vesper818
Nearly Pacifist
I've been trying to sort this out for myself, and changed my profile from vegan to strict vegetarian. I started on a WFPB diet 2 years ago to bring hereditary high cholesterol levels down. Did that.
The more I read of animal cruelty and slaughter, the more convinced I am. Still, being a lifelong frugal soul, I have some leather and wool in my closet, and a silk scarf as a birthday gift from my 94 year old mother
As a fiber worker, I have not bought new wool felt or roving lately, but am loath to throw out materials on hand, or handmade gifts .
My philosophy is that it will be a process of no more animal based purchases, and wear out or give away the remainder in my custody. My husband of 45 years still cooks and eats meat, but that does not lessen my love for him. He sees how my health and chronic pain has improved, and my increased energy, and likes my cooking.
I've noticed lately he's been eating plant based far more often, so you can teach an old curmudgeon new tricks!
I guess this is my belated introduction. Hi everyone, I'm Carol, a skinny middle aged gal living on the edge north of San Francisco!
What a nicely run forum this is!
The more I read of animal cruelty and slaughter, the more convinced I am. Still, being a lifelong frugal soul, I have some leather and wool in my closet, and a silk scarf as a birthday gift from my 94 year old mother
As a fiber worker, I have not bought new wool felt or roving lately, but am loath to throw out materials on hand, or handmade gifts .
My philosophy is that it will be a process of no more animal based purchases, and wear out or give away the remainder in my custody. My husband of 45 years still cooks and eats meat, but that does not lessen my love for him. He sees how my health and chronic pain has improved, and my increased energy, and likes my cooking.
I've noticed lately he's been eating plant based far more often, so you can teach an old curmudgeon new tricks!
I guess this is my belated introduction. Hi everyone, I'm Carol, a skinny middle aged gal living on the edge north of San Francisco!
What a nicely run forum this is!
Lou
Forum Legend
Based on your description, you are vegan. You don't have to throw away wool and leather or silk, to be vegan. After all how would throwing things you bought before you transitioned help anyone.
That sounds exactly like a good vegan.
Thats Wonderfull news!
I'm sort of near you. Although I don't know where the Redwood Highway is. I know exactly where ECR is. I live a block away from it. I clicked on your link and it showed me ECR and Hwy 84. But that is not North of SF.
Oh, BTW, Welcome aboard.
vesper818
Nearly Pacifist
Hi Lou
Thanks for the welcome. I'm a mile west tof 101 in northern Marin.. ECR turns east here from Novato into Sonoma,, and 101 becomes the Redwood Highway about here., so we're not that far apart either side of the City.
Thanks for the clarification on becoming a vegan. I'm more homebody than activist, but the learning and adaptation has gone from just healthy eating to changing other aspects of life..
I like the humor and accepting spirit of this forum.
Carol
Thanks for the welcome. I'm a mile west tof 101 in northern Marin.. ECR turns east here from Novato into Sonoma,, and 101 becomes the Redwood Highway about here., so we're not that far apart either side of the City.
Thanks for the clarification on becoming a vegan. I'm more homebody than activist, but the learning and adaptation has gone from just healthy eating to changing other aspects of life..
I like the humor and accepting spirit of this forum.
Carol
And sometimes it can get even more complicated. I always had a problem with silk because the larvae were killed in the process of collecting the silk after they had spun their cocoons: during emergence from the cocoon, the moth breaks the silk thread into innumerable shorter pieces, and it's impossible to weave it into cloth after that. But I let leather slide because the only leather I buy (shoes) is from animals who had been raised (and eventually killed) for a different primary reason- i.e., either meat or milk.
I wish I had learned about the slaughter inherent in milk production earlier than I did.
Lou
Forum Legend
I don't think it's all that complicated.
Well, I feel like I shouldn't preach to you but I think your thinking about leather could be a little naive, or myopic.
When you buy leather you are directly contributing to the profitability of the meat and dairy industry. One estimate that I saw claims that the leather is 1/4 of the value of the cow.
When a cow is selected for its leather, frequently its younger than average, its sent to a slaughter house. Like 300 million cows a year are slaughtered for their leather.
If the animal cruelty issue isn't enough, keep in mind that the tanning of animal hides is an incredibly noxious process. And I bet you don't just buy American made shoes. Who knows what goes on in the tanneries over seas. And the affects don't stop with the tannery workers. the chemicals that they use for tanning inevitably get into the water.
