Why Veganism is about a lot more than food
Abstaining from meat and dairy is only the start…
As I surpass the two week mark in Veganuary, one thing that is becoming clearer is that veganism is about a lot more than just food. As I put away meal after meal of rice, quinoa, sweet potato, vegetables and other vegan delights I can’t help but feel I’m only dipping my toe into the lifestyle. Before starting the month, I joined some Irish Vegan Facebook groups to find out more about this world from real life Irish vegans. I then posted my first Veganuary blog post in each of these groups asking for guidance on my journey. As the blog itself was written in a slightly sarcastic tone, I was half thinking (and hoping) that the members would be quick to turn on me and have me booted out!
I couldn’t have been more wrong… within minutes there was a thread of comments under each post from people who had not only read the blog, but enjoyed it and wanted to help. They sent me recipes, guidelines and other resources to help make the month a success into February and beyond too. Some would call this just the early stages of how cults groom new members but I thought it was lovely! The Vegans - A great bunch of lads!
They also directed me to a list of eye opening documentaries about all the ways that humans are harming the planet. I'm yet to watch any but I can only imagine they’d only make me more hungry! As you delve into the endless online forums, groups and conversations happening in the media it's evident that veganism is not about food, it’s a way of living. As Rory from the “Dublin Vegans” group put it in a reply under my blog post:
“…..remember Conor veganism is a moral philosophy based on respect, justice and non-violence. It is about seeking an end to exploitation, discrimination and oppression in all it's forms….”
In all it’s forms? I thought I was just signing up to a month of Chickpeas not a holy war on our global system of oppression! The vegan well is deep and it encapsulates a lot of other buzz words that we’ve seen everywhere in the last few years. Not consuming or using animal products is one thing, but here’s a list of some of the other vegan observations I’ve made while scrolling through the the vegan groups I now call home!
How free range is free range really?
Ethically Sourced
It’s not enough for you to eat your fruit, vegetables and other vegan goodies without first being sure that they’re ethically sourced. Ethically sourced produce is obtained in a way that is respectful and sustainable to the farmers and local economy that produce it. A few years ago there was a lot made about the impact of certain superfoods on the countries or regions that they originate from. The boom in Quinoa meant that Peruvian farmers could no longer afford what was their own staple because they were in our hipster salads instead. We may have all heard about Blood Diamonds in Sierra Leone but how many of us are aware of Blood Avocados in South America? There’s endless stories like these that make it seem like in order to be a truly ethical vegan, you’ll have to grow it all yourself!
Vegans love Avocados
Energy
Aside from the people who produce popular vegan produce, what about the environment around it? It’s all well and good substituting your butters for palm oils to help the cows but what if that leads to the destruction of the rainforest? As Iceland proved back in December with their Rang-Tan campaign, deforestation or climate change caused by over harvesting certain natural products leads to the demise and systematic destruction of thousands of our favourite animals.
Due to this, Palm oil has now become a negative buzz word that makes certain vegan food that contain its name unpalatable for all shoppers. Soy production has also been widely criticised as the use of pesticides and other chemicals sprayed on the crop can permanently damage local soil, wildlife and even humans! (yes they matter too apparently)
Plastic
Ever watch those videos of dead whales washing up on beaches full of plastic? Do they make you feel bad? Not me I only use the bags for life from under the stairs at home so they're not mine! 2018 became the year where the war on plastic began. This one isn’t necessarily due to the vegans though as the real reason were stuck with paper straws dissolving halfway through our drinks is because China wont take our rubbish anymore.
Producing less waste and being conscious of your carbon footprint are causes that I’ve seen being championed by vegans online. The end goal it seems is to eat ethically sourced vegan food items and be responsible for your waste and reducing it as much as possible. The irony that a lot of the popular vegan products on the market come in single use plastic packaging is not lost on many of the vegans who continue to mention this when posting about new shelf items! I think the "no waste" lifestyle is something we'll be seeing a lot of in the near future. I just hope I’m long gone before they decide to discontinue single use toilet paper!
Politics
It would be hard for any vegan to be invested in all of the above issues without having some strong opinions or leanings when it comes to politics. Like most elements of the vegan lifestyle however, the politics can be complicated. What do the vegans make of things like Brexit or Trump? Well I’d imagine they’re not Trumps biggest fan but they’re more diverse than you may think. The below poll was posted into one of the groups and shows just how some vegans identify when it comes to their thoughts on government:
I didn't vote because the option to select "Vegan and starving" wasn't there. Are you confused yet? I definitely am…Is it ever possible to be completely cruelty free? Should I do the right thing and release my dog into the wild because it was never really “mine” to own in the first place? Is wearing banana leaves for shoes the future of veganism? Who knows…
Being just over halfway through Veganuary it’s still hard enough to just sit through a vegan meal without having to feel guilty about the leather chair I’m sat in also. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram for updates on the month and future blog posts.
