Enewsletter
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Enewsletter • April 22, 2009 | ||||||||||||||
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Notes from Vegan OutreachMake Every Day a Real Earth Day!
Sadly—but not surprisingly—Earth Day has largely become a meaningless feel-good event, with just about everyone—from the strictest vegan to the largest multinational—claiming to support the Earth. But of course, the planet is in no danger—there is no way we can destroy a hunk of rock that weighs 1.3E+25 pounds. What matters are the sentient beings who call this rock home. We don’t care about the environment as though it is somehow an ethically relevant entity in and of itself. Rather, what matters are the impacts our choices have on ourselves and our fellow feeling beings. Many seek to imply that all environmental problems are equally pressing, and that anything “green” is equally commendable. But at the end of the day, we simply aren’t ethical people if we make choices that lead to more suffering. And the greatest amount of suffering in the world—by far—is caused by people who choose to eat animals instead of a cruelty-free alternative. Veganism is the embodiment of a consistent ethic—and the choice that will do the most to create a better world for all. This is why we are so pleased you are a part of Vegan Outreach, where, in the best possible sense, every day is Earth Day. Thanks so much for your support! Join Team Vegan Today! Even Non-Runners!Dozen of members from across the country have already signed up for Team Vegan, planning to jog or run anywhere from 5K (3.1 miles) to a half marathon. You don’t have to be a runner or in California—the online training plan will get you in great shape! If you’ve not signed up, you can register today—training starts April 26! Product of the WeekBonnie: I recently tried this excellent
new Nasoya product: Silken
Creations Bonus website from Nia: EverydayDish.tv—truly one of my greatest finds! Send your product of the week to product (at) veganoutreach (dot) org; previous entries here.
Notes from All OverLightning Round
Notes from Our Members
It’s Conference on
World Affairs week
at Colorado University, with lots
of positive comments from high school
students. One yelled out, “I
could never go vegetarian!”
I said I used to think that too,
but now I’ve been veg for 19 years,
vegan for 17 of them; it’s easier
than you think, and even if you
don’t go completely vegan, every
time you eat veg you’re sparing
animals from suffering. I mentioned
he could start dabbling in it and
try new veggie products to which
he replied, “I like tofu hot
dogs!” His whole attitude changed
and he seemed to embrace the idea.
A bunch of his friends listened
in, so that was a bonus. 45 perfect skateboard
handoffs at UC Santa
Barbara—a new record! Two girls
walking, one takes the leaflet and
the other says to her, “I got
that last year and seriously, haven’t
eaten meat since.” Another
girl said, “That’s what made
me go vegetarian.” A male student
came up to me and said, “I
just want to tell you that what
you’re doing totally works. I got
that exact leaflet last year and
it made me vegetarian. Good work!”
I gave him a Guide. Many strong reactions
at Savannah State, a
predominantly African-American school,
including a student who was pointing
at the Even If You Like Meat
and shouting to her friends, “This
is how we were, 200 years ago! I’m
serious! This ain’t right.”
Leafleting was very
positive at Mesa Community
College. Two big guys took booklets
and exclaimed, “We should all
be vegetarian”—they read it as
they walked across the mall. Dawn
talked to one girl who
was interested in going vegetarian
but didn’t know how to do it—she
had tried it before but quit. I
also leafleted three woman who
were excited because they said they
were just talking about vegetarianism. I
had many positive conversations
at the College of the Desert, including
the dean who went by and declined,
then returned saying, “I said ‘no’ too quickly. I will take a
look.” Also, a young woman
told me that she and her two small
children are vegan, and that her kids
go to the campus daycare. During the week they bring
their own lunches, but on Fridays,
to include all the students together,
the daycare provides a vegan lunch
for all the students. It strikes
me how much of an impact children can
have—if toddlers can catalyze
a change in daycare…heck, we all
can be encouraged. At the University of
Minnesota, a woman
excitedly came up to me and said,
“I totally don’t eat meat now.
A kid in my class gave me one of
those a few weeks ago.” She
was happy to get a Guide,
and I saw her go back to her group
of friends and show them all the
Even If You Like Meat and
the Guide. While I was leafleting
Portland State, a
guy with Peta2 was getting students
to sign an anti-dissection petition.
He told me later that different
people had shown him the VO booklet
they received, saying things like,
“Did you read this? It’s horrible.”
He said that the booklet was working. This evening at George
Mason University,
one man told me that he had received
a booklet on campus two months ago
and has been vegetarian ever since.
He said that he previously had no
clue how farmed animals were treated
and that he came to the conclusion
that it was wrong to inflict such
suffering on another creature just
because we can. He spoke in a direct,
articulate, heartfelt manner, emphasizing
the power of what we’re doing. It
was very, very touching.
Many students at
Indiana University at Bloomington
told us that the booklet was sad,
and we had lots of good conversations.
I overheard a student telling his
friends that getting this booklet
is what made his girlfriend stop
eating meat. At Collin County Community
College, a number
of people seemed genuinely interested,
and most thanked me. One girl passed
me by again and told me she thought
the brochure was so sad and it really
affected her. She asked, “But
how can you not eat meat?”
I replied, “After learning
about this, it’s easy,” and
she nodded. I offered her a Guide,
which she happily accepted.
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, ready-to-serve
chocolate-, vanilla-, and strawberry-flavored nondairy starter for smoothies
and desserts. I made a baked chocolate
pie (recipe on back of container
label) topped with banana slices
and nondairy whipped cream—family
and friends will never suspect a
thing! Tastes good straight out
of the package, too!
Today at the Galleria
Mall, two people told
me that they are now a vegetarian
because of the booklet, and a third
person told me that they will now
try to become a vegetarian.