Saturday, March 31, 2007
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
No more plastic shopping bags !
Bring Your Own Bag - Online Petition
There is a solution to polluting plastic bags in hedges, fences, blowing around the streets. STOP NOW. A tax would encourage people to take their own bags. The tax raised could be used to tidy up the mess.
In March 2002 the Irish government introduced a PlasTax levy on single-use plastic carrier bags (including biodegradable ones.) The scheme has been an extraordinary success, with consumption down by a staggering 95%. Prior to the introduction of the levy annual carrier bag usage in Ireland stood at 1.2 billion.
Sign Petition NOW!
There is a solution to polluting plastic bags in hedges, fences, blowing around the streets. STOP NOW. A tax would encourage people to take their own bags. The tax raised could be used to tidy up the mess.
In March 2002 the Irish government introduced a PlasTax levy on single-use plastic carrier bags (including biodegradable ones.) The scheme has been an extraordinary success, with consumption down by a staggering 95%. Prior to the introduction of the levy annual carrier bag usage in Ireland stood at 1.2 billion.
Sign Petition NOW!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Vegetarian Fish Free Omega 3 DHA EPA could save the Sea
New
Ask anyone! We are running out of fish. The ones that are left are more and more toxic from polution. The ocean's delicate ecosystems are being undermined by overfishing the seas and it's not even that people are eating the fish. Most of it gets used for marine oil for industrial use or to feed animals or even other fish.
Fish catches are going down, size of fish caught are going down, only the price of fish oil is going up.
Meanwhile health professionals are saying we should eat more fish or take an essential fatty acid EFA suplement of omega 3 containing DHA - docosahexaenoic acid and EPA eicosapentaenoic acid.
DHA and EPA which stands for docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid are long chain fats from the omega 3 essential fatty acid chain. EPA DHA are highly unsaturated fat because of they contain 6 and 5 double bond s on their long structural chain. These polyunsaturated fats play a very important role with the function of our bodies.
EPA and DHA are vital nutrients and may be taken to maintain healthy function of the following: Brain and Retina- DHA is a building block of tissue in the brain and retina of the eye. It helps with forming neural transmitters, such as phosphatidylserine, which is important for brain function. DHA is found in the retina of the eye and taking DHA may be necessary for maintaining healthy levels of DHA for normal eye function.
Cardiovascular system - EPA and DHA are converted into hormone like substances called prostaglandins, and they regulate cell activity and healthy cardiovascular function.
Human growth and intellectual development - DHA plays a very important role during fetal development, early infancy, and old age. High concentrations of DHA are found in the brain and increases 300-500% in and infant's brain during the last trimester of pregnancy. Adding DHA to a pregnant mothers diet may be beneficial for the fetus's brain development. Elderly people should also take EPA DHA, because as we get older, our bodies form less DHA and EPA, which may cause less mental focus and cognitive function. Taking EPA DHA may also help with mental abnormalities, such as Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia.
There are other benefits to taking EPA and DHA because it also plays as a source of energy, it insulates the body against heat loss, prevents skin from drying and flaking, and cushions tissues and organs.
At last there is a vegetarian and vegan alternative to these essential brain building membrane protecting fats. V Pure is a sustainably produced, ethical vegan, fish free, environmentally friendly DHA and EPA rich omega 3 oil in a vegetarian soft gel capsule. Made in Switzerland from secret strains of pure micro algae it is set to take the world by storm as people realise there is now a credible alternative to fish.
(To promote V pure on your website please see affiliate page )
Exposed - Vegan Twinkie Changes World
A Girl Named Guy - Twinkie Deconstructed
Will the world ever be the same again - as a girl named Guy get's down and dirty with twinkies of all shapes and sizes and puts twinkie munching under the microscope. She exposes the world of twinkie eating and exposes the twinkie fetishists. Top votes went to the organic gourmet twinkie and the vegan twinkie. Least ingredients award went to the vegan Twinkie.
She even finds a Twinkie Virgin (a Brit!) as Steve Ettlinger, author launches his new book, Twinkie, Deconstructed.
