Kids are better than adults at all sorts of things; they ask more questions, they play without feeling self-conscious, and theyre way better at living in the moment. According to childrens book author Ruby Roth, they may just be vegan at heart, too.

Roth has written a number of books for children, from the healthy-eating focused V Is For Vegan to her new release Bad Day, which aims to help children manage their inner lives and feelings. In her view, when it comes to living a plant-based lifestyle, kids just get it.

The motivesespecially around animals, nature, and the environmentmake perfect logical sense to them, she told LIVEKINDLY.I believe theyre simply closer to our primal state of sensing that we ourselves, are nature.

In fact, when many children are introduced to the concept of not eating animals because its better for them and for the planet they often wonder why everyone isnt on board already.

Because, arguably, it makes perfect sense. Eating plant-based foods will mean far fewer animals are slaughtered, it could significantly reduce the risk of disease, and it will help to reduce our impact on the environment.

The reason adults sometimes struggle, says Roth, is because of conditioning. Kids arent bogged down in the concept of tradition or needing to eat a burger specifically made out of beef to enjoy life, she says. Ive found that when giving kids the information they need to make educated choices, they choose wisely.

So thats what Roth does. She takes what she knows about living vegan, and she translates it into a language that children can understand. Using thoughtful, lively text and artwork.

Thats Why We Dont Eat Animals teaches children about factory farming. And it connects. In fact, the book has become the leading vegan kids title around the world, used by parents and teachers alike. Theres also Vegan Is Love, which covers not only food but how our clothing and entertainment choices impact animals and the planet.

I was teaching art at an elementary school when my students noticed I wasnt eating the string cheese and drinking the milk they were served at recess, Roth explained. She began searching for a book to share with them to help them understand, but had no luck.

What I did find was about a talking animal or vegetable,she recalls.Which I felt took away from both the very rich real-life emotional lives of animals as well as the intelligence of children, who can handle much more substantive content.

An art-lover, Roth decided to fill the gap herself. Books are impactful, she says, and they can change the way a child thinks, or help them to vocalize how they think already. A book on a shelf can be a go-to resource over and over again for a kid seeking place or comfort or understanding, she notes.Before they even have the words to tell you.

Its not just young children, either. Older elementary-age students and high-schoolers are often interested in information that feels a little rebellious or counter-cultural, says Roth, so veganism piques their interest.

I find that when you speak frankly to 4th graders and up, they really pay attention,she explains.Theyre way more perceptive than adults give them credit for. They like the trust given in an open and honest conversation.

Roth went vegan back in 2003. Since then, the world has changed massively. Now, supermarkets, restaurant chains, and even fast-food giants have their own vegan options. The number of vegans has increased, too; and this means more children are being raised without any animal products at all.

But alongside the rise of the vegan movement, there is the rise of accessible information. Necessary information, but also scary information. In 2018, the United Nations revealed we had 12 years to prevent a catastrophic climate crisis. Were now looking at a decade to save the planet.

The children growing up today will have to deal with this climate crisis, as well as a world dominated by social media and a 24-hour news cycle, on top of their own personal problems. And thats where self-care comes in. Roth believes its really important to teach children about emotional wellness, which is why she wrote Bad Day.

Part of my own ability to sustain my activism requires self-care,she explains.I think we need to teach our littlest ones that their inner lives affect the outer world and vice-versa, so they can live as healthfully as possible.

Anyone raising conscious kids has to supply them with knowledge and teach them to apply their awareness to multiple dimensionsfrom the personal to the public, she continues.If we are working for the greater good, we have to address all our choices, and that includes how we behave emotionally, not just our eating or spending habits.

To purchase one of Roths childrens booksincluding Bad Dayclick here.

Summary

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Why Kids and Adults Love These Vegan Childrens Books By Ruby Roth

Description

Looking for a vegan children's book? Activist and author Ruby Roth has written several books about veganism for kids, focusing on compassionate living and wellness.

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Charlotte Pointing

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LIVEKINDLY

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Why Kids and Adults Love These Vegan Childrens Books By Ruby Roth - LIVEKINDLY

Casamitjana v The League Against Cruel Sports ET3331129/2018

Facts

Mr Casamitjana was an ethical vegan so he followed a vegan diet and opposed the use of animals for any purpose. His former employer, The League Against Cruel Sports, was an animal welfare charity that campaigned against sports such as hunting and coursing. Mr Casamitjana was employed as a researcher. He concluded that his employer's pension funds were invested unethically and took steps to ensure his contributions were invested in an ethical fund. He suspected his colleagues were unaware of the nature of the investments and would be similarly offended. He therefore sent a number of emails to colleagues. He was dismissed for gross misconduct, as he had given financial advice to colleagues in breach of an express and repeated instruction not to do so. He brought claims for indirect discrimination, direct discrimination, harassment and victimisation by reference to his belief in ethical veganism. In order to succeed, Mr Casamitjana had to convince the employment tribunal that his ethical veganism was a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. A preliminary hearing was held to consider this issue.

Decision

The employment tribunal judge held that ethical veganism constituted a philosophical belief and was therefore protected by the Equality Act. The judge applied the test set out in Grainger v Nicholson and decided that the belief was genuinely held, it was a belief as to a weighty and substantial aspect of human life and behaviour, it attained a certain level of cogency, seriousness, cohesion and importance, it was worthy of respect in a democratic society, it was not incompatible with human dignity and it did not conflict with the fundamental rights of others.

This decision has attracted a huge amount of interest but its implications are limited because it is not binding and Mr Casamitjana is a very committed vegan; other vegans would have to prove their belief qualified for the same protection, which is unlikely to happen in the case of those who are health vegans rather than ethical vegans. There is a merits hearing next month to decide whether Mr Casamitjana was dismissed because of his veganism.

