Episode 563, air date July 23rd, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

A Vegan Makes a Feature Film ft Glen Merzer!

Buddhist Blues is an intriguing feature film that tackles life and family with a by-the-way-he’s vegan protagonist. Writer/director Glen Merzer takes us into his process and celebrates “accidental activism.”

In this engaging conversation, Victoria Moran welcomes bestselling author, screenwriter, and filmmaker Glen Merzer to discuss Buddhist Blues, the first feature film he has written and directed. Set in St. Louis in 1993, the film follows a young vegan living outside the law. As family tensions rise, he must confront difficult choices and the fragile bonds that connect us.

Together, Victoria and Glen explore storytelling as a form of advocacy. Glen explains why he believes in “soft vegan messaging.” Rather than preaching, he creates compelling characters and authentic stories that encourage audiences to reflect. They also discuss the challenges of producing an independent film and the unique ability of cinema to inspire empathy.

Beyond the film, Glen reflects on his decades as a writer and his lifelong commitment to vegetarianism and veganism. He also shares why creativity can help build a more compassionate world.

Whether you’re passionate about filmmaking, vegan advocacy, or simply love a good story, this episode offers an inspiring look at the intersection of art, compassion, and social change.

In This Episode

• Glen’s journey as a writer and filmmaker
• The inspiration behind Buddhist Blues
• Why storytelling can be a powerful form of advocacy
• The philosophy behind “soft vegan messaging”
• The challenges of producing and directing an independent film
• How creativity can inspire compassion and change

About Our Guest

Glen Merzer is an author, screenwriter, filmmaker, and longtime vegan advocate. He is the writer and director of Buddhist Blues, a feature film that explores family, identity, and compassion through a distinctly vegan lens. Glen also co-authored Moving Medicine Forward with Dr. Michael Klaper and wrote Food Is Climate. A vegetarian for more than five decades and a vegan for over 35 years, he hosts The Glen Merzer Show, where he explores food, health, ethics, and the environment.

More from Glen

Learn more about Glen’s latest projects, including Buddhist Blues, his books, and The Glen Merzer Show.

Website: https://buddhistblues.com

YouTube: The Glen Merzer Show https://www.youtube.com/@theglenmerzershow

Also Mentioned

• Moving Medicine Forward (co-authored with Dr. Michael Klaper)
• Food Is Climate

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Posted July 21 , 2026

I was an art maker and illustrator before I was vegan, and just as becoming vegan has transformed how most of us show up in the world, it has transformed my art making. For me, it was awakening to the suffering of animals that turned me vegan and, like so many others, as my eyes were opening to the truth, I found myself wanting to shout from the rooftops everything I was learning. I assumed all I would have to do was tell people what I was discovering and they would make the same choice I had. So, I began telling people—and, as an art maker, I began creating work to shine a light on the seemingly infinite ways that animals suffer at the hands of humans.

Changing Beliefs and Behaviors

In the beginning I was confident that if I could make illustrations that were clear and moving enough, I’d be able to change the beliefs and behaviors of anyone who saw them. But of course, as so many new vegans come to realize, that isn’t how it works. Not everyone is wired to be transformed by the information that vegans find transformative. I began to wonder if it was perhaps self-indulgent to spend time making art—and whether, given the urgency of the animals’ suffering, I should instead find a more efficient means of trying to influence non-vegans toward change.

Keeping Hope and Motivation Alive in the Larger, Non-Vegan World

While pondering this question, I discovered and joined the Art of Compassion Project, an international vegan artists’ collective. As a member I was able to contribute to the group’s collaborative projects, reaching a wider audience while helping to raise awareness and funds for vegan causes. Not long after, I signed up for the Main Street Vegan Academy. While getting certified as a Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator, I became part of another wonderful community of like-minded people. The support and inspiration I receive from being around other passionate vegans is crucial for keeping my hope and motivation alive in the larger, non-vegan world. And the varied array of projects that these vegans pursue, with their diverse interests and backgrounds, reminds me that this movement needs all our voices, and all the different mediums and methods through which we can share our common message.

