If you have fur and leather.....
I am a vegan for the most part except once in a while when I have to eat cheese in order to eat(I have to eat at a college dining center so it is harder for me than most people...long and horrific story). Anyways, I have some leather and one peice of fur clothing....i am not sure what i should do about it when i finally make the final leap into strict veganism. so about those peices of death......what should i do? Should i keep it and put it to it's full usage? I have though about burying it as though I was giving the animal a proper burial. I think it would be a waste if i threw the stuff away because other people who are less fortunate could use it and because then the animal died for literally nothing. i just dont want to tell people i am vegan and then look like a hypocrit for wearing skin and hair! so guys....give me your advice. you all seem hip and pretty idealistic when it comes to issues so i would love to hear your lovely opinions. Thanks!
Peace, Court
p.s. i am new!!!!!!!!
Re: If you have fur and leather.....
If the fur is a full fur coat instead of something that had fur on it, you can donate it to PETA and they give them to the homeless. The rest I would suggest donating. Others can get a good use of them and you don't have to be bothered with the idea of having it around.
Re: If you have fur and leather.....
I have one pair of walking shoes that are over 15 years old and from my pre-vego days, and are leather. All the others I replaced and dispensed with as they either wore out or I felt uncomfortable using them.
Obviously the choice is yours and you should do what feels best by your conscience. There is the issue of passive promotion of fur by using it, and sometimes people will question you about what you are using. The important thing is that you aren't increasing the demand by replacing with animal products and also you will probbly feel better for it when the last leather/fur things are gone.
Welcome to the forum! You have my sympathy as I was vegan at the age of 17 when my parents sent me to boarding school and my food choices were limited to a nutritionally unbalanced vegan option or the vegetarian offerings. It was uncomfortable but the first six months of veganism went by the wayside while I had little control of my diet for the next few years. I went mainly vegan when I left school and was able to look after my own diet choices until I became a committed vegan.
Don't beat yourself up about it; but you can look at the options and suggest to your college diner some healthy easy vegan alternatives. I wish I knew what I do now so that I could have done it way back when I was in school.
Re: If you have fur and leather.....
Welcome, VitaminB :D
Perhaps you should not wear it, for your conscious and to avoid giving mixed signals. (But please don't go to class without any shoes...or naked! :eek: :D )
Maybe consider if what you would give to the homeless is pricey. A very dear friend of mine heads up a ministry which helps the homeless, and she use to be homeless herself. She told me that if it's something expensive, some will not use it except to sell it for drug money. IF that were to happen, I don't think it would be the good offering you intended.
If it's expensive, maybe give it to an omni relative? Or maybe sell it and give the money to your favorite animal rights group?
If it's not pricey, I would give it for the poor.
imo :)
Re: If you have fur and leather.....
I have a couple things that don't meet the vegan standerds from my pre-vegan day and I will wear them till I can replace them.
Re: If you have fur and leather.....
That's what I WAS going to do with my shoes, but I started to be sickened every time I look in my closet. There are actually one pair of RenFest costume boots I have yet to sell. I think I will list them on Ebay. The reason I've had them so long is that I didn't like looking at them, so they've been in the back of a storage closet, so I kept forgetting to sell them.
Re: If you have fur and leather.....
Welcome VitaminB. :)
I got rid of all my non-vegan stuff pretty well straight away except for a couple of things like my dog's woollen blankets which I had to find a replacement for first (but since she was still eating non-vegan food at the time it seemed a bit silly!). I had been getting rid of leather gear from the time I turned veggie so that was no big deal. I donated my stuff to charities.
Re: If you have fur and leather.....
My leather shoes I either dumped, or gave them to a charity shop. Never owned fur.
The only wool thing I have is an old woolly cardigan that an elderly aunt made. For sentimental reasons I wear it at times. But when thats gone thats it, no more animal clothing in my wardrobe..
I would suggest burning the fur coat!?
Re: If you have fur and leather.....
Quote:
tails4wagging
I would suggest burning the fur coat!?
A very tempting idea, though not very environmentally friendly?! :D
Re: If you have fur and leather.....
Give it to your dragon Cal!!!! :) .
Best then to bury it!!.