See original here:
What's the difference between a vegan and an ethical vegan? - Lexology

It was a clear and icy night at home in Derbyshire last week. I love these times and, before bed, stepped outside to stand on the lawn in the moonless pitch-black and take it in. All at once the dark was pierced with an awful scream. I was not greatly alarmed the rural night is full of strange noises but stood there, puzzling out what it might be.

The scream, almost human, was repeated, and its provenance seemed to be moving from one side to the other of the field adjacent to ours. Could it be a fox? Vixens do make some blood-curdling cries during the mating season but does that start as early as January? Or might it be a foxs victim a hare or rabbit, perhaps, fighting back as the poor creature was carried off or even an owls prey? Might it be the call of some kind of night-bird? But this was a call Id never heard from anything with feathers.

I felt curious, but only mildly so. Whatever creature was calling, this was nature calling. Alone in the dark I was standing in, not outside, nature, and in nature another animal screaming but posing no threat to me was not a matter for alarm. Animals kill each other, usually for food.

But it made me think about veganism. Ive been thinking about veganism a lot recently. Were told this month is -Veganuary, and more people than I can remember are toying with the idea, if only temporarily, of not eating meat. From time to time Ive done so myself. My lodger in the London flat is a serious vegan and I respect him very much for it. Though we carnivores may grumble about veggies and vegans and think them awkward, the fact remains that its a carnivores world, things are organised to suit meateaters, and people who go against that have to put up with endless inconvenience. They are brave.

They also have a point. I cannot pass a lorry full of pigs being carried to the slaughter without wincing. I switched off a radio discussion of slaughterhouses last week, unable to listen. We try (dont we, most of us?) not to think about the millions of animals being killed each week for our tables; and things we try not to think about are so often things were not confident we could justify.

People who take pleasure in confronting vegetarians with whataboutery (What about your shoes? That violin music you bought though its played on a catgut? And thats a leather armchair you just sat in, ha ha etc) infuriate me. Trying to make the best the enemy of the good often masks our own guilt, and I dare say that in the days of slavery, abolitionists were taunted for using sugar that had been grown in slave plantations.

So my instincts towards veganism are sympathetic. I know and understand the case against using animals for our own gratification; I understand, too, how the logic carries you onward to complete veganism, and I dont question that logic.

But as I stood there in the dark hearing another creature scream last week, it was a contrary thought that troubled me. A thought, no more. I wouldnt dignify it with the word argument, in some ways it was more of a feeling, but it was a strong feeling. Isnt using animals bound up with needing them, and bound up with them (cows, sheep, horses) needing us? Isnt mutual need, however red in tooth and claw, something that binds us into nature, makes us humans a kind of animal, living with animals as animals live with us? Might it be an important corrective against the arrogance that goes with believing we are masters of the universe, a race of gods looking down on the world and the natural order in it but not in the complete sense part of it?

One reason I dare not call this an argument or theory is that our whole evolution as a species seems to point towards that destination. We have so mechanised and specialised and compartmentalised food production that some city people have never even seen a cow face to face, and very few people, urban or rural, have ever visited a slaughterhouse. Maybe thats what civilisation, what we call human progress, means. Long gone are the days when every family could keep and slaughter their own pig.

Yet if thats where were going, perhaps we should say so: acknowledge it to ourselves. It will be a world in which nature is no longer something were part of, but something we control. The world will be our garden. The wild will be what we have decided to designate as the wild. There will be humans, and there will be national parks. Will we still want domestic animals at all, when we have no use for them? Maybe we could keep a few in a zoo, or in farmexperience places you could visit.

Shall we let the animals we include in our master-plan hunt and eat each other? Maybe, and we could watch. Or maybe we could require the carnivores among them to eat meat-like proteins manufactured or grown without the infliction of suffering on any other animal. And gradually over the centuries ahead we could turn our world into a planet where we decided these matters.

The irony (as it seems to me) is that vegans and vegetarians have played an early and important and a very creditable part in the movement to abolish or limit old-fashioned zoos and animal-inclusive circuses: and I approve of much in that mission. Yet the same thinking may lead in the end towards the establishment of the biggest and most ambitious zoo in all creation. The zoo will be the natural world, and we shall be the zookeepers.

I turned away from those screams in the dark and returned to the warm. The itch to discover, and perhaps intervene and correct or rescue, had left me.

Original post:
Vegans are brave and they have a point - Spectator.co.uk

Veganuary when an individual goes vegan for the month of January. Now, January is currently in full-swing, but that doesnt mean you cant still try your hand at a vegan diet for the rest of the month or even actually try to make the vegan switch entirely. The team at Hoboken Girlspoke with six local women who have adopted a vegan or plant-based lifestyle to share their top tips + tricks on going vegan and why they chose to do so. Keep reading for their stories and some tips on how you can incorporate more plant-based foods into your life.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only please consult a physician before starting any type of lifestyle change or diet.

Veganism completely changed my life! From the way I eat and consume products to running a vegan business and dedicating my days to spreading the mission.

Ive been vegan since 2010, so a full decade now.

I really believe it is the most compassionate way to live my life. I love the way it makes me feel inside and out.

Getting educated. You need to first understand why you want to make the switch and really solidify the why. You can come back to this motivation when things get hard!

Realizing how many things include animal products. Its not just the cheese or chocolate, its your face wash, your laundry detergent, and most beauty products you own. This realization was what brought me to start The Vegan Warehouse, which takes out all the guesswork for consumers by providing verified vegan products in all life categories.

But plants have feelings too.

Go at your own pace and make it work for your lifestyle. I think veganism and the vegan community, in general, can be a bit intimidating for beginners, and I really want to change that. I personally believe that everyones journey to the lifestyle is different some of us transition overnight and others take months or years. My biggest advice to you is to veganize your life step by step. Start with the things that are easiest for you to give up and work your way up.

