64. A Vegan Story (by students at Minerva University)

Today’s piece is guest-produced by students at Minerva University - a four-year, US accredited college where the students are on semester-abroads all the time. In Fall 2022, more than a hundred Minerva students spent time in Taiwan. Nate was a mentor to four students who wanted to make a podcast on sustainability. And here’s the result!

A VEGAN STORY - TAIWAN

Despite the recent rise of popularity in veganism, it is true that veganism is associated often with a restrictive, judgemental connotation. However, veganism in Taiwan is proof that veganism does not have to be all or nothing Today, 1 in 7 people in Taiwan live with a vegan or vegetarian diet, with a diverse array of vegan alternatives to choose from. However, despite the abundance of alternatives, not many Taiwanese do not actively identify themselves as vegan or vegetarian. Why may this be the case?

For many, it may seem like the increasing global attention towards sustainability has shifted the options available for keeping a vegan diet, extending the abstinence from all forms of animal products into more and more people’s everyday lives. But veganism is not just a story about sustainability. In Taiwan, veganism is an embedded practice within everyday life that is a combination of politics, religion, sustainability, and more. In this article, we will cover Taiwan’s unique vegan story, created through its unique cultural background. We will delve into the past, present, and future of Taiwan’s veganism, exploring the multifaceted story that has allowed Taiwan to become so vegan.

This episode is written and produced by Stephanie Froebel, Jana Majnova, Seo Kim, and Narandelger Erdenebileg.

Enjoy!

This is Waste Not Why Not, a climate podcast from Ghost Island Media. Debuted on Earth Day in 2019, it's hosted by Nature N8 (Nate Maynard), a sustainability consultant working on energy, ocean, and waste.

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