Art as Activism

Buoyed by these communities, I’ve continued my artivism. My goal is always to reach and motivate change in not-yet-vegan viewers; but I’ve become more accepting of the reality that this is a very long game. The only thing I have control over is what I send out into the world, not how others receive it. This recognition helps keep me going. This, plus my conviction that if each of us speaks our truth as only we can, the world will move, if ever so slowly, toward awakening.

I still fall into self-doubt when an artwork I share gets very little response—and even sometimes when it gets a strong, much appreciated response, but only from fellow vegans. I wonder, am I simply preaching to the choir? A while back I received a welcome insight into this question. I learned that some collectors intentionally display my work in spaces where they’ll spark conversations with non-vegan guests. So even when I know who has purchased a print or painting, I never know who else it may reach. It’s been gratifying also to hear on occasion directly from not-yet-vegans who’ve told me my work has inspired a shift in their thinking. So, I continue with my artivism and trust that it is adding meaningfully to the world’s chorus of vegan voices.

And because I continue, opportunities sometimes arise to share my work more widely. In 2025, I was asked to create some of the official posters for the Animal Rights March in NYC. It was truly an honor to be able to help amplify the message of such a moving and powerful event. So many passionate, articulate, and creative leaders and activists in the animal rights movement came together that day to lend their voices to the voiceless—or more accurately, to the animals whose voices are systematically silenced.

Measuring Progress

Recently, another couple of opportunities led me to realize that the response that vegan-themed artworks receive in the wider art community may be a useful way to measure the progress of our movement. While by many metrics, veganism seems to have lost momentum over the past few years, I’ve been so encouraged by the opportunity to have my painting, The Ghosted, with a clear vegan message, included in two recent art exhibits in New York City, neither of which was vegan in theme.

The 55th Anniversary People’s Flag Show (November 2025, at Judson Memorial Church) challenged artists to create work that, “interrogates the American Flag as a symbol of ‘freedom and justice for all.’” The SaveArtSpace.org True American exhibition (July 2026, on billboard ad space in Brooklyn) called for work that asks, “What does America look like in practice? Who does it serve—and who does it fail?” The curator called on artists to “center voices and experiences that have historically been excluded from dominant representations of American identity.”

In submitting The Ghosted, I worried that this painting, which centers the voices and experiences of nonhuman farmed animals, might not be received well. I worried that some might see it as inappropriate at a time when so many human voices are being suppressed, and so many human beings are suffering under inhumane government policies. I submitted it anyway and was relieved and encouraged to find that it was well received by the organizers and viewers at Judson, and was selected for the billboard by the curator at SaveArtSpace. I’m choosing to see this as a metric that counters the ones suggesting that veganism’s moment has passed.

Truth on Our Side

While there is no doubt that veganism is being challenged from all directions, our movement has the truth on its side. The evidence of its benefits—for the environment, human well-being, and of course the animals—only grows more compelling. Data indicates that people outside the vegan movement recognize this. A 2025 Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine survey found that half of US adults acknowledge the health benefits of a plant-based diet. And, anecdotally, the organizers of two social-justice-themed art shows have selected an animal rights piece as a valid commentary on the ways the US is failing those who live within its borders. So, even as the powers that be put out their misinformation and promote the animal industrial complex, individual people are quietly being swayed by the truth. I find this kind of confirmation that our movement continues to make progress energizing. I hope it gives all of us the boost we need to stay the course and keep on spreading our shared message, each in our own unique way.

Read Lisa’s Artist Statement for The Ghosted, as well as the Curatorial Statement, here: https://www.saveartspace.org/true-american.

