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Island Source 

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Publy PR

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TofuTogether 

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Vegansus 

Spring is here, we're looking forward to longer days, flowers blooming and outdoor adventures. While we can't wait for more sunshine, it's important not to neglect our homes. It's time to let in some fresh air, bring some nature indoors and start cleaning. Here's V-Land's spring cleaning checklist, put on your eco-friendly rubber gloves, your favourite cleaning playlist and let's get started.&nbsp; <h2>Cleaning your home</h2>The first thing on our spring cleaning checklist is a good top to bottom clean. Many vegan cleaning products are available in supermarkets to tackle your bathroom and kitchen or refresh fabrics, including your carpets. Where we can, we like to use bicarbonate of soda and vinegar as they are natural, non-toxic and budget-friendly, making them staple eco-friendly cleaning products and we often have them to hand. The mixture foams up to become an effective cleaning agent, perfect to scrub your shower, sinks and even the loo! <a href="https://instagram.com/marksandspencer?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Marks and Spencer's</a> <a href="https://www.marksandspencer.com/c/food-to-order/adventures-in-food/spring-cleaning-at-home" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">cleaning range</a> is vegan, cruelty-free and smells great. The sprays include kitchen, bathroom, antibacterial, a multi-purpose cleaner and a glass cleaner for your windows. <a href="https://www.marksandspencer.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Marks and Spencer</a> also sell vegan and cruelty-free laundry liquid and fabric softener, perfect for everyday cleaning, and perhaps now is the perfect time to wash throws, blankets and cushion covers.&nbsp; <h2>It's time to declutter</h2>We love <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mariekondo/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Marie Kondo</a>'s decluttering system. Starting with your clothes, clear out items that no longer "spark joy". Many of us have clothes in our wardrobes that we don't wear anymore, why not give them a second lease of life? Reusing and recycling neglected clothing items by selling them on apps such as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/depop/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Depop</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vinted/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vinted</a> or donating them to a charity shop can give you more space and help someone else find a bargain. The system then moves on to books, papers, komono (which are your miscellaneous items), and sentimental items. Many items that you don't use anymore such as books, DVDs, ornaments and even old furniture could be exactly what someone else is looking for. More great places to sell or donate unwanted items are car boot sales, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/marketplace" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Facebook Marketplace</a> and baby banks and hospitals often take donations of baby clothes. <h2>Eco-friendly storage</h2>Now that you've cleared out your unwanted belongings, you'll want to reorganise your space. Firstly you need to begin to put things away. Clutter often appears on surfaces when we're busy and forget to tidy up after ourselves, or perhaps clothes pile up on the dreaded 'chair'. Give your possessions a sense of belonging by creating tidy, accessible storage using plastic-free and eco-friendly boxes, baskets, jars and more. We love the use of wooden crates and woven baskets to help create a more eco-friendly home which you can pick up from independent traders on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/etsy/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Etsy</a>. Recycling glass jars is a great way to store dry foods, herbs, spices and leftovers; they also make cute vases for daffodils in the spring.&nbsp; <h2>Plants and flowers</h2>Speaking of daffodils, other flowers that are seasonal in spring include lilacs, bluebells, forget-me-nots and tulips, which all brighten up your eco-friendly home in recycled containers such as glass jars, tin cans and bottles. Remember that your houseplants will need to be watered more frequently now that we have more sunshine, dust off their leaves, prune them to remove dead leaves or branches and repot them where necessary. Check out <a href="https://youtu.be/Fy8kP2EYpcY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">This Is A Plant's Beginners Guide to Repotting</a>. <h2>The great outdoors</h2>First of all, we like to be able to see the great outdoors. It's important to clean the outside of your windows too! Rinse your windows with a hose, you can use a watering can or bucket, for the best eco-friendly and vegan window cleaning products, combine two parts water with one part white vinegar or water with a few drops of washing up liquid to clean your windows until they sparkle. Finish with a dry microfibre cloth to avoid streaks and watermarks. Prepare your garden for spring by tidying up flower beds and borders, removing any dead plants and debris. If you don't already have one, now would be the perfect time to introduce a composting area to your eco-friendly home. A composting area is the perfect place to put your organic waste, such as grass clippings, vegetable peelings and garden prunings. You can buy ready made compost bins from <a href="https://www.wilko.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Wilko</a>. We hope we've inspired you to start some eco-friendly cleaning with our spring cleaning checklist.&nbsp; If you're feeling green fingered you might want to check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/veganic-gardening-save-the-planet-with-green-manure" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">veganic gardening: save the planet with green manure</a>. While you're reorganising your cupboards you may also want to read <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/8-cupboard-staples-every-vegan-should-have" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">8 cupboard staples every vegan should have</a>.&nbsp;

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Spruce up your home with our spring cleaning checklist 

Sustainability. The hot topic on everyone's tongue. Everywhere we turn there’s a marketing campaign portraying an eco-friendly brand, but is this genuine, or a ploy to gain more customers? From fast-fashion brands to fast-food chains, there are countless companies using sustainability as a marketing tool to increase sales, whilst trading in ways that are detrimental to the health of people, the environment, and the planet. One of the worst industry culprits for this, lies in finance and banking. But, what is sustainable banking?&nbsp; <a href="https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/english_paris_agreement.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">The Paris Agreement</a> in 2015 called for “finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development.” Yet, since the agreement, <a href="https://www.bankingonclimatechaos.org/#score-panel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">banks have invested over £2.7 trillion in fossil fuel companies</a>, with high street banks such as HSBC, Barclays, Natwest, Santander, and Lloyds being some of the most prolific UK investors. The continuous funding of fossil fuels has radically progressed climate change, veering us away from the <a href="https://theconversation.com/after-cop27-all-signs-point-to-world-blowing-past-the-1-5-degrees-global-warming-limit-heres-what-we-can-still-do-about-it-195080" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">1.5 degree rise in global temperature</a> target, and from an ethical standpoint, causing unfathomable hardship to indigenous peoples and developing countries and wiping out animals - both <a href="https://animalsurvival.org/climate-change/?gclid=CjwKCAiAleOeBhBdEiwAfgmXf4qbWMxez9TLEiXL4ZYLIFu2VNHPul_DiTKz0m3ewzH7xZ6Nipi89BoCW1UQAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">wild</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/11/up-to-500000-drought-stressed-cattle-killed-in-queensland-floods" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">captive</a> - across the globe. One of the most impactful ways to reduce climate change impacts is to transition towards a green economy, and for this to happen, we need to cease the <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/fighting-climate-chaos/everything-you-need-to-know-about-fossil-fuel-subsidies/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">financing of fossil fuels</a> as quickly as possible. And whilst the <a href="https://neweconomics.org/2022/06/bank-of-englands-massive-payment-to-bankers-almost-quadruple-the-amount-announced-in-may-to-ease-the-cost-of-living-for-struggling-families" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">UK government continues to hand out billions to corporate banks</a> and <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/news/government-coal-mine-robert-jenrick-climate/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">invests £165 million in the first coal mine in the UK in over thirty years</a>, hope is not lost, as there is something that we, the people, can do, to shift the scale back in our planet’s favour, by removing our money from the worst offending banks and switching to green ones. If enough people were to switch to sustainable banking, the positive change could be momentous. And, to help make the transition towards ethical banking a stress-free one, we’ve compiled a list of the top four eco-friendly banks in the UK: <h2>Triodos&nbsp;</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/triodosuk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Triodos</a> offers <a href="https://www.triodos.co.uk/know-where-your-money-goes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">transparent</a> and <a href="https://www.annual-report-triodos.com/2021/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">sustainable banking</a>, and was voted ‘Best Ethical Financial Provider’ and ‘Best Investment Provider’ at the British Bank Awards 2022. The bank was nominated in five categories overall, including ‘Best Current Account Provider’ and ‘Best British Bank’. Triodos focuses on ‘making money work for positive change’ and offers a range of services, including current accounts, investments, and savings. Bevis Watts, chief executive of Triodos Bank UK, says: “Sustainability is central to Triodos Bank’s mission and how we’ve built our products and services with a focus on these values over the past 25 years. The mission of the bank has at its core quality of life, human dignity and the environment.” *Triodos is an app-only bank furthering their status in eco-friendly banking, but this may be a disadvantage for vulnerable individuals that may require face-to-face services.&nbsp; <h2>Co-operative Bank</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecooperativebank/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">The Co-operative Bank</a> has branches nationwide and has been proclaimed ‘beyond carbon neutral’ since 2007, the bank has been zero-waste since 2020 and their <a href="https://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/assets/pdf/bank/values-and-ethics/ethical-policy.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Ethical Policy</a> has a zero tolerance policy on fossil fuels, animal testing and GMOs whilst offering a range of current accounts, credit cards, mortgages, investments, savings and insurance. Co-op says: “We support small businesses and organisations whose activities promote a healthy environment and we seek to minimise our impact on the environment. We support international efforts to tackle climate change, and we do not provide banking services to customers that conflict with our commitments.” <h2>Monzo</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/monzo/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Monzo</a>, another app-only based bank, is on a <a href="https://monzo.com/i/protecting-the-environment" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">mission to become net-zero by 2030</a>, and shares their carbon footprint annually, along with being <a href="https://monzo.com/investor-information/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">fully transparent in their investments</a>, and committing to a zero-tolerance on financing the fossil fuel, tobacco and arms trades. Monzo offers a range of current accounts, investments, loans and savings. Monzo says: “At Monzo we’ve built a branchless, digital bank with a relatively low carbon footprint. Our mission is to make money work for everyone, and it’s our responsibility to ensure that at the very least we do no damage to the environment and we want to hold ourselves to a standard that we can all be proud of.” <h2>Starling</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/starlingbank/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Starling</a> is another app-only bank and has been paperless from its launch, and was the first bank to make their cards from recyclable plastic. The bank's <a href="https://www.starlingbank.com/about/tech-zero-charter/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">commitments</a> include being carbon neutral by 2030 and investing in projects like woodland creation, ocean-protection and peat preservation schemes. Starling offers current accounts, savings, business accounts and loans. Anne Boden, founder and CEO of Starling Bank says: “Climate change is one of the biggest challenges that we face globally, and Starling is 100% committed to playing its part in the fight against it, not just in the lead up to 2030, but starting right away. This is urgent and we know that our customers expect no less from us.” Additional banks and building societies that are making positive changes to local communities and the environment include <a href="https://www.nationwide.co.uk/about-us/responsible-business/reducing-environmental-harm/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Nationwide</a>, <a href="https://www.charitybank.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">The Charity Bank</a> and <a href="https://www.ecology.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Ecology Building Society</a>. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1676146011/Image_one_87c898b055.png" alt="Women in a blue top putting a coin into her piggy bank which she is holding">89Stocker/Canva Pro <h2>Is switching to an eco-friendly bank difficult?</h2>Switching your current account to a new bank is now a stress-free, simple process, thanks to the Current Account Switch Service (CASS). All it takes is a phone call, or if using online banking or an app, a few clicks of a button.&nbsp; But what about vegan banking? I hear you ask. Unfortunately, we’re yet to find a bank that is vegan, but, after recently watching Netflix’s <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14308636/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Bank of Dave</a>, the <a href="https://www.burnleysavingsandloans.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">true story </a>of a man on a mission to help his local community by opening his own bank branch, the possibility of a vegan bank launching could be in the foreseeable future too. In the meantime, are you wondering how to lower your carbon footprint other than eco-friendly banks? With spring fast approaching perhaps <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/no-mow-may-help-nature-this-earth-day-and-let-it-grow" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">participate in No Mow May</a>, or check out our <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/an-everyday-solution-to-reduce-plastic-pollution-ecobricks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">everyday solution to plastic pollution by making Ecobricks</a>.&nbsp;

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Ethical banking: How to make your money make a difference

Sometimes it can be complicated to maintain a vegan lifestyle beyond food and drink.&nbsp; There is more and more information on what to eat and how to cook a great vegan dish, yet sometimes we totally forget that the face cream or the toothpaste we are using could contain animal products. <a href="https://www.careelite.de/en/things-that-are-often-not-vegan/#kondome" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">CareElite</a> website provides you with a list of 25 products which you would be surprised to find out were not vegan. And on the top of the list we find condoms. While digging deeper you will find that most condoms are not natural, vegan or cruelty-free. The milk protein casein is often used for processing the raw rubber, there can be testing on animals as well as adding <a href="https://www.hanxofficial.com/blogs/naked-truths/5-facts-that-will-make-you-switch-to-natural-and-organic-condoms" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">potentially harmful chemicals</a> such as nonoxynol-9 (spermicide used to kill sperm), benzocaine (to delay male climax), nitrosamine and parabens.&nbsp;&nbsp;So where to look when you want to have safe sex that doesn’t cause harm? Here are five options of sustainable, vegan condom brands which are accessible for those living in the UK: <h2>Skyn&nbsp;</h2><a href="https://instagram.com/skyn?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Skyn</a> claim the specific material used allows individuals to ‘feel everything’ and are suitable for those with a latex allergy. It states on their website that all of their condoms are vegan-friendly and are delivered in discreet, unbranded packaging.&nbsp; <h2>Hanx</h2><a href="https://instagram.com/hanxofficial?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Hanx</a> vegan condoms avoid the unnecessary chemicals that according to them ‘shouldn’t be anywhere near a vagina’ and are used by mainstream brands. They also offer lube and sexual wellness essentials.&nbsp; <h2>Fair Squared</h2>Its natural rubber is 100% biodegradable and does not harm the environment. Fair trading conditions, environmental responsibility, and a strict “no” to child labour and animal testing - <a href="https://instagram.com/fair_squared_uk?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Fair Squared</a> believe fairness is something that should be connected to all areas.&nbsp; <h2>Einhorn&nbsp;</h2>With the name of unicorn, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/einhorn.berlin/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Einhorn</a>, a German company has been creating magic in the vegan condom industry since 2015. It became a big success selling fun concepts of protection with unexpected and sustainable packaging and was widely reviewed by European newspapers. Also, they produce sustainable, vegan menstrual cups as well as tampons. Their vegan condoms are available in the UK on Amazon. <h2>Green Condom Club&nbsp;</h2>A Swiss brand for a vegan and gluten-free condom with transparent ingredients, and no toxic chemicals. The formulation and process allow for smell and fragrance-free condoms, without compromising on safety and reliability. Reasonable shipping costs to the UK if buying directly from the <a href="https://instagram.com/greencondomclub?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Green Condom Club</a> website. If you enjoyed reading this you may be interested in finding out how vegans navigate dating whether that be investigating <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-dating-apps-should-we-use-them-or-avoid-them" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan dating apps</a> or <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/being-vegan-and-dating-can-one-get-in-the-way-of-the-other" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">if it can be tricky dating as a vegan</a>.

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Going vegan in the bedroom: The ultimate guide to vegan condoms

Veganism and dating can be delicate subjects. Balancing the harmonious wheel of diet and dating can be a precarious door to walk through.&nbsp; What are the options for vegan dating in the UK when only <a href="https://www.statista.com/forecasts/997894/diets-and-nutrition-in-the-uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">3%</a> of the UK population is vegan, how do we meet those people? It is possible to 'organically' meet new potential partners through vegan events, festivals, or activist groups - but what about vegan dating sites or apps? While vegan dating apps don't stray from stereotypes such as ghosting, catfishing and cringy bios, there can also be many positives to the vegan online world. They are a positive step forward, channelling veganism as more of a lifestyle rather than just a diet.&nbsp; Vegan dating apps, similar to traditional apps, show the users’ height, ideal romantic situation, sexuality and whether or not they would like children. The profile often lists the reasoning behind their vegan diet, philanthropism, pets and favourite vegan foods or drinks.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">So what vegan dating apps are out there?&nbsp;</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/vegglyapp/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Veggly</a>, launched in 2018, is currently the most extensive vegan and vegetarian app. The site includes fun phrases with super likes and 'carrots' to spend in the Veggly market to gain more matches. This app introduces individuals as either vegetarian, in transition or vegan for X amount of years.&nbsp;&nbsp; Similar to Hinge, Veggly shows the most information to other users. With over 300,000 users across the globe, it's not hard to see why the Veggly craze is so popular.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/grazerapp/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Grazer</a>, another excellent vegetarian and vegan dating app, was relaunched last year for World Vegan Day with its new tag name, 'the meatless matchmaker'. Grazer is a dating and friend-finding app similar to Bumble's BFF feature. Grazer’s passions are crystal clear with their meat-free movement slogan and 'more leaf, no beef' catchphrase. Grazer also includes the option for a friendship account and the ability to add five core values and likes to your profile.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tofutogether/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">TofuTogether</a> is also a vegan and vegetarian dating app using a scroll-type feed to show recent vegan finds, suggestions and reviews. This app can be helpful for dating, socialising and learning about new products. TofuTogether comes with this or that questions, which you can add to your profile. However, this app allows anyone to create an account with very few details parallel to Tinder and may make it harder to achieve a match.&nbsp; We hope you have enjoyed reading about some of our favourite vegan dating apps and what to expect of them. While vegan dating may be relatively new on the scene, the number of vegans is on the rise. But with vegan dating apps as our not-so-silent partner, we believe these options are a great way to meet new people and potential partners.&nbsp; Find out more about veganism and dating <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/being-vegan-and-dating-can-one-get-in-the-way-of-the-other" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">here</a>, and check out ten apps that are <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/10-apps-changing-the-world" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">changing the world</a> for the better.&nbsp;

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Vegan dating apps: Should we use them or avoid them?

Veganism is a <a href="https://www.veganism.com/what-is-veganism/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">way of life</a> that rejects exploiting and harming animals (human and non-human). How does second-hand leather fit within this framework? What do you do with leather bought or inherited before you turned vegan? Animal skin or leather is already second-hand, even if you’re buying a ‘new’ leather jacket, but for this article, second-hand relates to the term commercially.&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Perspectives&nbsp;</h2>Vegans who do not use second-hand leather <a href="https://veganfoundry.com/should-vegans-wear-second-hand-leather/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">adhere</a> to the Vegan Society’s definition of veganism, since leather isn’t vegan, they won’t use it. For some, wearing the skin of another, regardless of how long ago it was produced, would never sit right because they cannot disassociate from the suffering inflicted on the animal to make the product in the first place.&nbsp; It’s safe to assume that vegans do not purchase ‘new’ leather; however, some wear vintage leather rather than throw it away. Arguments against this suggest that wearing any leather is <a href="https://vegan101.net/is-second-hand-leather-vegan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">hypocritical</a>, but counter-arguments point to the hypocrisy of throwing something away, which goes against being sustainable. Discarding all leather in circulation would increase landfill pollution, producing <a href="https://www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org/news/landfill-gas-pollution/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">methane and carbon dioxide</a>, so some vegans use second-hand leather to reduce items ending up in landfill. Suggestions for vegans who possess leather include giving it to charity, but is that morally any different from wearing it yourself, as it will still be used? <a href="https://doublecheckvegan.com/do-vegans-wear-leather-wool-second-hand-vintage/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Double Vegan Checker</a> argues that wearing vintage leather contributes to market demand, “if indirectly”, as it normalises the use and can influence trends; however, that may be an outdated sentiment as consumers are demanding sustainable and ethical products and swapping animal products with faux materials, with the synthetic market expected to <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/synthetic-leather-market-to-be-worth-66-84-billion-by-2030-grand-view-research-inc-301583619.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">reach 66.84 billion USD by 2030</a>, according to a new report by Grand View Research. However, many synthetic alternatives contain plastics and are non-environmentally friendly.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Is leather a byproduct? Public misconception</h2>The general public is often told that leather is a byproduct of the meat industry, so animal skin would go to waste if not used. But this misconceived justification is simply not true, as many animal species are predominantly slaughtered for their skin, not meat. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/aug/27/ethicalfashion.leather" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Ostrich skins account for some 80% of the slaughtered bird's value</a>. Kangaroo farms supply skin to <a href="https://www.peta.org/features/what-is-kangaroo-leather/#:~:text=If%20you%20buy%20leather,%20there%E2%80%99s%20often%20no%20easy,is%20now%20kangaroo-free:%20the%20company%20announced%20it%20publicly!" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Nike, Adidas, and Puma</a>. Unfortunately, the term ‘leather’ normalises violence as it is associated with it being a byproduct, which “<a href="https://vegan101.net/is-second-hand-leather-vegan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">hides the reality</a>”. The Guardian suggests using the word ‘<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/aug/27/ethicalfashion.leather" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">subsidy</a>’ instead of ‘byproduct’,&nbsp;which makes sense considering the market value of the leather industry exceeds <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/leather-industry#:~:text=The%20leather%20industry%20trade%20is%20presently%20exceeding%20US$,is%20very%20common%20and%20used%20almost%20every%20day." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">80 billion USD per year,</a> and <a href="https://onekindplanet.org/leather-is-not-an-ethical-byproduct/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">over a billion animals are killed on factory farms primarily for their skins every year</a>, including pigs, goats, crocodiles, and snakes, to name a few. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">The leather industry violates human rights&nbsp;</h2>Commercialising hides into leather involves human rights violations against leather tannery workers, including <a href="https://www.kindnessproject.org.au/issues/humanity/tannery-workers/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">children as young as 11 working</a> under hazardous conditions. The leather industry <a href="https://www.somewhatgreener.com/articles/the-social-impact-of-leather/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">cheap labour</a>, whereby many workers have no access to healthcare and receive no living wage.&nbsp; Most leather is <a href="https://www.collectivefashionjustice.org/tannery-workers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">tanned with chemicals like chromium</a> (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4415597/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">90%</a>), <a href="https://www.leatherusa.org/formaldehyde" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">formaldehyde</a> and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-09075-7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">arsenic</a>, resulting in people working in or living near tanneries suffering from <a href="https://www.kindnessproject.org.au/issues/humanity/tannery-workers/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">health issues</a>, including cancers, skin disease, child developmental issues, and mental health illness. China has '<a href="https://www.kindnessproject.org.au/issues/humanity/tannery-workers/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">cancer villages</a>’ caused by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chinawaterrisk.org/resources/analysis-reviews/leather-time-for-business-unusual/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">heavy metal pollution</a>&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303318604_Spatial_Assessment_of_Cancer_Incidences_and_the_Risks_of_Industrial_Wastewater_Emission_in_China" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">arsenic, lead, mercury and chromium</a>) from the area's tanneries. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Environmental impact of leather</h2>Whether leather is regarded as a by-product, co-product, or sub-product of the meat industry, animal agriculture is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/31/avoiding-meat-and-dairy-is-single-biggest-way-to-reduce-your-impact-on-earth" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">bad</a> for the planet. To turn skin into leather, it must go through <a href="https://sehd.org/leather-industry-environmental-pollution-and-mitigation-measures/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">wasteful and environmentally damaging processes</a>, as “<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337724099_Water_Pollution_Caused_by_Leather_Industry_A_Review#:~:text=The%20leather%20industry%20presents%20a%20unique%20case;%20one,concerns%20regarding%20the%20environmental%20pollution%20to%20water%20sources." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">leather&nbsp;production&nbsp;uses high&nbsp;amounts&nbsp;of&nbsp;chemical&nbsp;agents and&nbsp;water</a>”, resulting in “greenhouse&nbsp;gases, high amounts of solid waste, and high organic loads in the wastewater.” For every metric tonne of rawhide tanned,&nbsp;only 20% is transformed into leather.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">So, can vegans wear second-hand leather?&nbsp;</h2>Like many of life’s questions, there are no binary answers here. In an ideal world, there would be no slaughter and no leather. Still, in a time of austerity and the climate crisis, which is wiping out creatures in the midst of destroying the environment, there are valid points for not throwing away second-hand or vintage leather. And there are valid reasons for not wanting to use any leather.&nbsp; It’s doubtful any vegan would purchase ‘new’ leather, and when it comes to using vintage leather, some vegans use it, and some don’t. <a href="https://veganfoundry.com/author/alexandre93/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Alexandre Valente</a>, from Vegan Foundry, makes a compassionate conclusion on the topic: “Personally, I believe that despite your choice, you should not be judged. Whether you want to wear second-hand leather or not use any leather at all, you’re already making a huge contribution by NOT purchasing brand-new animal products and increasing its demand.” Read more information on <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/the-environmental-impact-of-animal-agriculture" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">the environmental impact of animal agriculture</a> and check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/5-plant-leather-alternatives-for-vegans-and-environmentalists" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">5 plant leather alternatives for vegans and environmentalists</a>.

Second-hand leather jackets on a hanger in a vintage shop

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Can vegans wear second-hand leather? Is leather a byproduct? 

