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Last month, five trustees resigned from The Vegan Society following allegations that the charity is institutionally racist and homophobic.

Eshe Kiama Zuri, Michele Fox, Sally Anderson, Joel Bravette, and Robb Masters resigned from the council.

The Vegan Society is the oldest of its kind in the world. It aims to provide an educational platform that advocates for veganism.

Zuri, who was the organizations Vice Chair, shared their lengthy resignation letter online.

In it, they said they were naive to believe that their time, energy and input would be respected and welcomed.

As a young and multiply marginalised trustee, being Black, queer, disabled and working class, I brought a perspective to council that challenged not just trustees as individuals, they said, but also the systemic racism and oppression that exists in any organisation set up without any time taken to look at diversity or inclusivity and with a hierarchical, patriarchal, and white supremacist structure that certain council members have spent years honing.

They added that The Vegan Society council forces out anyone with different or progressive views, and wished it could run the charity to a 1944 ideal.

I can confidently say that The Vegan Society is not a safe place for young people, for Black people, for Queer people or for any other marginalised people, Zuri continued.

They described the organization as having a hostile work environment from the beginning, which included microaggressions, racially motivated complaints, and a smear campaign. They also reported abuse, threats, and targeted bullying.

Hours after being voted on the council, one trustee said the N-word in conversation to Zuri.

Im not giving up, I have been forced out. I have no choice, they said, later adding they feel broken and disheartened.Former council member Bravette also had his lived experience ignored by the council, his letter said.

And in Ex-Chairman Masters resignation letter, he reported a toxic environment. Masters also reported that transphobia and ableism were common within the council.

The Vegan Society shared a statement online following the resignations.

There has been conflict amongst the Board that we have been working hard to address and it is regrettable that the most recent resignations were received the day before a planned mediation session, the charity wrote. It also wished them well for their future endeavours.

In their letter, Zuri confirmed they did not want to go through a mediation to avoid reliving difficult experiences.

The Vegan Society continued: As with many charities, The Vegan Society has a number of challenges that we must address as we evolve into an even more diverse and inclusive organisation.

This is something we are actively working on, supported by respected external ED&I consultants, and our commitment is to foster an inclusive environment for all of our staff, trustees, members, and supporters.

In February 2021, the society commissioned Ijeoma Omambala QC to investigate Zuri and Masters alleged inappropriate behavior.

In summary, the council claimed Zuri had shared racist comments online, and that Masters had enabled discriminatory behavior.

In the report, Omambala said:I do not uphold any of the complaints brought against [Masters]. There is no evidence to suggest that [Masters] has acted unlawfully or in breach of his obligations as a Trustee or as Chair of the Society.

The report continued: I make clear that I do not criticise the fact that [Zuri] expressed frustration, disappointment and anger with The Vegan Society in those posts.

It is the means of expression the language used that I consider to be inappropriate and unprofessional given that the posts can readily be related to the Society.

It added that the vast majority of complaints made against Zuri have not been upheld.

It also said that the Society had repeatedly misgendered Zuri referring to them with pronouns they dont use.

The report highlighted nine mitigating factors. These included profound personal animosity towards Zuri and their identity, as well as their stance on various political issues.

It also stated that members of Council criticized Zuri for raising their genuine concerns.

I am satisfied in particular that [Zuris] concerns about their treatment by some Council members and in relation to diversity and inclusivity in the Society were raised in good faith, the report continued.

[Zuri] had previously and appropriately raised concerns about language used by members of Council that raised issues of equality, diversity, and inclusion. These have not been adequately addressed in a timely way, Omambala wrote.

The report revealed that in June 2019, Zuri suggested that Council members complete inclusivity and diversity training. The council did not see the proposal through.

Further, the report stated that the council is not equipped to have mature and constructive conversations on diversity and inclusion matters; nor is it able to deal effectively with challenges to prevailing orthodoxies.

The report made 15 recommendations for The Vegan Society. These included adopting a written procedure for processing complaints against trustees, as well as implementing appropriate policies and procedures that protect those who whistle-blow.

Further, Omambala recommended that The Vegan Society work quickly and positively to handle relationship breakdowns with external facilitation.

In June 2020, The Vegan Society shared a post about the Black Lives Matter movement. The charity pledged to do better.

We will be working towards these aims: amplifying BAME [Black, Asian, and minority ethnic] vegan voices on our platforms, hiring more BAME staff, including in positions of authority.

The society said it will recognize BAME excellence within the vegan community, reach out to BAME communities to offer support, and provide BAME vegans with access to its Vegan Society Grant program. The program, which originated in 2013, funds small to medium-sized grassroots not-for-profit organizations that encourage people to go vegan.

The Vegan Society said at the time it acknowledges that organizations must not just post their support but to act on it too.

A spokesperson from The Vegan Society spoke with The Vegan Review about the controversy in July 2021 after the resignations. They said that since the Black Lives Matter post, the organization has hired one Black, two Indian, and three mixed-race people.

We are actively trying to increase diversity in our organization and encourage applications from all sections of the community. We will offer an automatic interview to all candidates who meet our essential criteria and who identify as from an under-represented race or ethnicity or as deaf, neurodiverse, or living with disability, the spokesperson said.

The Vegan Society as an organization values equality, diversity, and inclusion. We want to be an organization that tackles any structural discrimination or prejudice The society has also proactively provided its platforms and campaigns to amplify the voices and recognise the excellence of a diverse range of vegans, including Black vegans.

The society proactively reached out to relevant groups to support access to its Engaging New Audiences grants programme, and has received 39 applications so far following that outreach.

*Updated August 6, 2021 at 12:50pm BST*

This article was updated to clarify the dates of the report release. Further details have been included based on feedback from the involved parties.

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Everything You Need To Know About The Vegan Society Controversy - Plant Based News

Veganism has been around for decades now, and yet it is only just emerging as a mainstream dietary trend rather than remaining as an incredibly niche concern.

So what are the rules of being a vegan and is it a diet worth adopting from a health perspective? Lets delve into the details and take a closer look.

The good news about becoming a vegan is that the diet you follow has only one main restriction, which is that you cannot eat any kind of animal product.

There are several main motivations that might make someone decide to be vegan, chief amongst which is a desire to avoid the exploitation of animals in any form. More and more people are choosing veganism for environmental reasons as well, since producing plant-based foods can be far more eco-friendly than those using animal products.

By moving away from animal products in favor of a diet replete with fruits and vegetables, vegans are able to significantly increase their intake of a number of nutrients which might otherwise be at lower levels overall.

While the specific nutritional benefits you glean will depend on the types of plants you eat, in general you can expect this diet to be higher in fiber and antioxidants, in addition to providing more key vitamins such as A, C and E, amongst other things.

This sounds good in principle, but you also need to make sure that you plan any vegan diet appropriately so that you can get the right balance of nutrients, and not miss out on some crucial ones. For example, vegan diets can be lacking in calcium and vitamin D, so it may be necessary to make tweaks and even take supplements to support this diet if you are looking for convenience.

Perhaps the most appealing health benefit of moving towards a vegan diet is that it could help you to lose weight. Cutting out meat and dairy eliminates a lot of the more harmful fats from the table, and plant-based products tend to have lower calorie counts, meaning you need to eat more if you want to get the same amount of energy.

This has the added perk of meaning that a vegan diet can leave you feeling full and satisfied after a hearty meal, while still allowing you to lose weight because it will be less calorific.

Lastly, veganism has been associated with a lower risk of common diseases and ailments, including certain cancers, as well as heart disease and even arthritis.

If you are not yet ready to go full vegan, taking steps to cut down on the amount of animal products in your diet can give you access to many of these benefits as well.

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What Is a Vegan Diet.. And Is It Healthier? - SWAAY - SWAAY

BEIRUT, July 6 (Reuters) - While healthier lifestyles and greater awareness of climate issues have encouraged a rise in veganism around the world, some Lebanese are taking it up out of necessity.

As the country faces a financial crisis that has driven more than half the population into poverty, many Lebanese find they can't afford meat or chicken.

