When it comes to living a sustainable and compassionate life, one of the very best things you can do for yourself, other living beings, and the planet, is choose to be vegan.

"Vegan you say, what is that?"

Though the term itself is in no way unheard of nowadays, there are still some who have never heard of the word, "vegan" or "veganism." Admittedly, veganism sounds a lot like vegetarianism and even has some similarities in definition, but veganism really is an ideology all it's own.

Unlike vegetarians who only strictly stray from eating meat products, vegans refrain from eating meat along with all animal made products (eggs, milk, butter, etc.) and byproducts. This includes inedible products too, like leather, wool, beauty products, etc.

Although a survey conducted by Harris Interactive in 2011 came up with results stating that only 2.5% of adults in the United States are vegan, the numbers keep growing! Every day new vegan product are hitting the shelves, informative books and documentaries are being created, vegan-friendly restaurants are opening up, and more! It just keeps becoming easier and easier to live and maintain a vegan lifestyle.

Speaking of living and maintaining a vegan lifestyle, someone who does just that is well-known vegan in the Instagram-sphere, consciouschris!

Here's what he had to say to us about living a sustainable and vegan life.

Q: First off, thank you so much for taking time out to chat with us here at The Dirty Hipster, Chris! We're super excited for this interview since we've been following you for awhile and we love your veg-tastic blog and Instagram posts. So, of course, our beginning question has to be: When did you first become vegan?

A: No, thank you! I appreciate your invitation to participate in this. Your kind words mean everything!  I decided to make the transition to a vegan lifestyle just about 2.5 years ago on January 1, 2013!

Q: What initially ignited your transition to veganism?

A: Well, after being vegetarian for 4 years, I realized that I wasn't doing justice for the animals, the planet, or myself by continuing to consume dairy and other animal products. The inspiring words of Gary Yourofsky's speech played a large role in my transition to a completely vegan lifestyle. Since then, I've been consuming consciously and an active and passionate advocate of the vegan movement.

Q: Since that transition, what would you say have been the biggest obstacles (if any) for you?

A: Thankfully, my family and friends have been very supportive of my lifestyle - I could foresee unsupportive people being an obstacle for some when first acclimating to living vegan. With all of the amazing companies and brands coming to market offering convenient, healthy, and delicious food products, it's easier than ever to go vegan and stay vegan. The key is to have passion and purpose - that's an unstoppable combination.    

Q: What are some cruelty-free products that you use on a daily basis, say during your morning routine or just throughout the day, that you consider to be total must-haves?

A: I've been working with the incredibly talented team over at Vegan Cuts since November and I've been fortunate enough to try some of the very best of cruelty-free grooming, snack, and food products. As far as grooming goes, Bare Bones Body has the best deodorant I've ever used, I swear by it at this point. Thrive Natural Care and Ursa Major have some fantastic grooming essentials for men and women alike. I am also a big fan of The Fanciful Fox, they have this really genuine DIY mentality and spirit and offer amazing quality products. For food and snacking - Field Roast Chao! Cheese has been a game changer. Also, the new products Daiya is bringing to market like their cheesecake and mac and cheese are really exciting. Uptons Naturals has the best seitan I've ever tried and I am completely stoked on their new BBQ jackfruit product that is coming out this summer! love seeing such progression and growth in this industry. Beanfields nacho and ranch chips are a must have snack for me, along with Earth Balance "cheese its". Oh! Beyond Meat has some pretty amazing products too (I really love food, if you couldn't already tell)

Q: As a vegan and a person who actively tries to live a sustainable life, what are your hopes for the future of this planet and for future generations of people and animals?

A: I hope that this movement continues to grow and we see more passion and change across all spectrums. Once people start connecting the dots and realize the true harm being done to the animals, the planet, and themselves, it will be the only choice to make - to live in harmony with the planet, ourselves, and all life.

To find out even more about Chris and his vegan life, be sure to check out his blog and follow him on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter!