My Response To "Veganism Is a First World Luxury. There, I've said it."

I'm sure most of you have seen the Mamamia article currently doing the rounds on Facebook. It's popped up all over my feed over the past few days. Interestingly enough, I've only seen it shared by vegans who want to discuss how ridiculous it is - I haven't actually seen any posts agreeing with the author. I suppose that goes to show just how incorrect Maya's argument is.

First off, I think it's important to mention that we shouldn't get too worked up about this article. It's just one person's (uniformed) opinion. It doesn't change the fact that veganism is rapidly becoming part of mainstream culture, it doesn't change the fact that new vegan brands, stores and restaurants are popping up, it seems, each and every day.

Essentially, this article is click-bait (as many of Mamamia's articles are). It was intentionally written to stir controversy - and here I am, jumping on the bandwagon and adding more fuel to the fire. Oops!

We should take articles like this with a grain of salt. Although the writer may have been expressing her honest opinion, it's clear that the title and tone of the article were skewed towards two main audiences: vegans and 'anti-vegans'. It was written specifically to ignite maximum "share-worthiness". Vegans will share the post around to encourage other vegans to dispute Maya's claims, while 'anti-vegans' will share the post around to let everyone know just how hypocritical those crazy vegans are!

"Although the writer may have been expressing her honest opinion, it's clear that the title and tone of the article were skewed towards two main audiences: vegans and 'anti-vegans'."

And so, to reiterate: don't take click-bait articles too seriously. If you're happy to take the time to dispute this article like I am about to, go ahead, but it's also totally fine to completely ignore silly stuff like this.

Should we eat meat instead of greens because we're privileged?

Now I've got that out of the way - let's discuss the content of the article itself.

Although the tone of the article is unfairly accusing, it does hold some merit. Being able to choose what you eat is indeed a luxury. Severely impoverished people have little choice in what they eat and drink. Sometimes they must use animal products or risk death. Most of us more privileged folk, on the other hand, have the wonderful benefit of being able to choose what we eat. Now, the author of the Mamamia article seems to suggest that we should feel ashamed about our ability to choose; that we should not choose to do what we feel is right because some people don't have that privilege. Honestly, this is a really silly way to look at things. Why shouldn't we take complete advantage of the choice we have to make the world a better place?

Having enough money to make donations and enough energy to run charity marathons could also be considered "first world luxuries", but the Mamamia article conveniently makes no mention of this. Charity work certainly isn't something we should stop doing simply because we must be privileged in order to do it.

All of this tells us that Mamamia's article is simply a poor attempt to take a stab at vegans. It's a troll article, it's full of misleading information, and we shouldn't concern ourselves too much with it. And I haven't even begun to touch on the fact that the grains used to fatten up farm animals for Western consumption could instead feed the starving people of the world. But that's a different story.

Now, here's an adorable picture of a piglet to lighten the mood:

P.S: Mamamia has posted another article in response to the original post. If you're interested, find it here and please tell me what you think.

Tumblr User Says "Vegans Should Eat Honey"

I don't know much about honey production. I don't know much about honey at all, because it's never really been included in my diet. I don't eat honey for two reasons: one, because it's an animal product, and I'm against the use of animal products; and two, because it tastes absolutely disgusting. I've never enjoyed eating honey.

What I do know is that, in general, honey isn't considered vegan. Avoiding animal products is a very important part of the vegan lifestyle, and honey, by definition, is an animal product. In that sense, it's not vegan and vegans shouldn't consume it.

But sometimes we have to look deeper. We have to think logically and practically about how to stop harming animals. Is it possible that honey production could be saving the bees rather than hurting them?

That's what Tumblr user itslitt3red (who is, according to their Tumblr page, vegan) has suggested. Here's a screenshot of the post in question, if you're interested:

If you can't read the text in the screenshot, here's a transcript:

"As I'm sure most people know by now, bees are disappearing at alarming rates. Simply put, our entire species could not survive without them. This is due to a syndrome called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).

Many vegans opt to use agave nectar instead of honey, because agave nectar is plant based. BUt harvesting of agave nectar is threatening the existence of two other endangered species: Mexican long-nosed bats (who live strictly off of nectars - primarily agave nectar) and the Jaguarundi (a solitary feline who basically looks like a love child between a jungle cat and a ferret). Approximately 113,126 acres of these animals' habitat were destroyed from 1991 to 2000, and more has been destroyed since.

