Yes We Can … Eat Plants

by Jasmin

Michelle Obama is bold. Besides turning heads with her clothing choices, the First Lady is making a statement with her White House agenda: to make healthy food readily available in this, the fattest country on earth. In this article published in yesterday’s New York Times, Mrs. Obama was interviewed while volunteering at a soup kitchen in Washington, D.C. Though the word “vegan” was not brought up once, nearly every single food mentioned was derived from plants, and one might surmise from her commitment to providing “fresh, unprocessed and locally grown foods” to the needy – not to mention the fact that White House employees donated eight cases of fresh fruit – that eating lower on the food chain is a high-priority for Michelle Obama.

Of course, the health benefits of eating a vegan diet are hardly news to those who’ve been paying attention; but it’s certainly nice to see one of the most famous and powerful women in the world making the connection between better health and plant-based foods – even if only by implication through her recent actions. And, since animal agriculture is a major contributor to both environmental devastation and world hunger, going vegan is not only a healthy choice, but a necessity for the well-being of everyone on earth as well. 

In a time of economic hardship, let’s be like Michelle Obama and donate food to our local food banks. (The easiest way I found to locate my local food bank was through good ol’ Google.) This might be a no-brainer, but make your food donation vegan. That way, those in your community who are less lucky than you can not only have good food readily available to them, but also, by choosing to not contribute to animal agriculture, you can help animals, hungry people in your community and our planet. Though none of us can solve the world’s problems on our own, donating vegan goods to those in need is one little way that each of us can do our part – just like Michelle Obama. Yes we should!

P.S. Don’t miss “Our Pigs, Our Food, Our Health” also from yesterday’s New York Times. This op-ed, as well as the Obama article, provide excellent Letter to the Editor opportunities.

Comments

[Roni Omohundro]

Jasmin-until reading this, I had a wait and see attitude toward Michelle Obama. I was really happy to read this-thank you for bringing this to attention. Now-I am not only optimistic about our new president but also about our new first lady.Maybe in time being vegan and proudly using the word will be graciously accepted by our society. When I do contribute food for charitable causes, I always give vegan. I have done this for a collection sent to the soldiers and to families in my own school community where I teach. Roni

[Farm Sanctuary]

Roni -- That's very cool that you are building bridges and contributing vegan food to soldiers, and to your own community. Thanks for spreading the word of compassion! Makes a big difference, and feels good, too! --jasmin

[Adrianne]

Ok, this might seem a little off-topic, but as a transitional vegan, I'm having some trouble figuring out how to differentiate between leather and vegan leather. My cat just LOVES to dig his claws through upholstered furniture, so I'm leaning towards a fake leather chair. I'm just confused because I know that some "fake" leather materials still contain animal parts...What's the difference between man-made materials, faux leather, leather composite, etc...How do I know it's vegan? Thanks for some guidance!

[Matt Rice]

Hi Adrianne,

That’s a really good question and it speaks to a concern that a lot of vegans might have.

It is true that due to the massive volume of animal byproducts made cheaply available by factory farming that animal ingredients are used in a myriad of products, including some adhesives, film, pharmaceuticals, hygiene products, auto parts, and yes, even some types of artificial leather. There are a number of chemicals and compounds which can be derived from either plant or animal sources, but since factory farming has made animal byproducts so cheap, animal derived compounds end up in a variety of unexpected places.

Alas, the perfect vegan world does not yet exist. But don’t fret. In the long-term, friends of animals hope that, as demand for meat, dairy, eggs and leather and wool decreases, other industrial uses of animal byproducts will be reduced in favor of inexpensive, readily available, cruelty-free ingredients. Until then, many vegans choose to avoid the more obvious animal products and don’t worry too much about the more obscure ingredients.

But to answer your question, there is considerable diversity in the manufacture of artificial leather products. In general, vegan leather products are labeled as leatherette, patent leather, pleather (or plastic leather), vinyl or PVC, micro-suede, microfiber, faux leather or vegan leather. There is even cork leather (made from renewable cork oak trees), ocean leather (made from kelp) and much, much more.

However, some artificial leather products do contain scraps and cuttings of leather mixed with other materials. Since different artificial leather materials come from different companies around the world and are manufactured using a variety of techniques and ingredients, the best way to make sure the product you are purchasing is vegan is to ask the salesperson or the manufacturer about how it is made.

When shopping for a new faux leather chair, be sure to ask the salesperson if it is made from “all man made materials” or if it is “genuine leather” or “suede.” If it is made from genuine leather or suede then it is the actual skin from and animal is not vegan. If it is made from “all man made materials” then go ahead and purchase it with a clear conscience.

I hope this helps.

Matt Rice
Education Manager for Farm Sanctuary
www.vegforlife.org

P.S. When talking to sales-people or manufacturers, be sure to tell them why you're looking for animal-free products so that they know there's a demand for cruelty-free products.

[Matilda Duhliu]

I donate food to the local food bank on a constant basis - at least once a week.
And I think that's very good practice.

Regards,
Matilda Duhliu