Whether you are new to veganism or whether you are a seasoned veteran, there are always more ways to actively contribute towards the cause. Many of us contemplate resolutions as we start a new year. As we enter 2023,&nbsp;this is a great opportunity to remind ourselves that there is no time like now. Here are some ideas for vegan related resolutions to add to your list.&nbsp;<h2>Get involved in animal rights activism</h2>Non-human animals cannot galvanise their own movement. Therefore, of all the oppressed beings on this planet, they are some of the most in need of allies. The animal rights movement is growing and offers more and more opportunities for individuals to be those allies.&nbsp;&nbsp;Make contact with groups like <a href="https://instagram.com/earthlingsexperiencelondon?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Earthlings Experience</a>, <a href="https://instagram.com/activism.wtf?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">We The Free</a>, <a href="https://instagram.com/we.stand.for.the.animals?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">We Stand For The Animals</a> and <a href="https://instagram.com/anonymousforthevoiceless?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Anonymous for the Voiceless</a>. All of these organisations do street outreach and welcome fellow warriors into the fray. Join vigils at slaughterhouses with the <a href="https://instagram.com/thesavemovement?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Save Movement</a> or the bolder among you, disruption events with organisations like <a href="https://instagram.com/directactioneverywhere?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Direct Action Everywhere</a> are something to consider.&nbsp;&nbsp;The above are only examples of what is on offer should you wish to get more involved in the fight for animal rights. You could even just go at it solo if that is something you’d prefer. Design and print out your own leaflets, organise talks at schools or businesses, etc. Get into rights-based activism by getting creative.&nbsp;<h2>Get active with vegan runners</h2>Getting more exercise is often a goal many strive for at the start of a new year. Running is a great way to get and keep fit.<a href="https://www.veganrunners.org.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);"> Vegan Runners</a> state they are one of the largest and most active vegan communities in the UK. By joining them you’ll connect with other vegans whilst donning one of the group’s signature running vests. This vest also announces to the world that being vegan does not hinder one’s ability in being fit and healthy.&nbsp;<h2>Experiment more in the kitchen</h2>Should you wish to expand your culinary horizons, there are a myriad of vegan recipe books to choose from and an even greater selection of vegan recipes online.<a href="https://www.bosh.tv/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"> </a><a href="https://www.bosh.tv/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">BOSH!</a> is one of the many perfect resources to get you started. Their recipes tend to be relatively easy and more accessible and cater to everyone’s different needs. Their<a href="https://www.bosh.tv/recipes/bangin-bolognese" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"> </a><a href="https://www.bosh.tv/recipes/bangin-bolognese" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Bangin’ Bolognese</a> is a firm favourite here at V-Land UK, so why not give it a try? Another fantastic option is<a href="https://www.avantgardevegan.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"> </a><a href="https://www.avantgardevegan.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Avant-Garde Vegan</a>, but do be warned that the majority of their recipes are for the technically proficient. Should neither of these two recommendations take your fancy, simply search for the recipe of the vegan version of your favourite dish on the world wide web.&nbsp;Many vegan foodies started off their culinary adventure this way and who knows, maybe like some of them, you might just end up publishing your own cookbook too. <h2>Read more books about veganism</h2>Whichever book you prefer - physical, electronic or audio - there is a wide selection to peruse on the topic of veganism.&nbsp;Reading is educational, can positively challenge our world view and help promote mental wellbeing. <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/animal-liberation/peter-singer/9781847923844" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Animal Liberation</a> from Peter Singer was first released in 1975 and is as important today as it was then. The book questions the way we treat non-human animals and has been hugely influential to many over the decades.&nbsp;&nbsp;Another great read is <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/how-not-to-die/michael-greger/gene-stone/9781509852505" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">How Not To Die</a> by Michael Greger. The author provides science based advice on how to use nutrition to prevent lifestyle diseases. Spoiler alert - a whole food plant-based diet is optimal for health.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/this-is-vegan-propaganda/ed-winters/9781785043765" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">This Is Vegan Propaganda: (And Other Lies the Meat Industry Tells You)</a> by Ed Winters is another V-Land UK recommendation. Winters addresses how our dietary choices and exploitation of non-human animals impact the world.&nbsp;There really is no shortage of good literature on the topic of veganism. The sooner you start, the more you can read.&nbsp;<h2>Watch more vegan documentaries/films</h2>If you’re not a book person, documentaries and films will expand your vegan knowledge. The existence of the International Vegan Film Festival is a testament to the variety and quality of the content currently being produced. The annual event ran its 5th year in 2022. Their<a href="https://theivff.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"> </a><a href="https://theivff.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">2022 listing</a> is worth looking at for inspiration. There are also the more mainstream options like <a href="https://www.nationearth.com/#" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Earthlings</a>; <a href="https://www.landofhopeandglory.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Land of Hope and Glory</a> and <a href="https://www.dominionmovement.com/watch" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Dominion</a> - all of which powerfully put the plight of non-humans front and centre. <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80091936" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Okja</a> is a fictional action-adventure Netflix movie that tackles the same subject matter. It’s the story of a young girl who rescues a genetically modified “super pig” from mistreatment at the hands of the meat industry and is most certainly worth the watch.&nbsp;&nbsp;Broader plant-based subjects include health and the environment so there is lots to get to grips with and many angles and perspectives to consider. Grab a friend or two and get watching.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Donate to an animal charity</h2>If you are in a position to do so, make a one-off or regular donation to a reputable animal charity. Most donations made by the British public are allocated to human needs and causes and animal charities are often a second thought.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Most animal sanctuaries are more often than not in desperate need of support. They are the ones who give animals a second chance, but that comes at a financial cost.&nbsp;Even small donations make a difference when added up. Donating shouldn’t be a grand gesture. There is no donation too small. £20 will buy a bale of hay and £35 a bale of straw.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Volunteer at an animal sanctuary</h2>If you’re not in a financial position to donate, but have some time on your hands, volunteering is donating your time. Animal sanctuaries need your donated time as much as they need your donated funds. Looking after the needs of animal residents takes time and effort and hands are often in short supply.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Volunteering for and with animals is also a great way to connect with and acknowledge the individuals who are not considered to be worthy companion animals by our society. These fellow earthlings have their own needs and personalities and we don’t often have the opportunity to be reminded of this. Go and make their home the best it can be and maybe, just maybe, you’ll make a great new friend along the way.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Support your local vegan business and events</h2>Many events feature larger brands, but they mostly give smaller street food and independent vegan businesses an opportunity to showcase their wares and fares. More events are being run across the UK than ever before. Handy resources to find an event closest to you include the<a href="https://www.veganeventsuk.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"> </a><a href="https://www.veganeventsuk.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegan Events UK</a> and<a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/news/events" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"> </a><a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/news/events" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Vegan Society</a> websites.&nbsp;If you are not able to attend such events, remember that small independent businesses are the lifeblood of British highstreets and our local communities. While having more plant-based options available in the mainstream is fantastic, small independent businesses led the way in making veganism accessible. Do try and support local vegan businesses.&nbsp;They very much need our support, particularly in areas where vegans may be in short supply.&nbsp;If you have ideas on how to get more active for the vegan cause in 2023, we would love for you to share them in the comment sections on our social media accounts.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you’re looking for more inspiration to step on the vegan activism ladder, check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/how-your-creative-career-choices-contribute-to-vegan-activism" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">creative career choices that contribute towards activism</a> and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/unique-uk-animal-rights-activism-approaches" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">unique UK animal rights activism approaches</a>.&nbsp;

Group of vegan activists protesting for animal rights holding placards and marching.

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New year, new vegan resolution ideas to add to your list

At V-Land UK we know that our readership consists of vegans and the v-curious. So if you’re thinking of making the change for Veganuary, we provide 10 fabulous reasons to go vegan for January and keep going long after Veganuary ends. <h2>Save water, save the world</h2>A U.N. report entitled “<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239524071_Livestock's_Long_Shadow_Environmental_Issues_and_Options" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Livestock’s Long Shadow</a>” has revealed that&nbsp;“eating meat is one of the most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global”. Thus switching to veganism is a powerful way to help save our planet. For every litre of cow’s milk produced, the global water footprint is 1050 litres! Furthermore, consider the fact that approximately 2400 gallons of water are needed to produce just one pound of beef! The numbers are crazy and unsustainable. Ditching animal products is most certainly the way to go. <h2>Stop the unfair and unethical treatment of animals</h2>Before I turned vegan, I was a vegetarian. I thought I was doing more than enough to help not only the environment but also the horrific treatment of animals. It’s only when you look deeper at how dairy cows are treated that you realise how barbaric dairy farming truly is. Go to<a href="http://www.scarydairy.org.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="http://www.scarydairy.org.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Scary Dairy</a> to see how consuming dairy products violates moral codes. Bottom line – dairy is not good for you or the planet. It’s only good for calves.&nbsp; <h2>It may help you reach your ideal weight</h2>The caloric density of animal products can cause people to exceed their energy balance and put on weight and potentially contribute to other health issues. Loading our plates with veggies, pulses and all the good stuff can help drop the pounds as they tend to be nutrient-dense but not calorically dense and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20096093/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">often have</a> higher levels of antioxidants than animal products. If you have trouble with or don’t like veggies, blend them into a pasta, chilli sauce or soup - that way you’ll still get all the health benefits.&nbsp; <h2>Vegan doesn’t mean expensive</h2>If you’re cutting meat out of your diet, you’re not only helping the planet but you’re also helping your bank account. Vegetables are cheaper than steak or prawns. Buying from a local market or trader is cheaper and contributes towards the local economy. You could also look at buying more expensive products like seeds and nuts in bulk either online or at a discount supermarket. Eating whole foods plant-based isn’t only cheaper, but healthier - something your health, waistline and your wallet will thank you for. <h2>Help end world hunger</h2>The amount of crops and water it takes to raise animals for food is astonishing. It takes up to 13 pounds of grain to produce only 1 pound of meat. That grain would be better used by distributing it for human consumption. Eating meat not only destroys the planet and your health, but it is hurting others. One in nine people in the world are undernourished but still a third of our global crop production goes towards the production of meat products. By ending this we could help in reducing needless hunger as we are able to grow more crops for people and not for livestock. <h2>Help prevent and alleviate certain lifestyle diseases</h2>Research has proven that a plant-based diet can help alleviate the symptoms of chronic conditions such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31552259/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">arthritis</a>. It can also help prevent and treat life-threatening diseases such as <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/can-a-plant-based-diet-help-prevent-and-treat-type-2-diabetes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">diabetes</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5466936/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">heart disease</a>.&nbsp; <h2>Avoid hidden nasties</h2>There’s no polite way to say this but animal flesh can be contaminated with faeces, blood and puss. A <a href="https://www.food.gov.uk/research/antimicrobial-resistance/a-microbiological-survey-of-campylobacter-contamination-in-fresh-whole-uk-produced-chilled-chickens-at-retail-sale-y6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">study</a> done by The Food Standards Agency detected Campylobacter spp. in 59.6% of the chicken skin samples obtained from non-major retailer shops. Campylobacter app. are the most common bacterial cause of foodborne illness in the UK, with chicken considered to be the most important vehicle for this organism. That is a whole lot of NOPE from us! <h2>It’s easier than it’s ever been</h2>Britain’s vegan population has increased from 150,000 to 542,000 in the space of just a decade. It’s become easier and easier to find vegan food in supermarkets and on restaurant menus. We don’t recommend eating faux products too often as these can be highly processed, but they do make the transition a lot easier.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>A whole new culinary adventure</h2>It’s easy to fall into a cooking rut when using meat and dairy. Cooking vegan food forces you to get creative. The vibrant colours of vegan food can be exotic and adventurous. There are thousands of edible plants to work with and culinary techniques have grown with the vegan movement. Who would have thought that the best vegan cheese is made from nuts, or that an omelette can be made from beans? The possibilities are endless.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>A new community</h2>Like with all changes in life, when going vegan, you will encounter some push back. Not everyone in your circle of friends and family will understand your decision. Fortunately, the vegan movement is large and still growing. There are plenty of people who have walked the path you are on and who are able to support you and shower you with patience and understanding. There are vast amounts of social media groups dedicated to veganism, so you are bound to make new friends and become part of a community that gets you when others don’t.&nbsp;&nbsp; Want to know more about the financial side of veganism? Find out if it really is cheaper <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-on-a-budget-is-it-really-cheaper" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">here</a>.

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10 fabulous reasons to go vegan in the New Year

Spending time with friends and family at Christmas is often the best part about it - until they find out you’re vegan. Unless you’re having a completely vegan Christmas, you will likely be surrounded by your non-vegan loved ones and everything they have to say. Telling someone that you’re a vegan is often like playing a really strange game of roulette, you just don’t know how they are going to act. You’d think in a world with so many different diets, from gluten-free to halal, that veganism would be far better understood than it seems to be. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case and while you’ll experience some positive reactions when you tell people you’re a vegan, they can really vary. Not only is it such a food-centric time of year, it’s also a time when you are likely seeing friends and family that you haven’t seen for a while. Unlike those closest to you, they probably don’t know that you’re vegan and you’ll have to have the same conversation over and over again.&nbsp; Despite your <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/why-go-vegan" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">reasons</a> being the same - going vegan for the animals, <a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/vegan-diet-environmental-carbon-impact" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">planet</a>, your <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vegan-diet-benefits" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">health</a> (or all three) - the other person’s reaction will vary depending on who you’re talking to. While every reaction will be unique, there are some that are certainly more common. Here are the types of people you’ll meet this Christmas as a vegan. <h2>The coercer</h2>No matter how long you’ve been living a vegan lifestyle, there is always a loved one that is trying to get you to step outside the lines of plant-based eating. From the innocent “oh it did have meat on it but I picked it off for you” to the wicked “oh you can have one egg, what’s one egg?!” Though this can be frustrating, it’s important to understand that this usually comes from a place of caring. These individuals enjoy eating these foods and truly think that you’re missing out when you don’t want to partake in eating them too. How to deal with this: politely decline each time and explain <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/why-go-vegan#:~:text=Preventing%20the%20exploitation%20of%20animals,right%20to%20life%20and%20freedom." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">why</a> you’re vegan to help them understand. <h2>The concerned</h2>This type of loved one is an offshoot of the coercer. They will likely equally try and get you to indulge in non-vegan food and drinks but from a slightly different place. Instead of just wanting to share their favourite thing to eat and drink with you at Christmas, this individual is concerned for your health, often based on misinformation surrounding meat and dairy products. In most cultures, including here in the UK, it’s not common practice to discuss the negative implications of someone's diet. However, the meat and dairy industry have pushed the idea of these products being both beneficial and even vital for human health.&nbsp; This has been disputed countless times in recent years, with many studies finding that animal products aren’t only unnecessary for a <a href="https://www.peta.org/about-peta/faq/dont-we-need-to-eat-meat-and-dairy-products-to-be-healthy/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">healthy</a> lifestyle but can actually have much more of a negative impact. It’s important to remember that this individual probably just cares about you and wants you to be as healthy as possible. Unfortunately, their idea of what makes up a healthy diet may be a little misguided. How to deal with this: acknowledging their concern is certainly the most important move to make when coming across these people at Christmas. However, if possible, letting them know the benefits of a vegan diet may not only set their mind at ease but also open their mind up to a different way of eating. <h2>The confused</h2>Though many people in your life may be confused as to why you are vegan, in this case the confused refers to those individuals who just don’t understand what being a vegan means. Whether it’s being confused with vegetarianism with the occasional “but you can have halloumi right?” or those that think it’s such a restrictive diet and question every food you come across “can you eat bread? What about apples? Are brussel sprouts vegan?” How to deal with this: though you might find the barrage of questions a bit much, this is actually a great opportunity to open up the conversation and discuss veganism. After being asked what you do and don’t eat, going into the why can really help them understand this way of living and why it’s so important. <h2>The carnist</h2>Probably the most difficult members of your family at Christmas. The carnist reaction itself can take many forms. From the hedonistic “I eat meat because it tastes good” to the appeal to nature “tigers eat meat”. While it’s natural to want to argue that their physiology differs quite a bit from that of a <a href="https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/features/are-humans-designed-to-eat-meat/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">carnivore</a>, in these cases, it’s probably best to not engage in a heated debate over the not-so vegan Christmas dinner table.&nbsp;Part of going against the grain with something like a vegan diet is understanding that some people are so far removed from your belief system, that it’s not worth the hassle of trying to get them to see the other side of things. How to deal with this: keep conversation surrounding food as limited as possible and change the subject if needed.&nbsp; <h2>The curious</h2>This is arguably the best type of loved one to come across during the Christmas period. The curious want to know about veganism and are likely coming to you as a source of knowledge in some way. Having this mindset means they are not only comfortable with your choice but want to know more about it for themselves. Conversations with this type of person can range from anything, whether that’s animal welfare, <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/best-sources-protein-vegans" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">plant-based protein sources</a> or vegan Christmas treats.&nbsp; How to deal with this: using this chance to answer as many questions as they have can really help them on their own journey towards veganism and is a nice break from dealing with the family members above. There is no doubt about it, being vegan stirs up a variety of reactions from people and it’s clear why. When you’re doing something that is making a difference, highlights injustice and presents a level of self-control not usually found in today’s food culture, it’s bound to rub some people up the wrong way.&nbsp; Though you meet these people all year round, it can be much more common at Christmas, with different sides of families all coming together for this special time of year. Understanding that you’ll have to deal with these individuals at some point and knowing you won’t convince everyone, the most important step to take before sitting down at the dinner table with your nut roast. How about checking out our <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-christmas-dinner-ideas-that-everyone-can-enjoy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan Christmas dinner ideas that everyone can enjoy</a> and if you are being extra last-minute we come to your salvation with our guide to <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/impress-your-office-with-these-vegan-secret-santa-gifts-under-10" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">impressing your office with vegan secret santa gifts under £10</a>.

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5 types of family members that a vegan can face at Christmas

In a few months, I will have officially been vegan for half of my life. I have lived the entirety of that life in a rural area, where the concept of veganism still seems unfathomable to most people. For anyone who didn’t grow up in the country, let me just say that things are… different here. People, in general, tend to be less open-minded, and whatever progress is happening in the rest of the world always reaches us last. Hunting and fishing are still favorite pastimes, and a fair number of people still make their living by raising animals for food.&nbsp; When I first went vegan for the animals, I knew not a single other person who was, and it was hard not to feel utterly alone. It felt like the entire world was blind to the suffering of nonhuman animals, and the inherent value of their lives. I knew there were others out there who felt the way that I did, but my experience of them was limited to reading about them online. I finally did meet a few other people who were vegan for the animals too, but the thought that those of us who cared about animal rights were doomed to remain a tiny minority was an ever-present shadow hanging over my head.&nbsp; The first time I remember feeling like we might truly have a chance at changing the world for the better was when I attended an event, at an animal sanctuary, called <a href="https://www.farmsanctuary.org/events/acton-celebration-for-the-turkeys/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Celebration For the Turkeys</a>. This is an annual event that takes place around the holidays for many vegans as an alternative to the traditional holiday dinner. The idea is that, rather than being terrorized, slaughtered, and commodified, these beautiful creatures are appreciated and treated with respect and reverence. Vegan versions of holiday foods are set out on picnic tables and the sanctuary’s resident turkeys are allowed to help themselves, as the human guests look on.&nbsp; Despite having lived so long in a place where farming animals was common practice, I’d had very little opportunity to observe any of these animals, in a safe and comfortable setting. I was amazed at the difference I could see in each individual. Their unique personalities were obvious, even from a distance. I could look into their eyes and see the souls residing within. I knew, in that moment, that no matter how difficult and heartbreaking it might be, I was doing the right thing. These wonderful beings were worth fighting for, even if it often felt like I was fighting alone.&nbsp; What was even more amazing to me than the turkeys themselves, were the other humans in attendance. For the first time in my life, I was surrounded by people who truly cared for animals that the rest of the world considered nothing more than products to be consumed. I looked around me and saw the emotions in the faces of my fellow spectators; some were smiling, some laughing, some had tears in their eyes. I knew, without a doubt, that everyone else there was feeling the same thing I was. They were looking at these turkeys, who could have so easily ended up as someone’s dinner, and reveling in the fact that would never happen to them. We were all experiencing the turkeys’ joy and contentment as if it were our own, and we were seeing that a world in which humans and other animals live in peace was possible. I would recommend anyone, vegan or not, attend an event like this, if at all possible. It will, without a doubt, change your perspective on the world, humanity, and our relationship to nonhuman animals. For me, it was the first time in a very long time that the holidays truly felt like something to celebrate.&nbsp; If you’d like to participate in fun Christmas activities this year that are centered around helping animals there are many animal sanctuaries that are open over Christmas. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hopefieldanimalsanctuary/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Hopefield Animal Sanctuary</a> in Essex have their annual <a href="https://hopefield.org.uk/page/a-magical-christmas-experience" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Magical Christmas Experience</a>, <a href="http://www.instagram.com/towerhillstables" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Tower Hill Stables</a> have a <a href="https://www.towerhillstables.org/turkeys-in-need" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Turkeys in Need</a> awareness program and welcome people to <a href="https://www.towerhillstables.org/sponsor-a-turkey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">sponsor a turkey</a> for Christmas, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dean_farm_trust/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Dean Farm Trust</a> in Kent have their <a href="https://deanfarmtrust.org.uk/events-visits/sanctuary-christmas-drop-in/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Christmas Drop In</a>. You could purchase items from a <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/1HPPLOMNL4KWM?ref_=wl_share" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">sanctuary wishlist</a>, or <a href="https://shop.hillside.org.uk/gifts/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">order festive animal greeting cards</a> from animal sanctuaries to help give them a helping hand over the holidays, or save an animal this Christmas by adopting an animal from a local shelter, or <a href="https://www.battersea.org.uk/support-us/fostering/fostering-dogs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">fostering a dog</a> over the holidays.&nbsp; Check out these amazing <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/animal-sanctuaries-to-support-across-the-uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">animal sanctuaries to support in the UK</a> too. However you decide to celebrate the festivities this year, we hope the animals in your lives have a happy festive season and a very merry Christmas.

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Vegan for the animals: Happy turkey-free festive season 

Part and parcel of living a vegan lifestyle means making active choices everyday to avoid what has, for so long, been deemed by society as ‘the norm’. Choosing not to eat animal products, not buying products that are tested on animals nor contributing money to fund other attempts at animal cruelty, we play our own personal part in reducing demand for these options.&nbsp; For those in creative careers, and in particular freelancers, there is another step that we can take towards making active decisions in breaking down these societal ‘norms’, simply by excluding work that involves exploitation of animals. To preface this, we understand that for many, turning down work because of moral misalignment with clients isn’t always an option - someone’s gotta pay the bills! But if you are financially in a position where you can be more selective with which clients and projects you choose to work on, there are a few things you might want to think about next time a new project pops into your inbox. We first heard of this idea when Illustrator, Activist and YouTuber, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hollyexley_illustration/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Holly Exley</a>, stated in a Youtube video that she will no longer be illustrating meat. In an <a href="https://us.laurenceking.com/blogs/blog/holly-exley" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">interview with Laurence King Publishing</a>, she explained ‘Food illustration is an area of expertise within my business so it wasn't something I undertook lightly… I care deeply about animals and the environment and painting meat started to make me feel uneasy.’ And it makes total sense - if you have chosen a lifestyle that actively excludes animal exploitation, then why would you want to promote it through the artwork you’re creating? It could be an illustration for a recipe or an article that focuses on meat products, which you may feel uncomfortable illustrating if it encourages someone to go out and support animal exploitation. There are, however, instances where you may be able to reframe what the illustration is to you; for example, illustrating a cake or strawberries and cream or even a glass of milk could be interpreted as using vegan ingredients! And this doesn’t just apply to illustration - whatever kind of creative industry you work in, it could also depend on the clients you choose to work with. For example, choosing not to work with supermarket brands that produce animal products, or fashion companies that create leather goods - the list goes on. This could apply to designers in particular, or photographers who choose not to work for certain brands or use certain animal products in their photos.&nbsp;These are all subtle yet effective forms of vegan activism that can help to align your work with your dietary and lifestyle morals. ﻿If you’re interested in learning more about art and activism, check out our article on <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/art-as-activism-vegan-artists-to-follow-on-instagram" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan artists you should follow on</a><a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/art-as-activism-vegan-artists-to-follow-on-instagram" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"> </a>Instagram. Literature also has a huge role to play in changing perceptions of animals, check out our interview with Midge Raymond on <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/writing-for-animals-changing-perceptions-through-linguistics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Writing for Animals</a>.

