The campaign has slick graphics and a new website, but does it have any meaning?

Read more: Why Isn’t Horse Riding Vegan? Everything You Need To Know

Horse Deaths on race courses

Animal Aid has been campaigning to end horse racing for over two decades. This is an industry built upon the exploitation of animals. Any fatalities or injuries are excused by the industry as symptoms of the “inherent risk” involved in the sport – and in life. But whilst people can consent to the risks they take – such as when engaging in a dangerous sport – horses cannot. They are pawns used by the industry to make as much money as possible. And, crucially, would such “inherent risk” be so easily dismissed if 200 humans were dying each year within racing? 

Last year, 175 horses were killed on British race courses. Racing injuries that kill horses include broken legs, broken necks, and heart attacks. This figure does not include the unknown number of horses who die in training or because they did not make the grade.

The aftercare of horses once they leave racing

Approximately 13,000 foals are bred each year across the British and Irish racing industries, in the hope of producing the “next big winner.” Many of these horses will never see a race course; most will not ever win a race.

The overbreeding of horses is a cataclysmic welfare issue. Roughly 7,500 horses leave racing each year – the same number who enter it.

The whereabouts of the horses leaving the industry remains largely a mystery. The results from a Thoroughbred Census, commissioned by the industry, were published last month. These results are being used to suggest that the majority of horses leaving the industry go on to lead “acceptable lives.” This census was voluntary, so again, ultimately meaningless.

It is crucial to note that the many other disciplines that horses may be retrained into post-racing, can also be exploitative and restrictive – from one life of gruelling demand to another.

The last published public record of the fate of horses leaving British racing was a 2008 study, carried out on horses who left racing in 2006. This report used data from Weatherbys (which administers British racing) and was published in Horse & Hound magazine. The results were damning – 43 percent of horses were dead or could not be accounted for.

Currently, money allocated by the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) and the industry, for aftercare for race horses, equates to a pitiful £130 for each horse leaving the racing industry. This is why Animal Aid is amplifying George Eustice MP’s call for £12 million to be ringfenced by the HBLB for race horse aftercare. You can write to your MP and ask them to support this call here.

Race horses sent to slaughter in abattoirs

In July 2021, BBC Panorama’s The Dark Side of Horse Racing aired, featuring Animal Aid’s undercover footage of race horses being slaughtered. Vyta Du Roc, a race horse who had earned his owners £175,000 in prize money, was filmed being slaughtered just three months after his last race. This documentary caused shockwaves throughout the industry, which promised that, going forwards, no race horse running in Great Britain could enter the food chain, and thus could not be sold for slaughter to an abattoir.

That doesn’t mean that no race horses are being slaughtered, however. Information from the Food Standards Agency, released to Animal Aid through a Freedom of Information request, revealed that 175 race horses were sent to slaughter in England in 2023. Whilst they had passports from Weatherbys, which registers British and Irish bred race horses, we do not know if they ever actually raced in Great Britain. They may have been exported to be bred from, for example, raced elsewhere or never actually raced at all. It also found that 171 of those were killed for their meat. This is an increase compared to 2022 – where 148 race horses were slaughtered: 144 for their meat. Figures show that 1,428 race horses were slaughtered in Ireland in 2023.

Additionally, any spin that this is a form of “euthanasia” is nonsense. Euthanasia is typically carried out by a veterinarian, at the home of the horse in question. In contrast, these horses are enduring a frightening journey to the abattoir, full of alien smells and sounds, before being shot. Importantly, the main difference is that those who send their horses to the slaughterhouse will receive money for the meat. By being sent to slaughter, these horses are being squeezed for every last penny they can earn their owners. Exploited right through from birth to death.

And, if not sent to slaughter, there are countless other ways that horses no longer deemed of use to the industry are disposed of. These methods include: knackermen, who come directly to the horse’s training yard to kill and then take away their carcass; hunts, where young horses that the racing industry deem not suitable for racing are fed to hounds, and “elective euthanasia.”

Final thoughts

With the infamous Grand National race taking place this week – a race which has killed 16 horses since 2000 – the spotlight will be on the industry. The industry’s new campaign illustrates the growing public unease that racing horses is simply not ethical. Despite this slick new initiative, the truth remains that racing is dangerous, and the industry treats horses as expendable commodities. Horses are being killed for trying their best – whether that be on a racecourse, in their yard or in the slaughterhouse. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), as the regulatory body for the industry, is letting horses down on a monumental scale.

The horse racing industry also echoes the wider prevailing myths that exist within society. A concept that horse racing is an idyllic tradition, one in which the country should be proud of, still circulates. Similar myths exist across all aspects of animal justice – from farming to the pet industry. Fundamentally, these systems of abuse continue because of engrained hypocrisy. We are taught to love some animals and eat others; to sit on some animals’ backs and whip them to a finish line, to welcome some animals into our homes but wear the skin of others. We are taught that an animal’s purpose is only dependent on the value we attribute them as humans. As the Horse PWR website states: “Racing gives these athletes a purpose”.

However, an animal’s purpose is not up to us to decide. All animals have rights which must be respected and protected. Behind the fairy tales, animals are being abused on an incomprehensible scale every day. But this can change.

Don’t believe the myths; the horse racing industry is exploitative, cruel and greedy. This sadistic excuse for a sport must be banned.

Read more: Crufts Cruelty: Why The Show Must Not Go On

The post Don’t Believe The Myths: The Horse Racing Industry Is Rotten To Its Core appeared first on Plant Based News.

But as the realities of the climate and biodiversity crises get ever more serious, the impact of food is becoming impossible to ignore.

Read more: Think Free Range Eggs Are Ethical? Investigation Exposes Reality Of ‘Cage-Free’

Faced with uncomfortable truths about the impacts of different foods on the planet, one response has been denial. This trait is evident amongst supporters of “regenerative” farming, who claim that animal agriculture can be “carbon positive.” A recent study put another nail in that coffin.

Another response has been deflection.

It’s very easy to point the finger at cows. Besides the fact that that finger should be aimed firmly at the humans who farm and eat cows, rather than the animals themselves, such simplification is potentially very problematic.

House on fire

Beef has far and away the highest contribution of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of everything humans eat.

The amount of land and water needed to farm cows is astronomical. The amount of crops grown to feed them is enormously wasteful. The waste and deforestation that cow farming causes make it one of the most destructive activities on the planet.

In response to concerns about beef’s environmental impact, some have put forward chicken consumption as a climate solution. A recent article even suggested that being a “chickentarian” could be a viable alternative to veganism. 

But two wrongs don’t make a right.

Over-emphasizing the unique harms of beef production risks letting another ruinous meat industry off the hook. Worse, beefing up chicken slaughter could exacerbate several key environmental, ethical, and health risks.

As Nicholas Carter, an ecologist and data scientist, puts it: “Choosing chicken over beef for the claimed environmental benefits is like turning down the thermostat in a burning house.”

Room for improvement

Removing ruminant meat (cows and lambs) from menus has been touted as a climate policy by some forward-thinking institutions and restaurants.

While the intention is admirable, the consequences can be alarming if all that beef is replaced with chicken meat.

Read more: EU Making Animal Diets ‘Artificially Cheap’ With Subsidies, Report Finds

That’s because the argument for eating more chicken is usually based solely on GHG emissions. Although lower than for some other meats, chicken has higher emissions than plant-based proteins such as tofu, lentils, chickpeas, and beans.

“Chicken does have a lower carbon footprint than beef or pork,” Carter tells Plant Based News (PBN). “But it’s still three times higher than even the highest emitting plant protein, like soy, and almost ten times higher than peas.”

Mega mess 

Worse, scaling up chicken production usually means even greater intensification.

Intensification is a long-standing answer to how to reduce the climate impact of meat. The result can be seen in the spread of Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in the US and mega-farms in the UK.

Intensive farming comes with serious problems. 

Read more: How Many Animals Are Killed For Food Everyday?

Carter points to the extreme risks of zoonotic diseases from mass confinement of animals as one leading concern. Studies have shown that intensive farming poses a major risk of antibiotic resistance, disease spread, and pandemics.

This echoes the warnings of Matthew Hayek, Professor of Environmental Studies at New York University, who has warned of the “zoonosis trap” that results from chicken farming. This trap involves a cycle of intensifying existing facilities (which enhances disease transmission and antimicrobial resistance) and expanding into new regions (where humans will come into contact with the new diseases).

There’s also chicken poo to contend with. Keeping huge numbers of birds in one place inevitably leads to huge amounts of waste. Excessive manure runs off into local waterways and can bring about ecological collapse, as has happened recently in the River Wye and Lough Neagh.

It’s not the how, it’s the who

If the environmental and health risks are not enough to turn people off chicken meat, the ethical arguments are overwhelming.

Chickens, being smaller, are farmed in significantly higher numbers than cows. Indeed, more than 200 million chickens are slaughtered for food every day. That’s 140,000 deaths every minute.

For the birds stuck in factory farms right now, ever more intensive farming methods means ever less space and ever more suffering.

Eat beans, not birds

Mark Zuckerberg’s recent announcement that he had started raising cows was rightly condemned by climate scientists as an “obnoxious luxury.”

Sticking it to Zuck for raising cows while tucking into a chicken dinner, however, is not the climate solution that some seem to think it is.

Study after study shows that the best response to the ills of animal agriculture is to transition towards a plant-based food system.

“Continuing to farm chicken is one of the riskiest ways of attempting to feed the world,” Carter adds. It’s time governments stop gambling and start following the science.

The post Will Eating Chicken Really Save The Planet? appeared first on Plant Based News.

I have been fighting for farmed chickens for over four years. I have seen hours of horrific footage over these years. Footage of chickens struggling to breathe, let alone walk, I have seen chickens with open wounds and burns where you can almost feel the sting.

I have seen hundreds of chickens picked up and thrown into crates on their way to slaughter. I have seen trucks drive through chicken sheds, where saying the drivers had little regard for the live chickens still in the shed would be too generous; chickens left crushed, with tyre marks and organs spilling out of their bodies.

I have seen the scale of the issue, yet noticed that each chicken was an individual scared and in pain. Armed with video evidence, I have complained on behalf of my clients to the relevant authorities time and time again and have not seen one prosecution for any of these actions.

Chicken farming and ‘frankenchickens’

Chickens are by far the most farmed land animal in the world. In the UK, more than one billion of them are killed for food each year. While the country claims to have “world-leading” animal welfare standards, the suffering experienced by chickens is unimaginable, and hidden behind closed doors. Modern broiler chickens (those used for food) have been selectively bred to grow as quickly as possible. If a human baby grew as fast as they did, the baby would be the size of an adult tiger at eight weeks. These “frankenchickens,” as they’re known, are ready to be slaughtered at just six weeks. The vast majority of these animals are kept in barns with thousands of other birds, with each being afforded an area of space smaller than an A4 sheet of paper. 

I have fought in the court for chickens to have the most basic of protections, not to have their genes manipulated and turned against their wellbeing, just so a meat yield is bigger in a shorter amount of time, all so the profits stack. I have read study after study detailing the lameness and broken legs of these chicks forced to hold adult sized bodies on their fragile 5 week old legs. I have understood how this has prevented them from reaching food and water, causing starvation and emaciation. I have learnt of their organ failure, as they try to keep up with the rate of their growth. I have seen the court be informed that there is not one study that shows they can be kept without welfare issues and seen that same court find that the government is under no obligation to curb any of this.

