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VegE-News for September, 2008

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September 2008

 

 

In this edition...

 

Top Stories Video shows shocking farm cruelty to pigs Shun meat, says UN

climate chief Birthday girl Blanche, 103, says vegetarian diet is key

Health Food-borne illnesses erupt with sickening regularity Farmers

over-reliance on antibiotics affects resistance, says UK organic group Soymilk

vs. cow's milk Bad diet? Too little exercise? The root cause of the diabetes

epidemic could be far harder to avoid.

Environment Wasted food is also wasted water Losing the rainforest Greener

shopping trends contribute to small gains for animals Climate issues heat up

Australian menus

Lifestyles and Trends Sensational vegan weddings Growing numbers say diet

should reflect the divine Vegetarian set to lead Israel Vegan wines

Animal Issues and Advocacy Moving beyond the rhetoric of apology in animal

rights Life the size of a sheet of paper Getting active on World Farm Animals

Day U.S.: Win for farm animals - factory farming practices ruled not humane

Are They Serious? Unfortunately Yes Eat British veal with a clear conscience,

says RSPCA

Of Note

Please help support VegE-News!

 

 

 

We'll say thanks with a special gift.

Don't forget to visit:

(Excerpts are included from current news stories. Click on the " Full story " link

to read the full article.)

Top Stories

Video shows shocking farm cruelty to pigs

Full story: News.com.au, Australia

 

Undercover animal activists have filmed horrific scenes of cruelty to farm pigs.

The incidents include workers slamming piglets on floors and leaving them still

wriggling to die, beating animals to death with metal rods and inserting rods

into sows' hindquarters. Activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of

Animals (PETA) posed as workers between June and September this year at a farm

in the midwestern U.S. state of Iowa, the Associated Press (AP) reports. The

video shows a worker viciously beating pigs with a metal rod while shouting to

one of the PETA spies: " I hate them. These (expletives) deserve to be hurt.

Hurt, I say! " " Hurt! Hurt! Hurt! Hurt! ... Take out your frustrations on 'em, "

the employee yells as he swings the rod. Workers are also shown slamming piglets

on t he ground, to instantly kill those that aren't healthy enough. However, the

video displays piglets surviving the treatment and lying wiggling in a bloodied

pile. . . " Abuse on factory farms is the

absolute norm, not the exception, and anyone eating factory-farmed meat is

paying to support it, " PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich said to AP.

News.com.au, Australia - September 17

Related:

Video

PETA

PETA: More oversight needed in livestock industry

Chicago Tribune (September 18)

This time, PETA deserves to hog the spotlight

Dubuque Telegraph Herald, IA, U.S. (September 21)

Kathy Freston: Help stop cruelty to animals

Quote: This video brought me to tears, but I'm glad I watched it. It reminded me

that I should keep prodding myself to stay awake and aware of abuse and

injustice. The truth hurts, but it can also heal - if we take it personally and

take steps to make a difference. Huffington Post (September 20)

 

 

Shun meat, says UN climate chief

Full story: BBC

 

People should consider eating less meat as a way of combating global warming,

says the UN's top climate scientist. Rajendra Pachauri, who chairs the

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Dr Pachauri has just been

re-appointed for a second six-year term as chairman of the Nobel Prize-winning

IPCC, the body that collates and evaluates climate data for the world's

governments. " The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that

direct emissions from meat production account for about 18 per cent of the

world's total greenhouse gas emissions, " he told BBC News. " So I want to

highlight the fact that among options for mitigating climate change, changing

diets is something one should consider. . . I'm not in favour of mandating

things like this, but if there were a (global) price o n carbon perhaps the

price of meat would go up and people would eat less, " he said. " But if we're

honest, less meat is also good for the health, and would also at the same time

reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. "

BBC - September 7

Related:

Give up meat for a day a week: Climate expert

Quote: " In terms of immediacy of action and the feasibility of bringing about

reductions in a short period of time, it clearly is the most attractive

opportunity. " - Sydney Morning Herald, Australia (September 9)

Meat: Making global warming worse

Quote: So, that addiction to pork and beef isn't just clogging your arteries;

it's flame-broiling the earth, too. - Time Magazine (September 10)

Dinner's dirty secret

New Scientist - pdf (September)

Going veggie can slash your carbon footprint: German study

AFP (August 26)

Canada: Liberal leader makes a leafy green shift during election campaign

Quote: In an interview, Mr. Dion said he eats “very little” meat because of the

environmental toll of livestock production. - National Post, Canada (September

8)

Fighting global warming with food

Environmental Defense Fund

Global warming resources/links

International Vegetarian Union

 

Birthday girl Blanche, 103, says vegetarian diet is key

Full story: Bridlington Free Press, UK

 

In 1905 Einstein published his theories on relativity, the Russian revolution

began, and Blanche Mannix was born. Canadian-born Blanche turned an incredible

103-years-old [August 20] and enjoyed celebrating the special occasion with

close friends. Blanche is as independent as people half her age, regularly

walking into town with the aid of a stick and even shopping for herself. She

puts her longevity down to her meat-free diet. " I am a life-long vegetarian and

have never been interested in meat, " said Blanche. " I have lived 103 years on

vegetables so I don't think I've done bad. "

Bridlington Free Press, UK - August 21

Related:

Veggie retirees fare well in Germany

Deutsche Welle, Germany (July 30)

 

Health

 

Food-borne illnesses erupt with sickening regularity

Full story: Toronto Star

 

[A tainted-meat listeria bacteria outbreak has recently killed 18 Canadians, and

sickened many more.] Outbreaks of food and water-borne illness are far too

common. The World Health Organization estimates that up to 30 per cent of people

in so-called developed countries will suffer each and every year. That's a lot

of sick people. [Governments and companies] can be better. [For example:] Warn

pregnant women and others at risk from listeria in deli meats[our emphasis]: My

wife is six months pregnant and she hasn't had deli meats or smoked salmon or

other refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods for six months. That's because the

bacterium listeria is fairly much everywhere, difficult to control, and grows in

the refrigerator. It also causes stillbirths in pregnant women, who are about 20

times m ore likely to contract the bug than other adults. The advice [for

pregnant women] from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control is clear: Do not eat

hot dogs, luncheon meats, or deli meats,

unless they are reheated. It has been documented that many pregnant women are

not aware of the risks associated with consuming refrigerated, ready-to-eat

foods like cold cuts.

Toronto Star - August 26

Related:

Canada's food agency can't force meat plants into 'aggressive cleaning'

Canada.com (September 10)

Anger, promises greet exposé on Canada's food safety loopholes

Toronto Star (September 25)

Parents feel betrayed after baby, stricken with listeriosis in the womb, dies

CBC (September 24)

Listeriosis from cheese may have caused miscarriage in Quebec, Canada

National Post (September 10)

Listeriosis struck pregnant woman despite precautions

Quote: It seems pregnant women are unaware that they should avoid not only

unpasteurized dairy products, but all soft cheeses, whether they are pasteurized

or not. - Vancouver Sun (September 24)

Australia: Listeria contaminated chicken recalled in four states

News-Medical, Australia (September 23)

Bans on Chinese dairy goods spread across globe

Toronto Star (September 25)

 

Farmers over-reliance on antibiotics affects resistance, says UK organic group

Full story: FoodProductionDaily.com

 

UK farmers and veterinary surgeons are giving antibiotics to animals often to

prevent rather than treat disease, which is contributing to the problem of

antibiotic resistance through food, claims a UK organic group. Antimicrobials

are chemicals such as antibiotics used in veterinary and human medicine.

Resistance to antibacterials in animals is rising, meaning that the risk of

animal-based food becoming contaminated is higher. At the same time,

antimicrobials are also becoming less effective in fighting human infections.

The Soil Association claims that an over-reliance on antibiotics in farming is

resulting from the need to to control potential disease problems in crowded

envir onments.

FoodProductionDaily.com - August 14

 

Soymilk vs. cow's milk

Full story: E/The Environmental Magazine (scroll down)

 

Famed pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock, in the last edition of his best selling

Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care, argued that cow's milk was for baby

cows not human children, suggesting that it may be a factor in childhood onset

diabetes and in kids' respiratory and ear problems. He encouraged mothers to

give infants only human breast milk and to consider soy and rice milk products

for older kids. Chief among available alternatives to cow's milk is soymilk,

which has about the same amount of protein but much more fiber than cow's milk.

In striking contrast with cow's milk, soymilk actually reduces the body's

cholesterol levels. It also contains isoflavones, natural plant hormones that

act as antioxidants and have been linked to many human health benefits including

t he easing of menopause symptoms, protection against prostate problems, better

bone health and even a reduction in heart disease and cancer risks.

E/The Environmental Magazine (scroll down) - September 21

Related:

Soya beans help to stave off malnutrition in Afghanistan

IRIN - United Nations Information Network (August 28)

Soy has staying power as healthy option

Quote: Consumers in the U.S. are increasingly turning to soy as a healthy choice

as they constantly change their eating habits to improve nutrition, according to

a study from the United Soybean Board. - NutraIngredients Europe (September 23)

 

Bad diet? Too little exercise? The root cause of the diabetes epidemic could be

far harder to avoid.

Full story: New Scientist (pdf)

 

Ask why diabetes is epidemic in the 21st century and most people will point the

finger at bad diet, laziness and obesity. According to a small but growing group

of sceintists, though, the real culprit is a family of toxic chemicals known as

persistent organic pollutants, or POPs. If these researchers are right, POPs -

which include dioxins, DDT and PCBs - may be key players in the web of events

that lead people to develop the disease. For most people, POPs are inescapable:

meat, fish and dairy products all contain them. They enter the food chain from

sources such as pesticides, chemical manufacturing and incinerated waste, and

accumulate in animals higher up in the chain. Once in the body, they take up

residence in fat. . . There is perhaps one silver lining. If you need an ext ra

incentive to stay lean, eat less meat [and dairy] and keep active, then knowing

that toxic chemicals lurking in your body fat could be a sure route to diabetes

might just be the motivation you are

looking for.

New Scientist (pdf) - September 13

 

More health news:

Fruit and vegetables cuts risk of disease, study finds

The West Australian (August 26)

Consumer group critical of U.S. guidance on GE animals

NutraIngredients, Europe (September 19)

Omega-3 and soy may protect against pollution harm: Study

NutraIngredients, Europe (September 23)

 

Environment

Wasted food is also wasted water

Full story: IPS

 

The world's growing food crisis is being aggravated primarily by wastage and

overconsumption. In the United States, as much as 30 per cent of food products,

worth some 48.3 billion dollars, is thrown away annually just by households

alone. " That's like leaving the tap running and pouring 40 trillion litres of

water into the garbage can - enough water to meet the household needs of 500

million people, " says the [saving Water] report co-authored by SIWI [stockholm

International Water Conference], along with the Food and Agriculture

Organisation in Rome and the International Water Management Institute in Sri

Lanka. The study also says that wasted food is wasted water because of the large

quantum of water that goes into the cultivation and processing of food

[particularly meat and dairy]. One single hambur ger accounts for an estimated

2,400 litres of water; one kilogramme of beef consumes 15,000 litres of water;

and one kilogramme of cheese absorbs 5,000 litres of water. [beef

takes over 200 times the water of most vegetables; chicken over 30 times.]

IPS - August 21

 

Losing the rainforest

Full story: MSNBC

 

Amazon deforestation jumped 69 per cent in the past 12 months - the first such

increase in three years - as rising demand for soy and cattle pushes farmers and

ranchers to raze trees, officials said. Some 3,088 square miles of forest were

destroyed between August 2007 and August 2008, according to the National

Institute for Space Research, or INPE, which monitors destruction of the Amazon.

The Amazon region covers about 1.6 million square miles of Brazil, nearly 60 per

cent of the country. About 20 per cent of that land has already been deforested.

MSNBC - August 30

 

Greener shopping trends contribute to small gains for animals

Full story: Montreal Gazette

 

Call it the greening of North America. In most every department store there are

clothes made out of sustainable bamboo or organic cotton. In grocery stores

there are shelves of organic products and produce. The 400-plus eateries managed

by the California-based Bon Appetit chain has begun a sustainable food program

that is a marriage of enlightened food use and sustainability. Realizing that

livestock operations produce 18 per cent of worldwide greenhouse emissions, the

company decided to move away from use of industrially raised meat with the goal

of reducing meat consumption. At Whole Foods Market, vice-president Margaret

Wittenberg has been working on meat standards for the last eight years, looking

for a way to rate meat based on animal-welfare protocols. The company has

brought forward the first such graded system for meat that goes well beyond

selling meat without antibiotics or hormones. The rating, created with the help

of animal-welfare groups, scientists and

producer s, will give a four, for example, when animals have continuous access

to pasture.

Montreal Gazette - September 13

 

Climate issues heat up Australian menus

Full story: Brisbane Times, Australia

 

Climate change is not only a pertinent issue for anyone mindful of the

environment, but also an opportunity for a serious recruitment drive by

vegetarians. Brisbane Vegetarian and Vegan Society spokeswoman Maureen Collier

said she would try to take advantage of increased awareness of climate change.

" We are hoping that once people realise the effect that a meat-eating lifestyle

is having on the environment, they will think more seriously about a vegan or

vegetarian lifestyle, " she said. Mark Tracy, owner of popular West End vegan

cafe The Forest, said he had noticed a change in attitudes among his clientele.

Most still became vegetarians because of animal cruelty but " the cost to the

environment is now a close second. "

Brisbane Times, Australia - August 24

 

Lifestyles and Trends

 

Sensational vegan weddings

Full story: VegNews Magazine

 

From the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains to the sun-dappled City by the Bay,

vegan weddings are becoming the new standard for progressive would-be marrieds.

Meet eight modern couples who blended their ethics with their nuptials with

lovely - and delicious - results. 2008 marks VegNews Magazine's eighth year

showcasing breathtaking vegan weddings, each one as unique as the brides and

grooms who host them. VN editors have confirmed that pulling off a sensational,

crowd-pleasing celebration that doesn't involve compromising values is no longer

the challenge it once was. Today, the toughest questions for couples planning

their perfect vegan wedding are of the mouth-watering variety, such as, " Do you

prefer a layer of Chocolate Ganache or Raspberry Mousse in the Fudgy Chocolate

Cake? " or, " Did we order enough Lemon Risotto Balls? " [You can check out all

the featured weddings and the fabulous menus at the link.]

VegNews Magazine - August

Related:

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's get married - vegan style!

Ecorazzi (August 19)

 

Growing numbers say diet should reflect the divine

Full story: USA Today

 

When Marilyn Lorenz talks about living out her Catholic faith in daily life, she

starts by describing what's inside her refrigerator. The produce is grown on

nearby farms, and the milk is organic and hormone-free. Meat comes from a local

farmer who lets his animals graze freely and doesn't use antibiotics. " Packing

animals in factory farms, I think, is against God's wishes, " says Lorenz, who

changed her shopping and eating habits after a speaker at her parish broached

the issues in 2007. In bringing faith to bear anew on diet, Lorenz is among a

growing movement of believers from various traditions who are exploring how to

better reflect their moral values in the ways they eat. . . Despite hurdles,

mission-minded eaters aren't giving up on neighbors who don't seem to share thei

r passions. Since last November, Jewish Vegetarians of North America has given

away almost 20,000 copies of a new DVD, A Sacred Duty: Applying Jewish Values to

Help Heal the World, which promotes

vegetarianism as an antidote to environmental and moral crises. The challenge

now, says President Richard Schwartz, is to get his fellow Jews to stop " dodging

the issue. "

USA Today - September 8

Related:

What would happen if churches and government promoted veganism?

All-creatures.org

 

Vegetarian set to lead Israel

Full story: CBC, Canada

 

Tzipi Livni, 'born-again moderate' and new Kadima leader, aims to restore

integrity to Israeli politics. Opinion polls continue to cast her as one of the

most popular politicians in the country and the only one capable of challenging

a comeback by former right-wing Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Tall,

striking and intense, Livni is sometimes labelled cold or aloof, an ice queen.

But she's also an animal-loving vegetarian, a former spy and a mother of two.

She loves The Age of Aquarius and recently took up drumming. She also happens to

be the daughter of heroes of the Zionist movement. But perhaps most importantly,

she has managed to sell herself as one of the few politicians capable of

restoring integrity to the corruption-laden corridors of Israeli politics.

CBC, Canada - September 16

 

Vegan wines

Full story: Times, UK

 

Once cranky, now mainstream, vegan and vegetarian-approved wines are

increasingly being sought by drinkers. Part of the problem is that vegan and

vegetarian wines often don't include this information on the label. Equally,

very few outlets take the trouble to flag up the wines on their lists that do

pass muster. Even specialist wine merchants appear hazy about what constitutes a

vegetarian or vegan wine, and do not press their wine producers for complete

clarification. Vegetarian wine rules allow casein, the main protein in milk, to

be used to fine and clarify wine, along with albumin, or egg white, routinely

used to filter fine red wines such as claret and rioja. Vegan-approved wines ban

casein and albumin, plus other animal products including old-fashioned fin ing

agents such as dried blood powder and isinglass (derived from sturgeon and other

fish). Gelatine, a very effective fining agent, is banned by both vegetarian and

vegan wine producers, who prefer to use

bentonite, a special clay, to fine their wines. Merchants always point out that

once wines have been fully fermented and bottled, only minuscule trace elements

of these agents are left, but to many vegans and vegetarians this is not a

comfort. The good news is that labels are increasingly becoming more detailed

and specific about the fining and filtering agents used.

Times, UK - August 30

 

Animal Issues and Advocacy

Moving beyond the rhetoric of apology in animal rights

Full story: Poultry Press

 

The apologetic mode of discourse in animal rights is epitomized by the " I know I

sound crazy, but . . . " approach to the public. If we find ourselves

" apologizing " for other animals and our advocacy on their behalf, we need to ask

ourselves why. Is it an expression of self-doubt? A deliberate strategy? Either

way, I think the rhetoric of apology harms our movement tremendously. Following

are some examples of what I mean. [The article goes on to list many eye-opening

examples.] . . . If we feel that we must apologize, let us apologize to the

animals, not for them.

Poultry Press - Summer 2008

 

 

Life the size of a sheet of paper

Full story: Huffington Post

 

What is a sheet of paper? For my writer husband, a sheet of paper signifies a

myriad world of stories to tell, for a first grader it may represent a canvas

for great art, but for most chickens in California, a sheet of paper represents

home. That is because egg-producing chickens spend their entire lives in barren

conditions, several chickens cramped in a cage with personal space that is

smaller than an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. These chickens cannot spread their

wings or do anything else that comes naturally to them like pecking or grooming

or acting like, well, chickens. Battery cages are cruel and unusual punishment

for creatures who did nothing to deserve such treatment. The same is to be said

for pigs in gestation crates and baby cows in veal crates.