On the other hand, beekeepers are essential to increasing bee population. They monitor the bees' health and help protect them from dangerous parasites and pesticides that are suspected to cause CCD. In addition, well-kept bees never need to use the amount of honey they produce; honey is made by the bees to consume only when there is not enough food for them outside the hive. In the care of a good beekeeper, this will only happen during the winter months, and the keeper will leave enough honey for the bees to thrive until it's spring again.

It's best to buy local, organic honey if at all possible. Local beekeepers will not use dangerous factory-farming methods, and it helps maintain your local bee population! If you want to help bees in a more active way than buying local honey, you can plant a bee garden or even become a small-scale beekeeper! (I don't have a link for this, it's best to check out local resources. Maybe even ask the person selling honey at your farmer's market!)"

It's a long piece of text, but it's worth reading. I found the arguments in this post interesting, but I wasn't really sure what to think because I know very little about honey production and beekeeping. This post outlines a variety of possible benefits of beekeeping but doesn't touch on any possible drawbacks. That's why I enlisted my Facebook page's audience to find out more.

My Facebook audience gave their educated opinions on this issue and I compiled their comments. In this post, I'll give a summary of opinions from both sides of the fence, allowing you to make your own decision about whether or not vegans should eat honey.

The responses from my Facebook audience were divided - some agreed entirely, some disagreed entirely, and some both agreed and disagreed with aspects of itslittl3red's post.

Those who disagreed with itslittl3red offered a variety of different arguments. The most popular comment, offered by Cem, said that veganism is about rejecting the commodity status of animals. In Cem's eyes, this is an standard of veganism that shouldn't be compromised under any circumstances. To quote them directly: "Sustainability is not a vegan concern since it's only about ethics." 

Several other commenters appeared to agree with Cem's arguments. Debby, for example, noted that vegans don't use or harm animals unless it's necessary - honey bees included. Samuel offered a similar yet harsher argument, stating that bees are raped, gassed and killed in honey production.

Chelsea offers an interesting perspective: "Honey bees are not native to the U.S. anyway, and they compete with native pollinators (who are up to 2-3 times more efficient at pollinating), which is one more reason why the honey industry shouldn't be supported." To back up this claim, Chelsea cited this link,

Another reply to my Facebook post offered an opposing perspective. Cheyenne, who buys raw, local honey from a beekeeper, has no ethical hangups with this form of honey production. Cheyenne supports a local beekeeper and is happy with the way they treat their bees. This contrasts with Cem's argument which suggested that honey should never be used, regardless of how well the bees are treated.

"All things considered, honey is not vegan - at least not by definition."

Jane, who misses the taste of honey but doesn't eat it, sees honey as what it fundamentally is: bee vomit! Jane has a hive in their garden, but won't take any honey from the hive for one main reason. To quote Jane: "The bees aren't making it for me." Jane's comment reiterates what Cem said about rejecting the commodity status of animals (I should add veganism, as defined by Wikipedia, is indeed about rejecting the commodity status of animals - but is there more to it than this?).

Another commenter, Rhiannon, thinks itslitt3red has some valid points. They suggest a Netflix documentary called Vanishing of the Bees (2009), which details the sudden disappearance of honey bees from beehives around the world. According to this documentary, CCD (or Colony Collapse Disorder, the same disorder mentioned in itslittl3red's post) is noted as a primary cause of this disappearance, and pesticide use is said to contribute to CCD. According to itslitt3red's post, beekeepers help protect honey bees from these pesticides (in turn combating CCD).

All things considered, honey is not vegan - at least not by definition. In the most general terms, veganism is about rejecting the commodity status of animals and avoiding the use of animal products. In this sense, using honey goes against the 'rules of veganism'. On the other hand, it's important to think outside the box. It's a similar concept to my article about food wastage - there are other things that harm animals besides animal product use. Deforestation, habitat removal and pollution are some common examples. In my opinion, you should take all of this into account before you decide whether or not to use honey.

P.S: A big 'thank you' to everyone who responded to my Facebook post - I really appreciate your efforts!

A Vegan Moral Dilemma: Should We Eat Non-Vegan Food If It'll Otherwise Be Thrown Away?

I work in hospitality, at a non-vegan restaurant, so I spend a lot of time around non-vegan products. Of course, I'd rather be working with vegan food, but since I'm studying full-time and there aren't many jobs going around, I don't have much choice.