The rule, not the exception

What if I told you that the above suffering is not the exception, it is the rule? The above is the life chickens will face in their short lives on chicken farms in the UK. Why? Because they are the most mass produced meat animal in the UK and highly profitable. As a result, they are euphemized in subtle ways to ensure they are seen as things, not sentient creatures. In the industry they are “grown” not farmed, they are “harvested”, not slaughtered. They are seen and treated like plants.

It has been a long and difficult four years. The frustration of realizing that asking for the bare minimum to prevent a life of suffering and agony is still too much of an ask when it challenges the bottom line. I have been exhausted at the sheer scale of the task. I would be lying if I said I have always felt strong in this fight, that I haven’t wanted to focus my energies elsewhere; I have questioned whether I am crazy for caring about chickens when most people don’t, at one point I may have even momentarily believed it. What has felt exhausting and unwinnable at times has only been short lived. I know each chicken matters and I truly believe that in their heart of hearts, so does everyone. How could they not, most people like animals and don’t want them to suffer.

A hidden industry

We all know how chickens should live, we have all seen a happy chicken, whether that be on TV or in person. We have seen chickens roaming, we have seen chickens perching and pecking, I even had the privilege of holding a chicken who fell asleep in my arms. We don’t have a compassion issue, we have a visibility issue, at times this is as a result of wilful blindness, but most of the time it is through a distortion of the reality of how animals are mass produced and farmed. We are shown misleading advertisements depicting happy chickens on farms on TV and food labels. People are simply not shown the truth for the overwhelming majority of chickens.

In spite of the frustration and difficulties, I am optimistic. The truth can only ever be hidden for so long, people become aware and demand change. The laws are enforced and interpreted more favorably and the laws themselves change and improve. This will happen for chickens, it’s a question of when. I only hope that part of that change is in the Court of Appeal later in the year when we continue to fight on behalf of The Humane League over the use of fast growing chickens.

Edie Bowles is the founder of law firm Advocates for Animals.

More like this:

• How Many Animals Are Killed For Food Everyday?
• UK Labour Party Plans A Full Ban On Fox Hunting
• The ‘Shocking’ Rise In US-Style Mega-Farms In The UK

The post I’m Taking The Government To Court Over Farmed Chickens – Here’s Why appeared first on Plant Based News.

Faced with such enormity, part of the solution, according to Doug Evans, founder of The Sprouting Company, is to think small. Really small.

“Sprouts are nature’s first food,” Evans tells Plant Based News (PBN). They are “baby vegetables that are multiple times more nutritious than their grown-up counterparts.”

What are sprouts?

Not to be confused with the Brussels variety, sprouts are fast-growing baby vegetables with an appealing nutritional profile.

According to The Sprouting Company, which sells the kit and seeds needed to start growing, sprouts are “superfood versions of already healthy vegetables like broccoli, leafy greens, peas, lentils, and more.”

The biology is simple. Seeds contain densely packed sources of energy, mostly in the form of lipids and complex carbohydrates. When seeds take in water, they use that stored energy to expand and create leaves, roots, and stems. The result is a plant packed with phytochemicals that humans have evolved to derive health benefit from.

Conventional “adult” vegetables are nutritious. Sprouts, says Evans, are even more so.

Eat your greens

“Sprouts are the most efficient delivery system for the heroic amounts of veggies we need to eat to maintain or regain our health,” Evans tells PBN.

Sprouts contain all of the naturally occurring compounds, antioxidants, and micronutrients within plants. But “these can be as high as 20 to 100 times the nutrition of mature or garden-stage vegetables,” he says.

Research studies back up these claims. One extolled sprouts as a “novel food source for healthy diets.” It noted their “low environmental impacts and a broad acceptance among health-conscious consumers.”

Moreover, this nutritional benefit is readily bioavailable and easy to digest.

“They also grow very fast,” says Evans. “You can get a fully edible crop in under a week, versus many weeks or months for mature vegetables.”

As such, sprouts could offer a compelling answer to current agricultural shortcomings on health, environmental, and economic grounds.

Why is a new food system needed?

Few people would dispute that the global food system is in major need of reform.

Around one in 10 people worldwide are malnourished; while people in rich countries eat an abundance of unsustainable foods. Food contributes around one quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Animal agriculture is the main culprit. Farming animals is responsible for at least 16.5 percent of global GHG emissions, as well as deforestation, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss, among other environmental ills. Meat and dairy also cause grave human health consequences.

A plant-based food system could provide enough food for a growing global population. It would save money for healthcare systems and help right other systemic injustices such as environmental racism.

Sprouting efficiency

Swapping animal agriculture for plant-based food would make food productions vastly more efficient. Could incorporating sprouts into the picture help improve efficiency even further?

Compared to conventional vegetables, Evans says that sprouts are “more efficient from every aspect.” He lists water, space, energy, and overall GHG emissions as four key benefits.

“Countertop farming is portable and uses a fraction of the water that conventional farming does. It doesn’t rely on the seasons and is impermeable to outdoor uncertainties such as droughts and flooding,” he adds.

In a rapidly changing world, food security is near the top of policymakers’ priorities.

Ancient roots

Sprouting was popularized as part of the hippie food movement of the seventies, notes Evans. “But sprouted seeds have been documented as items of sustenance and traditional medicine as far back as 3000 B.C.,” he stresses.

“Sprouts are an ancient food, but they have just what our bodies are craving today.”

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Sprouts represent a return to ancient knowledge. “Nature knows best,” says Evans. “I sincerely believe the future of food goes back to the basics of fresh fruits, vegetables, and sprouts.”

Such a claim seems striking amidst the technological battlegrounds for the future of food.

Innovations such as 3D-printed eel and precision-fermented dairy are exciting consumers and investors that a more sustainable and ethical alternative to meat is possible through technology.

Evans has other ideas. “Simple methods of farming and cultivation are effective,” he says. “The more ‘advanced’ technological farming methods, genetic modifications, and pesticide use are proving to be precarious.”

Sprouting in a food desert

Evans’ own journey into sprouting came from his experience of moving to a “food desert.”

“After decades of living and working in New York, LA, and San Francisco, I moved to the Mojave Desert near Joshua Tree,” he tells PBN. “All the comforts and conveniences of urban life were gone. No vegan restaurants, no fresh vegetables. I gave my predicament some thought, and the solution was obvious: sprouts.”

He ordered some seeds and started to sprout. “Within 30 days about half of my calories were coming from sprouts that I was growing in one cubic foot of my countertop,” he says.

As soaring inflation has pushed food prices ever higher in the past year, many have sought cheaper ways to feed themselves and their family. Eating more vegetables and whole foods plant-based meals can drastically reduce costs.

However, for some people, these products are not easily available. “I see sprouting as key to making veganism more accessible,” says Evans.

“Growing your own food is a fantasy for most because it typically takes a lot of time, expertise, land and money. Sprouts grow into edible food in days without soil, sunshine, fertilizer or expertise. In fact, you can grow sprouts indoor, year round for pennies a serving.”

Will sprouting become mainstream?

Evans says he has spoken to a wide array of people, from plant-based doctors to paleo advocates, on the topic. “What they all could agree on is the value of supplementing our diets with sprouts.”

Yet, this “perfect solution” remains, for now, a niche.

“Although sprouting has been around since the beginning of time, it hasn’t yet become mainstream,” Evans admits.

The Sprouting Company is trying to change that. “Sprouts can transform your relationship with the food you eat. I consider sprouts the pinnacle of plant-based cuisine in both nutrition and versatility.”

Evans’ ambitions are huge. “Our intention is to put sprouting on the map globally,” he tells PBN. “Sprouts have the potential to feed the world, enabling us to eat locally in any season, and increasing the reach of fresh food in food deserts and actual deserts for millions of people.

“My mission is to see sprouts move to the center of the plate and a daily part of our diet.”

More like this:

• 8 Protein-Rich Vegetables To Add To Your Meals
• Amazon Rainforest Faces ‘Unprecedented Stresses’ As Tipping Points Near
• Scientists Tell US Agriculture Secretary: Address Our Meat-Heavy Diets Now

The post What Is Sprouting? How To Grow Healthy Food ‘For Pennies’ appeared first on Plant Based News.

The Need for Change in Our Food System

The “death of fast foods” article raises some valid points regarding the need for change in our current food system and in promoting plant-based foods. Following a detailed account of the decline of many vegan fast-food chains and restaurants, the article quotes Chef Charbel Hayek at Eeetwell:

“The food world is changing. We’ve seen vegan restaurants closing and fast food chains dropping vegan items, but at Eeetwell, we see this shift as a chance to really think about what eating well means. What’s happening in the vegan world isn’t about vegan food losing its spark. It’s about people wanting more than just a meat substitute. They want real food that’s good for them and respects our planet. It’s about ensuring every bite tells a story of care, quality, and respect for our earth.”

According to Shokofeh Hejazi, “a food trend expert from The Food People,” what we need then is to promote dishes which are recognisable as whole plants: “As well as being tasty, they offer all the natural goodness of veggies as a bonus – like fibre, vitamins and nutrients.”

This is a refreshing change from the heavily covered issue of plant-based fast foods and their nutritional value (or lack of), which have come to be tightly associated with vegan foods in the media. While it is essential to acknowledge the potential drawbacks of certain vegan food products, it is equally important not to overshadow the broader message of transitioning towards a more sustainable and ethical future. But the above discussion features a long way from its catchy headline. As a result, the assumption that the closure of vegan restaurants is due to the movement is reinforced. We can see that clearly by looking at the comments section. This is one example: “Nothing but a fad that the so-called trendies jumped on then found it they wanted meat.”

Misleading Claims: Veganism as a Passing Fad

By presenting veganism as a fad, the implication is that the failure of these establishments is solely due to the decline in veganism’s popularity. This doesn’t show us the full picture, as it fails to recognize the multifaceted reasons behind individuals embracing veganism and the lifestyle’s growing popularity. Veganism is steadily gaining momentum worldwide, with more people adopting plant-based diets for various reasons, including health, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare. A recent report by the Good Food Institute Europe found that the European plant-based foods market saw a 21 percent increase in sales from 2020:

“…sales of plant-based meat grew by 21 per cent from 2020 to 2022, while conventional meat sales decreased by eight per cent in the same period. Furthermore, unit sales of plant-based milk grew by 20 per cent in the same period, while conventional milk unit sales decreased by nine per cent.”

“Plant-based milk sales grew by 19 percent between 2020 and 2022, reaching €2.21 billion in 2022 — almost twice as much as conventional milk.”

Despite the article claiming “the declining popularity of veganism”, data suggests the opposite, with research by finder.com showing the number of vegans grew by 1.1 million between 2023 and 2024.

Other reports found that 25 million people sampled vegan food this Veganuary.

So, while the media continues to propagate negative headlines, the wider plant-based food industry is seeing steady growth and “investors and entrepreneurs are still massively putting their energy and money into the future of [plant-based] food” (Green Queen, 2023).

