Our story It began in a foreign country in Western Europe. It was the summer of 2018. We made a move and later, another decision that would change our lives f o r e v e r. The city was Berlin. The year was 2017, in the … Read more...
Every month is Veganuary
Now when the most important month for the environment and animals is over, continuous attention to Veganuary is much needed.
I had no idea for the longest time what Veganuary was. I had never participated in it in and so never recommended it. Now that I have been vegan for more than three years, I am more awake. I know that there is a need to spread the word. Not only in January.
What is Veganuary?
Veganuary is a UK non-profit organization founded in 2014. It seeks to bring awareness to a vegan lifestyle free of animal products every January. In a way, you can call it the vegan awareness month. The participants of this groundbreaking event have more than doubled every year since its start 6 years ago. Luckily, the idea of being a plant-based consumer for a whole month is getting more and more popular:
- The 2017 campaign had 50,000 participants signed up as of January 4.
- In 2018 170,000 people signed up, a 183% increase over 2017 numbers.
- The 2019 event signups were reported to be as many as 14,000 per day for a total of 250,000 signups from 193 countries.
- By January 5th, 2020 a record 350,000 people had registered to take part in Veganuary.
These numbers speak loud and clear that things are changing. And for the better. Hopefully. But it is quite disappointing that all the attention is for just one month. Why not every month? It is
Think of Veganuary every month
The extra awareness for veganism for the first month of the year is highly needed, but why not take an extra step and think of Veganuary every month. There are many positive effects of going vegan for more than one month, as it can promote better health for you and those around you, contribute to a better environmental state, and make the lives of animals better.
Being vegan is proven to promote good health and increase vitality, which makes you feel good. But perhaps more important to many of us is the well-being of dear ones around us. We can have our family and friends longer with us. Eating meat is not suitable for any of us, it is harmful to our health. Did you know that the length of our and all herbivores’ intestines is 27 times longer than the body? This is because breaking down cellulose in plant foods is a GINORMOUS job that requires ”untold billions of bacteria which do the breaking down for the herbivore.” Carnivores like lions, unlike rabbits and humans, have sharp teeth to shred meant and short powerful intestines to digest the flesh quickly. Imagine the meat you eat taking so long to travel through your long intestines? The bacteria aren’t meant to digest that! And it is not only meat that causes many health problems. It is also dairy.
Look at the simple graph below from the documentary. The two little dots on the left are data sections for the other two leading causes of deaths. The first is violence, wars, etc. and the middle describes accidental deaths. You can barely see those, because chronic disease kills annually 30 000 000 people in total, leaving them far behind.
Dairy
When drinking milk and using dairy products, we consume bodily liquids of a cow, who is lactating to feed its baby. Unfortunately, after her calf is born, they will lose their mother and their rightful nutrition, which goes to humans. The female cow becomes just a milking machine, not for her calves, but for humans. The male calves will be killed and sold as veal, as they are no use for the dairy industry. Female calves are raised for the same reason as their mothers – to produce milk for humans. Contrary to popular propaganda, drinking milk does no good for the body. Dairy companies had bought the scientist for the longest time, to fool us all to believe that milk gives you good bones and lots of protein. It doesn’t really work like that. As those nations that consume the most cow’s milk and other dairy products have the highest rates of osteoporosis and hip fracture.
Environment
Raising animals, producing products out of them, etc. is very exhausting for our planet. Cow cattle need lots of space, lots of water and lots of feed. And even more water is needed when the flesh of animals is processed for human taste buds. Oftentimes, the country where the cattle are raised does not have enough feed. So then it has to be transported from another country. More forests are cut down to grow more food for animals. It is all adding to the high greenhouse gas emissions.
We have a water crisis. Though it may seem that we have lots of oceans and water should not be a problem, but only a little part of the water is good for human consumption. Animal agriculture is destroying this water and also the oceans– home of sea life.
There are dead zones in the oceans. This is due to the massive amounts of nitrogen put into the oceans and coral reefs dying for the same reason. Animal agriculture is the main reason for global warming as well. One of three fish caught from the ocean is fed to the animal raised in agriculture. Hence overfishing is causing problems for us. As it really puts our future at stake as well.
Animals
Animals are living in cramped conditions. They can’t enjoy their lives to the fullest: run around, gaze and grow up with their loving parent. Males in animal agriculture, are killed including calves and chicks. Females are raised in bad conditions – to be slaves for human needs.
No death is humane. There is no happy meat or happy eggs. Free-range eggs are just a myth, to make us feel better. Not a single egg manufacturer can provide the needed space for hen’s normal well-being. This is not financially possible for them.
We abuse animals in so many fields. Not only for food but for pleasure too (zoo, circus, entertainment) as well. Not to forget fashion – for our shoes, bags, belts, and jackets, animals ‘have’ to die. But animals are individuals – they have feelings, needs and they also know what pain is.
If you are a pet owner, consider the fact that you are not eating your pets. So why should you eat other animals then altogether?
So….every month is Veganuary, right?
It is very difficult not to think of every month as a Veganuary after watching “Let us be Heroes – The True Cost of our Food Choices (2018)“. Though, as a vegan I have seen a fair amount of such documentaries, they still have an immense effect on me because the message is always so simple, but yet so powerful:
go vegan
for your health,
the planet,
the animals!
These are enough reasons to put the needs of your tastebuds aside and start making changes in your life, which would not harm animals or our home – planet Earth as we all need to manage and dwell happily here. Yet, animal agriculture, in other words, the majority’s eating and lifestyle habits, are straining the world and, we are at the edge of a catastrophe. It is here actually, no matter if you feel it in your corner of the world or not.
Take steps and stop eating animal products, as that way you also contribute to a better today and better future. Spread the word and make a change!
Canada’s food guide is a victory for vegans
As Canada’s food guide tagline states: eat well, live well. Vegans have known this all along. If not for the animals and the planet, then for your health.
As a child, I remember flipping through the colourful few pages of Canada’s food guide. It was accessible at school and at different offices, probably including the doctor’s office. As I flipped the pages, I noticed the daily requirements of each food group, thinking of how I could possibly eat more fruits and vegetables.
As an adult, before becoming vegan, I still felt discouraged by the high serving sizes of fruits and vegetables. Why? Well, even my younger self intuitively knew that these foods were best for me. With vitamins, minerals, and life-saving properties, unlike the brown and white recommended protein, grains and dairy products.
In January 2019, Canada finally released an updated food guide (the last was in 1992) that is much more well-rounded. As well, it is a great teaching tool for the population to take our health in our own hands by consuming more of the foods that we intuitively know is better for our bodies.
Source: Canada’s food guide wiki
What the food guide highlights:
No serving sizes
This is fantastic for people who like me, felt discouraged by the daily recommendations… Is a bowl of grapes two servings or one? Are grapes too sweet to compare to a serving of berries? You see, the serving sizes can complicate things, and take the attention away from the main thing, which is to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
Have plenty of fruits and vegetables (1/2 of your plate)
Increase intake of plant-based foods
The new Canadian food guide simply illustrated that most foods consumed should be plants. There is no emphasis on animal products, which we should consume minimally if at all. This is a great achievement for vegans! It is known that animal foods can increase the risk of chronic diseases like heart attacks and cancer. Plant-based foods, on the other hand, are known to reverse chronic disease.
but a known fact.
Canada’s Food Guide states…
Eat protein foods (a 1/4 of your plate)
There are many alternative plant-based sources of protein as pictured above. These include but not limited to lentils, chickpeas, beans, tofu, nuts, and seeds.
The heart and stroke foundation promotes the consumption of protein as per the Canada food guide animal foods as a normal part of nutrition, without mentioning the link between the illness they seek to cure. On a positive note, the foundation encourages choosing plant-based protein more often.
”Canada’s Food Guide recommends that protein foods should make up a quarter of your plate and be consumed regularly. Eat more plant-based protein. When choosing your protein foods, opt for plant-based more often. Plant-based protein foods can provide more fibre and less saturated fat than other type of protein foods.”
A long-term study published in October 2016 finds a link between the cardiovascular cause of death, animal protein intake. And at least one risk factor such as limited exercise, smoking, alcohol intake, obesity, etc. The study followed two large populations of nurses and other health professionals from the 1980s to 2012.
”Moreover, we observed that substitution of plant protein for animal protein from a variety of food sources, particularly processed red meat, was associated with a lower risk for mortality, suggesting that the protein source is important for long-term health.”
Canada’s Food Guide recommends…
Eat whole grains (a 1/4 of your plate)
The emphasis is on “whole”. Simple carbohydrates are unhealthy because they spike blood sugar levels quickly. And the false energy spike that we get short-lived, leaving us tired and hungry. Whole grains are closer to what nature intended. They keep us fuller longer and don’t digest as quickly, so they don’t affect our blood sugar at the same rate.
Choose brown rice, red rice or wild rice over white rice when possible.
Opt for millet, amaranth, and quinoa over simple carbs
Whenever possible, eat spelt, Ezekiel or sprouted grain bread over white or “whole wheat” bread.
Better yet, choose gluten-free bread. Whatever you do, see how you feel after eating food.