Until you work in the food industry (speaking from personal experience), you really have no idea just how much food gets thrown away. It's ridiculous, and it's very wasteful. My workplace, for example, throws away around seventy baked goods every morning, because we can't sell anything prepared the day before. The food is still completely edible.

By law, we're not allowed to give the food to homeless shelters. That's what I wanted to do at first, and I was really disappointed when I found out we can't. It's physically painful to have to throw all of that perfectly edible food away when there are so many starving people in the world - not to mention all of the cows and chickens who gave their lives only for this food to end up in a dumpster.

Lately, I've started to think a lot about wastefulness. If a non-vegan food product is just going to be thrown away, wouldn't it be better if someone ate it? And, if no-one is around to eat it except you... should you eat it? Would that mean you're not vegan anymore?

"If a non-vegan food product is just going to be thrown away, wouldn't it be better if someone ate it? And, if no-one is around to eat it except you... should you eat it? Would that mean you're not vegan anymore?"

The same applies to other non-vegan products, such as wool blankets and leather shoes. If you've owned these products all your life, and they've already been paid for, is there any sense in throwing them away once you become vegan? Does it make any difference if you wear them or not?

Wastefulness is an enormous issue in today's world, and its effect on the environment has been described as catastrophic. To me, veganism goes beyond denying the commodity status of animals - it also extends to the environment and other humans. To me, it's a philosophy of all-around compassion and care. That's why I think it's important for vegans to think deeply about their own environmental impact and consider ways to reduce it. I ask myself: why should I buy more food, creating demand for more production, when there's plenty that's already been made going to waste? 

I've noticed two main perspectives on this issue, and I'm still not entirely sure where I stand, but my opinion does tend to lean towards one side. On one hand, most vegans think it's morally wrong to be wasteful. We shouldn't throw anything away when it could be used by somebody.

On the other hand, vegans also believe it's morally wrong to use and exploit animals for our own benefit. This applies to eating and wearing animal products, as well as using them in any other way. When we use animal products (especially in front of other people), we actively promote the idea that it's okay to use animals for our own benefit. This is one of the most common arguments I've seen coming from people who think it's better to throw a non-vegan product away than to eat it. Others think human usage is just as bad as human wastage, i.e. humans have no right to use animal products, therefore it's just as bad for them to use them as it is for them to throw them away.

What's worse: using a non-vegan product, or letting it go to landfill?

So, who is correct? Is using animal products worse than throwing them away, or is it the other way round? Is there any middle ground, or is it a black-or-white question?

Personally, I haven't found my side of the fence yet, but I do tend to lean towards the idea that wastage is very, very bad; and, because of this, it's better to use an animal product than to waste it. Of course, there are plenty of other ways to use the product other than consuming it yourself. If there's a way to give the product back to animals, or to someone who really needs it, I think it's best to choose that option.

"[Some] vegans don't like wastefulness, but to them, animal product use is just as bad."

Of course, other vegans will disagree with me. Other vegans don't like wastefulness, but to them, animal product use is just as bad. They have every right to this opinion and I can totally understand their point of view.

My veganism is based around the concept of supply and demand. Whether we eat an animal product or throw it away, the result will be the same. The animal has already suffered and their product has already been paid for. If you eat the otherwise wasted animal product, you won't be giving money to the animal product industries. In that sense, it'll make no difference at all. So, in essence, to decide whether or not to eat the product, you must take your personal moral boundaries into account.

In terms of eating meat that'll otherwise go to waste, I don't think I could do it. Meat is disgusting to me and the two occasions I accidentally ate it resulted in persistent vomiting. To me, flesh isn't food. I won't put my body through harm to avoid wastage, but I'd probably be okay with something containing small amounts of dairy, egg, honey, wool, and so on. Maybe. As I said, I'm not really sure yet.

Animal products - better here, or in your stomach?

I can understand where opponents of this idea are coming from. If we use an animal product in front of another person, regardless of our waste avoidance, we might give the impression that it's okay to use animals. This, obviously, isn't an ideology vegans want to promote. But what if no one else is around to see you use the product? Personally, I'm not certain how I feel about that, and I'll need to do some more research.