Shedding Light on Media Misinformation

The media plays a significant role in shaping public opinion, and it is crucial to question the motives and accuracy of the information presented. In a paper published in 2022, Bourbon and Murimi from the University of Dallas suggested that we should reconceptualize the issue of online information diffusion and think of it as gossip to understand its mechanics better. They explain that “gossip is more expressive of the community of gossipers than it is about the target of the gossip.” So what does the massive covering of a vegan restaurant adding meat to its menu and facing closure tell us about the media industry? Besides its informative intent, the media aims to elicit specific responses. The strongest ones will most likely be the media with the most shares in an attempt to go viral. This is how the media platforms play, but is there a downside to this?

One significant issue is that many people get their news by scrolling. Headlines make an impact, but not everybody will read the whole article. In the case of the article referenced above, many readers will skim over the section that explores ways to improve health and planetary impact and make plant-based foods an appealing and affordable alternative, in line with many recent environmental recommendations.

But that is different from what makes the headlines.

Less than two weeks ago, my news feed highlighted that an agricultural college had to issue an apology following an announcement that some of its restaurants would implement Meat Free Mondays. Regardless of one’s opinion on either issue, if we put them aside, we can see the current picture of the debate around our society’s eating habits. A highly divisive picture, where hope for a nuanced, constructive conversation might seem far removed. Yet this is precisely what we need if we are hoping to embrace a smooth transition towards a more sustainable future.

Our Final Analysis

It is essential to approach media coverage critically, especially regarding topics as sensitive and impactful as our food choices. Recent headlines consistently portray veganism as a fading trend. While many of these articles raised valid concerns about our food system and the considerations of opting for a plant-based diet, dismissing the movement as a failing trend ultimately discourages the exploration of plant-based alternatives as legitimate and impactful. This type of narrative can also significantly undermine recommendations for an evolution of our food system.

This article comes from FoodFacts.org. FoodFacts.org empowers you to make informed food choices. In today’s world, figuring out what’s truly healthy or sustainable can be confusing, with many voices from media personalities, politicians, influencers, and brands. Many are also not experts in nutrition or the impacts of food on our countryside. The side provides clear, simple facts. Whether breaking down what’s in your food or checking the facts behind the latest diet trends.

More like this:

• It Wasn’t The Biggest Year For Plant-Based Meat – But Vegan Milk Is Killing It
• Bird Flu Has Reached Antarctica – Is Your Diet Killing Penguins?
• What is a ‘Soy Boy’? Here’s What The Insult Means

The post ‘Veganism Is Dead’: Say Media Outlets – Does The Data Agree? appeared first on Plant Based News.

Injecting sperm into your face sounds gross – though it isn’t actually sperm that’s used. But the bigger problem is the industry behind the trend: salmon farming and fishing.

Here we delve into the dark side of the salmon sperm facial and the problem with using animal products in cosmetics.

What is a salmon sperm facial?

The “sperm” in the facials is actually DNA derived from the sperm of salmon. It’s technical name is Polydeoxyribonucleotide, or PDRN, which is how the ingredient may be labelled on cosmetics products. PDRN refers to several bioactive molecules derived from purified and sterilized DNA taken from salmon sperm.

A treatment involves having PDRN injected into your face using a small needle. It is supposed to stimulate collagen production and help cell renewal. Several sessions are recommended across several months to see results. PDRN is also found in some luxury skincare products like lotions and supplements. The fad originated in South Korea, the home of skincare regimes that have become a global phenomenon known as K-beauty.

There is some research showing that PDRN can help wounds to heal, discovered through animal experimentation. But there have been few human trials to test it’s efficacy for cosmetic or medical purposes.

Where does the sperm come from?

According to Metro, the salmon-derived ingredient in the treatment is a by-product of seafood production. “[R]ather than it being tossed away when wild Alaskan salmon is prepared, instead the beauty industry snaps it up.”

It’s not clear whether the PDRN used by beauty companies comes exclusively from wild Alaskan salmon, or whether some is obtained from farmed salmon. Either way, both industries are deeply problematic, and the use of their by-products by the beauty industry is not as harmless as it sounds.

Taking fishes from the wild

Populations of wild Atlantic Salmon are declining globally, with some communities in crisis. For example, in UK rivers – a breeding ground for the species – populations hit a record low in 2022.

This is despite efforts to conserve Atlantic salmon numbers through fishing exclusion zones being established since the 1980s. The global decline is likely due to illegal and unregulated fishing activity, according to one study. Dammed rivers, warming waters due to the climate crisis, and sea lice proliferating at salmon farms attaching to wild fishes may also impacting the health of wild salmon populations.

Salmon farming

Farming salmon is supposed to help alleviate pressure on wild populations. Most of the salmon sold in supermarkets in the UK come from Scottish farms. Indeed, globally more fishes killed for food now come from farms than from the wild. This makes it seem more likely that the PDRN in cosmetics is currently, or will in future be, derived from farmed salmon (though we don’t know its origins for sure).

Salmon farming has many negative impacts on the fishes and the marine environment. Undercover investigations have shown how farmed salmon suffer from predation, sea lice infestations, and disease outbreaks. Mortality rates on farms have also been rising due to warming waters – a problem only set to get worse in future.

The sea lice infestations on farms are bleeding into wild salmon who swim past the pens of their captive kin. In Scotland, there are plans to establish protection zones for wild salmon to keep them safe from the sea lice outbreaks on farms.

Pollution including waste and pesticides from farms has been rising and wreaking havoc on surrounding ecosystems.

By-products aren’t harmless

Using by-products from the meat, fishing, and farmed fish industries – known as rendering – does not simply reduce waste from those industries. It financially supports them by adding value to their products.

Slaughtering animals for food produces a lot of waste, such as blood, bones, skin or scales, hoofs, intestines, and fish swim bladders. Treating and disposing of it in an environmentally safe way is expensive, which is why animal industries would rather sell it. Development in technology are increasingly enabling them to extract materials from waste and monetize it.

The value that rendering adds to animal industries can lead to the products derived from waste becoming a driver of destructive practices. 

For example, bovine collagen, used like PDNR as an anti-ageing treatment, has become extremely popular. In 2023, an investigation by several news organizations uncovered links between collagen supply chains and Amazon deforestation. The booming collagen industry means that, along with leather, collagen makes up an increasing portion of the profit made from cows raised in the Amazon who are killed for beef.

Marine collagen, derived from the skin of fishes, is also becoming popular. It could potentially provide a new revenue stream for seafood companies. Collagen, salmon sperm, and other fish waste products that can be rendered could thus become more of a reason in themselves for slaughtering fishes.

More like this:

• 14 Non-Vegan Ingredients To Look Out For In Makeup And Beauty Products
• The Body Shop Becomes 100 Percent Certified Vegan
• What Is Aquaculture? Inside The Hidden World Of Fish Farming

The post What Is A Salmon Sperm Facial? The Dark Side To The Beauty Trend appeared first on Plant Based News.

But what spurred these inflammatory – and incorrect – headlines? Plant-based meat. 

Over the last year, there have been a number of highly publicized struggles within the alternative meat market. In the summer, Beyond Meat – one of the largest publicly traded plant-based producers- announced that its shares had fallen by 30.5 percent in the second quarter of 2023 (April to June inclusive). Revenue was down by USD $44.9 million from that period the previous year ($147 million to $102.1 million). In the US, sales plummeted by 40 percent. 

Vegan meat brand struggles

At around the same time, a UK-based brand named Meatless Farm announced that it was going into administration. Despite the fact that the company had managed to increase sales, it failed to turn an annual profit. Meatless Farm was, thankfully, saved by vegan chicken brand VFC. 

The most recent plant-based struggle, and the one that spurred the aforementioned vegan doomsday headlines, was the fall of Heather Mills’ brand VBites. In a statement released earlier this month, she called for “unity in the plant-based sector” amid struggles faced by many vegan brands. She cited a number of reasons for company downfalls, including misinformation from the dairy sector, “corporate greed” in the industry, and Brexit. She has since rescued her company from administration.

Plant-based meat struggles can also be attributed to the tightening of consumer wallets, as plant-based meats average about 20 percent higher prices than conventional meat. Food inflation is hitting hard. Twenty-five percent of consumers in America are on SNAP benefits (social assistance) now and many are forced to opt for cheaper foods.

Plant-based meat’s “ultra-processed” reputation is also contributing. While we are seeing record amounts of money being spent on organic foods and specialty foods, we’re seeing more and more consumers tell us that they’re interested in investing in their health with cleaner labels and less ingredients. 

And lastly, for most people, it boils down to taste. We know that the taste for many consumers is, quite frankly, not there. And if the taste is not there, the price premium for plant-based means that it’s going to be a real struggle to get somebody to buy a product that both tastes worse and costs more than the conventional product.

The rise of dairy-free milk

But plant-based meat aside, we’ve seen huge wins in other plant-based sectors. Consumers may not have been filling their baskets with Beyond Burgers as much in recent years, but they’ve been piling them high with plant-based milks.

If there’s one thing we can say about 2023, it’s that it’s been a huge year for the milk alternative market. Earlier this year, we debuted new data from Whipstitch Capital and SPINS that shows plant-based milk is now in up to 44 percent of US households (a 10 percent increase from previous years). We are now reaching the much-anticipated consumer “tipping point” – 50 percent household penetration.

In October of this year, it was predicted that the plant milk market would exceed $17 billion by 2026. By comparison, it was worth $12 billion in 2019. The North American dairy-free milk market alone is thought to be worth more than $6 billion, and the vast majority of people consuming plant-based dairy aren’t vegans. According to stats from 2019, half of Americans buy both dairy and plant milks, proving just how mainstream the dairy-free sector has become. There’s no denying that big dairy is still winning, but the plant-based milk market is disrupting it in ways we could not have foreseen a few years ago. 

The dairy industry knows this, and it’s ramped up its war on plant-based milk this year. In May, Aubrey Plaza starred in the hugely controversial dairy-funded “wood milk” advert that poked fun at plant-based milks. She came under fire for her involvement in the ad, in which she stated “only real milk is real.” More recently, Queen Latifah proclaimed that “dairy deniers all over America” are subjecting cow milk drinkers to “milk shaming.” 

‘Desperate attempts to stay relevant’

But dairy’s desperate attempts to stay relevant are falling short. Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the ethical and environmental costs of milk production. And our population is changing rapidly, with younger, more diverse consumers and a more significant prevalence of lactose intolerance. Millennial and Gen Z consumers are, by far, the most interested consumer in the plant-based space. And this year has also seen plant-based milk campaigns directed towards them. 

Towards the start of 2023, in a parody of dairy-funded Got Milk? ads from the 90s, stars like Brooklyn Beckham donned milk mustaches and proclaimed “Because Silk Nextmilk is a better stache. Who’s next?” This campaign came from Silk, which is, ironically, a plant-based dairy subsidiary of Danone, one of the world’s largest dairy companies.

A decade ago, it was a struggle to even find soy milk at the grocery store, but now consumers can choose from oat, rice, almond, cashew, and more. The reality is, consumer acceptance and change is a long and hard road. Despite the setbacks being faced by plant-based meat, it’s important to understand that this is just one of many steps on the long-term path to shifting the food system. Despite a tough past few quarters, there are still bright spots on the horizon and many economic indicators are now signaling a better year to come.  With 2023 moving into our rearview mirror, I think I speak for all of us when I say I can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store.

