SOME REASONS I ADVOCATE FOR ANIMALS (and don’t eat meat).

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CARNIVORES (ANIMALS), HERBIVORES and HUMANS (and why carnivorous animals can eat other animals)

Meat-eaters: have claws

Herbivores: no claws

Humans: no claws

 

Meat-eaters: have no skin pores and perspire through the tongue

Herbivores: perspire through skin pores

Humans: perspire through skin pores

 

Meat-eaters: have sharp front teeth for tearing, with no flat molar teeth for grinding

Herbivores: no sharp front teeth, but flat rear molars for grinding

Humans: no sharp front teeth, but flat rear molars for grinding

 

Meat-eaters: have intestinal tract that is only 3 times their body length so that rapidly decaying meat can pass through quickly

Herbivores: have intestinal tract 10-12 times their body length.

Humans: have intestinal tract 10-12 times their body length.

 

Meat-eaters: have strong hydrochloric acid in stomach to digest meat

Herbivores: have stomach acid that is 20 times weaker than that of a meat-eater

Humans: have stomach acid that is 20 times weaker than that of a meat-eater

 

Meat-eaters: salivary glands in mouth not needed to pre-digest grains and fruits.

Herbivores: well-developed salivary glands which are necessary to pre-digest grains and fruits

Humans: well-developed salivary glands, which are necessary to pre-digest, grains and fruits

 

Meat-eaters: have acid saliva with no enzyme ptyalin to pre-digest grains

Herbivores: have alkaline saliva with ptyalin to pre-digest grains

Humans: have alkaline saliva with ptyalin to pre-digest grains

Based on a chart by A.D. Andrews, Fit Food for Men, (Chicago: American Hygiene Society, 1970)

Information above obtained via http://www.celestialhealing.net/physicalveg3.htm

Here is a link to an article written by Mike Roizen, M.D. and a long time collaborator with Dr. Mehmed Oz.  The article suggests that there are more reasons, than otherwise known, to avoid red meat.  Here is the link:

 http://blog.doctoroz.com/in-the-news/more-reasons-to-avoid-red-meat

An article written for Huffington Post by Craig Cooper, Mens Health Advocate and founder of Cooperative Health and Prostate.net entitled:  Before Eating Red Meat, Think Twice and Live Longer cited a study that collected data from 83,644 women from the Nurses Health Study and 37,698 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study,  so investigators could determine the affect and how much meat each of these adults consumed over a 22-year to 28-year period.

The bottom line of the study? The more red meat you eat, the greater your risk of dying and of developing heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Here is the link to that article:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-cooper/red-meat-health_b_1758346.html

For me, I choose not to eat reasons for the following reasons, excluding the above health reasons:

ENVIRONMENT

Inefficient use of agriculture. 70% of U.S. grain production is used to feed farm animals. The grains and soybeans fed to animals to produce the amount of meat consumed by the average American in one year could feed seven people for the same period.

Inefficient use of water.  It takes 2640 gallons of water to produce one pound of edible beef. The water used to raise animals for food is more than half the water used in the United States.

Inefficient use of energy.  Calories of fossil fuel needed to produce 1 calorie of protein in beef: 28.  Calories of fossil fuel needed to produce 1 calorie of protein in soybeans: 2.

Environmental Pollution.  Raising animals for food is the biggest polluter of our water and topsoil. Factory farm animal waste pollutes the ground and groundwater horribly.

Destruction of natural habitat.  It takes more land to raise animals for food than it does to produce the equivalent nutritional value by raising edible plants. Rain forests are being destroyed to make room for huge cattle ranches. Coyotes and other animals are poisoned and shot by western cattle ranchers who consider federal land to be their land for grazing.

ETHICAL REASONS

Animals on factory farms are over-crowded.  They spend their brief lives in crowded and ammonia-filled conditions, many of them so cramped that they can’t even turn around or spread a wing.

Animals on factory farms are tortured.  Within days of birth, for example, chickens have their beaks seared off with a hot blade. Animals are hung upside down and their throats are sliced open, often while they’re fully conscious.

Animals on factory farms are treated like machines.  They are pumped up with drugs, fed their own waste and forced to grow or produce as fast as possible. They are subjected to 24-hour artificial lighting while being crammed into tiny cages one on top of the other to make it easier to harvest.

Although I respect an individuals rights to choose to eat meat – I resent how many meat-eaters cite reasons such as;  humans have to eat meat for our health and then mock vegans and vegetarians for their lack of food choices.  This clearly demonstrates their lack of knowledge of what a vegan/vegetarian diet consists of.  I believe that many studies are pro-meat because they are funded by the meat industry and they also debunk the studies that clearly demonstrate that eating too much red meat is not healthy.

It is our responsibility to educate ourselves and not always believe what ‘THE INDUSTRY’ or ‘BIG CORPORATION’ feeds us because, ultimately, it is not in their best interest to advocate for our well-being, they only care about how they can profit.  Think about it – has Coca Cola ever admitted that their product(s) promote obesity and diabetes?  Has Wal-Mart ever stated that by opening one of their Superstore’s in a small town, local businesses suffer and even go bankrupt?  Do automobile companies talk about the impact CO2 emissions have on the environment?  Don’t even get me started on the lies our government and the agriculture industry has sold the public on MILK.  Government and BIG CORPORATION work together to keep the general public confused so that they can continue passing legislation that supports those BIG CORPORATION products that continue to brainwash  and enslave us.

We should always go through life asking questions and learning – why should we just believe what is being fed to us?  Should it not be our responsibility to be proactive in everything we do in our lives?  If we continue to be slaves to BIG CORPORATION and government, we will continue to lose more and more of our freedoms.  A great man said “be the change you want to see in the world” – The only way this can happen is if we empower ourselves to create the change we want to see happen. 

