Photo by Didier Weemaels on Unsplash

Step aside, there's a new gang in town! Apparently, there is a vegan mafia investing in vegan start up companies. The vegan mafia consists of people from different backgrounds and investment histories, from coconut water to self-driving cars. They all have one thing in common: wanting to change how we eat.

While many of these investors seem to be vegan, they are investing in companies that appeal to meat eaters as well. They have supported Veggie Grill, a chain restaurant, and Beyond Meat, a producer of plant-based meats that taste just like the real thing. An investor names Jody Rasch told CNBC: "A lot of people who are involved in our space are not vegan, but they view the current system as unsustainable." Investing in these companies is lucrative due to the growing demand for vegan food. People are starting to realize that if we continue eating the way we are now, we might not have enough to eat later. In Less Meat, and Taking Baby Steps Won’t Work, Richard Oppenlander explains that 1.5 acres of land can produce 375 pounds of beef or 37,000 pounds of plant food.
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It's comforting knowing that people are making it their mission to financially support vegan companies. We shape the future through our present decisions and with the vegan mafia around, things are looking bright! What kind of company do you think they should invest in next?

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

I don't have to tell you that we are living in crazy times. It seems like now more than ever people are divided especially issues that will shape our future. We are at a crossroads of what kind of society we want to be. With everything going on it is easy to get discouraged and lose hope over people doing the right thing, but it's not the path we should go down. We have the power to change the world a little bit every day through the decisions we make. It is as simple and changing what's on your plate. 

Before I went vegan I never though about what I was eating or where it came from and it never occurred to me to care. I didn't think about how the animal suffered just so I could eat. Animals were not put on this Earth for us to use and torture; they want to live just like we do. They feel pain, happiness, joy and sadness and we shouldn't take advantage of that just to eat a hamburger. The worst part is that it's so unnecessary. There is no reason for humans to eat animals or animal by-products, in fact it's better for us if we don't.

These are important points to remember when we talk about the world, how messed up it is and how one person with good intentions can't change it. According to The Vegan Calculator, in 1 year of being vegan you save 401,500 gallons of water, 14,600 pounds of grain, 10,950 sq ft of forest, 7,300 pounds of CO2 and 365 animal lives. This is what a more sustainable and peaceful future looks like. 

This quote from Sharon Gannon sums it up for me: "Don't wait for a better world. Start now to create a world of harmony and peace. It is up to you, and it always has been. You may even find the solution at the end of your fork." 

​If you aren't vegan, but are curious about making more peaceful dietary choices, check out this 22 Days Vegan Challenge by 22 Days Nutrition. This recipe book is comprehensive, easy to follow and definitely proves that vegans don't just eat salad!

Photo by Alex Robert on Unsplash

I don't know about you, but I can get frustrated watching food related shows on tv. I love learning how chefs do what they do, but because most of them use animal products I have a hard time watching them. I get into them and then want to turn them off once I see the meat. Now, I don't have to do that!
The Vegan Road Show USA, which airs on YouTube starting August 12th, highlights vegan restaurants and cuisine all over the United States. They will start on the West Coast going to restaurants, trying the food and learning about recipes and veganism.

​This show is a great way to demonstrate how you can be vegan in any environment and veganize any type of cuisine. Some areas of the United States are more vegan-friendly than others, but that doesn't mean you can't find vegan food in certain areas. You can veganize any type of cuisine and still be vegan despite the meat-eating majority around you. The show also proves that veganism is growing and more and more people are exposed to the concept of veganism everyday. It's rare, but I still meet people that don't fully understand what vegan means. With more restaurants and outlets highlighting them, more people will learn about veganism and what it means to live cruelty-free.
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I am so excited to learn about vegan restaurants I've never been to and get some new meal ideas. In the meantime, I'll be following The Vegan Roadie and VeganTravel to get my vegan travel/food tour fix. What are you excited to see on The Vegan Roadshow USA?

Photo by Matt Henry on Unsplash

Being vegan does not only apply to what you eat. It is about doing the least amount of harm in every way you consume, including purchasing a car. Traditionally, most cars offer only leather or cloth seats leaving vegans with no choice but cloth seats. Recently, Tesla announced that they are only offering vegan seats in their cars from now on.

Tesla was founded on the principles of promoting environmental sustainability and making sustainable energy a priority. Since using animals for leather is not only harmful to the animals, but also to the environment, it makes sense that Tesla would start making all vegan interiors.

(Full disclosure: the only leather in the cars are the steering wheel covers, which can be made vegan upon request. Hopefully those will be all vegan in the future too.)

This change proves that you don't need leather to be cool. You can still have a stylish and fast car with vegan leather seats. You can ride around in style knowing that you are reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving lives all at the same time.

This is a fantastic step in sustainability and in minimizing our impact on the planet. Tesla is at the forefront of environmental sustainability and continues to create a standard for other car companies to aspire to. This step also makes Tesla that much closer to creating an all vegan and environmentally-friendly car. If you want to reach out to Tesla about ensuring the leather on the steering wheel is vegan, you can do so here.

​-Bridget, www.berrybridget.com

Most vegans would agree that eating at an all vegan restaurant is a treat. There's a sense of relief and happiness knowing that you can order anything off the menu without asking multiple questions about what is in each meal. That is why we work with restaurants to Veganize their menu. Everyone should be able to have a satisfactory meal no matter their dietary choices. That being said, it's important that vegans eat at non vegan restaurants despite the obvious inconveniences. Here's why:

1. It allows the chefs to be more creative. A few months ago I spoke to a chef who works at a non vegan restaurant and asked if he would get annoyed if someone walked in asking for vegan food and he said not at all. They want to accommodate everyone and being vegan isn't always seen as demanding or annoying. It also gives the chefs an opportunity to get creative seeing as they make the same dishes over and over again.
2. It demonstrates the demand for other options. We're proof that restaurants will change their menus if they find out that people are more interested in what's off the menu. Restaurant owners understand that there is a demand for vegan food. If no one asks for anything else, why would they offer anything else?
3. It shows your non vegan friends that you can be vegan anywhere. Some people have a misconception that being vegan means only eating lettuce. Eating vegan at non-vegan restaurants proves that vegan food is more accessible than they realize. It is also important to realize that depending on the restaurant, the vegan food might be very limited. If you complain about how little food you get, people will interpret it as a vegan diet being difficult to maintain and that it's tough to find food. If you go with the flow and eat where your friends eat, they won't think of being vegan as being a big deal or an inconvenience.

Eating out as a vegan doesn't have to be a stressful outing. Most likely you are eating with family or friends so there is no reason to be uneasy about what you can and cannot eat. By sticking to your principles in an environment that is abundant with animal products, you are demonstrating that being vegan is easier than people think.

One day every restaurant will only offer vegan options, but until then, we have to prove that people want vegan food and it's worth serving it at your restaurant.

​-Bridget, www.berrybridget.com