It was once stated, “Youth should be radical. Youth should demand change in the world. Youth should not accept the old order if the world is to move on.”  If the youth of the world does not produce enough force and fervor to bring about change, “the world grows stale and stagnant and sour in decay.” (William Allen White)

Daphnie Vega is one young vegan who questions and challenges the status quo. At the age of 15, she went vegan after hearing another high school classmate give a talk about vegetarianism. Her parents were not vegan. Her friends were not vegan. She did not have an adult vegan figure encouraging her to make this lifestyle change. Instead, Daphnie decided to make the choice on her own. In a world where most high schoolers try to fit in, Daphnie enjoys standing out and standing up for her beliefs. Dahpnie recently sat down to chat with Vegan Mainstream.

VM: How old are you, and how long have you been vegan for?

Daphnie: I am 17 years old. I started being a vegan when I was 15, on January 31st 2009.

VM: What prompted you to become vegan, and did you encounter any problems with your family or friends not accepting your choice?

Daphnie: There was a girl in my French class who was a vegan, and she spoke to the class all about vegetarianism. The talk inspired me to do the same.

VM: Are your parents vegan as well?

Daphnie: My parents are the opposite of vegan. They do support me, but they continue to eat meat just like most people do.

VM: What do your family and friends think about your lifestyle?

Daphnie: My parents at first thought that I was crazy, but no matter what I do in life they will always support me.  My friends just thought I was doing the right thing.  I actually inspired my best friend to become vegan.  She has now been a vegan for 6 months, and we both love making vegan treats together.

VM: High school is usually a time when teenagers want to just “fit in” with the crowd. Is it hard being a vegan in high school? Are there vegan lunch options at your school?

Daphnie: In my high school I like to stand out! I like informing my classmates that being a vegan is good not only for your health but for animals and even the planet.  I am currently a senior, and since school just started we always have to introduce ourselves to the class and the first thing I always say is that I am a vegan and an animal rights activist.  Being a vegan in high school is not hard at all. In fact, I love how people know me as “the vegan girl”.  My high school does not offer vegan lunches, but they do serve salads.  It’s not the best thing in the world, but I deal.

VM: What type of challenges do you face as a vegan?

Daphnie: The challenge I face the most as a vegan is the lack of protein.  I do remember when I was 16, I had to be rushed to the hospital because I did not feel well.  I ended up having walking pneumonia.  My mother said it was because I was a vegan.  I’m not too sure if that was the case, but she seemed to think so.  Another challenge that I face is having to defend myself when people tell me that being a vegan isn’t going to stop people from killing animals.  Most of the time I just brush it off, but sometimes it really hurts.

VM: What are some of your favorite vegan foods? Do you prepare all of your own meals, or does your family cook vegan for you?

Daphnie: My favorite vegan foods are Tofurkey with rice and lentils.  For a snack my best friend and I always make our special vegan cupcakes, and we eat them with some almond soy milk.  Yum!  I prepare my own meals sometimes, but my mother has attempted to make meals as well, but it doesn’t always go too well.

VM: Do you do any type of activist work?

Daphnie: I protest a lot at Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants, or should I say “Kentucky Fried Cruelty”.  I go with my best friend, my mom and my little sister.  I have also done some petitions for PETA2 to get people to stop killing seals in Canada and to get vegetarian options in my cafeteria, but not a lot of people signed them so I was unsuccessful in that.

VM: Aside from being a vegan, what else are you interested in?

Daphnie: I love to listen to The Beatles, and it is a funny coincidence that Sir Paul McCartney is a fellow vegan!  As for sports, I love figure skating.

VM: What are your plans for the future?

Daphnie: In the future I am planning to attend Pennsylvania State College and major in meteorology.  I love science and everything that has to do with tornadoes.  You can say I am an “adrenaline junky”.  I hope to become a tornado chaser and move to Tornado Alley.

VM: What advice would you give vegans and vegetarians your age?

Daphnie: The advice that I would give to other vegans and vegetarians is to just think about all those poor, innocent animals that die every single day because of our nation’s greed.

Talking to children about veganism is an important thing to do, but when you’re talking to other people’s children, it’s easy to get into hot water–fast. It’s best to keep in mind that reaching your own children with the vegan message is completely different than influencing other people’s children. It’s inappropriate to preach to other people’s children without their parents’ permission (and even then it’s quite inappropriate if the child isn’t interested and initiating the continuing discussion). Yes, you can be passionate and true to yourself at all times, but you must first be respectful or you won’t even be heard. This is true even if you are related (maybe even especially if you are related).