Lisa Goldberg is a mixed-media artist and the illustrator of three children’s books. She is a member of the Art of Compassion Project and a certified Main Street Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator. She lives on the Lower East Side of New York City with her husband, daughter, and two spoiled cats. You can view more of her work and connect with her on Instagram and Facebook, and on her website, Lisa Goldberg Illustration.

Episode 562, air date July 16th, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Justice for Animals: Creating Lasting Change!

Can the legal system become one of the most powerful tools for protecting animals?

In this compelling conversation, Victoria Moran speaks with attorney and animal law advocate Vanessa Shakib about the growing movement to secure meaningful legal protections for animals. Through strategic litigation and public-interest advocacy, Vanessa is helping reshape the legal landscape for farmed animals. In doing so, she challenges long-standing systems that treat sentient beings as commodities rather than individuals worthy of protection.

Together, Victoria and Vanessa explore the evolving field of animal law. They discuss the challenges of creating systemic change through the courts. They also explain why legal advocacy is an essential companion to education, grassroots activism, and compassionate living. Along the way, Vanessa shares her own journey to veganism. She describes how it inspired her to dedicate her legal career to advancing justice for animals.

Ultimately, this thoughtful and inspiring episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the legal strategies that are helping build a more compassionate future.

In This Episode

How Vanessa found her calling in animal law
How compassion can shape public policy
Reasons for hope in the growing animal protection movement

About Our Guest

Vanessa Shakib is an attorney, animal law advocate, and founder of Advancing Law for Animals, a nonprofit legal organization dedicated to protecting animals through strategic litigation and public-interest advocacy. After becoming vegan, she redirected her legal career toward advancing legal protections for animals. Since then, she has challenged institutional cruelty through the courts. Her work spans issues including factory farming, animal research, and government accountability. As a result, she has become a respected voice in the rapidly growing field of animal law.

Connect with Vanessa

Website: https://advancinglawforanimals.org

Subscribe, rate, and review the Main Street Vegan Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.

Sign up for the Main Street Vegan blog and newsletter at https://www.mainstreetvegan.com and receive your FREE e-book, Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi.

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Complement are supplements made by vegans, Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD, Matt Frazier, and Joel Kahn, MD, to enhance diet. Check our their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Posted July 14, 2026

I have been vegan for twenty years, though my friends and family are not. For my 60th birthday, I wanted a vegan lunch. My only sibling, Gary, died three years ago at age 58, making every birthday especially meaningful since I can turn an age he never will. When I turned 30 and 40, I celebrated with my mom and brother—both now gone. At 50, my mom had just died, so I could not celebrate. Now, I mark my 60th.

My goal: To celebrate a milestone birthday with family and friends. I left the men at home, including my husband, and it was ladies only.

I wanted vegan food and vegan cake. I wanted to show my friends and family what it’s like to walk in my shoes for a day. Veggie Heaven in Teaneck, New Jersey, is the only 100% vegan restaurant in my county. There are several restaurants with vegan options, but you know how it goes…Please take out the cheese, meat, eggs, etc. It irks me to pay for items I have removed when they cannot be replaced with healthier, cruelty-free alternatives.

It was an honor to host this gathering, welcoming friends and family, and I was not nervous at all about whether they would like the food. Everybody loved the food! Their dishes are delicious, and the veggies are always fresh, as well as the faux meat.

The cake was the highlight. I ordered two freshly baked cakes, a Black Forest Cake and a Funfetti Cake, so there would be both chocolate and vanilla options. Everybody kept asking if it was dairy-free since some guests are lactose intolerant. I did not ruin their experience by explaining we are all lactose intolerant since no human should be drinking the milk of another mammal—our bodies rightfully reject it.

It helped that I have been going to Veggie Heaven weekly for over 20 years since moving to the area. The owner, manager, and servers know me well. We were given a separate room and not rushed to leave. We had appetizers that I chose for everybody: scallion pancakes, steamed vegetable dumplings, and spring rolls.

