We’re already chic, but what about green? The vegan lifestyle is inherently sustainable – we all know the detrimental contribution the meat industry has on the environment, not to mention the agricultural runoff associated with conventional farming and the dairy industry. Every day that we choose to eat plants over animals, we are making another choice, whether we recognize it or not, to sustain our planet – our home. It has been said that you cannot call yourself an environmentalist without first being a vegetarian. I would like to turn the tables, and argue that, perhaps, you cannot be a vegan without being an environmentalist. As it is, we have all taken the biggest step in sustainability by choosing this lifestyle.
I am thrilled to be joining Chic Vegan, and penning a regular column to address sustainability. I would like to share with you the pressing environmental issues of the day – small things that we can do to make a big difference. Whether it is how we vote with our dollar (the things we buy) to the way we consume energy, there are always steps to take. Promoting wellness does not end with our health, but the health of the world around us.
Everything we do, everyday, has a larger impact than many of us realize. The clothes we wear, the skincare products we use, the electronics we rely on, all have an impact on the environment. By making more informed choices – thinking not only cruelty-free, but destruction-free, as well, we can make a big difference.
What I love most about this lifestyle – this movement – is that one facet of activism is linked so closely with another: health and environment, fair-trade and sustainability, humane practices and organics. I look forward to having you join me on this journey, where we will become chicly and sustainably vegan!