Prices are spiralling and salaries are collapsing as the local currency continues to fall after losing 90% of its value over the past two years.

"There are many problems in the country, even the army can't afford the right amount of meat and chicken in meals," said Camille Madi, the director of Basecamp, an association that distributes meals to the needy.

Budget cuts forced the military to cut meat from its meals last year.

Basecamp, which started work after the Beirut port blast last summer, had been delivering daily food parcels that included protein, but with donations shrinking and prices rising, a workaround was necessary.

Volunteers from Base Camp, walk as they carry bags of vegetables to be distributed to people in need in Beirut, Lebanon July 1, 2021. REUTERS/Ahmed al kerdi

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It now delivers one to three times a month to those in need, providing food boxes instead of hot meals, with no meat and chicken.

Basecamp and the Lebanese Vegans Social Hub, which promotes veganism, joined forces to provide 100 vegan meals, Madi, explained as he oversaw volunteers delivering food parcels in Beirut's Karantina area, badly affected by the port explosion.

While delivering the aid boxes, Social Hub members were also raising awareness about vegan food and why it can be a solution now.

"Delivering vegan food is healthy and in this economic situation is very suitable, because a person can substitute the protein they are getting from meat, calcium they are getting from cheese, and every animal product can be substituted by vegan food and it's cheaper in this economic situation," said activist Roland Azar.

Madi says children who eat Manoushe, a Lebanese pizza topped with cheese, can improve the quality of their meals if they spend the same on vegan items.

"The kid who's eating a Manoushe every day won't have the necessary nutrients, but today with the price of one Manoushe, you can buy a kilo or two of vegetables that can provide him with the needed nutrients."

Reporting by Alaa Kanaan; Editing by Giles Elgood

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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As meat prices soar in Lebanon, veganism fills the gap for some - Reuters

I'm sorry, motorcyclists. I know you've already had a bad day. Valentino Rossi, the Michael Jordan of MotoGP racing, has finally put an end to his awkward Washington Wizards phase and announced his retirement from a sport he took to new heights. And if that wasn't hard enough to take, I'm now going to tell you about a set of vegan leathers.

In days gone by, the worlds of veganism and motorcycling could not have been further apart. Motorycles were for hairy-chested head-kickers, wild men, rattle-eyed weirdos and the women that put up with them. You could go for days at a biker event without seeing a vegetable at least, one that hadn't been fermented or grown in an unwashed body crevice.

But the world is changing. The church of motorcycling long ago threw its musty doors wide open, and started offering a large range of bikes in many pretty colors that don't even actively try to kill you any more. When I see a Harley these days, I don't think "roadkill-roasting outlaw," I think "accountant who likes cosplay." There are motorbikes with three wheels. There are motorbikes with traction control that won't wheelie even if you want them to. There are motorbikes that run on electricity and unicorn farts and barely make any noise at all.

And there are vegan leathers.

Andromeda Moto

Now, let's be honest. Vegans were pretty annoying back when we first started encountering them in the 90s, demanding special consideration at dinners and staking out separate plots of real estate on the BBQ. But anyone who still hates the concept in 2021 should be forced to tithe 10 percent of their wages into an investment account, so their grandchildren have a hope of paying their air conditioning bills.

Meat isn't just murder, it's part of one of humanity's existential problems. According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation, meat and dairy production account for 14.5 percent of a global greenhouse gas emissions total that we need to get down to zero by 2050 just to give the next few generations a chance.

The average one-piece motorcycle race suit uses about 3 kg (6.6 lb) of leather. The average kilo (2.2 lb) of leather represents about 17,000 liters (4,490 gal) of water across the short life of the cow, its feed stock and the production process. So the average set of bike leathers uses 51,000 liters (13472 gal) of water. Lord knows how much my leathers use, vast as they are.

Andromeda Moto's NearX suit uses about 90 liters )24 gal), or some 566 times less. Instead of leather, it uses ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, which is typically used in personal and vehicle armor, cut-resistant gloves, parachutes, yacht rigging, often under the name Dyneema. The high-impact areas are reinforced with textured Superfabric claiming five times the abrasion resistance and fourteen times the tear resistance of leather. Andromeda claims it's lighter and more comfy than leather given the same protection.

It's got a hump on the back. It's got knee and elbow sliders, a 100 percent coverage inner kevlar layer, and level 2 SAS-TEC armor all round. It's got YKK zips, a factor nobody thinks is important until they buy gear without YKK zips. It's got venting, and it repels water much like my biker friends used to repel water offered to them at country pubs. It's got the top AAA crash rating from EU regulators. Most importantly, it's the right color.

Andromeda Moto

Andromeda will build you a one- or two-piece vegan NearX race suit, custom tailored to your own manly or womanly curves, if you send them 27 key measurements, excluding the one you're thinking about. The price is 1,220.66 (US$1,440) by no means expensive for a race suit and delivery takes 10 weeks.

Motorcycling, like every other human endeavor on this planet, will need to evolve as humanity faces the challenges of the 21st century. It'll have to eat some lumps along the way; we'll lose our nice shouty noises, for one, and that's probably the #1 fear for a lot of future-phobic bikers.

But at least these sustainable vegan leathers look pretty sweet. If they're lighter, comfier and better in a crash than leather, they'll do just fine. And hell, they look for all the world like any other set of leathers. How would you ever know they were vegan? ... Don't worry, they'll tell you. (Enjoy the roast beef, folks).

Enjoy the video below, featuring a narration I'd describe as waaaay too sensual for the given material. Stick to feeeeeling the road, fella.

Andromeda - Human, technology, nature

Source: Andromeda Moto

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Rossi retires, and now there's vegan motorcycle leathers - New Atlas

If youve tuned into Chicago Med, Vampire Diaries, One Tree Hill, or Pretty Little Liars, chances are, youve seen Torrey DeVitto grace the screen. The incomparable actress makes waves on TV shows and films with her acting chops, but shes also doing amazing things behind the scenes with her activism work. Aside from advocating for womens rights, DeVitto speaks out for the animals and regularly supports organizations such as PETA and The Humane Society of the United States. She practices alternative medicine, veganism, and holistic wellness. DeVittos plant-based lifestyle extends from her plate to the clothes she wears and the beauty products she uses. Heres a behind-the-scenes look at actress Torrey DeVittos cruelty-free lifestyle.

Torrey DeVitto (TD): I have been in-between vegan and vegetarianism for the last 13 years. I was inspired toward vegetarianism at first by my love for animals. I realized early in my 20s that I wanted to live a cruelty-free life. I understood why at certain points in time, or in certain locations, the use of animal skin and animal meat for food workedbut living in a modern world with endless possibilities, I didnt believe that eating meat was necessary anymore and wanted to give that up to live in alignment with my morals and beliefs.

TD: I normally have to specifically request vegan options, but I have started to notice that it is becoming the norm to have those options around. I normally ask for good vegan protein bars, salads, yogurts, or anything vegan. Im not very pickyso as long as its vegan, Ill most likely eat it!

TD: Yes, all the time. But as I already mentioned, and luckily for me, there are so many options now. I just did a film where I had to eat pancakes and a bunch of different casseroles. [The crew] was able to use vegan meat and vegan products to make all those food items look like meat. I am always so grateful when production is willing to do that extra work for me because eating meat, even for a role, is not an option.

TD: I have noticed that more people are going the vegetarian/vegan routeor at least trying it out! Id still say its a 70/30 vibe on most setsmaybe even 80/20. We still have some work to do.

TD: I love finding new cruelty-free and sustainable brands to support. I mostly live in dresses and cute jackets. Some of my staples are Christy Dawn dresses, Immaculate Vegan faux leather jackets, and Stella McCartney sneakers. I also love a good vegan bag from brands like Matt & Nat and Angela Roi. This winter, I have been looking for good vegan winter jackets and winter boots. Some of my favorite brands for this gear are Save The Duck, Native Shoes, and NOIZE.