Notice that wheat hasn’t been mentioned. This is because the wheat crop of today is not like the past.
‘Today’s wheat is greatly genetically modified to grow faster and provide a higher yield of wheat per acre. More food to the starving poor was a blessing, but could there be disadvantages with the modern super wheat?” Source
Many people have discovered that eating wheat/gluten causes a “foggy brain”, a sluggishness and bloating. Even worse, many people’s health is threatened due to celiac disease, while others, as mentioned above, are simply sensitive to wheat gluten.
Also, when food is overproduced, appears in most processed foods, we should probably be careful of it, ie. wheat and soy.
Canada’s Food Guide suggests…
Make water your drink of choice
The above suggestion is self-explanatory, but why must we drink enough water?
Nutritionists agree that to say that our body needs water is a gross understatement, after all, water is key in the body’s function:
- all organs of the body use water
- for digestion
- nutrient absorption
- produces and cleanse our blood
- cleanses the body of waste
- regulates body temperature and much more.
Dr. Robertai Lee explains American’s chronic dehydration at Medicine Daily, stating that “60 percent of our body is composed of water, 75 percent in our muscles, 85 percent in our brains, it’s like oil to a machine”.
Have you seen documentaries like 127 hours where a man trapped on a mountain survives for days after drinking water? His likelihood of survival increased because dehydration can kill us faster than starvation, so get a metal or glass water bottle and drink water!
Still, there is the fear of drinking too much water, but in truth, most of us don’t drink enough pure water. The water contained in processed drinks doesn’t count!
Many people aim for 8 cups of water, but most of us don’t drink nearly this much, yet as Diabetes Strong explains, for Diabetics, “Even a mild level of dehydration – something you may not even feel – could easily leave your blood sugar levels 50 to 100 mg/dL higher than if you were drinking enough water”.
Canada’s food guide simplifies nutrition for us, but it is key that we take a personal interest in what we consume, how active we are, and how many ‘bad habits’ we have because these factors affect the quality of our life today and in the future.
What do you think of the Canada food guide?
References:
- Nutrition Studies.org
- Song M, Fung T, Hu FB, et al. Association of Animal and Plant Protein Intake With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality. JAMA Intern Med 2016.
- The Daily Meal
- Diet Doctor.com
Veganism is the new today
Animals, nature, and well-being have never mattered us so much than now. It seems like veganism is the only way. If you need some persuasion, read below!
The inspiration to write this article came after watching a YouTube video of VEGAN 2018 – The Film. As a vegan, I am not really looking to educate myself more on the matter, as I am already a vegan, so I am doing my best, as it is, right? No, it doesn’t stop here. Educating myself more, I am more confident and I have actual facts to present, when in discussions, the never-ending subject, why I am vegan, comes up.
Veganism is not a trend
Being a vegan is not a trend and it is not a phase. At least to those, who really believe in what they are. Veganism is not a lifestyle. It is a life dedicated to saving lives. Not participating in the slaughter of animals, eating healthy and being environmentally conscious.
If you have become vegan just recently, it may not be the case for you, as you are in the whirl of finding out what to eat and which meals to cook. But one day you will start seeing the bigger picture and your small, but important role in it. Perhaps these little thoughts are helping you to be more aware of the current situation and be ready to protect yourself when you are under attack because of who you are.
Why veganism is not a trend? Because people are waking up and seeing that this is not the way to go on. Many changes will take place! Perhaps this is the reason that last year veganism really made a huge raise, precisely 500%! Whopping 500%!
Veganism entered the mainstream
2019. is the year when veganism is entering the mainstream. Many beliefs are changed, the year when every week a vegan restaurant is opened. In the US alone, nearly 25% of the people call themselves a vegan – wow! Being vegan has never been so easy than today. Even for those, who just can’t give up the meat because of its flavour. Worry no more – become a vegan now because now there is Beyond Burger.
It is an invention that was worked out in the United States. Even meat-eaters have been fallen in love with it. This meat alternative is found the aisles between the meat, not in a special corner only meant for free-from products. Ten years ago it would have been unthinkable. More fresh products are available to us and unimaginable amounts of processed vegan foods are available to make the beginning times of a new vegan easier.
Think where your food comes from
When not consuming meat, you save lives and you also save the environment. These are reasons enough to jump on the vegan boat. I guess everybody would agree, if meat-eaters, would see how the cow is milked or the animal is killed for their meal, they would not want to eat it. It is disgusting! But yet it is a norm and vegans are the villains.
Everything that is new is not accepted and this is normal. But everybody, not only vegans, should think that eating no animal products is normal. Nevertheless, we still hear things like: “We have always eaten meat, from the beginning of the time”; “Meat and dairy are good for you”, etc. 2019 can tell you not to believe all that, as these are all outdated reasons and the information – surveys, researches, articles – is out there.