The facts, both environmental and health benefits, about eating meat are out there – all you have to do is READ IT.  The video evidence of the abuse animals go through is out there, all you have to do is SEE IT.  

Together we can make the world a more positive one.

For more information on the environmental impact of raising cattle for food, please visit the following websites:

www.peta.org

www.wwf.ca (Canada)

www.worldwildlife.org (International)

www.greenpeace.org

Please visit my archived blogs for articles, documentaries and other general articles about animal, environment and human rights advocacy.  There are also ‘general interest’ blogs, videos and audio that may inspire you to create positve change in the world.

 

 

GET UP STAND UP – DON’T GIVE UP THE FIGHT!

There are so many people who want to be conduits for positive change in the world – some are still with us and some have been long gone, people like:  Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, Dian Fossey, Jane Goodall, Ingrid Newkirk, Princess Diana, Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr. John F. Kennedy, Bill McKibben….I could name thousands that have been extensively profiled in the media but the people who are most important in creating positive change in the world are those that act.

Change can’t happen if people do not get involved.  The worldwide Occupy movements have caused a new protest movement against BIG CORPORATION and Government that we haven’t seen since the 60’s.  These Occupy movements possibly sparked mass protests worldwide such as the uprising against President Mubarak in Egypt, the protests against Monsanto, the mass demonstrations against the KXL Pipeline and so on.

If we are to live in a society where we hold freedom, democracy and justice for all – we must RISE UP against those who wish to take those privileges away from us and that means holding BIG CORPORATIONS, Governments and dictators accountable for their actions.  We have seen peaceful protests around the world become violent not because of the protesters but because of the police that are acting on behalf of the government.  There have been media blackouts so that others around the world don’t see the mass protests against their countries governments.  Countries around the world are being held hostage by their own governments and corporations all because of greed.  Why are we allowing these governments and corporations to destroy our world?  Why are we allowing countries to go hungry?  Why are we allowing banks to ‘pay off’ government officials and putting the world in a massive financial crisis only to watch our governments reward them?

It’s time to get up and stand up and we must not give up the fight…..(thanks Peter Tosh and Bob Marley for making it so simple).  When are you going to “get up and stand up” – What is it going to take for you to create positive change in our world?

TURKEY – DON’T GIVE UP THE FIGHT!

DEMONSTRATORS FOR THE EARTH – against the Keystone Pipeline, Drilling in the Arctic, Deforestation in world forests, etc…. – DON’T GIVE UP THE FIGHT!

THOSE FIGHTING FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUALITY – DON’T GIVE UP THE FIGHT!

FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS – DON’T GIVE UP THE FIGHT!

AGAINST CORRUPT RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS/GOVERNMENTS/BIG CORPORATION – DON’T GIVE UP THE FIGHT!

Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don’t give up the fight!

Preacher man, don’t tell me,
Heaven is under the earth.
I know you don’t know
What life is really worth.
It’s not all that glitters is gold;
‘Alf the story has never been told:
So now you see the light, eh!
Stand up for your rights. come on!

Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don’t give up the fight!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don’t give up the fight!

Most people think,
Great god will come from the skies,
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high.
But if you know what life is worth,
You will look for yours on earth:
And now you see the light,
You stand up for your rights. jah!

Get up, stand up! (jah, jah! )
Stand up for your rights! (oh-hoo! )
Get up, stand up! (get up, stand up! )
Don’t give up the fight! (life is your right! )
Get up, stand up! (so we can’t give up the fight! )
Stand up for your rights! (lord, lord! )
Get up, stand up! (keep on struggling on! )
Don’t give up the fight! (yeah! )

We sick an’ tired of-a your ism-skism game –
Dyin’ ‘n’ goin’ to heaven in-a Jesus’ name, lord.
We know when we understand:
Almighty god is a living man.
You can fool some people sometimes,
But you can’t fool all the people all the time.
So now we see the light (what you gonna do?),
We gonna stand up for our rights! (yeah, yeah, yeah! )

So you better:
Get up, stand up! (in the morning! git it up! )
Stand up for your rights! (stand up for our rights! )
Get up, stand up!
Don’t give up the fight! (don’t give it up, don’t give it up! )
Get up, stand up! (get up, stand up! )
Stand up for your rights! (get up, stand up! )
Get up, stand up! (… )
Don’t give up the fight! (get up, stand up! )
Get up, stand up! (… )
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up!
Don’t give up the fight! /fadeout/

TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE THE WORLD A MORE POSITIVE ONE!

MY CHOICE NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN

I have been asked by friends and family why Jason and I don’t adopt children.  We’ve been told that we would be great parents and that we have so much love to offer a child.  The issue for Jason and I having a child is not about how much love we have to give because between the both of us, there would be plenty.  Our concern is more about whether or not we are financially stable to ensure that (if we had a child) they would have everything they need.  Jason and I have discussed the possibility of a child – the discussion was short and both of us agreed that having a child didn’t make sense for us.

Recently – I made the following statement on my Facebook page:

What would happen if we taxed families for how many children they had?  I don’t have any so why are my taxes the same as those who do?  Thoughts? To elaborate – think about the environmental impact a family that consists of 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 children – diapers, meat consumption (let’s get real, most people eat meat and that has a huge environmental impact), carbon footprint etc….much more than me, my partner and small dog.  Food for thought.

Let me just say that I am not anti-family or for people having children….I just want people to be more present in the choices that they make and what implications they may have on the planet as a whole.  Let’s be real – most people DO NOT think beyond what they can see.  How many of us really think about the amount of garbage that we are contributing to landfills everyday or what the environmental implications of meat consumption are?  Most of us don’t care about these things because we don’t see the outcome.  We don’t live in the slums of India or Brazil and are not faced with the poverty and starvation that so many millions face on a daily basis. 