Ingredients of a standard Twinkie (145 calories) include;
Enriched Wheat Flour - enriched with ferrous sulphate (iron)
B vitamins:
Niacin
Thiamine mononitrate [B1]
Riboflavin [B12] and
Folic acid
Sugar
Corn syrup
Water
High fructose corn syrup
Vegetable and/or animal shortening containing one or more of
Partially hydrogenated soybean
cottonseed or Canola oil
lard and
beef fat
Dextrose
Whole eggs
Contains 2% or less of:
Modified corn starch
Cellulose gum
Whey
Leavenings:
Sodium acid pyrophosphate
Baking soda
Monocalcium phosphate
Salt
Cornstarch
Corn flour
Corn syrup solids
Mono and diglycerides
Soy lecithin
Polysorbate 60
Calcium caseinate
Sodium stearoyl lactylate
Wheat gluten
calcium sulfate
Natural and artificial flavors:
Caramel color
Sorbic acid (to retain freshness)
Color added (yellow 5, red 40)
Monday, March 12, 2007
Thursday, March 08, 2007
World Markets Go From Mean to Green as Ethical Business Services are New Market Trend
Ethical Consumers and Corporate Responsibility: The Market and Trends for Ethical Products in Food and Beverage, Personal Care and Household Items : Packaged Facts
Call them what you will, vegetarians, vegans, ethical consumers, conscious consumers, LOHAS (lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) businesses around the world are going Green, Fair trade, organic, vegan, vegetarian, humane and eco-friendly in an effort to grab a slice of this market trend.
“Ethical consumerism” is on the rise as more marketers, retailers, and consumers realize that their actions have ethical, social, and environmental consequences. Consumers increasingly are shopping with their conscience, say experts, who note the rapid growth in sales of organic, local, humane, Fair Trade, and eco-friendly goods. The strong growth of ethical grocery products is all the more significant when contrasted with the relatively flat market for conventional groceries. Yet, critics worry that as “green” becomes mainstream, these products’ very popularity and the entry of Big Business are diluting the movement’s original ideals.
If you are interested in this market you could download this 'Ethical Consumers and Corporate Responsibility: The Market and Trends for Ethical Products in Food and Beverage, Personal Care and Household Items' report for $3,500 or you could instead invest in attending The International Ethical Living show at The Bristol Vegan Fayre to find out what is really happening at grassroots and find out where the ethical market are heading.
To advertise to reach this market you could also try new media gathering momentum such as Online Vegetarian TV Show Veggie Vision or Ethical TV Channel Bonobo TV
Call them what you will, vegetarians, vegans, ethical consumers, conscious consumers, LOHAS (lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) businesses around the world are going Green, Fair trade, organic, vegan, vegetarian, humane and eco-friendly in an effort to grab a slice of this market trend.
“Ethical consumerism” is on the rise as more marketers, retailers, and consumers realize that their actions have ethical, social, and environmental consequences. Consumers increasingly are shopping with their conscience, say experts, who note the rapid growth in sales of organic, local, humane, Fair Trade, and eco-friendly goods. The strong growth of ethical grocery products is all the more significant when contrasted with the relatively flat market for conventional groceries. Yet, critics worry that as “green” becomes mainstream, these products’ very popularity and the entry of Big Business are diluting the movement’s original ideals.
If you are interested in this market you could download this 'Ethical Consumers and Corporate Responsibility: The Market and Trends for Ethical Products in Food and Beverage, Personal Care and Household Items' report for $3,500 or you could instead invest in attending The International Ethical Living show at The Bristol Vegan Fayre to find out what is really happening at grassroots and find out where the ethical market are heading.
To advertise to reach this market you could also try new media gathering momentum such as Online Vegetarian TV Show Veggie Vision or Ethical TV Channel Bonobo TV
Sunday, March 04, 2007
BBC - London - Radio - Eddie Nestor`
BBC - London - Radio - Eddie Nestor goes vegetarian for a week.
As part of Animal Aid - National Vegetarian Month BBC London DJ Eddie Nestor is considering going vegetarian for a month.
Tony Bishop-Weston from Foods for Life and author of the Vegan cookbook was invited on to Eddie's show to say why it's a good idea.
Eddie asked if Tony had noticed a difference when he went vegan. Tony said that he used to eat a lot of cheese as a vegetarian and noticed his skin got much better on a vegan diet.
Laura called in to say she had been vegan but then got anaemic - Tony explained there is no reason for this as all nutrients are available in plant based versions including iron (green leafy veg, dried apricots, beans) and said that most of the people that London Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston sees who are low in iron are meat eaters.
