Simply stated, veganism is the conviction and practice of compassionate living... By definition, a vegetarian is one whose diet consists of vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, nuts and sometimes animal products such as eggs, milk or cheese. A total vegetarian is someone who lives solely on the products of the plant kingdom without the addition of eggs or dairy products.

The term "vegetarian" refers only to what one eats and does not pertain to any other aspect of one's life. The impetus for becoming a vegetarian may be based on ethical, religious, health, environmental, or economic concerns, or any combination of these. The motivation for becoming vegan, however, is fundamentally rooted in a compelling set of ethical beliefs. Both total vegetarians and vegans abstain from eating all meat, fish or fowl, as well as any other foods of animal origin such as butter, milk, yogurt, honey, eggs, gelatin, or lard, and any prepared foods containing these ingredients. But veganism encompasses far more than just diet...