Animal Rights

Earthling Ed on Veganism, Empathy, and Speaking Truth Without Shouting

Recorded in 2018, this conversation with UK activist Ed Winters, known online as Earthling Ed, holds up as a case study in calm, research-driven vegan advocacy.

Vegans Explore Podcast

Episode 60 · Dec 30, 2025 · 55 min

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Research First, Confrontation Never

Ed traces his shift from a passive vegan afraid of seeming preachy to a YouTube educator and co-director of UK animal rights organization Surge, crediting his calm demeanor to months of research done before he ever engaged a stranger in conversation. His advice for anyone nervous about a difficult conversation: research the common justifications people give, practice responses out loud, and expect it to take time before it feels natural.

Building the Official Animal Rights March

Ed co-founded the Official Animal Rights March in 2016, which grew from 2,500 attendees to 5,000 the following year and expanded into a global annual event held in the US, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, and beyond. He also points to a 2014 truck crash that killed 1,500 chickens on a UK motorway as the moment that first made him question eating animals, well before he saw the documentary Earthlings that pushed him fully vegan.

The Official Animal Rights March grew from 2,500 attendees in 2016 to 5,000 in 2017
Ed co-directs Surge, a UK grassroots animal rights organization founded in 2016
Recommended starting resources include the documentaries Earthlings, Cowspiracy, and What the Health

Ed's closing point: the backlash and extremist labeling activists face is a sign of progress, not failure, since industries can no longer dispute the facts and are left attacking the messengers instead.