Ed Winters aka Earthling Ed
Ed Winters, better known as Earthling Ed, is a British animal rights activist and a “vegan educator, public speaker and content creator, widely known for his viral debates, speeches, and video essays.”1Earthlinged.org. 2021. Earthling Ed. Available: https://earthlinged.org/ [Accessed 29 October 2021].
He became vegan in 2014 after reading the news that 1500 chickens had been killed in a truck crash. Shocked and dismayed by the suffering of the birds, he realised that they were destined for his dinner table. Unable to ignore this suffering, and not wanting to be a part of it, Ed decided to go vegan to align his actions with his values.2Earthlinged.org. 2021. About Ed. Available: https://earthlinged.org/abouted [Accessed 29 October 2021].
Ed made a name for himself on YouTube in 2016 as many of his debates with non-vegans on the street went viral. Through ever-deepening questions, Ed is a master at exposing the hypocrisy of eating meat.
As well as thousands of conversations on the street, Ed has given speeches at countless universities. According to his website, “in a 12 month period Earthling Ed gave 107 talks to a total of 27,600 people & 33,248 people signed up to go vegan through Ed’s online content.”1Earthlinged.org. 2021. Earthling Ed. Available: https://earthlinged.org/ [Accessed 29 October 2021].
In 2017, Ed co-directed, edited and narrated the documentary film Land of Hope and Glory, which exposes the hidden truth behind the UK farming industry.
Ed is also the co-founder and co-director of Surge, a non-profit organisation that carries out investigations and provides information about animal agriculture. In 2018, “a small group of close friends from the animal rights organisation Surge, including vegan educator Earthling Ed, opened a non-profit vegan restaurant in London called Unity Diner.”3Surge Sanctuary. 2021. Welcome to Surge Sanctuary. Available: https://www.surgesanctuary.org/ [Accessed 29 October 2021]. Profits from the diner were then used to open Surge Animal Sanctuary in 2020.
In 2021, Ed announced the release of his debut book, This is Vegan Propaganda (& Other Lies the Meat Industry Tells You), which answers the question, is there a better way?
“Veganism is a moral progression. It doesn’t just encourage to not harm animals, it encourages to treat each other well.”7Mirbach, E. 2020.Our favorite “Earthling Ed” Quotes. Available: https://www.vegan-good-life.com/our-favorite-earthling-ed-quotes-from-his-vegan-good-life-interview/ [Accessed 29 October 2021].
