A Dilemma

After watching part of the documentary, Earthlings, I've found myself with a dilemma.  As a vegetarian, I do not eat any form of animal flesh.  However, up until viewing the film, I didn't have a problem purchasing good made from leather.  In my naivety, I've always thought that leather was a byproduct of the meat industry and that, until people stopped eating animals, there would always be a surplus of leather.  This thinking made me feel that I was not complicit with the cruelty perpetrated in the factory meat business.  However, my thinking was very wrong.  This film showed me that the meat and leather industries are two very different industries and that the leather used to make my shoes and handbags is not made of skin from the animals slaughtered for consumption.  Leather comes from animals slaughtered for the sole purpose of being made into leather.


Beth, at My Plastic-free Life recently posted on facebook about a similar dilemma.  In making a hotel reservation, she was asked "foam or down" regarding her pillow choice.  What a choice!  She's a vegetarian who is vehemently opposed to the use of plastics.  I am also not a fan of synthetic materials that are not likely to break down in landfill or, if they do, will leach toxic chemicals into the environment.  Therefore, I'm now facing the "leather or pleather" question.


So, what is an environmentally conscious vegetarian to do?  Of course, canvas is one option, although canvas shoes or handbags are not always appropriate.  I could minimalize my problem by choosing to keep my shoes and handbags as long as possible, to buy shoes that can be resoled and/or repaired, and I can buy used.  The first two options are certainly doable.  And I do keep my shoes and bags for years.  Also, I can purchase used handbags as I have in the past.  Consignment shops often have very nice bags, sometimes with the tags still attached.  However, as I typically wear an odd-size in shoes (6 wide), I can never find my size at consignment shops - I can barely find them in regular shoe stores.  And of course, I do need to remember to buy canvas or similar when that option is appropriate.


None of these options are ideal; however, they will at least reduce my personal demand for leather and soothe my conscious just a little.