More like this:

• ‘I’m 9 Months Pregnant And Was “Milked” In A Dairy Art Installation – Here’s Why’

• Swapping Dairy For Nuts Could Boost Heart Health, Study Finds
• Oatly Wins Legal Battle To Use ‘Post Milk Generation’ Slogan

The post It Wasn’t The Biggest Year For Plant-Based Meat – But Vegan Milk Is Killing It appeared first on Plant Based News.

Just as we should be conscious of the language we use to describe other human beings so as not to diminish or denigrate them, so too should we be careful of the language we use about animals. This is not because their feelings will be hurt by it, but because it influences how they are perceived and treated in society.

What is speciesism?

Speciesism is a form of prejudice which views humans as being superior to other species. This belief in human superiority is often used to justify the use of animals for human ends, such as eating them or using them in experiments.

The term was first coined by animal activist Richard Ryder, but popularized by philosopher Peter Singer. Singer argued speciesism in his book Animal Liberation, pointing out that there is no inherent reason that human interests matter more than those of other species.

Speciesist attitudes are widespread. This is evident in the vast number of animals killed for food every year and the fact that animals are legally considered as property in most countries. It is also clear that humans value some animal species more than others. For example, dogs are given more moral consideration in western countries than pigs, despite pigs sharing many traits with dogs including intelligence and sociality.

Speciesist language

Speciesism is not just apparent in how humans treat animals but also in how we talk about them. Research shows that speciesist language is a widespread social phenomenon. 

Some of this language is in the form of negative words used to describe animals, such as “greedy pig.” Other speciesist language is about the words used in relation to how animals are treated by humans. Some is harder to identify because it isn’t overtly negative, but still serves to devalue animals.

Here we explore some examples of common speciesist language that even animal advocates might be unconsciously using, and suggest ways of correcting it.

Pronouns

Referring to animals as “it” instead of “he,” “she,” or “they” is extremely common. It may often slip out without a person even realizing they are doing it. But using pronouns that you would also use for a car or a hammer objectifies animals. 

People are more likely to use specific pronouns for animals whose names are known, such as a dog. But an animal whose name and sex is not known will most likely be called “it.” This would sound rightly offensive if used for a human, for whom we say “they.”

Other relevant words to watch out for in this context are relative pronouns, i.e. “which” and “who.” For humans, we say, for example, “a man who is tall” but for objects it would be “a car which is small.” Using “which” to talk about animals objectifies them the same as using “it” does. So “who” should be used instead.

In 2021, In Defense of Animals and Animals & Media coordinated a letter to the Associated Press (AP) urging it to update its journalistic guidelines to use personal pronouns for nonhuman animals. The AP is yet to adopt the recommendations.

Pet and owner

In 2020, PETA riled up Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain by suggesting that people should stop using the word “pet” for their animals. “We’re encouraging people to use a better word like companion,” said Jennifer White, Media and Communications Manager at PETA. 

Many ethical vegans have already made the suggested switch to saying “companion animal.” This is because “pets” are considered to have “owners,” implying that the animals are property. Legally, they are property, but animal advocates would argue that this status, and its associated terminology, is speciesist. As with impersonal pronouns, it turns them into objects rather than individuals.

Another reason the term “pet” could be seen as speciesist is that it doesn’t capture the reality of the relationship most people have with companion animals. People often consider their companions to be members of their family and not as possessions or playthings. By contrast, a “pet” sounds like something kept for a person’s own amusement rather than a sentient being with their own inner life.

“Companion” feels more appropriate to the kind of relationships people have – or should have – with animals in their care. For the same reasons, “guardian” is a preferable term to “owner.”

Fish, and other singular nouns for many animals

For some animals, the plural form of noun is commonly the same as the singular. People usually say “fish” and “sheep” whether they mean one or many animals. Swine, cattle, and poultry are other examples, though these are more commonly used in the meat industry than in everyday language.

It’s becoming increasingly popular to emphasize their individuality by using “fishes” and “sheeps.” Similarly, it is better to use “cows” instead of “cattle,” “pigs” instead of “swine,” and “chickens/ducks/turkeys” instead of “poultry.”

“Livestock” is another word that not only erases the individuality of animals, but additionally emphasizes their status as commodities. “Lives Not Stock” – the name of a campaign by Animal Justice Project to ban live animal exports – succinctly captures what’s wrong with the term.

Farm animals

“Farm animals” identifies animals by the captive state they have been forced into. It suggests that being farmed is somehow inherent to their existence, which it isn’t, even if farming is the reason they were initially bred. The term is also associated with misleading narratives and imagery about what life is like for animals kept on farms. 

Some animal advocates prefer “farmed animals” to indicate that farming is something that isn’t being done to them. Others prefer “animals who are farmed.”

Euphemisms

Euphemistic language to talk about animals used for food are plentiful and ubiquitous. This language makes the reality of farming, killing, and eating animals seem far more benign than it actually is. This is speciesist because it makes the harm done to animals for human ends seem acceptable.

Some of these words are the ones used to describe the products of animal agriculture, for example pork, beef, steak, and veal. These dissociate the pieces of meat from the animals they were taken from, as Carol J. Adams explains in her book The Sexual Politics of Meat.

Other euphemistic language used to downplay the violence done to animals in the meat industry includes that about how they are farmed and killed. Mutilations carried out to make it easier to intensively farm animals often have technical or clinical-sounding names that hide the violence involved. Cutting off the tails of piglets, usually without pain relief, is called “tail docking” while cauterizing the horn buds of young cows is called “disbudding.”

When fishes are dragged out of the ocean in nets, this is usually called “harvesting” and they are described as “catch.” Animals killed in slaughterhouses are “processed” – and slaughterhouses are sometimes called “processing plants.” 

“Depopulation” is used when animals are killed en masse at a farm. This may be done to contain disease, such as in the case of chickens and avian flu, or in situations such as a shortage of workers to “process” the animals. 

Respecting animals

We can show animals more respect by using language which appropriately reflects the fact that they are sentient beings. We should also be honest in the language we use to describe how the things that are done to them to the benefit of humans. Otherwise we help to hide the reality of it, which is often violent and cruel.

More like this:

• Anti-Speciesism Campaign Launched On Trains In The UK And The Netherlands
• Controversial London Billboards Of A Woman Being ‘Milked’ Take Aim At Speciesism
• ‘Organic Dog Meat’ Company Highlights Speciesism In The Food System

The post From ‘Pet’ To ‘Fish’: Are You Using Speciesist Language? appeared first on Plant Based News.

To that end, we’ve rounded up nine positive things that happened for animals around the world in 2023. They’re not all perfectly good things; the legislative successes don’t go as far as we’d like, for example. But they mean that the lives of the animals concerned are better – or will be – in some way than they were this time last year.

So let’s celebrate what we can and recharge ourselves before we get back to work for the animals in 2024.

UK moves closer to banning some live exports

The UK government has promised a lot on improving animal protections and hasn’t always delivered. In May this year, it looked like the government would let down animals again when it dropped the Kept Animals Bill. Banning live exports for some animals was a key part of the Bill.

Now it has revived hopes for a live export ban by introducing The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill to Parliament on December 5. The legislation will put an end to the export of cows, sheep, goats, pigs, and horses for fattening or slaughter. 

The ban will be far from comprehensive. Exports for reasons such as breeding and competitions will still be allowed, and poultry has been left off the Bill entirely. Animals are shipped as far afield as Brazil for breeding purposes, so many will still suffer horrendous journeys. But around half a million animals a year will be spared by the ban.

UK (mostly) bans keeping primates as “pets”

The UK government has revived another of its pledges from the abandoned Kept Animals Bill. New legislation introduced earlier this month will make it illegal to keep primates in “domestic settings as household pets in environments that fail to provide for their needs.” 

There are an estimated 5,000 primates being held captive as “pets” in the UK. The new bill falls short of completely banning this practice. People who can “provide the highest welfare standards” will still be allowed to apply for a license to keep primates.

But the ban, if properly enforced, will help save some primates from horrific living conditions.

Dr Ros Clubb, head of the RSPCA’s Wildlife Department, said in a statement, “We hope this [bill] will put an end to the shocking situations we have seen – with monkeys cooped up in bird cages, fed fast food, sugary drinks or even Class A drugs, deprived of companions of their own kind, living in dirt and squalor and suffering from disease.”

Tigers and leopards rescued from Thai farm

Fifteen big cats have been rescued this month from a tiger farm in Thailand, and more are expected to be rescued soon too. Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) described the rescue as “the first part of the largest tiger rescue operation by an NGO in Thailand’s history.”

WFFT, Thailand’s biggest wildlife rescue centre, chose the first fifteen animals to save based on the urgency of their medical needs. Twelve elderly tigers and three ill leopards were removed from the farm, which is subject to legal action from the Thai government for alleged wildlife trafficking. 

“[W]e are thrilled to now finally give these magnificent animals a new life at WFFT’s Tiger Rescue Centre,” said WFFT founder Edwin Wiek. Though the big cats can’t be returned to the wild, they will have “a safe, sanctuary home where they can roam forested land, socialise with other tigers, and even swim in the lake.”

Lonely elephant moved to sanctuary

Last year, animal advocates hoped to finally see Happy, an elephant who has been held captive at the Bronx Zoo in New York, moved to a sanctuary. A bid to have her legally recognized as a person and so illegally confined at the zoo made global headlines, but ultimately failed. So it’s a comfort that another long-captive elephant called Mundi was moved to a sanctuary in May this year.

World Animal Protection (WAP) and Elephant Aid International (EAI) worked together to get 41 year-old Mundi moved from Mayaguez Zoo in Puerto Rico to EIA’s Elephant Refuge North America in Georgia, US. Mundi had spent 35 years alone. She was initially brought to the US from Zimbabwe, and was exploited in a circus for two years. After that she went to Mayaguez, which lost its license in 2018 and is now shutting down following numerous animal welfare violations.

Mundi’s rescue is part of a bigger effort by Wild Animal Sanctuary to relocate all the animals from Mayaguez to sanctuaries. The sanctuary where Mundi now lives has 850 acres of hills, pastures, and forests, and a lake. Mundi will no longer have to live alone; two other elephants called Bo and Tarra already live at the sanctuary.

California passes law on animal experimentation alternatives

In October, California passed a law expanding the list of non-animal alternatives that must be used in laboratory experiments. The new legislation build on a bill passed in 2000 requiring labs testing products such as pesticides and household products to replace animals in experiments with certain non-animal alternatives. This will help spare more animals from cruel and painful tests.

The new law also requires labs to report annually on the number and type of animals and alternatives they’ve used. The Humane Society of the United States, which sponsored the bill, called this provision “a first of its kind.” Animal testing facilities are only required by federal law to report on tests using certain animals. This excludes around 95 percent of the animals used in tests – mainly rats, mice, birds, fish, and reptiles.

The Humane Society estimates that more than 50 million animals are currently used in experiments around the US. Nearly 4.5 million of them are in California. The new law will spare more of these animals from suffering.