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How your creative career choices contribute to vegan activism

Investing is usually seen as a word which scares many people and is often associated with the movie The Wolf of Wall Street with Leo, screaming brokers, selling and buying shares and using ‘complicated’ words.&nbsp; According to Investopedia: “Investing is putting money to work for a period of time in some sort of project or undertaking in order to generate positive returns (i.e., profits that exceed the amount of the initial investment)”.&nbsp; <h2>Where to start?</h2>If investing in stocks it is always best to first research the type of investment, evaluate the risk and decide on the amount of money to bring into the market. You could also ask your bank if they could link you with an investment advisor to discuss your preferences and projects. Before you decide to invest, think about your investment goals/strategy even if it’s a very small one, i.e. if you want quick returns or long term. It may be smart to start small and to expand your portfolio later, once you feel more comfortable. Read the latest annual reports of the companies. Make sure to check its financials, strategy, evolution, etc. Also, screen the history of share prices for different periods and Google search for significant changes to see why the price went down or up in the past. This would help you to have a more insightful conversation with your financial advisor as well. <h2>Vegan stocks</h2>On its own, the vegan market theoretically is bigger than you think. It naturally includes veggies, fruits, legumes and even wood and other materials that have no animal provenance or are not tested on animals, nor harming them. In 2022 May, <a href="https://foodinstitute.com/focus/bloomberg-boosts-10-year-plant-based-market-forecast-to-166-billion/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Bloomberg forecasted the plant-based alternatives market to rise to USD $166 billion</a>. It estimated plant-based alternatives for milk to rise 7% by 2031 and meat alternatives by 7.2% if we take the fast growth vs respectively 5% &amp; 4.4% growth for the base scenario. As senior analyst of Bloomberg Jennifer Bartashus notes: “There are three main catalysts on both the supply and demand side of the equation that will help differentiate plant-based alternatives as a long-term trend versus a fad.” <a href="https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/7-best-vegan-stocks-to-buy-now" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Here are some suggestions by Nasdaq</a> for the top vegan stocks to buy published in July 2022. And in case you are looking for some more publicly traded vegan companies you may refer to pages such as <a href="https://www.vegpreneur.org/vegan-stocks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegpreneur, VeFAQ</a> or <a href="https://www.thestockdork.com/vegan-stocks/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Stock Dork</a> and many more. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1668778269/Penny_trees_12d1cc646f.png" alt="piles of coins growing in height with a ‘money tree’ growing out of the top of each pile">Arthon meekodong via Canva Pro <h2>Green, responsible or sustainable investing&nbsp;</h2>First of all,&nbsp;green funds do not especially mean really sustainable or vegan. You might have heard of the term greenwashing. <a href="https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/10946-greenwashing.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">As Business News daily describes</a>: “Greenwashing is&nbsp;when an organisation spends more time and money on marketing itself as environmentally friendly than on actually minimising its environmental impact.”&nbsp; To give a better example, imagine you go to your bank advisor and ask them for the sustainable investment options. You will definitely get at least a few choices and most probably it will be a fund which will have a wonderful illustration of saving water, alternative energy, no arms policy, etc. But once you dig deeper you might be surprised to find that inside these funds there could be companies which are major plastic waste producers or are highly involved in forest destruction yet doing one thing ‘right’, such as applying a new policy of cleaning water. This may be highlighted as ‘green activity’ even though in the sustainability balance sheet sustainable activities take a significantly lower percentage than the polluting or destructive ones. Therefore, not so long ago the world was reading about German law enforcement officials raiding the offices of <a href="https://fortune.com/company/deutsche-bank" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Deutsche Bank</a> on suspicion of the fraudulent advertising of sustainable investment funds at its DWS unit. The reported €459 billion AUM (asset under management) with ESG integration was greatly exaggerated. A total of €100 to 150 billion was more realistic. So again you might wish to check carefully.&nbsp; To sum up, there are so many options and ways to invest in veganism, yet do not forget that investing is way broader than the stock market, bonds, obligations, real estate, small/big business or start-ups. It could be a non-monetary investment such as an investment in future, health and self-development. While going through your life you are constantly exposed to non-monetary investments: primarily time and energy. Invest in society and yourself.&nbsp;If you enjoyed this article and want to learn more about vegan investing you will love our article about how <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/how-vegan-friendly-investments-are-changing-industries" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan friendly investments are changing industries</a>. If you are trying to get your vegan business off the ground check out our interview with David and Lisa from the Vegan Business Tribe about <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/help-your-business-thrive-with-vegan-business-tribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">how to help your business thrive</a>. Disclaimer: Please note that this article is not targeted to advise people on their investment decisions yet more of an oversight based on research about sustainable/vegan investment options in the market. If you want to invest please refer to a financial advisor or a specialist for more specific advice.

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Vegan stocks and investing: What are the options?

Some <a href="https://theeverydaymagazine.co.uk/food-1/is-veganism-only-for-the-rich" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">people</a> mistakenly believe that a vegan lifestyle is one that is only accessible to the middle and upper classes, or to those who are rich and privileged. This is based on the idea that factors other than ‘price’ are at stake when comparing the cost of a diet: such factors include time, effort, education, and difficulty. It is true that adopting a vegan lifestyle in an omnivorous world can be difficult - to do so is to accept that one forms part of a minority rather than part of a majority. It does involve reeducation, readjustment and effort. However, the key factor that shoppers consider before and after arriving at the checkout - especially during a cost of living crisis - is price. And by the metric of price, is it not true that plants have always been cheaper than meat, and that, by extension, a vegan diet is cheaper than an omnivorous one?&nbsp; The short answer: it depends. The long answer? A vegan shopping basket need not be any more expensive than one belonging to an omnivore. Cheap vegan food is everywhere to be found. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Is vegan food expensive?</h2>Recent <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-11-11-sustainable-eating-cheaper-and-healthier-oxford-study" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">research</a> from the University of Oxford suggested that it is possible to reduce the cost of a food shop by up to one third by adopting a vegan diet. Furthermore, an Ipsos Mori <a href="https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2018-09/an_exploration_into_diets_around_the_world.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">study</a> in 2018 generated similar findings: according to their results, lower income households were more likely than medium or high income households to adopt a flexitarian diet, whereas higher income households tended to adopt more omnivorous diets. In other words, those with less disposable income not only know that ditching meat and dairy is more wallet-friendly, but they also put this into practice. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">But is being vegan on a budget realistic?</h2>The previous studies do not necessarily paint a comprehensive picture. Notably, the Oxford study did not take into account the cost of meat and dairy alternatives. A 2022 <a href="https://www.vouchercodes.co.uk/savings-guides/guides-reports/food-spend-report" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Food Spend Report</a> that did account for this found contrasting results: it estimated that vegans were actually spending 28% more on groceries than the national average. This report also suggested that the average shopper spends about £21 a month on meat, whilst those following a vegan diet supposedly spend roughly £35 a month on meat substitutes. A possible explanation for such findings, borrowing Andrew Anthony’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/10/from-fringe-to-mainstream-how-millions-got-a-taste-for-going-vegan" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">eloquent words</a>, is that veganism is undergoing a “gastronomic revolution”, leaving in its wake the ascetic image of simple vegan abstinence of days gone by. With ever-growing options for alternative meat and dairy products - and a market expected to be worth <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1280394/global-plant-based-food-market-value/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">$160 billion by 2030</a> in the US alone - vegans of the 2020s increasingly enjoy an abundance of choice when they arrive at the supermarket, the local fast-food joint, or even the great British pub. It is perhaps unsurprising that vegans are spending more money to sample the vast swathes of new alternative products. The large and growing range of new options especially benefits vegans who are new to the diet - a demographic of considerable size. Ipsos Mori’s <a href="https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2018-09/an_exploration_into_diets_around_the_world.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">study</a> estimated that only 34% of vegans had been following the diet for 2 years or more, demonstrating that a large section of the community are newcomers who are likely to opt for the familiar textures and flavours of plant based meat alternatives, perhaps even regardless of their price. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1668777841/Pig_in_trolley_e733f9db62.png" alt="Sezeryadigar/Getty Images Signature via Canva Pro">Sezeryadigar/Getty Images Signature via Canva Pro <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Is vegan food cheaper in the cost of living crisis?</h2>The cost of living crisis affects all consumers, albeit unequally. This is no more apparent than in the dairy sector. Bloomberg recently <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-01/cow-s-milk-becomes-pricier-than-non-dairy-alternatives-in-uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">announced</a> that plant based milks were gradually becoming as cheap as, if not cheaper than, cow’s milk. Citing data gathered by Assosia - which looked at own brand milks across four of the UK’s main supermarkets - Bloomberg found that the price of cow’s milk had jumped by 36% between Jan-Oct 2022, coming in at £1.10 per litre, whereas soya and almond were priced at £1.07 and £1.05 per litre respectively. Data from the <a href="https://www.trolley.co.uk/grocery-price-index/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Grocery Price Index 2021-2022</a> (GPI) corroborate these findings, showing that while cow’s milk had increased by 29.5%, soya, almond, and oat milk had only increased by 17.6%, 8.3%, and 6.7% respectively. Moreover, the GPI provides further data to suggest that vegan products are experiencing lower rates of inflation than products from the animal agriculture industries. Vegan mayo experienced a 7.3% rise; ‘standard’ mayo increased by 15.6%. Beef mince (15.4%), chicken breasts (19.4%), and eggs (14.1%) all rose significantly, whereas tofu (8.5%), lentils (7.4%), and vegan sausages (8.8%) rose by much less. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Cost of living: Can vegans get cheap protein?</h2>Using recent data from trips to the Co-op, Brendan Montague at The Ecologist provided a promising <a href="https://theecologist.org/2022/sep/01/vegan-cost-living-crisis" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">analysis</a> of protein content against price, across various vegan and non-vegan products. He found that per £1, at the top end, dried split lentils provided 69g of protein, peanut butter provided 26g, and mushy peas provided 22g. For non-vegan products at the top end, semi-skimmed milk provided 24g, chicken breasts provided 21g, and tinned mackerel provided 18g. These findings go some way towards showing that basic vegan foods can get you more protein for a lower cost than both meat substitutes and various meat and dairy products. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Have the days of rice and beans returned?</h2>Overall, the picture looks quite positive for the vegan community. It is clear that while a vegan diet containing few meat and dairy substitutes can help to reduce a shopper’s spend, this may prove difficult for new-ish vegans, for whom the familiarity of new plant based alternatives to meat serve an important purpose. That said, vegan products are encountering weaker rates of inflation, which bodes well for the community as the UK approaches a likely recession. As purse strings tighten, it may be time to say a temporary farewell to some of the <a href="https://www.juicymarbles.com/eu/shop/thick-cut-filet" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">more expensive vegan alternatives</a>, but the current economic situation should by no means deter vegans from enjoying their cheaper lifestyle. To get you started on your eating well for less journey check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/8-cupboard-staples-every-vegan-should-have" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">8 cupboard staples every vegan should have</a>. If you are looking for an easy and relatively cheap vegan meal while out and about read <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-meal-deals-for-lunch-on-the-go" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan meal deals for lunch on the go</a>.

Young girl in a pink top counting piles of coins that have been taken out of her pink piggy bank next to her

Feature Image

Vegan on a budget: Is it really cheaper?

Bang. Another intrusion of fireworks. A dog, your local fox, a noise-sensitive human are scared, anxious and stressed. It’s not only bonfire night or New Year’s Eve when gunpowder shoots into the sky; the rise of fireworks throughout the year significantly harms animals, people and the environment.&nbsp; UK petitions calling for restrictions on the sale and use of fireworks by the general public have attracted around <a href="https://houseofcommons.shorthandstories.com/petitionsfireworks/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">750,000 signatures</a>. After three debates in Westminster Hall, MPs on the <a href="https://houseofcommons.shorthandstories.com/petitionsfireworks/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Petitions Committee</a> stated that the Government “had no intention of changing legislation leaving those who signed the petition feeling frustrated and ignored.” Many people believe an <a href="https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/600644" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">outright ban</a> of fireworks is in order if the UK is serious about climate change and preventing harm to wildlife.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Are fireworks vegan?</h2>Fireworks contain stearic acid to increase their shelf-life. <a href="https://ailuna.com/are-fireworks-vegan/#:~:text=From%20the%20research%20I%E2%80%99ve%20done%2C%20most%20fireworks%20do,but%20is%20much%20more%20commonly%20derived%20from%20animals." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Stearic acid</a> is a long-chain fatty acid that can be sourced from plants but is much more commonly derived from animals, so most fireworks are not vegan.&nbsp; Does that mean plant-based fireworks are cruelty-free? The Vegan Society <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/definition-veganism" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">defines veganism</a> as excluding “all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.” Fireworks can emit sounds of up to <a href="https://www.animal-ethics.org/how-fireworks-harm-nonhuman-animals/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">190 decibels</a>, which can lead to hearing loss, especially for animals that have sensitive hearing, such as dogs; fireworks are an <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8471139" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">intense experience for them</a>. “This may mean heart rate increase, adrenaline rush, and a burst of stress hormones.” Bees become <a href="https://www.nxtaltfoods.com/news/articles/private-companies/are-fireworks-vegan-friendly-a-case-for-a-ban-on-fireworks/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">disoriented</a> and cannot find their hives. Birds have panic attacks and die. Wild animals raising babies abandon their dens. Fish die from ingesting firework debris.&nbsp; Wild animals are especially at risk from firecrackers that explode near them as they are poisonous and release harmful particles such as fine dust (<a href="https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/air-pollution-during-new-years-fireworks-and-daily-mortality-in-t" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">PM10</a>) that is toxic to inhale. 26% of New Zealand equine keepers <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4810048/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">reported horse injuries</a> from fireworks. Being unpredictable flight animals, horses react to loud noises and flashing lights, potentially resulting in severe accidents for the horse and handler. As it is apparent that sudden loud noise and toxicity of fireworks induce trauma and harm to animals, releasing fireworks cannot be vegan. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Are fireworks discriminatory?&nbsp;</h2>The Petition select committee <a href="https://houseofcommons.shorthandstories.com/petitionsfireworks/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">expressed concern</a> for “substantial adverse effects on people with an extensive range of health conditions and disabilities”, including people with “autistic spectrum disorders and people with hearing problems like hyperacusis”. More than half of young people with autism have <a href="https://www.embs.org/pulse/articles/fireworks-autism-and-animals/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">sensory over-responsivity</a> (SOR), an extremely adverse reaction to sensory stimuli. Loud and sudden noise can also trigger people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including military veterans and people with dementia.&nbsp; Discrimination is “the <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/racism-bias-discrimination/types-stress" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">unjust or prejudicial treatment</a> of different categories of people.” Fireworks cause harm to vulnerable members of society and so, by definition, discriminate. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/discrimination-your-rights/how-you-can-be-discriminated-against" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 176, 80);">Gov.org</a> recognises indirect discrimination as “putting rules or arrangements in place that apply to everyone, but that put someone with a protected characteristic at an unfair disadvantage.” One could argue that someone with PTSD, dementia or autism (all protected disabilities under the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/definition-of-disability-under-equality-act-2010" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Equality Act 2010</a>) and who is subjected to loud and intrusive noise from fireworks, is at an unfair disadvantage. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Are fireworks bad for the environment?</h2><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1352231020302843" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Studies in China</a> show a significant spike in air pollution after midnight New Year’s Eve firework displays. While fireworks are brief, they leave “extraordinarily high levels of airborne particulate matter,” resulting in stringent regulations around fireworks to prevent health and environmental impact in China. &nbsp; A <a href="https://doaj.org/article/15dcc410129f4ba2ac42bb9749f06c43" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">study</a> over a city during Diwali in India proved high toxicity levels due to burning firecrackers and fireworks, which inject aerosols into the atmosphere and cause radioactivity. The reported values were “three to four times higher than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards”. Studies conducted during Guy Fawkes night in London showed airborne matter <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es1016284" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">exceeded regulatory limit values</a>, which can increase respiratory issues.&nbsp;Attempts to produce environmentally friendly fireworks have backfired; according to a review by <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349770037_Are_Environmentally_Friendly_Fireworks_Really_Green_for_Air_Quality_A_Study_from_the_2019_National_Day_Fireworks_Display_in_Shenzhen#:~:text=However%2C%20due%20to%20a%20large%20number%20of%20fireworks,that%20environmentally%20friendly%20fireworks%20are%20not%20actually%20%22green%22." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The American Chemical Society</a>, “due to a large number of fireworks used, the air quality is still significantly deteriorated.” So, are fireworks bad for the environment? Yes, they contribute to radioactivity and pollution, which also impact health.&nbsp;&nbsp; ﻿<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1667216597/Firework_20fdba50bb.png" alt="A collection of yellow fireworks about to be lit">Justin Smith/Getty Images via Canva Pro <h2>Dangerous to manufacture&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>Employees manufacturing fireworks are working with dangerous substances. In the year 2000, a disaster occurred in the Netherlands where a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17516012/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">firework factory exploded</a> in Enschede, resulting in the death of 22 people, injuring over 500 people and destroying 1000 houses. Other studies from Enschede documented a rise in psychological problems due to the disaster.&nbsp; <h2>The law and why Government won’t ban fireworks</h2>The law in the UK takes a laissez-faire stance on acquiring and setting off fireworks. It is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.uk/fireworks-the-law" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">legal&nbsp;in the UK</a> for consumers over eighteen to purchase and let off fireworks from licensed sellers any time of the year without requiring licensing or training (note: <a href="https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/fireworks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Northern Ireland</a> has different rules). Notifying neighbours is <a href="https://www.ukfr.com/firework-laws-regulations" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">not a legal requirement</a>, which means fewer opportunities for people to enact preventive measures.&nbsp; The rationale for the Government not banning the sale of fireworks included favouring commerciality over the harm caused, backed by the <a href="https://houseofcommons.shorthandstories.com/petitionsfireworks/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">fireworks industry</a>. Some community groups argued that their displays raised funds for local causes; however, there are safer and more environmentally friendly alternatives, such as <a href="https://laserfire.uk/laser-light-show/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">laser light shows</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Government has circumvented the issues raised by petitions by reiterating that fireworks must “have safety warnings on the label”, putting the onus of safety on individuals rather than stopping the problem at the source. They even go as far as <a href="https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/599738" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">blaming the weather</a> for the increased dispersion of pollutants. Unreassuringly they will be “engaging with Local Authorities and animal welfare organisations to better understand what specific issues they face”, despite animal welfare groups raising their specific concerns for some time.&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">What can you do to keep your loved ones safe?&nbsp;</h2>Fireworks cause trauma to creatures and humans, rendering them cruel. They are not vegan, directly (what they are made from) and indirectly (harm they cause), and discriminate against vulnerable societal groups. Check out practical guides for <a href="https://thefurbearers.com/blog/keeping-animals-safe-when-fireworks-are-used/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">keeping animals safe</a>, <a href="https://patient.info/news-and-features/managing-ptsd-during-fireworks-season" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">managing PTSD</a> over firework season,&nbsp;<a href="https://patient.info/news-and-features/how-to-help-your-autistic-child-cope-with-bonfire-night#:~:text=%22Simple%20changes%2C%20like%20agreeing%20a%20plan%20for%20the,television%2C%20can%20help%20to%20ease%20stress%20and%20anxiety." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">helping autistic children cope</a>, and <a href="https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/blog/dementia-fireworks-bonfire-night" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">supporting a person with dementia</a>.&nbsp; What can you do to reduce fireworks? If someone you know is privately considering using them, suggest alternative ways to celebrate with inclusive practices. Write to your <a href="https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">local MP</a> and state your concerns regarding fireworks scheduled in your area.&nbsp; For more on fighting climate change read <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/unearth-the-carbon-footprint-of-your-dinner-with-the-floop-app-launching-today" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">unearth the carbon footprint of your dinner with The Floop app: Launching today</a>, and get inspired by <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vg-coffee-the-power-of-starting-a-petition" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">VG Coffee: The power of starting a petition</a>.

Beautiful, extravagant, multicoloured firework display 

Fireworks

Are fireworks vegan? Should they go out with a bang?

A nod to the worm that nourishes your soil. Gardening is a great way to get close to ecosystems bustling with wildlife. It improves wellbeing, provides food, and its growing popularity has meant that councils are <a href="https://www.localgov.co.uk/Councils-reducing-allotment-sizes-as-demand-rises/54879" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">reducing the size</a> of allotments to ease waiting lists.&nbsp; Unfortunately, horticulture isn’t often cruelty-free or vegan, and animal agriculture causes <a href="https://climatenexus.org/climate-issues/food/animal-agricultures-impact-on-climate-change/#:~:text=Animal%20agriculture%20is%20the%20second%20largest%20contributor%20to,the%20Earth%E2%80%99s%20finite%20land%2C%20water%20and%20energy%20resources." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">global deforestation</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/news/blog/how-be-better-vegan-garden" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: rgb(250, 251, 247); color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Fertiliser toxins</a> can be fatal to insects and smaller animals, and compost typically uses bone meal, fish bones or faeces, which encourages animal husbandry.&nbsp; Award-winning garden journalist Matthew Appleby recognises that many gardeners are unaware of the harmful impact non-veganic methods&nbsp;have on the environment, animals or their health: “<a href="https://www.southwestfarmer.co.uk/news/17379188.gardening-expert-committed-vegan-matthew-appleby-shares-top-tips/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">they may not know their gardening, and growing their own is part of the problem</a>.” Luckily, an abundance of <a href="https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Super-Organic-Gardener-Paperback/p/15572" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: rgb(250, 251, 247); color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">advice</a> is available to help garden veganically. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">What is veganic gardening?&nbsp;</h2>Veganic gardening avoids chemicals and animal products or derivatives. Vegan gardening harmonises with nature and <a href="https://www.sustainableharboroughcommunity.co.uk/post/organic-gardening-encourage-biodiversity" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">encourages biodiversity</a>, ensuring wildlife is not damaged. Non-veganic processes erode natural symbiosis, which can lead to unhealthy ecosystems.&nbsp;Veganic processes differ from traditional methods as they discourage tilling or digging soil as it “essentially <a href="https://medium.com/permaculturewomen/lasagna-gardening-101-db750c48248a" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">kills the intricate network</a> of life below the ground upon which the life aboveground depends”. As bare soil can be washed away with rain, along with nutrients, it is best to populate the earth with plants, mulching and green manure.&nbsp;<h3>&nbsp;</h3>Polyculture and crop rotation can help control pests naturally and without chemicals. <a href="https://morningchores.com/intercropping-pros-cons/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Polyculture is also a strategy</a> to help sustainably reduce invasive plants and diseases. Cultivate a balanced ecosystem by introducing natural predators and prey, such as ladybugs and aphids, which co-exist among your plants. You can also plant herbs that repel pests&nbsp;naturally: <a href="https://balconygardenweb.com/growing-mint-indoors-how-to-care-it/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">mint</a>&nbsp;can control ants, aphids, and mosquitoes. <a href="https://balconygardenweb.com/beginners-guide-to-create-a-vegan-garden/#:~:text=If%20you%E2%80%99ve%20decided%20to%20start%20a%20Vegan%20Garden,Animal%20Fertilizers%20...%205%205.%20Companion%20Planting%20" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Rosemary and basil</a> repel mosquitoes and flies. And why not befriend ‘pests’ by planting ‘<a href="https://www.housebeautiful.com/uk/garden/a30459757/vegan-gardening/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">sacrificial</a>’ plants for them to feast on?&nbsp; Some matters appear cruelty-free, like collecting manure, as they don’t seem to harm an animal directly; however, there can be indirect harm - manure typically comes from animals in captivity or farmed for food production, such as dairy cows. Commercial manure often uses pig and poultry manure as fertilisers. <a href="https://livingvegandaily.com/can-i-use-manure-in-my-vegan-garden/#:~:text=Is%20Manure%20Vegan%3F%20If%20you%E2%80%99re%20an%20ethical%20vegan%2C,in%20captivity%20and%2For%20kept%20for%20food%20production%20purposes." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Horse manure</a> is usually derived from horses bred for riding and racing. An alternative is to create ‘<a href="https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/grains/cover-crops/green-manure-2.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">green manure</a>’ made from organic vegan material, from simply allowing uprooted plants and vegetables to decompose, to using grass mixtures and legume plants.&nbsp; Vegan compost can be made from weeds, dried leaves, wood chips, twigs, and immature crops like <a href="https://hative.com/vegan-compost/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">alfalfa, hemp, and fenugreek</a>. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theoriginalvegansociety/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Vegan Society</a> also lists some easy swaps from traditionally animal-based to <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/news/blog/TM2022/vegan-gardening" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan gardening products</a>. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1665328455/Image_1_21_pic_2_edit_1_3d402be0a1.jpg" alt="vegetables being turned into compost in a hole in the ground ">okugawa/Getty Images via Canva Pro <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Can veganic fight against climate change?</h2>When garden designer <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-garden-of-vegan/cleve-west/9781910258477" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Cleve West</a> transitioned to veganism, he became an advocate for the restorative power of gardens and how plants can mitigate destructive aspects of the Anthropocene. West also formed the <a href="https://www.clevewest.com/sow/vegan-garden-festival/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">UK’s first vegan garden festival</a>. The UK’s leading gardening charity, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), has a <a href="https://www.rhs.org.uk/about-the-rhs/sustainability/climate-positive" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">strategy</a> to fight climate change “from the ground up,” and provides support for gardeners to help make their backyards more sustainable because collectively, we can go ‘climate positive’, meaning capturing and reducing more greenhouse gas emissions than emitted. And every little does help: • Replacing one metre square of paving slab with perennial plants helps store carbon; every 1kg of homemade compost saves 0.1kg of fossil carbon. • If the 21% of UK gardeners who use power tools switched from fossil fuel to green energy electric-powered tools, it would save enough carbon equivalent to driving around the planet 29,820 times. • Instead of using mains water supplies for the garden, a water butt that captures rain could save millions of litres. Find out more at <a href="https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardening-for-the-environment/planet-friendly-gardening-tips" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">RHS</a>. <h2>What if you don’t have a garden? How can you get involved?</h2>You may dream of rewilding the Gardens of Versailles into a haven for bees. However, if you don’t have a garden, small patios and balconies are still essential to welcome pollinators, with foliage overspilling from windowsill planters or green beans climbing walls from pots. Vegetables can be grown in containers, and there’s always room for herbs <a href="https://realselfsufficiency.com/best-herbs-flowers-companion-planting-vegetables/#:~:text=12%20Best%20Herbs%20and%20Flowers%20for%20Companion%20Planting,to%20Repel%20Insects%20and%20Rodents%20...%20More%20items" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">sown in-between</a> marigolds or growing in jam jars in a sunny part of the <a href="https://horticulture.co.uk/herbs-to-grow-indoors/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">kitchen</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;Allotments are another option, with friends often sharing the responsibilities and produce. Collective and urban gardens are vital in promoting collective change, as we must all work together to save the planet. Additionally, community gardens are generally big enough to plant trees, and trees are <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/09/how-gardens-can-boost-biodiversity-and-help-tackle-climate-change/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">excellent carbon stores</a>. “If every UK gardener planted a tree in their community, school, workplace or their backyard and brought it to maturity, the carbon stored would be equivalent to 11 million car journeys around the planet”. You can find or set up a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/garden-communities" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">communal garden</a> and encourage veganic processes and invite people to <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/rewilding-in-the-uk-with-vegan-land-movement" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">rewild</a> with schemes such as <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/no-mow-may-help-nature-this-earth-day-and-let-it-grow" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">No Mow</a>, allowing grass and wildflowers to flourish, and providing safer habitats for wildlife. There are also plenty of vegan gardeners to follow for tips and inspiration, including <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theveganveggardeners/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Vegan Gardeners</a>. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Increased health benefits and self-worth</h2><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/310393998_Gardening_is_beneficial_for_health_A_meta-analysis#:~:text=Numerous%20health%20benefits%20have%20been%20associated%20with%20gardening.,index%20%28BMI%29%20scores%2C%20QOL%2C%20and%20sense%20of%20community." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Numerous&nbsp;health&nbsp;benefits</a> have been associated with&nbsp;gardening. A previous&nbsp;meta-analysis&nbsp;concluded that&nbsp;gardening&nbsp;activities were associated with better general health, mental health (reduced stress and depression and anxiety symptoms), body mass index (BMI) scores, quality of life, and sense of community. Another <a href="https://scholarworks.arcadia.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?httpsredir=1&amp;httpsredir=1&amp;article=1005&amp;context=grad_etd" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">study</a> found that prisoners exposed to gardening had increased self-worth, decreased anxiety and depression, and reduced recidivism rates. Veganic gardening has numerous benefits from mitigating climate change, to building communities and improving our health. For more information on horticulture, read <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/rewilding-in-the-uk-with-vegan-land-movement" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">rewilding in the UK with Vegan Land Movement</a>, and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/save-the-earth-the-biodiversity-crisis-nobody-is-talking-about" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">save the earth: the biodiversity crisis nobody is talking about</a>.

