Introduction

About eight generations: This is a rough estimate, because the abolition of slavery took place in different countries at different times. In Denmark - 1803, England - 1834, France - 1848, Netherlands - 1863, America - 1865, Portugal - 1869, Spain - 1886, Brazil - 1888.

Ten years later, during: for more information about Meatless Monday, see:
https://www.meatlessmonday.com/the-global-movement/.

Albert Einstein said: I translated the statements of Einstein and Arendt for ease of reading. The original quote reads: "The world is in greater peril from those who tolerate or encourage evil than from those who actually commit it," but is often paraphrased and circulates on the internet as: "The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." The original statement by Hannah Arendt reads: Most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil'.

Exact numbers: some websites claim to keep exact numbers to the second, but I found it difficult to find out on what basis they made their claims (see for example http://www.adaptt.org/about/the-kill-counter.html). For my research I therefore preferred to use the figures published by the meat and dairy industry, for example those published by the FAO in the United States.

Chapter 1

Information on other transformed farmers: "Pig farmer goes vegan and quits farming saying veganism is the 'future of farming', "Vegan Food and Living, November 3, 2017, .... , http://www.veganfoodandliving.com/pig-farmer-goes-vegan-quits-farming-saying-veganism-future-of-farming/. See also the list of additional resources in this book, for two documentaries about former cattle farmers, who become vegan and horticulturists.

Bob Comis: The blog that Bob Comis wrote about his farming has stopped. Previously, he could be found here: https://stonybrookfarm.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/it-might-be-wrong-to-eat-meat/. The text was translated to Dutch by me and originally read: 'This morning, as I look out the window at a pasture quickly growing full of frolicking lambs, I am feeling very much that it might be wrong to eat meat, and that I might indeed be a very bad person for killing animals for a living' he posted in 2011.

Susana enthusiastically commented: I translated the statement to Dutch from English: Going without dairy or meat is not hard for me anymore. What's hard is seeing people stuck in a mindset where their daily decisions are fundamentally, violently at odds with their most basic values. We can and should do better.

Albert Einstein said: This quote is often attributed to Einstein, but it is difficult to find out whether he actually said it exactly like that, and in which context. This is the subject of heated debate on the internet, see for example Sarah Pruitt, "Here are 6 Things Albert Einstein Never Said,” 17 April 2017, https://www.history.com/news/here-are-6-things-albert-einstein-never-said. See also: Shelby Rogers, "13 Inspiring Einstein Quotes Never Actually Said by Einstein,” 26 April 2017, https://interestingengineering.com/13-inspiring-einstein-quotes-never-actually-said-by-einstein.

Lyman performed: Freely translated from this interview: Ashley Capps, "Former Meat and Dairy Farmers Who Became Vegan Activists," November 4, 2014, https://freefromharm.org/animal-products-and-ethics/former-meat-dairy-farmers-became-vegan-activists/. Lyman appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show to talk about Mad Cow Disease (and was subsequently sued, along with Oprah, by a group of Texas cattle farmers after they claimed, based on his story, that hamburgers are not healthy. The case was not pursued.) More about Lyman Howard can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Lyman. I found the water drop information at: https://www.nemokennislink.nl/publicaties/de-ene-druppel-is-de-andere-niet.

Chapter 3

Adam and Eve: it is said that after the Flood, God changed his rules: from then on, he allowed people to eat animals. Some theologians interpret this as God thinking: "you have already ruined it, so figure it out now" [very free translation by Roanne van Voorst].

The quote 'I give you all the seed-bearing plants and all the fruit trees of the earth; they will be your food,' comes from Genesis 2:16-17.

No one cares about the horses who: this quote is from Jojo Moyes, The Girl You Left Behind (London: Penguin Books, 2012).

The quote from Pythagoras is from "Ovid: The Metamorphoses", as translated by Mary M. Innes. See: https://classicalwisdom.com/cult-of-pythagoras/.

New Social Movement: according to Alberto Melucci (1984, p. 825): 'a social movement [is] a form of collective action, (a) based on solidarity, (b) carrying on a conflict, [and] (c) breaking the limits of the system in which action occurs'. But I would like to add that the vegan movement is a very different kind of social movement than, say, for example, the Afro-American civil rights movement, which was active at the same time, especially in the United States. That movement measured its success by changes in the law - people with a dark skin color, demanded equal treatment and rights as the whites. The vegans were not concerned with changing the law, but were trying to force changes in the eating culture and lifestyle.