Absolutely! Im all about meal prepping to set myself up for success each week. I have a few favorite lunches and dinners that I prepare on Sunday night to always have something quick on hand. I usually get all of my basic ingredients at the Hoboken Trader Joes and my superfoods from our stores selection.

I love Ali Baba for dinner and Turning Point for brunch they both have some great vegan options!

The Brick Hoboken Pizzeria just introduced an entirely vegan menu. Ive been loving their traditional vegan pizza!

Being vegan over the past 10 years Ive noticed a huge shift in peoples perception of the lifestyle. I used to encounter lots of push back and misunderstanding around my choices and now I see a response of interest and engagement. I think that with the growing environmental concern within our society we are all starting to question our contribution to the problem. Switching to veganism for just one year can save 119,000 gallons of water, so truly every choice you make matters!

{Photo credit: @animal.babe}

Being vegan has so many meanings for me, but in a nutshell, it means no animals harmed. I always loved animals but I knew I needed my heart, head, and stomach to align with my morals.

Its been a decade! Best 10 years of my life. Admittedly, Ive fallen off the wagon for fish before, but I just hop back on. I always stress to people that these things will happen. Its progress, not perfection.

I grew up being a huge animal lover and always felt very connected to all walks of life. In my early 20s, I really connected with my spirituality and part of that was being authentic. I couldnt continue to eat beings that I also wanted to pet and snuggle, the two couldnt co-exist in my life. I also couldnt imagine hunting them for myself, therefore I decided it wasnt for me anymore. Ive never looked back.

The first step I took, and I tell everyone to take is doing your research. Everyone needs a why whether its for health reasons, ethical ones, or both, the motivation you need is in books, documentaries, podcasts, etc. For me, it was watching videos of what animals endured in the food system as well as learning about inflammatory foods like meat and dairy effects on the body. Once you do that, giving up one animal product at a time and supplementing properly is important. It takes time to let your body adjust and detox, so its more than okay to do it over an extended period of time.

For me, it was telling my family. Im first-generation Italian, my family used to own Margheritas since I was a wee one. I grew up on my dads fresh mozzarella and my nonnas Sunday meatballs. Refusing my familys food was almost disrespectful until they fully understood where I was coming from and that it wasnt a diet or phase. My nonna now fully supports my eating choices and makes me incredible eggplant every time I come over. Any time youre making a change it can take your friends and family a little while to process. Prepare yourself for a little heat and remember your why. Theyll back off or sometimes be influenced by you!

Definitely that vegans eat junk or are protein deficient. Its frustrating sometimes that people assume I eat nothing but tofu dogs or impossible burgers. I eat very consciously and protein has never been an issue for me. You should do your best to eat the rainbow. If you have colorful plates of veggies, fruits, nuts, and legumes, you wont have to track your protein. I promise. Im turning 33 next month and Im in the best shape of my life, I accredit my diet to this.

[Do it] slowly! I think we can get caught up with the labels vegan, plant-based, carnivore. Try to drown those labels out and focus on your relationship with food and your body. As you cut out each animal product and supplement it with a plant-based alternative, your body will thank you. Youll have more energy, your skin will look better, your digestive system will start to function properly. This will encourage you to keep moving forward. I tell people they can use the term eating consciously during their transition. Slow and steady wins the race.

Oh yes! Its funny because I was never good at cooking meat. Now I work for vegan Chef Chloe Coscarelli and cooking is the most therapeutic part of my day. I have so much fun vegan-izing all my old favorites. Vegan baking is honestly one of my biggest passions.

Whole Foods is where I spend most of my time off of work. I always think Im going to meet my husband there. In the warmer months, I try to go to farmers markets. Trader Joes has a great vegan guide and products, too.

In Hoboken, Im a big Alfalfa or Simply Juiced girl. In Jersey City, I love Subias or Frankie in downtown JC.

Vegan sushi from beyond sushi in NYC; vegan pizza from Porta Jersey City; everything from the Joyist in Montclair; everything from Good Plans in Montclair; and Bang Bang cauliflower from The Crosby Montclair.

The pea dumplings with tofu bchamel from Frankie will make you a believer. I also love the vegan ramen from Miso Ramen in downtown Jersey City. Hoboken, for vegan dessert, has to be the cookies from Shaka Bowl or Tri berry crepes from Simply Juiced.

In a day and age where everyone seems to know the newest nutritional trend, I just wanted to say Im so proud to be someone who has stuck to this way of life for as long as I have. I can confidently say this is the best Ive ever felt inside and out. It has made me a happier, healthier, and more confident person. This choice has stood the test of time for me and Im thrilled to be able to guide people into this lifestyle Im thankful that people trust me enough to take my advice.

{Photo credit: Falcon Griffith}

This is a very difficult question to answer simply and if going by the full definition of veganism, then Im only partway there. When you truly embrace a vegan lifestyle, you dont eat, wear or use animal products. I personally dont eat meat, fish or dairy, however, Im not fully vegan by this meaning. I use a lip balm with beeswax in it and still wear my old Vince leather jacket. Im conscious of my purchase decisions and try very hard to rock vegan leather and use vegan products when possible.

Ive been vegan for 14 years.

I first became vegan 14 years ago, because I was interested in eating as clean as possible and read a lot about factory and fish farming, added hormones and how the meat and fish get to our plates. {Ill spare you the details.} For the past couple of years though, beyond the health reasons, Ive been very into animal activism and dont believe in the inhumane treatment of animals. Ive visited sanctuaries, volunteered at shelters, and the more I learn about the emotional and mental capacity of farm animals, the more I try to use my online platforms as a space to protect them and give a voice to those who dont have one.