A Hindhu Gentleman called in saying Hinduism teaches that vegetarians were spiritually superior and those that meat were more likely to be aggressive and violent.
Then a guy called in supporting the Dairy Industry trying to turn the discussion to one about honey rather than the detrimental effects of meat and dairy on the environment and health.
Sadly he succeeded and the rest of the programme degenerated to a discussion about honey, despite Tony trying to steer the conversation back and suggesting he look on the Vegan Society website if he wanted to know more about honey and how male bees heads are cut off.
Tony did manage to put Eddie Straight on the Colin Jackson Saga on BBC 2's Truth about Food. Tony pointed out that Colin could have all the protein he needed if he wanted he just deliberately chose low protein options and then could have managed 5 more press ups rather than 5 less.
Businesses wishing to target the vegetarian market should check out the Bristol Vegan Fayre - a Health Food Trade Show Exhibition to target ethical consumers
As part of Animal Aid - National Vegetarian Month BBC London DJ Eddie Nestor is considering going vegetarian for a month.
Tony Bishop-Weston from Foods for Life and author of the Vegan cookbook was invited on to Eddie's show to say why it's a good idea.
Eddie asked if Tony had noticed a difference when he went vegan. Tony said that he used to eat a lot of cheese as a vegetarian and noticed his skin got much better on a vegan diet.
Laura called in to say she had been vegan but then got anaemic - Tony explained there is no reason for this as all nutrients are available in plant based versions including iron (green leafy veg, dried apricots, beans) and said that most of the people that London Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston sees who are low in iron are meat eaters.
A Hindhu Gentleman called in saying Hinduism teaches that vegetarians were spiritually superior and those that meat were more likely to be aggressive and violent.
Then a guy called in supporting the Dairy Industry trying to turn the discussion to one about honey rather than the detrimental effects of meat and dairy on the environment and health.
Sadly he succeeded and the rest of the programme degenerated to a discussion about honey, despite Tony trying to steer the conversation back and suggesting he look on the Vegan Society website if he wanted to know more about honey and how male bees heads are cut off.
Tony did manage to put Eddie Straight on the Colin Jackson Saga on BBC 2's Truth about Food. Tony pointed out that Colin could have all the protein he needed if he wanted he just deliberately chose low protein options and then could have managed 5 more press ups rather than 5 less.
Businesses wishing to target the vegetarian market should check out the Bristol Vegan Fayre - a Health Food Trade Show Exhibition to target ethical consumers
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Porky Pies- The Truth About Cheap Pork Meat
Rolling Stone : Pork's Dirty Secret
The USA's top pig producer is also one of America's worst environmental polluters.
The logistical challenge of processing so many pigs each year is roughly equivalent to butchering and boxing the entire human populations of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, San Jose, Detroit, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Columbus, Austin, Memphis, Baltimore, Fort Worth, Charlotte, El Paso, Milwaukee, Seattle, Boston, Denver, Louisville, Washington, D.C., Nashville, Las Vegas, Portland, Oklahoma City and Tucson !!!!
A lot of pig shit is one thing; a lot of highly toxic pig shit is another. The excrement of Smithfield hogs is hardly even pig shit: On a continuum of pollutants, it is probably closer to radioactive waste than to organic manure.
The drugs Smithfield administers to its pigs, of course, exit its hog houses in pig shit. Industrial pig waste also contains a host of other toxic substances: ammonia, methane, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, cyanide, phosphorous, nitrates and heavy metals. In addition, the waste nurses more than 100 microbial pathogens that can cause illness in humans, including salmonella, cryptosporidium, streptocolli and girardia. Each gram of hog shit can contain as much as 100 million fecal coliform bacteria.
******
Looking down from the plane, we watch as several of Smithfield's farmers spray their hog shit straight up into the air as a fine mist: It looks like a public fountain. Lofted and atomized, the shit is blown clear of the company's property. People who breathe the shit-infused air suffer from bronchitis, asthma, heart palpitations, headaches, diarrhea, nosebleeds and brain damage. In 1995, a woman downwind from a corporate hog farm in Olivia, Minnesota, called a poison-control center and described her symptoms. "Ma'am," the poison-control officer told her, "the only symptoms of hydrogen-sulfide poisoning you're not experiencing are seizures, convulsions and death. Leave the area immediately."