Some wild birds gain immunity from bird flu

The H5N1 strain of bird flu has been tearing through poultry farms and wild bird populations at a terrifying rate for the past few years. Intensive poultry farming has been linked to the emergence of fatal strains of the virus such as H5N1. Millions of wild birds have died from the virus and millions more farmed birds have been slaughtered in efforts to contain it. 

Though the avian pandemic is not over yet, some positive news recently emerged. Scientists discovered that two communities of seabirds seem to be developing immunity to H5N1. In the world’s largest colony of northern gannets in Scotland, about a third have antibodies protecting them from the virus. The colony has shrunk by about a quarter due to the bird flu outbreak. Around half of shags tested by researchers were also found to have gained immunity. 

Supreme Court upholds Prop 12

In 2018, 63 percent of voters in California approved Proposition 12. The law bans the sale of pork in California that had come from farms confining pregnant and nursing sows to tiny “gestation creates.” Prop 12 also prevents eggs from battery caged hens and veal from calves kept in tiny hutches from being sold in the state. The pork industry has fought tooth and nail to have the law overturned because it would cost it money.

Several failed legal bids to undo Prop 12 eventually led the pork industry to take its case to the Supreme Court. But the majority conservative Supreme Court decided to uphold Prop 12 in May this year. The lives of pigs, laying hens, and veal calves across the US will still be terrible, but the defeat of the mighty pork industry in favor of improving animal lives is a big step forward.

World’s first octopus farm still hasn’t materialized

This is something that didn’t happen rather than did happen for animals. The world’s first octopus farm was supposed to open in the Canary Islands this summer, but it still hasn’t appeared. The prospect of the farm, which reportedly aims to raise and kill around one million octopuses a year, has united animal rights campaigners and scientists against it. 

There is now no clear timeline for when the farm will open. Nueva Pescanova, the Spanish seafood company behind the plan, had a simplified version of its environmental impact assessment rejected by officials. The company must now carry out a more extensive environmental impact assessment process, which will slow things down further, with no guarantee it will be approved.

Nueva Pescanova’s poor financial performance in recent years has also led to most of the company being acquired by the Canadian corporation Cooke Seafood Inc. Hopefully this changed situation will further help to derail plans for the octopus farm.

Norway takes a stand against unethical dog breeding

Norway’s Supreme Court ruled against unethical dog breeding this year in a decision that will help save many dogs from being born with serious health problems. The Court decided that the breeding of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels must stop as the breed has become too inbred and unhealthy. It also ruled that unless the breeding of English bulldogs is in line with new rules it will be illegal.

Breeding animals for specific extreme traits, such as flat faces (brachycephaly) in dogs has become popular. Such physical features cause serious health and welfare problems for the animals.

The issue came before the Supreme Court after the Norwegian Society for the Protection of Animals sued six individual breeders as well as the Kennel Club of Norway, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club, and the English Bulldog Club. The lawsuit claimed that the breeding of these specific breeds violated Norway’s Animal Welfare Act.

More like this:

• ‘Animals Are Not Things’: Brazil Bans Live Cattle Exports
• 5 Times Animals Escaped Slaughter, And How To Support Those Who Saved Them
• Canada To Phase Out Toxicity Tests On Animals Following ‘Historic’ Legal Move

The post 9 Positive Things That Happened For Animals In 2023 appeared first on Plant Based News.

To some, the subject matter might sound about as appealing as the fecal kind that infects the residents’ air. But this is a film that everyone whose money goes to supporting the pork industry should be compelled to watch. In it, the devastation animal agriculture causes communities – often unseen and under-appreciated – is clear for all to witness.

“Our goal for the film has always been to create an impact and inspire change,” Jamie Berger, the film’s writer and producer, tells Plant Based News (PBN). “So that’s the lens through which we’ve approached the entire experience.”

A film about North Carolina

The Smell of Money puts North Carolina’s pig farms on trial. The state is one of the largest pork producers in the world, with 9.4 million pigs. Berger, along with director Shawn Bannon, make sure that viewers understand just how astronomical and ruinous this industry is.

“I was born and raised in North Carolina,” Berger says. “Learning about my home state’s pork industry and its impacts on people, animals, and the environment in college transformed me into an activist and inspired me to devote my life to ending factory farming.”

North Carolina is home to more pigs than people. A wide-angle shot of more than 800 pigs crammed into one small barn shows how that is possible. We also see the impact of all these animals: giant open-air cesspools filled with millions of tons of feces and urine.

In the film, Rene Miller, a lifelong resident of North Carolina gives a tour of the fields and hog farms surrounding her home. She points out the “lagoon”, where the pigs’ waste is stored. Once filled, its contents get sprayed onto a field opposite her property.

People versus pork

Miller is one of the plaintiffs in the epic legal battle at the heart of the film. Taking on Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest pork company, the residents fight to reclaim their rights to clean air and pure water.

As with most David-vs-Goliath battles, it is clear whose side we are on. The nameless, faceless multinational is a ruinous giant destroying the livelihoods of local residents through its ruthless profit-making activities.

“We strove to allow those most affected by this issue to tell their own stories, in their own time, and in the hope of creating a film that would resonate with audiences on a deeply human level,” says Berger. “In exposing an industry that robs our participants of their dignity, we did our best not to replicate this harm through extractive filmmaking.”

Naeema Muhammed, another local resident, poses two of the film’s key questions. “What’s the real cost of what we want?” she asks. “Who’s paying the price?”

Around the world, more people are waking up to the ethical and environmental impacts of animal agriculture. Likewise, researchers have documented the effects on human health; for example, air pollution from farms is responsible for 17,900 deaths in the US every year. Yet, the human stories of the meat industry’s destruction are sometimes pushed to the margin. 

Environmental racism at the heart of factory farming

The Smell of Money puts the focus onto the racial injustices at the heart of factory farming.

The devastating effect of pig farming on residents is nothing new. Eastern North Carolina’s mostly Black residents have long been disproportionately affected by mega industrial farms (or concentrated animal feeding operations, CAFOs). This is an example of environmental racism, where communities of color are adversely affected by policies that force them to live in proximity to toxic waste.

“We are under no illusion that our film alone will bring justice to communities in North Carolina,” Berger says. “But we hope the film unites diverse groups fighting against factory farming. As we illustrate in the movie, this is a system that harms all of us, and we will only transform it when we work together.”

“A good American won’t intentionally stink up another American’s home”

One of the film’s key protagonists is Don Webb, a teacher who got into the pig industry in its early days in North Carolina as a way to make some extra cash.

New to the industry, he quickly became aware that the stench of his operations was harming his neighbors. “A good American won’t intentionally stink up another American’s home,” Don says in one of the film’s most memorable lines. He escaped the pig business and has since devoted his life to fighting back against the industry.

“Don’s story exemplifies what true allyship looks like,” Berger says. “He made an enormous personal sacrifice to do what he knew was right and to use his own racial and economic privilege to fight for others who had been deprived of their fundamental human rights to clean air, clean water, and a safe place to live.”

Stop paying for environmental racism

Berger hopes the film will be a useful resource for environmental and social justice causes. “We hope that advocates and organizations fighting for justice will use the film as an education and advocacy tool to achieve their own goals,” she says.

Beyond activist groups, the film should open all viewer’s eyes to the true impacts of animal agriculture. “One clear, empowering action consumers can take right away is to withdraw our support from factory farming by refusing to buy animal products,” says Berger. In the US, 99 percent of all meat, dairy, and eggs comes from factory farms.

“Animal agriculture is rooted in deeply entrenched systems like capitalism and colonialism that oppress and commodify living beings,” Berger adds. Although changing these structural forces involves decades or centuries of collective effort, individuals are not powerless to influence.

One farmer’s transition to plant based

Tom Butler is a North Carolina hog farmer, who became disillusioned when he realized the impacts his activities were having on local communities. “The consumer can shut down Smithfield next week,” he says in the film.

He is now actively transitioning towards growing mushrooms in partnership with his son, Will. “They have been wonderful supporters of the film and we are excited to see their progress,” says Berger.

Tom and Will are working with Mercy For Animals’ Transfarmation Project, which supports factory farmers to transition to growing sustainable crops. “Many farmers are desperate to get out of this business that keeps them trapped in debt and emotional and physical anguish,” Berger adds. “So the hope is that Tom and others in the program will serve as models others can follow.”

The Smell of Money is available to stream now on Apple, Google Play, Amazon, and YouTube

More like this:

• New To Netflix: ‘Hogwood’ Documentary Exposes Animal Abuse On UK Pig Farms
• FAO Roadmap Urges Greater Intensification Of Animal Agriculture
• WATCH: 5 Times Dairy Farmers Went Vegan

The post New Film Explores The Human Impact Of North Carolina Pig Farms appeared first on Plant Based News.

In this guide, which comes from Viva!’s food and cookery manager, Maryanne Hall, we’ll explore how to cater to vegans during Christmas, offering product recommendations, recipe ideas, inspiration – and some important dos and don’ts.

Embrace Plant-Based Ingredients

Start by embracing a variety of plant-based ingredients. Incorporate fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and grains into your menu. These form the basis of many delightful vegan dishes.

Vegan Products to buy for Christmas

Here are some essential vegan-friendly products to stock up on for your Christmas feast:

• Vegan Butter: Brands like Flora, Naturli and Violife offer excellent vegan butter alternatives
• Plant-Based Milk: Almond, soya, oat, and coconut milk are excellent dairy replacements. Soya milk is the best for baking due to its high protein content. It’s not quite a milk but it’s certainly worth mentioning that Carnation now offers a vegan condensed milk, available in most supermarkets
• Tofu and Tempeh: Great sources of protein and versatile in a variety of dishes, not to mention in a lovely vegan fry-up! 
• Vegan Cheese: For a cheese board, we love I Am Nut OK and La Fauxmagerie – don’t forget the chutney! For melting, we like Illchester Melting Mature and Applewood Vegan Block. Our favourite cheddar alternative is Cathedral City Extra Mature. For a cheap and cheerful vegan camembert (ready for baking with garlic and rosemary), try Nurishh 
• Vegan Cream: It’s now possible to buy vegan cream for every occasion. We like to use Alpro Single Soya for all single cream needs. Elmlea Plant Double, The Coconut Collaborative and Oatly Whippable Creamy Oat all whip up to create a lovely thick consistency. Don’t forget Oatly and The Coconut Collaborative crème fraîche if you fancy a spoonful on the side of desserts and various savoury dishes. Food Heaven offers a delicious vegan squirty cream and there’s even a vegan ‘flotted’ cream out there now – buy from The Greenwood Tree Café! 
• Nutritional Yeast: A cheesy and nutty-flavoured product that can be used to enhance various dishes and adds a distinct umami flavour
• Yorkshire puds: Have a go at making your own but if you’d prefer a cheating option, our favourites are Mabel’s and Plantside
• Mince Pies: Ocado and nearly all of the supermarkets and health food shops stock vegan mince pies, so there’s no need to go without! Our favourites are Waitrose Free From and Holland & Barrett
• Vegan Desserts: Look for vegan ice cream, cakes and cookies from brands like GU Puds, Wicked Kitchen, M&S, English Cheesecake Company, Ben & Jerry’s, Jude’s and Swedish Glace. The supermarkets and health food shops all have an extensive range of delicious festive treats and desserts. Ocado also has a great selection!

