We don't all need to become vegan to create a sustainable and biodiverse future, in fact quite the opposite, argues designer Sebastian Cox, in response to Erez Nevi Pana's suggestion that vegan design can limit climate change.

Erez Nevi Pana recently wrote an article for Dezeen about vegan design, which I felt I had to respond to. His mission is "to veganise design", creating "guilt-free" products. While I agree that the meat industry needs reforming, you don't have to be a vegan to live sustainably, and I feel no guilt in proposing a future with animal products.
I met Erez at a panel discussion last year and was fascinated to learn that many of the items we use to make furniture in our workshop are not vegan. Glues, sandpapers, even machine components can contain animal products. This depth of thought is really compelling. I admire Erez's work and respect his commitment to what he believes. I applaud veganism for proposing radical change, but I think the vegan solution is oversimplified and I challenge the notion that we must all become vegan. Design can have an important role in re-shaping how we raise or grow materials and resources. First in line for a rethink ? rather than a ban ? is our system of rearing and slaughtering animals, much of which is deplorable. Second would be reshaping the growing of plant-based resources, whether food, fibrous material like flax, or biomass. As much as we need to get rid of caged animals, we need to rethink pestici...