Into Veganism and Back
According to Facebook, on this day in 2010 I stated that I was sick from browsing the PETA blogs and was contemplating vegetarianism. Since then I've gone vegetarian, vegan, and settled into my current status as a flexitarian. It's been an extremely rewarding experience, the end result of which has been:
- I'm concerned about our food supply, which is in crisis
- I have boycotted bottled water
- I wonder why 'organic' is now a high-priced lifestyle that only the rich can afford, whereas it was 'the norm' before the Green Revolution
- I don't know why pregnant women get all excited about eating smoked salmon and brie cheese, but find it completely acceptable to expose their unborn child to hundreds of chemicals via their toiletries, makeup, cleaning products, food, perfume, vehicles, Febreeze spray bottles, Air Wick air fresheners etc etc etc
- I have grave concerns for our planet's farmers, which are under attack by Monsanto and the commercial interests of large corporations
- I fear that my grandchildren will grow up in a world where the beaches are too toxic and cluttered with plastic garbage to play in
- I have planted an organic garden on my patio
- I've rejected my business school brainwashing. Externalized costs are borne by the poor, and it's disgusting. The market needs to be realigned so corporations are rewarded for doing good deeds, not punished with plummeting stock prices.
- I think people should receive tax credits if they dedicate a portion of their lawn to growing food, instead of grass
- I try to store and transport my food in glass jars instead of toxic, oil-based plastic
I'm Not A Judgemental Hippy-Hipster Jerk!
Now, all this makes me sound like a very judgemental person. After spending 212 days as a vegan, I know first hand how easy it is to become self-righteous food jerk.
In my experience however, it's very hard to be perfect all the time. As a good vegetarian friend of mine put it, "After a while it seems like the only morally acceptable thing to do is sit in a room with the lights off, drinking tap water and gnawing an organic carrot".
This is not my idea of a good time, and chances are it's a lifestyle that won't appeal to people en mass.
But just because you aren't a hardcore vegan, riding your bike past the capitalist jerks sipping their Starbucks in their Porch SUVs , doesn't mean you can't do something meaningful.
In fact, I believe that the only way we will ever bring about a noticeable impact in the world is by getting everyone to make one or two small lifestyle changes. Do not underestimate the impact of critical mass!
Victories
I have made a few small victories in my community, and I am truly inspired by it. These victories include:
- Convincing my mother to drop her chemical laden 'beauty' regime and start using my organic, home made beauty products
- Inspiring my facebook friends to try some yummy vegan recipes
- Getting my parents to do a detox
- Making my partner healthier by cooking nutritious vegetarian dishes for him
- Convincing my partner to drop milk from his son's diet in favor or nut or rice milk
From my experience, people respond more to the carrot instead of the rod. If you make people feel bad about what they eat, how they live, what they drive etc. they won't be open to anything you have to say. Inspiring change is far more effective than demanding change.
A Seasonal Vegan?
So, what has the point of this whole journey been? I am seeking a happy medium. A balance, if you will.
Since ending my Vegan Challenge on May 9, 2011, I have been occasionally eating meat or seafood when I am out with company or as a guest at someones home. I have bought free range eggs and dairy. I have cooked with meat a few times for my partner, but still find it very difficult to have to touch or smell raw animal flesh. If I am cooking for myself, I won't actively go out and purchase meat. I just can't stomach the sight of it.
Lately I have been feeling badly about dropping the challenge. It's been nice to not have to be the hard-to-please vegan guest when I go out to dinner, and I have really missed cheese. But my current feeling is that the costs of eating dairy and meat exceed the benefits.
So that being said, I am going to embark upon another vegan challenge. From today onwards, I won't be buying any more animal-based food.
However, being the pragmatist that I am I will use up the remaining dairy and prawns (leftover from a dinner party) in my fridge.
After all, food is precious. Even if it's not vegan :)
According to Facebook, on this day in 2010 I stated that I was sick from browsing the PETA blogs and was contemplating vegetarianism. Since then I've gone vegetarian, vegan, and settled into my current status as a flexitarian. It's been an extremely rewarding experience, the end result of which has been:
- I'm concerned about our food supply, which is in crisis
- I have boycotted bottled water
- I wonder why 'organic' is now a high-priced lifestyle that only the rich can afford, whereas it was 'the norm' before the Green Revolution
- I don't know why pregnant women get all excited about eating smoked salmon and brie cheese, but find it completely acceptable to expose their unborn child to hundreds of chemicals via their toiletries, makeup, cleaning products, food, perfume, vehicles, Febreeze spray bottles, Air Wick air fresheners etc etc etc
- I have grave concerns for our planet's farmers, which are under attack by Monsanto and the commercial interests of large corporations
- I fear that my grandchildren will grow up in a world where the beaches are too toxic and cluttered with plastic garbage to play in
- I have planted an organic garden on my patio
- I've rejected my business school brainwashing. Externalized costs are borne by the poor, and it's disgusting. The market needs to be realigned so corporations are rewarded for doing good deeds, not punished with plummeting stock prices.
- I think people should receive tax credits if they dedicate a portion of their lawn to growing food, instead of grass
- I try to store and transport my food in glass jars instead of toxic, oil-based plastic
I'm Not A Judgemental Hippy-Hipster Jerk!
Now, all this makes me sound like a very judgemental person. After spending 212 days as a vegan, I know first hand how easy it is to become self-righteous food jerk.
In my experience however, it's very hard to be perfect all the time. As a good vegetarian friend of mine put it, "After a while it seems like the only morally acceptable thing to do is sit in a room with the lights off, drinking tap water and gnawing an organic carrot".
This is not my idea of a good time, and chances are it's a lifestyle that won't appeal to people en mass.
But just because you aren't a hardcore vegan, riding your bike past the capitalist jerks sipping their Starbucks in their Porch SUVs , doesn't mean you can't do something meaningful.
In fact, I believe that the only way we will ever bring about a noticeable impact in the world is by getting everyone to make one or two small lifestyle changes. Do not underestimate the impact of critical mass!
Victories
I have made a few small victories in my community, and I am truly inspired by it. These victories include:
- Convincing my mother to drop her chemical laden 'beauty' regime and start using my organic, home made beauty products
- Inspiring my facebook friends to try some yummy vegan recipes
- Getting my parents to do a detox
- Making my partner healthier by cooking nutritious vegetarian dishes for him
- Convincing my partner to drop milk from his son's diet in favor or nut or rice milk
From my experience, people respond more to the carrot instead of the rod. If you make people feel bad about what they eat, how they live, what they drive etc. they won't be open to anything you have to say. Inspiring change is far more effective than demanding change.
A Seasonal Vegan?
So, what has the point of this whole journey been? I am seeking a happy medium. A balance, if you will.
Since ending my Vegan Challenge on May 9, 2011, I have been occasionally eating meat or seafood when I am out with company or as a guest at someones home. I have bought free range eggs and dairy. I have cooked with meat a few times for my partner, but still find it very difficult to have to touch or smell raw animal flesh. If I am cooking for myself, I won't actively go out and purchase meat. I just can't stomach the sight of it.
Lately I have been feeling badly about dropping the challenge. It's been nice to not have to be the hard-to-please vegan guest when I go out to dinner, and I have really missed cheese. But my current feeling is that the costs of eating dairy and meat exceed the benefits.
So that being said, I am going to embark upon another vegan challenge. From today onwards, I won't be buying any more animal-based food.
However, being the pragmatist that I am I will use up the remaining dairy and prawns (leftover from a dinner party) in my fridge.
After all, food is precious. Even if it's not vegan :)
