The Charter for Compassion from TED Prize on Vimeo.

Compassion for all beings is a cornerstone, or more accurately, the keystone, of veganism…at least in my book. This message should be spread far and wide. If you are able (and agree) please pass it on.

Recently, we contacted the major players in cereal to find out where they source their vitamin D from. Why, you ask? Being vegan, we like to know what mainstream foods are animal friendly in case we are at the mercy of an omnivore at dinner time, or find ourselves starving in a small town with nothing but a burger joint and a gas station. Since you can find soy milk pretty much anywhere these days, cereal is a simple fall back when you want food fast. Besides nothing goes better with Saturday morning than cereal. ;)

In short, D2 is vegan, D3 is not. We inquired about the source because many labels simply state ‘Vitamin D’ as an ingredient without specifying the scientific name. Here’s a little more info from the Vegetarian Resource Group:

Two different forms of vitamin D are used in supplements and fortified foods. Vitamin D2, also called ergocalciferol, is manufactured through the ultraviolet irradiation of a substance called ergosterol that comes from yeast. Vitamin D2 is vegan. Vitamin D3, also called cholecalciferol, is made by the ultraviolet irradiation of a substance derived from sheep’s wool.

Below you will find the correspondence with Post, Kellogg’s, Cascadian Farm (General Mills), HappyBaby, and Wegmans. Sadly, most of the cereal that we loved as kids is not on a vegan menu.

We asked, “Where is your vitamin D sourced from?” and they responded:

Kellogg’s

Thank you for contacting us concerning Vitamin D used in our products. We appreciate your interest in our company and products.

The vitamin premixes used in Kellogg products include Vitamin D. Our ingredient specification for Vitamin D says that we can use either Vitamin D2 or D3 in our products. Vitamin D3 is derived from lanolin, an animal product; Vitamin D2 is not animal-derived. In either case, the vitamin premix is Kosher certified.

Kellogg Company was founded with a philosophy that encouraged people to improve their health. As W.K. Kellogg said, “We are a company of dedicated people making quality products for a healthier world.”

We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your questions and concerns and thank you for your loyalty to our brands.

Post

Thank you for the inquiry regarding our Vitamin D.

We use Vitamin D3 which is derived from lanolin, or sheeps wool. This is not harmful to the sheep in any way.

We hope you find this information useful.

Cascadian Farm (General Mills)

Thank you for contacting Cascadian Farm with your inquiry. The vitamin D is from lanolin which is from sheeps wool.

We hope you find this information helpful. Please let us know if we can help you again.

HappyBaby

Our Vitamin D is from a vegetarian source (lanolin). Please feel free to email with any other questions you may have.

I thought you might like a copy of our Nutrition Guide co-authored by Dr. Sears.

Wegmans

We received your email asking what is the source of the vitamin D found in Wegmans Brand Organic Cereals is. I have checked with the supplier and discovered that the vitamin D is vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) which is derived from the lanolin from sheep’s wool.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us. We value you as a customer and hope to continue serving you in the future.

The good news is that Quaker cereals don’t add vitamin D at all, so you can eat Capt’n Crunch without any moral conflict! Yay!

We just received this story through a newsletter from PCRM. It’s well worth reading and looking into.

Turner Field Billboard Warns Braves Fans of Cancer-Hot Dog Link

Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Americans typically consume 7 billion hot dogs—818 each second. But a huge billboard near Atlanta’s Turner Field warns baseball fans that chowing down on hot dogs as they watch the games could seriously damage their health. The billboard is sponsored by the Cancer Project, a PCRM affiliate, which also sent a letter asking the stadium to place warning labels at hot dogs stands.

Located on the east side of I-75, the billboard features an image of hot dogs sticking out of a cigarette pack labeled “Unlucky Strike.” It reads: “Warning: Hot dogs can strike you out—for good.”

“A hot dog a day could send you to an early grave,” said Joseph Gonzales, a Cancer Project dietitian. “Processed meats can increase your risk for diabetes, heart disease, and various types of cancer. Like cigarettes, hot dogs should come with a warning label that helps baseball fans and other consumers understand the health risk.”