Don’t: forget to read labels carefully, as some products may contain hidden animal-derived ingredients

Delicious Vegan Recipes

Do: Wow your guests with these delectable vegan recipes from Vegan Recipe Club:

• Easy Vegan Turkey-less Roast: This roast is heavenly and the ultimate centrepiece for your Christmas dinner! 
• Chestnut, Mushroom & Red Wine Pithiver: This traditional French dish, with its sunbeam pastry, is a feast for the eyes, rich, tasty, easy to create and makes for the perfect festive main
• Creamy White Wine Mushroom Sauce: Enjoy a rich, creamy, delicious and versatile sauce that goes with – well – pretty much everything! 
• Maple Roasted Parsnips: There’s nothing better than crispy golden roasted parsnips – apart from ones covered in maple syrup!
• Lemon Roasted Brussels Sprouts: These luxury greens will convert even the most sceptical palettes into certified sprout lovers
• Cinnamon & Thyme Roasted Carrots with Pine Nuts: A delicious, colourful side dish packed with vitamin C
• Cauliflower Cheese: No Christmas dinner is complete without cauliflower cheese!
• Ultimate Roast Potatoes: This is our favourite way to make festive roasties. If you’re feeling brave, try adding a teaspoon of yeast extract at stage three of the recipe 
• 5-Ingredient Yorkshire Puddings: Guaranteed to add some sparkle to your Christmas spread 
• Sticky Toffee Puddings: There are few things in life as enjoyable as a sticky toffee pudding! 
• Super Easy Chocolate Oreo Torte: The name says it all, but this really is the easiest dessert ever and always goes down a treat – win, win! 
• Christmas Brandy Truffles: Chocolate, brandy and creamy richness. What more can we say? Just don’t eat them all at once!

Dos and Don’ts for Hosting Vegans

Do:

• Ask About Dietary Restrictions: Check with your guests ahead of time to ensure you accommodate their specific preferences
• Label Dishes: Clearly label vegan dishes to avoid confusion
• Be Open-Minded: Embrace the opportunity to discover new flavours and dishes
• Buy Shop-Bought Food if Feeling Nervous About Cooking: There are so many delicious vegan festive dishes in the shops – there are plenty to choose from and some are very high quality

Don’t:

• Pressure Anyone: Don’t pressure your guests to try non-vegan dishes
• Disregard Cross-Contamination: If you’re using shared kitchen equipment, be mindful of cross-contamination issues

With these dos and don’ts in mind, you can create a Christmas celebration that’s inclusive, delicious and memorable for everyone at the table.

Catering for vegans during Christmas is a thoughtful gesture that shows you care about the dietary preferences of your loved ones. By incorporating plant-based ingredients, offering vegan-friendly products, preparing delicious recipes, creating an inviting atmosphere, and respecting dos and don’ts, you can host a festive holiday gathering that celebrates the spirit of Christmas while also embracing the values of compassion and inclusivity. Happy holidays and happy feasting!

More like this:

• Where To Buy Vegan Yorkshire Puddings In The UK (Plus, Recipes To Make Them Yourself)
• Everything You Need To Have A Sustainable Christmas
• You Can Now Buy A Vegan Shortbread Tin – Just In Time For Christmas

The post How To Cater For Vegans This Christmas appeared first on Plant Based News.

The makers of Chicken Run 2: Dawn of the Nugget may have rejected suggestions they set out to turn viewers vegan. But the film is both a withering indictment of the meat industry and a sharp critique of our meat-eating culture. It’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to tuck into a bit of chicken again after watching it.

Following Ginger, Rocky, and the rest of the gang from the original 2000 Chicken Run film, Dawn of the Nugget takes us on a rescue mission inside Fun-Land Farms. Molly (Bella Ramsey), the daughter of Ginger (Thandiwe Newton) and Rocky (Zachary Levi), has run away from the island safe haven where the chickens who escaped Tweedy’s farm in the last film. 

Lured in by the promise of fun, Molly and new pal Frizzle (Josie Sedgwick-Davies) end up at Fun-Land, only to discover it is anything but.

No real freedom

Clearly traumatized from her time on Tweedy’s farm, Ginger tells Molly nothing of the world beyond their island. But Molly wants more than what the little idyll can offer. The island isn’t a farm, but Molly still feels trapped on it.

When a new poultry farm is built across the water, Ginger decides the only option for her community is to hide itself. Given her reputation as a “freedom fighter,” they’re surprised and relieved that Ginger wants to prioritize their safety.

“We can’t risk our freedom by venturing into a world that finds chickens so delicious,” Ginger tells brainiac chicken Mac (Lynn Ferguson). 

Although Ginger and her friends have escaped the meat industry, as long as it exists they will never truly be free or safe. I couldn’t help feeling Ginger was really addressing the audience, asking us: is a moment of pleasure for you worth our lives?

Not so Fun-Land

Once Molly manages to run away, she comes across Frizzle, a chicken who has been deemed “too small” to be taken to Fun-Land. It’s a rare moment in which the film glosses over the reality of what happens to chickens. In the real world, an underweight chicken would be killed on the farm, probably by having their neck snapped.

Though Frizzle’s escape from this fate is left unexplained, the very next scene pulls no punches in showing us this fact about the meat industry: it lies to us. And it gets way with it because it tells people what they want to hear.

Molly and Frizzle are determined to get to Fun-Land Farms for one reason – the nugget factory’s marketing. The side of the farm truck they follow has a picture of a happy chicken sitting in a bucket among sunny green fields. “The happy chicken truck,” Frizzle heartbreakingly calls it. All she and Molly want is some fun and adventure, and they’re only too eager to believe in what Fun-Land Farms is selling them.

Inside, the farm looks like an ideal of the free range farms that we’re told are so nice for the chickens to live on. But it quickly becomes apparent that it isn’t at all what it seems, mirroring reality. Undercover investigations have revealed that being “free range” is no guarantee of a good life.

“It’s not as much fun as it looked on the posters,” Frizzle says, fear starting to creep into her voice. Yes, the chickens at Fun-Land are happy, but for a very dark reason indeed.

Erasing animals

The nugget factory turns out be using technology that the actual meat industry probably dreams about. Every chicken is fitted with a collar that makes them docile, dim, and happy. 

A promotional video played to a restaurant executive who visits the factory explains that birds panic when “faced with processing.” They tense their muscles and knots form in their connective tissue, which makes the meat “tough, dry and flavourless.”

“What if we could make a chicken happy to be processed?” the narrator of the video asks. The collars are the solution. When it’s time for the chickens to become nuggets, their collars are triggered to make them go willingly, happily, to their deaths.

The collars are a potent symbol of two aspects of chicken farming and animal farming generally. One is the myth of humane slaughter. The chickens at Fun-Land do not want to die. Any without a collar strives not only to live but to enjoy their life. To kill them is always to do them harm, no matter how it’s done.

The second is the way animal farming erases individuals and turns animals into a homogenous mass. They become merely numbers – each collar in Fun-Land is numbered – and not unique beings with their own feelings and personalities. It’s easier not to feel sorry for the animals you’re eating if it you try to forget their cognitive and emotional complexity. This is exactly what some meat-eaters do.

As if to drive home the point that chickens are not dumb automatons as many like to believe, the film flips this characterization by making many of the humans characters stupid and clumsy. Meanwhile, our chicken heroes are good problem-solvers with good social skills – just as they are in real life.

A message of liberation

Dawn of the Nugget makes a strong case for the liberation of animals from all farms. And it pulls it off without telling its audience what to do, because its target is the meat industry and its protagonists are chickens. There is no other world they could wish for than one where none of their kind is killed for food. This will probably make that idea more palatable to many.

Maybe none of the messages I saw in the film were intended by the filmmakers. But the only way not to see those messages is to ignore all the context in which this film was made. The proliferation of intensive chicken farms in the UK and elsewhere. The callously misleading advertising by the meat industry. The fact that billions of chickens – who are sensitive, feeling individuals – suffer and die every year just so people can eat chicken nuggets.

The post ‘Chicken Run 2’ Rips Into The Meat Industry appeared first on Plant Based News.

As the effects of the climate crisis continue to worsen, there is a growing urgency to change some of our habits. Thankfully, having a sustainable Christmas does not mean missing out on any of the festive fun and traditions that make it special. Here are some easy and enjoyable ways to make your Christmas more sustainable.

Easy guide to a sustainable and ethical Christmas  

In this guide:

• Make It Vegan
• Cut the crap
• Tips for gifts
• Change your mentality
• Prepare for next year

Make It Vegan

Going vegan is the best thing an individual can do to reduce your carbon footprint – that’s true at Christmas or any other time of the year. To make your Christmas as sustainable as possible, leave animals off your plate and out of your stockings…

Host a vegan feast

Whether you want to whip up a 14-course feast, stick something quick and easy in the oven, or head out to a vegan restaurant, there are loads of options for all to enjoy. Invite as few or as many people as you want and get the festivities started. By choosing vegan, you’ll be reducing your environmental impact and sparing animals the suffering of farms and slaughterhouses. Win win!

Be mindful too of food waste and make sure to keep any leftovers from your feast – that’s tomorrow’s lunch sorted.

Don’t buy animal products – or an animal as a Christmas gift

Express compassion this Christmas and remember that animals are individuals with their own desires and needs – not ours to buy and sell. Instead of giving an animal as a gift, you could make a donation to an animal charity or sponsor a rescued animal at an animal sanctuary.

Cut the crap

We are in a climate crisis and overconsumption is one of the main causes. While billions face extreme poverty and hunger, consumerist Western cultures encourage the accumulation of stuff we don’t really need. Making better environmental choices does not make you the Grinch. There are loads of ways to have a holly, jolly sustainable house full of Christmas cheer that don’t involve sending a big pile to landfill on Boxing Day.

No more new decorations

Re-use what you’ve already got! If you want more decorations, why not try making your own from things around the house? Or for outside, make a wreath for yourself or someone else using natural materials you foraged. If you do want to buy some new decorations, look for second-hand ones.

Rent a tree

If you’re considering buying a new artificial or real tree, consider renting a Christmas tree instead. This will save you the dilemma of cutting down trees or contributing to plastic pollution.

Go zero-waste on your present wrapping

There are tons of creative ways to conceal a gift. Re-use existing gift bags or try wrapping with newspaper or old tissue paper and ribbons. If you want something more permanent, you could invest in some fabric wraps you will keep on using.

Make your own gift hampers

Pre-made hampers often come with a lot of packaging. To reduce this, make your own gift hampers with materials and a box, bag, or basket you already own. That way you can choose exactly what goodies to include, making the present more personal.

Boycott single use

Supermarkets are making record profits selling us stuff we don’t really need. From Christmas crackers and paper napkins to party poppers and glitter, there are loads of single-use items that are not much more than a money-making ploy. Question whether you’re buying something out of habit or because you actually want it. If these are things you do really want, opt for reusable options, which will pay off over the year, including fabric napkins and reusable Christmas crackers.

Tips for gifts

Go easy on the gifts

Excessive consumerism has made Christmas more wasteful – and also turned it into a more stressful experience. Rather than rushing around the shops looking for last-minute gifts, make your Christmas stress-free, more affordable and more sustainable by minimizing your present purchasing. That way, you can focus on the good cheer and the people around you instead.

