Tim Thorpe (vegan): Campaigning for A Vegan World, Part 2 of 2

Today, we’ll continue to learn how Tim promotes veganism through policies and public awareness on the connection between climate change and the livestock industry. “We can help traditional farmers out from animal farming into growing plants, and that’s a really important thing to do because of the impact of animal farming. It’s incredibly resource intensive to raise animals; it’s a very inefficient process. Most of the food given to the animals does not end up in the end product. It’s used by those animals in their metabolism. So, that’s the main reason it is inefficient, as well as the pollution it causes. But we can help farmers away from animal farming. One of the key things is advice, finding really good examples of other farmers who have tried new things, who have been real pioneers in this area, and making sure we amplify their voice, use their examples, and bring it to other farmers. That’s one thing we can do as the Vegan Society.”

Through Greenworld.org.uk, Tim has strongly highlighted the substantial harm from meat on our health and the environment with this thought-provoking question: “Is animal agriculture guilty of ecocide?” Ecocide was defined by the late Polly Higgins QC, a barrister and life-long environmental campaigner, as: “damage to, destruction of or loss of ecosystems of a given territory, such that peaceful enjoyment by the inhabitants has been or will be severely diminished.” Michael Mansfield QC, a prominent barrister in England, called for new offence of “ecocide,” asserting that “Eating meat is a crime against humanity and should be BANNED.”

Public awareness of the importance of a sustainable and healthy vegan diet is paramount in helping to mend the major problems we face. “There’s a number of ways we can influence media and the general public to help them understand why we need to be vegan. We submit articles regularly to all major publications around a range of subjects. Veganism encompasses lots of different elements from health to the environment, and primarily for many people, to the rights of animals, and compassion for animals, as well as compassion to other people. I think the world could change as veganism increases in a number of different ways. We could have a vegan world where food is very healthy.”