Frequently Asked Questions Archives

frequently asked questions

What does the word ‘vegan’ really mean?

August 4, 2025

Living vegan is not limited to one’s diet, but extends to all aspects of life where our fellow animals are treated as commodities, rather than as sentient beings with an interest in their own lives and freedom. Whether raised in intensive confinement or on small family farms, there are no exceptions to this as long as animals are being bought, sold, and used as economic production units.

Two sheep with a white lamb on a green meadow, looking at the camera

What’s Wrong with Wool?

December 31, 2011

Wool often tends to be overlooked by animal advocates because its cultivation does not necessitate the death of the animal. However, the cultivation of wool is far from the pastoral idyll one might imagine.

Is It Possible to REALLY Be Vegan?

November 1, 2023

It is an unfortunate fact that our society operates in such a way as to make it impossible to participate without being implicit in harms against other animals. However, this shouldn't prohibit us from doing what we can to avoid participating in the most grievous harms.

Back view of a woman facing sitting on a mountain top contemplating the sunset sky

Vegan: Easier Than You Think

October 8, 2015

Living as a vegan, especially for those of us in the developed world, is much, much easier than it is commonly perceived to be.

A white mother hen sits on the grass with two chicks peeking out from under her feathers

Do Hens Care About Their Eggs?

April 6, 2015

Perhaps a more accurate way to look at a hen’s attachment to her eggs is not its presence, but its forced absence.

Yes, it’s Easy to get Enough Vegan Protein – here’s how.

February 19, 2022

Protein and amino acid deficiency in vegans is rare, and the idea that protein needs to come from animal products is a misconception. Eating a wide variety of foods high in vegan protein ensures an adequate intake of essential amino acids.

A group of hens gathered in a barn with light streaming in

What’s Wrong with Backyard Eggs?

March 31, 2012

As we look more closely at the reality of the backyard chicken trend, it becomes increasingly clear that it is the same commodification of animals, packaged in niche marketing to appeal to the modern “conscious consumer”.

Don’t Vegans Miss Animal-Based Foods They Used to Love?

March 11, 2022

Does taste-pleasure justify acts of cruelty? Does something being marginally less expensive excuse an individual for contributing to rights violations of another sentient being? Does convenience trump the pain and suffering of another individual?

Do plants feel pain? Ask these two children eating apples :)

What About Vegans Killing Plants… Do Plants Feel Pain?

March 7, 2022

Should vegans be concerned with the question of whether plants feel pain? While vegans may directly eat more plants than the average non-vegan, the harm to plant life caused by vegans is far less than that caused by the consumption and use of animal products.

What’s Wrong with Leather?

February 1, 2013

It's often assumed that leather is merely a byproduct of meat, and that it does not contribute to a profoundly brutal and immoral institution. This is a false assumption. Not only is it highly profitable for the meat industry, much of the world's leather comes from animals killed primarily for their skins.