Pacific University’s Philosophy department, led by Ramona Ilea, is hosting a vegan exhibition, titled Vegan Food: Just a Few Vegan Options, at Tran Library, which is up on display now. Professor Ilea says her inspiration comes from veganism as an interesting topic among students as well as her own personal history living a vegan lifestyle.
“I have been a vegan for 21 years and a vegetarian for 27 years,” said Ilea. “Vegans try to minimize suffering that animals endure, especially factory farmed animals which constitute over 90% of products available in the campus cafeteria, most restaurants, and most grocery stores.”
The exhibit contains display cases of recycled food packaging. Said packages once contained food that are considered to be vegan substitutes, or whose manufacturing does not deplete natural resources. The exhibit’s main attraction showcases vegan substitutes for everyday meals in addition to what kind of vegan products are available in local markets. The exhibit also contains books that highlight the importance of animal rights, a topic that is often linked to veganism.
“At the exhibit, you are greeted by a table of pamphlets that highlight different organizations and topics related to animal rights and veganism,” said Charlee Davis, a junior who had helped donate food containers to the exhibit. “There are also display cases of vegan food packages divided by food group: ‘sweets’, ‘breakfast’, ‘entrees’.”
Professor Ilea and student volunteers’ main goal is to inform their audience of both Pacific students and the Forest Grove community at large about the detrimental effects that raising animals for food has on the environment. — Max Pennington
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