Making New Vegetarians

Well, I can think of two ways for this to happen:

1) Give birth to a new veg*n
2) Convince someone to adopt veg*nism

Well, #1 is definitely not for me and #2 is why I do outreach.  There are various strategies and discussions about what is the best way to do this.  My personal philosophy is to just decide on a strategy and do it.  As a direct result of my “doing” at Maker Faire 2009 at the San Mateo Expo Center, here’s some people reading their new PETA Vegetarian Starter Kits.  I hope this is their first step towards veg*nism.

My Inner Super Vegan

Super Vegan: Protecting animals from scumbags like you

WonderCon describes itself, on its official website, as a combining ” the worlds of comics and the popular arts to offer a lively and exciting mix of shopping and stargazing.”

Caped crusaders, jokers, and astromech droids of all types were seen on Saturday, Feb 28th.  It was a fun opportunity to show up amidst them, disguised in ordinary, every day street clothes, and ready at hand with Vegan Outreach’s Even if You Like Meat booklets.

With responses ranging from “This is so cruel!” to politely discarding the leaflets on a nearby railing or not so politely discarding it in the trash,  135 people received information about a wonderful new way to live — a life without eating animals.

So, while without a cape, I did manage to channel my inner super vegan for that brief moment in time.

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The Invisible Vegan

Leafleting at Maker Faire

The primary focus of my efforts in leafleting is to promote veganism to those who otherwise would not receive the information.  A secondary benefit is providing an opportunity for leafleting virgins to participate.

Some first-timers are apprehensive about the response they will get from the people whom they are trying to reach.  In my experience with leafleting, these are the some of the common responses and interactions:

• “Thank you” and takes the leaflet
• Walks right by me, like I’m the invisible vegan
• “No”
• “No, I like meat” (in which case, it’s great to have Vegan Outreach’s “Even If You Like Meat” booklet to offer as an alternative)
• I’m already [ vegetarian | vegan ]
• I already have that

Goal Reached! Four people read their new VSKs

I once leafleted someone who glanced through the information, and then turned around and leafleted it to someone else.  Now that was really neat.  But, for 99.9% of these interactions, it’s a very narrow window of opportunity to talk to people and offer information, as most often people are on their way somewhere.  And nearly every time I leaflet, I will get a few people who initially say “no” or walk right by my (in)visible self, then turnaround and ask for a leaflet.  And what’s what leafleting is all about — giving people information to make informed choices.

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Three-quarters of an ounce

I believe the meat-eating public has the right to know exactly how that piece of flesh or animal secretion journeyed from being a living, breathing, sentient animal to being a mouthful.

For many leafleting activists, a “Why Vegan” is the perfect tool to dispense this information.  Weighing in at approx 3/4 of an ounce, the 16-page 5″ x 8.5″ color booklet produced by Vegan Outreach is brimming with information and pictures.

I was on public transit last weekend, and I observed someone reading a “Why Vegan” from cover to cover. I know in that split-second decision he made to accept the booklet from me that he is someone who is curious, open-minded or maybe just wanted something read.

Will those ten minutes spent reading a “Why Vegan” change his life?  Or the lives of the animals he could choose not to eat or drink?  Only he can decide.

Why Vegan? [PDF ]

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