The Vegan Option including Vegetarianism: The Story So Far

Ian travels to the tree where the Buddha is said to have achieved enlightenment, and explores the paradox of his early followers’ attitudes to vegetarianism. Episode 2: The Middle Path Of the many monks of the ancient Indian kingdom of Magadha, only one has become a global household name. Buddhism will spread ahimsa to the ends of the earth, and inspires many millions of vegetarians today. And yet the oldest Buddhist texts seem to portray the Buddha eating meat. Hear commentary from theologians from both vegetarian and meat-eating interpretations of Buddhism, the insights of world-leading historians, and a dramatisation of the moment in early texts where vegetarian Jain activists clash with Buddhist meat-eating. Play or download (43MB MP3) (via iTunes) or read transcript. Contributors: Rev Dr Varasambodhi Thera, International Meditation Centre, Bodhgaya Prof KTS Saroa, University of Delhi Dr Peter Flügel, SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London) Prof Richard Gombrich (Wikipedia) (University of Oxford) Prof Dwijendra Narayan Jha (Wikipedia) Prof Uma Shankar Vyas (Buddhist University of Nalanda) Rev Dr Varasambodhi by the enclosure housing the trunk of the Mahabodhi tree and the Buddha’s throne. Readings The story of General Siha of Vaiśālī, and the rule of… more

Ian travels to the tree where the Buddha is said to have achieved enlightenment, and explores the paradox of his early followers’ attitudes to vegetarianism. Episode 2: The Middle Path Of the many monks of the ancient Indian kingdom of Magadha, only one has become a global household name. Buddhism will spread ahimsa to the ends of the earth, and […] The post VegHist Ep 2: The Middle Path. On Siddharta Gautama, and Buddhism; with Rev Varasambodhi Thera, Peter Flugel, and Richard Gombrich; at Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya, India first appeared on THE VEGAN OPTION radio show and blog.

In the Ganges plain in Northen India in the middle of the first millennium BCE, the idea of “ahimsa” – non violence – emerges. Episode 1: Ahimsa Ian visits the intellectual hub of iron age India – the Kingdom of Magadha. He discovers a subculture of vagabond philosophers that developed two world religions; and the vegetarian order […] The post VegHist Ep 1: Ahimsa. Mahavir, the Jains, and other śramaṇas; with DN Jha, James Serpell, Richard Gombrich, & GC Tripathi; at Veerayatan, Rajgir, India first appeared on THE VEGAN OPTION radio show and blog.

In the Ganges plain in Northen India in the middle of the first millennium BCE, the idea of “ahimsa” – non violence – emerges. Episode 1: Ahimsa Ian visits the intellectual hub of iron age India – the Kingdom of Magadha. He discovers a subculture of vagabond philosophers that developed two world religions; and the vegetarian order of monks and nuns who became the torchbearers of ahimsa. Play or download (41MB MP3) (via iTunes) or read transcript. Contributors: Sadhvi Yasājhe Maharaj Interpreter: Dr. Smita Bagrecha James Serpell (University of Pennsylvania) “One Man’s Meat: On The Evolution of Animal Food Taboos” (blog post) Prof Richard Gombrich (Wikipedia) (University of Oxford) Prof Dwijendra Narayan Jha (Wikipedia) Prof GC Tripathi Dr Priyadarshana Jain (University of Madras) Dr Peter Flügel, SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London) Prayer Halls and Museum at Veerayatan, Rajgir Locations: Veeryatan, Bihar BL Institute, Delhi Recording diary I’d only been told about Rajgir the day before arriving. I was staying at the refounded University of Nalanda for a couple of nights, where I interviewed two people who lived in the block in which I was staying. Institutions like that are fantastic for my research. But one interviewee – Deepak Anand… more

Digital Vegans: The Tab As the internet transforms the media landscape, how can vegan organisations and businesses survive and thrive? In the midst of the crowdfunding campaign for Vegetarianism: The Story So Far, Ian McDonald interviews Stephanie Redcross of Vegan Mainstream. Play or download (23MB MP3) (via iTunes) This show is an update to Digital Vegans, in which we spoke with Eric Brent of Happy Cow, Kerry McCarthy and others at venerable group London Vegans, and reviewed vegan smartphone apps. The interview will form part of the Resonance 104.4FM broadcast radio edit of Digital Vegans. Stephanie Redcross Stephanie Redcross is the managing director of Vegan Mainstream – a San Diego-based marketing company that specialises in vegan and vegetarian businesses. @VeganMainstream on Twitter Thanks Digital media artist Robb Masters wrote our theme. Also, thank you to everyone who has backed the Kickstarter for a radio history of vegetarianism.