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Veganic gardening: Save the planet with green manure

Dating, at all stages, can be tricky. And with similarities and differences across the board, it can sometimes be challenging to see eye to eye for many reasons: is veganism one of them? Veganism was first coined in 1944 and described as “the beginning and end of vegetarianism”. Since then, it has grown in interest in the early 2010s and immensely in the latter half. There are now <a href="https://thevou.com/lifestyle/2019-the-world-of-vegan-but-how-many-vegans-are-in-the-world/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">over 80 million vegans worldwide</a>. If all growth continues in the same direction, the global vegan meat market will be <a href="https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/plant-based-meat-market-44922705.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">worth $8.3 billion by 2025</a>.&nbsp; So what does this all have to do with dating? When seeking out our person, individual or partner, we can sometimes have preferences. Which morals and values do they abide by, how much kindness do they show, and what physical and emotional attributes do they possess? But what of a plant-based diet, a passion for animal rights and living a vegan lifestyle?&nbsp; Being a vegan and dating a non-vegan can be complicated and complex when looking at it side-on. But equipped with understanding, mutual respect and loving someone unconditionally, we can look at these circumstances open-mindedly and without judgement.&nbsp;&nbsp; So how does this combination of diets affect our relationship when dining out, sharing meals at home and thinking about long-term plans such as parenthood? There are many avenues where having a mixed diet as a couple can cause conflicts. We all want to be understood and respected by our partners, especially for our choices and values. Vegans show immense empathy, and compassion as well as independent, open-minded thinking. Often, vegans may prefer to date another vegan to share common ground and world views. However, ruling someone out just because of their diet can seem irrational. But is there a way to co-exist?&nbsp; Following a mixed diet or dating someone non-vegan can be tricky to set moral ground. As a couple, we should work through our conflicts using communication, negotiation and compromise. Long-term relationships which plan to have children raise questions like, what diet will the child follow? A balanced relationship should not feel divided, and it is unhealthy to put restrictions on someone's actions. Therefore we should not open confrontation or make passive-aggressive comments.&nbsp; In all relationships, we make sacrifices and compromises for our partners. Trying new things in small steps, such as oat milk instead of cow's milk in your morning tea, can seem minuscule but appreciated greatly by your partner. We should not work to force our partners to do anything they wouldn't like to. Instead, we should recognise the changes we are making are positive and put our best foot forward. Co-existing as vegans and non-vegans is entirely possible, and we can thrive together, trying new things and keeping an open mind that anything is possible.&nbsp; If you’re in a vegan - non-vegan relationship and have a baby on the way, <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-children-what-we-feed-our-children-s-minds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">what we feed our children’s minds</a> and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-parenting-helpful-tools-for-raising-vegan-children" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">helpful tools for raising a vegan family</a> could be useful articles to check out, filled with handy tips and advice.

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Being vegan and dating: Can one get in the way of the other?

On the occasion of International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, it is right to thank our planet for one of the many things in particular that it offers us; food. So let's start doing it with a simple step and avoid wasting it. According to <a href="https://www.businesswaste.co.uk/food-waste-2022-the-facts/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Business Waste</a>, the UK throws away around 9.5 million tonnes of unwanted food in a single year, and 70% of it was intended for human consumption. That's why we at V-Land are here to introduce three apps that will help you reduce food waste and your shopping bill. <h2>Too Good To Go</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/toogoodtogo.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Too Good To Go</a> is an app that allows you to buy food that would otherwise be thrown away from restaurants, coffee shops and supermarkets at a discounted price. Users, whose membership is free, can check what's near them on the map, and pick up one of Too Good To Go's 'magic bags'. What’s in the bag is often a surprise, but don’t worry because when browsing for food it is possible to specify your dietary requirements. In addition to providing an app, Too Good To Go is an organisation that fights food waste on various fronts. They run a campaign that teaches us how to ‘<a href="https://toogoodtogo.co.uk/en-gb/campaign/commitment" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">look, smell, taste, don’t waste</a>’ food before tossing it out, and they have worked with over five hundred schools and universities through events, lectures and research to improve everyone's education around how to reduce food waste. <h2>Olio</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/olio.app/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Olio</a> is a platform that connects neighbours who want to share unwanted food and more. Simply sign up to the free app to start listing food and other types of goods. You can also pick up what would otherwise be thrown away elsewhere for free too.&nbsp; Olio also offers plenty of different volunteering opportunities that are simple and easy to sign up for, like spreading the word about Olio or picking up surplus food from a local business. <h2>Karma</h2>On the <a href="https://instagram.com/karma_uk?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Karma</a> app, restaurants, cafés, bakeries and even wholesalers list leftover food that would be wasted. The concept is very similar to that of Too Good To Go, except with Karma you can choose your meal instead of getting a surprise one. So far, Karma has rescued over 4 million meals and saved 1,800 tonnes of CO2. They have 1.4 million app users in 225 cities worldwide. What are you waiting for? It is never too late to join millions of other people who care about the health of our planet.&nbsp; And seeing as it’s the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, that makes today a great day to start. Love an eco-friendly app? Check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/10-apps-changing-the-world" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">10 apps changing the world</a> to discover other applications that contribute to a better planet.

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3 fantastic eco-friendly apps that help reduce food waste

It’s safe to say that there are a lot more vegan products out there than there were ten, or even five years ago. Vegans now have so much to choose from when it comes to what they eat, wear and use. In many parts of the world, being a vegan is just as easy as being non-vegan, as you can use the same supermarkets, visit the same restaurants and shop at the same stores. But where has this all come from?&nbsp; While veganism has grown rapidly in the past decade, quadrupling in the UK between <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/news/media/statistics/worldwide#:~:text=Behavioural%20changes,150%2C000%20(0.25%25)%20in%202014." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">2014 to 2019</a>, this rise doesn’t always directly increase the number of vegan products that become available. It’s the rising rate of vegan investments that truly change industries for the better when it comes to veganism.&nbsp; Here are just a few industries that have been radically changed by this investment: <h2>Food</h2>Food is at the heart of veganism and is what most people associate with being vegan. Refusing to consume animal products is, arguably, the biggest change that someone going vegan will make. For this reason, it’s important to have access to vegan products and options, especially for new vegans that are still transitioning from a more “traditional” diet. Thanks to investment into vegan businesses and the vegan market, there is so much more available now than ever before.&nbsp; Whether that’s start-up businesses that create great vegan friendly food and snacks, or existing food companies that have branched out in order to attract a new target audience, there is so much more on supermarket shelves now. From meat alternatives and plant-based milks to fruits and vegetables that became well known thanks to the vegan movement, like <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/vegan-pulled-jackfruit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">jackfruit</a>, businesses have put much more money into this side of the food industry. In fact, according to <a href="https://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Article/2022/03/03/Record-year-for-investment-into-meat-alternatives" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Food Manufacture</a>, “global investment in alternative proteins jumped to $5bn (£3.73bn) in 2021, up 60% from the amount raised from private capital last year.” Some of the most notable vegan investments into food have been: • 2021 being labelled a “<a href="https://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Article/2022/03/03/Record-year-for-investment-into-meat-alternatives" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">record year</a>” for investment into meat alternatives, increasing the number of options available for those looking to avoid meat. • The rise in the number of plant-based milks, like <a href="https://vegconomist.com/products-launches/dugs-potato-milk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">potato milk</a> launching at another popular UK supermarket as sales increase. • A growth in vegan friendly <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/supermarkets-vegan-plant-based-food_uk_60dc2b51e4b0d3e35f9ac8af" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">supermarket</a> aisles and brands across the UK. Thanks to this change, more people have been exposed to the vegan movement than previous decades and this may play a significant part in the growing number of vegans year-on-year. <h2>Fashion</h2>Fashion often comes after food when people consider what it means to go vegan. Products such as leather, wool, down, fur and silk would not be possible without the use (and abuse) of animals. It’s for this reason that vegans don’t purchase these products. Before the rise in veganism, those looking to avoid these products often chose to buy clothing made of polyester or cotton. While the latter is still a popular option for people trying to keep animal products out of their wardrobe, the former is becoming less popular with the dangers surrounding <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2264585-microplastics-found-across-the-arctic-may-be-fibres-from-laundry/#:~:text=Polyester%20fibres%20make%20up%20nearly,source%20of%20these%20tiny%20fragments." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">microplastics</a> making headlines over the past few years. With recent investment into the fashion industry though, vegans have more choice than ever and can choose from a wide range of <a href="https://www.peta.org/living/personal-care-fashion/what-is-vegan-leather/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan leathers</a>, <a href="https://bamboovillage.com.au/about-bamboo/#:~:text=Bamboo%20fibre%20can%20be%20used,or%20even%20Lycra%20as%20required." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">bamboo clothing</a> and much more when shopping for clothes. A few of the most noteworthy vegan investments into fashion have been: • Further investment for luxury fashions brands into products like vegan leather. This rapid rise led to a <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/sustainable-luxury-vegan-shoes-alfredo-piferi-aera" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vogue article</a> in 2020 commenting on the change. • More companies than ever offering clothes made from <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/irenelevine/2022/08/12/eco-friendly-bamboo-travel-wear-is-taking-off/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">bamboo</a>, drawing away from non-vegan products like wool. • A <a href="https://fortune.com/2019/12/30/fur-industry-upheaval-faux-fur/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">24% increase in faux fur</a> products in 2019, helping lead to a decline in the purchase of real fur products. Products like vegan leather have become so similar to the real thing that many brands are choosing to forgo animal-based leather completely. Actress and lifelong vegan <a href="https://instagram.com/missmayim?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Mayim Bialik</a> referenced the unbelievably realistic faux leather clothing options that are available in a 2019 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6n8-onnA8Q" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">video</a>.&nbsp; She said, “I sometimes feel weird wearing imitation leather because I wonder if people think it’s real leather… I'm like; it’s vegan!” Products like vegan leather becoming both increasingly common and higher-quality is only possible through continued investment. A great example of this is with a brand like <a href="https://www.ecovative.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Ecovative</a>, who create great vegan leathers using an agricultural byproduct, receiving <a href="https://www.veganfirst.com/article/plant-based-leather-company-ecovative-closes-60-million-funding-round" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">$60 million</a> last year through a round of funding. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1663415080/Image_1_19_PIC_2_EDIT_2_2bab5c242f.jpg" alt="blusher, foundation and red lipstick Ona multicoloured background">GiveItATry via CanvaPro <h2>Cosmetics</h2>If you feel that you’re starting to hear the word “vegan” or “plant based” in cosmetics advertisements much more, it’s not just you. The cosmetic industry, which was once seen as one of the worst for animal rights, is making a huge change thanks to investment. Cosmetic companies all over the world are investing money into more vegan friendly practices. From no longer testing their products on animals to making sure that their ingredients are 100% vegan, the cosmetics shelves have changed drastically in the last few years.&nbsp; Vegans can now purchase all the creature comforts that they may want and know that they are staying in line with their vegan lifestyle. From washing their hair to brushing their teeth, vegan cosmetic products are now abundant on supermarket shelves and, unlike the food industry, is quickly becoming the majority. In fact, a recent <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/news/news/97-shoppers-want-more-vegan-verified-cosmetics-and-toiletries" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">study</a> found that almost all shoppers want more vegan verified cosmetics and toiletries. Many cosmetic companies are acknowledging this demand and making investments into becoming more vegan friendly. In fact, popular brands such as budget friendly skincare company <a href="https://instagram.com/theordinary?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Ordinary</a> pride themselves on being a <a href="https://allplants.com/blog/lifestyle/is-the-ordinary-vegan" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">completely vegan company</a>. So many cosmetic companies have invested into a more vegan friendly way of working, including:&nbsp; • <a href="https://instagram.com/nivea?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Nivea</a> created a section on their website full of <a href="https://www.nivea.co.uk/products/body/vegan-skincare" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan skincare products</a>. • <a href="https://instagram.com/simpleskin?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Simple</a> promising to <a href="https://allplants.com/blog/lifestyle/is-simple-cruelty-free-and-vegan" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">only make vegan friendly products</a> going forward. • <a href="https://instagram.com/garnieruk?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Garnier</a> investing in their “<a href="https://www.garnier.co.uk/our-brands/hair-care/ultimate-blends/vegan-formulas" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan formulas</a>’’ that allows them to create great cosmetic products like shampoo without needing to use animal products. It’s not just established vegan brands that are doing well though, new cosmetic companies that are vegan friendly are still receiving investment, with Hanna Sillitoe <a href="https://bdaily.co.uk/articles/2019/08/26/vegan-skincare-entrepreneur-finds-60k-success-on-bbcs-dragons-den" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">receiving £60k</a> on BBC’s Dragons’ Den. Investment is vital if any change on a societal level is desired. Without investment, new businesses and products can not be created, meaning that the general public are not made aware of an alternative to the current business they are buying into. As more companies invest in the idea of veganism, going vegan in the modern world will become easier. It’s not just companies that can invest in these products though, each time you purchase a vegan alternative for something, you’re telling businesses what you want to see more of and also what you want to see less of.&nbsp; Vegans can invest in a better future by simply just voting with their pound and giving back to these businesses who consider them. Looking for vegan friendly products to try? Give these <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-and-cruelty-free-makeup-for-your-travel-bag" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan and cruelty free cosmetics a try</a>.

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How vegan friendly investments are changing industries

Raising young children isn’t always easy. For many parents it can feel like a struggle to find a good balance of home, work and family life. As parents we try to give our children the attention they deserve, taking time to participate in fun activities as a family, and teaching them important life lessons along the way. Raising vegan children often has a few additional learning curves along the way too. With the world designed to bombard both children and parents with the need to have unhealthy influences in their life from a Happy Meal to character-based sweets and treats, being a vegan parent, raising vegan children can at times feel even tougher. For some parents there is conflict, wanting to educate their child about veganism, but on the other hand, not wanting them to stand out to their peers as someone to target for their lifestyle choices at such a crucial age. No parent wants their child to be ostracised, nor do we want to be the awkward parent on playdates having a negative impact on our children's group experiences. Learning about veganism is not just important for the individual child but for future generations too, teaching our little ones to love and cherish animals should be the epitome of fun and joyous activities. With that in mind, we’ve put together a few tools we found helpful when explaining veganism to younger children, and tips to help make it fun along the way. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Fun with food</h2>One of the best ways to introduce veganism from an early age is to get children excited about the delicious and varied food that vegans enjoy eating. Cooking and baking together can be so much fun, and in the long-term, it can help encourage your child to be a more adventurous eater and enjoy healthy, nutritious food too.&nbsp; There are numerous cookbooks designed for kids, but fewer that are vegan. A V-Land favourite is <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegan-Cookbook-Kids-Plant-Based-Recipes/dp/1647396107/ref=asc_df_1647396107/?tag=googshopuk-21&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=463216959970&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=11182844338716323402&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9046455&amp;hvtargid=pla-973524979363&amp;psc=1&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 173, 72);">The Vegan Cookbook for Kids: Easy Plant-Based Recipes for Young Chefs</a> by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thatwasvegan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 173, 72);">Barb Musick</a> which has 50 simple dishes and snacks for children to create and enjoy. Many of the dishes are five-ingredient dishes and made with everyday staples from your kitchen so they’re cost-effective too. The dishes are inspired by cuisines from all around the world. It also comes with a handy reference sheet for vegan substitution; the likes of applesauce instead of eggs. Barb also has an additional <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barb-Musick/e/B07QS4WGCQ/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 173, 72);">five cookbooks</a> to check out for different ages and we can’t wait to give them a try. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1662838413/Vegan_Kids_d3d4aedbfe.png" alt="two children joyfully putting their hands in their with a backdrop of the setting sun in a field">Zurijeta via Canva Pro <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Days out</h2>For many vegans, animal-based days out can be an issue. We don’t want to support zoos or wildlife centres where animals are kept in captivity, but we want our children to connect and interact with animals too. A fantastic way for children to meet animals in real life is to visit a local animal sanctuary. There are <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/animal-sanctuaries-to-support-across-the-uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 173, 72);">many amazing sanctuaries across the UK</a> and one we visited recently was the <a href="https://thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 173, 72);">Farm Animal Sanctuary</a> in Evesham, Worcestershire. At this sanctuary, they have around 600 happy rescued animals living out their best life, these include sheep, cows, pigs, ponies and horses, cats, dogs, ducks, geese, hens and cockerels, turkeys, alpacas and more. This sanctuary, like many others, offers sponsorship for some of their animals, which is a great way for children to feel a one-on-one connection with an animal they meet in person; they can get regular updates from and about them as they grow, and go back to visit. One of our sponsorships is for Pete the pig whom our children love to visit. Sponsorship is both important to help sanctuaries run and it will help young children grow their compassion for animals. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Night-time routine&nbsp;</h2>For many vegan mums and dads, the night-time routine is bath, book, and then bed. There are many child-friendly vegan books that you and your child can enjoy together. <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegan-Crocodile-Best-Childrens-Book/dp/0996770461/ref=asc_df_0996770461/?tag=googshopuk-21&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=500779243863&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=14676382957575866360&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9046455&amp;hvtargid=pla-1129226155184&amp;psc=1&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 173, 72);">The Vegan Crocodile</a> by Rimona Seay is a great example of one of these books. It tells the story of a lost duckling meeting a vegan crocodile that helps get the poor duck home. It reinforces the message that unity, love and compassion can conquer all. And there is an entire host of vegan books for little ones to enjoy, at all age groups.&nbsp; Some of our favourites include <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vivi-Supervegan-Childrens-Encouraging-Compassion/dp/191610360X/ref=sr_1_3?crid=ZEU4BSAWMPJN&amp;keywords=vivi+the+super+vegan+book&amp;qid=1662558889&amp;s=digital-text&amp;sprefix=vivi+the%2Cdigital-text%2C56&amp;sr=1-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 173, 72);">Vivi The Super Vegan</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegan-Dinosaur-powerful-childrens-super/dp/B09MDQTP3R/ref=pd_lpo_1?pd_rd_i=B09MDQTP3R&amp;psc=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 173, 72);">Ollie The Vegan Dinosaur</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/V-Vegan-Abcs-Being-Kind/dp/1583946497/ref=sr_1_4?crid=ZEU4BSAWMPJN&amp;keywords=vivi+the+super+vegan+book&amp;qid=1662558918&amp;s=digital-text&amp;sprefix=vivi+the%2Cdigital-text%2C56&amp;sr=1-4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 173, 72);">V is for Vegan - The ABC’s of Being Kind</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Baby-Loves-Vegan-Jennifer-Eckford/dp/0711253234/ref=pd_rhf_d_cr_s_pd_sbs_rvi_sccl_2_6/257-8281186-5265129?pd_rd_w=IrHeX&amp;content-id=amzn1.sym.0963df7f-7cea-4859-a393-2a2c2885a717&amp;pf_rd_p=0963df7f-7cea-4859-a393-2a2c2885a717&amp;pf_rd_r=DVZ4YR14JH6XFS5AJSR2&amp;pd_rd_wg=g4jZH&amp;pd_rd_r=56c31f73-6c88-456f-891a-365aed3a4125&amp;pd_rd_i=0711253234&amp;psc=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 173, 72);">Baby Love Vegan - An ABC of Plant Food</a> and the list keeps growing. Books are a great way to share fun stories that encourage children to be compassionate from a young age. If you have older children or teens, <a href="https://natasjahellenthal.wordpress.com/2018/09/10/vegan-fiction-book-list/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 173, 72);">here is an extensive list of vegan fiction books</a> and/or books with vegan characters.&nbsp; So whether you’re at home in the kitchen, on a fun family day out, or getting ready for bedtime, incorporating fun vegan-friendly activities into your children's routines needn’t be a chore. Looking for more inspiring content to help you raise vegan children? Check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-children-what-we-feed-our-children-s-minds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 173, 72);">what we feed our children’s minds</a>.

seven children holding hands with one another forming V shapes in front of the setting sun on the top of a hill in a field

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Vegan parenting: Helpful tools for raising vegan children

I have always had an innate connection with animals, when I was at school I was different from the other kids in that I'd have a little ant family or be feeding the snails whilst others played ball games. To me, animals are here with us not for us, they are part of our existence, they are intelligent beings, they are family.&nbsp; Animals speak to those who know how to listen and if we listen closely enough they can teach us so many things. Along with spending time at other sanctuaries, part of my weekly routine is volunteering at<a href="https://www.facebook.com/whitegateanimalsanctuary/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"> </a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/whitegateanimalsanctuary/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Whitegate Animal Sanctuary</a>. There are an array of animals such as pigs, chickens, cows and goats; each animal has their own unique personality. They tell you when they are hungry, they tell you when they are in pain, they tell you when they need something. When I was younger, I would walk past a field of cows chewing the cud, and back then thought they were pretty unintelligent beings, it’s only since I have become more involved with animals that I realised just how intelligent they are and how deeply they feel things. At <a href="https://www.instagram.com/whitegateanimalsanctuary/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Whitegate Animal Sanctuary</a> there is a cow named Emily, when she first arrived she was put in an enclosure on her own to settle for the night. The norm is to introduce cows/bulls to each other slowly. In the early hours of the morning the sanctuary were alerted to the fact that not one but three fences had been taken down and Emily was nowhere to be seen, becoming pretty worried as Emily had not come from the best conditions and was very frightened when she arrived, the sanctuary began to look for her. To their disbelief she had taken down three fences, crossed a path to the other side of the lane&nbsp;and made her way into the field where two-year-old Ember and Elliot the little bulls were, she was found running and playing with Ember. She had made her way over there on her own and was clearly comforted by the other two. Animals definitely communicate with each other. Elliot, Ember and Emily get on so well and Elliot loves to play ball or chase a tyre as a game with you. Cattle love to play games, they are so interactive and intelligent. Chickens purr and can recognise people, research shows chickens can recognise up to 100 faces. Connecting with animals is a real eye-opener in realising how intelligent they are and how each of them has their own individual animal personality.&nbsp; There is a bull called Nero pictured above, who now resides at the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theretreat.animalsanctuary/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Retreat Animal Sanctuary</a> in Kent. When he was small I would play the recorder to him to soothe him and now when he hears it he comes running, in the winter time when he was in the barn at the retreat I went in to visit him, he walked over to a silver trough and looked in it, then looked at me, then looked in the trough again and I knew he was trying to tell me he needed more water. I walked over to the trough and although there was water in there he wanted more so he didn't have to put his head so far down to get it. I turned on the hose and filled up the trough, he drank and afterwards gave me what people often think is cattle trying to charge or headbutt them - a head rub, which is a sign of affection. Nero has been seen moving from one field to another and turning back to help the younger calves who couldn't find their way, they feel, they care, they love, they feel pain, they grieve just like we do. A great way to get to learn to have a connection with animals and to dig deeper into finding their idiosyncratic personality is to visit a sanctuary or volunteer on a regular basis. Connecting with animals can also really benefit our own wellbeing, providing peace and comfort. Animals really do speak to those who know how to listen.