Know that you dont have to do it all at once. I recommend enlisting a nutritionist to help you make the transition so that you can focus on all you can eat to find your protein, etc., instead of stressing out about what you cant eat anymore.

When I first went vegan, I wasnt educated about how to create a well-balanced, plant-based meal. I became unhealthy from quitting meat, fish, and dairy cold turkey and had to take time to re-learn how to eat. I was surprised to find out how much protein you can actually get from plant-based foods.

People assume that Im thin simply because of my veganism, which isnt true at all. I eat clean, yes, but I also work very hard to maintain a fit figure.

I love Shaka Bowl, Quality Greens, Karma Kafe, Charritos, and Bare Burger.

Im a sucker for a good smoothie! Also, almost anything Indian.

See More: A Guide to Indian Food in Hoboken + Jersey City

{Photo credit: @jacklynlune.photos}

To me, being vegan means living a healthy lifestyle that does not involve the unnecessary exploitation of animals. This means eliminating animal products {primarily meat and dairy} from the diet as well as from the wardrobe {leather and fur}.

Ive been in and out of veganism for the last 12 years. I recommitted about three years ago.

Originally, I chose veganism for vanity reasons. I read a book called The Raw Food Detox Diet, which drove home the idea that health and beauty begin and end in the gut. Meat and dairy are both cause digestive stress, which can contribute to weight gain, dull skin, and disease. Now, knowing more about the environmental and spiritual implications of the meat and dairy industry makes veganism the obvious choice for me.

Being clear on your reasons for transitioning is key to staying on track! Originally, I went vegan for vanity reasons. Vanity is fleeting, as was my commitment to veganism. But recommitting to veganism for reasons bigger than myself makes it less of a commitment and more of a fulfilling lifestyle!

Its so easy these days! There are substitution foods in every aisle at the grocery store and new vegan restaurants and creative recipes pop up every day.

Ewwwwww! But to be fair, I wasnt raised vegan, so I am very understanding when it comes to judgments and hesitations {especially when it comes to vegan cheese}. I was definitely once a nay-sayer myself. But now so many unsuspecting people are becoming educated on the benefits of veganism thanks mostly to some groundbreaking Netflix documentaries like What the Health and Game Changers that I believe acceptance is at an all-time high.

Start filling your plate with 80% vegetables. Start trying 100% vegan restaurants to get inspired. I find that most people are surprised at how little they miss animal products.

I love cooking sometimes Im more a fan of my boyfriend cooking for me. He went to culinary school, so I get spoiled with gourmet vegan [food] regularly. We generally grocery shop at Key Food and P&K Market in Jersey City, Basic Organic Market in Hoboken, and Whole Foods in Weehawken.

Subias Vegan Cafe!

Im addicted to the breakfast wrap at Subias Vegan Cafe. Tacoria has an amazing Brussel sprout salad {specify vegan and ask for the vegan chipotle on the side}, as well as Brussel sprout nachos. I love the vegan salad at Honey Grow in Hoboken and the Guadalupe Burger at Bare Burger. Koro Koro has the best miso soup and I love their vegan rice balls, especially the Indian! Im obsessed with the Chana Saag at Vaibhav and the Ghobi Manchurian at Honest in Jersey City.

Read More: The Best Healthy Meal Delivery Services in Hoboken + Jersey City

Veganism is so much more than a diet, its a way of life really. Being vegan to me means that I acknowledge that all living things are sentient beings. I believe that you should treat all beings with kindness and compassion including humans. Even humans who dont agree with your lifestyle choices or who choose to live a different way of life. Being vegan does not mean youre more worthy than others or that youre living a better way of life. I do not believe or condone the holier than thou hierarchy because a true vegan judges no one. Everyone in every walk of life does the best they can and I think if you label yourself vegan then thats what youre personally trying to do, living the best life for you.

Ive been vegan or plant-based since 2013.

I chose the vegan way of life initially for health purposes. I learned that the diet itself which is without meat, dairy or any animal bi-product will lower the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, inflammation, heart disease, along with other health concerns like obesity. It helped me heal through a lot of healing both physically and mentally. Through that, I then learned how being vegan helped the animals and earth and I learned more ways in which I can contribute to healing the planet and do my part as best I can.

The first step is doing your research. Learn about veganism whether youre doing it for health reasons or environmental reasons, being a voice for the animals, etc just educate yourself on it. Being vegan doesnt necessarily mean healthy. I know people personally who went vegan and got really sick because they did it irresponsibly. As with anything else you need to know what youre doing. Get a health care practitioner, nutritionist, or health coach on board if you can for guidance and structure. Living this way is not and should not be intimidating and its very easy to achieve, but we are all so uniquely different with different needs we also have to be smart.

I grew up in Hoboken and am Puerto Rican and Italian, so my childhood was all meat and dairy. I never looked at what was in my makeup or how and with what my clothes were made. Those things werent even a thought in my head. So if you werent born into veganism then its inevitable to miss the things you grew up on. Cheese is always the biggest one. I agree with the masses on this one though, vegan alternative cheese stinks and they mostly just take like chemicals. I like to make my own cheese and I stick to brands that use quality ingredients.

Also, generally, people are used to having meat with every single meal. At first, you may feel like something is missing on your plate or your plate is not complete and this is all OK, youre breaking out of old habits. You have to get used to the idea that your whole plate will be a mix of veggies, legumes, nuts, and seeds, among other things. Were also in a time that there is a vegan option for anything non-vegan that you may miss. You can give those a go as well, but I say try to at least more so than not, to stay away from the vegan processed stuff. That is just as bad as the non-vegan processed stuff. So again just to reiterate, veganism does not mean healthy. And remember Oreos are vegan.

In the very beginning whats annoying is peoples general opinion on it without really knowing much about it. You get a lot of where do you get your protein from? or I could never be vegan, I love cheese too much.

