As 2011 draws to a close, it's only natural for us to reflect on the happenings that impacted us, try to make sense of it all, and then move on into the new year. While 2011 was a rough year for many people around the world, it was actually a great year for veganism.
We got some great celeb endorsers: Bill Clinton. Need I say more? There's also Ellen DeGeneres, Portia De Rossi, Russell Simmons, Mike Tyson, Woody Harrelson, Alanis Morissette, Alec Baldwin, Carl Lewis, John Salley, and so many others.
Veganism got great press: This was the year that being vegan went from being fringe to a mainstream, healthy life choice. I became vegan after happening to catch Kathy Freston on the Oprah show (and I never watch Oprah!) and buying her book, Veganist. Martha Stewart also dedicated a show to vegan food. The health benefits have been featured on major news channels and there were fantastic films like Forks Over Knives and Vegucated to help spread the word.
There was a cookbook and restaurant explosion: Try googling "vegan" on amazon and see how many results you get. There are so many kinds of vegan cookbooks that I had already spent my Barnes & Noble gift card before I even received it (thank you to my inlaws!). And all those new and delicious vegan restaurants are a dream come true. And vegan cupcakes...the crowning glory.
There were also some wins for the animals: Though so many people are turning to veganism for the health and environmental benefits, please let's not forget about the animals. Organizations like The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Farm Sanctuary are leading the way in legislation to reduce (and hopefully someday end) the suffering of farm animals. HSUS struck a deal with the United Egg Producers to phase out those tiny battery cages in which 280 million egg-laying hens suffer each day. And Smithfield, the world's largest pork producer, said it would phase out gestation crates in which pigs live but can't even turn around. And since I know you're looking for a place to give your end-of-year charitable donation, please consider these game-changing organizations.
I read in one publication that the number of vegans in the U.S. doubled in 2011. If that's the case, I know it will continue to grow as more people discover how easy it is and that the benefits are incontrovertible. I wish you all a very happy, healthy, and vegan 2012.