TD: To me, it is just as important what I put on my body as what I put in my body. It makes my soul feel lighter when I go throughout my day knowing that no living creature was harmed in anything I am wearing or eating. My makeup routine is pretty minimal, however my skin care routine is not! I love skin products. Elina Organics is my favorite. She has so many delicious vegan skin care products that I just absolutely love. If I am going to wear makeup, I will use a Soft Beauty counter blush with some eyeshadow (I like using Jane Iredales highlighter as my eyeshadow) and mascara by Elina Organics. And, if Im getting really crazy, Ill use a tinted moisturizer by Jane Iredale as well and maybe Elina Organics black eyeliner and a lip pencil.

TD: I always tell people to go easy on themselves. I get that it can feel overwhelming [to try veganism], but just like with anything else, once you get into the groove and slowly educate yourself, the easier it gets! Dont be so hard on yourself if you mess up here and there. Just do the best you can and be happy with the changes you did make throughout the dayand maybe try something new thats vegan the next day!

To keep up with Torrey Devittos professional projects, activist work, and more, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Photo credit: Collin Stark

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A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Actress Torrey DeVitto's Cruelty-Free Lifestyle - VegOut Magazine

Thinking of going vegan? Maybe your savings could offer better protection against climate change.

New research from Make My Money Matter, Aviva and Route2 estimates green pensions are nearly 57 times more effective at cutting emissions, than adopting a vegan diet.

A pension that is classified as green is an option offered by a provider whose schemes are aligned to the Paris Agreement.

The findings of the report show pensioners with a minimum pot of 100,000 could save through green pension schemes up to 64 tonnes of carbon. That translates to nine years worth of a UK citizens average carbon footprint.

The authors of the study also stress those with an average-sized pension pot who switch to a sustainable option, could save 19 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

Richard Curtis, Co-Founder of Make My Money Matter, said:We need the entire UK pensions industry to go green, making their default funds more sustainable so all savers can have a pension to be proud of.

As individuals, we have a critical role to play in driving this change by showing providers that we want our money invested in a way that does good, not harm and so that we can retire into a world that is not on fire.

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Green pensions 'are 57 times better than veganism in the fight against climate change' - Energy Live News - Energy Made Easy

The Vegan Agency

International organisation Million Dollar Vegan, originally founded by Matthew Glover of Veganuary, Veg Capital, and VFC, will be handing out 400 vegan Pad Thai at Romero Verdes El Obradoiro restaurant in central Madrid this Friday 12 February. The food will be donated from 12 noon to 5 pm by Foods for Tomorrow, the parent company of Barcelona-based Heura Foods.

Participating in the Amor de barrio action is a good fortune and a privilege because we will be able to reach more people in the neighbourhood through our cuisine, says Sonia Romero, one of the chefs and co-founders of El Obradoiro de Romero Verde, together with Carmen Roman.

Their vegan restaurant business has faced difficulties due to the health crisis, like so many others. Nowadays, the restaurant located in the famous Malasaa neighbourhood serves takeaway food on a daily basis. Many people, who have never been interested or curious about veganism and plant-based food, will try two complete, very tasty and protein-packed dishes: our Pad Thai and Heuras Drum.

Million Dollar Vegan continues to prepare free 100% plant-based menus in order to raise awareness about veganism, the relationship of factory farming to pandemics, excessive deforestation and climate change.

Moved by the severe social crisis that is ravaging the world, this international NGO began in March last year to donate free meals in collaboration with different humanitarian organisations in 14 countries.

As part of their campaign #QuitemosLasPandemiasDelMen, they combine their outreach and communication work with these regular food donation actions, whose goal is to reach one million donated meals by 2022.

Related

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Million Dollar Vegan is Giving Away Free Vegan Food in Madrid Tomorrow, 12th February - vegconomist - the vegan business magazine - vegconomist - the...

PETA teamed with Atlanta restaurant, Slutty Vegan, to kick off their food justice campaign that brings awareness to the issue of food deserts.

The campaign calls on government officials to stop focusing so much on meat, eggs, and dairy in food deserts, and to instead provide fresher and more humane options, like fresh produce.

Together PETA and Pinky Cole from Slutty Vegan kicked off their campaign in Atlanta by handing out free entrees and vegan meal starter kits from PETA.

Cole said, Weve made veganism fun and accessible at Slutty Vegan and are all about indulging in the little pleasures life brings. We want to show that eating plant-based doesnt have to be boring. With lines down the block at each of our locations, were honored to bring good, kinder food to Atlanta and are grateful for PETA taking up this issue on a national level.

Atlanta is just the first stop for this campaign. The powerful vegan team will also be visiting Baltimore, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and other cities.

Every year the US government spends $38 billion in tax money on the meat, egg, and dairy industry. In comparison, it only spends $17 million on the produce industry, despite scientific evidence that shows the importance of eating plant-based foods. Those in food deserts suffer all the more for this as they have very few accessible and healthy options.

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily. Subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Lastly, being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!

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Slutty Vegan Kicks off PETA's Food Justice Campaign with Free Meals - One Green Planet

Richard and Cindy Traylor are part of a growing number of ranchers who have made the surprising switch to plant-based agriculture. In 2018, Honey, Cindys favorite cow, was injured. Cindy had become so attached to Honey that she didnt want the cow to go to a slaughterhouse. She got in touch with Renee King-Sonnen of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary, who introduced the Traylors to a whole new way of living.

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The Traylors shared their experiences with Inhabitat about making the change to a vegan diet and livelihood on their Huntsville, Texas ranch.

Related: Why American ranchers are feeding Skittles to their cattle

Inhabitat: What have been the reactions of neighbors, family members and others in your life to halting ranching and switching to veganism?

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Cindy: Everyone we have talked to has been supportive. When we explain that we now eat vegan and how good we feel, they seem curious; however, so far we have not heard that anyone has tried to change their diet. We do have a young friend who was wowed when he sat and ate spaghetti and meatballs.

Richard: When I was first confronted with veganism, I get the same ignorant response from others, which is Im carnivorous. Im a meat eater. I need the protein. Im healthy enough. It doesnt hurt the environment that bad. There are other things that hurt the environment just as bad.

Inhabitat:Tell us a little bit about why Honey the cow was so special to you.

Cindy: Honey was my baby. She would eat out of my hand and was a really gentle creature. When she gave birth, she immediately would let me know and show me her calf. I would ooh and ahh and tell her what a beautiful baby she had. She was the youngest of the mothers and she would let the other calves nurse off her. Our connection was really deep, and I hated to see her hurt!

Richard: When she was a little over a year, I built a five-strand barb wire fence, one strand at a time, from the bottom up. In essence, I taught her, albeit accidentally, how to jump the fence. Each strand I put up, I thought would be the last one she would jump. The top strand, the fifth strand, she would still jump it. I have never seen a cow that could jump fences like her. She did that for several years.

Inhabitat: What have been the best benefits to going vegan?

Cindy: Personally, I had wanted to go vegan in my twenties. I asked my doctor, who immediately told me that I couldnt. You see, I have Crohns and for decades, I was back and forth to the hospital. Now, I jumped at the chance. Not only to see how it may help me health-wise, but to do my part in ending cruelty to animals. I cannot remember feeling this good! It has really helped me with Crohns symptoms and my arthritis doesnt hurt anymore. I have neuropathy in my feet, and now I dont have that tingling all the timeit is gone! I love creating meals everything is delicious.

Richard: I dont have knee or back pain, I have more energy that individuals half my age envy. The first thing I tell people is how good I feel! I have no muscle cramps from working and sweating.

Inhabitat:What are the hardest things about going vegan?

Cindy: I had been dairy-free for decades, because I have a milk intolerance, so that was not a problem for me and Richard followed suit, because I do the cooking! There were a couple of things for me that were difficult. First, it was putting together enough recipes and understanding what veggies provide essential vitamins, minerals and protein. Then, it was finding a substitute for eggs! Baking without eggs kind of stumped me at first. Then, as I read more, I found several products to solve that problem. We now use for breakfast, Just Egg and Just Fold, which we love! Another problem for Richard, was thinking that veganism was boring, tasteless and bland. He soon realized that spices can do wonders! We both wish we had pursued this decades ago. The amazing thing now is that there are so many new plant-based products in the grocery stores and in the fast-food markets.