The USA's top pig producer is also one of America's worst environmental polluters.
The logistical challenge of processing so many pigs each year is roughly equivalent to butchering and boxing the entire human populations of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, San Jose, Detroit, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Columbus, Austin, Memphis, Baltimore, Fort Worth, Charlotte, El Paso, Milwaukee, Seattle, Boston, Denver, Louisville, Washington, D.C., Nashville, Las Vegas, Portland, Oklahoma City and Tucson !!!!
A lot of pig shit is one thing; a lot of highly toxic pig shit is another. The excrement of Smithfield hogs is hardly even pig shit: On a continuum of pollutants, it is probably closer to radioactive waste than to organic manure.
The drugs Smithfield administers to its pigs, of course, exit its hog houses in pig shit. Industrial pig waste also contains a host of other toxic substances: ammonia, methane, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, cyanide, phosphorous, nitrates and heavy metals. In addition, the waste nurses more than 100 microbial pathogens that can cause illness in humans, including salmonella, cryptosporidium, streptocolli and girardia. Each gram of hog shit can contain as much as 100 million fecal coliform bacteria.
******
Looking down from the plane, we watch as several of Smithfield's farmers spray their hog shit straight up into the air as a fine mist: It looks like a public fountain. Lofted and atomized, the shit is blown clear of the company's property. People who breathe the shit-infused air suffer from bronchitis, asthma, heart palpitations, headaches, diarrhea, nosebleeds and brain damage. In 1995, a woman downwind from a corporate hog farm in Olivia, Minnesota, called a poison-control center and described her symptoms. "Ma'am," the poison-control officer told her, "the only symptoms of hydrogen-sulfide poisoning you're not experiencing are seizures, convulsions and death. Leave the area immediately."
Blogs of Note !!
Thanks to the Blogger Team for naming us as a blog of note on the 1st March 2007
It wasn't so long ago the topic of veganism was on the fringes of acceptability and we'd struggle to be honoured in this way. These days with all the talk about the environment, healthy eating, and fair trade products, vegetarian and vegan diets are now rising rapidly in popularity.
The International Vegan Festival- The Bristol Vegan Fayre on the 9th and 10th June will I'm sure speed this growing consciousness along.
With live bands, more delicious vegan food than you can shake a stick at, speakers, Hemp Expo, ethical fashion show etc etc etc it's going to be a weekend not to be missed.
It wasn't so long ago the topic of veganism was on the fringes of acceptability and we'd struggle to be honoured in this way. These days with all the talk about the environment, healthy eating, and fair trade products, vegetarian and vegan diets are now rising rapidly in popularity.
The International Vegan Festival- The Bristol Vegan Fayre on the 9th and 10th June will I'm sure speed this growing consciousness along.
With live bands, more delicious vegan food than you can shake a stick at, speakers, Hemp Expo, ethical fashion show etc etc etc it's going to be a weekend not to be missed.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
LBC Radio
LBC Radio Goes Veggie
Tony Bishop Weston from Foods for Life London Nutritionists and Sri Diamond from Lifescape magazine took part in a phone in on vegetarianism on LBC today.
Following LBC's James O'Brien committed meat eater being succesfully converted to vegetarian ways vegetarianism is now infectiously starting to spread at LBC.
Jim Davis interviewed his cousin on LBC today to find out why she's been vegetarian for 25 years. Listeners called in to ask questions of Tony from London Nutritionists Foods for Life and Sri from Lifescape magazine.
A few people called and said they'd had to go back to eating meat for health reasons and Tony and Sri explained that all key nutrients were available from a vegetarian or even vegan diet but that you must replace the meat in your diet with suitable sources of plant based protein and that even preconverted omega 3 essential fats vegetarian DHA and EPA were now available in a vegetarian form.
A gentleman called to say his Indian father had been a vegetarian all his life avoiding nearly all animal products and lived very healthily to the age of 93.
Tony Bishop Weston from Foods for Life London Nutritionists and Sri Diamond from Lifescape magazine took part in a phone in on vegetarianism on LBC today.
Following LBC's James O'Brien committed meat eater being succesfully converted to vegetarian ways vegetarianism is now infectiously starting to spread at LBC.
