✹ Meet Green Mom
I’m affectionately known as GreenMom by many on Instagram where I run an account helping families adopt a more plant-based diet by sharing vegan family-friendly meals, kid’s lunch box ideas and fun vegan family outings. I also love growing my food and have recently started sharing more about the food I grow and how to do it “veganically” (i.e vegan and organically).
I live in Pretoria and I have been vegan for about 7 years now. I’m also a mom to a feisty 4-year-old, Abby, who has been vegan since birth. I work full-time as a Ballistic expert for the South African Police Service and I am also a part-time Master’s student.
✹ What are three values that you live by?
I try to live my life as compassionately, respectfully and honestly as possible.
I try to extend this not only to people but also in the way I treat our planet and animals and the way I choose to raise my child.
✹ What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge was trying to convince my family and friends that I hadn’t lost my mind for choosing to live a vegan lifestyle and choosing to raise my daughter as a vegan.
They believed that I was going to be riddled with deficiencies and that I was going to subject my child to a life of depravity.
I think it’s important for vegans to address family concerns and their lack of education about veganism, but to also, not be weighed down by their judgemental views.
I started educating myself more so that I could educate them, even sharing a lot of documentaries and plant-based research articles with them over the years whenever they’ve shared a concern and, eventually, they’ve come to realise that a vegan diet can be nourishing and healthy and that anyone can thrive on it.
They see that Abby isn’t living in depravity and that she is living life like any other 4-year-old would. For some, it has taken years to finally accept and for others, they have never accepted it. I have learned to make peace with that.
✹ What helps you to stay vegan?
Knowing my “why” helps me stay vegan. Simply put, “why” is the reason behind wanting to be vegan.
For many it’s health, animal welfare or the climate crisis.
Personally, it is those aspects as well as wanting to live a life that does the least amount of harm and is aligned with my morals.
I come across many atrocities as part of my job, I’ve seen the aftermath of death firsthand and I’ve come to realise that there are many similarities between the slaughter of animals and the killing of people. I cannot fight these injustices to humans on the one hand whilst ignoring the injustice of animals in slaughterhouses on the other.
I also want to set an example for my child so that she can see that the exploitation of another living being is never necessary and that in the face of these injustices, we can make a choice to not partake in their suffering and killings and take a stand against it.
✹ What advice do you have for going vegan?
✹ If you had one wish for the world, what would it be?
I have to be that zealot of a vegan who says: “I wish that the whole world could be vegan”!
If I can’t get that, then I would wish for the world to be more compassionate towards people, animals and the planet.