Inhabitat:Tell us a little bit about what the RAP Summit is and your involvement in it.

Cindy: Well, we attended the first Summit in November, as ranchers in transition. Right now, we do not have our cattle on our property, so in order to have an agriculture exemption, we need to find our niche for the future. There are a lot of options, and our state is specific as to what we can grow. The Rancher Advocacy Program (RAP) is helping us find our way. Renee and Tommy [Sonnen] are there to help us with any questions and find experts in whatever direction we choose to go. We have held Zoom meetings with everyone to brainstorm and talk about what we need to do. Renee and Tommy have been incredibly supportive.

Inhabitat:What are some of the new uses youre considering for your land?

Cindy: Right now, we have several ideas: growing hemp for CBD oil, peas and fava beans for protein sources (this was something that vegan cheesemaker Miyoko Schinner mentioned at the Summit), as we want to produce a product that will be marketable and beneficial for the environment. Bamboo is another option we have been considering; however, this may not be doable for us at this time.

Inhabitat:How do animal and plant-based agriculture compare as far as making a living?

Cindy: Well, animal agriculture is less intensive during the warm months, as the pastures provide most of the cattles feed. We have two ponds for drinking, so that is also taken care of. There is fencing to repair, cattle to take to the market (which I always hated!), hay to buy and store. Plant-based agriculture will be more work-intensive. Irrigation, picking the produce, weeding, marketing, packaging, talking to vendors. The list goes on and on. However, it will be more fulfilling to know that we are not sending an animal to market to get slaughtered. And we are helping the environment. For example, peas and fava beans give back nitrogen to the soil. Other plants will be rotated to put back other nutrients into the soil. That way, less fertilizers are needed.

Richard: We hope to give back to the soil, rather than take from the soil, which we have done for decades. We want to have a healthy environment for the future.

Inhabitat:What else should others know about transitioning from raising cows to plants?

Cindy: There are lots of people out there who are knowledgeable and willing to be mentors to help ranchers transition to another industry. I can attest that changing over to plants is emotionally freeing, because I used to dread when the calves got to a certain age/weight. I dont think anyone likes to have their animals slaughtered.

Richard: The environment is most important to protect our planet. The entire process of methane gases causing rising temperatures, growing hay, grasses equals less trees and less oxygen, the runoff of the fertilizers that end up in the creeks, bayous, rivers and oceans is poisoning the planet.

+ Cindy and Richard Traylor

Images via Adobe Stock

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From raising cows to growing veggies: ranchers go vegan - Inhabitat

Vegan diet: Try these 3 recipes based only on plant ingredients to give your health a boost  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi:A vegan diet is known for the many health benefits it offers. Many people, around the world, now follow not only the vegan diet but also a vegan lifestyle in order to stay healthy and protect the environment. People who follow veganism do not consume any foods that are animal-based or derived from any animals. They also do not use products that contain any animal-based ingredients or products, or even cosmetics that are tested on animals.

Veganism has been touted as a wonderful, healthy lifestyle by many experts. A recent study also highlighted that the vegan diet, is in fact, a better diet plan for weight loss and heart health than the Mediterranean diet. If you wish to follow a vegan diet and do not know where to begin, here are some vegan recipes shared bySheryl Salis, registered dietician and certified diabetes educator.

Vegan chocolate banana muffins

Makes: 12 Muffins

Ingredients:

Method:

Serve: 2

Ingredients:

Method:

For Alfredo Sauce:

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Method:

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

Get the Latest health news, healthy diet, weight loss, Yoga, and fitness tips, more updates on Times Now

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Vegan diet: Try these 3 recipes based only on plant ingredients to give your health a boost - Times Now

Courtesy

No product is truly vegan unless certified so. It's true: Although a canvas sneaker may be made from 100 percent cotton atop a rubber outsole, animal byproducts lurk in the bindings, glue and other elements that hold a shoe together. It's why Blundstone, for example, didn't release a vegan boot until 2021.

It has taken us some time. Ill be really honest, Blundstone CEO, Adam Blake told us. Partly why is because of our own principles, and our own considered nature by which we go about developing new products We were not going to come to market at all unless we could stand by that it was 100-percent tested and verified as vegan. That sounds very obvious, but, trust me, thats not the approach all brands take.

Excluding materials like fur, leather and wool is the first step for most brands considering going animal-free and offering a vegan iteration. But ensuring the materials outsourced factories use to assemble the boots or sneakers are aligned is another process entirely. Plus, stricter definitions of veganism exclude products tested on animals, too. For the sake of animals everywhere, vegan shoes are a smart alternative, but if you're simply looking to be more sustainable, former Gear Patrol staffer Tanner Bowden says, you need to be more considerate of which vegan shoes it is you buy.

"If lessening animal cruelty is the primary motivation behind your veganism, these shoes achieve that goal. But if general sustainability is the aim and nearly every vegan shoe comes with a message that it's greener and better for the environment the situation is messier," he writes. "The problem is that faux leather and fur are often made of synthetic, petroleum-based materials like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyurethane (PU). Essentially, they're plastic. Technically, the cheap plastic-and-foam flip flops that wash up on beaches around the world are 'vegan.' Plus, in pursuing a degree of similarity that'll make people want to wear these shoes, companies often apply harmful chemicals that make them look and bend and wear just like the real deal."

It's best to look for an FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification, or another accreditation by an outside source.

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Made in USA 990v5 Vegan Friendly

New Balance introduced its first-ever vegan sneaker in January 2021. It doesn't look all that different from its other gray suede designs, but it doesn't employ any animal products. It's also priced pretty fairly considering it's both more niche and less of a bulk product.

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Wallabee Vegan

Clarks' first-ever vegan boots they released Wallabees and Desert Boots arrived in August 2021. The pairs feel about the same as the traditional iterations, but the vegan ones come with a small leaf stamp that signifies they're animal-free.

Original Vegan Chelsea Boot

Blundstone's vegan debut two pairs of Chelsea boots called #2115 and #2116 that became available in October 2021 was an effort rooted in inclusivity. They want vegans to be able to wear their boots, too, so they made them from Grupo Morns onMicro, a microfibre thinner than silk, and onSteam, a microfibre known for being moisture-wicking. Theyre also upfront about the certifications theyve been awarded: Vegan by third party verifier, Eurofins.

Modelo '89 Vegan

Saye uses a mix of synthetics and natural alternatives in order to make its classic-looking Modelo '89 sneaker: corn leather, recycled PU from cars, synthetic rubber, organic cotton, recycled thermoplastics and wood chips.

Arizona Vegan

Birkenstock had to simply switch the strapping on its popular Arizona sandal in order to make it vegan. Instead of leather, Birkenstock uses its proprietary synthetic material Birkibuc, which they describe as "a durable, synthetic upper material with a nubuck leather-like texture and a soft backing."

Club C 85 Vegan

It's smart of bigger brands to convert their classics. Reebok did that with the Club C 85 by making it vegan. Their signature sneaker looks unchanged to the naked eye, but it's free from all animal products.

Legend Sneaker

Seavees' Legend Sneaker is made from recycled cotton canvas uppers, a foam footbed, post-consumer plastic laces and a recycled rubber outsole. It's 100 percent vegan, and every pair sold furthers Seavees' mission of replenishing coastal kelp forests.

Vegan 1460 Lace Up Boots

Dr. Martens was one of the first brands to the punch when it debuted its vegan boot back in 2011. Customers complained of cracking initially, but their designs have gotten better over time. It's hard to tell the difference between these and the traditional iterations.

Samba Vegan

The Samba is one of Adidas' most popular sneakers. As such, like Reebok did with the Club C, the brand made it vegan to cater to the growing number of individuals shopping this way. The new Samba Vegan uses some recycled materials but mostly synthetics in place of leather.