To simplify things for this event I created a personalized menu. I chose 29 main dishes, ranging from only veggies to noodles, mock beef, chicken, or fish with vegetables, picking the most popular dishes emulating what people normally order in a Chinese restaurant. I thought it was fitting to have 29 dishes to reflect that I have been celebrating my 29th birthday for 31 years now!

Despite being the only vegan at the table, I was thrilled that everyone was impressed, and many said they would happily eat there again.

There were 18 of us in total. I am not religious, but in my Jewish culture the number 18 represents life, vitality, and good fortune. I took it as an excellent sign. The weather was sunny, dry, and not too hot for June. It was the perfect day.

It was important that I did not have to smell or see meat for my birthday. Around the table, almost everybody is owned by a dog or a cat (or both). It made me feel great to share my love of harmless and delicious food with fellow animal lovers.

Will anybody become a vegan after our lunch? Probably not. It’s okay, though, because they know that vegan food is tasty and a viable alternative.

Cherie Hans holds certifications from Dr. McDougall’s Starch Solution and Dr. Campbell’s Plant-Based Nutrition programs, and is a Main Street Vegan Academy Master Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator. She holds a Master of Science in Bilingual Education from St. John’s University, New York, and a Bachelor of Arts from the City University of NY: Queens College in English and Spanish, and currently teaches adults in English as a Second Language. A. She is from Queens, New York, but now resides in New Jersey with her husband and many rescued cats. 

Episode 561, air date July 9th, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Ending Infighting: Building a More Compassionate Movement

Why do people who care deeply about compassion sometimes struggle to extend that compassion to one another?

In this thoughtful and timely conversation, I speak with psychologist, author and founder Dr. Melanie Joy about one of the most challenging issues facing advocacy movements today: infighting. Drawing on decades of research into psychology, communication, and social change, Melanie explores why passionate people can become divided and what we can do to foster greater understanding, effectiveness, and unity.

Together, myself and Melanie discuss the role of moral outrage in activism, the limits of shame as a tool for change, and the importance of creating what she calls a more “relational” world. While every justice movement has its own mission, Melanie argues that lasting progress depends on our ability to build healthy relationships, communicate across differences, and work toward shared goals.

This episode offers practical insights for vegans, activists, and anyone seeking to create positive change without sacrificing connection, kindness, or integrity.

In This Episode

What infighting is and why it happens
Why passionate advocates sometimes become divided
The difference between righteous anger and effective advocacy
Why shame rarely creates lasting positive change
What it means to build a more relational world
How justice movements can work together while honoring their unique missions
Simple steps anyone can take to reduce conflict and strengthen community
Creating meaningful change through compassion and communication

About Our Guest

Melanie is a Harvard-educated psychologist and author of 8 books, including Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows. She is a recipient of the Institute of Jainology’s Ahimsa Award, joining honorees that includes Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama. She is the founding president of Beyond Carnism, dedicated to exposing and transforming the belief systems that shape our choices and relationships.

Connect with Melanie

Website: https://infighting.org/ &  https://carnism.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beyondcarnism
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondcarnism

Also Mentioned

Melanie recently published A Half-Hearted Death Wish, a darkly humorous psychological mystery about a psychologist whose desire to live suddenly vanishes, sending her on a quest to solve the mystery before it’s too late.

Subscribe, rate, and review the Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.

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Complement are supplements made by vegans, Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD, Matt Frazier, and Joel Kahn, MD, to enhance diet. Check our their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Posted July 7, 2026

Today, more than half of American homes have a carbon monoxide (CO) detector. Without that little wonder of technology, we are not able to detect a gas that is odorless and invisible but deadly. About 400 Americans a year lose their lives from accidental CO poisoning.

And carbon monoxide is only one of countless environmental dangers that hide in our blind spots. Take the example of radon. It is a natural radioactive gas discharged by the decay of uranium in soil, rock, and groundwater. Among nonsmokers, it is the #1 cause of lung cancer, yet it is undetectable by our five senses.

