It's not vegan if you only do it for a month

[AlwaysBeFabulous]

Obviously plantbasedanuary isn't as catchy, but if you're only doing it for a month, you can hardly call it vegan.

Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.

Is this really what people are doing for January, or just eating fake meat burgers instead of real meat burgers? Before going back to eating real meat burgers in February. Unless it inspires you to continue with veganism in which case kudos to you.

I had no idea that figs were fertilised like that!

As for hiring honeybees - wouldn’t that be an issue for a lot of other farmed fruits as well?

I always think this about ‘flexitarianism’, they’re just omnivores wanting to be ‘woke’.

Wow i did not know that about avocados, figs and almonds.

Avocados and almond milk feature very very heavily in basically every vegan what I ate today I've ever watches on youtube. (Not a vegan or even vegetarian, just like finding new ideas to eat a more varied and plant based diet).

The avocados and almonds thing isn't a thing. Farmers need the crops to be pollenated and so they bring in extra bees to do that. The bees are not harmed. What on earth is the issue?

Yeah, but some vegans do go there. The Vegan Society doesn't - they stop at "you shouldn't eat honey if you're a vegan", but the position that bees-bred-specifically-for-pollinating-crops-and-carted-about-on-trucks is bad does seem a reasonable next step I guess? And from there to the crops that they pollinate is sensible. Probably. I guess.

theconversation.com/should-vegans-avoid-avocados-and-almonds-104800 has a good roundup of info.

I think a significant amount of the new vegan/vegetarian switching will be for environmental reasons rather than concerns about animal welfare anyway.

I was ill on the vegan day.
Stayed In bed.

Interesting about the figs!

After last veganuary I cut my meat consumption by about 80% across the year, and dairy by about 20% I'd say

Already this veganuary I've eaten new things and tried new recipes I'll build into my repertoire for 2020 and hopefully those numbers will increase.

I'd not describe myself as vegan though during Jan, I quietly get on with in IRL

I'm doing Veganuary but seriously OP does it matter if people only do it for a month? Really? Go get a real problem

As long as they don’t announce that they are vegan. I heard someone on the radio say “I’m vegan - well I eat meat sometimes...”. So bit vegan than, so why say it?

This is like criticising someone for going to church for the first time because they haven't yet found their faith.

Would they go around saying that they were Christian though?

"Now you just eat plant based food for a day and can declare yourself vegan."

I dont think anyone rational would do this. Equally I think people who do 'veganuary' mean it in a food way, rather than get rid of everything they own thats an animal derivative.

I do think attitudes like this put people off wanting to be vegans, and makes it a 'them an us' kind of situation.

FWIW, I eat as a vegetarian 90% of the time, but theres 1 or 2 days a week where I eat meat, and because of this I wouldnt call myself a vegetarian. I did it because it makes me feel better generally, and for environmental reasons. I wouldnt take kindly to vegetarian or vegan sneering at my choices as you seen to do.

@unbaffled yes! It’s like those memes about a homeless person attending a job fair, or an obese person joining a gym.

The point is they are there, making a change. Whether it’s for a month, whether they take certain aspects of it with them going forward or jump in with both feet for life.

Whether it’s for personal well-being, for the environment, or whatever.

Does it really matter? Celebrate the positive!

Can ethical vegans eat wild figs... what about figs that are growing in an abandoned orchard? So nobody introduced the wasps, the wasps crawled in there of own volution, the plant just did it's thing.

To be ethical vegan, do you need to find someone to 'blame' for the harm to the animal?

Given all the mass extinction humans are causing, if all humans turned ethical vegan, would we necessarily have to do absolutely everything possible to halt & reverse climate change, to 'avoid harm' to animals? And if that's not effective, or "not effective enough", is the only ethical vegan solution for the human race to decide to exterminate itself?

Philosophical questions, Who knows the answers?

There are a lot of things wrong with this world. No, we don't need to eat animals in order to survive, but I think I'd be happier if humans were able to stop killing other humans in the name of politics or religion.

I'm not vegan or vegetarian but often eat a non meal based meal. My Step Son and partner when Vegan last year. They are very fanatical about it but my misgivings are around the things they now eat in quantity. Such as Avocados which as far as I'm concerned have become ever more fashionable at the demise of virgin forest in far off places. I'm also unsure about all the stuff put into the meat substitutes which seem pretty ropy. I would also suggest that the ethical reasons for all this are a bit unclear if it means flying in exotic fruit and veg. creating loads of food miles.
I'm more keen to eat locally grown products be they plant or animal. Maybe we should start a movement for that type of diet.

To me it is a philosophy, a way of life.

@AlwaysBeFabulous Good for you, that's just smashing. How about you at least try to understand that, for some people, they want to give it a go to see if it's what they want?

It seems like sometimes people are damned if they do, damned if they don't.

Given all the mass extinction humans are causing, if all humans turned ethical vegan, would we necessarily have to do absolutely everything possible to halt & reverse climate change, to 'avoid harm' to animals?
No, because
a) some vegan products are highly processed.
b) the monoculture of crops is definitely not animal friendly.

c) many popular vegan food crops don't grow/ are not native to the northern hemisphere.

I was trying to pin this down on another thread the other day and it was explained to me that more ethically minded vegans can support something that leads to less animal suffering. Which I got.

However being 'Vegan' for a month is nonsense. You can eat a plang based diet for a month.

I have a lot of respect for real vegans. It's perhaps one of the closet things you can get to a philosopically based 'religion' it has a creed that makes sense. One's behavour changes in relation to circumstances that bring possible conflict wih the world view, such as accepting any treatment that includes use of animal products, immunisations etc. That's why it deserves protection in law the same as having a faith does. Can't force a vegan to do something regarding animals that would violate their conscience.

I lose respect when it becomes co-opted by woke band wagonism. It should be 'plant based January' that's all it is. Eating a plant based diet for a month. One may eventually go on to adopt a vegan outlook. All good. But simply eating plant based does not make one vegan.

Its like being Christian for a month. How can you have real faith and change your life accordingly in a month then go back to being an atheist for the other 11 months? Impossible. You can to church. You can read the Bible. You can wear a cross. But that does not make you a Christian. Being a Christian is a world view. Ditto Vegan.

Why can't vegans just be happy people are trying to do good. Always gotta one up.

Well I guess if your being so nitpicky, you're not vegan unless you also dont drive, use any plastics, postal orders, fly, no leather, only buy fair trade, no microfiber clothing etc etc...oh ye and probably a lot of medical services and medicines too.
Is that how you live OP?

I would also suggest that the ethical reasons for all this are a bit unclear if it means flying in exotic fruit and veg. creating loads of food miles.

I have a friend who has been vegan for years and shes very open about the fact that becasue the diet is already more restrictive than a "normal" diet it can then be difficult to restrict it even further by only eating local.
I'm sure I've read that even if you factor in the carbon footprint of transporting food from around the world it's still significantly less than the impact the dairy and meat industry has on the environment.

If it helps OP I think a lot of people do Veganuary because it is seen as more socially acceptable to engage in a fad than it is to become vegan for ethical reasons. So they may, like me, be trying to make a long term change under guise of a short-term “try it out” IYSWIM.

If I say I’m doing Veganuary it’s much less controversial and I don’t get asked as many questions as I would if I said I’d watched those slaughter house videos and feel shit. Or talk about rape racks whilst people are sipping their lattes!

Oh for fuck sake. Stop it.

Sincerely, a vegan.