Plastic vegans: Commodity culture and its effects on nonhuman species

Veganism is the moral baseline. However, we must also assess other aspects of our consumption which cause undue harms to others (human and non-human) and to the ecosystems exploited in our pursuit of things.

ANTI-SPECIESIST ACTION COLLECTIVE: ‘Consumer culture is a celebration of possessive individualism which cultivates isolation and selfishness. We are told that convenience is of central importance in our purchasing decision. Through the power of convenience these products work their way into our routines and we are removed from any meaningful engagement with the objects themselves, or of the waste and misery involved in the product life cycle… This distorts our sense of morality and justice through placement of the self, and the idealised image of the self, on a pedestal, placing our consumption at odds with not only our own wellbeing, but also the wellbeing of our broader community, the environment, and the beings (human and non-human) who are exploited or marginalised through our consumptive habits…

A consequence of this is the enormous production of waste, especially non-biodegradable waste, is the destruction of ecosystems and the beings therein (including ourselves!). Other consequences are the destruction of habitats and societies, the indentured servitude of marginalised humans, the marginalisation of species as pests or nuisances when they threaten profit, and the commodification of the bodies of non-human species for consumption in our diets, our fashion, and our entertainment… It is not enough to simply be vegan… Veganism is the moral baseline, however we must also assess other aspects of our consumption and participation which cause undue harms to others (human and non-human), and to the ecosystems exploited in our pursuit of things’. SOURCE…

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