I'm not exactly sure we should all be vegan. I know that there's lots to be said for it on an environmental and sustainability basis but there are many other things we could be doing as well. I can't even bring myself to go vegetarian more than one day a week (largely because I'm not a good cook) so I don't think I even stand a chance of being a vegan.
Thanks for raising this Cloudy Lemonade - how is your vegan Lent journey going?
When I met some Orthodox students at a WSCF event I was interested to learn that fasting for Lent for them always means following a vegan diet. And they will also 'fast' at other points during the year too.
I don't know much about the theology behind that tradition (perhaps someone else does?) - but I think I would find it helpful to think periodically about what I eat, where my food comes from etc.
I do like the Christian Ecology Link LOAF guide - Locally produced, Organically grown, Animal-Friendly, Fairtrade. But it can be difficult to decide how to balance all of those things. If I could eat entirely locally grown food, that would be fantastic - but I would then lose many of the seeds, pulses and nuts that make up a vegan/vegetarian diet, as these are grown outside the UK.
David's point on violence gives me a lot to think about - and I think must be at the heart of discussions of food ethics e.g. how do we avoid violence towards the earth, the environment, animals, workers and community?
I became vegan in the first place, because of similar conversations with a Coptic Orthodox priest at an EYCE event, Rosie. The event was in Greece during the Nativity Fast, so we were all eating 'fasting food' that week (not that the heavenly grilled aubergine etc seemed like a fast to me, but still!). I decided to keep an Orthodox Lenten Fast, and having realised how easy it was - and heard a lot of arguements in favour of a vegan diet - I kept it up.
There are some countries though where to be a vegan isn't possible. I'm not talking about countries where it would be difficult to eat out as a vegan, but rather countries where crops the land can produce are not capable of sustaining the population in a healthy way, and where there are political or financial barriers to import.
I like being vegan. I feel a lot healthier for it. But I'm lucky, because I can cook, and I live in a city where there are several vegan restaurants. Also since I became vegan a few of my friends have done so too, which makes it a lot easier. I think it would be too hard for me if none of these things were true.
I think the Meat Free Monday idea has a lot of potential - to me it's more important for everyone to think carefully about / cut down their meat (and dairy) intake, than for a handful of individuals to be vegan. That being said, the conditions in which the majority of animals have to live in, would push me further towards the 'everyone should be vegan' side of things.
Basically I don't know, but I have been thinking...
I did something bad today. I don't remember the last time I did the same thing. I am not sure I've ever done it before in fact.
I bought eggs that weren't marked free range.
The shop guy assured me that they were local (though he couldn't say quite from where).
Hmm, dilemma.
Good things: supporting local business (a little shop on my road), and eating locally produced food.
Bad things: probably squashed chickens in poor condition with limited life quality.
But, is buying non-free range worse than/the same as/better than buying non-fairtrade chocolate or sugar? I always try to buy fairtrade, but I am less fussy about it than I am with freerange. Why is that I wonder?!?
Maybe George is right, and I just shouldn't buy eggs at all... (But I couldn't go without the chocolate!)
I'm not exactly sure we
I'm not exactly sure we should all be vegan. I know that there's lots to be said for it on an environmental and sustainability basis but there are many other things we could be doing as well. I can't even bring myself to go vegetarian more than one day a week (largely because I'm not a good cook) so I don't think I even stand a chance of being a vegan.
Maybe for lent... although I
Maybe for lent... although I would say one of the core philosophies behind veganism is non-violence.
My question would be, how close to violence is it to say "we all should" do a certain thing?
More important, I think, is to eat locally grown food and to grow as much of your own food as possible.
That said, you've tempted me to try veganism for lent next year.
Should everyone be vegan?
Thanks for raising this Cloudy Lemonade - how is your vegan Lent journey going?
When I met some Orthodox students at a WSCF event I was interested to learn that fasting for Lent for them always means following a vegan diet. And they will also 'fast' at other points during the year too.
I don't know much about the theology behind that tradition (perhaps someone else does?) - but I think I would find it helpful to think periodically about what I eat, where my food comes from etc.
I do like the Christian Ecology Link LOAF guide - Locally produced, Organically grown, Animal-Friendly, Fairtrade. But it can be difficult to decide how to balance all of those things. If I could eat entirely locally grown food, that would be fantastic - but I would then lose many of the seeds, pulses and nuts that make up a vegan/vegetarian diet, as these are grown outside the UK.
David's point on violence gives me a lot to think about - and I think must be at the heart of discussions of food ethics e.g. how do we avoid violence towards the earth, the environment, animals, workers and community?
Tell That to PETA
If we're going to talk about animal rights then, maybe we should all convert as vegans.
I became vegan in the first
I became vegan in the first place, because of similar conversations with a Coptic Orthodox priest at an EYCE event, Rosie. The event was in Greece during the Nativity Fast, so we were all eating 'fasting food' that week (not that the heavenly grilled aubergine etc seemed like a fast to me, but still!). I decided to keep an Orthodox Lenten Fast, and having realised how easy it was - and heard a lot of arguements in favour of a vegan diet - I kept it up.
There are some countries
There are some countries though where to be a vegan isn't possible. I'm not talking about countries where it would be difficult to eat out as a vegan, but rather countries where crops the land can produce are not capable of sustaining the population in a healthy way, and where there are political or financial barriers to import.
I like being vegan. I feel a lot healthier for it. But I'm lucky, because I can cook, and I live in a city where there are several vegan restaurants. Also since I became vegan a few of my friends have done so too, which makes it a lot easier. I think it would be too hard for me if none of these things were true.
I think the Meat Free Monday idea has a lot of potential - to me it's more important for everyone to think carefully about / cut down their meat (and dairy) intake, than for a handful of individuals to be vegan. That being said, the conditions in which the majority of animals have to live in, would push me further towards the 'everyone should be vegan' side of things.
As Jim Trott would say...
No no no no no no no no no yes!
Basically I don't know, but I have been thinking...
I did something bad today. I don't remember the last time I did the same thing. I am not sure I've ever done it before in fact.
I bought eggs that weren't marked free range.
The shop guy assured me that they were local (though he couldn't say quite from where).
Hmm, dilemma.
Good things: supporting local business (a little shop on my road), and eating locally produced food.
Bad things: probably squashed chickens in poor condition with limited life quality.
But, is buying non-free range worse than/the same as/better than buying non-fairtrade chocolate or sugar? I always try to buy fairtrade, but I am less fussy about it than I am with freerange. Why is that I wonder?!?
Maybe George is right, and I just shouldn't buy eggs at all... (But I couldn't go without the chocolate!)