Both in the United Kingdom and in other countries: In 1850 in the United States, in 1886 in Australia, in 1892 in Germany. See, for example, "Eating for Others, the nineteenth century vegetarian movement in Germany," August 24, 2016: https://jhiblog.org/2016/08/24/eating-for-others-the-nineteenth-century-vegetarian-movement-in-germany/.

Chapter 5

One shouted: Please note: according to some experts, the figure of 8 kg of soya for 1 kg of meat is wrong and misleading. It is misleading, because it only refers to food conversion in so-called "feedlots", where only 7 % of the world's beef production comes from. It is wrong because the 8 kg refers to the total grain (including maize etc.) consumption of cattle, and not just soya. See for example: "Livestock: On our plates or eating at our table? A new analysis of the feed/food debate. Global Food Security." Anne Mottet, Cornelis De Haan, Alessandra Falcucci, G. Tempio, Carolyn Opio & Pierre Gerber. Global Food Security, 2017. See also, "Meat and greens," The Economist, December 31, 2013,https://www.economist.com/feast-and-famine/2013/12/31/meat-and-greens.

Chapter 6

Ezra Klein talks about 'the green pill' on 6 November 2018, in his podcast The Ezra Klein show. You can listen to it here: https://art19.com/shows/the-ezra-klein-show/episodes/ac6df580-ac0e-40bd-88df-b2558cfee818. Del Taco's Feed the Beast advert was suddenly no longer available on the internet in February 2019, when I last checked. This article still refers to it: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240539417_Beasts_Burgers_and_Hummers_Meat_and_the_Crisis_of_M. And also here: https://personalwriting72.wordpress.com/2017/12/05/meat-advertisements-and-their-techniques-how-industries-produce-and-naturalize-our-craving-for-meat/. .

For a 'masculine' Remia advertisement, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqFuXL1dwKA

Chapter 7

That many people: the other way round, of course, this also happens. Just think of meat-eaters who say about vegans who eat unhealthy plants, or are not fit for other reasons: "yes but I knew a vegan and they had all sorts of deficiencies, so that can never be a healthy diet...".

The food rolls and apricot flaps: This was the case at Jumbo and Super in January 2019, but may of course have changed, see:https://gewoonvegan.nl/jumbo-spijsbroodjes-en-abrikozenflappen/.

Chocolate: there remains some discussion about chocolate, as there is no certainty that all sugar is vegan. See: https://www.peta.org/living/food/is-sugar-vegan/, and see: https://www.ad.nl/koken-en-eten/wist-jij-van-deze-producten-dat-ze-niet-veganistisch-zijn~a2a4cef0/.
In the case of chocolate spread, milk fat may also have been used. This differs per brand and must be stated on the ingredients list. Apple strudel: beware, because it often contains E471, which can be plant-based but also animal-based.

Therefore, the standard advice remains: Critics point out that this advice is partly commercially driven. See for example: Broer Scholtens, "Private clinics play cunningly into vitamin B12 hype," 27 October 2017, https://www.kwakzalverij.nl/nieuws/priveklinieken-spelen-listig-in-op-vitamine-b12-hype/.

Sylvia Witteman described the Frankestein smear in her column in the Linda in 2018, titled 'Nutrition Centre' (Page 151).

There is a lot of (nonsense) written online about veganism and nutrients, but there are also a number of blogs that offer clear, well-considered information, largely in line with Dutch dietary advice. They are a good place to start if you want to know more about what you do and do not need as a vegan, but always consult a nutritionist for personal advice.

For Calcium, see "Vegan Vitamins: 'No dairy? But how to get Calcium then,” Squatcilla, April 15, 2018, http://squatcilla.nl/vegan-calcium-melk-zuivel/.

For B12, see: "The 5 Biggest Disadvantages of Veganism," Squatcilla, April 25, 2018, http://squatcilla.nl/grootste-nadelen-veganisme. See also: "Vitamin B12," De Groene Meisjes, September 9, 2013, http://www.degroenemeisjes.nl/vitamine-b12/.

For Iron, see "9X Vegan Foods that Contain More Iron than a Steak!," Squatcilla, March 8, 2018, http://squatcilla.nl/9x-vegan-foods-meer-ijzer-bevatten-dan-steak/.