So, in summary, I think I'd rather use an animal product than let it go to waste, but I'm going to keep researching the issue until I'm 100% certain of what's right. I might change my mind. I should add that all of this is only my opinion, and it doesn't reflect on the beliefs of all vegans. Choose your own path and decide what's right for you (as long as you don't judge other vegans who think differently: remember, we're all in this together!)

Veganism and Religion: What's the Connection?

I'm not a religious person and never have been. I don't identify with any particular religion. I'm open to the possibility of the existence of a higher being, but it's not something I think about too often. From what I've seen and read, many vegans follow a similar philosophy, or reject the existence of a God or deity entirely. So why are vegans so commonly aligned with religious groups?

Many people like to compare veganism to religion, alluding to some strong connection between the two concepts. Some extremists refer to veganism as a kind of religious cult. These ideas probably arise from the similarities between veganism and religion, of which there are quite a few.

"Many people like to compare veganism to religion, alluding to some strong connection between the two concepts."

I'm going to answer a few questions on the subject, based entirely around my own opinion.

Is veganism like a religion? If so, is that good or bad? Are there enough similarities between the two movements to form a strong connection? What exactly are the similarities and differences?

First, we should look at why people compare veganism to religion. In almost all cases, I'm certain their motives are negative. They generally see religious folk as annoying, preachy and arrogant. So, when they compare us to these people, they must see us in the same way. This is likely because of ignorance, misinterpretation of the vegan message, or too much experience with the select few genuinely preachy, annoying vegans.

They compare us to religious folk because they want to insult us. This is usually a result of guilt - vegans "force" people to think about the source of what's on their plate (something they really don't want to do) and so they take to insulting us in an attempt to make themselves feel better.

Despite this, there are some positive facets of religion that are also found within the vegan movement. One example is the the collective bond between members. Many vegans feel an almost automatic connection with each other and are able to form strong relationships based around their common moral beliefs. We have websites, social groups and forums dedicated entirely to the vegan movement in which members can support each other. Many religious groups do the same.

Religion is also largely built on a strong foundation of morals and ethics. Religious groups tend to follow a strict set of rules revolving around what they believe is right and good, just as vegans do. Although the moral beliefs of religious groups and vegans are very different, both groups are equally as passionate about upholding these beliefs.

"Since religious groups and vegans are so passionate about their beliefs, they're both renowned for encouraging others to join their movement."

Since religious groups and vegans are so passionate about their beliefs, they're both renowned for encouraging others to join their movement. When religious groups encourage others to join them, this is often seen as 'preaching' or 'agenda-pushing'. Since religion is so personal and subjective, and since there are so many branches of it, it's understandable that religious 'preaching' isn't taken lightly. Veganism, on the other hand, is based largely around facts rather than opinions or subjective beliefs. Vegans can agree that our collective goal is to make the world a better place for animals; while religious groups hold hugely different beliefs and goals.

When religious groups seek out new members, they may have malicious intentions (such as with some extremist groups). Vegans, on the other hand, always have positive intentions when encouraging new people to join the movement. After all, as more people join, more animals (and the environment) will benefit.

Religion isn't always about compassion, while veganism always is

While veganism has its roots in spreading messages of good health and compassion; some religious groups have a much less positive reputation. Some groups - such as the Westboro Baptist Church - are known for spreading aggressive, hateful messages. This is where one of the main differences between religion and veganism lies. Vegans always have positive intentions, while religious-folk occasionally do not.

The main difference between veganism and religion is that veganism is rooted in scientific fact. There's no doubt that animals must die for humans to eat meat. There's no doubt that cows must be impregnated and male calves are often sold or killed for humans to drink milk. There's no doubt that factory farmed male chicks will be killed soon after birth, or that farmed animals almost always live in horrific conditions. Religion, as mentioned earlier, is instead based entirely around subjective belief and personal experience. We can't be certain that God exists, but we can be as certain as humanly possible that animals suffer, and that meat-eating is connected to animal suffering.

"While religion can be positive and beneficial for many people, and while many vegans are indeed religious, the two subjects are not directly related in any way."

All of this considered, we can conclude that veganism does have some trivial similarities to religion, but the differences greatly outweigh them. When non-vegans compare veganism to religion, they're almost always doing so out of guilt, ignorance, anger, or all three. The connection doesn't actually exist. While religion can be positive and beneficial for many people, and while many vegans are indeed religious, the two subjects are not directly related in any way; except, for some, on a personal level.