My favorite always is when they say vegans have an agenda. I am always curious to know about this agenda and how its bad to want to live a healthier way of life and help out the animals and planet. But what I learned from that is when people hear that someone is vegan they automatically assume they themselves are being judged so they get defensive. With me, this is not the case but I know it can be with others because again there are people who think they are better than you if theyre choosing to live vegan. In my opinion, they are no better than a butcher because the whole point and concept of being vegan, per se, is to live life without judgment, harm no one, and do your very best. So basically to stay in your own lane. I dont know if you got this yet but since I am only human I get very annoyed with people who claim to be more woke than others because theyre vegan. Veganism may not work for everyone and thats OK. People need to be respected either way.

Take it one day at a time and dont beat yourself up over any slip-ups. Jumping right into it can lead to a severe detox, [it] happened to me, and it can scare you off. Go into it slow and steady. Start off with your nutrition then start looking into your beauty products, cleaning products, clothes, shoes, etc. Every little bit counts so do what you can in your own way, let go of the guilt. Dont follow people on social media who make you feel bad about yourself because youre not living like them. Appearances are just that, appearances.

Yes, Im a fan of cooking but I wasnt always so dont get discouraged. Since starting NeuroticMommy I like to think that I made cooking vegan less scary and less intimidating. I make what I grew up on and what I love. I like to think I take the leg work out for people and make their lives easier by creating recipes they know, love, and enjoy. I shop at four different places to stay on budget as were a family of four. My first stop is Trader Joes, they have the best priced organic produce and other items like ACV, avocado oil, vegan ramen, and so much more. After that, I hit up WholeFoods, Basic, and ShopRite {which has a ton of options now too}. Sometimes I go to ShopRite first depending on what I need. But I have to say Im very happy with ShopRite because they now carry a lot of what we get for an affordable price so were not breaking the bank.

I mostly cook so I dont really have a go-to spot. But Ill name some of the places I hit up once in a while where I know I can get a vegan meal. HoneyGrow, BareBurger, Madison, Chipotle, Qdoba, Simply Juiced, Acai Ya Later, Pizza Republic for their vegan pizza, Illuzion has a great Pumpkin Tempura Roll, Karma Kafe, and Bluestone Lane.

My favorite vegan-friendly place with all their dishes is down in Redbank called Good Karma Cafe. They are fully vegan and the food is off the charts. When I go into Manhattan, I love Blossom down on Carmines.

Dont feel bad about your life choices, just do the best you can each day. Remember when going fully vegan to do it safely and responsibly. Social media is good for inspiration and recipe ideas but dont take health advice from anyone. Only you know whats best for you so do that. If youre not taking care of you, then youre really no help to other living things and the planet. What I always tell my readers is to take from me what will work for you. There is no one size fits all. Its like saying everyone would look good with the Rachel haircut and we all know {in my best Maury voice} thats a lie.

Being vegan now has a totally different meaning to me than it did when I first transitioned. Today, being vegan for me is truly conscious living. Consideration and compassion for the earth and all living things. I am not a poster child for this way of life but I take small steps to enhance and improve on it every day.

Ive recently made a year. I started off pescatarian about three years ago, then vegetarian, and vegan just last year.

Being vegan was never part of the plan for my life. The exact opposite in fact. But a few years back, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. It ignited a deep dive into the black hole of truth about our food and nutrition and I happened upon many documentaries, one being What The Health. Im a very by the book person and I dont like the feeling of being lied to or manipulated. As crazy as it sounds, once I learned the truth, I felt that the food industry had been doing just that my entire life so I made the decision to break that generational, cultural cycle. Just strongly believe that simply because weve been living a certain way for years, doesnt mean it is right and should not be changed.

Ive been blessed to have many friends and loved ones in my personal life and supporters/followers online ask me this question and I always say the same thing. My answer is to find your why. It works for practically everything in life. Figure out your reason for going vegan. Is it for your health, for the planet, for the animals? All of the above? Whatever it may be, remembering your why throughout that journey will keep you on the right path. My why has changed multiple times throughout my journey but it continuously keeps me going.

Discipline. Point blank. The main reason why remembering your why is so important! Personally, I lack discipline in things I am not passionate about. I was never much of a cook, I never meal prepped, I never cared about reading the ingredients or nutrition facts on anything {I assumed everything was good for us because otherwise why was it being sold to us?}, but I eventually completely adjusted and it all became second nature.

Honestly, I couldnt possibly pick just one thing. The thing is, I was once that person. I didnt know any better and used to speak from not what I knew but from what I was conditioned into thinking and believing. So as annoying as it is to hear people tell me that Im wrong for living this lifestyle or that Ill die from malnutrition, I used to think the same. So I try to have as much patience as I can and put myself in their shoes to then try to open up their minds.

Take your time! When I made my decision to transition out of animal products, I went cold turkey and cut them out the very next day. But I also wasnt prepared, didnt do my research and was totally winging it. I now tell anyone interested to start with an animal-free day one day out of the week like a meatless Monday or dairy-free Tuesday or cruelty-free Wednesday {which would be all animal products at once if you feel that youre up for it}. Once you get into a routine, you can start to add another day to the week and slowly but surely youll be animal product free all week. No one is asking you to go cold turkey like I did. Its too rash and I wouldnt recommend it. Take your time to get it right.

Like I previously mentioned, I was never into cooking. My type of cooking is trying my best to follow and not totally screw up a recipe I find online or in a cookbook. Ive always been super lazy in the kitchen and would constantly opt for instant meals. Going plant-based changed that for me {something I never anticipated}. I try my best every week to cook/prep meals that will keep me on track. Im at a point now where I know what I like and have my go-to recipes. And trust me, theyre all as simple as can be. Every now and then I make the effort to find and try new things to expand on.

