Ignacia Uribe and imperfect veganism

Each person is a universe: I created myself vegetarian because I had a mystical grandmother who, before I was nine, advised me to take care of animals because they were most likely reincarnated beings. Behind the eyes of a cow, for example, I might watch a former human who has somehow returned to the world to settle scores. Paradoxically, in the courtyard of my house, my father had a pig and chicken farm. At the same age, I watched several of my best feathered friends get slaughtered in front of me. Naturally, but for graphic reasons, I began to reject the taste and smell of animals on the table.

Nearly twenty years later and without wanting to become an insufferable and relentless activist, I spoke with my mother, a devoted guardian of five dogs, but who is not afraid to slaughter a pig. Faced with this same event, on September 18, and while stroking a dachshund that physically resembles a pig more than a dog, he explained to me with total certainty that God had created the world and everything in it. .

“It’s one of the most recurring arguments, even among people who are not believers,” replies Ignacia Uribe, journalist, animal rights activist and founder of the Veg Foundation. “Although, it is said, human beings exercise domination over the world, focusing our attention on intelligence, we tend to neglect other forms of intelligence present in animals: some have an acute sense of smell, exceeding ours ; while whales have their own language and communicate for miles underwater, which is inaccessible to us. In this sense, it is unfair to limit our understanding of the world to the human perspective alone. »

In 2012, Ignacia created the organization Veg Foundation – formerly Vegetarianos Chile -, present in five countries in the region, at the origin of various bills aimed at protecting animals and creator of the famous Veggie Challenge, a free program of 30 days that promotes 100% plant-based food. But despite the passage of years, are there any prejudices against the Vegui people today when it is estimated that there are nearly 79 million vegans worldwide ?

“I remember when there was almost no Internet, when it was a hacker thing, and vegetarianism was linked to something sectarian or people who were more oriented towards the new age. I think for some people, from older generations, this idea perhaps still persists.

Associations are also created that have nothing to do with each other. When I was pregnant, they asked me unusual questions, like if I was going to give birth at home or if I wasn’t going to use anesthesia. This has nothing to do with being vegetarian or vegan. I try to explain that today veganism is supported by science, that from there we are constantly told that reducing meat consumption is beneficial for health and that meat production is one of the main causes of pollution. Afterwards Choosing a life where we consume fewer products of animal origin would be a decision with collective repercussions.

Yesterday I happened to take my kids to the pediatrician and he told me that I need to eat two servings of dairy a day. What’s wrong is the perspective, what should have been told to me is the grams of calcium, because it’s the source of where they consume it that is being discussed. “There is a lack of information about the origin of a school with a Carnist perspective.”

Your children are between two and four years old, how do you raise a Vegui family?

“I didn’t raise my kids 100% vegan. They are vegetarians, which means they have never eaten meat. However, we made a familiar and discussed decision, allowing them to eat eggs before the age of one, as a sort of test to avoid possible allergies. Although eggs are not a regular part of her daily diet at home, which is mostly vegan, I maintain a more relaxed approach when it comes to social situations. For example, if they want to enjoy a piece of cake at a birthday party.

My daughter, who will soon be four years old, is well aware that some people eat animals, especially her grandparents whom she adores. However, he made a personal decision not to do so. He doesn’t ask me for meat. It’s fascinating to see how, from a very young age, she developed her own vision of food and sometimes asks me thought-provoking questions. on our choice of life. She knows that animal children want to be with their mothers just like she wants to be with me.

They didn’t offer us an alternative, no one explained to us how the meat industry worked, so What I try to do is give them some and if in the future they decide to eat meat, that will be a choice. “.

And how can we explain this to children?

“I started talking to my daughter about veganism when she was about two and a half, and now she’s about to turn four. I think it’s quite easy to talk about this topic with them because empathy comes very naturally to them. As the classic saying goes: “If you give a child an apple and a rabbit to play with, he will never eat the rabbit; will choose the apple. It seems that they instinctively have this affection for animals from birth.

