by Tandis Bishop and Michael Bond
In this month’s “Message from the Chief Vegetarian Officer,” Mark Fergusson notes that Christmas is a time to show compassion and goodwill toward all living beings, including the innocent animals. This is the true meaning of “peace on earth.”
As we plan menus for this year's Thanksgiving dinner, consider that a vegetarian lifestyle awakens our spirit of compassion and guides us towards a kinder, gentler society in which we exercise a moral choice to protect animals—not exploit them.
So why not celebrate this year’s Thanksgiving with a turkey-free dinner? Each year, over 5 million turkeys are raised under horrible conditions and then slaughtered for holiday feasting. What a great opportunity to protect animals, by reducing so much pain and suffering. Just skip the buzzard!
At Down to Earth, we strongly believe that the single most important thing an individual can do for their health, for the environment, and for the sake of the innocent animals is to adopt a vegetarian diet. In celebration of National Vegetarian Awareness Month (October) and World Vegetarian Day (October 1st), let us take a few minutes to reflect on why.
by Michael Bond
Food is often overlooked as a component of our carbon footprint, yet what we choose to eat is one of the most significant factors in the personal impact we have on the environment. A recent study examining the impact of a typical week’s eating showed that plant-based diets are better for the environment than those based on meat.1 A vegan, organic diet had the smallest environmental impact while the single most damaging foodstuff was beef. Likewise, all non-vegetarian diets require significantly greater amounts of land and water resources.
As we prepare our children for the new school year, it’s time to think again about one of the most important and least understood aspects of their daily lives: nutrition. What’s good for them, and what’s not. We’ve all heard it many times, yet many of us ignore it—or at least don’t do much about it. We do so at our children’s peril. Since the 1920’s parents and experts have suspected that certain foods and ingredients ramp up their children’s behavior and contribute to weight and related health problems. Research has proven this to be true.
While helping to protect and sustain the earth and all her splendor is surely a worth-while endeavor, it is also important to protect and sustain our bodies with a healthy lifestyle to improve our personal quality of life. That’s because what we eat can cause or worsen illness and premature death associated with diet-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease and stroke, obesity, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, cancer, and diabetes, among others.
by Michele McKay
When we consider livestock, we usually think of meat… but leather production is a major and lucrative component of the slaughter industry, with its own grim record of pollution and harm to the environment and to human health.
by Michele McKay
Summer is a great time to enjoy Hawaii’s beautiful mountains, beaches, and surf! Hiking, biking, snorkeling, swimming, wave riding, barbequing… whatever your pleasure, enjoy the outdoors with kokua, in a way that won’t harm people, animals or the environment.
by Michele McKay
The holiday season is a time of giving and receiving, but not many people think about what they can give back to Mother Earth. This year you can make your holiday celebrations eco-friendly – and in return, you will receive the knowledge that you have helped make your home and the planet a ‘greener’ place.
The holidays can be extra tough on the environment: extra waste is generated from packaging and wrappers, more gas is burned on shopping trips, and many megawatts of energy go into light displays. Celebrate the planet this year with these eco-friendly holiday tips:
by Angie Smith
Every year around January 1st, millions of people vow to get healthy, lose weight, or quit some bad habit. The motivation to make a change for the better comes on strong, but usually fizzles out before you can even make it into the ballpark of your goal. So, how can you make a resolution stick? Many experts say that it can be done one step at a time.
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