Exposing the Invisible

Environmental hazards such as radon can be just as consequential to our health as the food we eat, physical fitness, or psychological wellness. Apart from the occasional news coverage, however, we stay mostly ignorant of their threatening existence.

To expose those dangers and monitor their presence in our surroundings, I created MapYourHealth. MapYourHealth is another little wonder of technology with the potential to save lives. It warns you when levels of radon in your area are too high. It keeps an eye on local polluters for you, such as landfills and factory farms. It even assesses the strength of essential public services, for example, water treatment plants.

What Are You Drinking?

How much do you know about the water you drink? When building MapYourHealth, I learned that water is contaminated with heavy metals, industrial chemicals, pesticides, and much more.

Authorities such as the Environmental Protection Agency set legal limits for acceptable concentrations of such contaminants in tap water. MapYourHealth closely examines those legal frameworks and assesses their protective strength by comparing them to standards set by independent scientific organizations such as the World Health Organization.

In many cases, your local water filtration plant falls short of that gold standard. Worse, most localities do not have legal guidelines for purifying water for entire contaminant categories, such as nanoplastics.

Nanoplastics in tap water are concerning because their tiny size lets them enter cells, spark inflammation, and carry toxic chemicals, creating potential health risks still under study. According to a 2026 Ohio State University study, nanoplastics were found in every sample of treated water from four major U.S. treatment plants—further evidence that their presence is likely widespread.

The Big One Is Coming

Another tiny but potentially very harmful environmental threat comes from viruses.

During the COVID‑19 pandemic, we all had trouble navigating the risk‑communication landscape. Obvious questions were left unanswered or were the subject of conflicting opinions. Between mainstream media outlets, social media, and word of mouth, it was difficult to get a clear understanding of the unfolding crisis.

This was a major global and national preparedness failure that could have claimed tragically more lives if the virus had been more severe.

Many virologists agree that the next global pandemic is unavoidable. They cannot predict when it will crash into our routine again, but anyone paying close attention to the animal agriculture industry and the rise of zoonotic diseases feels that it is only around the corner.

MapYourHealth works at getting us ready for the next big one by designing an early warning system that provides us quick, vital, and reliable information directly from the frontline of health‑crisis responsiveness. This upcoming feature is a sure bet on a more empowering and less chaotic future.

Victimhood Need Not Be the Norm

When I created MapYourHealth over a year ago, I aimed to build a platform that fosters agency, strength, resilience, and self‑determination for anyone victimized by environmental risks.

I thought of the town where I grew up and the fine dust drifting from the local factory’s tall chimneys. I also thought about the sharp chlorine smell that tap water sometimes has for no clear reason, the anxiety of moving to a new city or visiting a new country without knowing its health or safety realities, and taking public transit to work only to learn, perhaps too late, that several colleagues are sick and a mysterious virus is circulating.

So many situations leave you feeling vulnerable and powerless in the face of your environment—even more so when you carry the burden of a chronic illness like Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, or if you are pregnant or a parent.

As my team and I work to turn our vision of a safer world into reality, I invite you to become an early adopter of MapYourHealth. We rely on your feedback (our email is contact@mapyourhealth.info) to strengthen the platform and ensure it truly serves your needs. Create an account at MapYourHealth and share it with your loved ones. And from our entire team, we wish you a long and fulfilling life.

Rayane Laddi was inspired to found MapYourHealth as a result of  witnessing the shortcomings of risk communication during the Covid-19 pandemic. He became committed to improving how society anticipates and understands emerging threats. He now applies his expertise in communication and strategic planning to lead the development of the world’s first environmental-health monitoring and early-warning application.

When he is not building MapYourHealth, he is fundraising for Dharma Voices for Animals, the only Buddhist animal rights organization in the world. He is also at the helm of the Vegan Report podcast, where he interviewed Main Street Vegan director Victoria Moran (see Feeding the Vegan Soul | Ep. 96).