Leather production poses a triple threat—it inflicts cruelty on animals, harms and kills humans, and destroys vital ecosystems. Leather is not merely a byproduct of animal farming, but rather directly contributes to the profitability of factory farms and slaughterhouses. Wearing leather condones the continued exploitation of the most vulnerable human and nonhuman animals on the planet. Nothing cool or rugged about that.
Leather: Cruel, Not Cool
Leather production poses a triple threat—it inflicts unimaginable cruelty on animals, harms and kills tannery workers, and destroys vital ecosystems.
sentientmedia.org
This is a good article to read
Is it time to give up leather?
Cows have long been farmed to fuel the fast food market. Now, by turning leather into a seasonal fashion, they are becoming part of fast fashion. Soon we will have to kill 430m every year. Lucy Siegle gets to grips with life without leather (well almost)
And of course I have to add the PETA article
14 Things the Leather Industry Doesn't Want You to See | PETA
If you love your dog and you're wearing leather shoes, you really need to see number three.
www.peta.org
I'd MUCH rather be preached to than continue to cause harm to animals because I didn't know any better. As it is, I regret not learning about the inherent cruelty of milk and egg production sooner than I did. (And I should have at least known about eggs- but that's another story).
I did know that the purchase of leather provides some profit to the meat and animal agriculture industries. I recall reading something about leather accounting for that much of the "value"
of the cow- which was really hard for me to believe, considering that I'm aware of the price of meat, even though I haven't eaten it in long time. I did a bit of digging around, and supposedly leather accounts for 1/4-1/2 of the marketable value of everything BESIDES the edible flesh. That seems a bit low to me, just as 25% of his/her entire body seems high. But there's no arguing that the sale of their hide DOES provide profit to the animal exploitation industries. These are some of the reasons I make my shoes (the only leather I buy) last by repairing them as many times as I can. And one reason I need sturdy shoes is that I don't drive a car (another topic for a different thread, perhaps).I think this is true for certain high-quality, luxury leather/products, but I don't recall the sources for my believing/thinking this.
Agreed. The leather industry is filthy for the environment and not a good job for the workers, either. But my alternative for no-leather footwear would generally be made from petroleum products.
Although I haven't included your links in my reply, I will check them all out.
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OK. I wasn't thinking about leather from bovines who had been living in India- who ARE sometimes slaughtered for their leather because the Hindu population is forbidden to consume beef. And as one of your links mentioned, there's no reliable way of knowing where the leather in an article of clothing came from. Even so, the American meat industry must produce a large percentage of the shoe leather purchased in the U.S.A.
There was a problem with the third link, and I couldn't get to it. I'll try again later.
There was a problem with the third link, and I couldn't get to it. I'll try again later.
Lou
Forum Legend
@tom, thanks for listening. Its so nice to have a receptive congregation.
worth mentioning as a footnote is the leather used for the interior of cars. This turns out to be a bigger deal than anyone would expect.
www.peta2.com
I chose fabric for the interior of my car, but there wasn't any option - the steering wheel and gear shift are leather.
worth mentioning as a footnote is the leather used for the interior of cars. This turns out to be a bigger deal than anyone would expect.
Where Did the Leather Inside Your Car Come From? - peta2
Cows and bulls killed for car interiors faced unbearable torture—including face-branding with hot irons, electroshocks, beatings, and severe crowding.
www.peta2.com
Lou
Forum Legend
@tom,
again,
the third link worked fine for me.
Since I retired I don't need to wear dressy shoes. but before I retired I did have to buy leather shoes.
but now I mostly buy running shoes. The shoes I buy are mostly nylon so yeah they are basically petroleum. and who knows where the glue comes from. but its the best I think I can do.
If you can afford it look at New Balance shoes. American made by union workers and a minimum of animal products.
again,
the third link worked fine for me.
Since I retired I don't need to wear dressy shoes. but before I retired I did have to buy leather shoes.
but now I mostly buy running shoes. The shoes I buy are mostly nylon so yeah they are basically petroleum. and who knows where the glue comes from. but its the best I think I can do.
If you can afford it look at New Balance shoes. American made by union workers and a minimum of animal products.
