Vegan Basics: 4 Common Questions
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Vegan Basics – from The Vegan Society
online source: http://www.vegansociety.com/newsroom/index.php?/plugin/faqs/1
Question: What is a vegan?
Answer: A vegan is someone who tries to live without exploiting animals, for the benefit of animals, people and the planet. Vegans eat a plant-based diet, with nothing coming from animals – no meat, milk, eggs or honey, for example. A vegan lifestyle also avoids leather, wool, silk and other animal products for clothing or any other purpose.
Question: What’s the difference between ‘vegan’ and ‘vegetarian’?
Answer: A vegetarian person chooses not to eat foods which come from dead animals, such as meat, gelatine and rennet. A vegan person doesn’t eat anything that comes from living animals either, like milk and eggs. Vegans also try to avoid using any animal products, like leather or wool, for clothing or any other purpose.
Question: How did the word vegan come about?
Answer: It is the beginning and end of the word, ‘vegetarian’. It was coined in the UK by Donald Watson in 1944 when The Vegan Society was founded. It symbolises that veganism is the logical conclusion of the vegetarian journey to good health without the suffering or death of any animal.
Question: Why do people choose to be vegan?
Answer: People avoid animal products for ethical, health and environmental reasons. You can free up crops to feed hungry people, and reduce your contribution to animal suffering and global climate change by choosing a plant-based diet.
PS – The Soapbox answers some common questions about veganism here >>
I would like to suggest that you add another reason for “Why do people choose to be vegan?” I am vegan for spiritual reasons. These reasons certainly overlap with ethical reasons, but are distinct. The most essential difference is that my spiritual reason is based on the Truth of our interconnectedness. “Animal liberation is human liberation!”
Sincerely,
Erik
I believe strongly in respecting all life, and once considered becoming a vegetarian to avoid the terrible treatment of animals during factory farming, transportation and slaughter. I considered how I might live, and what I would eat, and realised that by excluding some forms of life from my diet I was effectively drawing a line in the sand between those life-forms that I respected too much to “exploit” and those which I did not. Is an animal’s life worth more than a plant’s? Where would I draw the line? Fish? Crustacea? Other arthropods? Fungi? Would it be ok to steal the honey from the mouths of un-born bees? Would I feel bad knowing that I consumed in one sitting the entire life’s production of a pea plant? Should I only grow wind-pollinated plants for fear of un-justly utilising the services of birds and insects? Does the growth of modified bacteria to produce pharmaceuticals, pro-biotics and supplements constitute exploitation? I realised that what was more important to me was how the organism was treated during its life, and the respect and thanks given when that life was taken to sustain or enhance my own. The environmental damage and ethical issues associated with broad-scale farming of all types also influenced my thinking. In the end, the decision that was right for me was to become as self-sufficient as possible, under a permaculture philosophy. This includes keeping animals as part of our “managed ecosystem”, some of whom we kill for meat. This is done on the property, in a calm and I know many will have trouble believing it, but loving manner, in surroundings familiar to them, and with friends nearby. I do not post this to be anti-vegan or anti-animal, but just to promote discussion on the philosophies behind how we all live our lives and hope that it prompts people to examine the reasons for their life choices.
Cheers,
Trish
Trish, perhaps this might help you make reasonable choices: