Discounts for IVU World Vegetarian Congress, July 27 - August 3, 2007...and more

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FIRST DEADLINE FOR DISCOUNTS FOR IVU WORLD VEGETARIAN CONGRESS

 

Register early for a discount for the IVU Centenary Congress, Sunday

July 27 - Sunday August 3, 2008. If you register before July 1st,

2007, there is a discount of €50 (approx. UKP34 / US$64); then up to

January 1, 2008, the discount is €40 and until January 30, 2008, it

will be €20. After that, it will be full price:

 

http://www.ivu.org/congress/2008/registration.html

 

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FEATURED SPEAKERS AT IVU WORLD VEGETARIAN CONGRESS – JUL 2008

 

The 2008 IVU World Vegetarian Congress in Dresden, Germany, 27 Jul –

3 Aug, 2008, features many prominent speakers. Here is information on

ONE of them, Vandana Shiva.

 

Vandana Shiva is a physicist, ecofeminist, environmental activist and

author. Her works include over 300 papers in leading scientific and

technical journals.

 

Born to a father who was the conservator of forests and a farmer

mother with a love for nature, Shiva participated in the nonviolent

Chipko movement during the 1970s. The movement, whose main

participants were women, adopted the tactic of hugging trees to

prevent their felling.

 

She is one of the leaders of the International Forum on

Globalization, (along with Jerry Mander, Edward Goldsmith, Ralph

Nader, Jeremy Rifkin, et al.), and a figure of the global solidarity

movement known as the alter-globalization movement. She has argued

for the wisdom of many traditional practices, as is evident from her

book Vedic Ecology that draws upon India's Vedic heritage.

 

In 1993, Shiva received the Right Livelihood Award (also known as the

Alternative Nobel Prize) " ...For placing women and ecology at the

heart of modern development discourse. " Other awards she has received

include the Global 500 Award of the United Nations Environment

Programme (UNEP) in 1993 [2], and the Earth Day International Award

of the United Nations (UN) for her commitment to the preservation of

the planet.

 

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EATING ANIMAL PRODUCTS FUELS GLOBAL WARMING

 

Vegetarian Union Challenges Al Gore and Global Climate Activists to

Acknowledge A Most Inconvenient Truth

 

The Vegetarian Union of North America (VUNA), a network of many

independent vegetarian groups, and the North American arm of IVU,

challenges global warming activists and environmentalists to

acknowledge that eating meat is one of the greatest causes of global

warming. By eating lower on the food chain - ideally, an-all-plant-

based diet -- humankind can take an essential and enormous step in

reducing global warming.

 

" Al Gore and climate activists have consistently failed to recognize

one of the most inconvenient truths of our time: that animal

agriculture and animal product consumption on a global scale is

perhaps the greatest (anthropogenic) cause of global warming today, "

said Saurabh Dalal, president of VUNA. " Given a personal choice

between helping to save the planet and consuming animal products, too

many people who should know better continue to gorge on their chicken

wings and hamburgers. "

 

A 2006 United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report

entitled Livestock's Long Shadow

(www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000448) concludes that global

animal agriculture contributes more greenhouse gas emissions (in CO2

equivalents), an astonishing 18 percent of the total, more than all

forms of transportation.

 

The production of meat and other animal products for food contributes

significantly to the primary global warming gases carbon dioxide,

methane, and nitrous oxide, accounting for 9%, 37%, and 65% of world

totals, respectively. Furthermore, the global warming potential and

effect of these gases is more striking since methane and nitrous

oxide are 23 and 296 times more harmful than carbon dioxide. A

University of Chicago study found that the average American diet,

including all food processing steps, annually produces 1.5 tons of

CO2-equivalent more than a meat-free diet.

 

Yet the media, public officials and even most environmentalists are

failing to make people aware of this inconvenient truth, claims

Richard Schwartz, a VUNA councilor and president of Jewish

Vegetarians of North America. " Animal-based diets are threatening our

planet, said Schwartz. " Every meal, like every trip, is a climate-

change decision. Those in a position to educate the public should

help people understand that their choice of diet is in fact more

significant than their choice of automobile. "

 

For these reasons and more (see BACKGROUNDER, below), VUNA is

initiating a major campaign to urge Al Gore and the environmental

community to transfer the meat from their plates to the center of

their climate change-fighting agendas. " We will also be urging

governments, corporations, educational and religious institutions,

and other already progressive groups to actively promote plant-based

diets and their tremendous benefits while continuing to empower

individuals with information on environmentally affirming choices, "

said Dalal.