Why I'm Taking Part In Veganuary This Year
As a self confessed meat and cheese lover, this isn’t going to be easy
Over the last few years there has been a number of topics that have almost been fashionable to take a pop at online. Brexit, Trump, the #FitFam and social influencers are all examples of punching bags that receive constant trolling, memes and other forms of lighthearted (and sometimes serious) slagging on their pages.
There is one group however, who seem to be dealt an unfair share of criticism on social media - The Vegan Community. I think this is in many ways due to how vocal a minority of its members are on online and the extreme ways in which they protest farming, animal products and react to their detractors. At the end of the day though if they're not harming anyone (other than those who have to listen to some of them) with their lifestyle then what's the big deal?
Bread becomes a luxury food item when you’re Vegan
I've set out to fully understand Veganism by throwing myself into the lifestyle for the month of January. Veganuary is a charity that encourages people to try “going vegan” for January and the rest of the year. Its social media hashtag #Veganuary currently has over 400,000 corresponding posts on Instagram alone. #Vegan on the other hand has over 70 million posts showing just how popular the lifestyle choice has become worldwide. The UK pastry franchise Greggs got on board the Veganuary bus by releasing their very own “Vegan Sausage Roll” on social media last week.
The launch was genius not just because their stores will be more attractive to vegan customers, but because of the anticipated subsequent storm on social media around it. Meat eaters took the tofu bait passionately commenting and sharing the twitter post decreeing this as just another example of PC culture gone mad. Vegans shared it with an equal vigour while pledging to buy the product as soon as they could. Publishers and news outlets then picked up the story and produced what is no doubt millions of pounds worth of free PR for the brand.
With 2019 being touted by none other than Jay-Z and Beyonce as a big year for Veganism, maybe there’s something cynical meat lovers like me are missing out on? Would it be possible for someone like me to survive and even thrive on bean burgers, almond milk and other vegan products for 30 days? Would I come out the other end with more energy, clarity and that feeling of inner peace that vegans swear by? I wasn’t sure but I decided to put myself in their ethically sourced vegan friendly cardboard shoes anyway and give it a go!
Like most challenges in life there's always some sneaky ways to make things easier. A lot of people taking part in Veganuary would have rushed straight to the perfectly manicured multi coloured palettes of plates strewn across Instagram and cook books for inspiration. Or they'd have spent the better part of December listening to podcasts and watching YouTube videos to gain insights into how they could make the month a wholesome, educating and enlightening experience. My approach was slightly different. I asked myself one important question - What can I still eat in order to maintain my general functionality, mental wellbeing and friendships?
How I assume Vegans greet one another
Well despite the blanket ban on beef, fish, eggs, cheese, fun, chicken, milk, butter, happiness, garlic sauce and essentially everything else that makes life worth living, there are some staple items out there that are actually vegan friendly! Red Doritos, some pot noodles, Oreos, bourbon creams, sweet chilli and Franks hot sauce are all examples of foods that are vegan and will be there for me whenever things get tough this month. Many vegans also highlight the fact that most dark chocolate is vegan friendly which is good news for any of the 4 people who would ever think to reach for that when they need a snack.
As I write this I’m just about a week in and it’s actually not as bad as I had imagined. Once you’ve stock piled vegan meat alternatives and some of the treats I’ve listed above, then you can feel like you’re not depriving yourself too much. Where you encounter hurdles is when it comes to eating out. I chanced a cafe for lunch one day during work and ended up having to opt for a wrap filled with just mixed peppers, gherkins/pickles, onions, jalapeños, spinach and sweet chilli. In the end I could only stomach the wrap itself with nothing but the remaining sweet chilli and my tears to help it on its way down!
Getting it toasted made things even worse
The biggest challenge so far came at a family quiz night where there was all the usual favourites a meat and dairy fan would dive head first into. Chicken curry, lasagna, coleslaw, garlic bread, banoffee pie, cheesecake, ice cream and endless boxes of chocolates were all staring at me. It wasn’t until this night that it fully dawned on me just how limited the vegan diet really is.
Thankfully, my auntie Noeleen had whipped up some Falafel, humus, mixed bean and sweet chilli (surprise) wraps just for me. I’m not just saying this just because she will most likely read this but they were really nice and filled me up enough that I didn’t crack. If I could survive a night like this, then surely the rest of the month would be a breeze? Only time will tell!
Are you taking part in Veganuary? Or are you a vegan who thinks I’m just appropriating your culture for website clicks? Let me know your experience or thoughts in the comments below or get in touch here. You can also get me on Facebook and Instagram for updates on the month and future content.