Most non vegans don't think about these things as much as we do and so they won't even notice. If they do, I think that it is a good conversation starter to the actual realities of being vegan, and may make it seem more accessible to them.
WOW, thank you, this has been in back of my mind for years, yet, I never came even close to that awesome figuring it all out.
I once drove to an animal rights workshop where I talk to teenagers about veganism, meat, fur. Already in my car I realized my shoes are still leather and my belt was, too. The belt was from my dead grandpa and my shoes are old and I keep replacing the sole. Still my heart dropped, same feeling as you: How do I tell them without sounding like an idiot. I decided to play it cool and not mention it and nobody noticed. I got myself some vegan shoes and a leather-free belt from the thrift shop down the road afterwards.
It also has to be said that faux leather is pretty ubiquitous, and well, at least I couldn't tell the difference just from looking at it.
Fun side-note: When I had to replace the first items where I traditionally had (faux) leather items, I did not remember that faux leather was a thing either.
I went really far out of my comfort zone and got shoes with a cloth cover, and a belt + wallet out of cork leather.
I am very glad that I did do it. The belt is now twice as old as my belts would typically get before falling apart. And the cloth shoes have pretty much unilaterally solved my stinky feet problem. But yeah, a bit silly that I researched quite a bit and did not think of the obvious replacement. 😅
Thanks, I never knew cork leather was a thing.
While I’m not vegan, I’m trying to be at least some of the time, take a few steps down this road . However my motivation is environmental so I try to stay away from plastics, anything that will never biodegrade. For clothing and household items that can be challenging.
Interesting so you must think no matter what representing/role modeling is more important than waste causing other problems & sentimental reasons?
It is a tough decision, because:
Wear animals parts that are near worthless or sentimental reasons (if only item, makes sense, no backups) saves purchasing new ones that pollute The Earth with plastics or made through animals, spurns discussions with Vegans, as other member pointed-out
Or
Replace the items with items with no animals parts (or plastics), though contributes to destroying The Earth, through the even the very best manufacturing process, but representing/role modeling.
Here comes what decides it for me, no person going to be able tell the difference with the clothes these days that are completely Vegan (& plastic free) that look exactly like non-Vegan (& uses plastics).
Perfect is the enemy of good. If you suggested someone become vegan and they said, “I can’t do that, but I’ll cut my use of animal products in half”, that’s like talking to two people and fully convincing one of them.
With due respect, but No, it is not!
That is terrible logic, it just does not work.
If ONE-person refuses to become a full Vegan, but becomes a Vegetarian, than that is no Vegan, convincing one out of two-people to be a Vegan is 1-Vegan. A Vegetarian still does a good amount of damage, Vegan does none.
Funny you say that, because I converted a lot of family members to trying to be Vegans (it is questionable that even if my parents were really true Vegans) I was the first, they will say I was the Vegan OG, no doubt the most serious, after 29-years. I do not think any family members that became Vegans because of my influence ever stuck with it or are not regular cheaters. I have a handful of family members who are Vegan, but doubt it had to do with me. I get no half credit, with the 2-cheating parents & former Vegans, but if those handful of Vegan family members were influenced by me, then I get credit for all 5.
Please also check out Lemmy.vg for a great set of well-run communities for vegan news, science, cooking, circlejerking. It is a nice, cozy, all-in-one space for vegans.
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Welcome to c/vegan@lemmy.world. Broadly, this community is a place to discuss veganism. Discussion on intersectional topics related to the animal rights movement are also encouraged.
'Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals ...'
— abridged definition from The Vegan Society
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A compilation of many vegan resources/sites in a Google spreadsheet:
Here are some documentaries that are recommended to watch if planning to or have recently become vegan:
Vegan Matrix Instance:
Vegan Dating App Veggly
Lemmy:
Mastodon:
!homecooks@vegantheoryclub.org