March 2011

Meatout March 20 - Earth Hour March 26 - Earth Day April 22 It's appropriate that these days fall close together! In this edition... Top Stories - Animal Sentience   Animal instincts: Not what you think they are   Chickens feel empathy, why can't we?   Elephants outwit humans during intelligence test Health   Is soy milk suitable for men?   Good news on soy and breast cancer recurrence   Soyfoods in Asia: How much do people really eat?   Find healthy but inexpensive food at ethnic markets Environment   Foodies can eclipse (and save) the green movement   Is meat killing the planet? UN says diet change will slow climate change   Replacing beef and pork with other meats won't meet environmental imperatives   Indian fishermen devastating endangered turtles   Humans must change behaviour to save bees, vital for food production - UN report Lifestyles and Trends   Worldwide vegan survey explodes myths   Why men are worse for the planet   Your 10 most creative ways to rock out with vegetables   The vegan bucket list Animal Issues and Advocacy   Getting from A to Z: Why animal activists should support incremental reforms   Soup without fins? Some Californians simmer   Mark Bittman: Some animals are more equal than others   Sorry, PETA: Undercover farm videos may become outlawed Books and Perspectives   A promising new flock of vegan cookbooks   Novel celebrates animals and the heroes who strive to protect them   Interview with 'Eating Animals' author Jonathan Safran Foer Of Note - Recipes, Calls to Action, Blogs, Videos, More   Don't forget to visit: (Excerpts are included from current news stories. Click on the "Full story" link to read the full article.)   Top Stories - Animal Sentience     Animal instincts: Not what you think they are Full story: Greater Good Scientific research shows that many animals are very intelligent and have sensory and motor abilities that dwarf ours. Many animals also display wide-ranging emotions, including joy, happiness, empathy, compassion, grief, and even resentment and embarrassment... Many animals display profound grief at the loss or absence of a relative or companion. I watched a red fox bury her mate after a cougar had killed him. She gently laid dirt and twigs over his body, stopped, looked to make sure he was all covered, patted down the dirt and twigs with her forepaws, stood silently for a moment, then trotted off, tail down and ears laid back against her head. [An excellent, wide-ranging review of various aspects of animal sentience.]   Read more... Greater Good - March 8 Chickens feel empathy, why can't we? Full story: Care2 Blog A new study at the University of Bristol [reported in The Telegraph, UK] has shown that chickens can feel empathy, a trait that was previously thought exclusive to humans. The study involved ruffling the feathers of chicks. The chicks showed signs of distress and the mother hens mirrored their stress. This study shows that the animals that we most often slaughter for food [9 billion chickens in the U.S. alone vs 100 million cattle] are capable of not only feeling pain and fear for themselves, but are also capable of being terrified at what they are seeing happening to others around them. Every step of the way we learn more about animals and how much they are like us and we struggle to continue justifying the fact that we treat animals like property instead of sentient beings. We've proven that chickens feel empathy with the suffering of others, the only thing left is for us to prove that we as humans feel empathy for the suffering of chickens and other animals.   Read more... Care2 Blog - March 13 Elephants outwit humans during intelligence test Full story: Discovery News Elephants recently aced a test of their intelligence and ability to cooperate, with two of them even figuring out ways that the researchers hadn't previously considered to obtain food rewards. The study, published in the latest Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlights not only the intelligence of individual elephants, but also the ability of these animals to cooperate and understand the value of teamwork. "We tend to think that elephants and humans are greatly different," Hirata said, "but the study results show that we share some social mind skills with elephants."   