This November 1th a celebration takes place food and life philosophy that is gaining more and more followers in this XNUMXst century. Thus, the World Vegan Day honors all people who reject products from, directly or indirectly, any animal. Both own foods and clothing or their related to leisure and entertainment. Always in favor of animal welfare, respect for their feelings and their life, the 'vegans' they fight against the meat industry. But who is the father of this ethical-social movement? Discover its origin here.
Back to 40 this World Vegan Day
Although it is having its development and greater boom in these years, in reality, this World Vegan Day has a history that takes us back to the decade of 1940. Because he was the carpentry teacher Donald watson who pondered and coined the term in a press release in 1944. The VeganNews was created with the aim of being a pioneering newspaper. But in making known the ideas of the newly emerged movement at the time. This is how the founder of the Vegan Society this philosophy in said reflective text:
“The indisputable cruelty associated with the production of dairy products has made it clear that lacto-vegetarianism is nothing more than a middle ground between the consumption of meat and a civilized diet. We therefore believe that during our life on earth we should try to evolve enough to make 'the whole journey' »
Watson was born in South Yorkshire (England) in the bosom of a family where everyone ate meat. But its later growth in Revelstoke -where his uncle worked in a farm- marked him for life. In one of his childhood summers, he discovered how animals were killed for meat. This experienced event led him to baptize the farms as "a death row where the days of the creatures were counted." At just 13 years old, he switched to vegetarianism and November 1th 1944, created that Vegan Society that justifies today's celebration: World Vegan Day.
Indeed, Watson sought to differentiate between what was considered a person vegetarian (who did not eat meat but derived from it such as milk or cheese) of a 'vegan'. After observing that in the production of dairy cows were also suffering, he decided to go further to establish the differentiation. Since then, both groups coexist, one having more restrictions than the other. Of course, the fight for the recognition of animal rights was not established as World Vegan Day up to 1994. Louise wallis, then president of the Vegan Society of the United Kingdom, proclaimed it.
Three principles guide this philosophy
- Ethic: undoubtedly, this is the main reason that is argued with the animal protection and respect for their derechos like living and not being mistreated.
- Environment: producing plant foods involves pouring less waste to the natural environment, so pollution has less impact than with meat production.
- Diet: un excessive consumption of meat It can lead to healthy problems, so a good controlled 'vegan' diet reduces that risk of some diseases.
However, although these principles are true, it is also true that today there is still a way to go in the Veganism. For example, the shopping basket with only products of plant origin is up to 30 euros more expensive that without taking into account said selection, not including meats or derivatives. In addition, certain foods from sheep or goats such as cheese, they still don't have a good vegetable substitute. With all this on the board, will this movement succeed in unseating the majority of meat consumers?
