Planting seeds of change
A few years back, I went to a friend’s dinner party. Knowing that vegan options would be scarce, I’d eaten beforehand. What I hadn’t foreseen was the awkwardness of sitting at a table surrounded by people who were tucking into dinner and dessert, trying not to feel left out. There were several people at the … Read More
Recently, I attended my second vigil with Bristol Animal Save (read about my first here). If you’re not aware, a vigil involves standing outside a slaughterhouse and bearing witness to the animals who are going to be killed. The idea is to show them love in their last moments, as well as documenting what they go … Read More
When doing vegan outreach, I often hear people say that they couldn’t go vegan because it’s too expensive. It astonishes me that this is still such a widely held viewpoint, so I thought I’d try to dispel it. Here goes. It depends what you eat Imagine if I said to someone, “Being a meat eater … Read More
Many of us are under the impression that wearing fur is a thing of the past. Public opinion of the fur industry is still very negative, and most people are at least partially aware of the suffering endured by animals who are killed for their fur. Some people don’t even realise that it’s still legal … Read More
“Laid in Britain…by hens free to roam, peck and cluck in the Great British countryside.” So reads the text on cartons of free-range eggs from Asda, one of the UK’s biggest supermarkets. The phrase ‘free-range’ often evokes images of happy hens roaming free over rolling hills. Unfortunately, this is not the case for the vast … Read More
One statistic which never fails to amaze me is that 97% of Americans are fibre-deficient. I wouldn’t mind betting that the UK doesn’t fare much better. Most people who are fibre-deficient probably don’t realise it – chances are, you’re one of them. But if you’re not aware of the health benefits, you probably don’t feel … Read More
I didn’t post last week, as I’d just left home to set off on my workawaying adventure. Now that I’ve settled in at my workaway, hopefully I can get back into my routine. This week, I want to touch on the attitude that some vegans – albeit a minority – have towards meat-eaters. This attitude … Read More
When people decide to give up meat, they often exclude fish. I was no exception, as I initially went pescetarian rather than fully vegetarian. It’s hard to explain why many of us view fish as separate to meat. From an ethical point of view, some people don’t believe fish feel pain. Others find it harder … Read More
When you’re passionately vegan, it’s easy to become disheartened by what you see around you. Yes, you’re avoiding all forms of animal exploitation, but so many people are still contributing to it. You can control your own actions, but not other people’s. And you sometimes start to wonder if you’re really making a difference. I’ve … Read More
I’ve spent a total of 11 nights in a tent over the past few weeks. Camping is great, but it’s not without its challenges. There’s staying warm, keeping everything dry…and feeding yourself, too. Being vegan adds an extra dimension to that. At a campsite I stayed in at the beginning of August, the shop sold … Read More