Ruminating on vegan ethics

I recently got into a bit of a row on Facebook. Yes, me, the quiet, reclusive writer. Someone had posted an Earthling Ed video on a group to which I belong and it brought out the defensive meat-eaters like a rash. Now, I’m only just starting out on this vegan journey and I certainly don’t have all the answers. I’ll also state, before going any further, that I can’t be considered to be totally vegan, as I still use eggs when baking for Twilight (and the occasional cake for Mr Orange). However, I must admit that I enjoyed the lively debate, at least, I did until they ran out of arguments and started slinging insults.

I must confess that I have not watched many of the popular current pro-vegan documentaries: Cowspiracy, Earthlings, Forks over Knives, etc. I don’t need to have my views changed or reinforced; I’m committed to this. My opponents came up with all the usual arguments. Mr Orange’s favourite, which we call ‘the chicken is already dead argument’ (ergo, the meat is in front of you, if you eat it now you won’t save it); ‘what will happen to all the animals if everyone eats vegan food?’ ‘63 million animals a year won’t be born’ (and that’s supposed to be a bad thing?); and ‘I like to see lambs in the field’. My favourite was ‘plants have souls, too’ (really?) … and that was from a meat-eater! Eventually we all ran out of steam. I don’t think there was a ‘winner’ as there wasn’t really a reasoned debate, but there’s always the hope that someone’s mind may have been opened by the comments.

 

It got me thinking, however, about some of the wider ethical issues surrounding veganism. As I grow into it, I realise the truth of a statement I saw recently: vegetarian is a diet, vegan is a lifestyle. And I think this is true, because unless you address (and eliminate) the dairy issue you won’t be living a totally cruelty-free life. Two years in and I’ve got the food side pretty much sorted. Shopping here is still frustrating but we don’t intentionally buy any non-vegan comestibles when I am doing the shopping. You just need the patience to read the labels. Personal care and household cleaning products are now almost 100% cruelty-free. This wasn’t too difficult, just a matter of using up what was in the cupboard, a bit of research and then all future purchases made ethically, even if this has to be online.

More difficult decisions have to be made about animal by-products that have a longer durability, for example, clothes and shoes. As a starting point, I’ll never in future buy any leather shoes, handbags or belts. But what is to be done with those that are still in the wardrobe, especially if they are not used very often? Is it worth the expense of buying vegan formal shoes when you spend all day in trainers, if you will only wear them for weddings and funerals? How far should you go investigating the ethics of new purchases? Obvious materials like wool and leather are out, but it’s quite possible that animal by-products will find their way into the manufacturing processes of many household items. If you decided to stop wearing a woollen jumper or a carrying a leather bag what should you do with it? [I sold my last Radley bag and gave the money to Twilight, but I’m not sure that was the right answer, if there is one]. If you donate the clothes to a charity collection are you just passing the problem on to someone else?

These are the issues I’ve been mulling over recently. I haven’t found any right or wrong answers. I thought I was in the clear on the clothing issue, as I’ve always been a great proponent of technical clothing. In fact, that obsession is how I came to start a blog. With the exception of down-filled ‘Puffa’ jackets and merino wool base layers, most technical clothing is made from synthetic fabrics. However, last year I read a Guardian article reporting studies showing that fibres from synthetic clothing were polluting the oceans. Research sponsored by US clothing manufacturer Patagonia had shown that fish were contaminated with microfibers released during washing. As cheaper fleece materials shed more fibres the only answer seems to be to buy better quality, or buy less. Thus, the issues I am confronting have come round full circle to the owning less is more argument that originally motivated my blog. The environmental aspects of veganism prompt us to strive for a lighter footprint on the planet. Back to Project 333.