Times have changed
Yes, we used to eat meat, as there was nothing else to eat. Meat and dairy are definitely not good for you. They are the leading cause of tens and tens of health issues. I am not making it up, or nobody is making it up. It was made up by the big corporations. So they can sell more products, to flourish and grow. This all happened for the sake of human lives, who have gotten sicker in recent years, because meat and dairy products are not clean, fresh and healthy, as we believe they are.
With anything that is produced in large quantities, it becomes mass production. And to make it more sustainable monetary wise, different means have set in, which changes the end product and makes the products unhealthy. Any attacks you face in the news by meat industries are not based on real evidence. But bought researches to save their doomed businesses, as their products are no more in such a high demand they used to.
Another big change that veganism is spreading, is being more open about the current climate situation and with changed eating habits making an actual change. In the news, you can read that experts warn that we have until 2030 to stem catastrophic climate change. I mean, we are still young. Life is still ahead. This may be the time when your children are in your prime and they have to grow up in a world, which may be quite unlivable. And they may never enjoy it the way you did when you were young.
Future, not our problem?
The world doesn’t end with us. There are more generations to come. We need to leave the world in such a state for them, which allows them to continue preserving it. We have land enough to feed 9 or 10 billion people. But not when they all eat veal, chicken, and pork. Meat and dairy industries are extremely exhausting for Mother Earth. We are close to depleting its natural sources and for what? For wrong beliefs and our taste buds? Think for a moment, that it takes 127 kg (280 pounds) of grain to make 450 g (1 pound) of beef. But imagine how many people that 127 kg of grain would feed?
Every year people are more and more health-minded. Nevertheless, we are the sickest today. In US the most money is spent on healthcare, but people are not healthier. On the opposite – the situation is getting worse. This makes, of course, to look at what is on the plates of the people. Health becomes better not with visits to a doctor, but changing what is eaten.
Eating meat and dairy is the main cause of today’s illnesses. Heart diseases are the number one killer in the USA. They can be beaten, just with changing a diet. Eating only plant-based meals is known to prevent various cancers, respiratory diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, pneumonia, influenza, and even suicide. Knowing that it would be enough of a reason to quit. To enjoy this life to the fullest and live longer and healthier.
Conclusion
Vegans have given up on serving their taste buds. But they are dedicated to saving the lives of 150 million animals killed daily for food. They do not think they are better, they just want the lives of animals to be better. Also planet Earth. Please do some research, if this wasn’t enough information and please make the change to join the new life already this year. We are here to help you on your path!
Click here to watch the Vegan 2018 – The Film HERE.
Why go vegan and take your vitamins
Veganism plays a really big role in our lives. Health is the main word, what comes to mind when we think of eating foods made of plants. Vitamins, anybody?
Why are we vegans?
Most of the time, when we believe in something, we believe, that this is the only and the right way. Many may think that all vegans think the same. Being vegan is hip, healthy and you do not need your vitamins, right? There’s the difference – we do not think like that. We don’t consume animal products, because we are compassionate and how it makes us feel. We like how being vegan has affected our lives, as we feel better in our bodies. Of course, our internal reality also benefits.
Everybody has an opinion since they are like belly buttons – we all have them. We can’t be loved by everybody and we should not even wish that. Vegans should have thick skin (with help by vitamins?), as there are always people who try to make us fall. None of us are perfect, so we can’t all fill in spaces others often put us in. This is a reality. That doesn’t mean that plant-eaters are worthless, not at all. We are different because we believe in different things and we also – eat and hopefully live differently.
Being vegan is weird!
People are usually afraid of what they do not know and have lots of prejudice on what is strange to them. We all are supposed to be normal, to fit into these normal societal norms. But some like we, just can’t human properly and do not fit in most of the times. We are different in some ways. As vegans, we constantly have to justify why we are vegans. We do not question meat-eaters or criticize their meals. Oftentimes we find their fingers or forks reaching to our vegan plates. Why? Curiosity? Interest? Judgment? Health reasons?
What is really healthy?
Is being a vegan is healthy? Anything is healthy if you believe it is healthy, you see it all comes down on you. Plant foods are known to be filled with vitamins, but vegans most likely need to take some extra. So do the meat-eaters. Eating fried potatoes only may be healthy in some opinions or chewing steaks every night, as well. When we were omnivores and pescatarians, we didn’t think of the many aspects of a balanced diet. What was that anyway?
Balanced diet means:
- foremost enjoying an abundance of freshly prepared vegetables
- eating very little processed foods
- getting enough vitamins with your meals
- cooking your own meals from scratch
- using local, seasonal, organic foods and supporting small farms
- not to forget, eating slowly and mindfully
Meat-eater vs. vegan
We weren’t fully committed to eating a balanced diet of the above until recent years. The change came with becoming a vegan – when we woke up! For somebody, I may be really asleep for not eating animal products. This is a subject on its own, but it has been getting kind of tiring to justify my veganism so often. I came across a list online by somebody who introduced their 10 reasons why I will never be a vegan.
1. A vegan diet never sustained any traditional culture
Oh, who cares? Really. We weren’t in a situation like we are at the moment from the environmental point of view. There weren’t many options to be vegans ages ago. There are plenty of options today, so veganism could sustain traditional cultures at ease. It is safe that humans have shifted from
2. Vegan diets do not provide fat-soluble vitamins A, D, K2, B12, and iron (I put the vitamin reasons all together into one reason)
If you are a meat-eater, do you even think of vitamins A and D? How much you get them? Do you get them at all? Where you get them, etc? I think not. I didn’t and I know many people who don’t. If anything at all veganism has really made me think of where to get all the vitamins I need. I am probably not getting enough vitamins. Present food production is very synthesized and full of antibiotics.
Vitamin A
Type of Vitamin A is found only in animal foods. Plants are abundant in vitamin A precursors such as beta-carotene. You can easily meet your vitamin A requirement for the day by drinking a one-quarter cup of carrot juice or eating a cup of kale or spinach. We add this daily to our smoothies.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D3 is made from the
Vitamin K
By Jack Norris, vegans who eat leafy green vegetables with some added oil on a daily basis should receive more than adequate vitamin K. This is needed for proper blood clotting and bone health. Making sure you get plenty of vitamin K through leafy green vegetables is the best plan. Check more about vitamin K here.
B12
Vitamin B12 is generally found in all animal-derived foods, except honey. This is there for the same reason – it has been added to the animal feed. There is no reliable B12 in plant foods, including tempeh, seaweeds, and organic produce. Luckily, vitamin B12 is made by bacteria and doesn’t need to be obtained from animal products. It’s fairly easy for most vegans to obtain a source of vitamin B12 in liquid or dry form. Taking B12 on a regular basis will provide you with a B12 status equal to or superior to people who rely on animal products for B12. It protects the nervous system and without it, permanent damage can result. Therefore this is a must for every vegan to introduce to their diet. It is not complicated and it is not expensive. More about B12 here.
If you’re healthy and eat a varied vegan diet, you don’t need to worry about iron as it’s plentiful in a vegan diet. However, some people have trouble absorbing plant iron. If you think your iron stores might be low, you can increase iron absorption by:
Iron
- Adding a source of vitamin C at meals
- Avoiding tea and coffee at meals.
- Increasing legume (peanuts, beans, lentils, peas) intake.
- Cooking foods (especially water-based acidic foods like tomato sauce) in cast iron skillets.
- Avoiding calcium supplements with meals.
The major functions of iron are:
- Energy production
- Oxygen transport via the hemoglobin of red blood cells.
- Oxygen transport to the muscles via myoglobin.
- Part of the enzyme NADH dehydrogenase in the electron transport chain that produces ATP.
- Immunity – iron has pro-oxidation properties used by the immune system to destroy bacteria
- DNA synthesis
It’s important for any vegan with iron deficiency to take care of it because, during iron deficiency, the body has a tendency to absorb too much manganese.
3. Vegan diets often rely heavily on soy
Not really. Soy makes it easier for people to go from eating meat to eating another kind of meat, a plant-based kind. We, at CHP hardly ever eat soy. Mostly, when we eat out in restaurants, as it is not a staple food product to cook at home. I guess by now everybody has heard that your hormones go crazy when you eat soy. Again, there are many articles that support this and many that do not. The choice is yours.
4. Ethical omnivorism supports a healthy planet
It is a known fact, that it is not a common practice to consume or buy sustainably-raised animal products from small and local producers. Most meat you can see on the stores are a result of mass production and unfortunately $1 hamburgers have a place in an omnivore world. Companies often produce too much meat for the grocery stores and the bulk of it gets trashed due to its short shelf life.
5. Real food > Fake food
Vegans are smart to create the products they miss eating. There is a variety to choose from, which is all plant-based: cheese, milk, meat, etc. Processed foods usually include stabilizers, gums, thickeners, and highly processed protein extracts. Gluten-free products include lots of artificial ingredients, which may not give you gluten, but a whole variety of other unhealthy stuff. Instead of losing weight, they make people gain weight. All produced foods are not good for you vegan or non-vegan, so you should avoid those and make as much as you can from scratch. On 2018 there are many options to be a smart and healthy vegan.