Five Fantastic Farm Animal Sanctuaries

Farm animal sanctuaries are literal life-savers. They have risen in prominence greatly over the last few years, which is absolutely fantastic, and I hope this positive growth continues over the years to come. Without farm animal sanctuaries, there would be no place for sick, old, discarded and unwanted farm animals to go when the farmers decide their time is up. Here, I have comprised a list of the most well-known farm animal sanctuaries in my experience. All farm animal sanctuary owners, employees and volunteers deserve great commendation for their selfless work. Here's a select list of five, in no particular order:

1. Farm Sanctuary

Farm Sanctuary, founded in 1986, was one of the first farm animal sanctuaries to rise to prominence. The organisation owns and operates three shelters across the United States, housing a total of over 1,000 rescued animals.

Farm Sanctuary's website is an excellent source of information about factory farming. If you know anyone who's looking to learn more about why it's important to be vegan, their website is a great option. There's also plenty of interesting information about the sanctuary's animal residents, with gorgeous photos to boot.

Many beautiful chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, turkeys, ducks, geese and cattle all call Farm Sanctuary their home. If you'd like to donate to help these peaceful creatures, visit this link. If you live nearby, you can also help out through volunteering.

2. Edgar's Mission

Edgar's Mission is an Australian farm animal sanctuary named after the owner's very first rescue pig, Edgar, who sadly passed away in 2010. He has since become known as "the pig who started it all". Edgar's Mission loves and cares for over 300 rescued farm animals, from chickens and ducks to goats and sheep.

The Edgar's Mission website provides heart-warming details about each and every animal resident, along with beautiful photographs. There is also a special page dedicated to former Edgar's Mission residents who have passed on.

If you are interested, here is link allowing you to donate to help the animals and dedicated workers at Edgar's Mission. You can also help the sanctuary through purchasing a few animal-themed products; including bags, posters, calendars, cards and books.

3. Freedom Hill Sanctuary

Freedom Hill Sanctuary, also located in Australia (in Adelaide, my home town!), was formed only recently in 2011, beginning with a tiny lamb named Lynn. Lynn, like Edgar, was the animal who inspired it all. Freedom Hill is now home to dozens of animals who have been saved from an otherwise terrible fate.

The Freedom Hill Sanctuary website offers photographs and detailed descriptions of each animal resident - I dare you to try not to fall in love with them all!

If you'd like to help the residents at Freedom Hill, please visit their homepage and choose a donation amount. Volunteering opportunities are also available, as well as annual organised fun events and fundraisers. 

4. Brightside Farm Sanctuary

Brightside Farm Sanctuary truly lives up to its name. Located in Tasmania, Australia, Brightside Farm Sanctuary helps to re-home over 500 abandoned and unwanted farm animals each year. Their sanctuary is currently home to over 250 animals. They also dedicate much of their time to promoting and advocating veganism and animal rights.

Like the other sanctuary's websites, Brightside Farm Sanctuary's online presence provides animal-lovers with tear-jerking tributes, detailed descriptions and picturesque photographs - check them out if you have the time. I promise you won't regret it!

The Brightside team's efforts to re-home over 300 dogs a year are commendable, as well as their dedication to their permanent animal residents. If you'd like to support Brightside Farm Sanctuary, visit this link to donate or this link to shop for gorgeous animal-themed products.

5. C-A-L-F Sanctuary 

C-A-L-F Sanctuary, located in England, is selflessly run by a very small team of animal lovers. Along with the sanctuary is an 100% vegan cafe, whose profits go towards helping the rescued animals. C-A-L-F is home to an array of beautiful creatures, especially Gevan, the gorgeous highland hiefer who acts as somewhat of a mascot for the organisation.

As a small sanctuary run by so few volunteers, C-A-L-F Sanctuary's residents need all the help they can get. To donate, please visit this link, or shop here. I'm certain they would also appreciate the helping hand of a volunteer, so if you live in the area, why not pay them a visit?

Meet them, don't eat them!

Without farm animal sanctuaries, abandoned, unwanted and mistreated farm animals would simply be put to death without a whisper of a thought. The selfless employees and volunteers of these sanctuaries pour their hearts out to these animals, offering them a second chance at life. We can help these wonderful charities through spreading awareness, donating and volunteering our time. It's the very least they deserve for their hard work and compassion.