 

BACKGROUNDER

 

The world is currently raising over 50 billion farmed animals for

slaughter each year and, in addition to its major impact on global

warming, this is contributing significantly to the destruction of

tropical rainforests and other valuable habitats, rapid species

extinction, soil erosion and depletion and other environmental

threats. Because of its high degree of inefficiency compared to plant

protein production, animal agriculture is disproportionately

depleting the planet's dwindling reserves of fresh water, land, fuel,

and other resources. To make matters worse, the FAO report is

projecting a major increase in the demand for animal products that

will double the number of farmed animals by 2050.

 

This is especially alarming since the Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change (IPCC), a group composed of hundreds of the world's

leading climate scientists, is predicting catastrophic effects if

changes are not made soon, and many noted climate scientists are

warning that global warming may spiral out of control within a decade

if current conditions continue.

 

In addition to the environmental benefits, decades of research

suggest that a population-wide shift away from meat and other animal

foods toward plant foods would drastically reduce heart disease,

cancer, obesity and other chronic degenerative diseases which

currently account for trillions of dollars in global health costs.

Scaling back global animal agriculture would also allow the world's

limited arable land, fresh water and other agricultural resources to

feed hundreds of millions more people.

 

Today eating a vegetarian or vegan diet doesn't mean giving up the

enjoyment of eating. In fact today's vegetarian dishes are every bit

as flavorful as those you'd find on an animal-based diet, if not more

so, and many top chefs now cook without using animal ingredients.

 

Further information on all of the above and more, including links to

other material on dietary connections to global warming, may be found

at the VUNA web site (HTTP://www.ivu.org/vuna/globalwarming )

 

Contacts: Gerry Coffey, Councilor, Vegetarian Union of North America

(VUNA) gmcoffey 256-350-2823 home 256-318-2340 cell

or Richard Schwartz, VUNA Councilor President (718)

761-5876 home 917 576 0344 cell

 

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INTERNATIONAL VEGAN FEST – KARNATAKA, INDIA - 30 SEP–6 OCT

 

From 30 Sep to 6 Oct, the Indian Vegan Society will host the 11th

International Vegan Festival at the RNS Residency in Murdeshwar,

Karnataka, India. For more info, visit the Vegan Festival website

 

http://www.ivu.org/veganfest

 

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VEGETARIAN DIETS AND A HEALTHY WEIGHT

 

Here is an interview with IVU Science Coordinator, Dr Stephen Walsh -

 

http://www.ivu.org/members/council/stephen-walsh.html - author of

`Plant Based Nutrition and Health'.

 

1. Can you please briefly describe a couple studies which suggest

that a vegetarian diet may help people attain a healthy weight?

 

The most usual studies compare vegetarians with non-vegetarians.

Pretty consistently the vegetarians are a couple of kilograms

lighter, and the vegans a couple of kilograms lighter again. A recent

example of this type of study was a paper (International Journal of

Obesity, 2003; 27, 728–734) from the European Prospective

Investigation of Cancer (EPIC) study group in Oxford. A follow up

study of the same group (International Journal of Obesity, 2006; 30:

1389-1396) looked at change in weight over five years and found

thatwhile all dietary groups gained weight with age, the average

weight gain for meat-eaters was 2.1 kg while vegans gained just 1.5

kg. People who changed their diet over the five years to include more

Animal products gained 2.3 kg while those who moved towards a vegan

diet gained just 1.2 kg.

 

2. What aspects of vegetarian diets might explain the beneficial

effect that vegetarian food might have on weight?

 

In the EPIC study high protein and low fibre intake were both linked

with higher weight. Many other studies have supported a role of

higher fibre intake from whole plant foods in avoiding both excess

weight and the associated health complications such as insulin

resistance and diabetes.

 

3. Is it possible that the relatively higher water content of fruits

and vegetables might help people eat less because the water content

decreases appetite?

 

It seems unlikely that the water content directly accounts for the

benefit as soft drinks are associated with weight gain. However, the

lower calorie density of some plant foods (calories for a given

weight/ volume/ amount of fibre) may play a part in reducing calorie

intake: it's easier to overeat doughnuts than apples.

 

4. Being vegetarian is no guarantee that people will attain a healthy

weight. What are the other factors involved in achieving a healthy

weight, and what is the relative importance of each of those factors?

 

The most important factor is physical activity. In the EPIC study,

very active individuals (exercising for at least an hour a day)

showed a weight gain of 1.5 kg while those who were inactive gained

2.4 kg. A combination of a relatively unprocessed vegetarian or vegan

diet and an active lifestyle provides a sound strategy for avoiding

excessive weight gain in young to middle-aged adults.

 

5. Is there ongoing research into the link between vegetarianism and

weight? If so, what research questions are being investigated?

 

The observed differences in weight between vegetarians and meat

eaters are pretty well established now.

 

What is still in dispute is why these differences occur and what

specific factors linked to a vegetarian diet affect weight. Part of

the difference may simply be that vegetarians can't always lay their

hands on convenient high calorie snack foods when they feel the urge.

Part may simply be that vegetarians are more controlled about their

food choices in general and are more health conscious. Part, however,

is likely to be the relatively high fibre and moderate fat and

protein content of typical vegetarian diets. Ongoing research aims to

clarify the relative importance of these and other factors.

 

6. Is lower weight always better?

 

Anyone with a body mass index (weight in kg divided by height in

metres squared) below 19 would probably be better off being a bit

heavier. The statistics tend to favour a BMI of about 20-25 as best

on average.

 

Lightly built people may be better on the low end of this while

heavier built people may be better on the high end. A

substantial " spare tyre " of fat around the stomach is always a bad

sign but so is being scrawny: " size zero " is far from ideal for

health.

 

We should also be aware that in the elderly weight loss can be a

bigger threat than weight gain. Older adults should be careful to

ensure that they consume sufficient food and should emphasise protein-

rich foods such as oats, soya products, beans, peas and lentils to

ensure a good protein intake as calorie intake declines.

 

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BACK TO THE FUTURE FOR MARS BARS

 

The maker of Mars bars and other candy has abandoned plans to use

animal rennet in the bars:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6673549.stm

The about face apparently was a result of a campaign led by the UK

Vegetarian Society. Thus, Mars bars have returned closer to what we

hope to see if the future: a world where our fellow animals are not

killed for human food.

 

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FUND-RAISING OPPORTUNITY FROM VEGDINING

 

VegDining - http://www.vegdining.com – is a website that contains

restaurant listings and other information of interest to vegetarians

and meat reducers. From now until the end of October 2007 (World

Vegetarian Month), if you have an active, purchased VegDining Card or

VegDining login account, you can nominate any two vegetarian groups

that you'd like us to support.

 

Groups will receive $1 US of support for each nomination received, up

to a maximum of $5,000 US per group.

 

Groups will receive support in the form of one or more of the

following:

 

merchandise including VegDining Cards, restaurant gift certificates,

books, magazines, or other vegetarian

 

-related items for resale/prize giveaways by the group paid

advertising or sponsorship by VegDining in that group's

newsletter/magazine, other publications, website, events,

etc., cash donations.

 

In addition, VegDining will offer part of the proceeds on every

VegDining Card and login account purchased until October 31 towards

the International Vegetarian Union's (IVU) Regional Development fund,

which assists new vegetarian groups around the world, many in poorer

countries. A minimum of $500 US will be donated by VegDining to

support this very worthwhile program.

 

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POEM – `CALL US BY OUR TRUE NAMES'

 

Here's a poem inspired by a poem by the well-known author Thich Nhat

Hanh titled " Call Me By My True Names " . The author of the poem below

is Shen Shi'an, of Singapore, info.

 

Call Us By Our True Names

 

The last time you ordered me for dinner,

you forgot my true name.

 

I am not some wonton.

Please call me by my true name -

I am " Pig " .

I wish you saw how lovable I was.

You might have given me a personal name too.

Please remember I was killed unhappily,

even as you eat me happily.

For I loved my life, just as you love yours.

 

I am not some nugget.

Please call me by my true name -

I am " Chicken " .

I wish you saw how lovable I was.

You might have given me a personal name too.

Please remember I was killed unhappily,

even as you eat me happily.

For I loved my life, just as you love yours.

 

I am not some burger.

Please call me by my true name -

I am " Cow " .

I wish you saw how lovable I was.

You might have given me a personal name too.

Please remember I was killed unhappily,

even as you eat me happily.

For I loved my life, just as you love yours.

 

I am not some fillet.

Please call me by my true name -

I am " Fish " .

I wish you saw how lovable I was.

You might have given me a personal name too.

Please remember I was killed unhappily,

even as you eat me happily.

For I loved my life, just as you love yours.

 

I am not some foie gras.

Please call me by my true name -

I am " Goose " .

I wish you saw how lovable I was.

You might have given me a personal name too.

Please remember I was killed unhappily,

even as you eat me happily.

For I loved my life, just as you love yours.

 

Before you order me for dinner next time,

please remember my true name.

 

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BLOOD DONATION STAR IS VEGETARIAN

 

Some people mistakenly believe that vegetarian diets lack iron and,

thus, vegetarians are not able to donate blood. Below is an interview

with Mr GOH Joo Heng (goodman48), one of Singapore's

top blood donors.

 

1. How long have you been a vegetarian?

10 years

 

2. What led you to go veg?

I realised it was cruel to shed the blood of other animals to enrich

my own life.