For example, Earth Balance, a non-dairy butter often used in vegan diets is made of: Palm fruit oil, canola oil, safflower oil, flax oil, olive oil, salt, natural flavor, pea protein, sunflower lecithin, lactic acid, annatto color, which doesn’t sound so exciting to eat, isn’t it?
That doesn’t really make you want to consume a product like that, right?
6. Vegan isn’t the answer to autoimmune disease
Is eating meat, though? To which diseases eating meat it is an answer?
7. You must take life to have life
Yes, animals die when even vegan products are produced, but this is more sort of natural choice than a relentless everyday mass killing.
Plants are known to respond to human emotions and being alive, but without nervous systems, with what it is possible to feel a variety of emotions, you can’t compare plants to animals!
8. Animal fats offer unique nutrients
You probably have heard that flax seeds, walnuts, hemp seeds, and chia seeds are all excellent sources of omega-3? That may be true, but these plant sources provide a form of omega-3 that is not well absorbed by the body. The O-3 in plant sources, such as flaxseed and walnuts, is called ALA. ALA must be converted to EPA or DHA in the body to be useable. Unfortunately, the conversion between ALA and EPA/ DHA is extremely low. One study showed that women convert about 21% of ALA to EPA and 9% to DHA. The conversion rates for men are even lower.
Why nobody brings any comparisons of how much and how often you have to eat meat to get all the goodies into your body, which are listed in this list enough for somebody not to go vegan?
Conclusion
It all comes down to you and your tolerance really, as people can and will argue what is best for everybody, some say omnivores are right and some say veganism is the whole truth.
If you dislike the killing of animals and have a higher level of compassion, then be vegan and enjoy being one. If you do not care about participating in the killing of the animals and you think that being all-eater is better for your health, then also, do it.
You are the one, who is making a decision and we can just listen and read an array of opinions every day. Whatever you are eating, do not forget to take your vitamins.
The original article of “10 reasons why I’ll never be a vegan” can be found here.
Berlin Vegan Summerfest & The Official Animal Rights March Berlin 2019
To be precise, this weekend was an amazing experience!!!!!!!!! All things that matter to a vegan came beautifully together during Berlin Vegan Summerfest!
Day 1: inspiring lecture, AFTW and burger time
Being our first vegan festival outside of Estonia, where we attended the Tallinn Vegan Fair in October of 2015 and July 2019 at Tallinn Vegfest, it was a welcomed third experience. Berlin Vegan Summerfest was booming with countless conscious organizations spreading awareness. I have to mention Pro Veg, who organized the festival. The annual festival was full of businesses selling countless vegan products, from cheese, never-ending handouts of Made with LUVE ice-cream bars, and Palmyra, Nature’s Delights which offers the freshest and best dates in town (dates better than Tinder dates!) and of course we can’t forget about the RESTAURANTS! We were constantly salivating!
Inspired by That Vegan Couple
On Saturday afternoon, we scurried out in time to catch the last of the English lectures, the last being by That Vegan Couple. They are Australian activists whose videos I’ve seen on YouTube. At the end of their lecture, they said that Anonymous for the Voiceless is holding their demonstration in an hour. Imagine a group of wonderful vegan activists with the goal to educate the public at a vegan fair!
As we waited for the much anticipated demonstration, we approached one half of That Vegan Couple for a chat. She shared that they are on a vegan activism tour, and even visited Toronto! Unfortuntely, they gave a similar lecture in my home-city, but it was not received there with the same energy as it was Berlin. My excuse was that awareness in Toronto is already strong. Check out our stories on Instagram to hear a snippet of the lecture, which was impactful.
Anonymous for the Voiceless – our new calling
In our mind, these are local celebrities for justice from AFTW, giving voice to many issues that to us contribute to the Can’t Human Properly feeling that founded this site. To my surprise, Anonymous were just ordinary people who had joined the movement. Their shirts presented proudly ”vegan, environment, and health” division. After seeing them in action, we wanted to become part of them.
Pep talk to anonymous participants:
Outreach should be positive. Your role is to leave people with a good impression, and inspiration to research more about the price of participation in animal agriculture and cruelty. Don’t loose your cool as the person will go home and recall the negative interaction. People will think badly of vegnism or the cause because it was lost on drama and ego. Oh, and if you are holding a laptop depicting animals in slaughter house, and a child approaches without an adult, put your hand up so we can help the child find their guardian. It’s not that we don’t want the child to see the truth, but not without their guardian around, who may choose to share with them or not.