Episode 560, air date July 2nd, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Radical Kindness: Living with Compassion for Animals, the Earth, and One Another with Anitha Rao-Robinson

Radical Kindness: Living with Compassion for Animals, the Earth, and One Another with Anitha Rao-Robinson

What does it really mean to live a life of kindness? Not simply kindness to the people we know, but to animals, the planet, ourselves, and future generations?

In this heartfelt conversation, Victoria Moran welcomes author, conservationist, and Kindness Is Everything podcast host Anitha Rao-Robinson. Together they explore the transformative power of what might be called “radical kindness”—a way of living that extends compassion beyond our immediate circle and into every aspect of our lives.

Anitha shares the story of her own vegan journey, inspired by her teenage daughter after watching Cowspiracy. The conversation also touches on her Indian heritage, her life in Canada, and how those experiences have shaped her understanding of compassion, conservation, and our responsibility to the natural world. Victoria and Anitha discuss the many meanings of the word “conservationist,” the joys and challenges of eco-travel, and highlights from the AVA Conference in Toronto.

At its heart, this episode is an invitation to live more consciously, to embrace kindness as a daily practice, and to recognize that even small acts of compassion have the power to change the world.

In This Episode

What “radical kindness” looks like in everyday life
Anitha’s journey to veganism after watching Cowspiracy
Different perspectives on conservation and environmental stewardship
The influence of Anitha’s Indian heritage and Canadian upbringing
The opportunities and challenges of eco-travel
Highlights from the AVA Conference in Toronto
How kindness benefits animals, people, and the planet alike

About Our Guest

Anitha Rao-Robinson is an author, conservationist, and creator of the Kindness Is Everything podcast. A former accountant, she now devotes her life to helping animals and writing children’s books, including A Family for Faru, Sari Sisters, and Music of the Bells. Anitha lives on a hobby farm with her family—both human and non-human—and continues to inspire compassionate living through her writing, podcast, and advocacy.

Connect with Anitha

Website: https://anitharobinson.com
Instagram: @anitharobinson4
Kindness Is Everything Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kindness_everythingpod/
Podcast: Kindness Is Everything (available on all major podcast platforms and through Anitha’s website)

Mentioned in This Episode

Cowspiracy
The Vegan Report with Rayane Laddi
Oblivious: A Vegan Memoir by Sande Nosonowitz

Anitha’s books:

• A Family for Faru
• Sari Sisters
• Music of the Bells

Also Mentioned

Main Street Vegan Academy — Cohort 39 begins this October via Zoom. If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a vegan lifestyle coach or simply deepening your knowledge of plant-based living, we’d love to have you join us. Podcast listeners receive $250 off tuition with the code vegcoach250.

Subscribe, rate, and review the Main Street Vegan Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.

Sign up for the Main Street Vegan blog and newsletter at https://www.mainstreetvegan.com and receive your FREE e-book, Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi.

And become an insider by joining the Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/207997266555049

Complement are supplements made by vegans, Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD, Matt Frazier, and Joel Kahn, MD, to enhance diet. Check our their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Posted June 30, 2026

Exploring How Conscious Choices Can Help Create a Healthier Future for People, Animals, and the Planet

The History of Environmentalism

Humans have had a relationship with the natural world since our existence on Earth. However, humans did not acknowledge the impact their actions have on land, water, and air, and develop methods to minimize harm and reverse damage until the last hundred and fifty years.

Early conservation efforts began in the late 1800s, when advocates focused on protecting wilderness areas and wildlife from industrialization, leading to the founding of the Sierra Club in 1892 and the U.S. Forest Service in 1905. The environmentalism movement really began in the 1960s with the publishing of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, which illuminated the devastating effects of pesticides on the environment and human health. Then, April 22, 1970, marked the first Earth Day. Since that time, the movement has evolved into a global political force, addressing climate change, carbon footprint, green initiatives, renewable energy, animal welfare, alternative meat and dairy, and rewilding.