Jim Davis interviewed his cousin on LBC today to find out why she's been vegetarian for 25 years. Listeners called in to ask questions of Tony from London Nutritionists Foods for Life and Sri from Lifescape magazine.
A few people called and said they'd had to go back to eating meat for health reasons and Tony and Sri explained that all key nutrients were available from a vegetarian or even vegan diet but that you must replace the meat in your diet with suitable sources of plant based protein and that even preconverted omega 3 essential fats vegetarian DHA and EPA were now available in a vegetarian form.
A gentleman called to say his Indian father had been a vegetarian all his life avoiding nearly all animal products and lived very healthily to the age of 93.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Healthy Eating , Nutrition and Health News
BBC Challenged over Protein used in Vegan Diet experiment
In the Truth About Food on BBC2 they fed elete athlete Colin Jackson a vegetarian diet and vegetarians meat and monitored the outcome. The trouble was they cheated - many foods from Vegan specialist Redwoods Foods have more protein than all the protein sources the BBC used - even the meat they fed to the vegetarians!
Shelled Hempseeds have over 30% protein , Redwoods mince has 25% Protein, some types of Quinoa are 20% protein.
Had meat lover Colin been fed some hemp and some nuts and seeds he may have become more powerfull not less.
In the Truth About Food on BBC2 they fed elete athlete Colin Jackson a vegetarian diet and vegetarians meat and monitored the outcome. The trouble was they cheated - many foods from Vegan specialist Redwoods Foods have more protein than all the protein sources the BBC used - even the meat they fed to the vegetarians!
Shelled Hempseeds have over 30% protein , Redwoods mince has 25% Protein, some types of Quinoa are 20% protein.
Had meat lover Colin been fed some hemp and some nuts and seeds he may have become more powerfull not less.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Vegan Diet more effective than Green Cars
Forget a Prius. Eat a felafel - Haaretz - Israel News: "Ever since Leonardo di Caprio, Julia Roberts and the other Hollywood superstars discovered the Prius, the hybrid car has become the symbol of the consumer battle against global warming. But few consider that a much more efficient, cheap way to prevent sea levels, floods and droughts from devastating the planet as we know it, is to turn vegetarian.
A study 'Earth Interactions - Diet, Energy and Global Warming' published last year shows that a person adopting a vegetarian lifestyle, including no components from the animal world, contributes more to halting global warming than a person who abandons his regular car for a Prius.See http://geosci.uchicago.edu/~gidon/papers/nutri/nutriEI.pdf
Shifting gears to a Prius saves more than a ton of carbon-dioxide emission a year, while adoptin vegetarianism saves at least 1.5 tons of carbon-dioxide emission a year."
A study 'Earth Interactions - Diet, Energy and Global Warming' published last year shows that a person adopting a vegetarian lifestyle, including no components from the animal world, contributes more to halting global warming than a person who abandons his regular car for a Prius.See http://geosci.uchicago.edu/~gidon/papers/nutri/nutriEI.pdf
Shifting gears to a Prius saves more than a ton of carbon-dioxide emission a year, while adoptin vegetarianism saves at least 1.5 tons of carbon-dioxide emission a year."
Vegan Oscars and Academy Awards at International Vegan Festival
Vegan Oscars and Academy Awards at International Vegan Festival
The 007 categories for the Vegan oscars, The Yaoh 007 Environmental Vegan Awards are
001 Best Vegan Product
002 Best Vegan Company
003 Best Vegan Individual Achievement
004 Best Independent Health Store
005 Best Vegan Organisation
006 Best On Line Shop
007 Best Vegan Media/publication
VOTE NOW
www.bristolveganfayre.co.uk/vote/
MORE INFO ABOUT VEGAN AWARDS
The Yaoh 007 Vegan Environmental Awards
www.bristolveganfayre.co.uk/awards.htm
The 007 categories for the Vegan oscars, The Yaoh 007 Environmental Vegan Awards are
001 Best Vegan Product
002 Best Vegan Company
003 Best Vegan Individual Achievement
004 Best Independent Health Store
005 Best Vegan Organisation
006 Best On Line Shop
007 Best Vegan Media/publication
VOTE NOW
www.bristolveganfayre.co.uk/vote/
MORE INFO ABOUT VEGAN AWARDS
The Yaoh 007 Vegan Environmental Awards
www.bristolveganfayre.co.uk/awards.htm
Monday, February 05, 2007
Avian Flu Beats UK's Most Bio-Secure Protection.