Palm oil is everywhere - from cooking oil to soap to vegan margarine. Equatorial rainforest and peatland are cleared and replaced with serried ranks of oil palm trees (Elaeis guineensis). The whole biodiversity of Borneo and Sumatra is threatened by habitat loss, particularly the iconic Orang Utans. Some vegan activists say no product that kills this many animals can be considered vegan. But is palm oil really worse than anything else? Can poor countries like Malaysia and Indonesia develop without it? Is there a sustainable solution? Environmentalist Catherine Laurence helps disentangle the thicket of issues. Hear academic experts Eric Lambin and Robert Greenland; vegan baker Ms Cupcake; primatologist Georgina Ash; vegan MP Kerry McCarthy; the boss of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and vegan Indonesian palm oil activist and Miskin Porno lead singer Daniek Hendarto. more

From Jonathan Swift's talking horses to Star Trek's Vulcans, and from HG Wells to Doctor Who, science fiction has tackled the big questions about our relationship with other animals. Join the experts who work at the junction of literary criticism and animal studies to discover the themes in famous books, film, and TV - as well as the cult sci-fi stories that wrestle with food ethics, the boundaries of humanity, and alternative ways of living. more

Erin Red joins Ian McDonald as they investigate what vegans should feed cats, respond to listener comments, and discuss the ethical conflict between our cats and the animals they'd very much like to eat. Ian McDonald interviews Eric Weisman, the controversial boss of Evolution Diet pet food. more

Three experienced veterinarians with experience of vegan cats say whether and why they think cats can thrive on a vegan diet. Jean Hovfe argues - out of bitter experience - that cats need meet. Andrew Knight advocates a vegan diet for cats - if you do it right. Only Lorelei Wakefield has published a peer-reviewed study to try to discover who is right. Hear them all discuss if cats have a vegan option. more

Rough edits of extended interviews - such as this one with Dr Julia Minson - will now go into the podcast feed (used by iTunes and Stitcher) as well as the website. more

Ian travels through South East Asia from equatorial island to the far north of Thailand, discovering the vegetarian threads running through the region, talking with restaurateurs, and finding some great vegan food. more

What is "judgement"? How does it really affect the relationships between vegans and others? What can scientists say about it? And how do vegan activists react to the charge? Dr Julia Minson explains the science. Marla Rose explains exactly how Bacon Loving Hipsters Can Kiss Her Vegan Ass. And Colleen Patrick-Goudreau discusses the psychology and experience of "judgemental vegans". more

London Olympics: Closing Update As the athletes celebrate their victories and defeats, and the Spice Girls rock the closing ceremony, we look back over the Olympics and update you on the vegan stories behind the games. This show: We catch up with the vegan stories behind the Olympics, like Sandra Hood, Pogocafe, and Frys Ian updates you on the use of animals in the Opening Ceremony Rudy tells us who’s been coming to Vx, the little vegan shop that was braced for a difficult Olympics We sum up the experience of vegans looking for food at the Olympic Venues (15 min) Play or download (14MB MP3) (other formats) (via iTunes) Athletes Vegan-Sponsored Olympians In the first Olympic show, Diana suggested athletes you might want to cheer on the basis of their vegan sponsors rather than their flag: US Rowing, sponsored by “Perfect Snaque”, won 1 Gold and 2 Bronze medals The Women of US Water Polo, sponsored by vegan hair care products Malibu C, won Gold Unfortunately, Simon Whitfield broke his collarbone in a Triathalon cycling crash. Vegan Cross and other businesses Rudy owns and runs Vx (pronounced “V Cross”). My local vegan anarchist cafe is Pogocafe; and we mentioned Ms Cupcake. Animals at… more

Kara Lang holds the record as the youngest woman ever to score a goal in international soccer - but her passions also include vegan cupcakes. Now retired from football, she took time out from her busy schedule as part of Canadian station CTV's Olympic team to talk to me about her story, touring, and the vegan mentor she improbably found in her own national squad. more

Athletes from across the world are coming to East London - where we produce the show - but what are the vegan perspectives on the Olympic games? We talk to Sandra Hood, the Olympic torch bearer who wrote the book on raising vegan children; Ian visits the father and daughter who are supplying the Olympic games with the vegan option; find out what the staff in the nearest vegan cafe to the games think of it; and update you on the stories with a vegan perspective - Venus Williams, the Chinese volleyball team, and the Opening Ceremony. more