Namaste
I call myself a vegetarian. I have leather shoes, belts, wallets and probably unwittingly consume animal byproducts regularly. It's probably unavoidable. Recently found out waxed lemons are 'waxed' with bug **** and plastic...
thisis a problem for me too.
Although as a Gaudia Vaisnava, we should avoid all slaughterhouse by-products such as leather there are so many hidden uses, you will find animal by-products in soaps cosmetics and many foods, and as you say in wax to coat lemons andglycerine is used in a coating to make cucumbers shiny!
unfortunately it is everywhere, especialy in a western consunerised lifestyle.
I avoid all comercialy produced cosmetics, shampo, cleaning products, we buy indian ayavedic soap and use natural materials to make our own skin care products, I have dry skin so I realy need this but it is so easy to make creams and cleansers with natural materials like coconut oil and herbal extracts.
I dont think a lot of vegetarians give a second thought to what they wash and condition their hair with or use every day on their skin.
When it comes to the question of leather we have had this debate many times. In India it was deemed permissable to use the skin of a dead animal, but not to slaughter one specificaly for its use, so to use slaughter house by-products is wrong as the animal is born with the intention that it should be killed, it is treated as a commodity, this is wrong.
My problem is that here it is difficult to find good non leather shoes for winter it is the one place where I break the rule, in summer it is a little easier I found some briliant rope soled sandals
My problem is that I dislike the use of plastics and non bio-degradable materials and boycot synthetics on the grounds that they are so damaging to the environent.
So I have leather boots for winter but I avoid any un nececary leather items like belts and wallets, and I make them last. I dont think I should waste these things if i have to buy them.
The other big argument is Silk ? Do I buy Silk for the deities ? Should we give pearls to Radha and Krsna ? Personaly I only wear Cotton, Wool, and other natural fibres but I have some old silk saris which I was given, but to throw them away would be equaly wastefull now that they exist.
It's not hypocrisy. It's trying your best in a complex world, as per your own personal circumstances.
I agree entirely we must each do what we can when we can, it is the only way.
