiter.

Avoid asking loads of questions of busy serving staff when ordering at a restaurant. Choosing a plant-based meal reduces animal suffering – but if you grill your waiter about the source of mono- and di-glycerides in the bread or whether the lemon used to garnish your drink was waxed, you’ll make vegan living seem difficult and annoying.
Unless you have an allergy, insisting on absolute purity isn’t necessary and may make restaurants less likely to offer vegan options. In a world where animal-derived foods are so ubiquitous, accepting the possibility of cross-contamination doesn’t mean we’re any less vegan.

8. Keep your cool when something goes wrong.

Many food outlets are working hard to respond to the booming demand for vegan options, but mistakes can happen. If a café, fast-food joint, or restaurant accidentally serves you something non-vegan, politely bring it to their attention and give them a chance to make it right. If businesses are publicly slammed every time there’s a mix-up, they may become cautious about offering vegan options or just give up to avoid the hassle.

9. Be a cheerleader for vegan options.

The more that we let companies know how much we love their vegan options, the more likely they are to introduce more. Sing their praises in person, by e-mail, by letter, or on social media. Spread the word about amazing new vegan food experiences, and bring your friends and family along to your favourite places.

10. Always prioritise helping animals.

There are so many ways we can advocate for animals in our everyday lives – such as by carrying leaflets to leave in waiting rooms, starting friendly conversations in the supermarket, or bringing vegan mac and cheese to a potluck at work.

Always keep in mind that the best way to help reduce animal suffering is to show other people how easy and enjoyable it is to be vegan.

https://www.peta.org.uk/blog/pragmatic-vegan/