Reduce the number of gifts you give (and receive)

If you have gift arrangements with friends or family members, try limiting it to one present per person. Or set up a Secret Santa so that each person buys for only one other person. Lowering the quantity will make you think harder about quality.

Choose your gifts carefully

One thoughtful present is better than a dozen pieces of tat. Choose something useful and that you know the receiver will actually want. 

Make an impact with your gifts

Remember too that your gift giving can help inspire people on their plant-based journey. If your cousin loves chocolate but has never tried a dairy-free version, a big box of Booja Booja could be a great way to open their eyes to the possibilities of veganism.

Stop buying STUFF

If you’re weighing up whether someone needs your gift idea and whether it’s something they’ll still appreciate in one year’s time, it’s probably best to assume the answer is no. Instead of burdening them with more stuff, there are plenty of thoughtful gifts that don’t involve adding more waste to the world.

Adopt an animal at a vegan animal sanctuary

You’ll be doing something great for the animals and many gift adoptions will send updates throughout the year, making this a gift that lasts beyond the unboxing. If you choose a local sanctuary, the recipient of your gift should be able to visit their new friend – and they might even invite you along for a day out.

Buy a gift voucher to your local vegan restaurant

This present option has the fantastic flexibility of price, making it a great gift for all budgets. Choose a vegan restaurant you know and love (or look up your local vegan restaurants on HappyCow) and gift someone the freedom to choose mountains of amazing vegan food!

Book a trip

For that special someone, you could book a romantic night away at a vegan hotel or B&B. Use VegVisits to find your dream accommodation and plan your travel on public transport. A great option for families is luxury vegan glamping at Hempsall Farm. Enjoy the great outdoors and spend time with rescued farm animals at this idyllic vegan sanctuary. Or you could buy tickets to Vegan Camp Out or a trip to Camden Town vegan brewery.

Gift a membership 

Another present that can make the fun last all year. Vegan charities including PETA, Viva!, and The Vegan Society offer gift memberships. These come with continued news and updates on the organization’s work, as well as other perks. The Vegan Society offers a choice of welcome packs depending on whether the recipient is vegan or not.

Gift a subscription box

For someone new to veganism, the motivation of receiving a subscription box each month can be a great boost. Book lovers might be interested in Happily Ever After, the first all-vegan book subscription box.

Dedicate a native tree to a loved one

The National Forest offers you the chance to dedicate a tree – and your recipient may even have the chance to plant it themselves. Likewise, you can adopt a tree or habitat with The Wildlife Trusts. To bring the forest closer to home, you could give someone a pack of wildflower seeds to sow in spring.

Give consumables (that you know they will want)

Rather than adding to someone’s piles of stuff, consider buying something consumable you know they will appreciate. Be careful with this one: you don’t want to overdo it and buy a five-kilo vegan cheese box if you don’t know for sure that someone will eat it all! But a thoughtful consumable gift can bring joy and have a low environmental impact.

Choose some vegan soaps or other (necessary) toiletries

Toiletries can be a thoughtful gift if you choose something that your recipient uses or needs. It’s more exciting to receive a cute bamboo toothbrush as a gift than to buy your own as you do for the rest of the year.

Buy vegan food or drink

Going vegan is the best way for an individual to have a positive impact on the planet so vegan food is a great sustainable gift. Try these special Christmas doughnuts from Crosstown. Or these new bubble bars from Moo Free. If you know someone who loves shortbread, this dairy-free tin could be the perfect gift!

If you’re giving the presents to a non-vegan, you could help open their eyes by gifting them an accidentally vegan product they already love. It will make for great conversation around the Christmas table.

Make a zero-waste food gift

It’s even better if you can purchase your food gifts from a zero-waste shop. Find a nice jar from the back of your cupboard and fill it with their favorite nuts, vegan sweets, or pasta shape. Tie a ribbon on and you have a beautiful, unique gift they can keep refilling all year round. 

Buy stuff the right way

Buying things can still have a purpose – especially if that purpose is reducing the need to buy other things! If you want to give something physical, here are some ideas to make it as sustainable as possible. The key point is to source it ethically and, of course, vegan.

Buy zero waste products

If someone does not already own them (and only if they do not already own them!), the following items could make a great gift:

• Reusable straw or cutlery

Metal, glass or bamboo, the important thing is that they can be used again and again. No need for disposable plastic or paper.

• Travel cup

With many cafés offering a discount to customers who bring their own, this is a money-saving gift, as well as a waste-reducing one.

• Reusable, compostable cleaning cloths 

Scrub the dirt without making a mess of the planet’s resources.

• Reusable cupcake cases and baking liners

Make your vegan cakes even more sustainable by swapping single-use items for reusable baking equipment.

Buy second hand where possible

Look in charity shops for books, paintings, DVDs, board games, furniture, and more. For clothes, you could also try vintage shops such as Clothesxchange or Depop. If you use Facebook, its Marketplace can be a great place to find bargains in your area – and join your local giveaway group, where people pass on unwanted items for free.

Choose ethical companies when buying new

If you are buying something new, you should, as a minimum, check that the company is giving something back to the planet and all of its inhabitants; that they’re using recycled or renewable materials, and that its treating workers fairly. For example, you could buy directly from the gift page of an animal charity.

Other ethical gift ideas include:

• Viva La Vegan’s Organic Vegan Xmas Jumper
• Sustainable Jewellery from Jana Reinhardt Ltd
• 4ocean’s handcrafted bracelets made from ocean waste
• Treecelet’s organic clothing and bracelets, which plants trees
• Recycled backpacks that save wildlife from Blue Panda
• Eco-friendly phone cases and more from Agood Company

Get creative!

Make something meaningful

Whatever you enjoy doing, and whatever your skills are, use them to create a meaningful, cheap, and environmentally friendly gift. Poet? Write a poem. Seamstress? Use some old fabrics to make someone a pillow or add some character to an old denim jacket with patches and embroidery. Artist? Paint a picture. Chocolatier? Make some vegan chocolate truffles. Green fingered? Make a bug hotel. You get the idea!

Make your own recipe kit

Build a recipe kit for one of your favorite vegan bakes by simply filling up some empty jam jars with your cupboard stocks, and tying a ribbon round the rim. Or make a vegan hot chocolate set with a range of plant-based milks for a skeptic to try, vegan chocolate, and vegan marshmallows.

Regift your own items to give them a new lease of life

Second-hand shopping does not even need to involve buying anything! You could give your copy of a book you enjoyed to a friend. Or dust off an old photo frame you don’t use and add in a photo of you together. If you have candles you’ll never burn or spare cake tins that are always empty, think of someone who might enjoy them. If you have indoor plants, you could give someone a cutting.

Change your mentality

Refocus Christmas Day

Christmas Day shouldn’t be about how many gifts you give or receive or how much money you spend. Instead, it is about quality time spent with your loved ones, including eating great vegan food together. Play board games, enjoy a crisp winter walk, or just relax and enjoy making vegan hot chocolate or mulled wine and eating mince pies.

Stay out of the Boxing Day sales

Don’t ruin your sustainable Christmas by splurging in the Boxing Day sales.

Prepare for next year

And remember: whether or not you had a zero-waste Christmas this year, there are some easy ways to prepare to do things more sustainably next year. Bookmark this page so you are ready to prepare early. Then:

• Keep all of this year’s decorations and wrapping to reuse next year
• Save cards to re-gift, or cut out tags for gifts
• Start a homemade project early or check in at charity shops all year round – that way you won’t end up in a last-minute panic
• Make your own advent calendar for next December for yourself or a loved one – this can include gifts like “one homemade three-course vegan meal for two”
• Suggest a vegan restaurant for your office christmas party next year

Aim for zero extra waste in your black bin by New Years…and nobody waiting for a gift receipt to return an unwanted gift. But above all, make this year vegan.

More like this:

• Try This Orange And Cranberry Roast Wreath For Christmas
• ‘So Much More Efficient’: David Attenborough Promotes Plant-Based Diets
• Vegan Christmas Food At UK Supermarkets In 2023: From Wellingtons To An Entire ‘Turkey’

The post Everything You Need To Have A Sustainable Christmas appeared first on Plant Based News.

There were strong performers across the board this year. From Greggs and Waitrose to Co-op and Lidl, supermarkets and coffee shops are putting more effort into their vegan Christmas food. Soy-based turkey and cranberry sauce were as prominent as ever. Roasted veg was never far away. But there were also some surprises lurking beneath the oatmeal bread.

A vegan Christmas

This Christmas, all the major UK supermarkets and coffee shops have unveiled vegan ranges fit for the festivities. Awareness of the ethical, environmental, and health implications of eating animal products has never been higher. With more and more people now choosing plant-based food, the vegan Christmas sandwich offerings are getting better each year.

Shoppers’ appetites are certainly growing for plant-based alternatives to the cruelty of “traditional” Christmas foods such as turkey. From chestnut and butternut squash to pesto and falafel, we sampled an array of festive and not-so-festive flavors. Here are all the vegan Christmas sandwiches we recommend biting into as you rock around the Christmas tree.

The best vegan Christmas sandwiches 2023

Vegan turkey-based sandwiches

Morrisons

Plant Revolution No-Turkey and Stuffing (£2.85)

One of many No-Turkey and Stuffing sandwiches on show this year, this is a solid Christmas sandwich from Morrisons – but not one to set the pulse racing. The cranberry sauce is tasty enough but doesn’t do enough to compensate for the lackluster soy strips. And it’s missing the extra crunch that a handful of fresh spinach would have provided. Morrisons scooped top spot in PBN’s roundup in 2022. Not so much this year.

A festive feast… but not one that will live long in the memory – 2.5 / 5

Greggs

Vegan Turkey-Free Festive Baguette (£3.70)

Returning for 2023, Greggs’ Vegan Festive Baguette is everything you would expect from the popular baker. Hearty and hot, you can almost hear jingle bells as you bite into these gravy-soaked soy-based sage and onion “turkey” goujons. Thankfully, the bread is strong enough not to sog. It’s a bready endurance challenge, for sure, but the herby goujons don’t get dull. Not the most aesthetically pleasing but a filling and flavorsome Christmas sandwich.

Tasty goujons in a crispy baguette. What’s not to like? – 4 / 5

Boots

Plant Made No Turkey Feast (£3.15)

Simple but effective, Boots has done well with its No Turkey Feast. The sandwich combines meat-free turkey strips with carrot and braised red cabbage but the star of the show is the cranberry chutney, which really brings the sandwich to life. By the end, the build-up of salt starts to overpower the sweetness of the cranberry. But it’s a good sandwich nonetheless.

A solid vegan Christmas sandwich – 3.5 / 5

Costa

Vegan Turkey and Trimmings Toastie (£4.25)

Following last year’s “P’gs & Blankets Panini,” Costa turned its attention to another meaty tradition in 2023, with its “Vegan Turkey and Trimmings Toastie.” With a lot of competition in the no-turkey category, this turned out to be one of the less enjoyable entries. The soy-based turkey got a little lost in the bland gravy, while the “trimmings” (stuffing) didn’t bring much to the party either. It’s not bad… and it’s better than eating an animal. But it didn’t live up to the hefty price tag.

