7 Ways to Encourage Friends and Family to Go Vegan!
From sharing eye-opening books to showing insightful documentaries, we’ve created the ultimate guide to the best ways to influence the people in your life to go vegan. A new survey by Vomad reveals that over 50% of people who go vegan do so overnight – and for the majority of respondents, the main reason they made the transition was to help animals. So put the suggestions below into practice and you’ll be one step closer to helping others make this compassionate choice, too!
1. Share an inspiring documentary.
Vomad’s survey found that watching a documentary was the top factor that made people first consider going vegan. And among respondents who said they were first persuaded to make the switch by a documentary, the largest number were influenced by What the Health, promoted as the “the health film that health organizations don’t want you to see”. Share the film with your friends, and take a look at our list of the other documentaries that inspire people to go vegan.
Having a meaningful conversation with a friend or family member was the second most common reason why people first considered going vegan. So why not start a discussion by explaining how animals are abused for their flesh or skin, chatting about another PETA campaign issue, sharing vegan recipes, or pointing people towards our vegan pledge and free vegan starter kit. You can also let everyone know how easy it is to switch to vegan eating.
The China Study – which reveals the link between the consumption of meat, dairy, and eggs and an increased risk of suffering from chronic illnesses – is the book that made the largest number of people first consider going vegan. So recommend it to everyone you know – and if you have any of the books on our reading list to hand, why not lend one to a friend? Don’t forget to share your favourite vegan cookbooks, too!
Videos are a super-powerful tool to encourage others to go vegan. Have you already watched footage from our exposés? We regularly post these videos on Facebook and Twitter. Share and retweet them – and if you tag three or more friends every time, you’ll really help raise awareness of cruelty to animals.
5. Share photos of your vegan meals on Instagram.
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Who doesn’t drool over beautiful vegan food on Instagram? It makes you want to try it, right? Well, when you’re out and about trying vegan food or whipping up your own, remember to post pictures of it on your Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook feed. Your friends will soon realise how delicious, versatile, and creative vegan food can be. And then, why not invite them out to enjoy a vegan meal together? We’re sure they’ll be impressed!
PETA regularly gathers activists to protest against animal-abusing companies, so why not come along and bring a friend? Just make sure you join our Action Team to receive invites to demonstrations in your area. Also, as there are tons of new vegan festivals and events popping up all over the UK, you can introduce your friends to the exciting world of vegan living while meeting other people who are embracing a compassionate lifestyle, too.
Whenever you come across a great blog post or news article about animal rights or vegan living, bring it up in conversation, share it with friends and family on WhatsApp or social media or by e-mail, and if the writer posts the piece on social media, tag friends and family in a comment. It’s crucial that we share information to let people know about animal suffering and why going vegan is the best thing they can do to help end it.
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Remember: nobody wants to feel pressured or alienated, so when encouraging others to make compassionate choices, act respectfully and calmly and try to use facts and logic. Don’t be judgemental – instead, lead by example, as that’s most likely to produce positive results.
You can read the full findings of Vomad’s survey here.
More Ways to Get Your Friends Involved
Share this post with your friends who are vegan and/or interested in animal rights so that they can read our advice, too.
If your friends want to get involved in vegan activism, encourage them to join PETA’s Action Team. And if you haven’t already joined, why not sign up, too?