Date of Award
2013
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Keywords
food choices, veganism
Abstract
People become vegan for three reasons: environment, health and ethics. Although there are many societal benefits to a vegan lifestyle, only 2% of the U.S. population is currently vegan. Past research has shown that, as a group, vegans' behavior matches their beliefs. This study is based on semi-structured interviews with 17 vegans in Burlington, Vermont. The purpose of the study was to better understand why and how these vegans became and maintained a vegan lifestyle. An analysis of the interviews showed that the participants went through four stages in their vegan journey: Readiness, Spark, Learning and Telling, and Continuing Journey. By examining these stages, this study concludes that by learning about veganism we can better understand how individuals bridge the gap between their values and actions.
Recommended Citation
Steele, Kelsey, "The Vegan Journey: An Exploration of Vegan Experiences with Vegans from Burlington, Vermont" (2013). Environmental Studies Electronic Thesis Collection. 23.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/envstheses/23