Read more... Discovery News - March 7 Watch the study on video: Also of interest: This compelling video previously included in our January issue portrays the teamwork and compassion of elephants in the wild as they work together to rescue a baby elephant. More on animal sentience: Monkeys invent new technique for fishing for termites The technique has never been documented before for primates, including humans. In fact, people who recently tried out the new five-step termite fishing method found that it worked better than anything else at retrieving the insects, which some human cultures eat too. - Discovery News (March 9) Touching video: Man, goose form odd-couple friendship After meeting a goose up close, the man has stopped eating poultry. Also watch the short story of animal love that follows. - CBS (February 28)     Health     Is soy milk suitable for men? Full story: Globe and Mail, Canada Yes, soy beverages are suitable for men too! In fact, a study conducted in more than 12,000 Californian men found that those who drank a soy beverage daily, compared to those who never drank it, were 70 per cent less likely to develop prostate cancer. It's thought that isoflavones can help keep testosterone levels in check (prostate cancer cells feed off testosterone). Soy beans also contain other phytochemicals that have cancer-fighting actions.   Read more... Globe and Mail, Canada - March 9 Good news on soy and breast cancer recurrence Full story: Jack Norris, RD blog A study from the U.S. was released February 25 showing that consuming up to 1/2 serving of soyfoods per day did not increase breast cancer recurrence among women previously diagnosed with breast cancer, and was even associated with lower mortality among such women. The authors state: Our study is the third epidemiological study to report no adverse effects of soy foods on breast cancer prognosis. These studies, taken together, which vary in ethnic composition (two from the U.S. and one from China) and by level and type of soy consumption, provide the necessary epidemiological evidence that clinicians no longer need to advise against soy consumption for women diagnosed with breast cancer.   Read more... Jack Norris, RD blog - March 3 Soyfoods in Asia: How much do people really eat? Full story: The vegan r.d. I wanted to look at the important issue of soy consumption in Asia. It's an area of some confusion since a common belief is that Asians consume only small amounts of soy - sort of condiment-style - and that they consume mostly fermented soy products like miso and tempeh. Based on the research, though, neither of these assumptions is true... Soyfoods have been consumed in China for at least 1,500 years and in Japan for 1,000 years. The evidence shows that soyfoods - both unfermented and fermented - continue to be a significant part of traditional Asian diets. There is no reason why western vegans can't include these foods in meals as well.   Read more... The vegan r.d. - March 1 Find healthy but inexpensive food at ethnic markets Full story: Savvy Vegan It's true that buying groceries and eating in is cheaper than going out, but there's also a significant price difference between buying groceries at [a large supermarket] and getting the same veg-friendly products at an ethnic market ... Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Indian ... even if you're not in a metropolis, there's probably at least one ethnic grocer near where you live. Though they might be a bit intimidating at first, the rewards are completely worth it. [Some shopping tips... ]   Read more... Savvy Vegan - March 8 More Health News: How to keep David Letterman (and yourself) off the operating table An Op-ed piece by Dr. Esselstyn that the New York Times doesn't want you to read. - VegSource (March 1) Supermarket chicken harbours superbugs CBC, Canada (February 10) Drug-resistant bacteria: To humans from farms via food Wired (March 9) Past and projected obesity rates around the world InfectiousGreed by Paul Kedrosky (September, 2010) Red meat consumption increases ischemic stroke risk Study with 34,670 Swedish women. - VegSource: Dr. Fuhrman (March 9)     Environment     Foodies can eclipse (and save) the green movement Full story: Time Magazine Even as traditional environmentalism struggles, another movement is rising in its place, aligning consumers, producers, the media and even politicians. It's the food movement, and if it continues to grow it may be able to create just the sort of political and social transformation that environmentalists have failed to achieve in recent years. That would mean not only changing the way [people] eat and the way they farm - away from industrialized, cheap calories and toward more organic, small-scale production, with plenty of fruits and vegetables - but also altering the way we work and relate to one another. To its most ardent adherents, the food movement isn't just about reform - it's about revolution.   Read more... Time Magazine - February 15 Is meat killing the planet? UN says diet change will slow climate change Full story: Examiner.com The pink elephant in the room of global warming discussions is the link between animal agriculture and accelerating climate change. To put it frankly - if we stop eating meat, we will quickly slow down global warming. According to a new study by the UN Environment Programme, the quickest way to slow down the pace of climate change is to focus efforts on reducing shorter lived greenhouse gases such as black carbon (soot), methane and ground level ozone rather than only carbon dioxide. Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme, said: "A substantial reduction of [climate/environmental] impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products."   Read more... Examiner.com - March 6 Replacing beef and pork with other meats won't meet environmental imperatives Full story: Earthsaver (pdf) Well, we're trying anyway. Many of us are driving less, recycling, eating locally grown food when we can. We replace our SUVs with hybrid electrics; we substitute fish and chicken for beef and pork. These small measures, we hope, will help stave off the global crises we hear so much of. The sad truth, though, is that in our current predicament, half measures won't work. And some are, at best, no less damaging than our old ways. Take, for example, replacing beef and pork with fish and chicken... Half measures can buy us a little time but the sad fact is that half measures won't rescue us. Seriously consider replacing the animal products on your plate with vegetables, legumes and fruits. Consider retiring your car. And consider the likely consequences if you - and all of us - fail to take action   Read more... Earthsaver (pdf) - Winter 2011 Indian fishermen devastating endangered turtles Full story: IPS A growing number of endangered olive ridley sea turtles have been getting killed in Eastern India's coastal state Orissa by mechanized vessels defying a fishing ban on one of the world's largest turtle sanctuaries, Gahirmatha. While the government said "no more than 800" were killed since November last year, environmentalists counter that the casualty count of these tiny turtles is actually 5,000. The problem illustrates the situation that confronts Orissa and other coastal states in India. Environmental and wildlife protection is a major concern, but so is providing sustainable livelihood to the coastal poor. Add to the mix shore-based infrastructure and industrial development and the result is a three-cornered tussle that is worsening by the year.   Read more... IPS - February Humans must change behaviour to save bees, vital for food production - UN report Full story: UN News Centre The potentially disastrous decline in bees, a vital pollinating element in food production for the growing global population [of the 100 crop species that provide 90 per cent of the world's food, over 70 are pollinated by bees], is likely to continue unless humans profoundly change their ways, from the use of insecticides to air pollution, according to a United Nations report released March 10. It urges that farmers be offered incentives to restore pollinator-friendly habitats such as flowering plants next to crop-producing fields. "Human beings have fabricated the illusion that in the 21st century they have the technological prowess to be independent of nature. Bees underline the reality that we are more, not less, dependent on nature's services in a world of close to seven billion people," UN Environment Programme Executive Director Achim Steiner said, calling on the world to factor in the often invisible multi-trillion dollar services provided by nature.   Read more... UN News Centre - March 10 More Environmental News: Earth's sixth mass extinction may be underway Treehugger (March 7) The lie of sustainable seafood Vegan.com (March 3) Eating less meat could cut climate costs Cutting back on beefburgers and bacon could wipe trillion off the cost of fighting climate change. That's the dramatic conclusion of a study that totted up the economic costs of modern meat-heavy diets. - New Scientist (February 10) Which is better for the environment, local or vegetarian? In the end, the researchers found that cutting the meat and animal products or even just cutting back on the red meat one day per week is more significant than buying all your food from local sources. - Eat Drink Better (January 19) Mark Bittman: Sustainable farming can feed the world? Increasing numbers of scientists, policy panels and experts (not hippies!) are suggesting that agricultural practices pretty close to organic — perhaps best called “sustainable” — can feed more poor people sooner, begin to repair the damage caused by industrial production and, in the long term, become the norm. - New York Times (March 8)     Lifestyles and Trends     Worldwide vegan survey explodes myths Full story: Janice Stranger, Ph.D. A 2011 survey, Vegan From the Inside, shatters six common myths that may prevent more people from enjoying the benefits of a plant-based diet. 2,068 vegans from the United States and around the world candidly shared the joys, rewards, and challenges of their lifestyle. Here's the accurate information vs. fallacy on this blossoming food trend... [Survey creator Janice Stranger is the author of The Perfect Formula Diet.]   