Vegan Action is a national organization that educates people about and advocates for vegan options that reduce the suffering of animals. The vegan lifestyle consists in avoiding products linked to animal suffering in one's dietary, clothing, cosmetic, health, and cleaning choices. Veganism has secondary motivations, too: the reduction of large-scale animal farms (and their negative impact on the environment) and cultivating the health benefits of a plant-based diet. It can be difficult to embark on a vegan diet, so Vegan Action has a collection of recipes and resources, as well as a certification label on products to inform consumers that an item is genuinely vegan. Vegan Action's current campaigns and outlook are focused on education and 'big picture' encouragement, promoting conscientiousness when a person can make an alternative choice that's better for animals, the environment, and their own health (for example, using vegetable broth instead of beef broth). Executive Director Krissi Vandenburg also discusses Vegan Action's impact here in Richmond and their sponsorship of the upcoming Richmond Vegetarian Festival. For more information, visit www.vegan.org.
Elaine Summerfield, host Andrew Hawes, sound engineer