Grassroots Vegan

Shopping with a Conscience

6/15/2017

With vegan start-ups regularly being bought out by huge corporations, how can vegans make ethical purchases?

Q:
As a vegan, I try to make deliberate and informed choices. To that end, I have recently come across information that has left me a bit perplexed. It seems that quite a few vegan brands are being bought out by large corporations, some of which are involved in producing, processing, and supplying animal products -- the very products that we as vegans try not to support.

Are Vegans Driven by Guilt?

6/1/2017

Is guilt a good motivator to become vegan?

Q:
After being a vegetarian for about seven years, I developed lactose intolerance and a severe gluten allergy. I began avoiding dairy products for this reason. (I already intensely disliked eggs, so not eating them was a no-brainer for me.) After reading several articles about how animals are bred for food and other commodities, I was reluctant to use dairy products with reduced lactose content because I felt extremely guilty knowing the conditions dairy cows live in. Are feelings of guilt the reason why people choose to go vegan?

Plant-Based Panacea?

5/18/2017

Why can't people understand how easy it would be to improve their health with a vegan diet?

Q:
A number of my friends, family, and coworkers have serious or chronic illnesses that I’m certain could be cured if they became vegan. But every time I bring it up, they get angry and defensive. I’m deeply saddened and hurt by their reactions, and I’m frustrated they won’t listen to me or let me help them. It breaks my heart that they won’t consider such a simple dietary change, even though it could turn their health around. What more can I do?

Being the Odd One Out

5/4/2017

How can I express my views and be who I am without creating conflicts with family, friends, and coworkers?

Q:
I know that vegans can and should be compassionate toward humans as well as animals, so I try to understand where people who disagree with me are coming from. But I’m afraid I’m not very good at it yet. I’ve been vegan for a number of years and was a vegetarian and animal rights activist for several years before that, so I’m used to being something of the odd one out. Still, I don’t seem to be getting any better at dealing with people who openly express their contempt and disregard for animals

Strategies for Activism

4/20/2017

Is there a right way to go about activism?

Q:
I have fastened a “Meat Is Murder” pin on my one-year-old son’s jacket in the hopes that it will get people to think about the message, but I’m not sure if this strategy is a good idea.

Hidden Ingredients

4/6/2017

Is it realistic to rebel against the minutia?

Q:
I have considered myself vegan for five and a half years now, consuming only plant-based foods and doing my best not to purchase products tested on animals or containing animal-derived ingredients unless absolutely necessary (such as pharmaceuticals). Lately, though, I've been wondering where to draw the line with the effort I make to live a compassionate lifestyle.

Is Sugar Vegan?

3/23/2017

Is it really necessary for vegans to avoid sugar?

Q:
I'm trying to figure out why vegans don't eat plain old sugar that you buy at the grocery store. Can you please explain?

Cupcake Crisis

3/9/2017

An important part of parenting is teaching children how to make smart decisions.

Q:
My two children, ages eight and nine, and I have been vegan for five years. We love animals and feel a deep happiness knowing that we will not spend our money on anything that would increase their suffering. However, my children tell me “Mama, it's okay if we can eat the cupcakes at birthday parties because we didn’t buy the animal products, and it won’t lessen the animal’s suffering if I reject this one cupcake.”

Fishy Food-Making Facilities?

2/5/2017

Do trace elements in foods render them nonvegan?

Q:
Recently I've seen labels stating that a product has been processed in a facility that also process nuts, eggs, milk, and shellfish. I assume that such equipment is sterilized and cleaned before another product is run through the machines or conveyors. But does anybody really know how uncontaminated vegan products are that are made in such facilities?

The Art of Vegan Giving

12/12/2016

Gifts should be given freely from the heart, with no reservations.

Q:
Where should vegans draw the line on issues such as gift giving? For instance, what should I do if a family member requests a nonvegan present, such as leather gloves, and adamantly rejects a vegan alternative, such as fiber fleece gloves? Is it unethical to buy such a present if it is truly what the person wants?

