Yep, it's that time of year again. Tomorrow we commemorate World Vegan Day, which in turn launches World Vegan Month, woot! It's a time to celebrate:
- anyone who has recently decided that consuming other animals is not okay
- anyone who's been vegan for more than a year, 5 years, 10 years, or 20+ years!
- the fact that more people than ever actually know what vegan means
- the fact that even non-vegans are consuming more animal alternatives
- the explosion of vegan products in the marketplace
- the abundance of healthy good-for-us and good-for-other-animals food
- the almost endless choice of vegan recipes and cookbooks
- any new legislation that helps decrease or eliminate animal suffering
- more information and more books on animals rights than ever before
- the proliferation of animal rights courses at law schools
- too-many-to-mention vegan sites and blogs all at the click of a button
- crowdfunding vegan initiatives
- animal sanctuaries near and far
- and most of all, the lovely beings we all fight for
Better yet, tomorrow we get an extra hour to celebrate our progress as a movement. Animal liberation may seem far off, but change IS happening and will continue to accelerate. So how do we celebrate? You could find and hug another vegan, or check online and see if there are any activities planned for your area. You could send a "Happy World Vegan Day" card, or donate to your favourite organization. Or, you could do what most people do to celebrate a special occasion -- eat! :)
But the best way to honour the day, in my opinion, is to honour those at the centre of it all. So go hug your animal companions, and if possible, spend some time with farmed animals. Soak up some of their wisdom, show your love and appreciation, and continue to make this planet a better place for ALL her inhabitants.