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Every animal has a unique personality


The history of chewing gum is steeped in the exploitation of animals since its commercialisation in the 1800s, which is ill-fated, when the origin of chewing gum appears to have been plant based. Over nine thousand years ago northern Europeans were chewing birch bark for medicinal purposes such as relieving toothaches, and in the Americas, the ancient Mayan people chewed a substance called chicle, derived from the sapodilla tree, as a way to quench thirst and fight hunger. Unfortunately, as chewing gum became more popular, companies saw fit to add animal derived ingredients to the mix, from whale fat to animal based gelatin derived from cow and pig bones. The ingredients listed in regular chewing gum have been far from palatable, and even further from ethical. Fast forward to the twentieth century and many brands have moved away from animal based ingredients, but another horrifying substance has remained a main ingredient: plastic. We are both astounded and horrified to share that regular chewing gum is identifiable as a single-use plastic, with as much as a straw-worth of plastic in each piece. With microplastics polluting <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/plastic-pollution" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">our seas</a>, <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/challenges/plastic-pollution/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">our streets</a>, and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/15/its-on-our-plates-and-in-our-poo-but-are-microplastics-a-health-risk#:~:text=Studies%20have%20found%20microplastics%20%E2%80%93%20that,Bottled%20water%20contains%20even%20more." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">our food</a> and <a href="https://www.water.org.uk/news-item/ground-breaking-new-research-shows-99-9-microplastics-are-being-removed-from-uk-drinking-water/#:~:text=The%20research%20found%20that%20raw,only%200.00011%20microplastics%20per%20litre." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">water supplies</a>, it’s no surprise that <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412022001258" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">a recent study</a> found microplastics are now present in our blood too. With plastics a staple product of modern day society, learning that plastics are present in chewing gum is almost predictable, especially when legally, gum brands don’t have to disclose this to consumers. Brands can contain plastics hidden under the term 'gum base' within their ingredients, which can refer to any of the below plastics that are present in regular gum: • Butadiene-styrene rubber&nbsp;• Isobutylene-isoprene copolymer (butyl rubber)• Paraffin (via the Fischer-Tropsch process)• Petroleum wax• Petroleum wax synthetic• Polyethylene• Polyvinyl acetate It is for reasons such as the above, that a new wave of plant based chewing gums are hitting the market, to offer an eco-friendly and non-toxic option to regular chewing gum. A plant based chewing gum we want to shine a light on which has gone above and beyond in the vegan chewing gum market, is <a href="http://www.instagram.com/nuudgum" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Nuud Gum</a>. Nuud Gum is one of a kind, offering plant based, sugar free, fully biodegradable, plastic free chewing gum to consumers across the globe. <a href="https://nuudgum.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Nuud Gum</a> made headlines in July 2021 when they pitched their innovative products on the renowned entrepreneurial TV show, <a href="https://nuudgum.com/blogs/news/were-taking-on-the-dragons" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Dragons Den</a>. Whilst the company didn't receive investment on this occasion, they piqued the interest of vegan confectionary kings <a href="http://www.instagram.com/jamielaing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Jamie Laing</a> and <a href="http://www.instagram.com/edward_williams" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Edward Williams</a>, owners of pioneering vegan confectionary brand <a href="http://www.instagram.com/candykittens" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Candy Kittens</a>. Nuud Gum received a £750,000 investment and the brand has gone from strength to strength, offering plant based chewing gum subscription boxes throughout the UK. We were lucky enough to trial the full range on offer including <a href="https://nuudgum.com/collections/all-products/products/spearmint" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Spearmint</a>, <a href="https://nuudgum.com/collections/all-products/products/peppermint" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Peppermint</a> and <a href="https://nuudgum.com/collections/all-products/products/menthol-gum" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Menthol</a> and found each flavour to be a breath of fresh air. The vegan gum is made from completely <a href="https://nuudgum.com/pages/our-ingredients" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">plant based ingredients</a> with a chicle gum base and British herbs giving the minty freshness. That combined with being completely biodegradable, and all having fully recyclable packaging makes this a guilt-free gum treat to enjoy, and even better, if you have any qualms, there’s the added bonus of a <a href="https://nuudgum.com/pages/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">free trial box</a> where you only pay £1 postage. The subscription boxes are letterbox size and delivered direct to your door, with adjustable subscriptions to suit your requirements. Looking for more vegan-friendly ways to have minty fresh breath, check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/enjoy-the-sweet-life-with-mintastic-vegan-fresh-breath-sweets" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Mintastic fresh breath mints</a> and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/brushd-oral-care-and-planet-care" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Brushd. mouthwash tablets</a>.

bright blue cardboard packets of Nuud gum on a marble surface with the words chew plants not plastic

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Chew plants not plastic with Nuud’s plant based chewing gum


Raising a family is one of the most beautiful life-affirming experiences imaginable, but that’s not to say that it’s all rainbows, butterflies and unicorns on a daily basis. Helping children adapt and grow is as equally challenging as it is rewarding, and raising vegan children has an extra selection of challenges and rewards to add into the mix too. Especially, when it comes to days out and excursions. Whilst some children may enjoy school holidays with trips to the zoo or local country farm fetes, parents and guardians raising vegan children need to think outside the box when it comes to activity planning. Finding suitable activities that are both vegan-friendly and allow children the chance to make friends and socialise is quite challenging. There are only so many times you can go swimming, for forest walks and to the park, and it’s vital for children's growth to interact with other children with similar interests.&nbsp; Does such a thing as a vegan children social club exist? We are pleased to share - it does! We recently attended <a href="http://www.instagram.com/vegankidsfestivaluk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Vegan Kids Festival</a> and it was such a refreshing experience. The entire event was catered to vegan families with children of all ages able to join in activities, workshops, eat delicious vegan food, camp under the stars with their loved ones and make friends. We took our families along for the weekend-long event and I even got the chance to teach a few <a href="https://www.raystarbooks.com/workshops" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Writing For Nature Workshops</a> in the forest whilst we were there too, which was so much fun. We caught up with Dana Burton, founder of Vegan Kids Festival, to find out what’s next for this fantastic festival.&nbsp;&nbsp;V-Land (V-L): Hi Dana, thanks for creating such an amazing space for vegan families to come together with their children to explore and socialise. What was the inspiration behind The Vegan Kids Festival?&nbsp;Vegan Kids Festival (VKF): I wanted to create a safe space for vegan kids, often they may be the only vegan in their school, so I wanted to show them that there are lots of people just like them. Sometimes vegan kids feel they have to miss out, especially at events, where maybe they can't get that ice cream, most vegan kids I know are happy to make that sacrifice, I'm so proud of all of them, but I wanted to give them an event for them, where there are no, “no's”.&nbsp;&nbsp;Many of the current vegan events are aimed at adults and my kids get bored. It was important to me to make this all about the kids, so they can have lots of fun while making new friends who are just like them. As a community we support each other, together we are stronger. Being able to empower the next generation of vegans and share the same sense of community with them, providing the knowledge and motivation to stand up for animals, was why this event was so important to get out there, and I’m so pleased with how it’s going!&nbsp;V-L: Everyone is certainly having a great time and your mission will resonate with so many people raising vegan children, the V-Land team included. How long has the event been running? VKF: We first conceived the idea in 2018 but in 2019, the festival was cancelled due to local villagers objecting to the event, which resulted in the land owner pulling out. It was devastating, so much work had gone into the event, I was heartbroken when it got cancelled. Thankfully the experience put me off re-doing it in 2020, as we all know how that would have ended due to Covid, but with growing demand, plus all the work that had already gone into it, I decided to bring it back and I’m so glad I did. It’s been an amazing weekend.&nbsp;V-L: We’re so glad you stuck to your mission and made the festival happen, it’s been such a lovely event for all ages. Can you share with our readers some of the activities taking place this weekend? VKF: There is so much going on from tots to teens, it was important to us that all the activities and workshops are for the children taking part in the event rather than adults, but it’s been great seeing the adults getting stuck in too. We have everything from theatre, to music, an outdoor cinema, workshops, guest speakers, a silent disco, outdoor games, family yoga and more. We've also been joined by young vegan celebrities <a href="http://www.instagram.com/omarimcqueen" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Omari McQueen</a> and <a href="http://www.instagram.com/freyacox_" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Freya Cox</a> which went down really well.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1659034454/Image_one_3_dd4b35a2cd.png" alt="people sitting on chairs in a tent watching a boy do a speech on a stage"><a href="http://www.vegankidsfestival.co.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegan Kids Festival</a> Along with opportunities for the kids to get creative, we’ve had music improvisation, arts and crafts, activism workshops and your writing workshops which I hear went really well too. All catering at Vegan Kids Festival is fully vegan, we’re really happy to have been sponsored by <a href="http://www.instagram.com/vegums" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegums</a> who are here with us at the event as well.&nbsp;V-L: Where do you see The Vegan Kids Festival in ten years time? VKF: We want our festival to remain a small family-friendly event, so I can't see us becoming like <a href="http://www.instagram.com/vegancampout" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegan Camp Out</a> in terms of numbers of attendees, our first year we have kept numbers deliberately low. We are likely to continue with that theme to make it a safe space for children, a great place to try out your first festival or attend a festival if you don't like crowds.&nbsp;&nbsp;I'm really inspired by festivals like the <a href="http://www.instagram.com/justsofestival" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Just So Festival</a>, that's the direction I see our festival going towards. Lots of creativity, lots of quirky fun for families and a great annual event for vegan families, we can’t wait for the next one.&nbsp;Neither can we! Thanks for an amazing weekend, we’ll be back again for the next one and I’m sure some of our readers will be too. For more vegan parenting advice and resources, check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-children-what-we-feed-our-children-s-minds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">what we feed our children’s minds</a>.

women holding hula hoop surrounded by children on wooden benches in a circular shape with a forest in the background

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Vegan Kids Festival: The ultimate vegan festival for families

Ally&nbsp;Someone who helps and supports others who are part of a group that is treated badly or unfairly, although they are not themselves a member of this group.&nbsp;Non-human animals cannot galvanise their own movement. Therefore, of all the oppressed beings on this planet, they are some of the most in need of allies, and as the animal rights movement continues to grow, it offers more opportunities for individuals to become those allies. Should you wish to get involved with animal rights activism, here’s some inspiration as we explore different types of UK animal activism including an exclusive interview with <a href="https://animalequality.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Animal Equality</a> who are using a unique approach to animal activism using virtual reality.&nbsp;<h2>Street Outreach</h2>The UK animal rights movement is dominated by street outreach as it is effective, easy to set up and generally accepted by the public. There are many animal rights groups who specialise in this form of activism including <a href="https://www.instagram.com/we.stand.for.the.animals/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">We Stand for the Animals</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theearthlingsexperience/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Earthlings Experience</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/activism.wtf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">We The Free</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/anonymousforthevoiceless" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Anonymous for the Voiceless</a>. They all operate in a similar way and involve activists standing in a pedestrianised area so the public can stop and talk to a vegan outreacher. The outreachers hold screens and show footage of standard practice in the animal agriculture industry. These sort of demonstrations aim to educate the public through conversation by challenging those that stop to think about the animal use and exploitation they are watching. They encourage activists to use the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socratic_method" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Socratic method</a> during discussions. This approach uses questions to determine core values, principles, and beliefs that will hopefully lead the person answering them to a vegan conclusion.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Vigils</h2>Join vigils at slaughterhouses with the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thesavemovement" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Save Movement</a>. They are a global organisation that introduced the concept of peaceful vigils outside slaughterhouses. Canada was where it all started when the Toronto Pig Save was set up in 2010 but they now have vigils throughout the world, with many throughout the UK that people are welcome to attend. This type of action involves standing outside a slaughterhouse and bearing witness to the animals as they arrive. The truck stops and the animals are briefly comforted before they enter the slaughterhouse. The moment is documented and shared to encourage those viewing the footage to think about the animals and to cease using and consuming them. The Save Movement’s ultimate mission is to bring all forms of animal agriculture to an end.&nbsp;<h2>Direct Action</h2>For the bolder activist, disruption events with organisations like <a href="https://www.instagram.com/directactioneverywhere" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Direct Action Everywhere</a> (DxE) are something to consider. DxE states that they are a grassroots network of activists working to achieve revolutionary social and political change for animals in just one generation. Inspired by non-violent direct-action techniques used by other social justice movements they organise mass protests, open rescues and disrupt public events.&nbsp;<h2>Everyday Activism</h2>Activism need not be a bold statement or be part of a larger group event. You could go at it solo if that is something you’d prefer. Design and print out your own leaflets or stickers, organise talks at schools or businesses, fundraise for animal rights groups or sanctuaries, create a work of art, write a book, or start a blog etc.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/vegan_pixie_warrior" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Vegan Pixie Warrior</a> has created a YouTube channel with the aim of uplifting and supporting other activists. She hopes to inspire others to get active for the animals in an easy and non-intrusive way. Her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYI6QnCp1T3xSQHzNPWHo8280x6lTMctw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Bite Sized Activism</a> series is jam packed with everyday animal activism ideas. These include stickering, writing in the sand when at the beach, wearing pro-vegan t-shirts and bags and asking about where to find vegan items in food and clothes shops. These all plant seeds or present the opportunity to start a conversation with someone who may learn something from you.&nbsp;The potential for everyday activism is almost endless. Just get creative <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1657228572/Image_1_13_pic_2_edit_4ed95f56a9.jpg" alt="man in white t-shirt with virtual camera on his eyes"><a href="https://images.pexels.com/photos/4996010/pexels-photo-4996010.jpeg?cs=srgb&amp;dl=pexels-ivan-samkov-4996010.jpg&amp;fm=jpg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Ivan Samkov/Pexels</a> <h2>Virtual Reality</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/animalequalityuk/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Animal Equality</a> tirelessly engages with society, governments and companies with the aim of creating an equitable world for all animals. Their most innovative campaign raises awareness of animal suffering through the use of virtual reality. They have created three immersive experiences placing viewers in the position of either a pig, a chicken or a cow. This brings to life their experience as an animal who is farmed.&nbsp;We briefly spoke to Animal Equality about their <a href="https://ianimal.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">iAnimal</a> 360 experience and they also provided us with quotes from people who have watched their videos.&nbsp;V-Land (V-L): What was the inspiration behind iAnimal?&nbsp;&nbsp;Animal Equality (AE): The inspiration behind iAnimal was a result of the hundreds of investigations Animal Equality has carried out. We thought that if only we could bring people into these farms to show them exactly what the animals were going through, that they would in turn become vegan and join the animal rights cause. Using high quality 360 videos like iAnimal allows viewers to be transported into places they would otherwise never get to experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;V-L: How can people join the iAnimal campaign?&nbsp;AE: Animal Equality is happy to share the iAnimal videos with any organisation or activist who would like to use them in their outreach. Please email the Campaigns Manager, Dane Charbeneau, at DaneC@animalequality.org to find out more information. You can also view the videos in 2D and take the interactive tours online at <a href="http://www.ianimal360.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">iAnimal 360</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;Quotes from iAnimal users:&nbsp;"Animal Equality's ground-breaking iAnimal project allows viewers to immerse themselves into the shocking reality of animal agriculture. My hope is that many people will see this investigation and in turn choose kindness over cruelty."Tony Kanal, Musician&nbsp;"Something extra-powerful comes across in VR. The heightened visual closeness brings about heightened emotional attunement and, thus, the true extent of the cruelty to individual, sentient animals."Barbara J. King, NPR&nbsp;"Virtual reality takes you to a place the industry tries to keep secret."Jane Velez-Mitchell, Television Journalist and Author&nbsp;There are many more ways to help animals from the small, <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/5-ways-to-help-save-the-bees-this-world-bee-day-and-bee-yond" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">5 ways to help save the bees</a>, to the large, <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/animal-sanctuaries-to-support-across-the-uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">animal sanctuaries to support across the UK</a>, and here at V-Land we hope we can continue to raise awareness of all the possibilities around UK animal rights.

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Unique UK animal rights activism approaches

A man just came by who’s been doing some work for us and, charmed again by the sheep, mentioned he’s been telling his children about them, and they’re asking him if they can ‘have’ sheep. He lives on five acres further down the mountain and has the space; you can tell he’s as interested as they are. But I’m not sure I trust him to take only – to wait for – ‘rescue’ sheep. I suspect, if he and his family decide to ‘have’ sheep, he’s more likely to go out and buy a couple from some farmer nearby.&nbsp;From one angle that’s just not on. One rescues sheep when one can, but one doesn’t buy them, since this only supports the industry. Any sheep taken out of the system in this manner will be swiftly replaced.&nbsp;Should this man be discouraged then? It’s not as simple a question as it appears.&nbsp; On the one hand there’s a chance any sheep we rescue will be replaced just as readily, and arguably neither of us, rescuers or purchasers, are making much difference. But on the other we are, each of us, saving some lives, and, although we cannot hope to change the culture of millennia overnight or even in our lifetimes, we can’t discount – daren’t, for in some ways it’s one of the few things we have – the possibility that the example we set, of choosing to let live, to befriend and help rather than master, exploit and devour, will have, cumulatively, some effect. One of the children of this man may decide that he or she will not eat meat, because of the sheep he or she has known. Or a friend might. The man himself might. The odds are against these things – the countervailing pressure is intense and relentless – but they’re much worse if we do nothing.&nbsp;&nbsp; A lot of the time we can barely see the effects of our actions and lifestyles, but what kind of effects will we see if we don’t do what we are doing? T. asked me, numerous times, in darker moments, in our first years, what the point was in all our advocacy: we didn’t see changes, or saw only minor ones. In three or four years we could point to no friend or acquaintance who’d become vegan. But now, another five years on – friends, acquaintances, students – we can think of a dozen.&nbsp; Whether such things have anything in particular to do with any one of us is anybody’s guess. Few of us have any idea what effect our choices and lifestyles and actions and practices have on others; but (a) if we truly believe in them we will do them regardless; they will be unconditional and won’t in any way depend upon visible successes or credit to ourselves, and (b) if we don’t do them – if we give up because we can’t see evidence of our effects upon others – we give tacit permission for everyone else to give up also, and then where would we be? More importantly, where would so many non-human animals be?&nbsp; In some ways our own patience, commitment and – I was going to say persistence, but I think consistency is the better word – are some of the best devices we have. In some vital senses we don’t know who we are – that’s for others to decide – and the desire to see the positive effects of our actions and examples, the desire to be rewarded in this way, might ultimately be irrelevant and, worse, counterproductive. In this, as in so many other ways, we must get over ourselves. We are not doing this for ourselves. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This essay, from Brooks’s book <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turin-Approaching-Animals-David-Brooks/dp/0645374792/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3KT2TTW4TJFP0&amp;keywords=turin+approaching+animals&amp;qid=1652051363&amp;sprefix=turin+approaching+animal%2Caps%2C422&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" class="ql-font-serif">Turin: Approaching Animals</a>, is published with permission of <a href="https://www.brandl.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" class="ql-font-serif">Brandl &amp; Schlesinger</a>. David G. Brooks is a poet, novelist, short-fiction writer, and essayist. He has taught literature at various Australian universities, and from 1999 until 2018 was co-editor of Southerly, the premier journal of Australian literature and new Australian writing. He is the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turin-Approaching-Animals-David-Brooks/dp/0645374792/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3KT2TTW4TJFP0&amp;keywords=turin+approaching+animals&amp;qid=1652051363&amp;sprefix=turin+approaching+animal%2Caps%2C422&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Turin: Approaching Animals</a>, <a href="https://www.ashlandcreekpress.com/books/grasslibrary.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Grass Library</a>, the collection of essays <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wSFixUAsBs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Animal Dreams</a>, and many other award-winning works. Currently, an honorary associate professor in Australian literature at the University of Sydney, Brooks is a vegan and animal rights advocate and lives, with rescued sheep, in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.

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Getting over ourselves 

To celebrate Pride Month 2022 and the 50th anniversary of the UK’s first official Pride march it seemed apt to highlight some inspirational LGBTQIA+ who we recommend following. <h2>Robbie Lockie</h2>Originally from Zimbabwe, and now residing in London, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/robbie_lockie/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Robbie</a> is the co-founder of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/plantbasednews/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Plant Based News</a>, a vegan advocate and ethical digital media creator who works alongside the vegan charity Viva. Robbie was the mind behind the film <a href="https://askrobbie.com/swine-a-very-british-horror-film" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Swine</a><a href="https://askrobbie.com/swine-a-very-british-horror-film" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">.</a> A documentary created to raise awareness of the rise in Antibiotic resistance caused by factory farming. <h2>Alan Cumming&nbsp;</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/alancummingreally/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Alan</a> has many phenomenal performances on stage and screen, including as one of the X-Men, as a Bond baddie and in the much missed hilarious sitcom The High Life. He has also been vegan since 2012, and has been a very vocal advocate for animal rights. In 2021 he petitioned that the COP26 meeting serve only vegan food – likening serving meat to a global conference on the climate crisis to serving alcohol at an AA meeting. <h2>Kate Louise Powell</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/katelouisepowell/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Kate</a> is a highly accomplished and successful Artist/Illustrator who creates deliberately provocative works aimed at challenging people’s perceptions of non-human Animals. She wants to use her work to shed light on animal abuses and animal rights activism. Earlier this week she celebrated her 7 year Veganniversary.&nbsp; <h2>Kirsty Conway Dixon</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kdhalloween/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Kirsty</a> is a hugely successful creator and designer who sells her phenomenal range of pop culture related items on Etsy under the name<a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Kdhalloween" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"> </a><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Kdhalloween" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">KDHalloween</a>. She is a rainbow enthusiast and uses them extensively in her creations. My personal favourite of her range are the Simpsons fridge magnets. Kirsty also uses a portion of her profits to rescue chickens. <h2>Katrina Fox</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thekatrinafox/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Katrina</a> is the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegan-Ventures-Start-Ethical-Business/dp/0987510908" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegan Ventures: Start and Grow An Ethical Business</a>, host of <a href="https://www.veganbusinessmedia.com/podcasts/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegan Business Talk</a> podcast and founder of<a href="https://www.veganbusinessmedia.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"> </a><a href="https://www.veganbusinessmedia.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">VeganBusinessMedia.com</a>. She is a phenomenal force of nature, who at the age of twenty was chased by riot police when she and some friends tried to close down a farm that raised kittens for vivisection – AND played a lesbian vampire in a short film. I’ve never met her but I love her already! <h2>Jack Monroe</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jack_monroe/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Jack Monroe</a> is the bestselling author of the book <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Girl-Called-Jack-delicious-recipes/dp/0718178947" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">A Girl Called Jack</a>. They are also responsible for the phenomenally successful food blog “Cooking On A Bootstrap”, which they created as a single parent trying to cook for themselves and their child on £10 a week. Jack has become a leading campaigner for food poverty rights and is a true force for good in the world. <h2>Gina Yashere</h2>Before embarking on her career as a stand-up comedian and actress, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ginayashere/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Gina</a> was a lift maintenance technician and engineer! She changed career path when she became a finalist for Hackney Empire’s “New Act of the Year” competition in 1996. Gina has since risen to fame on stage and television in The Richard Blackwood Show, Lenny Henry in Pieces, the first British comedian on Def Comedy Jam, Live At The Apollo. She is co-creator and writer of “Bob hearts Abishola” on CBS in America. Gina thanks her raw food vegan diet for curing her lupus symptoms. <h2>Chas Newkey-Burden&nbsp;</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/allthatchas/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Chas</a> is a freelance journalist and writer of the comic self help books <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Running-Cheaper-Than-Therapy-Celebration/dp/1472948831/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Running is Cheaper Than Therapy</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Help-Im-Turning-into-Dad/dp/1853758213" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Help I’m Turning Into My Dad</a>. He has also written unauthorised biographies of Simon Cowell, Amy Winehouse and One Direction. As well as this, he was a columnist for Attitude magazine, Time Out and The Jewish Chronicle. In vegan circles he is best known for his article “Dairy Is Scary” which caused unfortunate backlash, leading to him being threatened. <h2>Frankie Mouche</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/queervegan666/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Frankie</a> describes themself as a Transmasculine Nonbinary Radical Autistic Queervegan. They also are the founder of the queervegan.com blog where they discuss fitness, food and metal. They are an increasingly important voice in Trans rights and the fight against the gender critical. <h2>Sean O’Callaghan&nbsp;</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/fatgayvegan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Sean</a> became famous for his blog Fat Gay Vegan, reclaiming the words that used to hurt him. He is now a bestselling author, with his book that is named after his blog, and subtitled <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B075JNMPRY/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Fat Gay Vegan: Eat, Drink and Live Like You Give a Sh!t</a>. He wants vegans and non-vegans alike to look beyond the plate and see how we can all live a little more compassionately. If you enjoyed this article you may also like to check out our article about<a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/brighton-businesses-supporting-the-lgbtqia-and-vegan-community-through-brighton-pride-and-beyond" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;"> </a><a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/brighton-businesses-supporting-the-lgbtqia-and-vegan-community-through-brighton-pride-and-beyond" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">business who support LGBTQIA+ and vegans in Brighton</a>.