Mystery deepens over cause of Suffolk bird flu outbreak | Health | SocietyGuardian.co.uk
Bernard Matthews claims they have "the most bio-secure" plant in Britain. Despite their claims that they have the highest biosafety standards of anyone Bernard Mathews have been beaten twice by bird flu- they had an earlier outbreak of Avian Flu in a factory farm in Hungary.
A team of 30 people were deployed to gas 159,000 turkeys - Bernard Mathews will be reimbursed the full market value of the Turkeys and this could cost taxpayers over half a million pounds
More
The Guardian- BBC - Reuters
Centre for Disease Control - Bird Flu
Bernard Matthews Turkeys Die in Bird Flu UK Outbreak
Evening Star - Flu outbreak: Dead bird figures
MORE than 2,000 turkeys have died after an outbreak of bird flu at a poultry farm in Suffolk, it was revealed today.
Government vets are continuing to investigate at the Bernard Matthews site at Holton, near Halesworth, where it was originally thought around 1,000 birds had died. The figure has now been reported by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as 2,617.
Yet more evidence (if we needed it) that factory farming will continue to jump up and bite meat eaters fiercely on the bottom. The true cost of cheap meat is far too high a price to pay for the sake of human health and the health of the planet.
MORE than 2,000 turkeys have died after an outbreak of bird flu at a poultry farm in Suffolk, it was revealed today.
Government vets are continuing to investigate at the Bernard Matthews site at Holton, near Halesworth, where it was originally thought around 1,000 birds had died. The figure has now been reported by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as 2,617.
Yet more evidence (if we needed it) that factory farming will continue to jump up and bite meat eaters fiercely on the bottom. The true cost of cheap meat is far too high a price to pay for the sake of human health and the health of the planet.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
BBC Vegan Experiment Ends
BBC NEWS | Talk about Newsnight | Meet Daisy the cow – global climate’s enemy number one. BBC Newsnight Justin Rowlett proves he is unethical and no longer the Ethical Man despite also proving that Veganism has all the answers
Justin says 'According to the UN report we humans are responsible for a total of the equivalent of 40 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. That’s where I got that incredible figure of 18 per cent of total emissions.
Which brings me back to my experiment in veganism. The reason I suppressed my carnal desires throughout January was to find out what difference cutting animal products from my diet would make to my so-called carbon footprint.
As usual, my carbon guru Professor Tim Jackson has been on the case. He calculates that eighteen per cent of the carbon emissions created by the average diet are from meat and a further ten per cent are from dairy products.
But, as should be apparent from this blog, only counting carbon dioxide would be a woeful underestimate. The problem is no-one has calculated the contribution methane and nitrous oxide emissions make to the climate cost of the food we eat. Professor Tim reckons it is safe to double the figure for carbon dioxide which means sixty per cent of the global warming potential of the average diet is from animal products.
Justin says 'Does that mean we should all be going vegan?
If animal products account almost two thirds of the greenhouse gasses associated with food are from animal husbandry that is surely a powerful argument for any aspiring ethical man or woman to go vegan. But does a vegan diet give you all the nutrients you need?
I felt great not eating meat and a Bupa health-check at the beginning and end of my experiment showed that I shed two kilos in thirty one days, cutting my body fat from 19 per cent of my weight to just 15 per cent.
I also saw my cholesterol level plummet from 5.6 mmol/L (rather high) to just 3.4 mmol/L (very low for a man of my age). '
Exasperatingly he still went back to eating meat!!!
Bristol Vegan Fayre
Justin says 'According to the UN report we humans are responsible for a total of the equivalent of 40 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. That’s where I got that incredible figure of 18 per cent of total emissions.
Which brings me back to my experiment in veganism. The reason I suppressed my carnal desires throughout January was to find out what difference cutting animal products from my diet would make to my so-called carbon footprint.
As usual, my carbon guru Professor Tim Jackson has been on the case. He calculates that eighteen per cent of the carbon emissions created by the average diet are from meat and a further ten per cent are from dairy products.
But, as should be apparent from this blog, only counting carbon dioxide would be a woeful underestimate. The problem is no-one has calculated the contribution methane and nitrous oxide emissions make to the climate cost of the food we eat. Professor Tim reckons it is safe to double the figure for carbon dioxide which means sixty per cent of the global warming potential of the average diet is from animal products.