In 2007, the American Institute for Cancer Research published a landmark report showing that just one 50-gram serving of processed meat (about the amount in one hot dog) consumed daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer, on average, by 21 percent. Every year, about 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer and approximately 50,000 die of it.

Studies also show a strong link between other types of cancer and processed meats. The NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study last year found that processed red meat was associated with a 10 percent increased risk of prostate cancer with every 10 grams of increased intake. A study in Taiwan, also released last year, showed that consumption of cured and smoked meat can increase children’s risk for leukemia. A study in Australia this year found that women’s risk for ovarian cancer increased as a result of eating processed meats.

A review in the journal Diabetologia last year found that those who regularly eat processed meats increase their risk for diabetes by 41 percent.

To view the billboard, visit CancerProject.org.

Since it’s only far to present a healthier/friendlier alternative to a hot dog, we suggest you check out Veg Product’s Guide to Hot Dogs & Sausage for a listing of alternative dogs that you can boil/fry/grill/dress to your heart’s desire without fear!

A quick synopsis from the network:

An animal-rights activist from San Diego trades places with a Cajun swamp tour owner from Louisiana.

Diana Tregle operates a swamp tour in Thibodeaux, Louisiana. She lives with her husband, Lloyd “Diego” Loupe, and her eight-year-old son, Zamariah “ZZ” Loupe. The family lives with a menagerie of snakes and alligators. Diana worries about the mother she’s swapping families with, because she knows Zamariah can be a handful.

Meanwhile, in San Diego, California, Barbara Gates, a mother, homemaker, and animal-rights activist, keeps a vegan household. She and her family try to abstain from hurting any animals. She lives with her husband Jim, and their children: ten-year-old son, Jack; and daughter Lucy, age eight.

Vegan Barbara Gates samples some Louisiana alligator; and in San Diego Diana Tregle cooks Cajun gumbo vegan-style for the Gates’ friends and family.

In Louisiana Barbara Gates decides to help ZZ with his homework.

Meanwhile the Gates family decides to take Diana Tregle snorkeling. They hope she’ll change her mind about eating animals. Instead, the sight of fish make her hungry.

So I’ll give fair warning that I’ll most likely end up ranting here. If you’re not into that, leave. Leave now and return at a later date. I will get it out of my system and the air will be clear shortly. ;)

A number of things struck me as I watched:

• Diana (Cajun) was far more open-minded and willing to learn about different lifestyles than Barbara (Vegan) I suppose this shouldn’t have surprised me though. I guess I was hoping that veganism was more her code of ethics than her ‘cool Californian’ diet. I don’t think intolerance is an acceptable trait – especially for someone who claims to be open-minded and respectful of all life.
• The get together that Diana (Cajun) was invited to by Barbara’s vegan friends reinforced some unfortunate vegan/vegetarian stereotypes: 1) Veggies are immediately defensive. 2) Veggies would rather make a point than make a difference. 3) Veggies are unwilling to learn/understand more. I was especially disappointed by this segment of the show. It didn’t seem like any of the women even wanted to hear about the Cajun lifestyle. I think now is a good time for a quote:
  

  Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk.
  Doug Larson

• Barbara (vegan) shows an animal cruelty video during a get together at the Loupe’s. Seriously? I understand the importance of awareness and the occasional necessity of watching/sharing these types of documentaries, but when you’re trying to share your lifestyle choices with such a drastically different culture, I think a less extreme introduction would plant a better seed.
• Barbara (vegan) ate alligator while she was with the Loupes and was immediately concerned about what her family would think/say about it. At first I thought, “I’m all for being a strict vegetarian, but fear of one’s own family is a bit ridiculous.” I came to realize at the end of the show, that Barbara is very controlling of her family and their lifestyle. Perhaps she was fearful of mutiny? If my cheap impression of psychoanalyst doesn’t impress, you might be interested to know that when she told her husband and kids about the meat eating incident she became immediately aggravated by their shock/upset and defensive towards their questions.
• I could go on, but I’d rather get this posted (it’s been a draft for far too long.)

I do understand that this one woman is not the spokeswoman for veganism/vegetarianism, but we all need to be aware that individuals from any minority tend to be seen as a just that, a spokesperson. If you choose to live a certain lifestyle, you can (and should?) expect to be judged, questioned and gawked at.

