We lose weeks like buttons, like pencils.

gaslightintheeaves:

To those whom follow me (and to those who are just curious),

It has come to my (at times distractible) attention that the cosmetics company Lush has opened an online petition to put a stop to animal testing within the cosmetics industry. Though they have been fighting this cause for years, the most recent addition to their campaign saw a method actor undergoing the same treatments that animals are put through in laboratories, in full gaze of the public in the front window of a Lush UK store. Of course, she was simply acting, but you do not have to stretch your mind very far to imagine these same procedures being forced upon a distressed, defenceless animal.

This is where you can make a little difference. Sign the petition HERE! It’s quick and easy and doesn’t lead to spam in your inbox - I’ve checked! It’s all for a good cause. Also, for those who are keen to swap their cosmetics and other beauty what-not for a cruelty-free choice, see this list of accredited companies. 

Stay tuned for an upload of Lush’s campaign video, coming shortly…

shredding-the-nw:

you say we are pussies or not real men for hunting animals. it’s something society has been doing for litterally thousands of years, it’s a great way to get fresh organic meat that isn’t loaded with tons of shit like the meat you buy at the store. also an animals hearing, eyesight, and smell is about 3x, DO YOU KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO GET WITHIN 60 YARDS TO SHOOT ONE WITH MY BOW. oh yeah that’s right i bow hunt, so don’t tell me that i’m mean and they have no chance seriously, if people didn’t hunt there would be and overpopulation of animals! so shut the fuck up and if you have an issue with me hit up my ask.

1. the animals don’t have a chance.  It’s not like you’re sneaking up on one; you are probably in a tree stand and you’ve sprayed deer (or whatever other animal) urine all over the place to attract them.   Just because it’s more “difficult” than shooting fish in a barrel, it doesn’t mean that you are giving the animals a fair shot. 

2. Human history is not a valid argument for anything, neither is tradition. I mean, I think the recognition of suffering should be reason enough to stop doing the thing that causes it. 

3. Hunting causes overpopulation of hunted species. When the population of a species in the area is dramatically cut over a short period of time (from hunting), the animals are left with more food and naturally start to reproduce at a greater rate.  

4. Hunting is a business just like anything else, killing permits are given out in a way to manipulate the current animal population so that it is ready for the next hunting season.  If the animals were not hunted, their populations would normalize. Also if we didn’t kill off their natural predators. 

5. Hunting messes up the ratio of male to female deer (since males are killed more than females), which makes it difficult for the deers to produce healthy (not inbreed) offspring. 

6. Hunting is not necessary. 

If you really want to do something good for your health and good for the environment, go vegan. 

It doesn’t mean “I can’t.”

It means “I won’t and I never will again.” 

juanners:

elementalsight:

followmyv0ice:

tide-and-wave:

youarenotyou:

Which option is the most ethical?

a diet that consists mostly of produce that was produced with the help of slave labor, that funds corporations such as Monsanto, and that travels thousands of miles to get to your plate (which means it has a large ecological footprint)? 

or

a diet that consists entirely of locally-grown and produced food, that supports local businesses, which happens to include animal products, seeing as how fresh produce cannot grow year-round in many parts of the world/the US?

*this is not a false dichotomy, this is me using 2 possible scenarios out of many in order to make a point.

Think about that for a moment. Animal products are not the only food that causes suffering. I am tired of seeing vegans claim that their lifestyle is the only correct one. Perhaps this is the case if you don’t care about the environment or human rights or farmers. But there are many of us who consider the whole picture when making dietary choices. It is not as rigidly black and white as you think it is.

I am also tired of seeing veganism presented as a choice that is accessible to all. It isn’t, and here’s why:

1. It is a privilege to have control over what you eat. Many people in the US and the world do not have the luxury of refusing food. You often say things like, “I’d rather starve than eat meat.” Have you ever actually been starving?

2. It is a privilege, in many parts of the US/world, to have access to fresh produce/food. Here’s why:

There are places in the world known as food deserts, where there are no grocery stores nearby. You may think, “They can walk, drive, or bike.” All of these options are privileges. Some areas are not safe to walk in; sometimes walking would take hours; not everyone can walk. Not everyone knows how to bike or drive, not everyone can do those things, not everyone can afford a bike or car. Even public transportation isn’t available everywhere. People in food deserts often live off of whatever they can get at convenience stores and gas stations.

Fresh produce spoils quickly. Constantly having fresh produce on hand means making frequent trips to the grocery store. It also requires that one have access to a refrigerator, which many people do not. Furthermore, high-end grocery stores such as Whole Foods (a company that specifically builds their stores in well-off neighborhoods) offer better quality produce because they can afford to purchase higher grades of food. That’s why lettuce from WF will last quite a bit longer than lettuce from Price Rite or Aldi. That’s why lettuce at the cheaper store is already brown when you buy it.

Fresh produce is expensive. Not everyone has the ability or time to dumpster dive, to shop around for the best deal, etc. Coupons for produce, whether it’s fresh, canned or frozen, are basically non-existent.