My 10 tips for reaching other people’s children with the vegan message:

1. Never lie. Children are naturally curious. If one asks you what you are eating, or why you won’t have a bite of his chicken, tell the truth–gently. Once a child truly understands what veganism is, they almost immediately comprehend the importance of being a vegan. I once had a girl proudly tell me that she was a vegetarian and then tell me about the McDonald’s french fries she ate once a week. I had to tell her about the beef powder in those fries… She wasn’t very happy, but she was glad to know. What she did with that information was up to her.
2. Talk about animals. Children naturally love animals. It came as a shock to my older daughter when she found out that people ate chickens. She thought chickens were lovely, sentient creatures. She was right. When talking about animals, talk about their personalities and how smart they are–especially the pigs, chickens, cows, and other animals the humans around you commonly eat. Kids don’t want to eat creatures who have personalities.
3. Wear your message. The “I am not a nugget” and other kid-friendly vegan promotional buttons and stickers are cute, adorable, and get the message across without showing blood and other horrors of killing animals for food (plus kids really like stickers!). The PETA Kids site also has fun games, free comic books to order, and much more! It’s truly a great resource.
4. Let it be known that not all people feel the same about food. I’ve had children tell me quite adamantly that all people need meat and milk to be strong and healthy. I’ve gently told these children that not all people feel that way and that I found that my family doesn’t need animal products at all, and we are much healthier now. They’ve been surprised and doubtful, but a seed was planted.
5. Buy only vegan-friendly kid products as presents. It’ll come as a lovely surprise to your kid-friends that vegans have plenty of amazingly fun and cool toys and games that are vegan, including phone covers, shoes, bags, and other traditionally non-vegan products.
6. Know your vegan nutrition. If a child’s parent comes up to you after they’ve heard you say something to their child, be prepared to state factual information only about children’s nutrition. If you don’t know what this means, check out Raising a Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World or PCRM.org or DrMcDougall.com.
7. Buy vegan-friendly kid books and keep them around your house or business. There are many cute vegan books for kids these days. Some include: That’s Why We Don’t Eat Animals, Benji Bean Sprout Doesn’t Eat Meat! (the neat loaf in this book is delicious), and my own Wright on Time children’s chapter book series. Considering a book, but aren’t sure if it really is vegan-friendly? Check out VegBooks reviews. If they don’t have the book you are wanting to know about, contact them!
8. Feed them delicious kid-friendly vegan foods! People often think that kids will only eat bland and boring foods. This just isn’t true. Kids do, however, like to eat foods they are familiar with. If you are feeding kids you don’t know for the first time, find out their favorite foods and make vegan versions of them. I’ve yet to have a child tell me a favorite meal I couldn’t veganize. Ready to get more creative? Check out the Vegan Lunchbox, or take the kids grocery shopping and have them pick out fun fruits and veggies they’ve never tried.
9. Point out vegan role models. In today’s world, there are thousands of vegan athletes, vegan movie stars and other famous people, and vegan children saving the world. Point them out to the curious kids around you. State their veganism matter-of-factly. Be a role model for them!
10. Seriously–don’t preach. I’ve heard it said that a person needs to be told things three times before they’ll remember it and seven times before they’ll believe it. I couldn’t find the source for this, so it might be anecdotal. Whether it’s scientifically true or not, don’t try and shove all seven of those times into one meeting. It just won’t work, it’s rude, and it has huge potential to backfire (making the person adamant that they never want to be a vegan).

Yes, it is possible to reach other people’s children with the vegan message, but it’s important to do it appropriately. If you aren’t a child’s parent, you must remember to treat the child’s parent respectfully. This can easily be done while you stay true to who you are as a vegan, with tact, fact, and politeness.

Image: graur codrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

People say the future is in the hands of the youth. But could it be in their mouths as well? 

Not enough people are aware that eating meat is bad for the planet on such a global scale.  Any environmentalist would agree that two huge issues facing us today are water and greenhouse gases. In the case of water, besides the fact that factory farms cause water pollution, the amount of water that is expended to raise “food” animals greatly exceeds the amount of water that would be used to grow plant crops to feed the same number of people.  Where greenhouse gases are concerned, factory farms (which is where most of the meat produced in North America comes from) generate an absurd amount of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide emissions, which are all responsible for greenhouse effects.

The challenge is to change people’s minds when they are already settled into the “eat-meat-til-you-drop” mentality. It’s not easy to make an adult who has been eating meat his/her whole life into a conscientious vegan - not even people who are in their late 20′s and early 30′s, and whose childhoods are marked by happy memories of McDonald’s. (By the way, according to Eric Schlosser, author of the book Fast Food Nation, that was exactly the tactic that McDonald’s marketing executives applied; they wanted not only to bring children and their families to McDonald’s, but to also create a brand loyalty that would last for their lifetime.)

