by Abigail Stevens
If this global pandemic has made one thing certain, it is the complete lack of certainty around what we expect the future to hold. Politicians around the world have succumbed to the realisation that we will not be going ‘back to normal’. Many businesses have nobly used this time to pause and consider how can we build a better ‘new normal’: for example, an economy built on sustainability and moral values.
As individuals, remaining at home has urged us to make many changes, from grocery shopping less frequently, to forging new relationships with our cookbooks. Across the board we are taking a fresh look at how we consume, and most importantly, reconsider what it is we are consuming. And with the COVID-19 crisis, just like many other pandemics before it, inexplicably linked to the consumption of animal products, more and more people are looking to what is on their plates.
The Vegan Society, an educational charity in the UK who’s founders coined the term ‘vegan’ in 1944, have proposed a new alternative entirely: Future Normal. Seeking to create a kinder future for all animals, Future Normal is a campaign aimed at those who define themselves as animal lovers but are yet to make the connection between their core beliefs and the animal products they purchase and consume.
The Future Normal website contains ‘lightbulb moments’ of numerous vegans who have made the connection that so many animal lovers have the potential to achieve. The aim of the campaign is to encourage people to reconsider their relationship with other animals, and help people question why they treat some animals as more important than others.
Matt Turner, spokesperson for the Future Normal campaign, said “We know we can create a kinder future for animals, which is why we’re thrilled to launch the Future Normal campaign this month. The campaign is designed to bring ‘lightbulb moments’ to the millions of people who classify themselves as animal lovers but are yet to make the connection between how they feel about animals and what’s on their plate. The website is full of great content which will hopefully win over thousands more hearts and minds this year.”
What changes have you implemented into your personal and work routines that will help create a better ‘new normal’? Have you increased your consumption of plant-based foods, or know people who have? Join in the conversation in the comments section below or on our social media channels, @PlantBasedWorldEurope. For more information about Future Normal, please contact Matt Turner, Media & PR Officer at The Vegan Society: media@vegansociety.com