Some of you are probably thinking, “Start a garden!” If you really think that gardening is a possibility for all people, you are incredibly naive. It’s absurd to think that everyone has access to clean soil, good seeds, and the knowledge/time required to garden. Besides, actually growing enough food to live off of would require a ridiculous amount of gardening and a climate that allows for it. On the other hand, some people do only have access to what they can grow/keep on their property, which happens to include animals, dairy, and eggs.

3. You often claim that eating a vegan diet is actually cheaper than eating fast food, etc. because the raw ingredients are cheap (grains, dry beans, vegetables). Aside from the above points, you are incorrect because:

You can’t just eat the raw ingredients on their own; you need to cook them. And as I will explain below, cooking is not accessible to everyone.

It takes more produce/grains to fill you up than it does proteins.

The ability, knowledge, time, and equipment required to cook meals from scratch is a privilege in many, many parts of the world. Next time you cook a “cheap” meal, take note of how many things you are using. Pots and pans, spoons and spatulas, an oven/stove. Being able to spend at least an hour or two standing up, prepping, and cleaning (this is exhausting when you just worked a 12-hour shift, let alone if you are a parent, or have a disability). Having access to recipes or knowing how to make a meal in itself is a luxury.

You are forgetting that in order to cook, you need things like spices, oils, flours, vinegars, sauces, and so on. These things are considered basics or staples for any pantry, which is why you are oblivious to the fact that they cost quite a bit. Imagine being someone who has literally no food in their home. Imagine needing to go to the store to stock up on all these basic cooking ingredients. It will cost you a lot of money to make those trips. Even if you are shopping for one-two recipes at a time. It doesn’t matter if a bottle of olive oil will last you for 300 recipes, you still need to shell out that $10-30 in the first place. For a whole bunch of things, at once. Spices alone are absurdly expensive if you don’t have access to bulk spices. You need a few hundred dollars on hand to do this sort of stocking up.

4. Making changes to your diet can have a huge impact on your life. I am privileged in many ways, and when I was vegan, I had to do things like bring my own meals to work and school always because there were no vegan options. That meant preparing food well in advance and often I was incredibly exhausted and unable to do it. I was out of the house for long enough that I needed to always have snacks and two full meals on hand. And I was barely at home for enough time to make these meals. If you have children or a partner who lives with you, they may be resistant to a dietary change. If you have allergies (most commonly soy and gluten), veganism can be a huge challenge. Some people become malnourished due to a vegan diet, for whatever reason. I could go on.

As you can see, it is never just a matter of choice, and choice itself does not occur in a vacuum. And when people can choose, some do not consider veganism to be the most ethical decision. There are many, many reasons why people may not be vegan that have nothing to do with “apathy” or “laziness” or “selfishness.”

This post is perfect.

This isn’t just great for why veganism or vegetarianism isn’t for everyone, but also for why “eating like ____!!!” isn’t for everyone, full stop. I am super lucky that I was able to stock up on cooking supplies (from utensils to spices) over the past several years because I’m about to cut my income to go back to school and it’s going to get tricky to keep eating in a way that is healthful and filling without adding in any dietary restrictions - and I’m fortunate enough to not have any allergies or sensitivities or even just to be a picky eater.

I get really frustrated with militant vegans because dude, I can’t eat legumes. No chickpeas, no beans, no nuts, no seeds. They bind in my stomach like poison and it is hella sadmaking. I don’t want to be a vegetarian or a vegan, but even if I did it would be difficult to impossible - and anyone who has tried to preach at me how much better they are hasn’t ever been willing to listen.

Ok. Now about that question. Well, this whole post in general is one big “it isn’t possible for everyone to be vegan, so why should I?” post. Which delves into geo-economics and stuff, which I am unable to discuss. And produce can be locally grown/stored to reduce the “Carbon footprint.”

Besides, the premise that vegans don’t care about the welfare of humans is an over-simplification of us, and I think you would be hard pressed to find vegan after vegan who apparently just doesn’t care about farm worker conditions. And I don’t think i’ve met hardly any vegans who don’t know quite a bit of information on the environmental impact of animal agriculture, so don’t even go down that path. I know, I know, “Soy farming destroys rainforests!!” But you have to use more than that, because that applies to when people eat large amounts of refined tofu or other meat substitutes, which most vegans know can’t be the staple of our diet, so they are eaten in moderation and SINCE 1960, OVER HALF of all grain consumed in the US (and 1/3 of the world’s) has been fed to animals.

All of the numbered points only give excuses for some people. I understand that there are areas of the US/World that can’t do what I do. I live in Little Rock, AR, which is not a vegan friendly area. My job requires me to drive all over the state, visiting small town after small town. I’ve seen the food options available, and I’ve worked 10 hours days with nothing to eat all day. Its a choice I make because I can, and I understand that. I just moved into an apartment and have very limited kitchen equipment. But I guarantee you, even if i lived in a small town I would make the effort to remain vegan (and I’d still be healthy) because my taste preferences are not worth killing something for.

One of my best friends has something like 23 (literally) food allergies, and has done everything she can to be vegan.  Until this last month, she was. I’m sorry someone has legumes or soy, but she those and 21 more and still limits her animal use to extreme minimums. 