That is exactly why we need to target youth with the vegan movement – and for those of us who are already on board, we need to start raising our children and teenagers in a more conscientious way. We need to let them know why we are vegan, and why they are eating that way. They have a right to know that the steak their friend is eating was an animal raised in an inhumane way, killed in a most unsanitary manner and pumped full of antibiotics.

As all vegans know, there are so many reasons not to eat meat. It’s more a matter of challenging our culture now. Ideas can be changed, and that will start with our children. It’s important to teach children and teens what happens every time they eat meat, and how that hurts the planet, as well as their own bodies. They will be the consumers of the future. They will decide what to buy at the grocery stores. It’s comparable (although admittedly more personal and life-changing) to the way that recycling has made its way into the collective consciousness: people started teaching their children to recycle at an early age, and as these children are growing up recycling is second-nature to them.

It’s time for the vegan movement to start reaching out to and supporting our youth, so they can transform ideas into actions and make an impact in our world. One bite at a time.

It’s that time of year again: back to school time, or in my family’s case: Not Back to School Time!

It saddens me when I hear parents expressing their gratefulness to be rid of their kids after a long summer with them. For my family, we all cheer at this time of year for very different reasons. Why? Because we’re vegan unschoolers who are now going to be spending even more time together.

Unschooling (quick definition): living life as though school doesn’t exist; life long learners; autodidacts

With school back in session, we’ve been spending more time at our local family-friendly locations. Here are several things we’re able to do now:

1. Go to local museums, ceramics shops, bowling, tour places (pizza place, copper mine, planetarium, etc.) without long crowds.
2. Go on trips, still using “summer” discounts, to tourist attractions around the country (we’re currently planning a several-week-long Amtrak trip; kids are 1/2 off!). My daughters are both planning several short and long trips they want to take over this upcoming “school” year. We would not have the freedom, or the money, to go on these trips if we had to do them only in-between school sessions.
3. Go swimming at public pools without a wait, or crowds. Since it’s still in the low 100F’s, cooling off in a pool is lovely and refreshing.
4. Go grocery shopping during the day with lines 1/2 their summer length.
5. Movies! We can now pick up matinee pricing again without hunting for seats, even at the “cheap” theaters.

While we’re sad for the kids who don’t love school (and happy for those who do), we thoroughly enjoy the added freedom we have as a homeschooling family at this time of year. Want to share some of our unschooling joy in your household? Consider these activities:

1. Declare at least one weekend day a “no homework day” and a “no work day” (turn off those cellphones, too). Go somewhere beautiful and fun as a family (there are scenic places everywhere on Earth)! Enjoy a vegan picnic or other outdoor activity. Really breathe in the surroundings, fully appreciating each moment. Life isn’t about school and work, it’s about our connections and relationships with other people. Who are the most important people to you? Spend more time with them. Invite others over for a vegan BBQ (I recently had grilled watermelon and pineapple–wow!).
2. Make lovely vegan meals up well in advance, and pack your whole family’s lunches with love and joy. Every member of the family will appreciate yummy foods which remind them of home. It’s even better if you’ve made the meals together (but not everyone likes to cook, so don’t force it–find new autumn vegan recipes together if your family does enjoy this). Put love notes in your spouse and children’s reusable lunch bags/boxes.
3. Plan now for fun things to look forward to during school breaks and weekends. Do your kids really want to go and see friends in another state, or grandparents in another country during their winter break? Help them plan it, figure out the costs, and think of ideas of how to pay for it (together as a family). Make all of your desires known to the world and others might want to help you make your travel dreams come true. Consider couch surfing or house swapping to make this more affordable.
4. Schedule fun. This might seem silly, but not every moment needs to be a “learning opportunity” or a way to sneak in a “moral lesson”. If this is hard for you, actually write down “FUN” on your family calendar.
5. Above all, make time to enjoy the people in your life. Go on long walks together. Don’t overplan anyone’s schedule, especially your children’s. Allow each of you to have free time alone, and together. Celebrate all your successes together. Chop up some delicious late summer fruits and veggies. Enjoy the coming crisp air and the loveliness of now.

In life there are many different social classes, interest groups and economic situations. But no matter what a person’s financial status, not a soul should be denied healthy, sustainable food based on income. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Even in a good economy, more families fall into a lower income tier than into a wealthy one. This means severe rationing of portions and supplies - most of the time at the expense of fruits and vegetables, with quick meals and chips and soda being cheaper options. It shouldn’t be a luxury to be able to eat healthily and ethically. Vegan Hope posits a challenge to turn this “status” quo around. Here are their guidelines:

1. For one week you agree to live on a $21.00 food budget (per person in your household). This is the Food Stamp Budget.
2. Do not use any equipment that costs more than $15.00, with the exception of the following: oven, microwave.
3. Spices that you currently have can be used, but you should subtract $3.00 from your total food budget per person.
4.I personally use no oil or spray oil (nor do I recommend anyone use it). However, that is not the purpose of this challenge, if you are someone who uses it I will be asking you to deduct $3.00 from your food budget.
5. Write about the dishes you make including ingredients and the cost per meal.
6. Include a shopping list.