Sustainability is the overarching concept that we as humans live in a way that meets our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. The word is used everywhere, from government policies and corporate initiatives to social media campaigns and everyday conversations. But what does sustainability actually mean, and how can we incorporate it into our daily lives?

It means using resources responsibly, protecting ecosystems, reducing waste, and creating a world where people, animals, and the planet can thrive together. While sustainability can seem like a complex global challenge, it is also deeply personal. The choices we make every day—from how we travel to what we eat—can have a significant impact on the environment. Living consciously requires considering the greater good.

The Three Pillars of Sustainability

Sustainability is often described through three interconnected pillars: environmental protection (the planet), social equity (people), and economic viability (profit). True sustainability only occurs when all three pillars work together. For example, a company that uses renewable energy (environmental), pays fair wages (social), and remains financially successful (economic) is operating sustainably.

Environmental Sustainability

This pillar focuses on protecting natural resources (like water and soil), reducing pollution and physical waste, preserving biodiversity, minimizing our impact on the planet, and exploring alternative and renewable energy sources.

Social Sustainability

A sustainable society promotes fairness, health, well-being, and equal opportunities for all people. It addresses fair wages, safe working conditions, gender equality, health equity, and strong community relationships.

Economic Sustainability

Economic systems should support long-term prosperity without depleting natural resources or creating social inequalities.

Why Sustainability Matters

The world is facing a range of environmental challenges including climate change, deforestation, ocean dead zones, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, and increasing levels of waste. Many of these issues are linked to unsustainable patterns of production and consumption.

The good news is that individual actions, when multiplied across communities and countries, can contribute to meaningful change. By adopting more sustainable habits, we can reduce our environmental footprint and help create a healthier future.

How Can We Live More Sustainably?

Consume More Mindfully

One of the simplest ways to live sustainably is to buy only what we truly need. Fast fashion, disposable products, and excessive consumption place enormous pressure on natural resources. Social media, pop-up ads, and fast checkout present the illusion of need versus want and convince shoppers that immediate gratification equals happiness.

Choosing durable, high-quality products and supporting responsible businesses can help reduce waste and environmental impact. Adding things to an online shopping cart and waiting a few days before completing the transaction allows time to consider the purchase. Borrowing items from neighbors, renting tools from a business, and buying gently used clothing and books are sustainable alternatives to typical purchases.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

The familiar three Rs remain essential. Reducing consumption should come first, followed by reusing items whenever possible and recycling materials that can no longer be used. When recycling, it is easy to think we are acting responsibly, however, for it to matter, we must learn how to properly dispose of plastic, glass, metal, and paper.

Small changes, such as carrying reusable bags, bottles, and coffee cups, can make a difference over time. Cleaning, fixing, and repurposing frequently used items helps prevent unnecessary trash. Try using sauce and jam jars for storage, old sheets and towels for rags, handing down clothing, and organizing local swap events.

Choose Sustainable Transportation

Walking, cycling, carpooling, and using public transportation can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to driving alone. Choosing lower-impact transportation options helps decrease our carbon footprint. Additionally, walking and cycling are great for health, and traveling with others builds community.

Support Local and Seasonal Food

Buying locally grown and seasonal foods can reduce transportation-related emissions while supporting local farmers and communities. It can also encourage a stronger connection to where our food is produced.

Embrace a Plant-Based Lifestyle

Perhaps one of the most impactful ways to live more sustainably is through our food choices. Animal agriculture requires vast amounts of land, water, and feed while contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and worldwide food insecurity. In contrast, plant-based foods generally require fewer resources, have a lower environmental impact, and provide sustenance to more people.

A vegan lifestyle not only helps reduce demand for resource-intensive animal products but also aligns with values of compassion and respect for animals. By choosing fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds, individuals can support a food system that is often more efficient and environmentally responsible.