Justin says 'Does that mean we should all be going vegan?
If animal products account almost two thirds of the greenhouse gasses associated with food are from animal husbandry that is surely a powerful argument for any aspiring ethical man or woman to go vegan. But does a vegan diet give you all the nutrients you need?
I felt great not eating meat and a Bupa health-check at the beginning and end of my experiment showed that I shed two kilos in thirty one days, cutting my body fat from 19 per cent of my weight to just 15 per cent.
I also saw my cholesterol level plummet from 5.6 mmol/L (rather high) to just 3.4 mmol/L (very low for a man of my age). '
Exasperatingly he still went back to eating meat!!!
Bristol Vegan Fayre
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
UK Government Recommends Vegan Diet!
UK Government Recommends Vegan Diet!
Britain may need to ration animal products such as meat, chicken and dairy products such as milk and cheese if climate change runs out of control, suggests environment minister Ben Bradshaw (quoted in the London Metro)
Mr Bradshaw pointed out that livestock based food production did just as much damage as private transport and housing.
He spoke out as a new government website advised shoppers to help the planet by avoiding meat and cheese.
The www.direct.gov.uk/greenerfood website makes clear that eating beef, lamb, chicken and dairy products contributes to global warming because of the energy and land needed to rear animals. Sheep and cows also emit harmful methane gas.
See more of the UK Govt's advice on eating Vegan - Greener Food - Here
This news is welcomed by publishers of The RAVE Diet a sustainable diet for health and also the organisers of The International Vegan Festival in Bristol hoping to convert 20,000 people to a healthy and sustainable vegan diet this summer.
See also Back to Rationing for Britain on This is London - Evening Standard
Monday, January 29, 2007
The Mouth Revolution
The Mouth Revolution
The Mouth revolution has started - a UK Mouth-monstration, mouth-march and mass mouth rally are expected at The International Vegan Festival in Bristol this Summer as big mouths everywhere call for an end to the unnecessary suffering and waste of the earth's natural resources
A mouthalutionary mouthpiece for mouthalution said today "we are sick to the back teeth of being ignored - now mouthalutionaries from all over the world are speaking as one mouth for a bigger voice and we will bite back. Some say we have bitten off more than we can chew - but I say this - behind every big corporation there is a mouth, we have mouths everywhere, we will bite them on the beaches, we will never surrender, whatever the costs may be."
The Food Doctor says 'Dump Dairy'
Fibre-rich diet 'can halve the risk of breast cancer'
In response to an Article in The Daily Mail The Food Doctor says "Dump Dairy"
'Although a good source of calcium, which is important in maintaining bone health post menopause, diary products also contain the growth hormones fed to cows, maximizing milk production. Their effects do not stop at cows however, with humans affected through the production of Insulin Like Growth Factor One, which encourages rapid cell growth in the human body, normally a controlled procedure. The outcome of rapid cell division is an increased risk of gene mutation, which plays a role in the development of cancer, and acceleration of a tumour that may already be present. Reducing your overall dairy intake lessens your exposure to growth hormones. Aim for variety, opting for rice, soya and oat choices, and include dark green leafy vegetables and beetroot'
The Daily Mail said...
Women can halve their risk of breast cancer by eating a diet rich in wholemeal bread and wholegrain cereal, researchers have claimed. They said that dietary fibre - particularly cereal fibre - can help protect against the killer disease in younger women. It gave no protection, however, to those who have gone through the menopause. The Leeds University study suggested that women should eat at least 30 grams of fibre a day - the Government's recommended intake. Fibre can be found in everything from bran flakes to broccoli.
Professor Janet Cade, who conducted the study, said: "Previous research hasn't shown a convincing link between increased dietary fibre and a lower risk of breast cancer. "But earlier studies didn't draw any distinction between pre- and post-menopausal women." Her team, which was funded by the World Cancer Research Fund, came up with three possible causes for the link. It said high fibre foods are rich in vitamins, zinc and other nutrients which have protective anti- oxidant properties. Fibre can also 'smooth' out the peaks and troughs of insulin levels in the body and high levels are a possible cause of cancer. Finally, dietary fibre reduces levels of the hormone oestrogen, which has been linked to breast cancer. This would explain why a diet rich in fibre helps younger women who have higher levels of the hormone.