Classic Lace Up

Thousand Fell turns recycled bottles, natural rubber and food waste into classic, Common Projects-referencing lace up sneakers. The simple design comes in a dozen colors, and each is coated with natural elements like aloe vera or quartz to counteract chafing or rain stains.

Vegan Commando Chelsea Boots

No boots are quite as good for trudging around in the mud as Hunter boots. The rubber and polyester construction can stand up to most anything, and the updated Command0 Chelsea pairs well with a variety of aesthetics.

1992 Apple-Leather Chelsea Boots

Instead of strange synthetics, Viron uses alternative leathers made from foods like apple. The exterior of these chelsea boots is 100 percent apple skin leather, while the sole is 100 percent recycled rubber and the liner is entirely recycled PES bio-based content.

V-10 Vegan Sneakers

Instead of an alternative leather, Veja uses a lookalike: treated cotton-canvas. The material looks and acts a lot like leather, and it's more breathable. Plus, the addition of mesh accents makes this shoe even lighter than most other vegan remakes.

Johnny TrekLite Bloom

Made from polyurethane nubuck and rubber outsoles with a microfleece lining, these boots are a hell of a deal at just under $100. Theyre water-resistant as well, meaning you can take them just about anywhere.

Backzip Boot (# GI - 4501 - 20 - 121)

Ground Cover is an emerging independent fashion label that makes everything from rings and plant-dyed T-shirts to bags and boots. The Backzip Boot is made from cactus leather, which the brand sources from Portugal. Plus, "while the cacti's farming process is carbon negative, we have found non-virgin inputs for both the insole and sole: cork and coffee ground waste," the brand says. They keep their footprint to a minimum.

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These Are the Best Vegan Shoes You Can Buy - Gear Patrol

Sam Logan has always been a Siesta Key fan favorite, so when his then-girlfriend Juliette Porter brings back vegan treats for him and non-vegan food for herself we finally figured out just how he stays so toned.

He wont be receiving any more vegan goodies, as the couple have split since filming. There are also unconfirmed rumors circulating that Jordana Barnes is Sam Logans new beau, which fans are seriously divided over.

The billionaire is no stranger to getting his muscley bod out, whether hes chilling at the beach or by the pool. And it looks like veganism could be the key to how he maintains his well-trained physique

Sam has always been open about being vegan, but admitted that he does eat fish occasionally. He was even asked whether his dogs also follow a meat-free diet, to which he said they dont.

He revealed: No, they have short digestive tracts (dogs in general) and I eat fish from time to time. So, most of the time Sam is a vegan, but considering he sometimes eats fish, he would technically be called a pescatarian.

During the March 24th episode, Sam is brought home vegan food by then-girlfriend Juliette, who also bought herself non-vegan treats. A Reddit thread has even been started by fans, who are curious to find out about his veganism.

One thread which asks viewers to tell them everything they know about Sam listed being vegan as one of the first ways to describe him. They wrote: Super rich, works out a lot, eats vegan (funny because Juliette loves junk food).

Most reactions to Sams veganism question whether ex-girlfriend Juliette also followed a meat-free lifestyle. The truth is, she regularly eats meat, but fans have described her diet as loving junk food.

Juliette has been seen eating steak on Siesta Key, but has been assumed to eat less meat than she usually would while she was in a relationship with Sam. A fan made the following guess:

Ive wondered this too. Shes eaten meat in the past, but Ill bet Sam gets her into a semi-veg lifestyle. Maybe not full on, but like Meatless Mondays and things like that.

Juliette has posted stories of her cooking with Sam in the past, which are usually vegan-based! Its no secret that she loves a meat burger though, and is so passionate about it that she shared the below photo

Sam doesnt even need to leave his house to work out, because he spent $4 million on a mansion which boasts his own home gym. He also has a lift, ocean view, sauna and covered balcony overlooking the in-ground pool.

So its not like Sam is ever slacking when it comes to exercise on his doorstep (literally), and has even been seen taking a swim more than once on Siesta Key. The billionaire also stays fit by going snowboarding regularly.

He once told a fan who asked how he always works out early that black coffee is his secret. Sam said:

Ive always been a morning person and sleep with a black coffee by my bed, I dont know really. Once you get in the routine you fall asleep really early, just because youre exhausted from the gym and waking up so early.

From field work at Lakewood Ranch, Florida, to regular swims and walks, the MTV star is always exercising. If hes not busy working out, hes usually driving around in luxury cars or filming for the reality show!

WATCH SIESTA KEY ON MTV EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 8/7C

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Celine is a journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry and the chief staff writer on Reality Titbit. After graduating with a degree in Multimedia Journalism she became a radio newsreader and reporter, before moving into her current role as a reality TV writer.

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If eating vegan is the Key to Sam Logans tasty body then count us in - Reality Titbit - Celebrity TV News

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VEGANZONE, an indispensable "super app" for those who adopt a vegan - vegetarian lifestyle, completed the Beta Process and started its launch in 196 Countries to grow the Vegan Community.

Launched in the World to connect nearly 100 million vegans around the world, VEGANZONE is a super-app platform where plant-based users can enjoy sharing common values, discover nearby restaurants, products, events, news, recipes and people!

Vegan & Cruelty-Free Product Scanner, Vegan Calculator, Nutritions, Nearby Restaurants, Recipes, Vegan News are among its most liked features.

No Vegan in the world will feel alone anymore!

Veganzone is here to make sure everyone who is interested in a plant-based lifestyle feels at home, can ask questions, can learn easily and share their experience because we want Veganism to be accessible for everyone, said Veganzone's Founder & Entrepreneur Murat Aksu.

The app is promoted to vegetarians, too, because so many of them are considering going all-out cruelty-free and turning vegan, and that's why the numbers of vegans across the world is showing a meteoric rise. Veganzone is available free of charge on Google Play Store and App Store. Come and join us! he added.

#3 Best Product of the Month within 2.880 products on Producthunt.com

Veganzone was named the best product of the day, the best product of the week and the third best product of the month, respectively, out of 2,880 products on Producthunt.com in March.

Veganzone was founded in New York in March 2021, by Selin Tuyen, Murat Aksu, and Ogous Chan Ali. Veganzone, which received its first investment from Focus Global Project with a Valuation of $3 million in March, is organizing a new investment round for new investors in February 2022.

VEGANS IN NUMBERS

If the movement maintains its current rate of growth, in ten years time, at least one in five people will be vegan.

A survey conducted for Veganuary found that 32% of Americans plan to eat more plant-based foods in 2022.

Latest estimates claim there are 100 million vegans in the world, and 800 million vegetarians.

The total number of vegans, vegetarians, and all related categories, is close to 14 per cent of the world population - and growing every day.

HIYPERLINK

http://www.veganzone.com

https://www.vegansociety.com/news/media/statistics

https://www.vegansociety.com/news/media/statistics/worldwide

https://thevou.com/lifestyle/2019-the-world-of-vegan-but-how-many-vegans-are-in-the-world/

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VEGANZONE Will Grow Vegan Community in 196 Countries! - Business Wire

The vegan diet, which is a diet free of animal products, has become more popular in recent years, offers potential benefits both for health and the environment, as well as animal welfare.

The vegan diet does not include any animal products. That means no meat, dairy or eggs. Many vegans do not consume honey either due to the practices used that are thought to harm bee health. It can sometimes be tricky to know whether certain foods are vegan. Bagels are one example, and this post helps you better understand whether bagels are vegan.

Consuming a plant-based diet has potential benefits for health, as plant-based foods are rich in vitamins and minerals, heart-healthy fat, and fiber. A body of research supports a diet that includes sufficient plant-source foods for health.

A vegan diet may also benefit the environment, as animal-source foods generally require more resources to produce. Much of agricultural land is used for livestock rearing, and consuming less meat may have a positive environmental impact.

The vegan diet also takes into account animal welfare. Mistreatment of animals on factory farms is one reason vegans cite for deciding not to consume animal products, among others.