Read more... Janice Stranger, Ph.D. - February Why men are worse for the planet Full story: Time Guest Blog There's a long history of research that reveals women are the greener gender - at least when it comes to their attitudes and preferences. But now a study published by France's National Institute of Statistics and Economics shows that the fairer sex's environmental conscience may actually translate into action too. Put simply, men are worse for the planet than women. While the study found French women emit 32.3 kgs of carbon per day, men compare at a whopping 39.3kg - mainly thanks to a carbon intensive diet and their inefficient use of transport. Men tend to eat more meat, and women eat more fruits and vegetables... But instead of blaming men, [researchers] Altenburg and Reusswig suggest the solution may be down to questioning social norms. They say creating policies that target the social expectations of men as equally as the traditional environmental objectives we associate with climate change could be the way forward. But redefining the manly diet is also key.   Read more... Time Guest Blog - February 21 Your 10 most creative ways to rock out with vegetables Full story: Salon.com A few days ago, I put up a little post on the pleasures of vegetables, the opportunities for creativity they allow, and asked for your favorite unusual ways to use them. (Your favorite ways that involve eating, I meant.) And in between discussions of whether the French have ruined the world for vegetarianism and a comment that suggested that all the bright promise of my culinary school education is being wasted (thanks! I guess?), you came through with scads of interesting ideas. Here are some of our favorites...   Read more... Salon.com - February 22 The vegan bucket list Full story: VegNews Magazine These are the 99 things you must absolutely do, eat, and see. Here at VegNews, we're professional vegans. We think, write, blog, and brainstorm about the vegan lifestyle all day, every day. In the more than 10 years that we've been at this, we've picked up a few tips on how to make veganism the exciting, compassionate, modern way of life that it should be. Our editors pooled their knowledge, and we're thrilled to bring you our list of 99 absolute must-dos before you retire to that great tofu farm in the sky. Without further ado: The Vegan Bucket List! ...   Read more... VegNews Magazine - March 9 More Lifestyles and Trends News: Fascinating stats: How popular is 'Meatless Monday'? From an adoption standpoint, Meatless Monday is doing pretty well. From a buzz standpoint, however, it’s exploded, especially over the past year. - CalorieLab (March 14) Join the Meatless Mondays movement Meatless Mondays Canada The pleasures of vegetables You fry a chicken, you roast a chicken, and it still tastes like chicken. But you cut a head of lettuce into a salad and you braise another down to silky tenderness, and it's hard to believe they started out as the same thing. With that kind of astonishing range locked in every vegetable, it's no wonder after a few aggressively porky years, high-flying chefs - and the dining public - are getting more excited about what they can do with stuff that comes up out of the ground. - Salon.com (January 27) Interview with vegan bodybuilder Robert Cheeke Montreal Vegetarian Association veganbodybuilder.com Robert Cheeke's website God of the Earth: When eating meat was a sacrifice By Richard H. Schwartz PH. D., President Jewish Vegetarians of North America and co-founder and coordinator of the Society of Ethical and Religious Vegetarians. - Jerusalem Post (March 18) - if the main page comes up, search for Schwartz     Animal Issues and Advocacy     Getting from A to Z: Why animal activists should support incremental reforms Full story: Huffington Post [Bruce Friedrich of PETA weighs in on the debate.] Some animal rights activists, who call themselves "abolitionists," argue that we shouldn't work to improve conditions for animals. I wish the argument were so black and white... Considering animals' interests is the crux of the animal rights philosophy. But in addition to considering them in philosophical terms by asking what the ideal world looks like (no animals abused or slaughtered), we have a responsibility to also consider their interests in more practical terms. The result of ignoring this responsibility out of a sense of duty to a broader philosophy leads to apathy about animal suffering, which is the opposite of what the animal rights movement should be about. But it's not just that basic respect for animals demands that we support improvements in animals' living and dying conditions: Such reforms also move us toward animal liberation, the ostensible goal of the "abolitionists." Saying "all or nothing" might make us feel pure, but it hurts animals.   