The Vegan Ideal

Today, the egg industry sent out a press release touting research showing how "free range hens experience just as much or more stress than hens raised in modern, conventional cages." The point of the press release is to debunk claims made by animal rights activists that hens in modern cages live a horribly stressed life. But what it really debunks is the myth of "humane" exploitation. (Read more...)

M. Butterflies Katz is a passionate vegan advocate, a professional chef and a co-author of Incredibly Delicious: Recipes for a New Paradigm, published by Gentle World. Katz is also the author of Metamorphosis: Poems to Inspire Transformation. (Read more...)

In 1924, Donald Watson went vegetarian as a New Year's resolution. Watson's conversion to the concept of veganism followed a family trip for the holidays to an uncle's farm. (Read more...)

Veganism is a principle that calls for the immediate rejection of the use and exploitation of all animals, as far as is humanly practical. Thus, in practice, the principle of veganism leads to nonviolent direct action. (Read more...)

It's become an established fact among the media, scientists and the international community that the exploitation of sheeps and cows for human use plays a significant part in global warming. But without a sustained emphasis on the vegan ideal of non-exploitation can we expect this to lead to a change in people's consciousness? (Read more...)

Quote from American Vegan Society's (AVS) Ahimsa magazine, Jan/Feb 1985, and was reprinted in Veganism: Getting Started, a primer on veganism published by AVS. Veganism: Getting Started is available from AVS as part of an introductory package that includes a copy of AVS's magazine, now called American Vegan. (Read more...)

An article today in The Stage claiming there is "'Little evidence' to support wild animals ban in travelling shows" perfectly illustrates why a vegan approach is essential to stopping circuses from exploit other animals. According to the article: "a report by the Circus Working Group, commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and involving representatives from animal rights and welfare groups and members of the circus industry, found that 'there appears to be little evidence to demonstrate that the welfare of animals kept in travelling circuses is any better or worse than that of animals kept in other captive environments'." (Read more...)

Unfortunately, veganism is often seen as the exclusion or absence of something. But living in a vegan world can be as joyous, and delicious, as ever. In most cases it is even more so, since eliminate exploitation from our lives makes room for more peaceful and just alternatives. I recently contributed a couple articles to The NewPeople, "Pittsburgh's Peace and Justice Newspaper," that touch on how flavorful and fun life can be without exploiting other animals. (Read more...)