There are several nutrients of particular concern when going vegan, and its important to know how to get enough. A vegan diet can potentially be nutrient-poor if you do not consume foods in all of the food groups and rely on a lot of processed snack-type foods.

Some nutrients are not as readily absorbed when coming from plant-based vs. animal-based foods, and its important to be aware of the recommendations for intake.

Of note, it is generally possible to get enough calories as a vegan if you include a mix of high- and low-calorie foods. Plenty of vegan foods contain a good deal of calories, particularly those that are high in fat. Examples are nuts, dried fruit and sesame seeds. This post provides a list of high-calorie vegan foods.

While many vegan foods contain iron, the iron in plant-source foods is not as easily absorbed as that in animal-sourced foods. Thus, the recommendations for iron intake for vegans are almost twice as high as those for people who eat meat. Its important to include foods such as beans, tofu, grains and vegetables like spinach to be sure you are getting the right amount.

As dairy is one of the main sources of calcium in the American diet, vegans need to find alternatives. Some ideas are fortified plant-based milk such as soy or almond milk, as well as leafy greens like collard greens. There are lots of other types of plant-based milk as well, such as oat and macadamia. Its important to read labels carefully, as not all are fortified with calcium. The calorie content also varies quite a bit. Sesame seeds and dried fruit are also sources of calcium.

Vitamin B12 is found in animal products. Vegans can get B12 by consuming nutritional yeast, fortified foods like breakfast cereals and plant-based milk. You can also consider taking a supplement.

There are only a few vegan sources of protein that are considered complete proteins, which means that they contain all of the essential amino acids. Soy is one example, and vegans have lots of options when it comes to soy products, including tofu, tempeh and edamame. Vegans need to be sure to get protein from different sources to be sure they are consuming all of the essential amino acids. Beans and rice is an example of a dish that contains all.

Fish and fish oil are commonly consumed as a source of omega-3 fat and are not included in the vegan diet. Vegans can make sure they get enough by consuming walnuts, flaxseed oil, tofu and chia seeds.

As its important to be sure your diet will be acceptable for you in terms of taste and culture, you can start by taking a look at what you usually eat and consider where you might be able to make substitutions to start consuming more plant-based foods.

For example, if you eat tacos, you can consider substituting meat with a plant-based alternative. I have had some really tasty tacos that were entirely plant-based and involved seitan rather than chicken or beef. To further make your tacos plant-based, you could explore different options for vegan cheese and see how you like the taste.

Youll want to make a plan for your meals based on your preferences and make a shopping list. This will help you to be intentional about your choices in the supermarket.

This list will give you some ideas of foods to purchase in each of the food groups. As vegans do not consume dairy, some vegan alternatives will be listed in this group.

Fruit

Raspberries

Cantaloupe

Pears

Vegetables

Spinach

Green peas

Broccoli

Bell pepper

Grains

Quinoa

Brown rice

Whole-grain bread

Protein

Beans

Tofu

Seitan

Tempeh

Dairy

Soy milk

Almond milk

Soy yogurt

If you are going vegan, its important to plan your diet carefully to be sure youre getting all the nutrients you need. A vegan diet can be nutritionally complete, but it can also be lacking in nutrients if you choose a diet mainly made up of nutrient-poor processed foods such as candy or chips. When shopping, its good to make a list and make sure you purchase foods from all the food groups.

Jinan Banna, PhD, RD, is a registered dietitian and professor of nutrition. She helps working women to lose weight so that they can feel confident and energetic and enjoy food without dieting. She offers free information on weight loss and plant-based eating on her blog, as well as individual and group nutrition coaching.

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Veganism for Beginners - Massage Magazine

One of the only things that seems more timeless than a leather jacket is the debate over the ethics of its iconic material. Leather, mostly made from the hides of cattle and calves, is highly contested in the fashion industry, along with real animal fur and feathers.

Veganism and using fewer animal products, whether in food or in fashion, is often touted as a sustainable solution. However, some industry experts and environmentalists argue that leather is a difficult material to find a high-quality sustainable dupe for. Though consuming less meat and dairy and having a more plant-focused diet has been proven to be better for the environment, consumers can be misled to assume that all things vegan, including pleather, are sustainable.

Most mainstream vegan leathers are largely made from polyurethane leather (PU leather) which is not sustainable or even biodegradable. Tanja Hester, environmental activist, writer, and the author of Wallet Activism says that the idea of vegan leather is just greenwashing.

Its truly just plastic, which is rarely recycled and in vegan leather form its impossible to recycletheres essentially no sustainable vegan leather, she says.

PU leather is a thermoplastic polymer and is mainly used in vegan shoes and furniture. Other vegan leathers are polyvinyl chloride aka PVC leather. Both often come with the threat of micro-plastic pollution due to the amount of energy, water, and chemicals used to produce fake leather materials. The plastics release harmful toxins during manufacturing that can get into the air and into water. Some of the plastics can even release some toxins later when worn down.

[Related: Thrift shopping is an environmental and ethical trap.]

Vegan leathers, especially PU leather, are littered all over fast fashion websites, including brands like Shein that are consistently lambasted for being low quality and unsustainable. The material is easier to make and cheaper than genuine leather because genuine leather requires finding the right animals with the right skin and multiple stages of artisan processes.

Hester says animal-loving consumers should instead search for second-hand, high-quality leather items like boots or bags that can last for years. She says that long-lasting materials are better than cheap vegan leathers that will sit around in a landfill for centuries.

Its understandable that many people are drawn to vegan leather because they care about animal welfare, but theyd certainly make a different choice if they understood that its really just plastic made from petroleum, she says. Its a product that poisons workers involved in its production.

Ana Kannan, the founder and CEO of Toward, an ethical and sustainably-minded luxury shopping marketplace, argues that there may not be any truly sustainable leather option. One is fast-fashion quality and filled with plastics, while the other comes from the pollution-heavy livestock industry. There is no perfect solution to alternative leather, she says, if whats most accessible on the market is made up of plastics. However, some brands have already begun developing solutions to keep pleather out of the landfill once a jacket or purse is no longer used.

Stella McCartney is a great example. Theyre using KOBA, which uses [about] 40 recycled polyester, she says. Theres also the option of regenerated leatherbasically [animal] leather thats been used before.

[Related: What actually happens to the clothes you donate depends on where you live.]

Kannan says she is also excited about plant-based leather. There are several companies including one called Piatex that takes the long fibers of pineapple leaves and felts them together to create the leather-like material. Since pineapple plants are only grown for the fruit, the pineapple-based leather uses up parts of the plant that would otherwise be thrown away.

Libie Motchan, the co-founder of Fulton, a company that makes insoles for shoes using sustainable cactus leather, says that customers often respond to the product with wanting to learn more about the environmental impacts and quality of the sustainable materials.

I didnt realize how much consumers care about it and how much theyre willing to prioritize and ask questions and understand where their products are coming from, she says. Consumer inquiries have led Motchan to test materials for biodegradability and compostability, unlike real leather products that dont biodegrade if processed with chrome or other metals.

Were starting a life cycle analysis of the products I think thatll give us more insight into its end to end of life and impact, she says. We felt there was an opportunity to innovate.

When in doubt, start by shopping in your own closet or buying second-hand before heading out for a new leather jacket, fake or real. If you really need something new, do your research to find something that fits your style and moral codedemand for more sustainable products is the ultimate fuel for better, more environmentally-friendly products.

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Is 'vegan' leather really better for the planet? - Popular Science

DEAR HARRIETTE: I've wanted to become vegan for a few years now, but I still live in my parents' home. My mom has made it clear that she won't cook vegan, but she also gets offended when I say I would make my own meals. She thinks dinnertime is a bonding experience and somehow me choosing to not eat animal products would hinder it. I don't get her perspective, but it's gotten to the point where I'm ready to proceed to veganism even if she disapproves. What should I do? -- Parents Disapprove of Veganism

DEAR PARENTS DISAPPROVE OF VEGANISM: Changing your eating habits while living at home can be extremely difficult. Somehow your choices probably make your mother feel that you are rejecting the food she makes for you. While that is true, in a way, your choice to become vegan is not about her -- it is about you. That's what you need to get across to her. Tell her how much you appreciate her, and assure her that your choice today is not an indictment of her cooking. Point out the foods she cooks that you can eat so she can see that you are not rejecting everything.