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10 amazing LGBTQIA+ to follow

Every parent wants to teach his or her child kindness, compassion and tolerance, in the hope that it has a lasting effect on their growth into adulthood. We educate our children not to discriminate on a person’s sexuality, gender, race or religion, and to be kind to all living creatures, because as parents, we want our children to have a good moral compass. For many parents, we try to encourage kindness not only to humans, but to animals too. Phrases such as;&nbsp; “Don’t pull the dog's tail” or “Don’t squash that bug” are common in many households. Yet, unfortunately, in some cases, this can easily be contradicted by serving children an animal part for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, which can have a confusing impact on the growth of that child. The phrase, “I don’t want to eat animals,” is becoming more frequent for this reason as children are starting to make the connection from a younger age. To give a growing human the most rounded and impassioned upbringing, resulting in a kind and tolerant adult, it is important that we stop teaching cognitive dissonance; we cannot teach our children to be kind to all living beings, and then serve them a body part of a once-living-being and expect them to eat it without question. Children inherently care, sometimes about things we as adults see as trivial. If we harnessed this level of compassion from an early age, and incorporated an early education about veganism, this could dramatically change our world, perhaps creating systematic changes that would have a positive ripple effect throughout society within a generation.&nbsp; As parents, we have total control over what we feed and clothe our young, and we can make these choices vegan from birth. For baby milk, whether breastfed or formula fed, both options can be vegan with brands such as <a href="https://www.bebe-m.com/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Bébé M</a> and Prémibio offer dairy-free alternatives, and there are many vegan options when it comes to clothing from vegan brands such as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/babymoriofficial/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Mori Baby</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/littleveganboutique/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Little Vegan Boutique</a> or going eco-friendly and using pre-loved items from friends and family, charity stores or online marketplaces.&nbsp; For school age children, the curriculum teaches an age-appropriate sex education including positive relationships, appropriate and inappropriate behaviours, modern family dynamics and how the reproductive system works. Perhaps it is this type of teaching we should adopt in classrooms highlighting age-appropriate animal rights for children too, teaching that all living creatures are equal, with as much right to live their lives free from pain, fear and oppression as us humans. For the ages of four to eight, there are a whole host of books to engage children with the likes of <a href="https://www.booktrust.org.uk/book/t/t-veg-the-story-of-a-carrot-crunching-dinosaur/#:~:text=Reginald%20the%20T%2DRex%20loves,stew%20and%20banana%2Dberry%20shake." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">T-Veg: the story of a carrot-crunching dinosaur</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vivithesupervegan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Vivi the Supervegan</a>. As children grow to a more independent age of eight to twelve, imagine the impact it could have if they were taught age-appropriate realities of how animals are used in modern day society, to enable them to make their own informed decisions about them, ie; the production of cows milk and animals raised for slaughter, the process of honey and the life of the queen bee. A fantastic free resource to help nourish young minds on animal rights is <a href="https://www.instagram.com/earthlinged/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Earthling Ed’s</a> <a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VkyxsTrDqvE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Teaching 10 Year Olds About Veganism</a> video. Into the teenage years, interests can differ. Some teenagers may enjoy reading and there is a new wave of vegan Young Adult Fiction authors including V Land UK's own <a href="https://v-land.co.uk/ray-star-writing-for-nature/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Ray Star</a> and the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Earthlings-Ray-Star-ebook/dp/B099KT2CSW/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1SUSQCNZRFWHL&amp;keywords=earthlings&amp;qid=1654509666&amp;s=digital-text&amp;sprefix=earthlings%2Cdigital-text%2C56&amp;sr=1-2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Earthlings trilogy</a> and <a href="https://ashlandcreekpress.com/authors/blair_richmond.html#:~:text=Blair%20Richmond%20is%20the%20pen,Runner%2C%20and%20The%20Last%20Mile." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Blair Richmond</a> and the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Lithia-Trilogy/dp/B098G4XYD4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Litha trilogy</a>. Some curiosities may lead towards the health benefits of veganism, especially if they are the sporty type, Netflix’s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gamechangersmovie" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Game Changers</a> is an eye opening documentary. Others may be drawn towards animal rights activists who give raw, open hearted truths about the world we live in such as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/joey_carbstrong" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Joey Carbstrong</a> and <a href="http://www.instagram.com/Jamesaspey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">James Aspey</a>, they may even want to get involved in activism themselves with local community groups such as <a href="https://www.anonymousforthevoiceless.org/what-is-a-cube-of-truth" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">‘Cube of Truth’</a> events. We are amidst a new wave of consciousness within young people, and by supporting their need for answers, rather than shutting down their curiosities, we can help them thrive in a world that is kind to all living beings. Perhaps one day future generations may look back at the meat and dairy industry with the same abhorrence of outdated human traits such as gender and racial inequalities. The youth of today bring hope for a compassionate future, and we are dedicated to supporting them on this journey. If you are keen to make more vegan changes in your young ones life, check out recent articles <a href="https://v-land.co.uk/where-does-it-stop/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">‘Where does it stop?’</a>&nbsp; and ‘<a href="https://v-land.co.uk/meat-free-monday-small-changes-can-make-a-great-impact%ef%bf%bc/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Meat Free Monday: Small changes can make a great impact</a>’.

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Vegan children: What we feed our children’s minds

Mind. Being. World. Inadequate as these notions are they are pretty much all we have in terms of representing our conceptualisations of whatever it is we find ourselves living through every day, whether these days be those of the wild adventurer or the local council worker. They, or the things that they attempt to capture and explain, are our familiars, the lenses by which we see or attempt to see everything we encounter, feel and experience.&nbsp; They have been presented, of course, as tools for the understanding of human being, human world, human mind, but it’s inconceivable that non-human animals don’t have them too. Very likely for each species each one of these things will be different. A dog can hear and smell far beyond the human range and in this sense – in these dimensions – his/her immediate World may be larger than a human’s. We could say that each species looks out upon that Greater World, in which what humans may wish to call World is a kind of bubble of consciousness, through a different window, from a different angle. Angles may be different, some windows may be large, others small, but one senses that dimension has little to do with it, is either irrelevant or naïve. The point is that we are all in it together, every species, all species; we – dog, sheep, duck, cicada, human, ant – partake in Being, we partake in Mind, we partake in World.&nbsp; Martin Heidegger – for of all contemporary or near-contemporary philosophers it is perhaps he who has most influentially (and controversially) attempted to sort out these things – says that animals are ‘poor in world’ (Being and Time, 1927), and, by implication, that humans are rich in it. We could expect no other position with regard to a concept that humans have devised essentially for their own use, to facilitate their own survival in and manipulation of that World. But even in this derogation of the (non-human) ‘animal’ world Heidegger is admitting that ‘animals’ have it too, that ‘world’ applies to them as much as to humans. And, ironically, if we can admit as we have learned to do – as I don’t think Heidegger ever could – that humans themselves are animals, then he can be seen to be pointing (not very consciously) to the limitations of our ‘World’ also.&nbsp; The point is important for all sorts of reasons, but let’s just say for now ‘for our respect for the other beings around us’. This sense that they too have a weight and intensity of being, of experience. That it is not a matter of size. That a duck or a rat or a cicada can have his or her glory days, his or her days of toil, his or her days of devastating tragedy. (T. was cleaning up sheep poop at the top of the paddock yesterday, near the duck-pond. She looked across and there was a female wood duck – she thinks the mother of the brood of four ducklings who first appeared four days ago, but who seem all to have died or been killed since – standing alone by the pond, and she said – but who can know these things? – that she seemed to be disoriented, demented somehow, to have lost her mind.) And that as we open ourselves to this aspect of the being of others – that if we look at them as if we shared such things – we can find our own being, mind, world, our own portions of Being, Mind and World, incrementally (if only infinitesimally) expanding. The realm is unknown to us, we do not know what we receive; we may not even have words for it, since the words we do have are for things that we have already experienced. But there will be arcings, moments of strange accession. In the past we might have called them mystic. But that is to hold them at bay. It is not inconceivable that they one day become our familiars. The point is important in that way, yes, but that’s not why I make it. Human animals have come to dominate the world. In innumerable ways. I cannot conceive of a non-human animal that has not been influenced by the existence of human animals. Pollution, climate change, destruction of habitat have reached even those parts of the planet (such as they are) that humans have not yet physically reached. And for a huge number of non-human animals the impact has been profound, devastating. Human impact is responsible for most extinctions, but as it happens I’m referring to species still in existence. If Heidegger, in saying that ‘animals are poor in world’, is right in any sense, then it is perhaps in this one, that we have impacted upon, damaged, and deprived them of much of their World, in effect stolen it from them.&nbsp; Most sheep, for example, go to slaughter at little over twelve months of age, when in ‘human’ terms they are barely more than four years old – barely, that is, out of infancy. How much World do we deprive a creature of, when we deprive him/her of fourteen fifteenths of his/her possible lifespan? And if, as I know all too well, a sheep can be rescued from this horrid mill, it will still be for a life of constraint, manipulation, confinement, if only to ‘protect’ him/her, ‘for [his/her] own good’. In this sense I think it is very true to say that ‘animals’ in the world as we now have it, non-human animals, live within the human, just as, say – though I think in more insidious and pervasive ways – the people of lands conquered by the Romans (or the British, the Belgians, the Dutch, the…) lived inside those worlds. And although this may seem paradoxical they are also to some degree therefore within us. The ‘animal’ has long – perennially, perpetually – been regarded as the ‘Outside’ of philosophy. This is one of the main reasons Philosophy has always failed non-human animals so badly. We think of the Animal as outside, but No; we – humans – have affected, influenced everything: the Animal is inside, a wild-card in our guts (our Mind, our Being, our World). This essay, from Brooks’s book<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turin-Approaching-Animals-David-Brooks/dp/0645374792/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3KT2TTW4TJFP0&amp;keywords=turin+approaching+animals&amp;qid=1652051363&amp;sprefix=turin+approaching+animal%2Caps%2C422&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turin-Approaching-Animals-David-Brooks/dp/0645374792/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3KT2TTW4TJFP0&amp;keywords=turin+approaching+animals&amp;qid=1652051363&amp;sprefix=turin+approaching+animal%2Caps%2C422&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Turin: Approaching Animals</a>, is published with permission of<a href="https://www.brandl.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.brandl.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Brandl &amp; Schlesinger</a>. David G. Brooks is a poet, novelist, short-fiction writer, and essayist. He has taught literature at various Australian universities, and from 1999 until 2018 was co-editor of Southerly, the premier journal of Australian literature and new Australian writing. He is the author of<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turin-Approaching-Animals-David-Brooks/dp/0645374792/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3KT2TTW4TJFP0&amp;keywords=turin+approaching+animals&amp;qid=1652051363&amp;sprefix=turin+approaching+animal%2Caps%2C422&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turin-Approaching-Animals-David-Brooks/dp/0645374792/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3KT2TTW4TJFP0&amp;keywords=turin+approaching+animals&amp;qid=1652051363&amp;sprefix=turin+approaching+animal%2Caps%2C422&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Turin: Approaching Animals</a>,<a href="https://www.ashlandcreekpress.com/books/grasslibrary.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.ashlandcreekpress.com/books/grasslibrary.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Grass Library</a>, the collection of essays<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wSFixUAsBs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wSFixUAsBs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Animal Dreams</a>, and many other award-winning works. Currently, an honorary associate professor in Australian literature at the University of Sydney, Brooks is a vegan and animal rights advocate and lives, with rescued sheep, in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.

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Mind. Being. World.

Candles come hand in hand with self-care and relaxation, being the perfect final touch to a relaxing evening or some down time. If you’re one for relaxation and delicious smells, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/biffart" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(102, 185, 102); background-color: transparent;">biff art + home’s</a> natural soy wax vegan candles are definitely for you. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/biff.art" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(102, 185, 102); background-color: transparent;">biff art + home</a> is a small business producing candles, wax melts, and digital art prints in an eco-friendly, vegan, sustainable, and heartfelt way. All products are handmade by V-Land's own Graphic Design Manager and Staff Creative, Beth Jones. Beth has created a range of beautiful candles, with plenty of scents and colours to choose from, so there is something for everybody! Recently we were fortunate enough to try out some hand poured candles from biff art + home. All candles are 100% vegan and are made using soy wax and eco-wicks and have a burn time of thirty hours! As well as being vegan, soy wax is natural, environmentally friendly and has a far cleaner burn than many alternatives. Natural soy wax delivers stronger scents and a healthier burn, making their candles a great choice. Each vegan candle comes perfectly packaged, delivered safely, and we also received a handwritten note, which was a lovely personal touch. We chose to try out <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/biffart?section_id=38017164" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(102, 185, 102); background-color: transparent;">Sandalwood + Vanilla</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1162252382/amber-and-clove-soy-wax-candle-100-vegan?click_key=63fd1a4a3b4210fd071fea0f875a238806b4a800%3A1162252382&amp;click_sum=54a12437&amp;ref=shop_home_active_3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(102, 185, 102); background-color: transparent;">Amber + Clove</a>. The candles smelt absolutely amazing and lasted so well, making them excellent value for money, and maintaining a sustainable ethos. biff art + home’s natural vegan soy wax candles would be perfect as a gift or self-care treat, as the scent of candles is an excellent stimulant for a calm mind or a boost of energy. We would highly recommend these products to anybody, and we can’t wait to see more from biff art + home! biff art + home’s vegan candles and wax melts come in a huge range of scents, colours, and fun shapes. Their products can be purchased on <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/biffart?ref=shop_sugg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(102, 185, 102); background-color: transparent;">Etsy</a> or through their <a href="https://www.instagram.com/biff.art/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(102, 185, 102); background-color: transparent;">Instagram</a> with free packaging and postage when ordered directly through Instagram. We encourage you to pay them a visit, and support Beth’s artwork and products with us.&nbsp;

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Natural vegan soy wax candles hand poured by biff art + home

There’s a lot to love about Brighton - the seaside, the vast range of independent businesses, the vibrancy of the city and its people who take their freedom of expression to an all-time high, and being one of the most liberal cities in the UK, Brighton has been unofficially named the Queer capital. But not only is it a mecca for the LGBTQIA+ community, it has also recently been crowned the <a href="https://www.chefspencil.com/veganism-popularity-report-2022/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">vegan capital of the world</a> - are you sold yet? In honour of Pride month, we’re giving a shoutout to some of our favourite businesses supporting the LGBTQIA+ and vegan community in Brighton.&nbsp; <h2>Green Kitchen</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/greenkitchenbrighton/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Green Kitchen</a> is a much loved favourite in Brighton by local vegans, and was opened back in 2016 by wives Katie and Catherine through their passion for showing how easy it is to eat kindly. Best known for its small-batch, handmade meat alternatives, <a href="https://www.greenkitchenbrighton.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Green Kitchen</a> also has an extensive menu of vegan goodies from breakfasts to toasties, pastries to burgers, even banana splits. They are committed to supporting animals through their business, and even support the work of Retreat Animal Sanctuary through the sales of their vegan meat-alternative rashers - we love to see it!&nbsp; <h2>The Actors</h2>Formerly known and loved as the Marlborough Pub &amp; Theatre, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theactorsbrighton/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">The Actors</a> pub has a long-standing connection with the LGBTQIA+ community and remains one of the most popular gay bars in Brighton, and is housed in one of Brighton’s oldest venues. Offering a range of pizzas from the likes of Pizzafaced, we love that <a href="https://www.actors.pub" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">The Actors</a> have catered above and beyond for vegans with delicious meat + cheese alternatives including vegan nduja, chorizo and sour cream. <h2>Holler</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/hollerstorebrighton/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Holler Store</a> is Brighton’s contemporary boutique for canines - offering an exclusive collection of dog accessories, clothing and homewares, it's the perfect place to pamper your pooch.&nbsp; What began as a mutual feeling of frustration at the lack of choice and quality when it comes to finding stylish clothing and accessories for dogs, partners Cian and Ryan launched <a href="https://holler.store" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Holler</a> in 2019 in the vibrant lanes, with an ambition of providing the most premium products from around the world. Though not specifically vegan, we love that Holler are there to help our beloved pets look and feel as good as we do - after all, who doesn’t love a pamper? <h2>The Feminist Bookshop</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thefeministbookshop/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">The Feminist Bookshop</a> is an independent bookshop and vegan cafe opened in 2019 by Ruth Wainwright. Seeking to create a fun and inclusive community space that supports female and non-binary writers, Ruth describes <a href="https://thefeministbookshop.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">The Feminist Bookshop</a> as a “intersectional, anti-racist, trans-inclusive and LGBTQIA+ space and we actively work with charities and organisations to ensure the safety of these communities”.&nbsp; It’s the perfect place to get stuck into a new book whilst enjoying a cuppa and a cake, supplied by some fabulous local independent vegan bakeries. You won’t want to miss visiting Brighton at its most vibrant time of year for <a href="https://www.brighton-pride.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Brighton Pride</a>, happening 5th - 7th August 2022. There are so many more vegan places to explore here in the vegan capital, why not check out our recommended <a href="https://v-land.co.uk/delightful-vegan-brunch-options-in-brighton/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">brunch spots</a> or <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/the-best-4-vegan-fish-and-chips-in-brighton" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent;">fish and chip guide</a>.

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Brighton businesses supporting the LGBTQIA+ and vegan community

Even if you’re keeping on top of your brushing and flossing, bad breath can strike at any time. Chewing gum can help us maintain fresh breath, and even prevent tooth decay, though they can often be packed full of sugar, or even made from single use plastics. In fact, one hundred thousand tons of gum is chewed every year! Mints are a great solution to combating coffee breath in the mornings, and better yet, much less damaging to the environment. <a href="https://www.mintastic.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mintastic</a> provides great vegan friendly sweets and mints without any of the sugar and calories and better yet - they’re vegan! <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mintasticmints/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mintastic</a> products are naturally sweetened with plant based erythritol, which is zero calories and zero carbs, making them 90% lower in calories than other mint brands. They are also aspartame, gluten and soy free with no nasties, no nonsense, and no artificial ingredients. Although erythritol may seem like an intimidating ingredient from the name, it is actually found in sweet fruits like pears and grapes. It is a natural sweetener that tastes just like ‘regular’ sugar, but calorie free. Mintastic is the only company to produce mints with this plant-based sweetener. Unlike some other sweeteners, erythritol doesn’t affect blood sugar levels, or cause bloating. They are also tooth-friendly, using Mintastic Mints can help reduce tooth decay and plaque build-up. We tried Mintastic mints for ourselves and we're big fans of the low calorie, zero sugar sweets. These pocket sized boxes of goodness definitely curbed the urge to have chewing gum, and helped to keep up fresh breath. Mintastic comes in four delicious flavours including spearmint, peppermint, cinnamon and strawberry, so even if you don’t love strong minty sweets like we do, there is something for everyone. Mintastic is a small, British brand that likes to do things differently. Their love for mints runs deep, and they’ve successfully made it possible to enjoy sweets without worrying about the calories or sugar. So whether you’re looking for a post-workout treat, watching your weight or following a special diet, Mintastic mints are the perfect way to maintain fresh breath and enjoy the taste of the sweet life. For optimal oral hygiene check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/brushd-oral-care-and-planet-care" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Brushd. oral care</a> too, a fantastic vegan brand helping keep our teeth healthy - and the planet too!

sweet mints packets with background of pastel green and blue and some white mints tablets all around

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Enjoy the sweet life with Mintastic: Vegan fresh breath sweets

Where does it stop? That tiresome question with which, it can sometimes seem, all ‘animal’ people and vegans are relentlessly assailed. Where does refuge stop? Where does your compassion reach its limit? Where will your refusal to kill/eat stop? And all of the corollaries, most commonly – pronounced as if it were some kind of trump card – the assertion that ‘every thing you eat lives, every thing you eat feels; surely, if you’re consistent, you’ll end up eating only air, and even that is full of living things!’&nbsp; I am advised not to confront this question directly – not to go into this place – but (with the proviso that veganism is a work in progress, and that there is no reason why – the suffering of animals being so urgent a matter – it should suspend or restrain itself while it searches for answers) the mind, trained as it is to think ‘logically’, goes back to it, over and again, banging itself against this wall, looking for an exit, a solution, an adequate response.&nbsp; Setting aside one’s suspicion that their real question is where, amongst the animate creatures of this world, can we start eating again? as if the killing and eating of animate creatures were somehow fundamental to their being (most vegans I know have simply decided to avoid eating any animate creatures, whether or not they are ‘sentient’, or can suffer in any way fellow humans might recognise as such), what is the logic of the questioners here? That if one cannot avoid all suffering, then it is somehow unreasonable to avoid any? That if one can’t save all then why save any at all? That if there is some creature you might inadvertently harm, then you relinquish your right to care for others?&nbsp; Despite the fact that their questioning is itself almost always flying in the face of reason – no amount of logical reasoning will persuade most people to change their dietary habits in this regard, and yet it’s very often these same people who insist upon logical, reasoned responses – one is convinced that there is, has to be, an answer, even if it’s only some understanding of why it is that such a question cannot be readily answered. Where does it stop?&nbsp; The concern, when this question is asked, is rarely for the vegan/‘animalist’ involved, or for any other living being, let alone for receiving or considering an answer, but instead to reach, like a sad and familiar punch-line, that point when, by supposedly exposing a radical inconsistency in veganism and in so doing reducing it to an absurdity, a non-sequitur, the asker can absolve him- or herself of any further conscience in the matter and, by a further abuse of logic, feel affirmed in his or her Carnism (1).&nbsp; Numerous attempts have nevertheless been made to provide answers to this question – the Question – and most have failed. Most recently, in the long and ancient history of such attempts (for surely they were asked even of Pythagoras), there has been the argument of sentience, most famously articulated by Peter Singer, whereby it is sentient creatures – creatures who various tests and observations have seemed to demonstrate have the ability to feel, and so possess a major prerequisite of what we call consciousness – that one does not eat, presumably because beyond that level, that cut-off point, the creatures one eats cannot feel that that is what’s happening to them, are unable to experience what we understand as suffering. In Animal Liberation (1975) Singer situated that cut-off point, that barrier, at the oyster. I am not about to take on the issue of where this barrier should be drawn. (Somehow, confoundingly, this argument-by-sentience has become intertwined with a point about movement; the oyster is a bivalve mollusc, but, although it does have a foot, unlike other such molluscs does not, in its ‘adulthood’, have the ability to go anywhere.) Nor, at the risk of seeming to cede ground immediately to those I attempt to answer, will I pretend that the question of sentience isn’t a deeply problematic one. The question of sentience, of comparability (of brain size and function, of the capacity to experience emotions that we recognize), while I can see and must admit that we cannot do without it, only shows how far we’ve gone wrong. Why then does it exist? What further (larger?) question does it enable us to deal with or keep at bay? Is it that we must have a cut-off point, for fear that if our compassion extends too far we will starve? Or that the quality of our lives will be intolerably diminished? Or is it a matter of our self-image, the assumption that creatures must be of our club before they become entitled to our compassion?&nbsp; The very scientists and sceptics who argue against anthropomorphism are the ones we most often find demanding proof of similarity. A further non sequitur: the question is not a/the question, but an ‘intellectualising’ of a fundamental will-not-to-change. We argue, but – leaving aside, when we assert that these creatures are to be respected the more they are like us, that it is we who are the problem (what does it mean to say ‘like us’?) – argument was never the point. Do I fail to answer the question? Probably. But such failure may not be quite what it appears to be. The supposed dominion over non-human animals is at the core of our logos. It would be erroneous, I think, to imagine that that mode of thought which led us into so cruel an assumption and has sustained us within it for so long is going to be able to lead us very easily and convincingly out of it. To the question implicit in all of the questions above – When will we/you see reason? – one might respond: When will you see that there is more than reason (or, perhaps, that there are more kinds of reason than that one)?&nbsp; It is not reason that leads most ‘animal’ people to their position of resistance to the prevailing cruelty of the societies in which they find themselves, not reason which brings vegans – ethical vegans (for there are different kinds) – to their positions of refusal. At least, not reason alone. Although it’s not unusual for them to come to feel that their position is almost quintessentially one of reason, and that this reason, when presented to others, must surely prevail, reason alone is rarely sufficient to change the course of those whom they find themselves trying to convince. Something else is required.&nbsp; It is not that reason will not work to bring about a change (of habit, of diet, of attitude), but without this ‘something else’ this change is unlikely to be sustained.&nbsp;It is common to refer to this other thing as a change of heart. Others refer to it as a matter of revelation – of, say, having one’s eyes peeled. All of these expressions are awkward, as we might expect of the submerged or discounted terms of a binary, the other, dominant part of which is attached, oyster-like, to the prevailing Logos.&nbsp; This essay, from Brooks’s book<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turin-Approaching-Animals-David-Brooks/dp/0645374792/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3KT2TTW4TJFP0&amp;keywords=turin+approaching+animals&amp;qid=1652051363&amp;sprefix=turin+approaching+animal%2Caps%2C422&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turin-Approaching-Animals-David-Brooks/dp/0645374792/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3KT2TTW4TJFP0&amp;keywords=turin+approaching+animals&amp;qid=1652051363&amp;sprefix=turin+approaching+animal%2Caps%2C422&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Turin: Approaching Animals</a>, is published with permission of<a href="https://www.brandl.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.brandl.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Brandl &amp; Schlesinger</a>. David G. Brooks is a poet, novelist, short-fiction writer, and essayist. He has taught literature at various Australian universities, and from 1999 until 2018 was co-editor of Southerly, the premier journal of Australian literature and new Australian writing. He is the author of<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turin-Approaching-Animals-David-Brooks/dp/0645374792/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3KT2TTW4TJFP0&amp;keywords=turin+approaching+animals&amp;qid=1652051363&amp;sprefix=turin+approaching+animal%2Caps%2C422&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turin-Approaching-Animals-David-Brooks/dp/0645374792/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3KT2TTW4TJFP0&amp;keywords=turin+approaching+animals&amp;qid=1652051363&amp;sprefix=turin+approaching+animal%2Caps%2C422&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Turin: Approaching Animals</a>,<a href="https://www.ashlandcreekpress.com/books/grasslibrary.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.ashlandcreekpress.com/books/grasslibrary.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Grass Library</a>, the collection of essays<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wSFixUAsBs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wSFixUAsBs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Animal Dreams</a>, and many other award-winning works. Currently, an honorary associate professor in Australian literature at the University of Sydney, Brooks is a vegan and animal rights advocate and lives, with rescued sheep, in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. References1.	Melanie Joy (Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows, 2009) uses this term to indicate that the decision to eat meat is a matter of belief and choice&nbsp;– one believes one needs to eat it, and chooses to do so – rather than something (a ‘biological necessity’) inherent/essential to the species.