Huffington Post - Augst 13

Related:

Protesters raid farm to highlight plight of chickens

Maitland Mercury, Australia (September 23)

Chickens saved by first grader expose hatching project horrors

Quote: Among those class assignments which seem harmless to many at first

glance, but cause more damage than good – including zoo field trips and animal

dissection labs – is the hatching of chicks to teach the life cycle. - Farm

Sanctuary

 

Getting active on World Farm Animals Day

Full story: American Chronicle

 

With the number of land animals raised and slaughtered for food worldwide every

year now exceeding 50 billion (and still growing), there's never been a more

critical time to speak out for the voiceless. Animal activists around the globe

work tirelessly to raise awareness, of course, but events may reach a peak on or

around October 2 - World Farm Animals Day. Marking the birthday of Mahatma

Gandhi, an outspoken advocate of compassion for animals, World Farm Animals Day

mobilizes activists in all 50 U.S. states and two dozen other countries.

Participants include animal advocacy groups and individual activists; anyone who

cares about animals is encouraged to join this global outcry against cruelty.

Launched in 1983, World Farm Animals Day is an international ca mpaign of FARM

(Farm Animal Rights Movement). [Check out the info on Farm Sanctuary's Walk for

Farm Animals in the 'Of Note' section.

American Chronicle - August 21

 

U.S.: Win for farm animals - factory farming practices ruled not humane

Full story: Celcias

 

In late July, the New Jersey [state] Supreme court ruled that factory farming

practices cannot be considered humane just because they are commonly and widely

used. The lawsuit, brought by Farm Sanctuary along with a coalition of groups

began in 2004 after the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NDJA) gave blanket

protection to all commonly used agricultural practices regardless of whether

they constituted animal cruelty. This is a big win in the fight for more humane

treatment of animals and sets a legal precedent for cracking down on factory

farming abuses despite that many states exempt " routine " practices from their

cruelty codes.

Celcias - August 14

Related:

Video: Farm to fridge. The transformation of animals into food

Mercy for Animals

EU wants to improve animal welfare in slaughterhouses

EU Business (September 18)

Slaughter proposals hailed as boost to animal welfare

Eurogroup for Animals - pdf (September 17)

A visit to Farm Sanctuary

National Post, Canada (August 8)

 

Are They Serious? Unfortunately Yes

Eat British veal with a clear conscience, says RSPCA

Full story: The Independent, UK

 

Animal-rights groups have been campaigning to get it off the menu for decades,

but now, in an abrupt U-turn, they are clamouring for veal to come back to

British dining tables. The RSPCA and Compassion in World Farming are trying to

redeem the meat in the eyes of UK consumers - most of whom now view veal as the

ultimate ethical no-no. Last year around 260,000 young, male dairy calves were

condemned as " waste products " in the UK, as they don't produce milk and are

rarely used for beef due to their low muscle tone. These animals are either shot

at birth or exported to the Continent. However, the RSPCA and CIWF have been

criticised by fellow animal-rights groups PETA and Viva!. " While the plan is

well-intentioned, the answer to saving calves from long-distance transport,

confinement in cruel, tiny crates, and slaughter soon after birth doesn't lie in

encouraging consumers to eat more British meat, " said a PETA spokesperson.

" Anyone who is concerned about the welfare of veal

calves should dump dairy [our emphasis] and go vegan. "

The Independent, UK - August 17

 

Of Note

A note for veggie organizations and members

If you are a vegetarian organization that would like to discuss having your own

customized version of VegE-News, let us know. We are pleased to produce

customized versions of VegE-News for the Australian Vegetarian Society,

Vegetarians of Alberta, Toronto Vegetarian Organization, and Winnipeg Vegetarian

Organization with thier logo, a link to their website and local events listed.

If you are a member of one of those organziations, but not receiving the

customized version, just drop us an email if you would like us to switch you to

the specific list.

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VegE-News recipes

Easy, delicious vegan recipes as well as a wealth of 'going veggie' tips are as

close as the link below!