Luckily, were at a point now where plant-based options are being more readily available and accessible in most grocery stores. My personal go-to stops every week are Whole Foods and Trader Joes.

Oh man, literally as local as it gets because its like 15 mins away from my apartment, but Seak is Edgewater is my jam. I love Thai food and their Thai eggplant with tofu is absolutely everything and more!

I dont think I have one favorite dish or spot for that matter, but to be honest, Ive also become pretty disciplined with refraining to eat out these days since Im big on saving these days, but on my treat days, Ive definitely got my go-to spots.

Veggie Heaven for incredible vegan Chinese food, By Chloe and anything by Chef Chloe Coscarelli in general, Subias, Tea NJ, Montclair Vegan, Good Plans Cafe in Montclair, Joyist, Johns of 12th Street for amazing vegan Italian, Bare Burger is always a nice fast food option, PS Kitchen, Red Bamboo, Beyond Sushi has great vegan sushi, Peacefood Cafe, and so many more but Ill stop there.

Do you have any vegan lifestyle tips youd like to share? Let us know in the comments!

Arielle is a born-and-bred Jersey girl and like a true NJ native, half her diet consists of bagels and the other half pizza. As a graduate of both American University and City, University of London, shes been a passionate writer ever since she wrote her first book in the first grade. When shes not furiously typing away at her keyboard, she spends her time ticking places off of her to travel to list, trying any and all new foods, and trying to stop herself from spending too much money at Zara.

Link:
Local Vegans Weigh in on Secrets to Their Plant-Based Diets - hobokengirl.com

2020 is poised to be the biggest year yet for veganism, with projected product launches, fast-food partnerships, and more. And the cookbooks and literature coming out this year reflect that mainstream shift. People are more interested in plant-based living than ever before, and these 10 books are the perfect way to get your foot in the door or expand your knowledge of all-things vegan.

1. Living LivelyThe incredible eighteen-year-old activist and motivational speaker Haile Thomas is releasing her debut cookbook, packed with 80 vibrant recipes and a manifesto to inspire the next generation of leaders to take care of their health. Her inspiring work and voice is why we interviewed her in our 2019 Wellness Issue, and why we cant wait to read her book in 2020!

2. BOSH! Healthy VeganThe superstar team at BOSH!the largest and fastest-growing plant-based food channel on the webhas revolutionized plant-based cooking on the web. And with videos racking up millions of views, you can bet the recipes in their fourth book will be more stellar than ever. Plus, this book goes beyond the recipesboasting meal plans, nutrition hacks, and lifestyle tips that are perfect for both plant-based beginners and seasoned vegans.

3. Voices for Animal LiberationThis book is filled with the words and stories of longtime animal activists from Gene Baur (founder of Farm Sanctuary) to Jo-Anne McArthur (photographer and founder of We Animals Media), all with the intention of inspiring and educating readers to pursue a more ethical world. We cant wait to be empowered by the hard work and compassionate hearts of the activists in this book.

4. Vegetable KingdomFood justice activist, author, and James Beard Award-winning chef Bryant Terrys fourth book is full of stunning imagery and incredible Afro-Asian inspired recipes. Plus, each recipe comes with a suggested song pairing to listen to while you cook, so you can jam out in the kitchen. The book is organized by ingredients, encouraging readers to eat with the seasons and utilize whats fresh on the market.

5. More Plants Less WasteMax La Manna, a zero-waste chef and sustainability advocate, is soon dropping a book we all need to read this year. He ties together plant-based eating with a no-waste approach that helps vegans transform their eating habits into sustainable routines and practices. With a simple 21-day, zero-waste challengenot to mention easy eco-hacks that readers can do at homethis book is helping us further green up our eating routines.

6. In Search of the Wild TofurkyThis book tells the amazing story of Seth Tibbott, a self-described hippie with no business trainingand founder of vegan brand Tofurkywho grew a $2,500 startup into a global brand that transformed plant-based eating forever. This book proves that a good idea and a hard work ethic can change the world for the better.

7. Love is ServedLong-time plant-based eatery Caf Gratitudes new cookbook by Seizan Dreux Ellis, executive chef at the restaurant chain, brings its most popular recipes into the comfort of readers homes with un-fussy methods and accessible ingredients. We cant wait to whip up the I Am Passionate (Black Lava Cake) for a special Valentines Day treat!

8. Your Body in BalanceWritten by acclaimed vegan doctor Neal Barnard, MD, this book provides step-by-step guidance for understanding the root of your health problems and what you can do to feel better fast (hint: it has to do with your diet). Barnard ties together the connection between food and our hormones and offers menus and recipes to help readers take control of their health via nutrition.

9. Plants Only KitchenGaz Oakley (aka @avantgardevegan) has amassed over a million followers on social media with his impressive-looking vegan dishes. And now, in his third cookbook, hes bringing the focus back to plant-forward dishes that celebrate the versatility and taste of plants. Plus, with symbols flagging whether recipes are high-protein, take less than 15 minutes, or are suitable for meal prep, this cookbook makes plant-based cooking easier than ever.

10. The VegNews Guide to Being a Fabulous VeganLast but not least, in December we will all be treated to the much-anticipated debut of VegNews first book! Authored by VegNews editor Jasmin Singer (author of the memoir Always Too Much and Never Enough), this pocket-sized guide promises new and practiced vegans alike to do good, be good, and feel good in 30 days or less. This dynamic, accessible, and witty book covers everything from the protein question, to whether or not its true that vegans have better sex (spoiler alert: we do!), to whether or not veganism is a moral imperative when it comes to taking action for the planet (spoiler alert: it is, and this book helps you get started). Each chapter ends with a delectable recipe, which will make this all-in-one manifesto easy to digest. Stay tuned at VegNews.com for much more about this incredibly exciting addition to the VegNews platform!