Draw Your Own Conclusion:
‘Vegan Villain’ Speaks Out!
Vegan Represent Forums
Fans of Reality TV Interview with the Loupe Family

We missed it again! Every year we say we’re going to encourage vegetarianism during The Great American (and International) Meatout and every year it passes by. Better late than never – especially when lives hang in the balance! Hey, at least this counts toward Meatout Monday.

On (or around) March 20 — the first day of spring — thousands of caring people in all 50 U.S. states and two dozen other countries get active to host educational Meatout events. Activities include colorful festivals, lectures, public dinners, feed-ins, cooking demos, food samplings, leafleting, information tables and more.

The occasion is Meatout, the world’s largest and oldest annual grassroots diet education campaign. Meatout 2010 is the 25th Anniversary! Every spring, thousands of caring Meatout supporters educate their communities and ask their friends, families, and neighbors to pledge to “kick the meat habit (at least for a day) and explore a wholesome, compassionate diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.”

Source: Meatout.org

Avoiding meat has a bigger impact than you might think…

U.S. Slaughter Totals 2008

Cattle: 34,369,000
Chickens: 9,069,382,000
Ducks: 24,165,000
Pigs: 116,458,000
Sheep/Lambs: 2,555,000
Turkeys: 271,625,000
TOTAL: 9.5 billion

Source: The Humane Society of the United States and The National Agricultural Statistics Service

You CAN make a difference! Need a little help going meatless in the kitchen? Try the Post Punk Kitchen & Recipe Zaar!

I’ve noticed the usual “let’s make this year better than the last one” theme everywhere this month. From Rubbermaid sales that will keep you organized without breaking the bank, to diet shakes and exercise machines to keep you from breaking the park bench, January is the number one month for making promises.

Following that logic, February must be the number one month to break those promises. I mean, who doesn’t go a little crazy on Valentine’s Day (whether you have a sweetie or a plain ol’ sweet tooth) and Fat Tuesday (regardless of your religious beliefs the other 364 days a year)?

The past few days, I’ve seen more old stationary bikes and weight benches sitting by the curb than typical for this time of year. Has everyone given up on their health, or do they have a newer, shinier model of their old equipment sitting in their living room? My hope is they gave up on the expensive accessories and just started walking or doing yoga. My hope beyond that would be that they went vegan – well, at least vegetarian…

This got me to thinking about how I might encourage folks to go meatless as painlessly as possible. The thought occurred to me that giving up meat (for most omnivores) is like giving up cigarettes (for most smokers): terrifying.

I would expect to hear things like, “I can’t just stop eating meatloaf on Thursday – it’s a tradition!” To that I would reply, “No need to give it up cold turkey – pun intended.”

Anyone can ease into a vegan lifestyle – allowing your body time to adjust to such a radical (yet natural) change is only fair. We must be kind to our bodies if we want them to respond favorably after all.

Very simply outlined below is my ‘One Year to Vegetarian/Vegan Plan’…I encourage you to try it. Take things at your own pace, do what feels comfortable and natural for you. I’ll bet you feel better with each passing day.

I suppose I should also note the distinction between vegetarian and vegan as it tends to confuse. Straight from the Vegetarian Resource Group:

Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or poultry. Vegans, in addition to being vegetarian, do not use other animal products and by-products such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool, cosmetics, and soaps derived from animal products.

One Year to Vegetarian *

Months 1 through 4 – Eliminate all Mammal Flesh & Products
Depending upon your current diet this may or may not be a big change for you. Try eliminating meats that you don’t eat often (steak for example) first, then move down the line to your favorite (bacon!)…easing into change sometimes helps.
Common American Foods: steak, ribs, veal, ground meat (i.e. burgers, meatloaf, meatballs), jerky, ham, sausage, bacon, and lunch/deli meats.
Read the Label: gelatin (jell-o, marshmallows) and lard are only a few of the hidden ingredients to lookout for.

