Vegan Living & Ethical Buying

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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 2,714 Forumite
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    Has anyone seen "What the Health" on netflix yet? Though it is based on the American food standards, it is very eye opening!
  • K9sandFelines
    K9sandFelines Posts: 2,568 Forumite
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    drinkupretty wrote: »
    Has anyone seen "What the Health" on netflix yet? Though it is based on the American food standards, it is very eye opening!

    I have half watched it but need to go back when I am paying more attention
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  • [Deleted User]
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    NigeWick wrote: »
    I mentioned Permaculture as the way to harvest our meat. Grass fed beef is perfectly I respect a person's choice to be vegetarian or vegan but don't try and preach that it is THE answer to the world's problems when it clearly is not. We need diversity and not vast monoculture fields of grains grown using enormous unsustainable amounts of energy, poisons and chemical fertilisers.

    The only person preaching on here is you NigeWick - and I have already asked you not to get into 'arguments' on this thread - it's about being vegan and buying ethically so your constant conversations regarding the mass production of foodstuffs is not relevant - that's not the idea of this thread; it's about buying and living as ethically as possible which obviously does not mean buying mass produced anything which you would know if you had taken the time to read the initial post. I'm not here to right the wrongs of the world, I'm here to share what I am doing and gain ideas from like-minded people.

    Right, that over and done with, lets get on to what I am doing!

    I have been really fortunate that one of my friends has started growing a great amount of veg veganically! :j It's been really useful and I have had an almost constant supply of tomatoes, courgettes, beans and beetroot! :D I am really pleased and she is pretty happy too as she really overdid the sowing this year!! :rotfl:

    I have been steadily working my way through my storecupboards but still don't need to do my big shop from Suma yet! It's really surprising how much food I have in - I know that some of it has been because I have bought things in bulk but I really don't want to be purchasing anything else until I have worked my way through the stuff I already have.

    I am cooking couscous today with roasted veg (all free and veganic) - I have roasted it with a little oil and homemade raspberry balsamic and I have added some apricots, dates and raisins to the couscous along with a touch of cinnamon. I also had some apples which I have cooked in maple syrup and peach liqueur for follow-ons :D

    Not much else to report really - just plodding on day to day and enjoying not going to the shops!! ;):rotfl:

    Hope you are all well :D
  • Alan_Brown
    Alan_Brown Posts: 200 Forumite
    edited 31 July 2017 at 3:22PM
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    NigeWick wrote: »
    Please explain how having huge monocrop fields fed with chemicals and doused in poison can "save the environment" and keep our biodiversity.


    In the US, 70% of the grain grown is fed to animals. The world’s cattle alone consume a quantity of food equal to the caloric needs of 8.7 billion people—more than the entire human population on Earth. Your 'huge monocrop' is actually used to feed animals, not humans.


    Unlike farm animals that are often fed the same feed month-in, month-out, humans require a far more diverse diet of root crops legumes, grains, fruits, berries, seeds, etc. maintaining a healthy biodiversity.


    If we stopped producing so much feed for animals, we would have more arable land available for human crops and so could use much less intensive farming methods and therefore use less chemicals.


    Getting back on topic, I have ordered my first pair of vegan 'leather' work shoes. I'm interested to see how they fair compared with leather shoes. :)
  • Ben84
    Ben84 Posts: 3,069 Forumite
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    edited 1 August 2017 at 7:16PM
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    Alan_Brown wrote: »
    If we stopped producing so much feed for animals, we would have more arable land available for human crops and so could use much less intensive farming methods and therefore use less chemicals.

    Yes, when you eat animals you're effectively consuming all of the food they have eaten in their entire lives. Dairy and eggs also suffer from poor conversion of animal feed in to food for humans. The more plant foods people eat instead of animal products, the less land and resources are used.
    Alan_Brown wrote: »
    Getting back on topic, I have ordered my first pair of vegan 'leather' work shoes. I'm interested to see how they fair compared with leather shoes. :)

    I prefer faux leather shoes. I find they resist dirt far better than real leather. Haven't had any issues with durability.
    squirrelgirl wrote: »
    that's not the idea of this thread; it's about buying and living as ethically as possible which obviously does not mean buying mass produced anything