Paraphrase of the part of the pep talk that I heard.
As you can see, it was an insightful time before they finally organized to form a cube. Some clever signs with slogans and others held a laptop playing slaughterhouse scenes. All had the classic white Anonymous masks, with black facial hair, a smile, and pink rosy cheeks, though some rosier than others.
We had a glimpse of the screens but did not watch the videos in full. As we are already vegans, it is not necessarily for us. As That Vegan Couple characterized it, it is meant for ‘not yet vegans’. Besides, I don’t do well when I expose myself to terror and horror. Kerly only needed a few seconds of the Earthlings trailers three years ago to shift from vegetarianism to veganism. Some hearts are open to veganism with glimpses of slaughter houses.
Trying some amazing vegan food
After all the free samples, there was not much room, but we set our eyes on Réger Burger food truck. We ordered two burgers, a classic for Kerly, and a Cheezy for me. All patties were black bean and seitan based, and although the texture was good, the patty was nothing without the delicious toppings. Sadly the cheese was unimpressive, as it was a bright yellow sauce that wasn’t so memorable. Still, we enjoyed it, topping off mouthfuls with swigs of cold Shanghai matte tea, which we were told by a passerby were geschenkt! (given for free).
As we ate and I chatted in Twi with a Ghanaian mother we had met in line, we started a conversation with two vegan girls sitting beside us, both German, but one is half American. The girls were so cool! We exchanged information, and honestly, meeting them changed the whole game of this weekend! We learned so much, which I’ll share in the next part of our weekend at Berlin Vegan Summerfest.
Day 2: The Official Animal Rights March 2019 Berlin
The second day was not planned. In fact, it wasn’t supposed to even happen! And yet, it had to, because it is was the best part of the whole Berlin Vegan Summerfest!!!! We were inspired to come to The Official Animal Rights March Berlin, because of our new two friends we met at the festival.
After getting to bed past 2 AM, we woke up at 10 AM. When my eyes opened, I knew that we had to go to the march. I don’t know how my mindset shifted so fast. The day before, I was still stuck on the idea that perhaps I shouldn’t join this march. I thought if people are fighting against something, then by universal law it is drawn to us. But actually, I found that attending this march was critical. We have reached a crisis point where our actions or inaction will destroy our species, countless others, and the planet whose skin we live on. I felt nothing but positive energy and bliss at the march, and I know that it came from a higher place. It was like it was meant to be, and was supported by the universe.
Joining the march!
Of course, we were a little too late to join the march, as we slept in and it took us an hour to get closer to the march’s start location. Luckily we had our new friends there on time and they shared their location on WhatsApp. So we were able to see in real-time, where they were and we caught the tail of the march in no time after exiting at Eberswalder station in Mitte.
At U Rosenthaler Platz, we all stopped in the center of the wide street, and participated in a mass ‘dying’, to signify the death of the many animals at the hands of slaughterhouses. We literally dropped down on the hot street and laid down on it. It was powerful! The sad drum beat made Kerly cry, while she was thinking of the animals. Of those who have lost their lives, who are in a bad situation or who are abused for human needs at the moment. I and some others wanted to document it, so sat down, but almost all catalysts laid there. Timelessness swept us, and finally, we stopped up and cheered so loudly that we probably woke up she of those
Some of the striking slogans at the march were:
Shout: THERE’S NO EXCUSE
Reply Shout: FOR ANIMAL ABUSE!
Shout: WHAT DO WE WANT?
Reply Shout: ANIMAL LIBERATION
Shout: WHEN DO WE WANT IT?
Reply shout: NOWWWWW!
&
GO VEGAN, GO VEGAN, GO!
We ended each chant with the cheering of course! So glad that the march took place at the same time when Berlin Vegan Summerfest – joining more people for the cause!
Did I say it was hot? Cos the sun of ablaze on us, and we realized on the way home that we had not once felt the need to empty the ol’ bladder all day, till 9 PM when we reached home! Meanwhile, we had had a few liters of liquid.
We weren’t left to entertain ourselves with just our sweet voice, because there was live music, including drums. The march came to a nice halt behind Alexanderplatz, then the speeches began. The one I was totally there for, not that I wasn’t there for the other, but because it was in English, was by That Vegan Couple. They sounded like the day before but on STEROIDS, it was so POWERFUL! I realize now that the high energy of the march made the speech that much more impactful, and it gave me chills/goosebumps in the 32 C sun!
Important realizations this weekend
Vegans must do more form of direct action to read awareness. People are needed on the front lines and in supporting roles!
It is not enough to be vegan, otherwise, people trivialize it to mean simply what you eat.