The Leeds researchers tracked the eating habits and health records of more than 35,000 women over seven years. Of the group, 257 were premenopausal and developed breast cancer during the study. These had lower intakes of dietary fibre compared with the cancer-free women. There was no significant difference in diet among the 350 post-menopausal women who developed the disease and those who did not. The study, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, was welcomed by Cancer Research UK, Information officer Ed Yong said: "The study further highlights the importance of eating a healthy diet for reducing the risk of cancer." Breast cancer kills more than 13,000 women a year in the UK.
In response to an Article in The Daily Mail The Food Doctor says "Dump Dairy"
'Although a good source of calcium, which is important in maintaining bone health post menopause, diary products also contain the growth hormones fed to cows, maximizing milk production. Their effects do not stop at cows however, with humans affected through the production of Insulin Like Growth Factor One, which encourages rapid cell growth in the human body, normally a controlled procedure. The outcome of rapid cell division is an increased risk of gene mutation, which plays a role in the development of cancer, and acceleration of a tumour that may already be present. Reducing your overall dairy intake lessens your exposure to growth hormones. Aim for variety, opting for rice, soya and oat choices, and include dark green leafy vegetables and beetroot'
The Daily Mail said...
Women can halve their risk of breast cancer by eating a diet rich in wholemeal bread and wholegrain cereal, researchers have claimed. They said that dietary fibre - particularly cereal fibre - can help protect against the killer disease in younger women. It gave no protection, however, to those who have gone through the menopause. The Leeds University study suggested that women should eat at least 30 grams of fibre a day - the Government's recommended intake. Fibre can be found in everything from bran flakes to broccoli.
Professor Janet Cade, who conducted the study, said: "Previous research hasn't shown a convincing link between increased dietary fibre and a lower risk of breast cancer. "But earlier studies didn't draw any distinction between pre- and post-menopausal women." Her team, which was funded by the World Cancer Research Fund, came up with three possible causes for the link. It said high fibre foods are rich in vitamins, zinc and other nutrients which have protective anti- oxidant properties. Fibre can also 'smooth' out the peaks and troughs of insulin levels in the body and high levels are a possible cause of cancer. Finally, dietary fibre reduces levels of the hormone oestrogen, which has been linked to breast cancer. This would explain why a diet rich in fibre helps younger women who have higher levels of the hormone.
The Leeds researchers tracked the eating habits and health records of more than 35,000 women over seven years. Of the group, 257 were premenopausal and developed breast cancer during the study. These had lower intakes of dietary fibre compared with the cancer-free women. There was no significant difference in diet among the 350 post-menopausal women who developed the disease and those who did not. The study, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, was welcomed by Cancer Research UK, Information officer Ed Yong said: "The study further highlights the importance of eating a healthy diet for reducing the risk of cancer." Breast cancer kills more than 13,000 women a year in the UK.
Fast Food Nation - Eric Schlosser
The man who ruined our appetite | Food monthly | The Observer
Interview with Fast Food Nation author - Eric Schlosser
what I would say is: open your eyes. Don't lead a life that's unexamined. Realise that how you spend your money has a ripple effect. If you eat or shop in a certain place, that's like a vote - a vote for what they're doing. You're supporting that business. So be conscious and informed and give your money to the people who are doing things the right way. Open your eyes. Mine are wide open.' As he tells me this, Schlosser has the benign look of one who leads a good life, or has eaten a good lunch, or perhaps both - since in his eyes at least, they amount to pretty much the same thing.
· Fast Food Nation is released in the UK on 24 March
Fast Food Nation - The Book
Fast Food Nation - The Film
Interview with Fast Food Nation author - Eric Schlosser
what I would say is: open your eyes. Don't lead a life that's unexamined. Realise that how you spend your money has a ripple effect. If you eat or shop in a certain place, that's like a vote - a vote for what they're doing. You're supporting that business. So be conscious and informed and give your money to the people who are doing things the right way. Open your eyes. Mine are wide open.' As he tells me this, Schlosser has the benign look of one who leads a good life, or has eaten a good lunch, or perhaps both - since in his eyes at least, they amount to pretty much the same thing.
· Fast Food Nation is released in the UK on 24 March
Fast Food Nation - The Book
Fast Food Nation - The Film
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