This thread was prompted by a debate I had with a kid at my school. I have a little question for the strict vegans on the board. Why do you choose to not eat honey? Is it a health issue? Do you find eating bug goop icky? Are you for some reason morally opposed to it's production and consumption? For a while I ate zero animal products, but I stopped caring about honey once I really stopped to think about it. The bees a treated well, free to come and go as they please. They are the number one pollinators of wild plants and such. And I hear that their populations are dwindling, so I think we should up our consumption of honey to help the industry. It's so yummy, and it helps our mother earth. :cheers2:
http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=248878&highlight=honey&f=66 http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=80312&highlight=honey&f=66 http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=31471&highlight=honey&f=66 http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=7461&highlight=honey&f=66 short answer: still a living creature and the process to steal it can kill off some bees. (the emerging thought is that responsible, humane local honey will help combat colony collapse. Without pollinators --and farmers will rent hives for that purpose-- we don't get produce.)
Because agave nectar tastes better, and is available in fair-trade. A bee once told me that honey is food for bees, and just because they make more than they need for the winter, it isn't ok for me to just take it.
I wasn't aware of the existing thread. Anyhow, my view seems to be a popular one among veggies and omnis. They aren't using it It's another story if they run short in the winter. How can farmers be assured that they are leaving enough honey for an unknown number of bees?
beekeepers add a sucrose solution. again, if one wants local, know how it is done, and arrange a visit at collection time (or help out...know what you are consuming)
From the jest I get from my family, it's all due to being part of a animal. I was raised vegan till I was 18.. eh.. I loved crabbing later that year, off of chesapeak bay in MD.. the next step was tearing apart one of those suckers and eating it. Ha.. was pretty humorous being that I'm a cancer. Nothing in their house has touched dairy, let alone a bug of some sort. I collected myself a nice set of cooking supplies all due to not being the vegan kosher from using vegan foods that used to be made in separate plants.. now made in factories that processes small amounts of dairy. Half the crap I hear them complain about are the dye's used for food colouring and such, being that red dye is typically made from a beetle. Honey though, they will still use for wounds and cuts, but not ingesting. Guess it isn't as bad as my older brother.. kosher vegan for 20+ so years and still rocks with his Doc Martin collection. Good life style.. aye.. but I just prefer to keep it simple. Lovin' all, Trails
