Why to be a vegan

[princess]

Here is a serious question: I've been a vegetarian for many years now and I'm thinking about becoming a vegan. What exactly are the reason, ethical and other to be a vegan?

Thanks!

[flarewearer]

I have asked myself this question a lot, and never really found a satisfactory answer. If carried out properly, both dairy farming and egg rearing shouldn't cause animals any undue suffering or stress (eggs produce by modern farming are sterile, and so are therefore not an undorn chicken). If you care about the welfare of animals, supporting free range organic chicken farming and milk production should not be a problem in this respect. I feel it is better to support sensible farming practices than to support no animal farming at all.
Infact, when i have a suitable house and land I have always intended to raise my own chickens (for eggs, of course), that way i know they are being raised correctly, and they are very useful things to have in the garden, eating the slugs, digging the ground over etc. Whether or not i will be able to have my own dairy stock is a different matter altogether!


[hr]

[s]It's 106 miles to Chicago. We've got a full tank of gas and half a pack of cigarettes. It's dark and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it.[/s]
http://www.magnificentoctopus.com/

[donnamatrix]

Going vegan from being vegetarian is a natural transition for a lot of people. I went vegan because I didn't think that my being vegetarian was going far enough; by consuming animal products I was advocating the keeping and use of animals for human gains, which I don't believe in. It's true that if you're going to eat animal products, then free-range organic ones support the best standard of welfare for the animals involved. However, many people hold the view that animals deserve to live freely of humans as far as possible, and that we ought not to use their products at all. Also, there are worries about the loose application of terms such as 'free-range', because this often just requires the farmer to provide a hole in the barn large enough for a chicken/hen to get through - often weaker chickens/hens can't get through it and into the 'free-range' environment consumers are promised they have.

Have a look here: http://www.viva.org.uk/goingvegan/index.html
and: http://www.vegansociety.com/html/ for more info. There are a lot of books available on the subject, and if you like I can send you some leaflets/guides, including the Vegan Society's very well done booklet 'Why Vegan?'. Just email me your address )



[hr]

[s]"Those who claim to care about the well-being of human beings and the preservation of our environment should become vegetarians for that reason alone. They would thereby increase the amount of grain available to feed people elsewhere, reduce pollution, save water and energy, and cease contributing to the clearing of forests."
--Peter Singer[/s]

[donnamatrix]

By the way, you could also come along to the Incredible Veggie Roadshow a week on Saturday. There'll be loads of information there. Check out: http://www.viva.org.uk/roadshows/edinburgh.html

Donna )

[hr]

[s]"Those who claim to care about the well-being of human beings and the preservation of our environment should become vegetarians for that reason alone. They would thereby increase the amount of grain available to feed people elsewhere, reduce pollution, save water and energy, and cease contributing to the clearing of forests."
--Peter Singer[/s]