Veganism is not a trend.
Veganism is not a personal choice #veganismisnotapersonalchoice
Connecting with other vegans is crucial because when you feel down about the journey, they will lift you up!
Find your vegan friends
After the march, we drank liters of water, indulged inf Made with LUVE ice-creams. Yeah, it was a hot day, so we both had about 10 sticks. The best surprise was a Taiwanese Vegan Street Food in the culinary section, which filled us fully. Though the portions looked small, they were filling and besides vegan, also gluten-free.
As we said earlier our two new friends from Nuremberg were really helpful for informing us about the cool things happening at the festival. One thing they pointed out was Speed Friendling. Which was basically speed dating, but for vegans and for friends. We had never participated in such an event, so we and other 14 people tried it out and it was fun! 45 minutes of talking and asking questions, definitely left our throat sore. But also, in the end, we had 10 people, who kind of stayed around waiting for something to happen.
Something really happened! We can now say that we have a group of vegan friends, and we have a WhatsApp group to prove it! We hope they stick around on the journey to awakening the planet! Trust that we will discuss our passion of giving voice to animals, the environment, and oppressions, over delicious vegan, thus cruelty-free food!
In the end, this is all you need some entertainment, good food, wonderful people and a cause, which makes you move. We found all that in Berlin Vegan Summerfest and we can soon start calling ourselves vegan activists!
What is being vegan all about?
If you have recently heard more and more the words vegan, plant-based, veganism, etc. and you are a bit lost on what it all means or you are looking at the definition of veganism, then by the VeganSociety.com it is:
“A philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms, it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”
Sounds simple? On top of it all, vegans do not wear leather, wool, silk or any other fabrics derived from animals and also do not use products tested on animals. Vegans are more environmentally friendly, active, healthier, often avoid smoking, alcohol, and drugs.
All vegans are connected by plant-based food, which is what initially defines. This is also the main reason for heated discussions between vegans and non-vegans. As a plant eater, you just have to understand that your life can be a constant justification of why you no longer eat animal products. I wonder do vegans also always think why carnivores are not vegans instead?
Busting a myth about vegans
Vegans do not only eat salad, but they are very creative. They love eating an array of different vegetables, legumes, nuts, grains, fruits, seeds. Also, a common practice is stuffing themselves (hopefully not every day) with special replacement products. Options are endless: you can choose a variety of mock meat, cheese, milk, and butter. Most processed foods are no longer healthy, so we should not eat such products so often. All in all, it is very easy to ‘
Not all vegans instantly know what it is all about, like me for example. I wasn’t thinking of animal exploitation or being super healthy, I just didn’t eat animal products, when I became vegetarian. Beans, seeds, nuts? I didn’t care much what I was putting into my mouth, as long that wasn’t meat! When I became vegan, I became more, as we here on Can’t Human Properly say, awake and the rest followed in time. Living is learning. If you are thinking of becoming vegan, then know, that there is a lot to discover first, but that is the fun part.
Thinking like a vegan
When people first become vegan, they may only think about food. Once new plant-eaters hunger is taken care of, they may start thinking more about animals and therefore of the environment as well. Not only about the safety of animals, but also that they are individuals and have feelings as well. They have every right to exist in this world
The devastation of animal farming
Animal farming has an overly high impact on planet earth. Vast areas in the industry are dedicated to
We, here in Can’t Human Properly, don’t think that a simple, I love meat and we need to eat meat can justify this. Earth’s environmental situation is not so great and if we do not make changes, we are doomed. The future generations are not going to able to enjoy the world our parents did.
On top of that, the food industry is also a monster. It is creating lots of pollution, waste and is oftentimes abusive to the growers of some particular foods. The food economy is responsible also for the growing waste problems. It happens mostly due to the high production of plastic, which is threatening marine life, waterways. Therefore affecting directly, fish, animals, birds
How did we start eating meat?
Yes, eating meat has been normal for us and practiced quite since the beginning of the humankind. It helped us to grow bigger brains and move out of Africa to colder climates. Still, our first meals were plants, berries, nuts, and seeds. As the human mind developed, we became smarter and learned how to capture animals, birds, and fish and consume all that we could of the catch.
Beyond evolution, we have become “meat hooked”, as Marta Zaraska titled her book ”Our 2.5 million year obsession with meat.” We live in the 21st century, where most things are possible and there are so many options NOT to eat animals. It is maddening that one should question why people are vegans! Yeah, in ancient times there weren’t beans, legumes, tofu, healthy fats, (definitely no avocados), different flours, fruits,
Reference:
Ammonia Emissions and Animal Agriculture, Jennifer G. Becker and Robert E. Graves