Purpose and Definition
So what is the purpose of this website you might ask? It’s to talk about my experiences with being a vegan (becoming one and living as one). Hopefully, it will be useful information for someone who might also be embarking on this same path. Or maybe you know someone who is a vegan and would like to understand the whole thing a little better (without grilling them about it).
Cow by Matt (My Son)
Probably the thing I should do first is explain what a vegan is:
A vegan (pronounced vee-gun) is someone who doesn’t eat anything that comes from an animal source (regardless of whether or not it ends up in the death of an animal). So that means no meat of any kind, no dairy products and no eggs. Honey is a grey area, some vegans eat it and some don’t. I choose not to eat it. My thought is, while bees aren’t intentionally killed during the harvesting process, that doesn’t mean that many don’t die inadvertently. Plus I feel that bees should be allowed to do their thing naturally without the interference of humans. Especially, given all the mysterious bee deaths that have happened. Considering how important they are to our crops and ecosystem, it’s better if they aren’t at the mercy of humans. Besides, there is a really good vegan substitute readily available, agave nectar (it’s yummy too).
Most vegans will also avoid wearing or using items that contain animal based ingredients or are tested on animals. For example; personal care products (shampoo, makeup, toothpaste, etc.), household products (laundry detergents, cleaners, etc.) and clothing made from leather, wool, cashmere, silk or fur.
Another thing falling in a grey area is additives. For example, an item might be entirely vegan with the exception of an additive, such as, L-cysteine (which comes from an animal source). Some vegans will not eat it because of that one ingredient (myself included). While others figure that it’s such a small amount and the animal wasn’t specifically killed for that ingredient (it’s a byproduct), so they will eat it.