What are people’s motives for having children today?  Is it because they can?  Do they feel morally obligated to do so or is it to continue their family name?  Whatever the reason – I don’t believe people are putting much thought into their decision to have a child.  How many times have you heard this:  “We didn’t mean to have a baby, it just happened”  or “He/she was an accident”………obviously not much thought was given about what could possible happen after having unprotected sex.

I am not complaining about paying taxes – I agree that our government should use our taxes to offer welfare or social services to those who are in need of them.  Now consider this – a family of six may require more space, produce more garbage, drive more, etc….while someone who chooses to be single doesn’t require as much – shouldn’t that single person deserve more of a tax-break due to the reduced carbon footprint?  We are living in a time when scientists are saying that we will require 7 more earth’s to accommodate humanity’s current dependency on fossil fuels and lifestyle, so why isn’t that message getting across?  Why wouldn’t people make more of a conscious effort in their decision to have children.  If our planet will not be able to accommodate us – where will all these people go?  I hear they are building colonies on the moon or even Mars – is that even a reality for families that can’t even pay to put food on the table?

My original Facebook statement wasn’t meant to upset anyone – it was meant to provoke thought and debate.  It was meant to make each of us look at ourselves and really think about the implications of the choices we make.  We have to stop being distracted by the promises of BIG CORPORATIONS.  We have to wake-up from the dreams the pharmaceutical companies promise and we have to take off the blinders to ensure we are present and are making the choices we want to make and not what the food, government and automobile industries tell us we should be making.  When we remove those distractions, maybe bringing a child into this harsh reality isn’t as easy to make as it was prior to all the distractions.

For more information about over population, please visit:  http://www.nationalgeographic.com/eye/overpopulation/effect.html or http://www.naturalnews.com/039490_overpopulation_myth_ecological_footprint_population_collapse.html

To review the environmental implications of meat consumption, please visit:  http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/footprint/agriculture/beef/environmental_impacts/ or http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/agriculture/2013/Ecological-Livestock.pdf

For more information on the current state of our environment, please visit:  http://350.org/ or http://www.davidsuzuki.org/

Knowledge is power!

Together, we can make the world a more positive one! 

 

IS THE PLANET TAKING ITS LAST BREATH?

Let me tell you what I am not……I’m not a scientist, physicist, a climatologist, or an expert on environmental issues.  I like to weigh the pros and the cons of any situation and do enjoy a good debate.  In terms of the planet and our environment – there is no need for debate.  Scientists have been warning us that if humanity continues to rely on fossil fuels and dirty oil instead of thinking about sustainable energy, we would cause a shift in climate change that would have a devastating effect on our planet and humanity forever. 

I am 44 years old and I have always had a love for nature and our environment.  As a teenager, the extent of my environmental activism was wearing t-shirts about saving the planet and protecting our forests.  At that time (nearly 30 years ago) I didn’t understand the severity humanity’s actions would have on the planet – whose fault is that?  I don’t know.  Should I have taken more of an interest, should our government and politicians taken this issue more seriously, should we have relied on the educational system to put emphasis on environmental issues?  Scientists warned us over 25 years ago that our dependency on fossil fuels would have a devastating effect on our climate but the urgency of their message was ignored and now we are in a ‘do or die’ situation and we must get involved.

So many of us fear the knowledge of climate change and don’t want to disrupt their lives with this knowledge.  Many people think “what’s the point, there’s nothing I can do about it now”.  Thoughts like this are so dangerous because when we close ourselves off from the reality of what is happening – we close ourselves off to potentially finding the solutions to those same issues.  If and when we understand the severity of the problem and what the problem may cause in the very near future – shouldn’t that knowledge engage people to seek the solutions to those problems?  I understand life is very difficult enough and that we have our own personal problems….we think – “let’s rely on the experts to fix this”.  Well, experts need the support of the masses to challenge those who don’t believe there is an issue and only care about profit margins.

Here are some interesting statistics:

• NASA completed a study to find out how much carbon in the atmosphere is too much – they indicated 350 ppm (parts per million).  In 2012, readings of carbon in the atmosphere were 395 ppm
• Arctic ice shield has been reduced by more than 50%
• Oceans are 30% more acidic than they were over 30 years ago
• Fossil fuel industry is allowed to pollute our environment without financial repercussions  
• Top 5 oil companies (Exxon, Chevron, BP, Shell, ConocoPhillips) had record profits in 2011 – over $130 billion dollars or $375 million dollars/day
• Top 5 oil companies received $6.6 million/day in federal tax breaks
• Top 5 oil companies spend $444,000 thousand dollars/day lobbying congress
• Rex Tillerson CEO, Exxon made $100,000/day

Here are some key issues from the WMO’s (World Meteorological Organization) 2012 Climate Statement summary:

• 2012 in the top 10 warmest years ever on record
• Above average temperatures were observed in most of the globe’s surface area
• Greenland ice sheet had the largest melt since satellite records began 34 years ago

What can we do?  Call your legislator’s and ask them to support sustainable energy.  Demand high performance/affordable electric cars.  Join a global movement and help them take the fight to parliament.  It is our obligation to do whatever we can to save our planet but we must act now.

Here are some great links to connect you to a global community of environmental activism:

DO THE MATH – YouTube video

http://350.org/

http://wwf.org/

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/

A detailed version of The Statement on the Status of the Global Climate 2012 report summary and additional information about The World Meteorological Organization can be found at:  http://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_972_en.html

If we all work collectively – we can ensure that this planet will never take its last breath.  We may not be able to stop climate change but we can make changes today that will be positive for our environment, animals and for humanity tomorrow.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

EYE-OPENING VIDEOS TO HELP YOU REMOVE THE BLINDERS.

Courtesy of Greenpeace.  Please visit their website and help fight for our environment and our planet.  http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/

Courtesy of WWF Canada.  Please visit their website and help fight for our environment and our planet.  http://www.wwf.ca

Isn’t it time we took a stand and do what must be done to save our planet?  We need to give our politicians a message and that message is we will not vote for you unless you make sustainable energy, the environment and saving the planet top priority.  We will not tolerate payoffs from BIG Corporation/oil/auto so that they can continue to destroy our planet.

Don’t support SHELL or the oil companies that are committing to drill for oil in the arctic or that do not want to invest in electric affordable vehicles.  Don’t support companies and corporations that don’t give back to the planet by trying to make products that don’t contribute to the destruction of our planet.  Don’t support corporations that are making you and your family sick with food that lacks nutrition and is causing an environmental catastrophe on the planet (KFC, McDonalds).

We need to do something now to clean our air and assure that we have enough water for future generations – WE CAN DO IT!  If we can put rovers on Mars – we can work towards healing our planet.  Are you ready?

TAKE A STAND and HAVE YOUR VOICE BE HEARD.

What can you do?  Write your politicians and tell them you will not support them in the next election if they don’t make a drastic and more positive change towards environmental issues.  Buy local and organic foods.  Don’t buy plastic products.  If you do buy plastic bottles or cutlery – keep reusing them and don’t throw them out.  Make donations to WWF and Greenpeace by visiting their website to ensure they are able to continue to pressure world governments for green initiatives and to stop any and further destruction to our planet.  Collectively – each one of us could be instruments for positive change in the world or we can continue being ignorant.  Eventually, the destruction behaviour we are allowing on our planet will no longer be out of sight/out of mind.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one! 

 

HOW ABOUT SAYING ‘I CAN’ FOR A CHANGE?

Why is it that so many people in our society have a negative predisposition on many social and environmental issues today? 

• “One person can’t make a difference”
• “There is no way I can do that….”
• “We can’t change our habits”
• “It’s too late for me to change”
• “Why bother, it’s not going to make a difference”
• “We’ve been (fill in behaviour or habit) for years, why change now”

We can’t make positive impacts in the world for ourselves, the environment and the planet.  When did we decide to believe these things?  Has the world been so brainwashed and deflated to believe that humanity is incapable of any positive change.  When did we lose hope?  Have we really succumbed to a life of sitting in front of the television and being bombarded with false promises and dreams?  Are we just living to have ‘bigger and better’ things?  And finally, are we so immersed in our need for the materialistic that we have lost all interest in our own health and well-being?

I am about to turn 44 years old – I hope to live much, much longer.  The question is – will I have that opportunity?  Look at the state of our planet due to our desire to ‘want’ rather than living based on ‘what we need’.  Our need for cars (not only one per family either), bigger houses, more meat, faster planes, bigger boats, larger televisions, etc.  has polluted our planet to the verge of destruction.  You don’t believe it?  Check this out:

WASTE

1. 3 billion tonnes of waste thrown out each year in the European Union (90 billion of it is hazardous)
2. Between 1990 – 1995, amount of waste generated increased by 10%
3. 67% of items thrown out is either burnt in incinerators or dumped in landfills (both are environmentally damaging)
4. Landfills cause water and soil pollution by discharging carbon dioxide (co2) and methane (ch4) into the atmosphere and chemicals and pesticides into the earth and groundwater
5. By 2020 (OECD) – Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has estimated that the European Union could be generating 45% more waste than what they did in 1995
6. Environment Canada indicates that driving, yard work, home energy and home water use are major causes of wast and pollution in Canada
7. WWF (World Wildlife Fund) states that ‘electronic waste’ (cell phones, computers, etc) is becoming a big threat to the environment
8. Electronic waste is made up of lead, mercury and plastic which are all toxic, batteries leach acid – these toxins get into our water and soil making them poisonous
9. Between 160 – 295 million pounds of food is thrown out each year in America (equivalent of filling a 90,000 seat football stadium to the brim every day)
10. Since 1974 – Food waste has jumped an astounding 50% in the United States

FACTORY FARMING/LIVESTOCK FARMS  

1. Mostly cruel and inhumane
2. California officials identify agriculture, including cows, as the major source of nitrate pollution in more than 100,000 square miles of polluted ground water
3. High levels of nitrates in drinking water also increases the risk of methemoglobinemia, or “blue-baby syndrome”, which can kill infants
4. Animal waste contains disease-causing pathogens, such as Salmonella, E-coli, Cryptosporidium, and fecal coliform, which can be 10 to 100 times more concentrated than in human waste
5. More than 40 diseases can be transferred to humans through manure
6. Manure from dairy cows is thought to have contributed to the disastrous Cryptosporidium contamination of Milwaukee’s drinking water in 1993, which killed more than 100 people, made 400,000 sick and resulted in $37 million in lost wages and productivity
7. Large hog farms emit hydrogen sulfide, a gas that most often causes flu-like symptoms in humans, but at high concentration can lead to brain damage
8. In 1998, the National Institute of Health reported that 19 people died as a result of hydrogen sulfide emissions from manure pits
9. In 1995 an eight-acre hog-waste lagoon in North Carolina burst, spilling 25 million gallons of manure in the New River, killing about 10 million fish and closed 364,000 acres of coastal wetlands to shellfishing
10. EWG (Environmental Working Group) estimates that growing livestock feed in the U.S. requires 167 pounds of pesticides and 17 billion pounds of nitrogen fertilizer each year across 149 million acres of cropland generating nitrous oxide which is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide
11. Methane from cattle is estimated to generate 20% of over U.S. methane emissions
12. Researchers extrapolate that global meat production will double by 2050 to about 1.2 trillion pounds a year, putting further pressure on the environment and human health
13. 5 trillion gallons of water was used to produce soy in 2009, compared to 235 trillion gallons use to produce meat in the same year
14. 60% of the world’s grain is fed to farmed animals – while 925,000,000 people do not have enough to eat
15. Animals raised for food currently take up 30% of the Earth’s entire land surface