 

3. What kind of veg are you?

Vegan

 

4. When did you first become a blood donor? What kind of blood

donation do you do?

My first donation was during junior college about 15 years ago. I

started donating frequently after becoming a vegetarian. I have

donated whole blood, plasma and platelets. Now, I donate mostly

platelets and occasionally whole blood.

 

5. How many times have you donated blood?

Around 140. 83 times through the blood bank/mobile service and around

60 times platelets at Singapore General Hospital.

 

6. Why do you donate so often?

To save more lives and to return to the universe as much blood as

possible that I have taken.

 

7. Do you worry that donating so often will make you weak?

I don't feel weak so there is no reason to worry. I monitor my

haemoglobin level and serum iron store. So far, I have always passed

the haemoglobin level test prior to blood donation. My most recent

haemoglobin level on 8 May 07 was 14.8 g/dl, well above the 12.5 g/dl

required for blood donation.

 

Recently, I also took a serum iron test to make sure my iron store is

ok. The test also turned out to be ok.

 

8. How do you obtain enough iron?

I don't pay particular attention to getting enough iron. A healthy

vegetarian diet will take care of itself.

 

9. Have you ever encountered doctors or others who have counselled

you to eat meat? If so, how did you respond?

No, they don't have a reason to do so, as I rarely need to visit the

doctor, and I've passed all the haemoglobin and iron level tests.

 

My omnivore sister also donates blood, and sometimes she failed the

haemoglobin level test and couldn't

 

donate. When that happened, I asked her to drink vegetable juice and

her haemoglobin level increased and she could donate again.

 

Eating meat to boost the iron level has side effects. Meat is loaded

with pesticides, antibiotics and growth hormones. It can also result

in excessive iron, which is dangerous.

 

10. Have you received any special acknowledgement for your donations?

Yes, the Bronze and Silver Award from the blood bank here in

Singapore. I have clocked 83 times at the blood bank, so I should

receive the Ruby Award soon. My 60 donations at Singapore General

Hospital are not recorded in blood bank database. If they are

included, I am only short of around 10 donations to earn the Champion

of Champions Award, which only a handful of people in Singapore have

achieved. I think the number of people who have earned with award is

less than 20, and they are much older than me.

 

11. Any advice for other vegetarians who want to donate blood?

Those with further queries can post their questions on the donorweb

forum: http://forums.donorweb.org

 

I am the forum moderator there and will do my best to answer the

questions.

 

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WELCOME TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE RECENTLY REGISTERED WITH IVU

 

China

- Tempeh powder supplier in china - http://www.tempeh.info

 

France

- VegiPyrenees - http://www.vegipyrenees.com

 

India

- Center for Inner Sciences - http://www.centerforinnersciences.org

- Cruelty free natural fiber footwear -

http://www.rageshmastercrafts.com

- Bhagouauty Prime Waves - Dr. Harmnder Singh - bhagouauty

 

Ireland

- Mary O'Sullivan - quite-contrary - http://quite-contrary.bebo.com

 

Mexico

- Aroma Leaf - Bio Botanica - http://www.botanica.com.mx

 

Puerto Rico

- Villa Taina, beach apartment - http://www.asiquesi.com

 

Russia

- hippy.ru - http://www.hippy.ru

- GoVeg.ru - Go Vegan! - http://www.goveg.ru

 

Taiwan

- Yo & Li Fine Vegetarian - http://055325888.emmm.tw

 

UK

- Vegetarian Recipes Realm - http://www.recipesrealm.com

- Over the Rainbow Wales – http://www.overtherainbowwales.co.uk

 

USA

- Powdercake girl band - http://www.powdercakeband.com

- League for Earth and Animal Protection (LEAP) -

http://www.leapnonprofit.org

- Dr. Charlotte Laws - Directors of Animal Wefare (DAW) -

http://www.DAWprogram.org

- Book Lovers Cafe, vegetarian cafe and bookstore, Gainesville FL -

http://www.thebookloverscafe.com

- Vegetarian Society of South Jersey (VSSJ) - http://www.vssj.com

- Soychick.com - http://www.soychick.com

- Vegetarian Foodie - http://www.vegetarian-foodie.com

- The Retreat at Washington Lake NY - http://www.wlretreat.com

- Eat at Julia's WA - http://Eatatjulias.com

- RawInTen.com - http://www.RawInTen.com

 

Vietnam

- Caodaism Veg group - Ho Chi Minh City - Nguyen Chi Lan -

nguyenchilan2612

 

 

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Dear Veg Activist

 

Please use this newsletter as a way to share your knowledge, ideas

and

experiences with fellow veg activists.

 

Thx. -–george jacobs – george