Living Vegan vs. Eating Vegan – What’s the Difference?

Most people will be familiar with the term “vegan” primarily as a specific diet. But there is much more to it than just what goes on your plate. Have you ever wondered what “veganism” is all about? In this blog post we would like to explain to you why eating vegan does not mean living vegan.

Beyond the Rim of the Teacup

If you look at just a fraction of the freely available sources of information around veganism, it becomes clear quite quickly that the term goes far beyond the plate. For it is not only when consuming meat and dairy products for the stomach that all parties involved – animals, humans and the environment – are harmed, but also when wearing clothes, applying make-up, showering or reading books. And this is always the case when animal ingredients are found in the products. That’s why many people not only choose a vegan diet but also incorporate other aspects of their lives. So you see, eating vegan doesn’t mean living vegan. Nevertheless, the former is already an important contribution!

If you would like to make your life a little more vegan, you are welcome to take a look around our shop. We want it to be easy to make your everyday life more vegan. That’s why we offer vegan books, year planners, notebooks, stationery and office supplies on sustainable grass paper.

The Domino Effect

Of course, there are many different reasons why a person decides to go vegan. It can be related to animals, the environment, human rights or health. But often the ethical attitude as a whole is given as the reason. Once you start to inform yourself about the abuses surrounding the consumption and production of animal products, you often can’t stop. Then one documentary after the other is watched, lectures on YouTube, blog posts and articles are devoured. Here are a few recommendations that can help you get started:

Tedtalk von EarthlingEd
The most important speech you will ever hear by Gary Yourofsky
Cowspiracy: The Secret to Sustainability by Kip Anderson and Keegan Kuhn
Earthlings by Shaun Monson

But beware! The two documentaries in particular show images that are very unpleasant and upsetting. So only watch them if you have the strength to do so and find an emotional support buddy.

Hard facts

We have already established that the consumption of animal products – especially meat – has a particularly negative impact on our environment. But what does that actually mean? Here are a few hard facts:

  • Germans produce an average of eleven tonnes of greenhouse gases. The vegan diet does much better, with about two tonnes less. What is the reason for this? Among other things, less agricultural land is used for vegan food in comparison and the open spaces can now be used again for trees that bind CO2.
    Tip: With the Vegan Calculator you can see exactly what your impact is when you eat vegan and/or live vegan. You can find it here.
  • When you give up meat and dairy products, you also save an enormous amount of water. Beef is the worst producer with a consumption of 15,415 litres, followed by pork with 5,988 litres and poultry with 4,325 litres.
    • By eliminating materials such as leather, silk and fur from your daily life, you will spare many animals enormous suffering.
    • The fur industry is particularly known for animal cruelty. Animals, such as mink, are bred in far too small cages and killed in brutal ways. By electric shock or the stripping of the skins while the animal is still alive and experiences all the tortures first-hand.
    • Most leather comes from animals that have had to spend their lives in terrible conditions, only to be killed in the slaughterhouse for both their meat and their skin.
    • Silk is obtained from the cocoon of the silkworm. The pupae of the silkworm are mostly boiled alive in order to harvest them.
  • In the case of vegan cosmetics, care products and other bath & body products, care should be taken to ensure that the products are also manufactured without animal testing, as this is not an absolute requirement.
    At Peta, you can find various overviews of cosmetics that are not tested on animals.

Veganuary

Are you interested in making your life more vegan? Then Veganuary is the perfect opportunity for you. The non-profit campaign says it is more than just a nutrition program.

In 2021, over 580,000 people signed up for Veganuary. This year, as a vegan publisher, we want to support and promote the cause of helping people start living a vegan life!

So take advantage of the fresh start of the new year, get out of your comfort zone in January and literally think outside the box! Because, in the words of the Veganuary organization, this is the best way to protect the environment, prevent animal suffering, stop climate change and improve the health of millions of people.

Nobody is perfect

Even though we 100% support a holistic vegan lifestyle, we also don’t want people to be put off by it. At first, it can be “too much” to find out which products contain animal ingredients. Don’t worry! It’s normal not to have an immediate overview. Nevertheless, every contribution in the right direction counts. Even one day without meat is a step towards a more harmonious world. You will soon realize that it is not as difficult as you thought at the beginning 😉

Finally, a word of advice: no one is perfect. It’s okay if you don’t go vegan from day 1! It can happen that you eat meat or other animal products without realizing it, that you buy cosmetics that are not vegan or that you can’t part with your beloved leather jacket. Everyone started with small steps and went at their own pace. So don’t rush and feel your way.