I was pumped about this task for a few reasons.

A. I am faced with budgeting for food on a 20-something’s income
B. I am limited as far as where I can do my food shopping - my feet, public transportation or a bike has to be able to take me there. This is a problem many low-income families face as well. Limited transportation and limited resources make eating healthy (or gasp, vegan) even harder.
C. It is a chance to show just what kind of choices families have to make when trying to stretch $3.oo a day as far as they can.

So here’s how I ate. For one week. On $3.oo a day. Journal style.

I tweaked the spice allowance slightly by combining only the few extras I used into one $3.00 subtraction. My initial $3.00 deduction includes: oil/vinegar, mustard, peanut butter, and salt/pepper in very small rations. So I started the week with $18.00 to spare. ($21.00- $3.00 for spices/butter = $18.00)

DAY ONE
I started the week by making a careful list of what I would eat using the items I already had in my house. My first breakfast was to ration a package of Vans Vegan/Gluten Free Waffles laying in my freezer. ($3.00 for 8 waffles) I allowed myself 1 waffle. (Total $0.38) *Check out the shopping list at the end of the post for full items and prices for each. It’s ok, you can check my math.

Lunch consisted of a peanut butter & banana sandwich (ahem, thank you Elvis), using a banana I had ($0.20), 2 tbsp. peanut butter (included in my $3.00 spice allotment) and two slices of bread ($0.30). (Total $0.50)

Dinner was leftovers! Nothing gets thrown away when you have to make every penny count. A leftover taco salad helped me save money. It is a simple recipe (and it’s one of my favorites). Using 1 red tomato, shredded lettuce, black beans, re-fried beans and tortilla chips, it’s a healthy and tasty meal on the cheap. And the cost? Well, let’s get ready for some slightly complicated math (come on, I majored in Journalism). I had half of the original meal leftover (from before the challenge). I ate half of that for dinner. So we’ll be dividing the prices in fourths. (1/4 red tomato $0.25 + shredded lettuce $0.15 + tortilla chips $0.50 + 1/4 can black beans $0.45 + 1/4 can re-fried beans $0.37 = $1.72)

Day 1 total: $0.38 + $0.50 + $1.72 = $2.60
$18.00- $2.60 = $15.40 left for Day 2

DAY TWO
Repetition is the name of Day 2 as I have a tendency to run late for work.

Breakfast: 1 Vans Vegan/Gluten Free Waffle (Total $0.38)

Lunch: I made a salad and took it to work. It was simple and healthy and consisted of lettuce ($0.20), 1/4 tomato ($0.25), 1/2 cucumber ($0.50), oil/vinegar (included in the initial $3.00 spice allotment) and a FREE banana that my office sets out on Monday mornings, much to my approval. (Total: $0.95)

Dinner: Craving something resembling a carb after walking in 100-degree heat I made cold pasta salad. You’ll notice I use the term “salad” for anything I decide to throw together in a pot or bowl. The whole thing was, just my style, easy and cheap. Using a coupon for a $1.00 box of generic wheat pasta (1/4 box for $0.25) with oil/vinegar and salt/pepper (included in allotted $3.00 for spices) and 1/2 red tomato ($0.50) it was a nice refreshing dinner for a total of $0.75.

Day 2 total: $0.38 + $0.95 + $0.75 = $2.08
$15.40 – $2.08 = $13.32 left for Day 3

Another thing to point out is that I live within walking distance to a farmer’s market. That is how I can afford super cheap veggies. BUT many farmer’s market do not take the food stamps debit card that now replaces paper food stamps because they don’t have the equipment to run them. Without the leisure of cash, people relying on public transportation and food stamps may have even more limited resources for healthy food.

DAY THREE
It’s the story of my life: I was running late and forgot to eat breakfast…which made lunch harder to wait for, but I didn’t want to spend any extra dough–However misfortune (a.k.a lack of planning) struck again and I realized I forgot my lunch. Dun dun dun, this isn’t starting off well. (Note: I’m emphasizing this lack of planning to say that people living on a very thin budget have extra stresses every morning to plan out how NOT to spend money. How many times have you been faced with that struggle?) Luckily, nuzzled in the back of the work freezer I found my lone Amy’s Black Bean Vegetable Burrito, which cost more than I would’ve wanted to spend had I brought home-cooked food — racking up $1.79. I also grazed the free snacks at work–which once again, I realize not everyone has the luxury of doing.