Researches have suggested that we will need the equivalent of 5 earths in order to accommodate the population growth and the human consumption of meat.  5 EARTHS – that is absolutely astounding.    Think about this – the only method of controlling population growth (that we ‘officially’ know of) is war.  Why are we not discussing the issue of population growth control?  How about access to birth control (sorry Catholics or other religious denominations that don’t believe in birth control –  religious view won’t matter if there is no world to live in)?

People are often offended when asked to change their personal lifestyle choices even when so many of those personal choices are so harmful to our health and environment.  When we do face these choices, we often tell ourselves that we can’t for various reasons but don’t even try.  What would happen if we just tried???  Trying a vegetarian/vegan diet won’t kill you, it will only improve your health.  Being more conscious in determining what we need versus what we want will definitely decrease the waste you contribute to landfills.  Most importantly – being aware of what is going on in our world and realizing that you can make a difference in the world.  All you have to say is I CAN be a conduit for change and collectively, with like-minded people – we can create positive change in the world.  What are you waiting for?

Resources:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/index.htm

http://www.ec.gc.ca

http://wwf.panda.org

http://www.etoxics.org

http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/ffarms.asp

http://www.scientificamerican.com

http://www.peta.org

Together, we can make the world a more positive one.

WATCH and BECOME INSPIRED TO ACT!

Here are some great videos that should inspire us to act for our environment, wildlife and for those who are unable to act for themselves:

GAY MAN STANDS UP AGAINST BIGOT ON NYC SUBWAY TRAIN

IMPACT OF THE GARBABE WE THROW OUT TO WILDLIFE and ENVIRONMENT

LOUISE L. HAY – YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE

JAY CLAY – HOW BIG BRANDS CAN HELP SAVE BIODIVERSITY

IT GETS BETTER CAMPAIGN

BILL MAHER on KILLING VS RELIGION

RESPECT FOR THIS CHRISTIAN – PASTOR TALKS ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE

TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE THE WORLD A MORE POSITIVE ONE

I BELIEVE THIS…..SO DON’T TRY TO CONVERT ME.

So many of us have so many different views on religious/spirituality, politics and social issues.  I am going to share my views and beliefs with you – you don’t have to agree with them but I do ask is for you not to judge me because (just like me), you don’t have the right answers.

CLIMATE CHANGE/GLOBAL WARMING

Call it what you want – the climate is changing and is getting more extreme.  The skeptics seem to believe that global warming/climate change is really not happening even though the majority of scientists have proven otherwise.  Man is the cause of global warming – our dependency on ‘dirty oil’, bigger and faster cars and appliances that cool us when we are warm and warm us when we are cool is a huge factor in the ever-changing climate.  Corporations are raping our earth of its natural resources because we are demanding their products and the earth and our environment is paying the price.

We have a responsibility to demand different and new sustainable and natural sources to power our homes and to drive our cars.  If the ‘old’ generation doesn’t want to listen to our demands – then the responsibility to find solutions that will benefit the planet’s inhabitants and the planet itself is up to the generations that will be here long after we are gone.  It’s time to elect politicians that don’t have their best interests at hand – we need members of parliament that are not afraid to stand up and fight for the planet and for the survival of the human race.

There is no more room for argument – what is the harm in trying new technologies in order for us to power our homes and cars?  The harm is that BIG CORPORATIONS will not be benefitting and making huge profits.  Many of us believe that there is nothing we can do and that we can’t stand up to those bullies (OIL/BIG CORPORATIONS) who don’t want to lose their way of life – WE CAN!!!!  All we have to do is think of our children and what type of world we want them to live in.  Should they not have clean air?  Should they not have clean water?  They should and it is OUR responsibility to hold our governments/politicians accountable.  Our government(s) work for us – the people, not corporations.

HEALTH CARE/NUTRITION

In terms of health care….it is everyone’s responsibility to be more proactive to our health care.  If you smoke and drink in access, we know that these habits DO NOT benefit our health.  We also know that consuming huge amounts of fast food, pop and processed foods is also contributing to our poor health and the increase of diabetes, heart disease and obesity – so why do we continue to engage in these unhealthy behaviours?  Again – our governments priorities are not in our best interests.  They would rather listen to those corporations who continue to make cheap and unhealthy foods, keeping people alive longer with prescription drugs and no quality of life.  And again – we need to demand affordable and healthy foods.  Companies need to stop pumping animals with growth hormones and antibiotics – this is what is making so many of us sick.  We need to ensure governments support local farmers and organic foods.  We don’t need genetically modified foods – it is not natural.

Our bodies are truly our temples – and we must be more proactive in our health care.  Educate yourself on what is good and nutritious for you.  Listen to what your body is telling you – take notice of how you feel when you eat huge quantities of meat, soda, chips and other processed foods.  Experiment – try eating a vegetarian, vegan or raw diet and compare the difference in how you feel.  If we took more responsibility in what we put into our ‘temples’ – there would not be such a burden on our health care system and our economies.

It is not only what we eat that is causing such a huge burden on our health care system and the world economies, there are other factors.   Think about all the lotions we put onto our skin – these lotions are getting into our bloodstream.  How about the excessive emissions coming out of our vehicles?  Is it a coincidence that asthma, bronchitis, lung cancer and other breathing issues are on the rise???