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Where does it stop? 


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DoGood: Dog food, for good

As&nbsp;of 2020,&nbsp;April&nbsp;5th&nbsp;has&nbsp;been observed globally as an&nbsp;International Day of Conscience. The <a href="https://www.unsecretariat.net/observances/conscience-day.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">United Nations</a><a href="https://www.unsecretariat.net/observances/conscience-day.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">&nbsp;</a>established&nbsp;this day&nbsp;to&nbsp;promote&nbsp;a&nbsp;"culture of peace with love and conscience", with the&nbsp;hopes&nbsp;of&nbsp;educating and reminding&nbsp;us&nbsp;of&nbsp;our responsibility&nbsp;to&nbsp;uphold and defend human rights. As per the UN website, this day encourages us to foster “a culture of peace, which consists of values, attitudes and behaviours that reflect and inspire social interaction and sharing based on the principles of freedom, justice and democracy, all human rights, tolerance and solidarity, that reject violence and endeavour to prevent conflicts by tackling their root causes to solve problems through dialogue and negotiation and that guarantee the full exercise of all rights and the means to participate fully in the development process of their society.”&nbsp; From a vegan lens, the International Day of Conscience, makes me think about how animal rights are a human rights issue. Many people are victims of having to work for industries that exploit animals. <a href="https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/why-vegan/animal-exploitation-is-a-human-rights-issue/#:~:text=%20Animal%20exploitation%20is%20a%20human%20rights%20issue,of%20health%20problems%20and%20diseases.%20Processed...%20More%20" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Tayana</a><a href="https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/why-vegan/animal-exploitation-is-a-human-rights-issue/#:~:text=%20Animal%20exploitation%20is%20a%20human%20rights%20issue,of%20health%20problems%20and%20diseases.%20Processed...%20More%20" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"> </a><a href="https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/why-vegan/animal-exploitation-is-a-human-rights-issue/#:~:text=%20Animal%20exploitation%20is%20a%20human%20rights%20issue,of%20health%20problems%20and%20diseases.%20Processed...%20More%20" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Simons</a>, from the animal activist charity, Viva!, highlights the psychological damage that impacts humans caused by animal farming, which is often overlooked: “Slaughterhouse work has been linked to a variety of disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the lesser-known perpetration induced traumatic stress (PITS), more commonly diagnosed in child soldiers and war veterans”. As per a <a href="https://www.peta.org.uk/blog/mental-health-abattoirs/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">PETA</a> article, a former abattoir worker reflects on their mental health:“I personally suffered from depression, a condition exacerbated by the long hours, the relentless work, and being surrounded by death. I felt like the horrific things I was seeing had clouded my thinking, and I was in a full-blown state of depression.” The meat industry endangers workers, not only psychologically, but also physically. The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/19/christmas-crisis-kill-dinner-work-abattoir-industry-psychological-physical-damage" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Health and Safety Executive</a> deemed it to be the “top end” of its “concern level” for injury rates, and found that in six years, 800 UK abattoir workers were seriously injured: 78 required amputations and four died at work. The Equality and Human Rights Commission conducted investigations into the UK’s meat industry and found evidence of dire working conditions, particularly for migrant workers, at abattoirs and factory farms. Including discrimination, bullying, physical abuse by managers, and unsafe working conditions. In the UK, 69% of the meat processing workforce comprises EU migrants. <a href="https://www.peta.org.uk/blog/mental-health-abattoirs/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">PETA</a> records workers forced to work 90 hours a week, and pregnant women forced to stand for long hours, performing heavy lifting. These workers are some of the poorest as these are the jobs no one wants to do.&nbsp;<h2>&nbsp;</h2>For me, veganism isn’t restricted to treating animals with respect, it’s also about treating people with respect and fairness. Exploiting animals goes hand-in-hand with the exploitation of people. For people working in the meat industry, surrounded by killing and suffering, it’s obvious they will be traumatised. Unfortunately, we live in a world whereby the poorest communities are pushed into these inhumane jobs.&nbsp; By choosing veganism, or at least cutting down on animal products we can decrease the market need for slaughterhouses. Our consumer choices have an impact globally. Together small steps can collectively transform the world, for animals, for people, and for the planet.

International Day of Conscience: Ethical veganism

In 2019, <a href="https://instagram.com/mariekondo?utm_medium=copy_link" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Marie Kondo</a> appeared on our screens to ask “Does it spark joy?”: I asked myself the same question about my life. It did not. Overweight, bad skin, unhappy with the way my career was going and was constantly worried about past mistakes. Apart from my loving hubby, nothing sparked joy. I read a wonderful <a href="https://www.miguelruiz.com/the-four-agreements" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">book</a> by <a href="https://instagram.com/donmiguelruiz?utm_medium=copy_link" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Don Miguel Ruiz</a> and made four agreements with myself to change. They’re simple, easy to follow but if I may offer this advice: if you do fail go easy on yourself. Habits, like muscles, take time to develop. <h2>Be impeccable with your word</h2>What that meant for me was standing up for myself when necessary instead of allowing myself to ride roughshod and talking to people instead of about them. Words have power and they are better used in the power of truth and love. <h2>Don’t take anything personally&nbsp;</h2>Nothing others do or say is because of you. We all know this but rarely put it into practice. What others say, do or think about you is just a projection of their own realities. As <a href="https://instagram.com/rupaulofficial?utm_medium=copy_link" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">RuPaul</a> famously said “What other people think of me is none of my business. Unless they’re paying your bills, pay them no mind!” <h2>Don’t make assumptions&nbsp;</h2>This has been the hardest for me to follow because as I said I don’t often speak up for myself. Communication is key to everything. Ask questions, say what you really want. If you communicate with others as clearly as you can you avoid misunderstandings, misery and drama. It can be the hardest rule to follow but can completely transform your life. <h2>Do your best</h2>Now your best will change from day to day, from moment to moment. For example, a day at the gym will be better on a day that you’re rested, than a day when you’re tired. And so it is with everything. But no matter what the situation, simply do your best. And I do mean YOUR best. Don’t use the standard of what others do or don’t do to judge yourself. Sounds simple I know, but like I say it all takes practice. If you feel you fail… simply remember number 4 and do your best.

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Does your life spark joy?

Keeping our teeth clean is a daily routine that most of us do on autopilot, but, recent studies are showing that oral care, unfortunately, is a major contributor to plastic pollution across the globe. With the majority of toothbrushes being made from plastic, it is estimated that over 260 million toothbrushes are thrown away every year in the UK alone. Whilst almost 90 percent of people claim to regularly recycle in their kitchens, when it comes to bathroom products, an estimated fifty percent of people opt to dispose of bathroom waste in the bin instead – even the recyclables. Currently, most common toothbrushes are made from plastic, but thankfully, eco-conscious brands like<a href="https://brushd.co.uk/pages/about-us" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://brushd.co.uk/pages/about-us" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Brushd.</a> are pioneering to provide the public with eco-friendly oral hygiene solutions to our ever-increasing plastic problems. According to<a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/story-of-plastic-toothbrushes?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=social::src=facebook::cmp=editorial::add=fb20190614env-storyofplastictoothbrushes::rid=&amp;sf214328366=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/story-of-plastic-toothbrushes?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=social::src=facebook::cmp=editorial::add=fb20190614env-storyofplastictoothbrushes::rid=&amp;sf214328366=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">National Geographic</a>, every toothbrush that has been produced since the 30s still exists on the planet.<a href="https://oceana.org/blog/remote-island-baby-albatrosses-suffer-diet-plastic-trash/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://oceana.org/blog/remote-island-baby-albatrosses-suffer-diet-plastic-trash/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Oceana</a> highlights that plastic is washing up on beaches at an alarming rate, harming marine life. A haunting story from<a href="https://wietekeholthuijzen.weebly.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://wietekeholthuijzen.weebly.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Wieteke Holthuijzen</a>, a wildlife researcher, recalls “seeing an adult come back to feed its chick, it was having a hard time regurgitating something – then it regurgitated a toothbrush, and the chick ate it”. This is one of many reasons that it is more important than ever to consider what we are doing with our plastic waste, especially in the bathroom.&nbsp; We all know how crucial it is to reduce plastic waste, and thankfully there are more and more eco-friendly options out there to make it more accessible to cut down our personal plastic usage. Brushd. are an amazing brand that offer a complete range of oral hygiene products, from toothpaste tablets to electric toothbrush heads. The majority of toothbrushes are made from plastic, dental floss is usually coated in plastic and toothpaste is housed in plastic tubes. If each person in the UK replaced their toothbrush every three months as recommended, that is 320 toothbrushes used in one lifetime.&nbsp; Brushd. produce bathroom necessities for happy teeth, gums and most importantly, a happy planet. For every member of their subscription service they also plant a tree, as well as offering a recycling service if you return your toothbrush heads. Each pack of electric toothbrush heads comes with a prepaid compostable pouch so that the heads can be returned and properly recycled. Brushd. are all about sustainability and it is woven through their ethos and all of their products. After trying their products and using them for a couple months, we have realised the amount of plastic waste that can build up in the bathroom. We are definitely more concerned about what kind of products we are buying and how they affect the planet. Along with being sustainable, Brushd’s products are a welcome addition to any bathroom, with a clean, sleek and modern design.&nbsp; Head on over to the<a href="https://brushd.co.uk/blogs/articles/tagged/sustainability" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://brushd.co.uk/blogs/articles/tagged/sustainability" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Brushd.</a> website where you can see their full range of products, insightful journal articles from registered dental hygienists, and many articles focused on sustainability. You can also check out their<a href="https://www.instagram.com/brushd.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/brushd.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Instagram</a> to take a look at all their amazing products.

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Brushd. oral care and planet care

<h2>Evanna Lynch</h2>Best known for her role as Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter franchise, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/evannalynch/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(102, 185, 102);">Evanna</a> is also a writer, podcaster and vegan activist. She began her vegan journey after reading the book Eating Animals by Jonathan Safron Foer. Evanna is an animal rights activist and believes that being vegan is the most effective way an individual can help animals. On top of this she runs a<a href="https://www.thechickpeeps.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.thechickpeeps.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">podcast</a> that aims to support vegans at any stage of their journey as well as a beauty subscription box,<a href="https://www.evannalynch.com/kinder-beauty" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.evannalynch.com/kinder-beauty" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Kinder Beauty</a>, which focuses on selling products that have not been tested on animals.<h2> </h2><h2>Jane Goodall</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/janegoodallinst/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(102, 185, 102); background-color: transparent;">Jane Goodall</a> is a long-time vegetarian and recent vegan convert known for animal rights activism. Best known for studying chimps in Tanzania, which helped to develop the mainstream belief that animals are sentient beings, Jane has dedicated much of her life to advocating animal rights and conservation. In 2021 she released a cookbook,<a href="https://shop.janegoodall.org/product/-eatmeatless-cookbook/jgi295" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://shop.janegoodall.org/product/-eatmeatless-cookbook/jgi295" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">#Eatmeatless</a>, which highlights the destructive nature that eating meat has on the environment.<h2> </h2><h2>Emily Deschanel</h2><a href="https://twitter.com/emilydeschanel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(102, 185, 102); background-color: transparent;">Emily Deschanel</a> is an actress who has been vegan for more than 20 years and starred as Dr Temperance Brennon in the TV show Bones for 12 years. She has also been awarded the Compassionate Leadership Award, honouring her farmed animal advocacy leadership and accomplishments, and continued dedication and support of<a href="https://mercyforanimals.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://mercyforanimals.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Mercy For Animals</a> mission.<h2> </h2><h2>Fiona Oakes</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/oakes.fiona/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(102, 185, 102); background-color: transparent;">Fiona Oakes</a> is a British marathon runner who has been vegan since she was six years old. Despite losing a kneecap at 17 she holds three world records, including fastest female to run a marathon on each continent. She is in charge of an animal sanctuary that ensures the safety and welfare of domestic and ex-farm animals, and she founded<a href="https://www.fionaoakesfoundation.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.fionaoakesfoundation.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Fiona Oakes Foundation</a> which advocates sustainability.<h2> </h2><h2>Greta Thunberg</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/gretathunberg/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(102, 185, 102); background-color: transparent;">Greta</a> first popped onto our radars in 2018 when footage of her aged only 15 protesting outside the Swedish parliament demanding a reduction in climate emissions went viral. She is now well known for her environmental and sustainability activism. Her commitment to change has also altered how she lives her life: Greta chose a vegan lifestyle in order to reduce her carbon footprint as well as sailing across the Atlantic instead of flying when she was invited to attend a climate change conference.

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Notable vegan women to follow this International Women’s Day


Did you ever think you could use kindness as a practical tool for change? It may not seem immediately apparent, but human kindness can be the biggest reason for the change to a vegan lifestyle. It might be a need or want to help your health, the environment or even to support loved ones on their journey. Whatever it is, doing it with kindness will make it that much more achievable. Actively being kind is proven to help reduce stress and improve emotional well-being, which in turn becomes a good foundation to make a change.&nbsp; Along with that kindness though, there is also a part of you that might still nurture a culture of blame, frustration or anger towards yourself (one to think about), or to those who are still yet to make the shift.&nbsp; Changing your lifestyle might seem simple, but it’s not always easy. Just change what you eat, right? That tends to work if you’re wanting to shed a few pounds, or do a month of healthy eating. But to completely rethink and revitalise your lifestyle is much more a cultural shift and requires an endless stream of care, compassion &amp; determination. Ben comes from an Italian family, with lots of rich culture and tradition. He had been vegan for about a year when this conversation between Ben, Jamie and Minal happened: Ben: “I haven’t told my parents I’m vegan yet.” Minal: “Why? That’s a weird thing not to mention.” Ben: “Because I don’t know how they’ll take it…” Minal: *Bemused* “What do you mean.” Ben: “They wouldn’t know what to do. We’re Italian. My mum might be a bit more reasonable but my Dad definitely won’t be happy – I don’t think I could tell them. Like, every time I go home, I have to tell my mum I’m not eating fish at the moment or make up some excuse as to why I’m not eating meat…” Jamie and Minal cracked up! By this point, they had realised that this was actually a little complicated for Ben and that he really couldn’t tell his parents that he was VEGAN!&nbsp; Jamie: “Let’s say you told your parents you were gay – would they accept you for it?”&nbsp; Ben: *confidently* “Yeah, I think they would.” Jamie: “But if you told your parents you’re vegan, they wouldn’t.” Ben: “No.” a little embarrassment in his voice.&nbsp; He then went on to explain that it would crush his Dad that he couldn’t share his cooking with him anymore, that he definitely couldn’t tell his Grandma, and that it would take a lot to bring them around.&nbsp; Surprisingly, Ben isn’t alone in this situation. One study carried out by Kristof Dhont and Joachim Stoeber in 2020, found that “more than half of vegetarians had experienced discrimination, and nearly 10% of vegetarians said that family had severed contact with them because they didn’t eat meat. About the same percentage say they were not hired for jobs because of their diet.” Whether you’re a vegan making changes to your whole lifestyle for ethical/religious reasons, or environmental/animal welfare, or you’re focusing on making your diet more plant-based, making a change to your culture is a BIG DEAL. There are hundreds and thousands of years worth of history that will come up against you to challenge the change, but we find it’s useful to adopt a friendlier inner dialogue, embrace the small wins &amp; be more understanding towards yourself and others making change. No matter how many documentaries someone watches, vegan cooking courses they take, or plant-based Instagram accounts they follow, to make this kind of change requires a kind of ‘Aha’ moment. A realisation where you’ve been able to see your current culture clearly and make new choices that feel right. Especially if you want it to be a real, lasting change.&nbsp; The key is to ditch the habit of blame or frustration, and enjoy ourselves. Enjoy what you eat, what you think, and the impact you’re having. No one ever made a change by being guilted or nagged into it. If they did, it didn’t last very long, or they developed a lifelong disdain. People are happily making changes to a vegan lifestyle or plant-based diet through kind inspiration. There is so much wonderful stimulus out there that is helping people make authentic change, and it’s worth keeping in mind if you really want to ditch the cheese for the sheese and make the shift to plant-based joyful.

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Being plant-based and blame free


Life is pretty simple when we strip everything back. All we need is some shared time with others, a roof over our heads, and a full stomach. Human or non-human, we have this in common. Sanctuaries across the world provide these basics to previously unwanted or abused animals. The individuals they care for get a second chance at a more positive life. It’s not easy for these places though. Most animal sanctuaries tend to be in desperate need of support. There are many ways you can support, such as; donating, visiting, volunteering, or purchasing merchandise if you are in a position to do so.&nbsp; For inspiration, we’ve listed just some of the sanctuaries in need and highlighted some of the more creative ways they are trying to raise those much needed funds. <h2>FRIEND Farm Animal Sanctuary</h2><a href="https://friendfarmanimalsanctuary.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">FRIEND Farm Animal Sanctuary</a> is a 10-acre site in rural Kent. Established in 1994, they aim to offer a life-long home for rejected and rescued animals. You can visit as a large group or as a VIP if you wish to experience a more intimate tour of the grounds. For a little extra you can opt for tea, coffee, and brownies. Their latest project is an event kitchen inside a refurbished shipping container. This was kindly donated by a local building contractor who had visited the sanctuary, we’re excited to see this project completed and to attend an event. <h2>Pear Tree Farm Animal Sanctuary</h2><a href="https://www.ptfanimalsanctuary.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Pear Tree Farm Animal Sanctuary</a> is a Somerset based home to a small, but growing number of rescued residents. It all started at the end of 2018 when they took in 3 huge pigs who had been saved from slaughter.&nbsp; There are many ways to support them including volunteering, donating, and gifting from their Amazon wishlist – think shovels, buckets, and the likes. You can also sponsor one of their many residents and you will get regular updates about them. The Sanctuary also offers an afternoon tea, complete with homemade scones, jam, and cream, a sure-fire hit. <h2>Goodheart Animal Sanctuary&nbsp;</h2><a href="https://www.goodheartanimalsanctuaries.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Goodheart Animal Sanctuary</a> in Worcestershire is home to over 300 rescued animals. While most of the residents are typical farm animals, they also care for 2 alpaca boys, Alan and Alfie. Following an uncertain start they now happily hang out with the sheep in a shared space. To help raise much-needed funds they have an online shop. You can treat yourself or a friend to a t-shirt, tea towel, mug, or stationery. You can become a member by donating regularly or adopting one of the many animals for a year. <h2>Tower Hill Stables</h2><a href="https://www.towerhillstables.org/aboutus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Tower Hill Stables</a> was founded in the 90’s by endurance runner Fiona Oakes. The documentary<a href="https://runningforgoodfilm.com/home" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://runningforgoodfilm.com/home" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Running For Good</a> follows her attempt to set a new global record in endurance racing as she competes in the “toughest footrace on earth”. She has many world-beating records under her belt, proving that a vegan diet does not hinder your athletic prowess. The documentary also helps to raise awareness of Tower Hill Stables, and its residents. The Essex based sanctuary is home to over 600 animals.&nbsp; <h2>The Farm Animal Sanctuary</h2>A walk through a livestock market by the founder of<a href="https://www.thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Farm Animal Sanctuary</a> was the moment that sparked its creation. The story of this experience is heart-wrenching as well as inspiring. This was over 30 years ago, and they now care for over 600 animals and birds. They have been given the opportunity to buy the land that they have rented for decades, and you can help make this happen by donating<a href="https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/securingoursanctuary" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/securingoursanctuary" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">here</a>.&nbsp; In addition to donations and volunteering they host ‘sheepover’ events. This gives you the opportunity to camp overnight at the sanctuary and to share the space with the many residents for an extended period of time.&nbsp; <h2>Surge Sanctuary</h2><a href="https://www.surgesanctuary.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Surge Sanctuary</a> is a relative newcomer and can be found on an 18-acre site in the Midlands. Earthling Ed has been a prominent animal rights activist in the movement for many years and had hoped to set up a forever home for rescued animals. He first set up the animal rights charity Surge as part of a plan for a sustainable funding model when they opened the<a href="https://www.unitydiner.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.unitydiner.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Unity Diner</a> restaurant in London. Every dish you eat, or cocktail you sip goes toward supporting the animals in their care. <h2>Retreat Animal Rescue &amp; Sanctuary</h2><a href="https://www.retreatanimalrescue.org.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Retreat Animal Rescue &amp; Sanctuary</a> is home to more than 1,250 animals, their aim is to expand further. Land is currently vacant next to the retreat which means they would double in size if purchased. You can help make this ambition a reality by donating<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-help-them-more" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-help-them-more" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">here</a>.&nbsp; They have a thrift shop on site selling everything from vintage dresses to second-hand cars. Like any charity shop they rely on the public to donate their unwanted items. They also have a licenced all-vegan café that will surely satisfy all your food and drinking needs. It is even possible to rent space for parties, weddings and conferences.&nbsp; <h2>Dean Farm Trust</h2>The award-winning Dean Farm Trust can be found in Wales. There is so much to discover on their website and many ways to support. Whether it’s a keyring, a VIP visit or a monthly donation, it all contributes to the sanctuary’s upkeep. A nice touch in helping them to raise funds is their online shopping list for you to purchase food and bedding for their residents. You can choose from corn on the cob for Phoebe the hen and her friends, carrots for the piggies and equines or shavings for the bunnies. These essential items are then supplied by a local store and dropped off without them charging for delivery. The whole concept makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. <h2>Tribe Animal Sanctuary Scotland</h2><a href="https://tribesanctuary.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Tribe Animal Sanctuary Scotland</a>, or TASS for short, can be found in the Clyde Valley.&nbsp; They have a cute little self-catering hut on site for those who wish to experience a more unusual getaway. It sleeps just 2-3 people so is perfect for a couple or small group of friends. In one of the more unusual ways to support a sanctuary, you could always get a tattoo. They are part of<a href="https://tribetattoo.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://tribetattoo.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Tribe Tattoo</a> with locations in Edinburgh and Glasgow. All profits go to the sanctuary so think of a design and book yourself in. Reassuringly, it clearly states on their website that they offer vegan tattoos too.