Holiday Heartache

11/20/2016

Many people have idealistic expectations for holidays, but reality doesn't always bend to our wishes.

Q:
My best friend, who isn't vegan, invited my family to a traditional Thanksgiving celebration. Initially I turned her down because I didn't want to be surrounded by a dead bird and other animal products. But she came back a few days later and offered to make a vegan feast instead. When her other friends were told of the change in menu, they reacted with extreme hostility, and now the whole thing is off. I want to help my bestie deal with her other friends' reactions, but I feel lost. Any suggestions?

Following Vegan Idols

10/21/2016

Whether the decision to be vegan is temporary or permanent, it can have lifelong positive consequences."

Q:
I am the mother of a fifteen-year-old who has suddenly decided to become vegan because the lead singer of one of her favorite rock bands is vegan. While I applaud her decision and will support her all the way, I'm afraid that her obvious crush on this rock star will fade along with her new vegan lifestyle, or that she will find it too difficult to comply with not eating meat, dairy, eggs, and cheese.

Workplace Woes

10/10/2016

Supervisors have every incentive to respect their staff, and employees have every right to insist on that respect.

Q:
I am having difficulty with my boss at work. She routinely makes fun of my vegan beliefs and values in front of my peers. This almost always takes place when we are at a restaurant. I eventually become defensive and very angry with her. Is there anything I can say to make her stop demeaning me?

Is "Humane" Farming OK?

9/26/2016

The issue at hand isn't one of priorities but realities.

Q:
I've been bouncing back and forth between being a vegan or vegetarian and an omnivore for several years now. I spend a lot of time on animal rights sites, and I've noticed that many of the arguments against consuming meat are based on current factory farming methods. It's almost as though if animals were raised on storybook farms and then slaughtered it would be permissible. Wouldn't it be worse to slaughter an animal that had more personalized care and was treated better?

Nonvegan Medications: Take or Avoid?

9/12/2016

Without self-love, our circle of compassion is incomplete.

Q:
I've been a strict vegan for many years in all respects but one: prescription medicines. If I don't take certain medications, I'm unable to function normally. So I continue to take them even though I know they contain animal products and were tested on animals.

Will the Gas Pass?

8/28/2016

Both what we eat and how we eat can affect our digestive response.

Q:
Is there a reason that new vegans experience gas, and is there a solution? Most information about gas focuses on beans, but I've found that it is the uptake of vegetables and fruits that is the problem.

"Forcing" Vegan Food on Guests

7/31/2016

You should not be required to compromise your values or do something that is repugnant to you.

Q:
My husband and I have an ongoing disagreement. He says he doesn't feel comfortable inviting nonvegan business associates over to our house for meals because he would feel as though he were “imposing a religion” on them.

Are Vegan Commodities Bad for the Environment?

7/17/2016

In terms of environmental ethics, which is worse: leather or synthetics?"

Q:
Since I became vegan, I have refused to buy leather or any other items made from animal skins. However, I'm very concerned about synthetic materials. In terms of environmental ethics, which is worse: leather products or synthetics?

Can I Love a Meat Eater?

6/19/2016

Love isn’t contingent on a person’s potential to transform or evolve into someone we might like better.

Q:
I'm a longtime vegan and animal rights activist. My partner eats vegan at home (out of respect for me) and vegetarian when we eat out together, but she eats meat when she's out on her own. She says she doesn’t want to be a vegetarian, even though she agrees with me about the horrors of factory farming and the suffering of animals.

Avoiding Potluck Pitfalls

6/11/2016

Potlucks can be hazardous in terms of foodborne pathogens and allergens.

Q:
Please address a particular situation my family and I often encounter: the omnivore potluck. Yes, we do bring one or more vegan dishes for ourselves and to share. However, is there any tactful way to ask the proverbial question: "Is there meat in this dish?"

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