RELIGION

By now, many people already know my views on religion.  I was born and raised Catholic, then our family studied the Jehovah’s Witness religion for several years and when that didn’t work….we went back to our old Catholic belief system.  I know the stories, I am aware that The Bible is considered to be ‘the word of God’ as written by man (and only men).  I appreciate the stories but I have come to my own conclusion about religion.  That conclusion may not be the right one – I DON’T KNOW.  What I do know is that my conclusion is no better than those who do believe ‘the word of God’ and what is written in The Bible.

We all know that religion has been the root to so many horrific and heinous acts of violence – wars have been fought and continue to rage in the name of religion.  I don’t prescribe to the notion that each religion has their own version of what their God is.  How can society accept this way of life?  How can so many Catholics not be outraged about the sexual scandals that the religion has been surrounded in?

Religion should not protect abusers.  Religion should not protect you when you use violence against another person who has different beliefs as you.  Religion should not protect you when you use hate and judgement against others.  Religion should not degrade you just because of your gender.  Religion should not instil fear.  Religion should not dictate social or political issues.

If I am willing to educate myself and make my own conclusions about religion that are not judgemental to those who are religious – why is it okay for those who are religious to make judgements about me.

RESPECT OF ANIMALS

P.E.T.A. (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) got it right when they said “Why love one and eat the other”.  This statement is in reference to how our society feels about our household pets yet we have no problem eating all other animals.  It is okay that we respect and love our dog, cat, hamster or horse but we feel nothing when we eat pigs, chickens, cows and fish?   Anytime someone asks me why I don’t eat animals – I find it ironic how (most of the time) that the person who eats meat becomes defensive and finds it acceptable to judge my choice for not eating animals. My animal advocacy is not aggressive in any manner.  I do share animal advocacy issues on social media just as so many of my friends post what they are passionate about – I may ask people to sign a petition or write to their MP’s because of how animals are being mistreated.  I also may share the health benefits of not eating meat and what a vegetarian and vegan lifestyle has benefitted me but I don’t intentionally suggest that because of my choice to respect animals is any better than the choice people make for eating them.

These are MY views and MY beliefs – and they are no better than anyone else’s.  I made the choice to be an advocate for our environment because I love the planet – I love nature and the outdoors and want to do all that I can to preserve it.  I made a conscious decision about religion and know that God is WITHIN me and IS me and that is my choice.  I do believe in a divine presence – but it is not in the same context as so many religious denominations but that belief is no more right or no more wrong that those who do believe.  I made a choice to be more conscious about the things I put in my body – I am not perfect but at least I am aware of the choices that I am making in terms of my nutrition and health care.  I can’t say that I wasn’t aware.  I also made a conscious choice to stop eating animals because I know that animals don’t want to be torn away from their mother’s at birth to be mistreated and abused.  They feel and express emotion just as we do.

We are not all the same – we don’t all have the same views.  My views are no more important than yours therefore, I can’t judge you and you should not judge me.  When we come to this realization – we can begin to work together to ensure that we create a more positive and loving world community.

TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE THE WORLD A MORE POSITIVE ONE.

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO LIMIT WASTE and HELP OUR ENVIRONMENT

Many of us don’t really think about the consequences of our actions…for example; how many times have you asked for a double cup at your favourite coffee shop, how about the endless idling we do in our cars, the fast-food containers we throw out, water bottles we purchase, plastic cutlery we dispose, etc…This all contributes to increasing landfills, litter on the streets, lakes and oceans, and harm to wildlife and the environment.

If we made a real effort – we could drastically reduce much of the waste in landfills and in our environment – here are some helpful tips:

• If you don’t have to, don’t use a drive-thru (turn off your car and go into the restaurant/bank/pharmacy etc)
• Don’t idle your car – it’s not good for our environment and our lungs
• Use cleaning products that are safe for our environment and are biodegradable
• Support restaurants that use recyclable ‘to go’ containers
• Re-use/wash all the plastic cutlery and ‘to go’ containers you get
• Store you lunch and leftovers in re-usable containers
• Don’t buy plastic lunch bags
• Compost
• Bring a dishcloth to work and use it to dry your dirty lunch dishes and your hands – this way, you will not have to use paper-towels
• Always carry cloth grocery bags with you
• Don’t litter – plastic bottles, caps, bottle holders etc are harmful to local wildlife
• Recycle and know what to throw into the various bins
• Donate old furniture and clothing – you will be amazed at what people could do to old things
• Turn off lights if you are not in other areas of your house
• Don’t let water run while you shave or brush your teeth
• Become vegetarian or vegan – or have a vegetarian or vegan meal twice a week (the environment and animals will love you)
• Don’t be ignorant! Educate yourself on what our ignorance is doing to the water, environment, soil, wildlife and planet

Here are some valuable links to help you become more environmentally conscious and create positive change for yourself, your community, town, city and our planet.  Get involved.

http://howtocompost.org

http://www.wwf.ca/events/earthhour/?utm_source=Homepage&utm_medium=TOPLINK&utm_content=EH&utm_campaign=Toplink

http://www.nationalgeographic.com

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/

http://www.teslamotors.com

http://www.organicformulations.com/news/21/ecologic-all-natural-home-cleaning-products

Together we can make the world a more positive one.

GOODBYE 2012 and HELLO 2013.

2012 – Ah, what a year.  The United States of America re-elected Barack Obama for his second term in office while Canadians grow more and more concerned with Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s lack of respect for the environment, human rights and indigenous people.  Many people have interpreted the end of the Mayan calendar as the end of time – clearly that did not happen.  I choose to believe that the new year represents a great spiritual awakening and that our positive energies will be universally connected thus creating great and lasting positive changes around the world.

