Office Activism, In Theory

I'm back!

I work in an office and there are several people here who have loudly voiced their ignorance on a wide variety of subjects, and veganism has not been excluded. Of course the people in my department know and lover vegan baked goods. Some have even gone out their way to learn to make vegan dishes for me when we do department parties and things.

The people in the other department, however, remain in the dark. I've never corrected them when I hear their wildly incorrect notions because I've never had much of a cause to speak to them before, and feel strange about popping into their area because I was listening in, to educate them.

I should do something though, and my sister's suggestion may be just the ticket. I love to bake, and I've heard the other department lusting over my cupcakes in the past - too bad I wasn't the activist that I am today, or I would have seized on the opportunity to share food and ideas. I'd like to make a treat to share with my office mates and be sure they know what the ingredients are. My office is set up strangely, so I'll have to walk around and inform each person, but that's OK - it's a great opportunity to put a friendly face on veganism!

If yours is the type of place that has a shared treats spot, you could place your item, along with a list of the ingredients. If you think it's appropriate, you could also list a website that might be educational.

If you really want to go the extra mile, do what I used to do when I was a teacher. At all potlucks, I would include a stack of index cards with the recipe. People were always asking for my dessert recipes, and so the index cards flew off the table along with the treats. I would also list the book or web site that it came from. Web sites are especially effective because they take so little effort to access.

Food-based activism will always be important. If people weren't ruled by their appetites, we'd have no problem turning people vegan in droves. Expose people to your favorite vegan foods and help them understand why it's such a great choice.