Offer to work in the kitchen side by side so that you can enjoy each other's company. Show her that your new eating plan is not a threat to her. Continue to eat together. This will show your mother that dinner remains a special time for all.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm bisexual, and my hometown friends are all openly homophobic. I keep defending LGBTQ+ rights in the group chat, and they make fun of me for it. The environment makes me feel really unsafe, so I haven't told them about my sexuality. Each day, I'm feeling more and more tempted to just drop them and move on. I don't think I can mentally handle knowing they don't accept me. Is it too rash? -- Experiencing Homophobia

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Mom doesn't support reader's veganism | | thetandd.com - The Times and Democrat

Anti-vaxxers in the UK have started to declare themselves vegans on social media, in a bid to avoid any potential compulsory vaccines.

A Twitter thread from the Telegraph stated that companies could not force employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine if they were vegan. The paper cites legal experts who argue that vegans' beliefs are protected by employment law, after a 2020 tribunal concluded that ethical veganism was a protected status.

Because the COVID-19 vaccine has been tested on animals - a legal requirement in the UK and many other countries - some ethical vegans may decide not to get jabbed.

Last week 'veganism' began trending on Twitter, as anti-vax conspiracy theorists joked that they would "become" vegan in order to avoid having to get the vaccine.

Currently, only a handful of companies are requiring that staff be double vaccinated before they return to the office - but it is expected that more organisations will follow suit. Some government ministers have lent their support to companies wishing to enact this policy, while emphasising that vaccines will never be made mandatory by law.

The right-wing political activist and former actor Laurence Fox was among those claiming to be vegan on Twitter. Fox has been a frequent agitator during the COVID-19 pandemic, urging members of the public to break public health guidelines.

After declaring himself vegan, he added, "I will only eat plant-based food and medium-rare sirloin steaks. And chicken, pork scratchings and salami."

However, vegan and animal rights activist groups have countered this social media stir by encouraging all people - including vegans - to get the vaccine if eligible. Their argument is that though the drugs have been tested on animals, this is a legal requirement in many places.

So activists are urging people to take the vaccine, and then channel their energy into campaigning to end mandatory animal testing.

As a scientist working to end animal testing and a vegan, Ill tell you why Ive had both COVID-19 vaccines.

While science is changing, we still live in a world in which companies that make medicines, including vaccines, are required by government agencies to conduct certain tests on animals before they can market their products.

The COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer/BioNTech, Oxford/AstraZeneca, and Moderna that have been approved for use in the UK do not contain any animal-derived ingredients - although animal-derived materials may have been used in the production process.

Its possible that future vaccines will contain animal-derived ingredients. An example of such an ingredient is shark squalene an oil derived from the livers of sharks which is sometimes added to make a vaccine better at stimulating an immune response.

But it will only be possible to know whether a future vaccine contains animal-derived ingredients if and when it is approved for use, and by that point, its likely wed be able to opt for a vaccine that doesnt contain them on ethical grounds.

The goal of being vegan and advocating for animal rights is to bring about positive changes for animals. As long as tests on animals are a legal requirement, refusing to take a medicine on ethical grounds will not help the animals who have already been used in tests or spare any the same fate in the future.

What we need is a change in the law so that animals are no longer required to suffer in tests, which is why PETA and our international affiliates are working with government agencies in the UK and abroad to draw attention to the scientific failings of tests on animals and promoting the development, use, and acceptance of modern, non-animal testing methods.

We recently published a strategy for replacing animals in vaccine development and other biomedical research - which people, vegans and non-vegans alike, can support to help urge governments to end animal testing.

Greater investment in animal-free methods would not only allow scientists in the UK to develop better treatments for human diseases, but also help end the almost unimaginable suffering of millions of mice, rats, dogs, primates, rabbits, fish, and other animals in laboratories.

While vaccines are our best way out of this pandemic, we must look at what got us here in the first place. The link between humans treatment of animals and outbreaks of diseases like COVID-19 is something we continue to ignore at our peril.

Humans insatiable demand for meat, eggs, and dairy means that huge numbers of animals are reared in intensive confinement, within conditions that are breeding grounds for new strains of dangerous bacteria and viruses.

In fact, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has calculated that 75 per cent of all new or emerging infectious diseases originated in animals.

But that's not the only way industrial farming is putting our lives at risk.

Globally, animals on farms consume more antibiotics every year than humans do. These drugs are used by farmers to keep animals alive and, sometimes, promote unnatural growth - and now they are making humans sick. Bacteria become resistant to antibiotics as a result of overuse, and this contributes to the emergence of superbugs.

According to a report commissioned by the UK government, the antibiotic-resistance crisis is predicted to kill one person every three seconds by 2050.

If were to have any chance of preventing future dangerous diseases from emerging and spreading, we must move towards scientific methods, food, clothing, and other products for which no animals are harmed.

So, to prevent animals from suffering and humans from getting sick or dying of COVID-19, please, get vaccinated and go vegan.

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Anti-vaxxers are pretending to be vegan to avoid potential vaccine regulations in the workplace - Euronews

Tell me about Plant Grants.

I hooked up with [vegan cheese brand] Violife because we have a similar philosophy about eating plant-based foods: making them more accessible, affordable, and sustainable for everybody. There are three things that are important to this program. First, of course, is funding. Violife is giving out five Plant Grants, $20,000 apiece, to Black-owned restaurants.

Second, it's about mentorship and knowing how to incorporate plant-based ingredients into recipes. That's where our [partnering] chefsLemel Durrah of Compton Vegan and Laricia Chandler Baker of Can't Believe Its Not Meatcome in because vegan restaurants around the country are getting better and better and people are really taking their time [to make good food].

Third, it's about information. People are becoming more conscious of how they eat and of the effects their diets have on problems like high blood pressure and diabetes. A plant-based diet has been actually proven to reduce these factors in our community, and getting this information into the hands of Black chefs and restaurants will just only expand it.

What do you envision when you dream of a plant-based future, especially in Black communities?

To quote my son, the dream is that we are all happy and healthy. When I ask my son how hes doing, he says, happy and healthy, Dad." That's all we can ask for. That's my dream, that we all are happy and healthy, and that starts with our body and our minds.

Life grows through the food we eat to sustain our bodies, so a plant-based life and balanced diet will only improve our bodies. Plant Grants supports my vision by making a plant-based diet readily and easily available. This grant for Black-owned restaurants, some of which are the heart of their communities, gives them a chance to have an economic infusion, to have chefs [share] mentorship and information, and turn their best dishes into something that's more healthy without compromising the taste.

How have you seen attitudes around veganism culturally shift among men, specifically Black men?

At one point people thought veganism was preppy, but it's shifted and I think hip-hop has helped. You see some of the hip-hop heroes being conscious of their diet and sharing it in their lyrics and in their lifestyles because theres truth to it. There's a truth to it, that on this planet that's full of plants, you could flourish and be nourished from that plant.

There was a point in life where meat was a sacrifice. If your only way to survive is to sacrifice this animal to get you back to a place where you can start farming again, that's an understandable sacrifice. But today we actually breed animals and kill them more for pleasure versus necessity. I think that consciousness is growing and Black men are saying to themselves, Yo, I don't need it. I feel better. I think we are getting away from it being stereotypically uncool to be healthy.

Take our Plant Grants chef Lemel Durrah of Compton Vegan, for example. When you think of Compton, you think about Eazy-E and all the gangsterism, but in the midst of that community, theres a restaurant that's flourishing where people can go and start changing their diet. They're not far from Roscoe's House of Chicken n Waffles or whatever, but there's a choice now, and I think that's only going to grow.

How do you think we can start changing the cultural view of meat as crucial to masculinity and therefore crucial to survival?