VegE-News recipes

 

VegE-News note cards

Our six Provençal winter scene note cards make lovely holiday greeting cards

(time flies!). Each has a tasty vegan recipe on the back. Recipes include:

Festive Eggless Nog, Pistachio Stuffed Mushrooms, Squash & Apple Soup, New

Year's Eve Leek, Cashew & Black Olive Penne, Festive Cranberry & Pear Salad,

Apple Pear Sauce. A set of all six is our way of saying thank you for

contributions to VegE-News of $25 or more.

VegE-News note cards

 

Some urge caution when promoting the environmental argument for going veggie

An interview at vegan.com makes the point that " activists must be very careful

when bringing up environmental considerations against meat-eating. That’s

because, as technology advances, factory farms can be less wasteful and less

harmful to the environment. " In the last issue, we also mentioned a thoughtful

piece from Matt Ball of Vegan Outreach urging caution for vegatarians and vegans

using the environmental argument to further the cause, however valid or

heartfelt it may be. For one thing, it may result in more chickens being killed

as people, with good intentions, resolve to " do something. "

Vegan.com audio link - Coming soon: Methane-free cows?

Vegan Outreach article - Global warming, human psychology, and net impact for

animals

 

New sports diet site seeks your feedback

In the wake of the Olympics and the scary example set by Michael Phelps (surely

that diet will catch up with him!) EatForSports.org speaks to ordinary people

about the foods that are best for optimal athletic performance and longevity of

athletic activity. The site refers visitors to food literature by trained

experts. A Responsible Policies for Animals initiative, the site was started in

response to a request from a particular high school, but they're looking for

feedback and interest to see if they should expand it. Let them know what you

think.

www.EatForSports.org

 

Vegetarian Week - October 1-7

The week kicks off with World Vegetarian Day on October 1. Falling within the

week are World Farm Animals Day October 2 and World Animal Day October 4.

Actually, there's a whole month of activities planned around the globe,

culminating in World Vegan Day November 1. Check out events on the International

Vegetarian Union's website and contact John Davis, IVU Manager, to add more!

World Vegetarian Month - world events - IVU

Contact IVU

Vegetarian Week website - European Vegetarian Union

World Farm Animals Day

 

Farm Sanctuary's Walk for Farm Animals

Walk for Farm Animals events are held every fall, on or around World Farm

Animals Day (October 2), in cities and towns across North America. The Walk not

only promotes awareness about inhumane factory farming practices, but also

raises vital funds for Farm Sanctuary's life saving work.

Walk locations

 

Austrian animal rights prisoners released!

Many of VegE-News' readers have followed the plight and protested the

imprisonment of the Austrian animal rights activists. Good news - on September

2, the senior prosecution office ordered the immediate release of the nine

activists who were still imprisoned. Their imprisonment in Austria's maximum

security prisons, with no charges or evidence of criminal activity, provoked

worldwide protests. It contributed to the scheduling of new parliamentary

elections on September 28th, with the activists' leader Martin Balluch a leading

candidate of the Green party. Visit Austria's Association Against Animal

Factories for more information. Also check out the EVANA (European Vegetarian

and Animal News Alliance) interview with the president of the Vegan Society

Austria.

Association Against Animal Factories

EVANA interview

 

A voice for the voiceless in elections

Elections are coming up in many countries. In Canada, the World Society for the

Protection of Animals (WSPA) surveyed Canada's party leaders to find out how

they feel about animals and how they would help animals if elected on October

14th. You can view the results at the link below. With some investigation at

websites, all-party meetings, etc. you can find out where your candidate stands.

Vote for Animals

WSPA Canada

WSPA International

 

Note: Whenever possible, stories are linked to the original

source. Some sites may require registration, and/or not archive the stories. All

links were active at the time of publication. Follow these links to

or to the VegE-News.For more information about this

newsletter, contact: VegE-NewsClick here to view the VegE-News archives.Prepared

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Enjoy life and smile.

 

 

 

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