For Protein, see "How to Get Protein," Lisa Goes Vegan, March 10, 2016, https://lisagoesvegan.com/hoe-kom-je-aan-je-eiwitten/. See also, "Do vegans have a high risk of protein deficiency?," Be Vegan, https://bevegan.be/nl/over-veganisme/faqmythes/.

Absorbed by the body: There is much more to it than just the protein. Proteins are made up of many tiny particles called amino acids. And these are even more important than proteins alone. By eating a variety of plant-based foods throughout the day, your body is also ensuring that it gets all of the amino acids that it needs. See: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-protein-combining-myth/.

Information on nutritional values is based on the Dutch Nutrition Centre's table of nutritional values: https://www.voedingswaardetabel.nl/voedingswaarde/per-portie/?q=brood.

More soy products: this refers in particular to tofu and not to soy yoghurt. Besides, the association is relatively small, so the benefit should not be overestimated. See: "Meta-analysis of soy intake and breast cancer risk", Trock, BJ, Hilakivi, C.L., and Clarke, R. J Natl Cancer Inst. 98(7), (2006:459-71), and see also: "Diet, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer", Continues Update Report, World Cancer Research Fund, 2018. Besides, I think it is important to notice that people with a vegetarian diet are often more health-conscious than others. The health benefits of a vegetarian diet may therefore be due to healthier dietary and lifestyle choices in general, rather than the restriction of animal protein.

The World Cancer Research Fund report states that the risk of colon cancer is approximately 30% greater with 100 grams of red meat per day. For processed meats, the risk of colon cancer increases by 20% if you eat 50 grams per day. Long-term Dutch research, however, showed no connection between meat consumption and bowel cancer. In the US, meat is smoked and barbequed more often, and then there is in fact a connection. Dutch meat products also have a slightly different composition. Nevertheless, the advice of the World Cancer Research Fund is as follows: few meat products and limit the consumption of red meat to 500 grams per week. But, see also: Dick Veerman, "Making people afraid of meat has political purpose," Volkskrant, 28 October 2015, https://www.volkskrant.nl/wetenschap/bang-maken-voor-vlees-heeft-politiek-doel-~bd35cefe/.

Here you can find the B12 advice that the vegetarian organisations have formulated together: https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutrition-and-health/nutrients/vitamin-b12/what-every-vegan-should-know-about-vitamin-b12.

Chapter 8

This philosophical idea: In his Summa Contra Gentiles, he writes that cruelty to animals is reprehensible. Not for the sake of the animal, but because of the fact that it incites human cruelty against other human beings. This view remains dominant in the history of Christianity.

The Animals Act: This Act replaces and combines a number of laws relating to animals, such as the Animal Health and Welfare Act. That law was intended for animals kept by humans. The new Animals Act has taken over a number of provisions from the old Animal Health and Welfare Act. What is new, however, is that the intrinsic value of the animal is acknowledged with reference to the concept of 'sentience' that in the EU forms the normative basis for regulations on animal welfare ('sentient beings').

The report described: This concerns large poultry slaughterhouses. There, 99.9% of the production in the Netherlands is slaughtered.

There is a permit for this: And for this by the research department of a company, which usually includes an ethicist appointed by the company, so that this committee actually only looks at the latest version (and never says no).

And of all those extinct: Researchers have called this period the Anthropocene - a name for an era in which humans for the first time have such an impact on the earth and nature that the climate and atmosphere are irreversibly affected. Every species evolved: quadrupeds leave complex smells in their environment. Humans, with their, with their limited sense of smell, cannot even comprehend the complexity of the messages contained in those scents. When it was found that animals also wielded tools, for example, it was argued that one should rather pay attention to tool-making. When bonobos turned out to be very ingenious in dealing with arbitrary symbols, it was said that one should actually pay attention to syntactic symbol handling.

In the Netherlands spent: That appears from an investigation of EenVandaag among 715 members of the Youth Panel and 19,684 members of the Opinion Panel. EenVandaag interviewed the groups about their experiences with the smartphone, because it existed ten years. See: https://eenvandaag.avrotros.nl/fileadmin/user_upload/PDF/Rapportage_smartphone_opiniepanel.pdf

Warwick is: Kevin Warwick is currently connected to Coventry University.

Chapter 9

I gave a TedXtalk on the subject of climate and veganism. You can watch it on my youtube channel: bit.ly/roanneyoutube I also wrote several books about my time in Jakarta. For example, 'The Best Place in the World,' publisher Brandt, 2018 (only available in Dutch and Bahasa Indonesia, see www.roannevanvoorst.com for more information on my writing).