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Animal sanctuaries to support across the UK

<h2>You love your body</h2>Last year at around this time, I was having some health issues, and I reached out to a friend for help. She is a soul sister to me, someone who is also a writer and who sees the world through gentle eyes. Her parents and sister are all physicians, so she also keeps up with the latest findings from the global medical community. She told me about <a href="https://undoitbook.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Undo It</a> – a book by the Ornishes that offers a program to reverse chronic illnesses. Reading it, I sensed deeply that a low-fat, vegan diet would help me improve my health. I went on to do further research, and I made the decision to go vegan because I wanted my body to be happy and healthy. Of course, I couldn’t do this alone, so I discussed it with my wife, and here are a few documentaries we watched together that taught us about the health benefits of veganism: <a href="https://gamechangersmovie.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Game Changers</a>, <a href="https://www.forksoverknives.com/the-film/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Over Knives</a>, and <a href="https://www.whatthehealthfilm.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What the Health</a>. <h2>You love your partner</h2>I lost 2 stone in the first 3 months after going vegan. And I’ve kept it off for the past 10 months. I also found that having lost weight helped my body want to move more, so it was a win-win proposition. All of this meant that I had better self-esteem and felt good in my body. We all want a partner who is happy and healthy in her body; supportive and self-assured in her mind. I found that the best way to achieve this was to make myself the priority first. I could not expect anyone else to do these things for me if I were not doing them for myself. Yoga, either alone or as a couple, can be a beautiful way to move your body in calm and nourishing ways. Here are some of the apps that have been helpful during this process:&nbsp;<a href="https://asanarebel.com/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Asana Rebel</a>, <a href="https://www.glo.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Glo Yoga</a>, and <a href="https://insighttimer.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Insight Timer</a>. <h2>You love your budget</h2>The price of groceries has gone up in the past year. Even before going vegan, my wife and I realized that buying staples such as grains and nuts in bulk, as well as making our own meals at home, was a huge money saver.&nbsp; Each week, we look at what food is in the house and create a meal plan using the staples we already have and then add to it with fresh fruits and vegetables.&nbsp; This has allowed us to have extra savings in our budget for other purchases that bring us great happiness, such as the red kayaks we bought for each other at Christmas this past year. These are a few foundational foods that are extremely versatile and easy to prepare in many vegan dishes: black lentils, cashews, and farro. <h2>You love your couple time</h2>You might think that veganism is bland and boring and that cooking at home is a bothersome chore. We have found the opposite to be true.&nbsp; Making the commitment to going vegan together means that date night can be every night. The care we put into the procurement of spices and ingredients, the weekly meal planning we do, and the shared responsibilities of cooking and cleaning – these are deep acts of love. It’s a sensual delight to taste and smell everything intensely that we have made together. Sweet potatoes are lush and hearty. Spinach is tart and lemony. A strawberry has all the layers of springtime in it. And when tofu, seitan, tempeh, and other plant-based proteins are seasoned well, they are scrumptious and don’t leave you feeling heavy and tired.&nbsp;Here are my top three favourite cookbooks: <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/225436/afro-vegan-by-bryant-terry/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Afro-Vegan</a> by Bryant Terry, <a href="https://keepinitkind.com/but-i-could-never-go-vegan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">But I Could Never Go Vegan!</a> by Kristi Turner, and <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/566455/cool-beans-by-joe-yonan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cool Beans</a> by Joe Yonan. Also, <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/237259/the-homemade-vegan-pantry-by-miyoko-schinner-foreword-by-isa-chandra-moskowitz/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Homemade Vegan Pantry</a> by Miyoko Schinner is essential to learn how to make your own staples such as nut milk, plant-based butter and cheeses, bread, and soup stocks. <h2>You love the earth</h2>I remember one day, early in that first spring of quarantine, when I sat in our backyard and all I could hear were the birds singing and the breeze in the newly green leaves. No traffic. No sirens. No airplanes. Not even any trains — we have a track right behind our house, and herons and egrets started roosting there that year.&nbsp; Veganism wasn’t on my mind when the pandemic first struck, but eventually I came to see it as the one thing I could do daily to help our earth recover and have a chance to live in balance again.&nbsp;I knew for certain that a pause in our collective patterns of consumption and compulsive doing might just be what the earth needed to heal. These past few years have been a time of great healing for me and for the planet collectively.&nbsp; As the poet Audre Lorde said, “We cannot live without our lives.” My wife and I have come to embrace veganism because we cannot love each other without first loving ourselves and the earth. Cassie Premo Steele is a poet and novelist and the author of 16 books, including <a href="https://ashlandcreekpress.com/books/earthjoywriting.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Earth Joy Writing: Creating Harmony Through Journaling and Nature</a>. You can access free audio meditations and video workshops based on the book on this <a href="http://www.earthjoywriting.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">website</a> and learn more about her writing at her <a href="https://www.cassiepremosteele.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">website</a>.

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5 Reasons to go vegan for Valentine’s Day

Leather is ubiquitous. From shoes to sofas, it is in almost every home. It is, of course, the skin of an animal – meaning it is not vegan. Like all other organic matter, this skin wouldn’t last very long if preservatives weren’t used. This process necessitates the use of toxic chemicals at an industrial level and is detrimental to the environment. In many developing countries labourers working in these industries are also heavily exploited and their basic human rights violated. Safety and environmental measures are often ignored in favour of keeping costs low.﻿ The standard vegan alternative to animal leather is pleather. This has been the go-to for many vegans over the years. The term is derived from“plastic leather”, and that’s pretty much what it is – Plastic. So while pleather is a win for the animals, it definitely isn’t a win for the environment. <h2>Are there any better options than substitute leather made from plastic?</h2>This is where plants come to the rescue. While not perfect, they certainly are an improvement and it is thrilling to be presented with more options. Some of these plant-based alternatives even use waste byproducts from the juice and food sectors making plant leather much kinder to the environment. <h2>Pineapple</h2>Otherwise known as Piñatex, this alternative was developed in the 90’s and was one of the first to get used in fashion. It mostly consists of the cellulose fibres extracted from pineapple leaves and is one of the options that utilises waste that would otherwise rot in a landfill. Being the first plant-based option to hit the mainstream, many brands have already adopted it to make shoes, bags, jackets and more. <a href="https://www.ananas-anam.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Ananas Anam</a> is the perfect resource for discovering more about this versatile and sustainable material. <h2>Cactus</h2>Nopal is a prickly pear cactus and is the plant of choice for cacti leather. Cacti are hardy plants so need very little water and/or pesticides. The leaves are harvested with the body of the plant remaining intact. This can be repeated many times over as new leaves grow back. The sustainability credentials of this product are therefore hard to beat. The leaves are cleaned, cut, mashed and then dried in the sun before a binder is used to form the final product.&nbsp; <a href="https://desserto.com.mx/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Desserto</a> was developed in Mexico and this leather came to fruition in 2019, and was showcased in one of the world’s fashion capitals – Milan, Italy.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>Mushroom</h2>If mushrooms are good enough for Stella McCartney, they are good enough for us at V-Land. Stella McCartney is part of a consortium of big brands behind the<a href="https://www.mylo-unleather.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.mylo-unleather.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Mylo Unleather</a> initiative. This group of companies aim to bring this infinitely renewable material to the market this year. The product is made from mushroom mycelium. Mycelium is an intricate web of underground fibres and is grown in a controlled environment that replicates the forest floor. Once harvested, it is processed and tanned to produce the final product. We know that mushrooms aren’t strictly plants but we are so excited to see more of this product as it is a compassionate alternative to animal skin.&nbsp; <h2>Corn</h2><a href="https://project.veja-store.com/en/intro/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Veja</a> is an Italian based footwear brand that sought a more sustainable material for their shoes. They spent many years researching and developing options before settling on corn. It follows the same principles as other plant-based leather in its production. When it comes to corn it’s hard to decide whether it is better popped and flavoured or flattened and worn. Fortunately we can now do both if we wish. <h2>Mango</h2>A lot of fruit is discarded before it even hits the supermarkets shelves. This waste is not insignificant in its negative impact on the environment. It was because of this that two designer entrepreneurs in Rotterdam, Netherlands, tasked themselves with developing leather-like products out of leftover fruit.<a href="https://fruitleather.nl/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://fruitleather.nl/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Fruitleather</a> was born and they presented mango leather to the world.&nbsp; There are even mango fruit leather recipes to be found <a href="https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/259995/mango-fruit-leather/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">online</a>. This leather is good for your lunch box but don’t confuse it with the raw materials for making a new pair of shoes. It wouldn’t end well, especially in rainy Britain. The future of leather is plants so we can expect more innovation in this space in the coming years. Definitely watch this space. We will be.

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5 plant leather alternatives for vegans and environmentalists

If you’re looking to stock your cupboards with vegan-friendly staples that help elevate any meal, then search no further. Our guide looks at 8 products that are readily available in your local supermarket to create a variety of savoury dishes and desserts. <h2>Nutritional yeast flakes</h2>Arguably the most important on the list – nutritional yeast is integral to creating flavourful, cheesy vegan dishes. It has a variety of health benefits, including supporting your immune system and boosting energy with a helpful dose of B vitamins. Nutritional Yeast is versatile and has many uses – it can be used for thickening up pasta sauces or stews, and even for sprinkling a bit of crunch and cheesy zing on your beans on toast. It is also the key ingredient in making vegan cheese as it creates a nutty, cheesy flavour profile. Marigold Engevita Yeast Flakes can be easily found in most supermarkets and health stores, whilst BOSH! offer a variety of flavoured ‘Nooch!’, including smoky and garlic &amp; herb. <h2>Tinned goods</h2>Tinned food can be really underrated. A variety of protein sources such as pulses and legumes can be found in any supermarket or corner shop, and they’re super versatile additions to vegan dishes.&nbsp; Chickpeas add more protein and density to a curry or salad. Don’t throw away the brine that chickpeas are kept in (called aquafaba)&nbsp;as it can be used to make vegan desserts such as meringues. Lentils have a great texture and are often used to substitute mince meat in dishes such as cottage pie or bolognese. There are endless varieties of tinned beans too – kidney beans are the perfect component to a chilli-sin-Carne, whilst butter beans work well in stews.&nbsp; Also, don’t be afraid to stock up on some tinned tomatoes and coconut milk for when you want to rustle up a hearty pasta sauce or curry without having to run to the grocery store. <h2>Vegetable stock and gravy</h2>Going vegan doesn’t mean we have to miss out on typically meat-focussed dishes such as roast dinners or stews. What better to accompany these dishes than a thick, flavourful gravy or stock made from vegetables? Veggie-friendly stock and gravy is really easy to find in supermarkets – just be sure to watch out for cow’s milk in the ingredients list.&nbsp; <h2>Liquid smoke</h2>Liquid smoke is a specialty ingredient on this list, but perfect for achieving a delicious barbeque flavour without having to actually fire one up.&nbsp; This product can be used to elevate the flavours of meat-free alternatives such as tofu and tempeh, and even as a great addition to some classic smoky meals such as fajitas and burgers.&nbsp; Our favourite is Stubbs Hickory Liquid Smoke – check out our<a href="https://v-land.co.uk/hollys-super-easy-yet-decadent-carbonara/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://v-land.co.uk/hollys-super-easy-yet-decadent-carbonara/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">easy carbonara recipe</a> using this ingredient to create smokey mushrooms. <h2>Sesame oil</h2>Going beyond your average cooking oil can really help to enhance the flavours of your meals, so it’s great to have a selection to choose from for any occasion. Cooking with sesame oil and adding a spoonful of crispy chilli oil will help to bring out authentic flavours in your stir frys and noodles. Coconut oil is particularly great for baking.&nbsp;Do use oil in moderation. <h2>Balsamic glaze</h2>A Mediterranean masterpiece, balsamic glaze is the ultimate condiment to add to your vegan dishes. Made with a combination of boiled-down balsamic vinegar and sweetener, it can be used to jazz up your pastas, grilled vegetables and salad dressings. Not only is it also the perfect addition to a vegan cheese board, but you can even enjoy it over some vegan vanilla ice cream or berries!&nbsp; <h2>Soya cream</h2>Soya cream can be commonly found in the long-life section of supermarkets, meaning we can always have one handy in our cupboard without having to worry about a use by date sneaking up on us.&nbsp;This vegan alternative can be used in the same way any dairy single cream would be – on deserts and also in everyday cooking. Creamy mushroom pasta, curries, soups, sticky toffee pudding, ice cream and even just to pour over strawberries, to name a few. Alpro and Oatly are amongst some of our top choices and can easily be found in the free-from section of your local grocery store. <h2>Sweeteners</h2>Honey is commonly used as a sweetener in many sweet and savoury recipes. But as honey is an animal-derived ingredient, it is by definition not vegan. The good news is there are plenty of alternatives available which can still give a sweet, sugary kick to our dishes. Agave nectar, maple syrup, molasses and date syrup are among some of the best alternatives to honey and are commonly available in most supermarkets.

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8 cupboard staples every vegan should have 

Gretel was rescued from a battery cage last night. She has a broken wing and a bald patch on her chest where the wire has rubbed her raw. She takes her first cautious steps into her new garden and looks up to the sky. As a cloud moves along, the sun is revealed and bathes Gretel in light. Gretel drops to her side in slow motion. She fans out her good wing. And then she basks. Her eyes close; her breaths slow. After eighteen months in a cage, she can let go. She can take a deep breath and enjoy the sunshine. Her past still exists, but she takes a moment to experience pure joy.&nbsp; <h2>Chickens have taught me that, despite past traumas, happiness can be found when we stop to appreciate the good moments</h2>Kaiho was liberated from the battery cage last week. She has breathing difficulties, but she doesn’t let this hold her back. She is exploring every bit of the garden she can: digging, pecking, and trotting from place to place. She has her own area to avoid the stress of fighting with the other girls.&nbsp; One hen, Cece, decides she won’t be kept out. She is a little game hen who was found as a stray. She flies over the fence into Kaiho’s area, and I make my way up the garden, ready to break up a fight. When I get there, I see Kaiho standing still, her eyes closed as Cece gently preens her face. Cece looks as if she is concentrating hard. She is being so gentle. Kaiho’s breathing becomes more stable. <h2>Chickens have taught me that happiness can be found by letting others into our lives</h2>Kim grabs a piece of baked pumpkin from the pile. Kim has been with us since 2018, and she is Head Human Preener and Chief Treat Connoisseur. After a past at a free-range farm where she experienced hunger and thirst, Kim is more food-focused than the other hens. She has a short beak from harsh debeaking, but she still throws herself headfirst (literally) into any food opportunity that presents itself.&nbsp; Kim runs from the group with her piece of pumpkin. But what is this? Kourtney, Kim’s bestie, in an unexpected betrayal, grabs the pumpkin from Kim’s beak before heading off at quite a pace. Kim races after Kourtney at a speed previously unknown to chickenkind. Her face is a picture of focus, and she’s gaining on her. Kourtney pauses for just a second to consider which side of the bush to run into, and that’s enough time. Kim snatches the pumpkin and is gone in a blur.&nbsp; After the race has been conclusively won, moods shift a little. Kim decides to share her pumpkin trophy with her bestie after all. <h2>Chickens have taught me that happiness can be found by focusing on what you want from life—and by sharing your good fortune with others</h2>Rosetta (meaning protector) was rescued from a slaughterhouse at only three weeks old. At the time we didn’t know Rosetta was a boy, but I wouldn’t consider changing his name. Rosetta fits him perfectly. He was rescued with his sister Malin (meaning brave little warrior), and from the beginning he tried to protect her, even from the rescuers whom he did not yet know to trust.&nbsp; Today there is a new girl in the flock called Barbara. She is a little black bantam with fluffy cheeks who had been dumped. Pixie, a previously stray hen, decides to put Barbara in her place. I brace myself,&nbsp;ready to intervene. But before I can step in, Rosetta has charged over, his bulky frame rocking from side to side. He throws himself into the middle of the fight. Pixie looks a little shocked, but as Barbara moves away Pixie tries to give her another peck. Rosetta pushes himself between them again.&nbsp; Pixie walks back to her flock. As for Barbara, she’s treated to Rosetta’s special dance: one wing pointed toward the ground and an elegant shuffle towards her. Let’s just say she’s impressed. The way Rosetta shuts down fights is worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize. I hold out some corn in my hand. Corn is Rosetta’s favorite. He makes his wonderful, tuk, tuk, tuk, food-is-here, sound. He picks up a piece of corn and drops it in front of Barbara. Pixie has run over. He picks up another piece and drops it in front of Pixie. I hold my hand out, and he finally takes a piece of corn for himself.&nbsp; <h2>Chickens have taught me that happiness can be found in standing up for others</h2>I’m grateful to have the chance to know these chickens as individuals; so many people know them only as food on their plates. Yet we have so much to learn from them: they are smart, social, cunning, clever, giving, loyal, and capable of so much love and affection. I hope one day the farms will close down, their suffering will end, and all humans can know chickens as I do, and know the same happiness they’ve given me.&nbsp; ﻿Catherine Kelaher was born in the UK and now lives in New South Wales, Australia. She is the author of Saving Animals: A Future Activist’s Guide (Ashland Creek Press, 2021) and is the founder of NSW Hen Rescue, an award-winning Australian charity that rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes hens and other animals from factory farms. Learn more at<a href="https://henrescue.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://henrescue.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">henrescue.org</a>.&nbsp;

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What chickens have taught me about happiness 

When it comes to veganism, you probably would have heard a couple of rumors and myths pertaining to the lifestyle. If you’re a vegan, you may also have found it hard to relay the facts or give answers to those who just don’t understand veganism. Or you might simply be curious about the vegan lifestyle and are open to looking past the stereotypes. We’ve compiled a list of common misconceptions about veganism to help debunk some of those pesky myths..&nbsp; <h2>It isn’t ‘just a phase‘</h2>We’ve all heard or said this at least once in our lives – whether it be about the way we choose to dress as a teen or exploring a new hobby. However, some decisions we make in life are way more fundamental, and can have a huge impact on our lifestyle choices and beliefs.&nbsp; This is often something we see within diet culture whereby an individual gives it their best shot for a month or two, but ultimately it peters out. Veganism is more than a way of eating – it is a lifestyle choice with a positive, moral impact on the world around us. It is a conscious decision to live a healthier, kinder and more sustainable life. It impacts everything we do, and is a big shift from what we’re used to. So for veganism to be seen as ‘just a phase’ undermines the dedication and willingness to change for the greater good. <h2>Vegan doesn’t always mean healthy</h2>Despite the common stereotype, it’s not all falafel and salads. In recent years, veganism has sky-rocketed in popularity and we’re seeing tonnes of new meat and dairy substitutes produced every year.&nbsp; And whilst you can live an ‘idyllic’ healthy vegan lifestyle filled with veggies and all the nutrients you need, it’s hard to not be tempted by some of the slightly less healthy substitutes on the shelves. You can now pop into most fast-food restaurants and find something cheap and vegan on the menu. This is a major breakthrough for making veganism more accessible for everyone, but like with any diet, moderation is still key!&nbsp; <h2>It’s not always more expensive</h2>Another common fallacy is that veganism is often perceived to be expensive in comparison to meat and dairy diets. But in its purest form, living on vegetables, legumes (such as beans, chickpeas and lentils) and&nbsp;carbohydrates (such as rice, bread and pasta) is one of the cheapest and healthiest ways to eat.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8QDbHDg_9YbfxAVfCwf36yCxMKf-CrRe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(102, 185, 102); background-color: transparent;">Madeleine Olivia</a>&nbsp;has a whole YouTube series on being a ‘Budget Vegan’&nbsp;illustrating how different supermarkets in the UK compare in price. At times she manages to keep her weekly food shopping below £15!&nbsp; Limiting replacement products and buying them when they’re on offer can further reduce grocery expenditure. When comparing this to a meat diet, you’ll quickly see how eating vegan reduces cost.&nbsp; <h2>We’re not all hippies</h2>Vegans are often portrayed in the media as weak, self righteous, tree-hugging hippies.&nbsp;The truth is people from all backgrounds and walks of life have and are adopting a vegan lifestyle. From ordinary citizens to A-list celebrities – more people are becoming vocal about their dietary and lifestyle choices.&nbsp; You don’t have to be a hippie to be a vegan, and you don’t have to be a vegan to be a hippie.&nbsp; <h2>Plants don’t have feelings</h2>If you’re debating a non-vegan over the vegan lifestyle, you are bound to be presented with the ‘but plants have feelings too’ argument.&nbsp; Contrary to this belief, plants do not have central nervous systems or brains, and therefore do not feel pain in the same way human and non-human animals do. They do not let out cries or lick wounds in response to pain. There’s a reason why you can take a child apple picking, but hesitate to take him/her into a slaughterhouse.&nbsp; <h2>Soy products are less impactful on the planet</h2>The production of soy products and growing soybeans have an undeniable impact on the planet. But what a lot of people don’t realise is that 70 – 75% of soy is grown for the animal agriculture industry. Only 7-12% of soy production is used for direct human consumption. Should the global demand for animal products decrease, it will cause a significant reduction in soy crops needed to feed livestock – making soy production less harmful to our planet.&nbsp; <h2>It’s not as hard as you think</h2>Making a transition from one lifestyle to another isn’t something to be taken lightly. Even so, going vegan is not as hard as you might think. ‘’ I’d miss cheese too much’’ or ‘’I could go vegan but…’’ are typical responses vegans have to endure. But if you’re genuinely open to change and you’re serious about wanting to make a sustainable impact on the world around you, the benefits of your choices will far outweigh the fear of finding it difficult to adjust to a new lifestyle. Taking simple steps towards cutting out meat and dairy on a weekly basis, learning more about the harmful impacts of the agriculture industry and making easy swaps on a daily basis (such as soya milk in your tea!) can help break down old habits and enable us to start forming new, less damaging ones. <h2>Being vegan doesn’t mean we don’t want substitutes</h2>Vegan meat alternatives are often labelled with the same names as common animal ingredients such as ‘bacon’ or ‘sausages’ or ‘egg’. This can cause confusion for some as the point of veganism is to avoid animal products. It’s important to understand that the majority of vegans didn’t abstain from animal products because we didn’t like the taste or texture of it. We simply don’t want the harm, violence and death that comes with it.&nbsp; If we can still enjoy the same flavours and textures in meat alternatives without the exploitation and cruelty, then why not?&nbsp;

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8 misconceptions about veganism

I loved cheese! Cheese was my friend. Cheese also made me unhealthy. I was down, overweight, my skin was in a terrible condition and I generally felt uneasy with myself. It wasn’t my physical and mental wellbeing which prompted me to explore veganism. It made the decision to convert easier, but not even these factors could push me to listen to my body’s warning signs.&nbsp; The thing which finally pushed me over the edge after years of vegetarianism, was a terrible one that lurks in the hidden corners of our minds: “What happens to the cows?” As a vegetarian, I thought myself quite the humanitarian. I was vocal about the inhumane, needless slaughter of animals for food while conveniently ignoring the fact that my morning latte had come from the misery and mistreatment of a poor dairy cow somewhere in the country. My lightbulb moment was when I realised dairy is what precedes slaughter and that I, as a dairy consumer, is complicit in this process.&nbsp; We’ve been lied to all our lives. The idyllic pictures of happy cows used in marketing and advertising, are myths. Instead, the truth about mass production on industrialised farms, is hidden from public view and the dairy industry goes to great lengths to keep it so.&nbsp; “Drink your milk so you can grow up big and strong” we are told. And we all buy into it without question. Why is it that no one is willing to look the truth full in the face?&nbsp; Metathesiophobia. It’s a great word and if you can pronounce it, I’ll award you 10 extra points. The word refers to the fear of change.&nbsp; Fear of change is a normal human response to something which has the potential to force people to abandon their comfort zones. It’s also the driving response behind the unfortunate backlash that vegans face when broaching the subject of veganism. People fear what they do not know, understand or view as outside the ‘’norm’’. Veganism is more often than not viewed as strange or ‘’fringe’’ and therefore something to be feared or ridiculed.&nbsp; My friend Anna* is a prime example. She has a particular fondness for a specific rice and bean dish from her country of origin. The dish is really flavourful and whenever I visit her, I ask her to make it for me.&nbsp; As a new vegan, I recently told her with excitement that because this dish has no meat or dairy, it qualifies as vegan. Her face became ashen upon hearing this. “Don’t tell me that!”, she exclaimed, ‘’Now I probably won’t eat it again!’’ Such is the irrational fear of the unknown. But to be fair, that was me before I became vegan. What will I do for my coffee? What will I put on top of my pasta? But you can’t beat a cheese toastie? These are questions I didn’t really want answers for because it would mean that I could no longer hide behind ignorance.&nbsp; So as a newbie vegan, determined not to partake in the needless torture of animals anymore, I started to hunt for substitutes. And based on my own experience, this is my advice for those of you who are looking to come over to the ethical side: Start out by finding a milk alternative that works for you. Personally I recommend a nut milk for coffee and an oat milk for tea and cereal.&nbsp; The British supermarkets have gone into overdrive to offer vegan meal alternatives which might not always be hugely nutritious, but do offer new vegans or the vegan curious the option of having their favourite meals without completely having to change the way they cook or eat. If you find yourself liking a “Chick’un Burger” don’t be shocked. It’s part of the journey. There is no such thing as the perfect vegan. Allow yourself to take it step by step, day by day and do it at your pace. Do what makes you comfortable enough to commit to veganism. This is your journey. Only you know what will work best for you.&nbsp; And if, like me, you crave cheese,&nbsp;the vegan cheese counter at most supermarkets is groaning under the weight of the vast amount of choice available.&nbsp; Don’t be fooled by clever marketing lies. You have choices. The animals don’t.&nbsp;