Veganism and developing nations.

[Billy L]

Food For Life Global http://www.ffl.org/about/aims-and-objectives/
There may be a lot of blurry lines between vegan and how vegetarian is actually defined in an organization like this, but you have to hand it to them for, at the very least, avoiding using animal flesh to feed disaster relief recipients, and the hungry of the world.

It's interesting to consider the best strategy to promote veganism as developing countries begin to modernize and seek the kind of lifestyles that more affluent countries have had for so long. I'm wondering what the point is, where economic prosperity (however that plays out in any given society), and dependable availability of fresh fruit, vegetables, legumes, pulses, grains, etc. bring about enough space for individuals to consider the rights of other animals enough to stop using them for any purpose.

photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fflglobal/6168413352/in/photostream

[Karin Yates]

(wow, I had those same vegan Birkenstocks).  Just look at China, that has way surpassed USA in meat consumption.   Because they have become more affluent they have altered their traditional diet (China Study???) accordingly.  Not only does this mean increased imports and factory farms, but land used for crops to feed the animals they eat (pork is a favorite.) The writing is on the wall; China, just due to the scale, will consume the world.

[Kerry Baker]

The meat industry is going the same way of the tobacco companies.  As the evidence comes out against meat consumption they develop new markets in third world countries.  It seems that it is a sign of affluence so cheap meat must be psychologically attractive to low income earners.  China is now in the process of building fois gras production, an indication of where they are going I think that does not bode well.  So like this example, anything that might be done to remind people that they don't need meat to be healthy is to be applauded.