If we were to reduce emissions from: According to a much-cited World Bank report, we are even heading for four degrees. Such a warming would be characterized by 'extreme heat waves, declining global food supplies, loss of ecosystems and biodiversity, and life-threatening sea level rise'. See: "Turn Down the Heat: Climate Extremes, Regional Impacts, and the Case for Resilience," The World Bank, 2013, http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/climatechange/publication/turn-down-the-heat-climate-extremes-regional-impacts-resilience.

Those will be millions worldwide: If warming is limited to two degrees, the ice sheets will continue to melt for the coming centuries, possibly resulting in a meter rise in sea level every hundred years. The words 'from' and 'if' are confusing: the final temperature rise depends on the increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the air. According to the IPCC's 'best estimates', we have a 66% chance of keeping global warming below two degrees if the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stabilizes at 450 ppm in 2100.

See: Vesselin Popovski, "Climate change victims," United Nations University, January 12, 2011, https://unu.edu/publications/articles/climate-change-victims.html.

See also: ML. Weitzman, "On Modeling and Interpreting the Economics of Catastrophic Climate Change," Review of Economics and Statistics 91 (1) (2009), 1-19.

See also, "Stern Review: The Economics of Climate Change," http://mudancasclimaticas.cptec.inpe.br/~rmclima/pdfs/destaques/sternreview_report_complete.pdf.

See also: "Climate Change to Bring More Heat Waves and Water Shortages in the Middle East and North Africa," The World Bank, November 24, 2014, https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2014/11/24/climate-change-to-bring-more-heat-waves-and-water-shortages-in-the-middle-east-and-north-africa

See also, "Global Challenges: 12 Risks that Threaten Human Civilization," Global Challenges Foundation, 2015, https://api.globalchallenges.org/static/wpcontent/uploads/12-Risks-with-infinite-impact-full-report-1.pdf(accessed on 10 October 2019, no longer available 29 November 2021, but see https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2015/02/20/the-12-threats-to-human-civilization-ranked/)

See also, "Turn Down the Heat: Climate Extremes, Regional Impacts, and the Case for Resilience," The World Bank, 2013, http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/climatechange/publication/turn-down-the-heat-climate-extremes-regional-impacts-resilience.

See also: "KNMI '14 climate scenarios," KNMI, revised edition 2015, http://www.klimaatscenarios.nl/images/Brochure_KNMI14_NL.pdf.

See also: "NASA Science Zeros in on Ocean Rise: How Much? How Soon?", NASA, August 26, 2015, https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-science-zeros-in-on-ocean-rise-how-much-how-soon.

The methane gases that: about 50% of fish are farmed.

A global transition: this quote is from the UN report written by Marco Springmann and others, and published as an article "Options for keeping the food system within environmental limits" in Nature (October 2018).

A certain president: In the Netherlands, we have our own climate sceptics, including Thierry Baudet, who denies that there is an increase in extreme weather events and claims that the climate is warming less than predicted.

Ulrich Beck: The literal quote is: "poverty is hierarchical, but smog is democratic". It can be read in his book Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity (2009).

A lame argument: Interestingly, the Japanese used a similar argument for years to justify their 'right' to hunt whales. While most of the world's nations thought that whaling was 'out of date’ Japanese argued that there was a double standard: why should Westerners be allowed to slaughter cows, pigs and chickens, but not whales? For information on killing zoo animals, see: "Why do European Zoos Kill Healthy Animals", NPR, 2015: https://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2015/10/14/448527516/why-do-european-zoos-kill-healthy-animals, see also: The welfare, housing and husbandry of elephants in UK zoos. M. Harris and others, (University of Bristol: 2008), see also "Guest Editorial", G Mason & R Clubb., International Zoo News, Vol 51, No 1 (2004), see also: "Compromised survivorship in zoo elephants", R Clubb et al., Science, Vol 322 (2008), see also: "Zoos kill healthy tigers for the skin trade", Sunday Times, 22 July 2007. The quote from Bekoff and Pierce: "Now scientists..." can be found on page 16 of their book 'The Animals Agenda'.

Epilogue

Since the beginning: Americans have really gone too far: over the past few centuries, their emissions have exceeded those in Europe, even though there are now a third fewer people living there. See: Paul le Clercq, "These are the biggest climate perverts," RTL News, November 26, 2015, https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/economie/artikel/78571/dit-zijn-de-grootste-klimaatviespeuken.