A few bits of wisdom: A man is known to be strong, as they say, and that man eats steak for strength. Steak comes from a cow and the male cow, a bull, is a very strong animal that can grow up to around 1,500 pounds and move tons. All the cow eats is grass. All the muscles he has, all the steak, every part of him that we're consuming, is all built from plants. This is the animal we are consuming for strength, but what does that animal consume for strength? Plants.

You're dealing with organic, animated lifefrom a fly to a chicken to a fish, these things are striving to live. In all reality there's nothing that needs to die for a man to live. Everything is provided. I'm here as a living example of over 20 years of not putting dead animals in my body. There's no flaw in not eating meat. I don't have a flaw from it, and I've got children with no flaws from it. When I was young, I wasn't conscious of just how much death that we cause just to try to have a life. We delude ourselves into thinking that the only means of survival is for something else to die.

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Social media platform TikTok is now allowing users to make three-minute videos and Lizzo is using the extra time to savor a vegan chicken sandwich. The musical artists first three-minute TikTok video was dedicated to a vegan hot honey sandwich and fries from Lettuce Feast, a Los Angeles area vegan food truck. Lizzo spent the entirety of the three minutes joyfully eating and praising her vegan meal. When it came to the crinkle cut fries, Lizzo compared them all to that one Dorito thats perfectly seasoned in the bag. Between bites, Lizzo shared that the sandwichwhich replaces chicken with fried mushroomswas perfectly sauced and seasoned. They dont got no respect for nobody making food like this, she jokingly says.

Lizzos first three-minute TikTok video was dedicated to vegan food and given her history of engaging vegan food posts, it will likely not be her last. In the last few weeks, the 33-year-old musical artist has used TikToks one-minute format to create humorous vegan food videos that follow the popular Super Mario Bros. trend on TikTokwhere users post activities overlaid with the soundtrack of the game. In one, Lizzo tackles food from The Fat Vegan, another Los Angeles vegan business, with power-up sounds as she devours various food items such as orange cauliflower (a vegan take on orange chicken), buffalo seitan wings, hot dogs, and Beyond Meat-stuffed burgers. In another one, Lizzo takes on tacos and goes through seven different kindssoundtracked by different levels from Super Mariobefore tapping out.

Lizzo first publicly announced that she was vegan in June 2020 to her then 8.8 million TikTok fansa following that has since grown to 16.6 million on the platform. In a 2017 interview, Lizzo explained that she experimented with being vegan for one year after following a vegetarian diet for seven years. During her first stint with veganism, Lizzo lived in Minneapolis, a city she praises for creative vegan options.

Last year, Lizzo returned to veganism and announced the transition with a video featuring a vegan recipe she uses to cure hangover cravings. So being plant-based and vegan has been pretty easy except for when I am hungover, I used to crave cheesy eggs. So here is my substitute for cravings when youre hungover, Lizzo said, sharing a recipe for a vegan breakfast scramble made with JUST Egg and vegan pepper jack cheese served with a side of crispy maple syrup-glazed vegan bacon.

Lizzo spent a good portion of the last year-and-a-half creating recipes for unique vegan takes on her fast-food favorites and sharing them with her TikTok followers. From Lizzos version of McDonalds McChicken sandwich to vegan ice cream bread made with Ben & Jerrys dairy-free Netflix & Chilld flavor, Lizzo was out to show followers that veganism could be fun and easy.

While Lizzo started with fast-food copycat recipes, she quickly moved on to figuring out fun ways to celebrate vegetables. In April, Lizzo brought vegan Brussels sprout nachos into existence from a daydream. To create the unique dish, Lizzo air-fried the cruciferous veggies, topped them with vegan walnut meat, and generously drizzled them with vegan nacho cheese sauce by Mother Raw. This summer, Lizzo is calling carrots the new It girl and recently created a vegan feast centered around the orange veggie. Lizzos carrot feast included a carrot-based dip inspired by TikToker Nasim Lahbichi, carrot hot dogs, and carrot juice.

When she isnt making her own meals, Lizzo is the first in line to try new vegan foods. Last year, vegan brand Beyond Meat partnered with restaurant chain and food company Golden Krust to give their 30-year-old Jamaican beef patty recipe a vegan makeoverand Lizzo was one of the first people to try it. Im not exaggerating when I say today is possibly the best day of my life, Lizzo said while eating the vegan patties, adding that Golden Krusts version made her homemade Jamaican patties look janky.

The star also makes sure to support her local businesses for important occasions such as New Years Eve and the premiere of Beyoncs musical film Black Is King. For Juneteenth last year, Lizzo shared her multi-day vegan feast she had catered by Black-owned vegan businesses with her TikTok followers. The first day of the celebration featured carne asada tacos and pasta dishes from Compton-based Plate of Hue, followed the next day by chicken tenders, fries, saucy chicken sandwiches, and coleslaw from Lettuce Feast. The musician kept the celebration going with mac and cheese, asparagus, corn, mashed potatoes, ribs, and beans from The Fat Vegan and, on the final day, she scarfed down vegan mozzarella sticks, sandwiches, and cauliflower wings from Orange County, CA-based Munchies Vegan Diner.

Throughout her vegan journey, Lizzo has shared daily food journals, favorite dishes, and unique recipes, along with an unwavering message of body positivity. Love yourself at all stages of your life because you are who you are, Lizzo said in a TikTok video she shared to celebrate her six-month vegan anniversary in October.

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Lizzo's First 3-Minute TikTok Video Is Just Her Eating a Vegan Chicken Sandwich. And We're Here for It. - VegNews

New York is the best state in the United States for vegan dating, according to vegan and vegetarian dating app Veggly. The app recently released new data that shows New York taking the top spot with the highest number of users in relation to population, with 787 users per million.

The second state on the list is Virginia, with the second highest number of users in relation to population at 377 Veggly users for every million people in the state. Following closely behind with 341 users per million is California. The West Coast state also has the most users of any state in the country, with a total of 10,729 Veggly users. The top 10 states for vegan dating also include New Jersey, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.

Launched in 2017 in the Apple App store, Veggly is modeled after dating app Tinder and includes similar features such as the ability to like a potential match, and if that person likes you back, you have a Veg-Match and can start chatting. The app also allows users to sort potential matches by distance, new users, and last online status.

In the last two years alone, Veggly has grown rapidly, now reaching over 450,000 global users, including in Canada, Australia, Denmark, Korea, and Spain. Last year, the app reported that its number of members quadrupled from 3,300 to 12,100 in just six months. This growth is due, in part, to vegan volunteers around the world who have helped translate the app into different languages such as Spanish, German, Portuguese, French, Italian, Danish, Korean, and Polish. However, the US still boasts the highest number of Veggly users in one country, with 78,662. The growth in the US alone has doubled since last year.

The Empire State is the best place to be if youre an American vegan looking for love these days. But its not the only placewe are seeing strong growth across the whole country, with many new hotspots popping up, Veggly founder Alex Felipelli said. Its great to see such a wide spread from east to west, and north to south. Even Texas is on the riseit just missed out on the top 10, ranking at number 11 this time, with 187 users per million. If veganism can grow in Texas, it can grow anywhere.

Earlier this year, Veggly announced that the United Kingdom is the best country in the world for vegan dating for a second year in a row with nearly 700 users per million people in the country. The Netherlands is close behind the UK with the second highest number of users in relation to population (601 users per million people). Germany places third thanks to a strong user base of 46,375, which means there are nearly 560 Veggly users per million people in the country. Spain is fourth with a figure of 435 users per million.

Though the US boasts the highest number of Veggly users, it has a much higher population than the UK (328 million vs 67 million), so it scores lower on the ranking list. Meat-centric Brazil has the second most users overall with over 51,000.

Love the plant-based lifestyleas much as we do?Get the BESTvegan recipes, travel,celebrity interviews,product picks,and so much more inside every issue ofVegNews Magazine. Find out why VegNews is the worlds#1 plant-based magazine by subscribing today!

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New York Is The Best State for Vegan Dating. The Second State Will Shock You. - VegNews