Is the future vegan?

Following the World Vegan Day, we ask locals of Cardiff if they see themselves or those around them turning into vegans

The past few years have seen a great number of people turning vegan in Cardiff. Not only does turning vegan reduce animal cruelty, make your life longer, happier and benefits your skin, an article by the Independent even said that going vegan is the single biggest way to reduce our environmental impact on the earth.

Around the world, supermarkets are selling more Vegan-friendly products. Vegans also have a day to themselves as the World Vegan Day. The month of January is also called Veganuary by aspiring vegans who follow this lifestyle throughout the first month of the year.

Cardiff is not new to join the vegan scene. Venues like the Red Dragon Centre hosted World Vegan Day and encouraged even non-vegans to give the plant-based diet a try. Places like The Greasy Vegan focus on producing fast food for vegans. There are many social media platforms where Cardiff vegans excel in spreading their vegan knowledge and insight. Cardiff based vegan chef Gaz Oakley, who has written many recipe books and carved a niche for himself on youtube and instagram has now collaborated with the world renowned food chain Wagamama on their new Vegan dish.

However, vegans are still a minority and there are people who still consider vegans as extremists and ridicule them. So we took to the streets to see how varied the responses to veganism were in Cardiff.

Anne, 68, Retired Stewardess

I have never eaten a great deal of meat and now I don’t eat it at all. I can eat other foods as I don’t like the killing of animals. In the spring when you see the lambs with their mothers, it’s awful to think that you’ll kill their mothers. In fact, I am trying to be a raw vegan which is a plant-based vegetable diet where you don’t eat cooked foods at all. I feel like when I am eating raw foods I have much more energy.

Lucy, 16, Student

My family is Pescetarian and I turned into a Vegan a year ago. I think that being a Vegan is good for your body and helps in preserving animal rights as well so everyone should consider it.

Brandy, 44, Writer

I understand the benefits of veganism, but I think that some of their ideas like having a car without leather seats are impractical and inconvenient. The truth is that we are a bit lazy, so even though I admire them but I can’t turn into them.

Ken, 32, Student

I think the Veganism is good because it is healthy and kind to animals and the environment, but I like foods made from meat so I won’t turn into one.

Jo, 46, Works at the Principality Stadium

I don’t like militant vegans who shove it on your face all the time. My daughter is a Vegan but she is a normal person like you and me, who just decides on just not eating meat. I am not a Vegan, but I may consider giving up meat.

Sukki, 56, Shop Owner

I am not a vegan, but I am a vegetarian. My son is a vegan because of health issues, and his diet is amazing. It is not easy being a vegan, but with everything like meat and dairy turning artificial, turning into one is really positive.