Once at home I decided to chow down on the last of the taco salad for fear of it going bad. For a total of $1.72. (See Day 1 for taco salad calculations).

Day 3 total = $3.51 ($1.72 + 1.79)
$13.32 – $3.51 = $9.81 left for Day 4 (To put it in perspective this is now $2.45 per day)

DAY FOUR
In the morning I survived on free coffee at work to get me through to lunch. I guess I’m not much of a breakfast person. Shun me if you must.

Lunch: I brought a homemade sandwich [(2 slices of bread ($0.30), lettuce ($0.15) and onions ($0.10)] using a small amount of mustard (included in my $3.00 initial deduction) Lunch total = $0.55

Dinner: Brown Rice and Greens

• 2 cups spinach ($0.50)
• 1 cup brown rice ($0.32) with salt/pepper

I only ate half of the recipe and saved half for work the next day. ($0.82 divided by 2 = total of $0.41)

Day 4 total: $0.55 + $0.41 = $0.96
$9.81 – $0.96 = $8.85 left for Day 5

DAY FIVE
Breakfast: 1 slice of toast ($0.15)

Lunch: Brown Rice & Greens leftovers from last night ($0.41)

Dinner: Hodge-podge stir-fry

• sauteed zucchini ($0.50)
• onions ($0.10)
• red bell pepper ($1.00)
• 1/2 package frozen spinach ($0.50)
• salt/pepper (included in original $3.00 subtraction)

Dinner came to a total of $2.10 divided by 2 = $1.05

Day 5 total: $0.15 + $0.41 + $1.05 = $1.61
$8.85 – $1.61 = $7.24 left for Day 6

DAY SIX
Back to my old tricks for breakfast, I grabbed a vegan waffle on my way out of the house. Not quite “Lego my Eggo” for a measly $0.38.

Lunch: Finally getting the hang of eating half and saving half, I enjoyed my zucchini stir-fry from the night before, totaling $1.05.

Dinner: Lazy Rice and Beans (A variation of this recipe).

• 1 can black beans ($1.75)
• 1 tomato ($1.00)
• 1 onion ($0.10)
• salt/pepper (included in $3.00 deduction)
• 1 stalk celery ($0.50)
• 1 cup brown rice ($0.32)

It isn’t quite the creole cuisine you southerners have become accustomed to but if you use enough pepper, it’s ALMOST like Sriracha. (I’m just kidding Sriracha, you know I love you.) Using only half, this dinner dish cost $1.84 ($3.67 divided by 2)

Day 6 total: $0.38 + $1.05 + $1.84 = $3.27
$7.24 – $3.27 = $3.98 left for DAY 7

DAY SEVEN
Breakfast involved, guess what? A WAFFLE. ($0.38) Luckily I love them.

Lunch: Leftover faux Red beans & Rice for $1.84.

DINNER of DAY 7: My favorite thing ever. 1 Taco Bell bean burrito. Not the healthiest. But an end of the week, Friday night treat. Sales tax aside, this little baby with no cheese and done up the Fresco way cost a lovely $0.89.

Day 7 total: $0.38 + $1.84 + $0.89 = $3.11
$3.98 – $3.11 = (drumroll?) $0.87 to spare at the end of Day 7. You know what this will buy me? A delicious COLT 45. (Well, with the help of a little spare change.)

A lesson to be learned. Plan ahead. Only buy what you need. And save up for a wonderful Friday treat.

—————————-

My food items :
2 cans of black beans (estimated $1.75/can)
1 can re-fried beans ($1.48/can)
Tomatoes (A bunch of 4 is $4.00, so one is $1.00)
Head of lettuce (From farmer’s market for $0.75)
Package of pasta (3 packages for $3.00)
Package of vegan waffles ($3.00 for package of 8)
Tortilla chips ($2.00/bag)
Onions ($2.00/bag)
Potatoes ($2.00/ bag–$0.20 for one 8 oz potato)
Frozen spinach ($1.00/bag)
Brown rice, precooked ($0.16 for 1/2 cup)
Bread, whole grain ($1.79/loaf or 12 slices)
Banana ($0.20 per banana at the farmer’s market)
Zucchini ($1.00 for 1)
Cucumber ($1.00 for 1)
Celery (1 stalk about $0.50)
Red bell pepper ($1.00)

Imagine walking into a university classroom and seeing college students engaged in a debate over the ethics of animal agriculture, or better yet, a lecture on how to best enact change for animals in our legislature. Sound too good to be true? It’s not. Within the last few years, there has been an increase in animal welfare or animal-rights-related courses in schools around the United States.