Sustainability is not achieved through diet alone. However, plant-based eating plays an important role in addressing some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Sustainability Is a Journey

Living sustainably is not about perfection. Few people can eliminate their environmental impact entirely, and sustainability looks different for everyone depending on their circumstances.

Instead, sustainability is about making conscious choices and continually seeking ways to reduce our impact. Every reusable bottle, every plant-based meal, and every thoughtful purchase contribute to a larger movement toward a healthier planet.

Sustainability is about creating a future where people, animals, and nature can coexist in balance. While governments and businesses have important roles to play, individual actions matter, model, and amass.

By consuming less, wasting less, supporting ethical practices, and embracing more plant-based choices, we can all contribute to a more sustainable world. Veganism is not the only path to sustainability, but it is one of the most powerful ways individuals can align their daily habits with the goal of protecting our planet for generations to come.

References:

Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1962.

EAT-Lancet Commission. Food in the Anthropocene: The EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems. The Lancet, 2019.

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Jenny Cheifetz is a certified trauma-informed life and breathwork coach and Main Street Vegan Academy graduate. She is the founder of The Flirty Vegan, where she advocates for and celebrates the benefits of veganism. Guided by ethics, concern for the environment, and the desire to live with vitality and vibrancy, she supports clients who want to look and feel better through plant-based nutrition and lifestyle modifications. The Flirty Vegan Podcast is available everywhere and features interviews with fascinating, mission-driven vegans whose stories offer encouragement and inspiration.

Jenny is a mom, wife, coach, and animal lover from New Hampshire. She enjoys cooking, baking, knitting, attending concerts, walking in nature, being near the water, spending time with friends and family, and learning.

Episode 559, air date June 25th, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Confessions of a Vegan Cattle Rancher

Can a person raised in ranching culture have a change of heart so profound that it transforms not only their life, but the lives of countless animals?

In this inspiring and deeply personal conversation, I speak with Renee King-Sonnen, founder of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary and author of the memoir Rowdy Girl: Confessions of a Vegan Cattle Rancher. Renee shares the remarkable story of how she went from life on a Texas cattle ranch to becoming one of the most recognized voices in the animal rights movement.

What began with a growing awareness of the individuality and emotional lives of the cattle in her care led Renee and her husband to make an extraordinary decision: save their herd from slaughter and transform their ranch into a sanctuary. Their story captured national attention when it aired on CBS Evening News and continues to inspire people around the world to rethink their relationship with animals.

Renee reflects on the challenges of questioning long-held beliefs, compassion to create unexpected change and the movement she has helped build. This episode is a testament to the fact that no matter where we begin, it is never too late to align our lives with our deepest values.

In This Episode

How Renee’s life changed from cattle ranching to animal rescue
The pivotal moments that led her to embrace veganism
Saving a Texas cattle herd from slaughter
The national attention that followed their transformation
What ranching culture taught her and what she had to unlearn
The mission and impact of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary
The story behind her new memoir, Rowdy Girl: Confessions of a Vegan Cattle Rancher
Why compassion has the power to change hearts, families, and communities

About Our Guest

Renee King-Sonnen is the founder and executive director of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary. She became an international voice for animal protection after helping transform her family’s Texas cattle ranch into a sanctuary and her story gained attention following a CBS Evening News feature in 2016 and helped put her into the forefront of the animal rights movement. A speaker and activist, Renee shares her journey in her memoir, Rowdy Girl: Confessions of a Vegan Cattle Rancher, published by Bloomsbury in June 2026.

Connect with Renee

Website: https://rowdygirlsanctuary.org/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rowdygirlsanctuary
Instagram: www.instagram.com/rowdygirlsanctuary
TikTok: tiktok.com/@rowdygirlsanctuary

Also Mentioned

Renee is currently traveling on a nationwide book tour for Rowdy Girl: Confessions of a Vegan Cattle Rancher. Watch for appearances at VegFests, conferences, bookstores, and special events across the country.

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