Months 5 through 8 – Eliminate all Bird Flesh & Products
If you’re like the majority of omnivores, this elimination will be the most obvious.
Common American Foods: breast, thighs (drumsticks), wings, ground flesh (i.e. turkey burger),and foie gras.
Read the Label: There are hidden ingredients to lookout for. Among them, you should be especially mindful of the stocks/bases used in your favorite soups and stews.

Months 9 through 12 – Eliminate all Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish & Invertebrate Animals
Here’s where your journey might get a little tricky…no more tuna fish sandwiches or sushi bars.
Common American Foods: fish, snake, turtle soup, frog legs, lobsters, shrimp, scallops, crabs, clams, mussels, and calamari.
Read the Label: There are hidden ingredients to lookout for – especially in flavoring and coloring. Also, your favorite beer or wine may need to be replaced due to the use of animal products during filtration.

One Year to Vegan *

This is similar to the above, with swift progression, a few more things to cross off your grocery list, and a lot less suffering for the animals.

Months 1 through 3 – Eliminate all Mammal Flesh & Products
Depending upon your current diet this may or may not be a big change for you. Try eliminating meats that you don’t eat often (steak for example) first, then move down the line to your favorite (bacon!)…easing into change sometimes helps.
Common American Foods: steak, ribs, veal, ground meat (i.e. burgers, meatloaf, meatballs), jerky, ham, sausage, bacon, and lunch/deli meats.
Read the Label: gelatin (jell-o, marshmallows) and lard are only a few of the hidden ingredients to lookout for.

Months 4 through 6 – Eliminate all Bird Flesh & Products
If you’re like the majority of omnivores, this elimination will be the most obvious.
Common American Foods: breast, thighs (drumsticks), wings, ground flesh (i.e. turkey burger),and foie gras.
Read the Label: There are hidden ingredients to lookout for. Among them, you should be especially mindful of the stocks/bases used in your favorite soups and stews.

Months 7 through 9 – Eliminate all Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish & Invertebrate Animals
Here’s where your journey might get a little tricky…no more tuna fish sandwiches or sushi bars.
Common American Foods: fish, snake, turtle soup, frog legs, lobsters, shrimp, scallops, crabs, clams, mussels, and calamari.
Read the Label: There are hidden ingredients to lookout for – especially in flavoring and coloring. Also, your favorite beer or wine may need to be replaced due to the use of animal products during filtration.

Months 10 through 12 – Eliminate all Eggs & Dairy Products
At this point you’ll be pretty good at checking labels, but nothing will prepare you for the number of hidden ingredients found in everyday foods.
Common American Foods: eggs, cream, milk, cheese, milk chocolate, ice cream.
Read the Label: There are hidden ingredients to lookout for, specifically egg whites and whey. These aren’t necessarily ‘hidden’ but they certainly don’t seem like obvious ingredients. I can’t stress enough – read those labels.

* Please seek professional advice if you have any questions or concerns with your vegetarian journey.

Once you’ve gone through the transition, pat yourself on the back and get a Vegetar-I-Am T-shirt!

Not familiar with the term raw vegan? Wikipedia describes raw veganism as:

…a diet which combines veganism and raw foodism. It excludes all food of animal origin, and all food cooked above 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit). A raw vegan diet includes raw vegetables and fruits, nuts and nut pastes, grain and legume sprouts, seeds, plant oils, sea vegetables, herbs, and fresh juices. There are many different versions of the diet…

If you’d like to learn more about raw diets, Purely Raw is a great site to visit and explore. Or, if you want to talk shop with some other raw foodies, check out the forums at Gone Raw!

Given today’s ominous theme, I thought the old pairing of ‘death and taxes’ could use a little excitement, hence, Sideshow Kitties!

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, inquiring minds of all ages, the sideshow is finally back in town! Are you ready to be astounded? Are you prepared to be amazed, bewildered and bewitched?

Their appearance may shock you…and delight you! Maybe your mother told you it’s not polite to stare, but these kitties don’t mind. So step right up; don’t be shy! Your friends and neighbors have already paid a dime to see these remarkable specimens. Just step inside the tent! Come see the world’s greatest gathering of kitty curiosities! Feline freakishness!

All real, all alive… on the inside.

We first saw these great stuffed marvels on the silent auction table at Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary‘s annual ThanksLiving Dinner. They are delicious.