Although Joanne is not able to respond to additional questions at this time, your concerns may have already been addressed in a previous column. Please check the Ask Joanne! Archive, which contains all the Q&As that have appeared here.

I work in my college dining hall. The foods are mostly meat-based, but I am encouraging them to provide some vegan options. Is it unethical for a vegan to work for a business that uses animal products so freely?

Occupation is indeed an ethical consideration for vegans, and if you feel your job promotes the use of animal-based foods, then you may want to consider working elsewhere. On the other hand, you might be able to more actively participate in the decision to include vegan options in the dining hall if you remain in your present capacity.

In general, vegans find working around meat and other animal products to be disturbing and at odds with their ethics. But each person must weigh all of the factors in light of her or his own circumstances. You may want to implement all the changes you can in the dining hall and then move on once you are confident they are securely in place. Alternatively, you could continue to work in the dining hall but request a different position that deals only with animal-free food choices. Or, if you feel too uncomfortable, you could look for another job and go about establishing vegan options from a vantage point outside of the dining hall. As long as you are aware of the conflicts between your work and your beliefs, and are conscious of your priorities, you will be able to determine where and how you can be most effective.