Look, the only thing you can say about being vegan is that it is a choice, and once you become educated about the issues that make people go vegan you can make choices based on the environment, or health reasons or any of that. But the main thing will always come down to this:

You can be a healthy human, fully capable of all things humans do, with at least an equal (most likely less) impact on the environment on a vegan diet.
Eating animals is primitive, and tortures and destroys animals - can you really argue that? 

If you don’t need to eat animals (like 90% of the US) but you do anyway, then you are only doing it because you want to. Which, and I feel bad using these words against people - is selfish, lazy and apathetic. 

THIS^^

Whiny, privileged carnist is whiny. 

If you are only going to allow 200 characters for me to elaborate on my “skills” and “experience,” you need to tell me that at the beginning! Don’t let me compose a friggin’ essay! 200 characters! What kind of space is that! What kind of thought fits within 200 characters! Ugh!!!!!

I’ve wasted so much time! This is so frustrating! 

jimmysthename:

So here are some facts about why veganism is unhealthy!

Ok now yes vegans have the lowest rates of obesity, but thats because most vegans are skin and bones. And lacking fat is not healthy, because your body uses fat for energy, it helps your body absorb vitamins, etc. Most vegans are also lacking in calcium, which is bad for your bones. Then vegans are also missing a lot of amino acids, they’re the reason why we’re alive, the building block of all proteins and enzymes that make everything else in our body work. Vegans who are missing a lot of these things tend to have some mental issues. If you look at a vegan who has been one for a long time, you will notice that they have really skinny veins, this is usually because they are lacking in the protein that meat has. Because the protein that meat has is different then the protein that vegetables have.

Now you may be wondering where I learned all this. Well my grandmother is a nurse. I have also talked to my doctor about vegans, because I have issues eating most red meat, my body only handles fish and mutton.

(Mind you these are all facts)

I’ll just leave this here for comic relief. (Maybe I’ll turn my blog into a “stuff that carnists say” page.)  

I want you to stop eating meat. 

veganskinnybitch:

This seems necessary considering each time I post my giveaway someone asks me about this on Anon. It’s getting to be a hassle. So, you will all be redirected to this post!

• What is palm oil? Where does it come from? 

Palm oil comes from the oil palm trees and can be cultivated only in tropical areas of Asia, Africa and South America. Yup, that’s it. 

• Why is it bad?

From the GreenPalm website, palm oil is causing “issues relating to biodiversity, soil degradation, local people, land rights and many other matters. Development of new plantations has resulted in the conversion of large areas of forests with high conservation value and has threatened the rich biodiversity in these ecosystems.

In particular orangutan habitats have been threatened by palm oil production. In 1900, there were around 315,000 orangutans. Today, fewer than 50,000 exist in the wild, split into small groups with little long–term chance of survival. Scientists say the palm oil industry is the biggest threat to orangutans, with the species driven to extinction within 12 years unless the devastation of their natural habitat is halted.” In Indonesia and Malaysia, in 15 years almost 98% of rainforests will be gone. In short: palm oil is a major cause of the deforestation of natural rain forests and is the reason that orangutans will be extinct in 10 years. 

• What kinds of foods contain palm oil?

All kinds. The other day I was in Shaws and I saw a type of almond butter that had palm oil in it. Even non-food products can be made from palm oil. In short: this stuff is everywhere. The demand for this stuff is global, and even Greenpeace, the WWF, Oxfam, and the Rainforest Action Network understand that no real direct “replacement” can be made for it. 

• Well, this sounds sad and hopeless. I feel like there’s no way out of this. 

That’s why “sustainable” palm oil is just a big deal. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has been working since 2003 to promote sustainable palm oil. All the literature, certifications and whatnot, are on their website and able to be viewed by the public. 

• Why is it worse than any other unsustainable food product?

It’s not. It 100% isn’t. This is called caring about more than one thing at a time, and it takes responsibility, and it’s up to you. Palm oil just happens to be an issue we can take a stand on and effect change right now, and it’s important to do so. If you’re concerned about where your food comes from, buy local and buy in season. 

• Well, isn’t there any sustainable palm oil?

Why yes, apparently there is. I am not an expert on the companies that use sustainable palm oil, though, so if you and concerned about a product that contains palm oil, please check the whole label to see if it says “sustainable,” contact the company, or check Green Palm’s member list to see if the company in question is on it. If they are, please contact the company and ask them to correctly label their products as using sustainable palm oil - it’s important.

• What are you doing about this?

I have boycotted palm oil. It’s safer that way, especially because highly-processed oils like that are bad for you anyway. Unless a label says specifically that it is sustainable palm oil, I won’t buy or consume it. Currently I have a petition going against CLIF Bar & Company asking them to remove it from their recipes. I’ll be approaching them with it when it reaches 2,000 signatures.

that I am the most powerless to change. 

I am a happy person and I have a great family, great friends, and a wonderful and supportive boyfriend. But sometimes everything feels amazingly and overwhelmingly hopeless.