First steps towards vegan activism tend to happen at the beginning of becoming vegan, when you are overwhelmed by all the information and you feel the urge to take action and surround yourself with like-minded people. Whether your reason to be vegan is due to animal rights, to improve your health or because of the planet, you can do your bit and be the change you want to see in the world.
The ways one can help are infinite, and in this organised brainstorm you will find out the best activism for you according to your skillset.
Before jumping into it though, what is vegan activism and who can become an activist? Activism can include a wide range of actions, but in its essence it consists of proactively approaching, communicating and raising awareness of the fact that all species that we share the planet with have their own value and must be respected. Activism can be anything from sharing posts on social media to participating in demonstrations, and anyone who acts to achieve that social change is an activist. Let’s get some ideas now of how you can help!
1. Offer your money
Donate money to organisations you trust. NGOs that work to achieve the change we want to see often lack resources and need financial support to pay their employees and fund their campaigns. Making small donations every month or a one off donation for a specific campaign can make a difference.
Do you want to help stray dogs in Romania? Save the elephants in Africa? Rescue captive wild animals and move them to a sanctuary? Clean the ocean from plastic trash? The offer to make a contribution is endless.
Purchase a documentary related to the cause, like Blackfish or Empathy, buy bracelets made of plastic bottles pulled from the ocean or buy merchandise from NGOs websites.
Watch out where you spend your money. Boycott brands that are not cruelty-free, environmental-friendly or that are not aligned with your values. Instead, support local businesses and vegan startups.
2. Offer your knowledge and skills
Raise awareness to those around you. This is one of the most effective ways to spread knowledge and achieve change. Share your story, what you have learnt so far, and create a trend in your environment. Don’t be afraid to share your reasons for going vegan to your family, friends and co-workers. Chances are they are curious and want to know more about it.
Recommend documentaries, books, share recipes or invite friends over so they can see how delicious vegan food can be.
Share posts on social media, whether you write them or you share posts from vegan influencers or NGOs. With this tiny action you are contributing to make them gain visibility in a non-vegan public which can be your environment, and that’s always positive.
Become a mentor of someone that wants to go vegan or reduce animal consumption but doesn’t know how. You can show your support and share your own experience. In Norway you can become a mentor through Veganerutfordingen.
Help build a shelter or an animal sanctuary. You can either join one day, one weekend or until the place is finished. You can also help afterwards, once the animals move there, by feeding them, cleaning the place or going for a walk if it’s a dog shelter.
3. Offer your time
Volunteer for an NGO and help them by engaging more people into signing up their petitions, fundraising, or spreading the work they do in different campaigns. Participate in activities they organise, ask them how you can help them or directly approach them offering your skills. NOAH- for dyrs rettigheter is very active when it comes to volunteers, but there are a ton of NGOs out there!
Join a clean up or do it on your own. By cleaning the forest or the ocean from plastic pollution and trash you are also helping animals’ habitat.
Join vigils and help share the truth behind meat consumption. By taking pictures of the animals and giving them water before they die, you show the world the faces behind the product. The Save Movement is in charge of organising these events in Norway.
Join demonstrations to show your unconformity.
Join ‘The Hive’ and volunteer for the Vegan Norway team. Help us update the content in the app, test new app features, represent Vegan Norway at events, parties and product launches or simply follow us on Facebook and Instagram and be part of the community. Any help is very welcome!
Ask your favorite restaurant, or just a random one, to add vegan options if they don't offer any.
Go in front of a zoo or any animal attraction and inform people why they shouldn't pay to go in or to take a picture with wild animals kept in captivity. You can also report animal abuse while traveling.
Those are some examples of how you can help out and become a vegan activist. Now that you’ve got a few ideas to support vegan activism, choose the one that suits you best and go for it!