While animals have long been the subject of biology and veterinary school courses, new classes in the humanities and social sciences departments look at the role and treatment of animals in society. According to the Animal Legal Defense Fund, more than 120 law schools in the United States and Canada offer animal law courses. In 2000, just nine law schools offered courses in animal law.

Peter Singer, famous for his book Animal Liberation, is a professor of bioethics at Princeton University. In his courses, he discusses the ethics of animals in research. Tufts University’s Center for Animals and Public Policy “advances research, policy analysis, education and service pertaining to the important roles animals play in society, and explores the ethical implications of the human-animal relationship.” They offer a masters degree in Animals and Public Policy as well as animal ethics coursework in the veterinary school.

In 2008 the Humane Society of the United States established Humane Society University as an institute of higher learning with animal-focused degrees. At this institution students can earn a Bachelor of Science degree or a graduate certificate in Animal Policy and Advocacy. The university offers a wide range of animal and leadership courses including Farm Animal Welfare, Wildlife Policy, Research Animal Policy and Global Animal Issues.

Not every vegan has the luxury of attending a school that offers these types of courses. Therefore, it is beneficial for vegans to teach courses at any university, even if the course does not center around animal or vegan topics. Think about how beneficial it would be to have a vegan religious studies professor who can teach about religious texts on animal treatment, a nutrition professor who discusses the benefits of a vegan diet, a philosophy professor who holds a debate about animal ethics, a business professor who teaches students how to run a non-profit organization, or a medical school professor who uses cadavers for dissection instead of animals.

However, despite the success stories of professors who are pioneering animal courses at their universities, there are still many setbacks for vegan professors. Vegan Mainstream recently talked with Christine, an online college professor who fears that she will lose her job if her university’s administration finds out that she is vegan (she works at a private institution). Christine did not even feel comfortable giving her full name during the interview for fear of retribution.

Read her interview from the Vegan Mainstream newsletter archives.

Talk to us: Have you ever felt discrimination at work as a result of being a vegan? Have you seen positive changes for the animal rights movement in post-secondary institutions?

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

For many of us, college or university is a fundamental time of personal, emotional and intellectual development. We learn a great deal from books, professors and lectures, and yet most of us experience our most profound personal growth outside of the classroom. For a vegan, college is a wonderful opportunity to learn and reflect on the lifestyle – and it is a chance to share your beliefs with others. At college people are open to new ideas – many are looking for change. What better environment will there ever be to share your thoughts and ideas about veganism?

I became vegan before attending Vassar College, a small, liberal arts school located in upstate New York. But my position that veganism was the way to go was undoubtedly solidified when I joined this campus filled with smart, interesting people who were mostly, unfortunately, not living vegan lifestyles. Many students, faculty and staff embraced vegetarianism, but were lacking some of the bigger picture truths about eggs, dairy, and other animal products. Others were altogether unaware of the politics around the consumption of animal products.

I was frustrated at first, not understanding why brilliant, compassionate folks would be so shy about giving up their ego-driven desires for animal products. Couldn’t they see the ozone depletion they decried in their environmental studies classes was directly linked to the very thing they had eaten for lunch not an hour before?

I eventually got over my attachment to what other students and faculty were doing, and then I could focus on what was really important–promoting veganism through positive actions that were modeled on the goal of creating community and showcasing the joys of a plant-based lifestyle.

While my collegiate veg-eating peer group was smaller than I had hoped and anticipated it would be, my school provided me ample opportunities to expand my awareness of vegan-related issues. It also enabled me to help promote plant-eating throughout the community by way of alliances with other tireless veggies on campus who wanted to see real change in terms of shifting the tide towards better lives for non-human animals and human animals, both on campus and on the larger planet.

There are many ways to get involved with vegan-related issues on a campus. Through my college’s animal-rights group, we were able to put pressure on the staff at dining services to offer more vegan options, including special vegan-themed meals and catered movie nights. Showing that vegan food can be delicious is a great way to draw non-veg friends and acquaintances into the cause. The key is to show people that veganism can be easy and fun, at the same time slipping in some education about the movement, and why the compassionate choices they are making at that event can be a significant and feasible long-term lifestyle choice. It’s a great idea to establish relationships with people who run the dining facilities in order to ensure that vegan items are in fact vegan, and that there is a rotation of healthy, organic plant-source only options available for students, faculty and staff.

Because abstaining from eating animal products is just one aspect of being a dedicated vegan, our campus group also reached out to the local community. We did this by hosting open animal rights-themed lectures and other events. There are many causes to shout out for – one example is that schools often deal with issues surrounding animal testing in the science departments. These days it’s even easier to spread the word about your cause as the Internet is making it easier to share information, and social media outlets like Twitter, Facebook and blogs are great promotion tools.