In addition, their world is very marked by the presence of animals. From toys to cartoons, they generally feature animals. So, little by little, I explained to my daughter that there are things that are of animal origin, which can cause them pain. I’ve always avoided graphic details, but I think it’s been crucial to be honest and obviously soften the language a little, explaining the reality of what it means when someone eats an animal product. Additionally, I think it is important not to lie and be transparent, but to tailor the explanation to your level of understanding. As he grows, I am willing to answer his questions and continue to talk to him about veganism so he can understand and make informed decisions. “.

What does a vegetarian child eat in a normal day?

“Yesterday my daughter took pasta with broccoli pesto to the garden, but other days she also brings soy meat bolognese, baked zucchini stuffed with rice and soy. Like any other child, he sometimes also eats nuggets but made from plants, which in the supermarket have a very similar value to the others. She loves hummus and enjoys it very much. She says very proudly: “My mother is vegetarian, my brother is vegetarian and so am I. » ‘”.

Do you think veganism is a privilege?

“Every person is different, it’s a different world, they have a different context, but today most of us can choose. Making a change every time we go to eat is an opportunity. This is a social justice movement and the oppressive side has many narratives and tools to stop the advancement of animal rights. Here appears the explanation of meat, one of the great barriers that the mechanism has had to position itself in the public debate, because these are the typical excuses that they give without any basis: that veganism is cuicos, that it is more expensive, that it does not It is not sustainable over time, among other things. But based on hard data, for example, being vegan can even cost a lot less. Purchasing legumes costs less than meat. Many options open up in the plant world.

It is also said that plant-based milk is more expensive than cow’s milk, and that is indeed the case, but adults do not need to drink milk. In fact, 75% of the world’s population suffers from some degree of lactose intolerance. The only group that has developed a mutation that does not cause this inflammation and intolerance are people living in northern Europe. Then other questions arise, which, more than privileges, concern personal tastes or the system in which we live, where culture dictates what we will eat.

Although perfection is difficult, any conscious choice in favor of veganism contributes to a positive impact on animal welfare and the environment. »

You have just published “How to Become Vegan Today: A Practical Guide to Joining Veganism and Saving the World”, what is the aim of this book?

“I’ve met a lot of people who would like to make a change and agree with the animal movement, but they struggle to incorporate a plant-based diet. Changing your habits is not easy. It is therefore designed to support people in this transition and which, step by step, actually takes place at a pleasant pace. It talks about activism, empathy, dairy products, cosmetics, feminism and there’s even a recipe book. But what I have seen recently in our country is that there has been an interesting convergence: there is a lot startups and other foundations that have contributed to change.

In your book, you discuss a concept that greatly facilitates the transition to a life consuming the least amount of animal products: imperfect veganism.

“Animal products are present in virtually every aspect of our daily lives: from the sidewalk to the glue in our sneakers, to cars and even public transportation. . There’s even research by a Dutch designer who tracked a pig’s parts since it died and found they turned up in over 100 different products.

Many of these are not immediately associated with animal-derived inputs, such as wines, bullets, sandpaper, medicine capsules, train brakes, aluminum molds, cigarettes, soap, wall paint, among others. Faced with this reality, what is the solution? Maybe the key is there embrace imperfect veganism , recognize that completely eliminating animal products can be a logistical challenge, but Look for more ethical and sustainable options when possible. “It’s a reminder that, although perfection is difficult, any conscious choice in favor of veganism contributes to a positive impact on animal welfare and the environment.”

In the previous draft Constitution, it was proposed to incorporate animals not only as sentient beings, but also as subjects with the right to a life free from abuse. On this occasion, the “Chile for Animals” initiative was rejected.

“This process is special because it is carried out mainly by republicans, directly linked to the tradition of using animals as tools for human use. In this sense, it is politically more complicated to obtain the approval of these sectors in this type of proposals. But there are places in the world where the left and the right agree to advance the animal issue, because it is urgent. However, in countries like ours, Argentina or Colombia, where this right is closely linked to land ownership and therefore to livestock, these achievements become much more difficult. This is particularly relevant given that Latin America is a meat-producing region for the world’s primary consumption. We have a crucial role in this project”