Wiki loves Vegan

Wiki loves Vegan (WlV) is a group of Wikimedians aiming to support creation and curation of vegan topics content on Wikimedia projects and support veganism inside of Wikimedia community.

We are applying for a Wikimedia user group status. We've constituted at Wikimania 2018 in the Wiki loves Vegan meetup.

Wiki Loves Vegan guideline for Wikimedia events

Wiki Loves Vegan advocates for a vegan option at all Wikimedia events where the event planning chooses to present non-vegan programs. If every attendee has access to a vegan option then Wiki Loves Vegan supports the event. If the event includes programming for attendees, like meals, snacks, or the gift of an animal product, and the choice for attendees is between consuming an animal product or declining participation, then Wiki Loves Vegan does not support the event.

Prior to 2019 practically all Wikimedia events had planning to support animal product consumption but no planning to provide vegan options.

Tips for food ordering

Disregard surveys and orders for how many people want vegan options. Many event planners will survey in advance that 10% or fewer people request vegan options. However, whenever vegan options are available at an event, many more people will take them, leaving people who can only access the vegan option without anything. Remember - people who consume animals will take the vegan option. Vegan people will not take the animal option.
In planning meal orders, order extra vegan options and fewer animal product options. If during an event the vegan options run out, but animal options remain, then this means that the event failed to provide options to vegan people. If during an event the animal options run out, but vegan options remain, then everyone at the event had access to a possible option even if it was not their choice.

Labeling

At events clearly label which options are vegan. It is okay to have one label, "vegan", and skip other labels, like "vegetarian", "fish only" or similar. The reason why "vegan" is the most useful label is that the vegan option is the most compatible dietary preference to every other dietary preference. There might be people who profess a belief that vegan food is not to their taste; almost no one will complain that they would rather go hungry than eat vegan food. Vegan people will say that they prefer to go hungry for a day than eat non-vegan food.

Although there is variation in standards, if guests are truly certain that food is vegan and do not require ritual purity, then people of all religions can access vegan food.

If there are food labels at all, start with the "vegan" label, then decide if the event participants would like other labels.

Meals

If there is an animal product main course, then there should be a comparable vegan main course.

If there is an animal product side dish, then there should be a comparable side dish.

Dessert and snacks

If there is an animal product dessert or snack, then there should be a comparable vegan option.

Please watch out for butter and dairy in baked goods. It is unfortunate when there is an animal product dessert and vegan people get nothing.

Coffee and tea

If anyone provides dairy milk with hot drinks then provide also a plant based equivalent, like soy milk.

If there is only room for one option then choose the vegan option, which has less requirement for refrigeration and is the better choice as compared to dairy for an event without complicated planning.

Menu planning

Many Wikimedia events offer raw lettuce, ketchup, and coffee as the option for a vegan meal. Contrary to popular belief this is not actually a meal of any kind, and especially not a vegan meal.

Here is a suggested vegan meal:

A hot plant-based protein, such as beans or tofu
Two vegetable side dishes which may be hot or cold, like green leaves, broccoli, carrots, or some whole plant
A starch, like rice, potato, squash, corn, or grain

Here are some practices to avoid:

In general, avoid mixing meat and vegetables. Leave the vegetables vegan, and if meat is part of the offering, let people choose the meat to add to the side of their vegetables
Avoid putting butter on food before it is served. If butter is required, offer it on the side for anyone to add to their meal.
Avoid using animal fat for frying or to add flavor.

Rationale

Promote veganism (Q181138)

Activity

The proposed activity of WlV is centered in 2 directions:

processes inside of Wikimedia community,
Wikimedia projects content.

Inside of Wikimedia community we would like to:

make sure that during all Wikimedia meeting there are an vegan option;
- that will help to reduce the environmental impact of Wikimedia meetings, linking it more to Wikimedia Sustainability Initiative;
make sure that during Wikimedia meetings the meal server is clearly marked as veganism (Q181138) / vegetarian (Q18338317) / halal (Q177823) / kosher food (Q1076110) / "meaty". Also all food and drinks ingredients and their origin should be made transparent.

Encourage people to write a feedback on Wikimedia events and the situation for Vegans and people of a non-majority-diet.

About Wikimedia projects content we would like to:

run a translation task force about veganism topics (inspired by WikiMed and Esperanto and Free Knowledge translation task force)
support usage of free licences by vegan organisations.

Gallery

WikiConference North America 2018, fruit and coffee only

Interested

Links