As one of the editors at my school’s newspaper, I had the opportunity to write articles on vegan-related topics. But you don’t have to be a dedicated editorial grunt to get your voice heard in the campus paper or other news outlets. A great strategy is to send letters to the editor and be proactive when you witness animal-rights-related injustices, or see an opportunity to relate a vegan subject to what’s happening on your campus. Every bit of input makes a difference in getting your voice heard in the name of spreading awareness about compassionate living.

It can also be useful to reach out to professors and staff who are vegan, or whom you think would be open to learning about the benefits of being veg. These people often have years of experience debating theories and defending their positions in front of their academic peers, and are often (but not always) great communicators. Get over your fear of discussing relevant issues with higher-ups and you may be surprised at the positive feedback you can get from working with your educators to promote your cause.

Now that I’m out of college and have a vegan job, I can see how my passion for promoting peace on the planet was truly nurtured in college, both inside and outside the classroom. Whether or not you plan to work in a so-called “vegan” career, college is a great training ground and a real forum for change – both at your campus, and on the wider planet.

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Via the Internet we have access to a plethora of information at a moment’s notice.  In essence, this makes everything easier - from gaining extra math help to learning about the latest celebrity breakups. In today’s technological world, online encyclopedias, such as Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.org/), have taken the place of more traditional information sources, like the Encyclopedia Britannica. Just turn on a computer near you, fire up your favourite web browser and a world of information awaits. No matter how niche the market, or how obscure the item/idea you are researching, you will find it via Google. These days, it’s difficult to imagine what the world was like before the World Wide Web. It has made the world a smaller place, helped us to create networks we never would have had access to before, and opened up a whole new and varied marketplace. The Internet has become a source for people searching for lifestyle changes or different cultural aspects of existence.  For the vegan movement, the effect of this change is immeasurable. Because with this burst of new and free information, the vegan lifestyle has become much more accessible to people.  

What is a vegan, anyway? 

For starters, the Internet has raised awareness about what a vegan is, and what veganism means.  Before the Internet existed, people had to research their interests in hard copies of books, newspapers and journals.  This took time, and perhaps more importantly, a deep and sincere desire to initiate the research.  Now, search engines can provide any answer with the click of a button.  Open door number one: when information is easier to find, more people will find it.  Now, anyone who is the slightest bit interested can explore the benefits of a vegan lifestyle with ease. 

Is casein vegan? 

The Internet has also made it easy to find out what you can and cannot eat as a vegan. Dietary restrictions and substitutions can be found on many vegan-friendly websites.  Baking a vegan cake is as simple as opening a Betty Crocker cookbook; just find a recipe online for a vegan cake and follow the steps.  Finding out specific ingredients that are used in foods without a label is made possible (and easy!) by the Internet. Need some cooking ideas or tips? There are scads of delicious and healthy vegan recipes posted on blogs and websites every day! If you have access to the Internet, there is no excuse for not knowing (or learning) how to cook a vegan meal.   

Let’s go shopping! 

In the same way cooking is easier because of the Internet, so is grocery shopping.  There are sites that are uniformly created to help people shop for food on a vegan diet.  There are similar sites that are set up to help tell the difference between organic and non-organic produce, as well as what secret non-vegan ingredients are snuck into items at the last minute. 

Vegan shopping sites, like Vegan Essentials, have also made being vegan a lot easier. Even if you live in a town or city that does not boast one vegan store, you can find vegan items by shopping online. From a business owner’s perspective, the increased exposure that the Internet provides to the global marketplace has made it possible and more lucrative to set up shop – anywhere – as a vegan business owner. 

Watch your garden grow 

Want to be certain about where your food is coming from? With local food movements an increasing number of people are looking to grow their own fruits and vegetables these days. But if you’re not a gardener already, where to start? Well, the Internet of course. All the information you could ever need about gardening can be easily found by a few hours of online searching.  Now all the secrets to magical soil and healthy vegetable and fruit gardens are yours to discover! 

Growing awareness for compassion 

The ugly truth about animal cruelty and abuse has become more widely known because of online technology. The web is a great disseminator of information – it not only allows us to find information easily, but it allows us to share it quickly and widely.  Because of videos and photographs that have been shared via the Internet, information about factory farming, animal cruelty and many other issues to do with health, compassion and the environment have been brought to the attention of the general public.  This has affected the vegetarian and vegan movements across the globe, and directly relates to the purpose and existence of veganism.  

The world is an ever-changing canvas, as are vegan campaigns and efforts.  As new technologies and strategies emerge, the Internet helps to raise awareness for them.  New and veteran vegans can investigate relevant projects online, or get involved in organizations or programs that are working toward a particular goal that speaks to their heart. Information is a powerful thing, and with it comes expandable education.  People never stop learning, and the Internet is helping new generations to be more astute and passionate by tapping into the world’s knowledge bank.

