The Perplexity of the Vegan Ecologist

What is known is - the world is disintegrating before our eyes. I am not speaking about societies they come and go. I am referring to the actual world, what we usually refer to as the environment – nature. When nature goes it doesn’t come back. Damage can sometimes be reversed but the extinction of a plant, an insect, a fish, a mammal or a bird is a final act. It is gone forever. With it goes the function that it served, a thread in the vast tapestry of life.  Who would do such a monstrously stupid thing? Who indeed?

Now some, but not all, realize that the existential threat of our actions is rebounding on us. As ice melts, oceans rise, insects disappear, and climate driven fires burn down the forests we consider action. We need action.  Sign a petition, march in the streets, change the lightbulbs, buy a bike – all good stuff. Maybe we can elect green politicians that can sort it out, maybe we can force the oil and coal industries to “leave it in the ground”. Maybe someone else can undo the damage we all contribute to every day.

Our default setting is to look for someone to blame and there are plenty of villains out there, both real and imagined. Greedy business bosses, crooked politicians, industrial polluters, gods will, the position of the stars or our position on the Aztec calendar. But what about us? Are we victims of a cruel world?

I have noticed, you may have too, that the act that every person can do to slow and even reverse climate change is often left as an afterthought. What is known is – eating animals and using them as food is the number one cause of environmental destruction. Yes, there are other causes but animal agriculture, the production of animals for meat, dairy, eggs and even fish farms are an environmental tragedy. What is known is – if we stopped eating animals and using animal product the world would be a better and healthier place for ourselves and future generations. The question is why don’t we just do that?

DO YOU HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME?

Great little saying that I understand comes to us from the wonderful world of investment finance. Having Skin in the Game means that you actually put in some of your own money before advising others to invest. It means that you share personal risk in a project. You are not on the sidelines cheering, you are not an observer you are a participant. Being a vegan means you have “skin in the game” of ecological renewal, you are serious.

When I hear that someone is 80% vegan or vegan on Fridays or vegan with some fish added my first thought is that it is like saying you are a little bit pregnant. My second thought is that they are not serious, they have no skin in the game. Environmentalists who suggest we “reduce” the amount of meat and dairy have no skin in the game, they are unwilling to make the issue of environmental health and justice personal. It seems they do not want to upset anyone with actual personal action.

Living a vegan life reinforces your commitment to the living planet every day in a very intimate way. The most common social action, eating with others becomes a statement of purpose. This is not about shouting at people about their habits, that is childish. This is not about showing snuff pictures of animal farming. This is about you, living a violence free life.

If we need further motivation past the reversal of climate change there is always human health, the saving of non-human life and many other “benefits” from turning our backs on animal slaughter as a cultural norm. If we don’t do it, we have simply not thought about it, and we have no skin in the game.