Meet The Plant-Based Society’s founders Jacob Gordan (left) and Pieter Botha (right). The society is meant to foster a community for vegans, vegetarians, and any person interested in plant-based living on campus. Founded by first-year BSc Ecology student Gordan, the society was established after he noticed a gap on campus: a lack of support for vegans or vegetarians on campus. However, the leadership has been passed on to Botha and Meela (not pictured) to transition the club into an informal society. It is aimed at reducing the isolation that can come from living this lifestyle in a “meat-heavy” society.
While the group is rooted in veganism, which the founders define as a way of living that rejects the use of animals for any human purpose, it is designed to be inclusive of everyone, including:
- Vegans: People who do not eat any food derived from animals.
- Vegetarians: People who do not eat meat or fish.
- Flexitarians: People who are exploring plant-based living or simply looking to increase their vegetable intake and reduce their carbon footprint.
- Anyone curious: Anyone interested in learning more about the lifestyle without feeling pressured or judged.
But why would anyone pursue a plant-based lifestyle? The two respectively shared various motivating factors, beginning with the health benefits. A plant-based diet can prevent or reverse most chronic illnesses from cancer, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes. Another factor is ethical reasons based on animal rights. Gordan notes what pushed his decision to become vegan was learning about the cruelty of industrialised animal agriculture from a documentary called Earthlings, as well as the rejection of speciesism – which is the belief that one species’ needs are inherently more important than another’s and that animals are living beings who want to live and can show affection.
Other motivating factors could be understanding the environmental impact of a plant-based lifestyle on climate change, deforestation, or a reduced carbon footprint, as well as religious convictions that emphasise health and natural healing.
The two hope that people who join the society would feel a sense of unity, community, pride, and enjoyment in their lifestyle choices. The society will provide friendly education through group trips to vegan markets, documentary screenings, cooking classes, and many more.
The group currently communicates via a WhatsApp group, which already has around 58 members, including exchange students.
If you want to get in touch, you can contact Jacob or Pieter by using the following:
- Jacob: 060 988 3965/@jakegordz101 on Instagram
- Pieter: 082 848 3495
Visual: Mpho Makwela