Most Americans will likely tell you they strongly oppose animal cruelty. They will denounce animal exploiters like Michael Vick as villains, spend hundreds of dollars a year on their companion animals, express outrage towards BP for damaging wildlife in the gulf and stand up for a dog left chained outside in a thunderstorm.

There remains little question that humans care about some animals.

Yet, these same individuals who scream at the television set when Michael Vick’s story appears on the news and who grieve for months after the passing of a companion animal later sit down to their dinner tables and consume meals of animal flesh and milk laced with the cruelty of the dairy and meat industries. Worst of all, these individuals often don’t think twice about it or recognize the obvious contradictions.

Thus, the problem remains for vegan and animal rights activists: how do we influence people who care so much about some animals but completely disregard others?

Vegan communication messages often fail because of the message receiver’s frame of mind. In communication theories, a frame refers to preconceived stereotypes and the individual’s background, which influence how an individual responds to a message or understands an event.

Framing is used in psychology and media studies to influence the way someone responds to information. By nature, psychologists argue, humans are “cognitive misers”, meaning our brain prefers to do as little thinking as possible when being prompted for an answer. In other words, if someone is asked his or her viewpoint on meat, rather than deliberate on the issue and consider all sides, it is likely that he or she will instantly draw upon past experiences (the individual’s frame of mind) and voice an opinion. Most people grew up eating animal products and being told it was morally acceptable to do so. This frame of mind influences their current decisions because it is easier than re-evaluating what they have been told their whole lives.

If you ask an animal-rights activist about animals, their answer will indicate that they regard animals as individuals with emotions and the ability to suffer – and individuals who are in need of rights. If you ask a meat-consumer about animals, their answer will often indicate that they think of animals as property, or things used for human economic gains. This varying frame of reference is where the problem lies.

So how do we, as vegans, create effective messages that reach non-vegans?

First, we need to consistently infiltrate the mainstream media with stories about animal emotions and suffering. For example, last week the cover story of TIME magazine featured an article on animal cognition. It presented the idea that animals are smarter than we think and feel pain just as much as humans do. Because the article was not written by an animal rights organization, nor did it proclaim in red, bold font “murderer”, it allowed readers to approach the content without the stereotypes often placed on animal rights organizations.

Secondly, we should promote all the benefits of veganism, not just the ethical argument. Inform individuals on the health benefits of a vegan diet. Tell others why we need to stop consuming meat for environmental and global health reasons. Find the issue that the individual relates to and feels strongly about—it may not be the ethical issue for everyone.

Thirdly, we should each identify our audience’s frame of reference and change messages based on the individual or group.

Lastly, we need to teach our children to respect all life and do harm to no other living creature. It is likely more effective to shape younger generations’ experiences and background with animals so they have a more tolerant and open-mind to the message of veganism.

Image: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Everyone has heard the phrase “actions speak louder than words,” but have you ever given it a sober second thought?  The roll of a pair of eyes or a strong stare can actually have more of an impact than a firm word or a harsh sentence.  By the same token, a loving touch can be a more affectionate gesture than saying the words, ”I love you”. So there is truth to the saying; actions do speak louder than words.

This is an important thing to consider in the context of being vegan: our actions as individuals can impact the way people perceive vegans in general. Our body language can affect, and maybe even determine, our success in conversations about veganism with non-vegans.

Communication is important in any kind of relationship – a friend, a family member, or a co-worker. And non-verbal communication is just as important – if not more so – than the words that you speak when you’re trying to get a point across. All kinds of emotions are shown through body language or facial expressions: aggressiveness, attentiveness, dominance, relaxation, romance.

It’s important to be aware of what your own body language is saying to other people – if you’re involved in a conversation with someone (especially when you are talking to them about veganism), try to demonstrate open body language to let them know that you’re open and not being confrontational.

Vegans tend to have strong pride in their lifestyle. We hold animals next to our hearts and are committed to consuming a plant-based diet.  Many people that we encounter on a daily basis don’t understand these convictions. They may be interested in our reasoning, or they may be completely closed off to the idea of veganism.  Reading their body language is a good indication of where they stand on the issue, and what kind of approach will be most successful in broaching a conversation with them.  If you are able to successfully read their body language, you can have a positive pre-meditated reaction through your body language.  If someone closes their arms when they’re talking to you, make sure your arms are open and relaxed in a non-threatening way.

It’s important to spread the passion of veganism with a positive outlook.  Even if people don’t adopt the lifestyle, it’s imperative that they know our convictions come from happiness and love.  Next time you’re in a conversation with someone, try this experiment. Stop for a second and note what your own body language is saying about you; then study the body language of the person you are talking to, and see if it aligns with what they are saying.