Here are my hi-lites of 2012:

Same-sex Marriage (or what I like to call marriage) 

Same-sex marriage has been made legal in the following areas around the world:  Denmark, the state of Sao Paulo – Brazil, the state of Bahia – Brazil, in Mexico – Secretary of State Quintana Roo reversed marriage annulments and allowed for future same-sex marriage to be performed.  In the United States of America – same-sex marriage is not recognized federally, but Maine, Maryland and Washington join Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont have all legalized same-sex marriage at the state level.

Our Environment (as reported by Greenpeace)

February 2012: Edison International announced that they would shut down the Fisk and Crawford coal plants. After ten years of gritty and determined grassroots work, communities in Chicago triumphed over the corporate polluter in their back yard. On the same day, citizens in Ohio, New Jersey and Pennsylvania celebrated the announcement that Houston-based GenOn would shut an additional 7 plants, including the Portland Generating Station where Greenpeace worked with NJ and PA residents to demand clean air for their community.

February 2012: The countless hours spent scouring legal documents, appearing in court and enduring what must have been trying exchanges with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) by our awesome lawyers at Ecojustice has all paid off. The longtime legal case came to a close in a precedent setting victory for B.C.’s threatened and endangered resident killer whales. After years of facing threat after threat, and population declines, these iconic creatures certainly needed a win. The Federal Court of Appeal upheld the 2010 ruling that guaranteed the protection of killer whale habitat by law under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The Appeal Court’s ruling was an uncommonly strong judgment, and a controversial one for DFO after the court awarded Greenpeace costs noting that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans’ behaviour had been “worthy of rebuke.”

March 2012: Thanks to campaigning by Greenpeace and our supporters, leading Italian tuna brand Mareblu has decided to abandon destructive fishing methods in favour of sustainable practices by agreeing to source tuna only from pole and line and FAD free purse seining operations by the end of 2016. The move is a huge victory for our Tonno in trappolacampaign and is a significant first shift in the Italian tinned tuna market. Mareblu has shown that when a company really wants to commit to taking action to save our oceans, it can do it. Now that the standard has been set, there can be no more excuses – all other major brands and retailers must follow.

April 2012: Danone has released a statement confirming its plans to phase out supplies of paper and packaging products from Asia Pulp and Paper (APP). The statement also confirms that the company intends to develop a zero deforestation policy, which will cover all of the commodities it buys that could be linked to deforestation. Danone joins the likes of Nestle, Kraft, Unilever, Adidas and many more who have already dropped APP.

May 2012: For over a year, Greenpeace campaigned intensively for the cancellation of Senegalese fishing authorizations. These licenses constituted a serious threat to the livelihoods of millions of Senegalese who depend on the ocean’s resources for their jobs and food security. Organizing a travelling caravan called “My voice, my future,” that engaged artisanal fishermen across the country, launching an online petition, meeting with politicians, and organizing a ship tour to expose and document overfishing in Senegalese waters, were some of the actions Greenpeace took to achieve this result. So it was with joy that we learned of the Senegalese government’s decision to cancel the fishing authorizations issued to 29 foreign pelagic trawlers in West African waters.

July 2012: Greenpeace has reacted with delight at the cancellation of $100 million in public funds to a proposed HRL dirty coal-fired power station and is calling on the owners of the project to withdraw their proposal altogether. Last year, Greenpeace activists placed a 200-metre long banner across the site of the proposed HRL power station, calling on the Prime Minister to live up to her word that “no more dirty coal-fired power stations would be built in Australia”. Greenpeace also partnered with Environment Victoria, Quit Coal and other environment groups to build a petition of over 12,000 people calling for HRL’s Commonwealth funding to be withdrawn and given to renewable energy.

July 2012: You may remember earlier this year we bought 18 tea products at random from nine tea companies in China, and after sending the samples to be tested discovered that a whopping 12 of the 18 samples contained at least one pesticide banned for use on tea. Well guess what? Two of the outed tea companies, Tenfu (天福茗茶) and Anxi Tieguanyin Group (安溪铁观音集团ATG), have agreed to your demands for pesticide use reduction and setting up traceability systems for their supply chain.

July 2012: KFC bosses in Kentucky remain silent on whether it will cut forest destruction out of its supply chain globally, it looks like one country has gotten tired of waiting for headquarters to respond to our campaign. Following a first meeting between KFC Indonesia and Greenpeace, KFC Indonesia has issued a statement to address the issues of deforestation in its supply chain and declared its decision to suspend purchases from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) at this time.

Greenpeace also congratulated the Gillard government for showing the courage to prevent the Abel Tasman super trawler fishing in Australia’s waters. Greenpeace hailed it as a victory for the Australian community which has united to reject this monster ship. The decision also sends a message to the global super-sized fishing fleets that world community opposition is growing to their unsustainable business model.

August 2012: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has denied the complaint by Neste Oil over Greenpeace spoof site. The WIPO panel declared that Greenpeace may use the domains http://www.nestespoil.com and http://www.nestespoilreturns.com to criticize Neste Oil’s use of palm oil as biofuel. The WIPO panel confirmed that non commercial criticism is part of the freedom of expression. According to the panel Greenpeace did not use the sites to unnecessarily tarnish Neste Oil. In similar cases even harsh criticism has not been considered as tarnishing. The Panel concluded that Greenpeace had been using the sites to raise legitimate environmental concerns for non-commercial purpose.

September 2012: Australian Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has announced a ban on the Margiris super trawler for up to two years and further scientific investigations before boats like this are approved. Burke acknowledged overwhelming public concern in reaching this significant decision. Congratulations to the thousands of passionate Australians, community and environmental groups and fishing groups who stopped the Margiris from destroying Australia‘s oceans.