Read more... Huffington Post - February 21 Soup without fins? Some Californians simmer Full story: New York Times A bill recently introduced in the California Legislature would ban the sale and possession of shark fins, including the serving of shark's fin soup. Down the rickety alleyways and produce-laden byways of San Francisco's Chinatown, some see the proposed law as a cultural assault. Similar to a measure passed in Hawaii, the bill seeks to curtail shark finning, a brutal, bloody practice of the global trade in which the fins are typically hacked off a live shark, leaving it to die slowly as it sinks to the bottom of the sea. Scientists cite a growing international demand for shark's fin soup, especially popular with China's expanding middle class. As the once-ceremonial dish becomes more accessible, up to 73 million sharks are being killed a year... Jennifer Cheung, 27, an industrial designer, refused the soup at her family New Year's dinner. "I come from a culture where food is very important," she said. "But I think this is a very hefty price to pay just for a bowl of soup."   Read more... New York Times - March 5 Mark Bittman: Some animals are more equal than others Full story: New York Times blogs It's time to take a look at the line between "pet" and "animal." When the ASPCA sends an agent to the home of a Brooklyn family to arrest one of its members for allegedly killing a hamster, something is wrong. That "something" is this: we protect "companion animals" like hamsters while largely ignoring what amounts to the torture of chickens and cows and pigs. In short, if I keep a pig as a pet, I can't kick it. If I keep a pig I intend to sell for food, I can pretty much torture it. We should be treating animals better and raising fewer of them; this would naturally reduce our consumption. All in all, a better situation for us, the animals, the world. Arguing for the freedom to eat as much meat as you want is equivalent to arguing for treating farm animals as if they could not feel pain. Yet no one would defend Ms. Smith's cruel action because it was a pet and therefore not born to be put through living hell.   Read more... New York Times blogs - March 15 Sorry, PETA: Undercover farm videos may become outlawed Full story: Globe and Mail Blog, Canada Imagine not being able to pull out a camera and take a snapshot of Nelly the cow in a country field or a flock of chickens waddling by. A series of proposed laws in the United States would make it illegal - and punishable by prison time - to take a photo or video of farm animals. Even from the road. The bills are designed to protect farms and agribusinesses from undercover videos and other images used to slam the industry. A group called the Animal Agricultural Alliance (AAA) applauded the idea: "It is imperative that activists be held accountable for their actions to undermine farmers, ranchers and meat processors through use of videos depicting alleged mistreatment of animals for the purposes of gaining media attention and fundraising - all in an effort to drive their vegan agenda," the AAA said in a press release.   Read more... Globe and Mail Blog, Canada - March 9 More Animal Issues and Advocacy News: Wales: Children watch in horror as marksmen round up escaped cows in field next to hospital... and shoot them all Daily Mail, UK (March 15) Veal crate vote angers animal welfare advocates What many consumers don’t realize is that these calves are a direct byproduct of the dairy industry who are removed from their mothers so her milk can be sold for human consumption. [Males] will be shipped off to veal farms, while females will be raised to replace their mothers as milk producers. - Care2 (March 7) A message from Japan from Sea Shepherd's director of investigations Scott West: We heard via the C4P newsletter that the Sea Shepherd Cove Guardians crew in Japan to document the slaughter of Dall's Porpoise are all safe following the disaster there. Every year the fishermen slaughter over 20,000 of these gentle creatures. This message was sent by Scott on March 12: *We are all 6 safe and out of Otsuchi. Now in Tono at hotel with no power, Internet, water, or food. Have IPhone until battery dead. -- Scott*     Books and Perspectives     A promising new flock of vegan cookbooks Full story: San Francisco Chronicle A lot more vegan cookbooks have been crossing my desk these days. The most recent crop of books looked promising, so we gave them a whirl. Here's what we found: Quick and Easy Vegan Bake Sale: More Than 150 Delicious Sweet and Savory Vegan Treats Perfect for Sharing, by Carla Kelly. The