Sarah McLaughlin is the New Products Editor at VegNews and is excited to continue expanding her knowledge of veganism through all of these books in 2020.

Want more of todays best plant-based news, recipes, and lifestyle?Get our award-winning magazine!

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10 Vegan Books Coming Out in 2020 We Are Already Obsessed With - VegNews

Veganism and sustainability only heading in one direction 2020

The two trends that will shape hospitality and catering in 2020 for us more than any and all others are sustainability and veganism. They are clearly linked to each other, but more than that we see them both as much more than trends, and the impact from people adopting and adapting to both will be far bigger than most forecasts.

Our reasoning is that the change in 2020 will be one of perspective, as more and more people will see both sustainability and veganism as a moral responsibility.

These opening statements may seem extreme to some but after decades of climate change warnings the world is now seeing the consequences of ignoring them. Today sees Donald Trump and Greta Thunberg attending the same event as both speak at Davos, how things are changing.

And only yesterday Malaysia followed Chinas example by ceasing to accept plastic waste imports from developed nations across the globe, including the UK. Malaysia is now, and rightly so, returning 42 shipping containers of illegally imported plastic waste back to the UK.

Yeo Bee Yin, Malaysian Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change took a firm stance saying that Malaysia would take ensure the country does not become the garbage dump of the world.

The key driver in 2020 to motivate a change in perceptions will be driven not by politicians or climate change activists but by money men. The people responsible for managing money all over the world will see that maintaining as much of the world as we can as their priority.

The Australian fires sweeping the country over recent months has not only been and continues to be a disaster for nature, it is also an economic disaster. With one third of the Australian population already reported to have been exposed to the smoke from the fires, the long term impact on healthcare costs will be enormous. Tourism is already severely impacted, which of course has a knock on impact on hospitality businesses. Insurance claims from the devastation to date run into hundreds of millions of dollars, the list of business sectors impacted grows by the day.

The fires are still burning and are a long way from subsiding, so news coverage will continue around the world for some time to come yet. The fires do also seem to have had more impact than polar ice melts, possibly as people are directly impacted from the fires now, rather than the ice melting impacting in future.

The only conclusion to be drawn from scientific evidence that investigates climate change, and the daily impact from it being reported on our news channels, is that it is real, and it will get worse.

So, what does all this mean for the hospitality and catering industry in the UK?

Sustainability and veganism have both migrated up the pecking order for all hospitality and catering businesses in the UK in recent years. In 2020 we think they will both become a fundamental of hospitality and catering businesses in the UK.

What do we mean by that?

Lets deal with sustainability first.

Sustainability not so long ago was a term bandied about by marketers across hospitality and catering to paint their brands as green, while operations took little notice if any.

It then gathered momentum and significance with procurement teams selecting suppliers and products on sustainability credentials. The money men have most effect not evangelists, and as sustainability climbs higher and higher with private and institutional investors, so will its role within the return on investment priorities and operations of businesses.

Veganism

Hospitality and catering businesses across the UK meet the day to day out of home food and drinks needs of consumers. So, monitoring food and drink trends in foodservice is of paramount importance.

The popularity of vegan, plant-based and vegetarian food is almost impossible to ignore, and coupled with the benefits to sustainability this mix is impossible to ignore.

The scales have tipped, and this was driven by non-vegans and non-vegetarians embracing a more plant-based diet, including vegan, plant-based and vegetarian options when eating out of home.

The adoption of vegan, plant-based and vegetarian menu options are prevalent across hospitality and catering, from McDonalds and Greggs to Michelin star dining and everything in between.

Last year we saw clear evidence from caterers that not only is sustainability and veganism a priority for them, it is more profitable as a business.

We reported on The University of Cambridge removing all beef and lamb from their menus and replacing all carnivorous options with plant-based ones. It was first implemented in October 2016 and was actioned across 14 foodservice outlets at the University of Cambridge and over 1,500 hospitality events held there each year. Profits increased at the University of Cambridge across the period of implementation.

We also reported on the Brighton Centre, in conjunction with their catering partner KUDOS, announcing the removal of all beef products from its menus from January 1st, 2020. Both companies implemented the change citing their reasoning as implementing moral responsibilities to their consumers.

Like many changes, their impact eludes many as the speed and scope is unrecognised. So, we will continue to report regularly on both sustainability and veganism in the hope that none of our readership miss the business opportunity.

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In 2020 sustainability and veganism will become a moral responsibility for hospitality and catering - Hospitality & Catering News

Being a vegan in L.A. isnt too difficult. It seems on every street corner there is a plant-based option for almost everything. Tacos, soul food, burgers, pasta. If you can dream it, it can be plant-based. And while much of the country has begun to come around to the trend, it appears LMU still has some work to do.

For many students, avoiding animal-based products is just a fact of life. This week, the Bluff followed sophomore environmental science major Letty Sie, who has been living a plant-based life since high school. We wanted to see the ins and outs of her day, and how a college student can balance this lifestyle.

The morning begins with fruit from the Lair. Sometimes its good, sometimes it tastes like styrofoam, but it is ALWAYS free of animal product and thats what matters.

Sie makes her way to class, callously knocking burgers and turkey sandwiches out of the hands of her carnivorous peers. Upon arriving, she breaks out a hardy snack of oats and nuts.

Theres a vegan bar, but you can only eat rice and potatoes for so long, you know?

On Tuesday nights, the Sprouted station at the lair becomes the Malone Market, at which point Sie turns to the salad bar.

She piles her plate high with lettuce and hummus, I guess? Im not entirely sure its lettuce. It might straight up be a leaf like from outside. But its bearable.

Veganism is more than a fad. It is a sustainable way of life that promises environmental prosperity. It is pretty much the most sure-fire way an individual can help the planet.