October 2012: M&S becomes the seventh brand to make a credible commitment to clean up its supply chain and products and eliminate all releases of hazardous chemicals, joining Puma, Nike, Adidas, H&M, C&A and Li-Ning. More brands need to respond to the urgency of the situation and take ambitious action to rid the fashion world and our precious water supplies of toxic chemicals.

November 2012: The world’s largest fashion retailer Zara – and parent company Inditex – today committed to eliminate all releases of hazardous chemicals throughout its entire supply chain and products by 2020, following public pressure in response to Greenpeace’s Detox campaign. Zara becomes the eighth brand to commit to eliminate releases of all hazardous chemicals throughout its supply chains and products since Greenpeace launched its Detox campaign in 2011. As a part of the commitment Zara is reinforcing the ban on APEOs, and pledges to set further short-term elimination timelines for other priority hazardous chemicals, including PFCs. Most notably, Zara will now require at least 20 suppliers to start releasing pollution discharge data by the end of March 2013, and at least 100 suppliers by the end of 2013.

December 2012: One of Australia’s leading canned fish manufacturer, John West (Simplot) has pledged to stop using destructive fishing methods that needlessly kill sharks, rays, baby tuna and turtles. The commitment means that John West will phase out the use of highly destructive and wasteful Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) used with purse seine nets by 2015.

December 2012: The government of South Korea has abandoned its plans to begin a ‘scientific’ whaling operation, a significant step forward in global efforts to protect whale populations. The proposed hunt would have caught minke whales for commercial purposes under the thin veil of scientific research. More than 100,000 people from around the world sent messages in the last month to the South Korean prime minister, asking him to call off the hunt.

December 2012: Brazilian oil giant Petrobras has abandoned its plans for deep-sea oil drilling off the coast of New Zealand. The world’s third largest oil company has decided to return its exploration licenses for deep-sea oil and gas prospects to the government, effectively abandoning its plans for deep-sea drilling in New Zealand.

***source/additional information for all of the above information can be found at: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/about/victories/ ***

The WWF continues their global initiatives to save key places and critical species but they can’t do it without our help.  With limited financial resources they really rely on public donations to continue their efforts to save our planet and endangered species.  How can you help….spread the word using social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc..).  Please visit their website for their priorities, accomplishments, new stories and to make a much-needed donation:

http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/how_we_work/key_initiatives/

Ethical Treatment of Animals

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has named Sen. Mac Harb 2012’s Canadian of the Year for being the first Canadian parliamentarian in history to introduce a bill to phase out Canada’s cruel commercial seal slaughter and for his tenacity in promoting the legislation in the Senate, Sen. Mac Harb has been named PETA’s first-ever Canadian of the Year.

Uncovering the cruel and mass graves of sea animals at Niagara Falls, Ontario – Marineland.  Hopefully this will put an end to their cruel mistreatment of these imprisoned animals.

Air Canada is set to ban the shipment of primates to laboratories for testing.  This leaves United Airlines as the only North American airline—and one of the few left in the world—to continue this bloody business.

For more amazing animal stories and victories, please visit the following link below.

***source/additional information for all of the above information can be found at:  http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/default.aspx

ENTERTAINMENT/POP CULTURE

Well – since I don’t prescribe to cable television or listen to the radio much…..I don’t have too many hi-lites regarding entertainment or pop culture.  My favourite pop culture/entertainment moments of 2012 are as follows:

Winning tickets to see Madonna in Montreal – not regular tickets but GOLDEN CIRCLE PIT tickets, what a show and what a weekend!  I not only saw her in Montreal but my husband – Jason, managed to win 4 tickets to see her in Toronto – another incredible night and concert!

Meeting Peaches at TIFF at her screening of her rockumentary Peaches Does Herself.  Also catching her amazing and intimate show at the Drake Hotel…what could have been an awful night turned out to be one of the most fun nights out of 2012.  Thank you Peaches!

Madonna/M.I.A./Nicki Minaj performing at the Super Bowl.  Madonna was in top form and gave the over 100 million viewers a 1/2 time show they would never forget…..although it was slightly overshadowed by M.I.A.’s semi-contraversial bird flip – which was completely unnecessary considering what is shown on regular cable television. 

My top 5 Favorite Albums

• MDNA – Madonna (completely under-rated and one of the most successful albums of 2012 worldwide – it was the best-selling album of 2012 in Russia, the first time for an international artist).
• HOW ABOUT I BE ME (AND YOU BE YOU)? – Sinead O’Connor (ever since her infamous SNL appearance – her music career has received much criticism, even after releasing such amazing efforts such as Universal Mother, Faith and Courage and this fantastic alternative rock album).
• MASTER OF MY MAKE-BELIEVE – Santigold (I never thought she could top her debut album Santogold but she did…this is a masterpiece).
• NEW & NUMBER ONES – Kristine W (new tracks and reinterpretations of old classics – awesome comeback from one of Billboard’s top artists of the decade – 2000 to 2009).
• AN OMEN EP – How To Destroy Angels (a 6-track EP from the wife of Trent Reznor’s (of Nine Inch Nails) group and a teaser for what is to come in 2013 – electronic music at its best).

You can purchase all the above music on iTunes or by visiting each of the artists websites, links following:

1. http://www.madonna.com/ (Madonna)
2. http://www.sineadoconnor.com/ (Sinead O’Connor)
3. http://www.santigold.com/ (Santigold)
4. http://www.kristinew.com/ (Kristine W)
5. http://howtodestroyangels.com/ (How To Destroy Angels)

Thanks for all of your love and support in 2012…..I hope you continue to read/share/follow my blog posts.  I also hope that you continue to advocate for a more positive world community – let love, compassion and joy guide you through 2013 and throughout your lifetime!

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!