Want to hear a joke?

The very first climate march I joined, I saw this guy …

I felt an instant desire to grab his wordy protest sign and stuff it in his face. Instead, I watched my vegan friend high five him and waited two and a half years to write this piece about it.

There are many good reasons to go for a plant-based diet. Even if you don’t take animal suffering into account, just one look at this diagram will tell you what you need to know.

I included the top 10 in this chart plus a few non meat and plant based protein sources. You can find the full version + explanation here.

I’m guessing some of the product’s impact will depend on where you live, but according to the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization, meat and dairy specifically accounts for around 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

And yet… while I don’t eat animals, I’m not a vegan.

At first I thought I got so mad at ‘want to hear a joke- guy’ because he was telling a truth I didn’t want to hear. But that’s not it. I have several vegan friends who are quite evangelical about their diets and I don’t mind that at all. But there’s a difference: they’re not dismissing the things I’m doing right, because of some other thing they think I could improve.

And although this vegan jokester may seem an extreme example, this happens all the time.

Or, my favourite…

All that this is doing, is shutting everybody up about an issue we should all be talking about! None of us is perfect and yet we need everybody on board.

As for my diet, I’m taking small steps in a plant based direction. I swapped my old cow sponsored yoghurt with a soy based one and I love it. I’m slowly discovering more and more delicious vegan products and recipes to incorporate in our weekly menu.

Did you know slices of oyster mushrooms make a perfect shawarma type situation?

Transitioning takes time and I’m OK with that. Besides, in my case, there’s some to be gained in the chocolate and coffee department as well.

I know I won’t ever end up with the perfect diet or lifestyle, but even if I would, I hope I never lose sight of this: every step that anybody is taking, whether it’s joining a protest for the first time or trying a vegetarian meal, should be cheered on and applauded.

With love,

P.S. If you liked this post, please share it with a few friends!