I actually started veganism cuz I needed something to write about on my college apps, said Sie. Im a free-market capitalist, so the whole environment angle wasnt really a hook for me. #Weld2020!

The Bluff is a humorous and satirical section published in the Loyolan. All quotes attributed to real figures are completely fabricated; persons otherwise mentioned are completely fictional.

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A day in the life of a vegan - Los Angeles Loyolan

Environment January 21, 2020 Benjamin Selwyn

Veganuary 2020 in the UK is set to be the biggest ever. Last year over 250,000 people pledged to go vegan in January; this year the numbers are greater still. In the backdrop, more than 800,000 people gave up eating animal products in the UK last year, and ever greater numbers of the population around 6 per cent or 3.5 million people identify themselves as vegan.

This dietary shift reflects an increasingly popular awareness of the need for food systems that enhance human health and animal welfare, without destroying the planet. It is particularly popular among young people who are more likely than their older counterparts to be politically active and concerned about the global climate crisis.

While veganism is often portrayed in the mainstream media as another dietary fad, the reality is that it embodies two distinct approaches to our place in the world.

On the one hand, it is big business as exemplified by Burger Kings vegan rebel whopper and the rapid expansion of plant-based products across the retail sector. Consumerist veganism appeals to individualism and a faith in the power of capitalist markets. From this perspective, if enough people switch from meat to plant-based diets, then market mechanisms will generate environmentally friendly outcomes.

On the other hand, more radical vegan politics are hitting the headlines. Witness the employment tribunal victory by Jordi Casamitjana, sacked from the League Against Cruel Sports after revealing that the company had investments in pension funds involving animal testing.

Casamitjana argued that he was discriminated against in the workplace because of his ethical vegan beliefs. Like dietary vegans he eats a plant-based diet. However, as an ethical vegan, he also tries to avoid contact with any products derived from, or causing, animal exploitation. The tribunal judged that ethical veganism is a philosophical belief protected by law against discrimination.

Witness too, the mass petition calling on the Vegan Society to list palm oil as a non-vegan product. According to Greenpeace palm oil production has destroyed an area of rainforest almost twice the size of Singapore over the last three years, pushing orangutans and other species toward extinction.

Palm oil production is perhaps the most visible aspect of how even non-meat production has a devastating effect on animals.

Agro-industrial farming monocrop production based upon the heavy use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers is wiping out insect populations on a historically unprecedented scale. This in turn impacts upon wider food webs, contributing to plummeting bird numbers.

What Casamitjanas court case and the anti-palm oil petition have in common is a political notion of veganism. The former points to the need to protect vegan ethics by limiting the power of firms to hire and fire. The latter implies that a vegan society requires regulating the market forces involved in the production and consumption of food and other products.

The Vegan Society, founded in 1944 in the UK, aimed to establish a philosophy and way of living which excluded as far as possible all forms of exploitation and cruelty to animals. Early vegans promoted the philosophy as a way of life concerned with living without hurting others which avoids exploitation whether it be of our fellow men, the animal population, or the soil upon which we all rely for our very existence.

An ideological gulf separates mainstream consumer veganism, which has nothing to say about the exploitation of our fellow men, and ethical veganisms more political foundations. In many ways the former contradicts and potentially undermines the latter.

The impacts upon the global food system of increased consumer-driven veganism will be similar to earlier processes of market enlargement land grabbing, environmental depletion, and labour exploitation. Such dynamics are epitomised by the current avocado boom, where rising consumer demand for the trendy fruit is accelerating deforestation and soil contamination in Mexico and Chile.

While consumer-driven dietary veganism contributes to continued market expansion, ethical veganism highlights how the construction of a more just world necessitates restricting the operation of capitalist markets.

Labour exploitation through poverty wages underpin many agricultural systems. In the USA for example, around one-third of farmworkers, many of whom are migrant workers without full legal rights, earn incomes below the national poverty line. Forced labour is commonplace across the southern European fruit and vegetable sector, which supplies many UK supermarkets.

The adoption of meat-free product lines by fast food chains such as Burger King is driven by the quest to maximise profits, rather than animal welfare. Such strategies aim to attract new customers to purchase a mix of original and more established products. As Jos Cil, the CEO of Burger Kings parent company, noted, Were not seeing guests swap the original Whopper for the Impossible Whopper. Were seeing that its attracting new guests.

The overall impact is to strengthen, rather than fundamentally alter, the existing business model. In the case of the fast food sector, this means continuing sales of meat-based products.

Ethical veganism contains notable anti-market philosophical foundations. It points to a more holistic understanding of the world, rooted in an aversion to exploitation. In the current context, it has much in common with overt political protests, such as the youth climate strikes, and Extinction Rebellion.

The production and consumption of healthy, environmentally sustainable food free from animal and human exploitation, requires more than shifts in diet, however widespread. It necessitates nothing less than a fundamental transformation in the way humans relate to each other and interact with nature.

While consumer-driven dietary veganism contributes to continued market expansion, ethical veganism highlights how the construction of a more just world necessitates restricting the operation of capitalist markets. These two souls of veganism are antagonistic: veganisms consumer variant promises to undermine the objectives of ethical veganism.

As much of the excitement about Veganuary reflects big food corporations hopes of new profit opportunities, veganisms ethical, political potential, is becoming more visible. If it blossoms and begins to influence how we think about the policies necessary to enhance the welfare of humans, animals and the natural world, then big changes could be afoot.

This article first published on the Le Monde diplomatique website.

Benjamin Selwyn is Professor of International Relations and International Development, University of Sussex, UK. He is author of The Struggle for Development, and forthcoming Green Food, Green Planet.

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The Two Souls of Veganism - The Bullet - Socialist Project