book officially publishes in April to coincide with the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale [see "Of Note" section below for more details]. Her recipes run the gamut from vanilla and cinnamon monkey bread to asparagus, pine nut and roasted garlic quiche. Veganize This: From Surf-n-Turf to Ice Cream Pie - 200 Animal-Free Recipes for People Who Love to Eat, by Jenn Shagrin takes everything from meat and cheese dishes to Twinkies and Doritos and turns them vegan. Shagrin, a chef and actress, gives advice on how to set up a vegan pantry. Vegetarian Times Everything Vegan: 250+ Easy, Healthy Recipes for Food Lovers and Compassionate Cooks, by Vegetarian Times Magazine is broken into 13 chapters with recipes that range from starters and drinks to tofu, tempeh and seitan to sauces, dips, spreads and jams. It includes pages of menu ideas for everyday meals, parties, celebrations and even weddings.   Read more... San Francisco Chronicle - February 27 Novel celebrates animals and the heroes who strive to protect them Full story: Farm USA blog If you enjoy books with drama, adventure, excitement, and even a little romance, you will definitely enjoy [vegan author] John Yunker's new book, The Tourist Trail. If you love animals you will enjoy it even more. The Tourist Trail celebrates the everyday heroes who spend their lives doing anything and everything they can do to help animals. In the book, John strategically introduces important issues and messages via an entertaining, non-threatening medium. This man is on a mission to change the way people who strive to protect the Earth and the animals are perceived. And he wants to do it through fiction. In this interview, John talks about his volunteer experience with The Penguin Project, which was the original inspiration behind the book, and shares how the Animal Rights 2007 National Conference inspired him to go vegan.   Read more... Farm USA blog - February 22 Interview with 'Eating Animals' author Jonathan Safran Foer Full story: Edible Manhattan On meat as fashion, how pastured poultry is like light cigarettes, and why policy can't accomplish what meatless lunches can... We recently caught up with Safran Foer to ask him about Eating Animals and about not eating animals. EM: Fifteen years ago, everyone I knew who was trying to eat ecologically was vegetarian. Now they're taking butchery classes. JSF: That's because they're not thinking ecologically anymore. To pretend that that kind of meat eating is environmentally conscious is like saying that smoking light cigarettes is good for your lungs... At the end of the day we need to eat a ton less meat. I have yet to meet the person who disagrees with that statement. Can I imagine half the planet going vegetarian? Not anytime soon. Can I imagine half of the meals on the planet being vegetarian. I can - a kind of lifestyle shift in which people might say "I won't have it at lunch." The more we know about effects on the environment and on human health and on rural communities, the greater an appreciation we have for why it matters. It's not that hard to imagine things changing really dramatically, really quickly.   Read more... Edible Manhattan - March 9 More Book News: Eating Animals has just been published to wide acclaim in French - Faut-il manger les animaux?. Some coverage: Interview in La Presse Article in Le Devoir Please visit our VegE-Store for books and more Thanks for your support!     Of Note - Recipes, Calls to Action, Blogs, Videos, More     International disaster help When disaster strikes we are always grateful there are organizations that hit the ground running to help the people and animals at risk. Some links below... Food for Life Global - vegan food relief International Fund for Animal Welfare Humane Society International HSUS blog What's for dinner? This month: Hearty vegan fare for Lent from the New York Times, a complete vegan Easter menu from the European Vegetarian Union, a seven-day menu plan from Live Vegan and Creamy, Brothy, Earthy, Hearty soups from Mark Bittman's March 6 blog in the New York Times Magazine. Plus click on our VegE-News link for recipes and tips. Hearty vegan recipes for Lent Easter Menu 7-day menu plan 'Creamy, Brothy, Earthy, Hearty' - Soups from Mark Bittman VegE-News recipes and tips Third Annual Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale Put on your thinking caps for the third annual worldwide vegan bake sale that will take place April 23 through May 1, when groups from across the world will hold vegan bake sales. This year will be bigger and better than ever! Be part of a fun global event that helps people, animals, and the planet. You can raise money for your cause and promote delicious, cruelty-free food. Each participating group gets to choose its venue, what to sell, and how it uses the proceeds. Be sure to sign up on the site. VegFund.org will also help with funding if you want to give the food away rather than sell it! Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale VegFund.org Podcasts/Blogs/Websites BBC Earth's Life Is blog shares some of Nature's most amazing stories, images and videos. Fascinating. BBC Earth's Life Is Cracker is a plucky rescued dog that needs hip surgery - he has his own blog... Cracker the rescued dog With Easter coming along, we are repeating this article about dumping domestic rabbits from Pet Place. Rabbits and chicks are not good gifts unless you know the recipients will keep them forever! Dumping domestic rabbits Pour nos lecteurs français - for our French readers - Élise Desaulniers offers an interesting and informative blog: penser avant d’ouvrir la bouche. Two recent postings are included below. Cinq façons de réussir la transition vers le végétarisme Lost in translation Wow! Check out this amazing list of vegan bloggers who will post a special blog post in honor of Meatout on March 20th. You'll be sure to find delicious vegan recipes, vegan tips, and thoughtful reflection. Meatout 2011 Bloggers' Virtual Event Video shorts (and longs) Also this month: Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn on ending coronary disease - an excerpt from his talk at VegSource's Healthy Lifestyle Expo; enjoy the endearing sights and sounds as animals greet the day in 'Good Morning' - episode six of 'Sanctuary Tails: Reel Life at Farm Sanctuary'; a terrific spoof from PETA - "Ask your doctor about meat." Caldwell Esselstyn MD - Ending Coronary Disease 'Good Morning - Reel Life at Farm Sanctuary' Episode Six Spoof: Ask Your Doctor About Meat Calls to action 'Got the facts on Milk?' The Milk Documentary is looking for pledges to help get the documentary to the public. Dr. John McDougall says: "This is the most hard-hitting documentary I could ever imagine attacking the dairy industry. And they deserve it all. I have seen the entire documentary and you will want to own it." You can make a pledge or just watch the trailer by clicking on the image or below. 'Got the facts on Milk?' The Milk Documentary Farm Sanctuary is asking for help in its campaign to extend its hard-won humane action for cows to pigs and other animals. Plus they have a 25th Anniversary Membership Challenge to continue support of their work. Farm Sanctuary downed animal campaign 25th Anniversary Membership Challenge - by March 31 Have your opinions included: A graduate student at DePaul University is obtaining a masters degree in nursing and doing a study on the motivational factors for becoming vegan and quality of life among vegan adults. If you are an adult vegan, between the ages of 18 and 65 years old, she would appreciate you completing her survey. Survey Humane Society International is asking for support of a federal buyout by Canada to end the seal hunt. A practical, simple, affordable and effective solution. End the seal hunt with a federal buyout Events March 20 is the 25th Anniversary of Meatout Day On March 20th, the first day of spring, caring people in 1,000 communities throughout all 50 U.S. states and two dozen other countries publicize the benefits of a plant-based diet. Of course, Meatout isn't just a one-day affair! Visit the Meatout website to find out more. And sign up for the Meatout Monday Newsletter for weekly delicious recipes and info to inspire you all year long. Meatout Meatout Monday Newsletter Earth Hour 2011, March 26, 8:30 pm Earth Hour was created by WWF to demonstrate to world leaders that hundreds of millions of people want action on climate change now. From the biggest cities to the smallest towns and from all corners of the globe, people will be uniting to turn out their lights on March 26. More info below. Earth Hour info World Laboratory Animal Liberation Week, April 16 - 24 World Laboratory Animal Liberation Week is the time when activists come together to make a difference for these innocent victims that will suffer and die in laboratories this year. Find or post an event on the website below. World Laboratory Animal Liberation Week Veggie Pride Parade, May 15, New York City NYC is always exciting and fun to visit - and everyone loves a parade! Veggie Pride Parade Taking Action for Animals Conference, July 15-18, Washington, DC The TAFA conference is for veterans and newcomers alike who want to explore opportunities for making a difference for animals. TAFA conference VegSource Healthy Lifestyle Expo, October 14-16, California The 10th annual Healthy Lifestyle Expo promises it will help you change your life! You can hear and meet in person some of the most renowned and influential figures in the plant-strong movement. 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