Top Ten Great Vegan Activists

July 28th, 2010 by vlowe · Lifestyle

Vegan activists don’t necessarily have to use aggressive tactics to be persuasive.  There are ways other than throwing blood or red paint on the fur coats of fashion designers during New York’s fashion week to be influential in the political and social vegan movement.  Sometimes using fame or professional stance can help promote vegan lifestyles.  A Plain Jane college student can be just as important as a Doctor of Nutrition when advocating for a vegan lifestyle.  Vegan activists have versatile reputations; here are our top ten:

1.  Alicia Silverstone

Alicia Silverstone has been a prominent vegan figure and activist for years.  She uses her public popularity to help promote a vegan lifestyle, as well as awareness of animal cruelty.  Her activist activities take place during her Broadway shows, on talk show appearances such as Oprah, through her book The Kind Life, and on the Internet frontier.

2.  Chef Chloe

This young aspiring chef has become an activist in the vegan, as well as non-vegan, culinary world.  She is a graduate from The Natural Gourmet Institute of Health and Culinary Arts NYC, the University of California, Berkely, as well as Cornell University’s Plant Based Nutrition Program.  She creates delectable vegan dishes, and has recently conquered the Food Networks “Cupcake Wars.”

3.  Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres first appeared on the scene as a comedic actress, and she is now a huge public figure on her day time talk show, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”  She has increasingly become more open and active with her vegan lifestyle, and is definitely a good figure as a vegan activist. Even if she’s not actively refuting fur coat production, she does have an amazing persuasive power because of her place in Hollywood.

4.  Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman is another Hollywood activist that has recently become a strong figure in the vegan arena.   She has been an open vegetarian for twenty years prior to her vegan activist days.  She uses her power for good, helping animals as well as educating her fans about what it means to be a vegan.

5.  Howard Lyman

Howard Lyman is known as the Mad Cowboy.  He is a fourth-generation family farmer in Montana who has moved his business toward sustainable, ecologically productive methods.  He has been working on Capitol Hill advocating for America’s Family Farmers, and has played an important role in the recently passed National Organic Standards Act.  Howard has written a book, “MAD COWBOY: Plain Truth from the Cattle Rancher Who Won’t Eat Meat” that has been on the best-sellers list; he is our modern day Upton Sinclair.

6.   Ingrid Newkirk

Ingrid Newkirk is the president and Co Founder of PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.  She is a strong activist for animals; her passions have led her to create the largest animal rights organizations in the world.  She lends her time to promote her beliefs at conferences, and she is a very powerful and persuasive speaker.  Her vegan activist engagement has caused many people to take a second look at using animal products for food or any other purpose.

7.  Susan Nichole

Susan Nichole is a well-known handbag designer in the vegan fashion industry.  She creates designer-quality, animal friendly bags.  She has proven to couture seekers everywhere that good quality and beautiful fashion products don’t have to be from animal products.  She has reached out to men and woman alike to promote the values of respect and love for all living things.   Her proactive approach to her passion for accessories has led her to become a vegan activist.

8.  Lierre Keith – SEE NOTE

BLOG POST UPDATE:

Although Lierre Keith is listed in Vegan Mainstream’s blog among the Top 10 Great Vegan Activists, VM realizes that Keith has come under fire for some of her views. Her opinions are controversial and admittedly, some think her outlook flies in of the face of ideal vegan philosophy.

9.  The Giving Tree Band

The Giving Tree Band has had a great impact on the environment through their music and musical influence.  All the members in the band live a vegan lifestyle and love to support local independent vegan cafés and artisans while they’re on tour.  The band strives to create all their music in the most eco-conscious way possible.  They recorded their latest album at a solar powered studio.  To be more environmentally conscious, they slept at nearby campsites while biking back and forth to the studio.  The Giving Tree band members are subtle activists for the environment as well as for a vegan lifestyle, and thus fall on our list.

10.  T. Colin Campbell

Dr. T. Colin Campbell is a scientific nutrition researcher.  He is prominently famous for the China Project, where he conducted impressive studies of health and nutrition.  Dr. Campbell has started a Foundation based in New York that focuses on Scientific Integrity for Optimal Health.  TCCF ( T. Colin Campbell Foundation) essentially offers the best scientific health information without industry influence.  His foundation is proof of his vegan activist work throughout his life.