Feeling helpless in the fight against cruelty? Momoko Hill shares her tips for being a proactive vegan
THE AUTHOR
Momoko Hill is a co-host on the vegan podcast The ChickPeeps, a rep for ocean conservation charity Surfers Against Sewage and works for plant-based food company, Wicked Healthy.
Many of us go vegan specifically because we don’t want to harm animals. We change our habits, our lifestyle, our products, our clothes, and wear our vegan label with pride. But what many of us also experience is a sense of hopelessness when faced with the reality that 3 billion animals are killed worldwide daily. We’ve already seen the vegan movement taking off in the UK, but many vegans want to do more, not just by limiting our own negative impact, but by using our lives to create change. I truly believe that the antidote to hopelessness is action, and there is a lot we can do to be proactive to help animals! It doesn’t have to take up all of our time or drain our bank accounts. Whether you want to raise awareness of the plight of farm animals or protect wildlife on the whole, let’s look at some options…
#1 Take to the streets!
There are many ways you can show up for the animals, and make an impact on the masses. Whether you hit the streets like famous animal rights activist Earthling Ed and speak to members of the public on a range of animal rights topics, or organise an outreach event where you show slaughterhouse footage using an iAnimal VR headset (ianimal360.com), it’s all showing the world the dark truth behind the industries they likely support. The Official Animal Rights March (theofficialanimalrightsmarch.org) also takes place once a year in London and is an amazing display of unity for the animals.
#2 Attend a vigil
The global ‘Save Movement’ organises vigils, where activists can go and give animals love and water before they reach the slaughterhouse (thesavemovement.org/as-find-a-chapter). This is not for those who are sensitive to distressing scenes, but it’s a beautiful thing to do for animals who are unlikely to have ever felt human love.
#3 It’s the animals’ planet too
The more we protect our planet, the more we protect the animals in return. Let’s start with limiting our use of plastic, which easily finds its way into the waterways and into our oceans. Organising a river, beach or urban area clean-up is also a great way to limit the harm that pollution can contribute to our local wildlife. Support locally grown food, avoid