    I actually think mass production is inherently green. Sure, it can potentially be part of a production and supply chain with issues, such as where the raw materials come from and the durability/life span of the products, but the mass production aspect is not the problem - often it's a positive thing. Mass production is about efficiency, saving resources and meeting people's needs with less material and energy consumption. I think it can be an easy target because it does highlight just how much we consume when we see big factories with conveyors of products rushing along, but if they're making the products we need with less resources per item - which is the goal of mass production, it's aligned with green ideas, not wasteful ideas. Some products with an environmental focus are mass produced. Ecover cleaning products, for example. Solar panels and wind turbine parts too, and LED lighting products. For products with less environmental aims, it is at least reducing their impact.
  • [Deleted User]
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    Ben84 wrote: »
    I actually think mass production is inherently green. Sure, it can potentially be part of a production and supply chain with issues, such as where the raw materials come from and the durability/life span of the products, but the mass production aspect is not the problem - often it's a positive thing. Mass production is about efficiency, saving resources and meeting people's needs with less material and energy consumption. I think it can be an easy target because it does highlight just how much we consume when we see big factories with conveyors of products rushing along, but if they're making the products we need with less resources per item - which is the goal of mass production, it's aligned with green ideas, not wasteful ideas. Some products with an environmental focus are mass produced. Ecover cleaning products, for example. Solar panels and wind turbine parts too, and LED lighting products. For products with less environmental aims, it is at least reducing their impact.

    While I agree with the point you are making, for me it's not just about the environmental impact of a company-it's their parent company and their animal rights, human rights, supply chain etc too, so I'm not consuming mass produced products - obviously, there are some things which the information is incomplete on but I haven't found any mass producers to date that have met the standards I have set for myself. Its just personal choice.

    I've made some interesting raw foods recently - although my eating habits are erratic at best, it's been nice trying new stuff.....the 'goat' 'cheese' made with macadamia and cashews is lovely but scarily expensive to make so that's a definite 'treat' product! ;)

    I have lots of raspberries coming through again - it's the second flush now and they are beautiful :D The garden is currently being cleared as I had really let it go over the past few weeks and haven't done anything at all so once that is done, I will get some spring veg put in and probably some more leaves. I still have job lots of food in store and our eating habits are sporadic at best so other than the usual toiletries and fresh items, we have no need to buy anything for a while. I have started to use much cheaper hair products which will save me a substantial sum over 12 months so I am hoping to reduce our grocery bill further ;)

    Nothing else to report really...just keeping it going as much as I can ;)
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,037 Forumite
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    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41158365
  • [Deleted User]
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    Not a lot to report really....I have been given some pickled courgettes by a friend which will be lovely with some 'cheese', olives and seitan :D - my bread machine is not enormously healthy, but I can do it in the vitamix if I need to ;)

    I'm making haggis with parsnips, potatoes, swede and peas tomorrow.... I've got the grandbaby for a while and if he's hungry he can have all but the haggis as its a bit peppery! All of it is in the freezer so no additional work or cost involved :D I am working late most of this week so I will use up the soups in the freezer and anything else I can find -I want to defrost them both over the next two weeks so that I have some space for the autumn glut of produce that my friends are bound to have!;) I'm hoping for some tomatoes but will take whatever I'm lucky enough to be given!! :D

    I will start some more leaves indoors tomorrow...I really need to sort the wine soon too:o

    Anyhoo...hope you're having a fib weekend :D
  • debtfreeforlife
    debtfreeforlife Posts: 215 Forumite
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    Just caught up on this thread with interest, squirrelgirl - glad to see that it's still working out for you! :D Did you get the glut of food you were hoping for?? I had my Riverford box turn up this morning so my fridge and fruit bowl are beautifully full!
  • [Deleted User]
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    debtfreeforlife wrote: »
    Just caught up on this thread with interest, squirrelgirl - glad to see that it's still working out for you! :D Did you get the glut of food you were hoping for?? I had my Riverford box turn up this morning so my fridge and fruit bowl are beautifully full!
    Hi DFL.....I was fortunate enough to get a job lot of cooking apples and lots of green tomatoes!! :D I've made chutney with the tomatoes and frozen loads of the apples ready for crumbles and eves pudding in the winter! ;)

    Not much to report...I am still bumbling along, using up stocks and trying hard to stick to the plot as far as purchasing is concerned ;)

    Hope you are all well!! :D
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