It's been 20 days since I've posted, nearly a month of inactivity... however, within those last 20 days I have been busy finishing up school and getting my degree in Bioenvironmental Science! (Also I went on vacation after graduation and enjoyed Christmas with the family.)
I am currently watching a documentary called Vegucated about three omnivores from NYC who embrace a vegan diet for six weeks. [Here is the Netflix link.] As a lifelong ovo-lacto vegetarian, I found the following synopsis of the movie to be enticing:
The bright side of the consumer oriented food industry, though, is that once a few tips and tricks are learned, it's possible to generally eat anywhere, even if it means just eating a salad of romaine lettuce and tomatoes and maybe a slice of bread. Usually at most restaurants, waiters will work with customers in order to find something that is veg*n or customize a dish to make it suitable. If the restaurant is a fancy one, oftentimes they can be called ahead of time and requested to make a veg*n meal.
The documentary was entertaining and informative but it utilized slaughterhouse scenes too much for my liking and forced me to cover my eyes once or twice to the brutality incurred upon the animals. It is my personal opinion that oftentimes those who willingly eat meat are desensitized to the violence and suffering of animals and therefore showing such scenes of brutality in food documentaries invokes no emotion in them but creates a very strong negative reaction from those of us who do not eat meat. This may turn off many veg*ns, like it almost did me, from supporting these sources to find the facts about the food industry and animal welfare. This is similar to PETA's methods of unnecessary portrayals of brutality at times and objectification of women and men as sex symbols... but more on that in a later post as that is a different can of worms. (Aren't a can of worms truly disgusting imagery by the way?)
Vegucated states that "animals used for food and clothing are not covered under the Animal Welfare Act." Is this really true? After some research, here is what I have managed to uncover:
According to animalrights.about.com,
Okay WHAT?! So basically from this research, the Animal Welfare Act is pretty much useless. Why enact such an act if it is not of much use? The Animal Welfare Act appeases the average consumer who believes that labels such as organic, animal welfare approved, free range, cage free, vegetarian fed, etc. are actually upheld and enforced by the government in a way that would seem like common sense to most people. This may be an inference but seems to be mostly hold true. Also, from this film I learned that there are no national organic standards for transport for animals. The footage of animals such as pigs and chickens being thrown into trucks full of animals and cramped into tiny cages was stomach-turning. Also, please note that birds are not covered in the bills created by congress to prevent animal slaughter. BIRDS. As in chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and many other commonly consumed animals.
Now that we have learned about all these horrifying details, the question remains: What to do?
CALL TO ACTION: Everyone should embrace a plant-based diet. For a select few, this may mean going completely vegan but for most it should mean to at least take a few steps in a healthier direction. Omnivores could try Meatless Mondays and buying fewer animal products such as leather and fur. Vegetarians could try to cut down the amount of eggs and dairy in their diet and more consciously buy non-animal products. Vegans could try to eat more local and organic foods and spread the word about why plant based diets are healthy for humans and the environment.
Best of luck going green!
XOXO,
MissEcoChic
I am currently watching a documentary called Vegucated about three omnivores from NYC who embrace a vegan diet for six weeks. [Here is the Netflix link.] As a lifelong ovo-lacto vegetarian, I found the following synopsis of the movie to be enticing:
Actor Brian is a bachelor who recently moved to NYC and loves to eat meat three times a day. Ellen, a busy mom of two, oftentimes resorts to prepared frozen meals to meet the time crunch. Tesla is a college student who lives with her family and especially struggles with her parents making their traditional Honduran and Puerto Rican food and having to cook and eat separately from her family. I understood Brian's position because I ate mostly vegan when I lived alone in my apartment and readily had soy milk and tofu available to substitute dairy and eggs. Also I understand Ellen's busy schedule as in college it was really difficult to find time to cook during those semesters of 16 hours and a full sorority schedule. However, I really identified with Tesla when she brought up the point about going out to eat with friends and not being able to eat because there was nothing veg*n on the menu. I have experienced this many times when there was nothing to eat or when I was with friends in college who did not understand the concept that fries are not an acceptable and healthy full meal. I truly felt her pain."Part sociological experiment and part adventure comedy, Vegucated follows three meat- and cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks. Lured by tales of weight lost and health regained, they begin to uncover the hidden sides of animal agriculture that make them wonder whether solutions offered in films like Food, Inc. go far enough. This entertaining documentary showcases the rapid and at times comedic evolution of three people who discover they can change the world one bite at a time." -getvegucated.com
[Image via amazon.com]
The bright side of the consumer oriented food industry, though, is that once a few tips and tricks are learned, it's possible to generally eat anywhere, even if it means just eating a salad of romaine lettuce and tomatoes and maybe a slice of bread. Usually at most restaurants, waiters will work with customers in order to find something that is veg*n or customize a dish to make it suitable. If the restaurant is a fancy one, oftentimes they can be called ahead of time and requested to make a veg*n meal.
The documentary was entertaining and informative but it utilized slaughterhouse scenes too much for my liking and forced me to cover my eyes once or twice to the brutality incurred upon the animals. It is my personal opinion that oftentimes those who willingly eat meat are desensitized to the violence and suffering of animals and therefore showing such scenes of brutality in food documentaries invokes no emotion in them but creates a very strong negative reaction from those of us who do not eat meat. This may turn off many veg*ns, like it almost did me, from supporting these sources to find the facts about the food industry and animal welfare. This is similar to PETA's methods of unnecessary portrayals of brutality at times and objectification of women and men as sex symbols... but more on that in a later post as that is a different can of worms. (Aren't a can of worms truly disgusting imagery by the way?)
Vegucated states that "animals used for food and clothing are not covered under the Animal Welfare Act." Is this really true? After some research, here is what I have managed to uncover:
According to animalrights.about.com,
Which Animals are Not Covered by the AWA?
Not every animal kept by these facilities is covered. The AWA has exclusions for birds, rats, mice used in research; livestock used for food or fiber; reptiles; amphibians; fish; and invertebrates. Because 95% of the animals used in research are mice and rats and because the nine billion land animals slaughtered for food in the US every year are exempted, the vast majority of animals used by humans are excluded from the AWA’s protection.
Okay WHAT?! So basically from this research, the Animal Welfare Act is pretty much useless. Why enact such an act if it is not of much use? The Animal Welfare Act appeases the average consumer who believes that labels such as organic, animal welfare approved, free range, cage free, vegetarian fed, etc. are actually upheld and enforced by the government in a way that would seem like common sense to most people. This may be an inference but seems to be mostly hold true. Also, from this film I learned that there are no national organic standards for transport for animals. The footage of animals such as pigs and chickens being thrown into trucks full of animals and cramped into tiny cages was stomach-turning. Also, please note that birds are not covered in the bills created by congress to prevent animal slaughter. BIRDS. As in chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and many other commonly consumed animals.
Now that we have learned about all these horrifying details, the question remains: What to do?
CALL TO ACTION: Everyone should embrace a plant-based diet. For a select few, this may mean going completely vegan but for most it should mean to at least take a few steps in a healthier direction. Omnivores could try Meatless Mondays and buying fewer animal products such as leather and fur. Vegetarians could try to cut down the amount of eggs and dairy in their diet and more consciously buy non-animal products. Vegans could try to eat more local and organic foods and spread the word about why plant based diets are healthy for humans and the environment.
Best of luck going green!
XOXO,
MissEcoChic
