Question for Vegans in the U.S.A.?

Question

Do you only eat locally produced, AND in season, fruits, vegtables, nuts, and grains?

Do you ever eat exotic foods, like mango, papaya, star fruit, brazil nuts, coconuts, bannanas, coffee, most tea, ackee, bread fruit, many figs, many olives, many cactus fruits, cashew apples, many dates, cherimoya, durian (don't expect many have eaten that!), feijoa, guava, jackfruit, litchi, mangosteen, monstera AKA Mexican Breadfuit, tamarind, or an host of other exotic fruits, vegtables and nuts I didn't list?

If you do eat the exotic foods how do you justify that as a vegan? The exotic plantations are well known for the killing of snakes (that might bite workers), bats, birds, monkeys and other animals that might come and feed at the plantations.

As a responsible vegan should you not only eat what is grown in the U.S., in your local area, and only when it's in season? No strawberries in December grown in Brazil.

This question is for the Vegans here in the U.S. It is NOT for people who like to put Vegans down, nor pick on them. If you cannot say something nice, do not say it at all!

Hkryan, no worries, your cashews undoubtly come from California, as there are ENORMOUS groves of them there. Avacadoes too.

Bella, you may not be aware of this, but there is actually a growing movement in the U.S. to only eat locally grown (250 miles of where you live) foods, that are in season. This movement is coming about because of fears about global warming.

Redshirt, is there something wrong with that argument, when one is a Vegan for animal abuse/moral reasons? Should Vegan's not also think about what is happening on farms where their food is grown?

Robert B, frankly I am shocked about the idea of wanting your foods grown with fertilizer other than animal manures. That basically boils down to chemical fertilizers which are oil based. Do you have any idea what those chemicals are doing to the soil, the drinking water, and the water fish live in? Truely those chemicals are terrifying.

Answer 1

Garnet, I am from the UK and a Vegan - again.

*Not all Vegans, are vegans because of animal welfare or environmental issues. Many are but not all.
*Damage to wildlife? What is the loss of habitat, use of modern agriculture techniques, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, urbanization, farmers shooting/poisoning vermin magpies, foxes, moles etc to prevent crop loss. What is this doing to OUR wildlife in the UK?
*I grew up as a butcher's daughter. I have reared, killed, butchered, dressed meat all my life. There is no denying that UK meat consumption is very expensive in terms of animal's lives. To justify your claim the overseas producers would have to kill more than the output of the entire meat industry/imports of meat into the UK. This clearly is unjustifiable.
*A responsible meat eater/vegetarian/vegan SHOULD only eat what is grown in our own country, own local area that is in season? Again, in an ideal world, we SHOULD only eat what we raise and grow ourselves on our own land or barter with our local community.
*Idealist, like your thinking Garnet, but how many people actually do raise and grow all their own foods. How many people have the land to do this? Crop failures too, we have no soft fruit produce due to a wet spring and summer. SHOULD we starve as they did in past times or buy what is available?

Act Local, think Global? Where does Fair Trade from abroad fit into your argument? It can easily be argued that we have a responsibility to promote Fair Trade from abroad, to close the earnings gap, ensure fair wages, prevent child labour etc. We have a responsibility as Permaculturists to ensure Fair Shares, Earth Care and People Care, this is best done with trade from other countries.

Answer 2

"Plus everyone would have the same core values" I'm sorry but are you completely deluded just because you will all be vegan doesn't mean you will all believe the same thing everyone has different beliefs even other vegans on here or do you choose to ignore them like you ignore people with a different opinion to yourself. "Where only vegans lived in harmony" Yes you're deluded apart from that sounding very selfish as you seem to only show compassion towards vegans have you even thought about what other people go through in life and then think everyone will live like it's a fairy tale. Pull your head out and maybe try helping someone for a change.

Answer 3

Well, if it were a perfect world, I guess I would have my own garden in my backyard that had all the food I ever needed. But unfortunately, I have to work for a living. Gardening takes hours of time that I don't have.

I also believe that becoming a vegan is a step in the right direction. I don't think any of us can ever be perfect as far as helping the environment and animals. But we can sure try. And making the choice not to eat meat, dairy and eggs is a step in the right direction. Plus, I think I am much healthier as a vegan than I was when I ate animal products.

Answer 4

I am not vegan but pretty darn close. I do only eat local produce. I go to farmers markets and don't eat too many exotic items. I will eat coconut, bananas and tea. I am picky about them being organic.

Some vegans adopt a vegan lifestyle just for health and local sustainability reasons and really don't care about the treatment of animals. My vegetarian aunt wears leather shoes!

This all depends on persons reason(s) for becoming vegan or vegetarian.

Answer 5

I don't trust American workers to treat animals responsibly or use fertilizer that is vegetarian. The vast majority of them are non-vegetarians. I'm the only one in restaurants who asks the vegetarian options questions that I do. I can tell by the reaction of the servers.

So, a few animals are sometimes killed in the production of vegetables abroad. Same thing happens here.

We need to grow our own vegetables with vegetarian fertilizer and get vitamin supplements where necessary. Outside of us, it's an imperfect world and we really cannot trust anyone, local or not.

Oh, and I am a vegetarian, not a vegan. Also, thank you for the info. It makes me feel better about not spending the effort of buying and preparing exotic foods more often.

Answer 6

I think that you have "vegans" confused with fanatics.

Did someone tell you that "vegans" care more about venomous snakes than they care about people? Animals are killed whether intentionally or not during the planting, maintenance and harvesting of almost any crop.

I suppose I'll never buy food from a store that also sells animal products because I would be supporting animal cruelty.

I agree that we should all support local farmers for limitless reasons, but it is a bad idea to try to help us define veganism.

Answer 7

People! Garnet is not slamming vegans, nor is she slamming meat-eaters!

This is a great question because it requires people to thoroughly examine how what they profess to believe lines up with what they do. It causes them to think about ways they may not realize they are contradicting themselves or more importantly, compromising principles they hold dear.

AND..even if she WERE pointing out what some may see as a bit of hypocrisy...it is done in a polite, respectful, non-insulting or condescending way!

So sorry if being asked to consider things one may not have considered is so offensive to some answerers here!

Answer 8

I don't have to "justify" anything as vegan.

I'm living a healthy and humane lifestyle the best I can by not contributing my money to companies that torture animals. When I learn one of the companies I buy from is hazardous to the environment or actually does harm animals in production, I won't give my money to them any more.

But I sure as hell don't have to justifiy my actions to someone who eats meat and dairy.

Answer 9

WOW . . . . .

I'm vegan (raw vegan for 7 months) and I'm speechless.

I have and do eat many of the items you list (even cherimoya and durian!) I have some research to do.

Answer 10

I never thought of any of that...I know that the dates I eat are from California...not sure about the cashews and fruits...it's something I'd like to look into!! Thanks!!!