Vegans - Animal Welfare: Interview with a Famous Vegan

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Tell us about your busy creative life.

My main occupations now are DJing and filming. Thanks to the tours, I can move around the country (and not only on my own), using them as an excuse to support local zoodefenders and vegans, meet new people, and try to unite them.

On my first trip I met very few vegans, so I thought that here in Belarus it is still underdeveloped. But on my next trip, to my pleasant surprise, I met quite a few interesting vegans from absolutely different areas, although mostly, of course, from creative ones. For example, I met with two vegan DJs, with teachers in a recording studio who teach children how to write music on a computer, with vegan artists who draw illustrations and design, as a girl a fitness trainer, and as an SEO and SMM teacher.

The girl who works in a vegetarian cafe (Green Cuisine - approx.ed.), Once helped me with a choice of vegan pizza in Gomel after the performance. She had a desire to work in a vegetarian institution, and she moved to Minsk.

What about your brutal “purely masculine” hobby?

I put together a bike to get the attention of a motorcycle audience. Called this project Vegan.Racer. They ask, of course: “And what is vegan in it? Does he ride vegetables? ” This is a project to highlight the problems of animals: on the tank there is a corresponding sticker, on the seat there is a patch (the seat, of course, is made of artificial leather). I also plan to make an inscription on the tread. Those. Through any work, I try to draw people's attention to the topic of animals.

The attention of people from professional fields can be attracted only if you have done something worthy in their field. And this does not mean that they will automatically become vegans. The main thing is that they will gradually get used to this concept, and their stereotypes will collapse. Indeed, only in this way will a person subsequently want to find out information, moreover, impartially and without prejudice.

Plus, this is a demonstration that a person on a motorcycle is not necessarily a man with a beer belly, bearded and groomed, in a greasy jacket (necessarily from dead animals). And now it may already be a young progressive guy who does not believe that “a man should eat meat”. And the motorcycles themselves became stylish. Instead of terrible choppers, more and more cafes and bobbers appear. Yes, and here, of course, it’s interesting to collect your bike yourself. I don’t like the position “just buy ready-made”, it’s better to do everything yourself.

Let's talk about good physical shape, because for an advertising and modeling business this is an important criterion. What are the principles and trends?

At the moment I am the face of a network of fitness clubs and a DJ in another network.

The fashion for “pitching” is gradually moving away, people want to have a normal, fit athletic body, and not look like a “sausage” covered in ropes. And here the main mistake of many men: they are trying to maximize muscle volumes (and all at once). Although it almost never looks beautiful. Because the main thing in the body is proportions.

You need to strive for a harmoniously developed body, and not just swing with all your strength. That is why some muscles should not be greatly increased in volume.

It is necessary to take into account growth so that the body is not "square" in shape. A lean athletic guy will always be preferable on the beach or on set than a jockster.

Therefore, do not strive for fading fashion for huge bodies and play sports for health, and not to the detriment.

Now I’m just doing a major project in sports and fitness, which will include sports nutrition, training, advice from professional trainers and nutritionists. A kind of such an encyclopedia, taking into account current trends and research.

And now a purely practical question: how to pump yourself physically and not “sacrifice” a chicken, a cow or someone else?

I do not use animal products, nor do I wear materials from animals and do not support the use of animals in human life. Like many world actors, musicians, athletes and champions. And they all look much better than the "men" who claim that you must eat "meat". All of them have the opportunity to hire the best professional nutritionists, and they already recommend them the right, plant-based diet.

Yes, of course, a person needs protein. But not in huge quantities! He especially does not need animal protein. Plant protein is more easily broken down into amino acids (the building material for our body). Accordingly, plant foods are much more suitable for intensive sports. Only an uneducated businessman coach will not know about it. Therefore, I focus only on world-class coaches.

For example, proteins (I do not mean the consumer goods that are sold in ordinary sports stores) are made from plant ingredients: sunflower, hemp, soy, pea and many others. They can be drunk on training days, so as not to worry about a lack of protein. I am currently working on sunflower protein, but I also drink hemp.

What can you advise to people who switch to an ethical type of food?

I want to advise only one thing - to try. A month, two, three, and you can no longer imagine your former life. You will discover a new world. Interesting and varied food (as opposed to standard food). To do this, you can just go to Minsk vegan cafes.

Now in Minsk there is one vegan cafe and two vegetarian. But, since this topic is actively developing in Belarus, there will be more and more of them.

You will also find a bunch of clothes made of artificial materials. Fortunately, all world designers have already abandoned animal fur and will soon abandon the skin. Therefore, now this is not only not to be shy, but you need to be proud of it.

Well, the highest pleasure is to save the lives of animals, without even making any effort. Just changing your habits to the right ones. Every vegan can save 200 animals a year from his lifestyle. Just. Saves. A bunch of lives. Doing nothing.

Well, true supermen can still additionally volunteer in shelters. So generally immense respect! In Belarus, shelters are only small private, but they really need help.

Often people who exclude animals from food are afraid of conflict situations from relatives and try to avoid feasts. How did your environment perceive your transition?

Here, in general, the question should be different. Why should people be shy about veganism if they are doing the right thing? It is they who should shame people who do not want to study nutrition and turn their table into a cemetery. You just need to know the arguments that will put the jokers at the table.

Favorite topic about "cows that will die due to vegans." It is necessary to explain to people that because of their "nobility" they let thousands of animals under the knife, which is stupid. They just never thought about it.

Often people trolling cover up the lack of logic in their “arguments”. I have been studying the issue of proper nutrition and ethical lifestyle for 5 years. I am constantly looking for new information. Each time, I expect that a new study may not be in favor of veganism. But on the contrary, new studies only confirm the rationality and benefits of such a lifestyle.

In one of your interviews, you mentioned the connection between ethics and ecology. Share your thoughts on this.

In general, veganism is based on three key principles: concern for the environment, health and ethics.

If we talk about ecology, the habits of people to use dead animals cause enormous damage to the planet. Hundreds of hectares of forests are cut down daily for pasture and sowing fodder crops. And this area is not comparable with deforestation under the road or the construction of someone’s summer house. And so it’s illogical when people fight for forests, while destroying thousands of times more.

Methane emissions (greenhouse gases are emitted by livestock more than all cars in the world) and groundwater poisoning are also a consequence of this industry’s action. And then people wonder why natural disasters are becoming more frequent, and summer does not come ... Soon the planet will destroy all life if people do not change their minds.

Absolutely different life situations become the reasons for the transition to an ethical lifestyle. What was the impulse in your life?

I always wanted to figure it out. Explore all areas of life. But, zombified by television and society, for a long time did not want to study nutrition. Although this is what we do most often in life. Eat. And you can spend a little time once, so that then for the rest of your life you don’t harm your body and destroy animals.

But the beginning of the journey was volunteering in shelters. I filmed animals for their attachment. He transported animals by car to clinics and to overexposure. Then he wrote the first animal protection organization in Russia, VITA, and received a bunch of arguments against my old way of life. I am grateful to them for making me a modern person, free from prejudice and stereotypes.