Something hot for a cold winter’s lunch – 2.5 / 5

Co-op

GRO Ho Ho No Turkey Feast (£3.25)

Another No Turkey Feast? You betcha. But this is a strong entry and a good contender for most creative use of soy-based chunks. There’s a lot going on here: roast carrot and parsnip, cranberry chutney, sage, onion and oat stuffing… and the flavors co-exist harmoniously. The spinach provides a satisfying bite and the wheat and oatmeal bread is chunky enough to hold everything together. Good job.

Colorful and crunchy, Co-op’s is one of the best supermarket sandwiches this year – 4.5 / 5

Veg as centerpiece

Pollen + Grace

Festive Stuffing + Winter Veg Wrap (£4.25)

Pollen + Grace is a food-to-go specialist stocked by many major supermarkets. Available from Sainsbury’s and WHSmith, this festive wrap shows what can be achieved with veg as the centerpiece. The flavors are a festive treat: mushroom, onion and sage stuffing, butternut squash, cranberry sauce. Even the red cabbage slaw is a worthwhile addition. The only drawback is that the wrap itself is unexciting and since it is cut in two the final bites are very bread heavy. But, on the whole, this is a wrap that lives up to the premium price point.

A strong Christmas wrap: 4 / 5

M&S

Ho Ho Pest-Ho and Veg (£3.65)

How to rank this wildcard entry from M&S? It’s a great sandwich: pesto and roasted veg is a safe combination. But is it festive enough? For those who have had enough stuffing to last until the New Year, this is a good choice. But if you’re still decking the halls, you might be left feeling a little short changed.

A Santa pun does not a Christmas sandwich make: 3 / 5

Tesco

Plant Chef Root Vegetable & Chestnut Wrap (£2.75)

Roasted veg and chestnut sounds like a winning formula for a Christmas wrap. And it almost works for Tesco. The braised red cabbage, cranberry sauce, sage and onion stuffing all impress, while the beetroot and chia tortilla wrap gives it a Christmassy look. Yet, despite the abundance of ingredients, the whole experience feels very flat. The chestnut, which promises so much, isn’t strong enough.

Chestnut is a great choice but the flavors lack a punch – 3 / 5

Waitrose

PlantLiving Vegan Bubble & Squeak (£3.50)

Waitrose stood out from the crowd with this veg-focused sandwich. Savoy cabbage and parsnip, roasted butternut squash and spiced pickled red cabbage on sliced malted bread. The sauces – vegan mayo, mustard, and chili relish – work well together and don’t overpower everything else. A strong example of what you can achieve with just vegetables.

Good taste, good texture, good effort – 4 / 5

Lidl

Falafel and Cranberry Wrap (£2.29)

A festive twist on a vegan classic? Or a vegan stereotype pretending to be festive? Let’s go with the more generous interpretation. The falafel and cranberry sauce are tasty, and the whole thing has a great texture. The beetroot and chia seed wrap looks Christmassy in the box and a little extra innovation comes in the form of spiced hummus and butternut squash. Falafel may be a cliché – but it’s a delicious one.

It’s tasty, it’s colorful… but is it festive enough? – 3.5 / 5

More like this:

• Vegan Christmas Food At UK Supermarkets In 2023: From Wellingtons To An Entire ‘Turkey’
• Jane Horrocks Stars In Ad Depicting Cruelty Of ‘Christmas Turkeys’
• Greggs Unveils Vegan Christmas Menu For 2023

The post The Best Vegan Christmas Sandwiches To Buy In 2023 appeared first on Plant Based News.

The timing of this message is not coincidental.

The H5N1 virus, a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza – or “bird flu”, as it’s commonly known – has unexpectedly surfaced in the Antarctic, shattering the notion that this region is a pristine wilderness and one of the last strongholds of natural purity. The virus has been found in Bird Island, which is part of the British overseas territory of South Georgia. Migratory birds named brown skua tested positive for the virus, and it’s thought they brought it to Antarctica from South America. 

Experts have said that the situation could lead to a potentially “catastrophic breeding failure,” and concerns are rising about isolated populations of penguins who have never been exposed to the virus before. 

How did bird flu get to Antarctica?

But how did this virus, which poses a threat to both wildlife and humans, find its way to such a remote and seemingly untouchable locale?

The answer lies in the disturbing conditions prevalent on industrial chicken farms, where stress and severe crowding create a breeding ground for infectious diseases.

A farm raising 20,000 chickens at a time for their flesh, which is standard for most factory farms, generates approximately 150 tonnes of waste – a mixture of excrement, spilled feed, feathers, and bedding material – per year. Inghams Enterprises, one of the largest chicken suppliers in Australia, slaughtered a staggering 214 million chickens in 2022.

Because there are so many pathways through which viruses can spread beyond the confines of such facilities – via ventilation and insects and of course while trucking birds to slaughter – the possibility of wild birds contracting, spreading, and dying from these viruses is alarmingly high.

Factory farming and zoonotic disease

The relationship between factory farming and zoonotic diseases is nothing new – it has long been known that animal-borne pathogens can mutate and cause illnesses in humans. The World Health Organization has linked COVID-19 to the intensive breeding of animals on loosely regulated wildlife farms in Southeast Asia, and major zoonotic outbreaks in the last three decades, such as Q fever in the Netherlands and highly infectious bird flu strains, have been associated with intensive animal farming.

As Australia grapples with yet another round of COVID-19 variants, it is evident how quickly we dismiss potential health risks in favor of momentary pleasures and conveniences. We need a collective awakening – a recognition that our dietary preferences and practices have far-reaching consequences. Confronting jarring realizations is tough, but turning a blind eye only makes matters worse, for everyone.

It seems almost surreal that another global health crisis is looming, but we are not powerless to stop it because we know how to slow the spread of H5N1. With everything from vegan burgers to fishless filets and chickenless nuggets readily available in Australian supermarkets, restaurants, and fast-food outlets, it’s easy to save penguins while also saving ourselves.

More like this:

• Is It Time To Move Away From Fireworks?
• The Environment Minister Says The UK Has ‘Highest Animal Welfare Standards’ – What Are Those Standards?
• COP Conferences Have Always Sidelined Animal Ag – Meet The Group Trying To Change That

The post Bird Flu Has Reached Antarctica – Is Your Diet Killing Penguins? appeared first on Plant Based News.

Animal agriculture is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). It’s also driving deforestation, biodiversity loss, and pollution. As such, it should be a key talking point at any climate conference. Prior COP meetings, however, have largely failed to address this issue. As recently as 2021, at COP26 in Glasgow, beef was on the menu – but food system change was not. Last year, at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, a pavilion focusing on the importance of plant-based food was present for the first time. Despite this, food was still not given significant air time at the event. 

This year, for the first time, food system change has a more prominent place on the schedule. COP28 will feature a whole day of talks on food, agriculture, and water. Hopes that food’s moment in the limelight might finally have come grew earlier this year when the hosts announced that COP28 would serve mostly vegan food.

It looks like we’re still a long way off from animal agriculture being taken as seriously as it needs to be at COP. But for food to take center stage at COP28, even for one day, is a major step forward. It is, in large part, thanks to ProVeg International and the Food4Climate Pavilion that animal farming is no longer getting a free pass.

“We simply can’t achieve net zero without switching to more plant-rich, balanced, and diversified diets,” Raphaël Podselver, Director of UN Affairs at ProVeg International, tells Plant Based News. “That is why the Food4Climate Pavilion is putting food systems transformation front and center of COP28.”

What is the Food4Climate Pavilion?

At COP28, as oily deals and private jet fumes swirl in the air, food campaigners are ready to present one of the key solutions to the climate crisis.

The Food4Climate Pavilion will be hosting events throughout COP28 on the topic of food system transformation. Situated in the Blue Zone and led by ProVeg International, the pavilion will bring together more than 20 partner organizations. These include World Animal Protection and Impossible Foods.

For two weeks, campaigners will be engaging delegates and policymakers on all matters relating to food sustainability.

“Food systems urgently need a seat at the table among other big emitters like gas, oil and transport,” says Podselver. “Gaining support from influential policymakers at every level will help to demonstrate the appetite for a transition towards more plant-based and balanced diets.”

Why should food system change be on the menu at COP28?

Food system change represents a huge opportunity for GHG reductions. However, its potential has so far been shackled by a mixture of corporate interests and government fear.

“The impact of our global food system on the environment has largely been factored out of discussions at the highest level of climate negotiations,” says Podselver.

Studies have repeatedly shown that transitioning to a plant-based food system would bring about enormous environmental benefits. It is also one of the few major solutions ready to be implemented without major new technology. Our global food system is thought to contribute to to around a third of GHGs. Animal agriculture specifically is thought to account for up to 20 percent of GHGs.

Food, Agriculture and Water Day

Now, for the first time, COP28 is dedicating a whole day to food, agriculture, and water.

As designated by the host president, December 10 will be “Food, Agriculture and Water Day”. According to the FAO, this will allow delegates to consider the “unique potential of agrifood systems as the linchpin for sustainable solutions.”

For ProVeg International, it is a major breakthrough. “Allocating an entire day of global climate talks to food, agriculture, and water for the first time carries immense importance,” says Podselver.

“It represents the growing recognition of the pivotal role food systems play in the warming of our planet.”

Subsidies and regulations to tackle food emissions

At COP28, the Food4Climate Pavilion will present the huge potential of food system transformation to the world’s most influential policymakers.

“The Pavilion will advocate for inclusive, science-based solutions to establish healthy, climate-friendly, cruelty-free, and equitable food systems,” says Podselver.

What does this look like in practice? Podselver explains that effective policies include the implementation of subsidies and incentives to prioritize plant-based food.

It can also involve regulations to increase the availability and affordability of plant-based options.

“Food systems transformation requires collaboration”

In the UK, the public’s expectations for COP28 are low. Leaked reports suggesting that the UAE is planning to use its role as host to secure oil deals would not have helped raise hopes.

So, what would a good COP28 for the Food4Climate Pavilion look like?

“For food systems transformation to be given the same platform as other big emitters like oil, gas and transport,” says Podselver. “And for real steps to be taken towards bringing about more humane and sustainable food systems.”

To achieve these steps will involve working with a range of people, many of whom may start out as skeptics. “A core belief of Food4Climate is that food systems transformation requires collaboration, not polarization,” adds Podselver. 

As such, the Pavilion plans to engage delegates and influence key decision makers through its series of constructive talks. These will include events titled “Connecting the dots,” “Transforming consumption,” and “Cultivating a green generation.”

A big step up from COP27

The Food4Climate Pavilion has been here before. Last year, COP27 hosted ProVeg International and partners from around the world.

“This truly marked a shift in the UN’s approach to food systems,” says Podselver. “But COP27 was only the start of putting food system transformation on the climate agenda.

“This year we are already seeing positive developments as with the Presidencies Declarations or the FAO roadmap.”

It has been reported that the United Nations’ Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) will make a landmark statement urging the world’s most-developed nations to limit their excessive meat consumption at COP28.

“The Food4Climate Pavilion can encounter resistance as policymakers often overlook the environmental impact of our food system,” laments Podselver.

Reasons for resistance include a belief that eating habits are a personal matter rather than an institutional one. There is also an element of resistance to change. “Some individuals purposefully remain unaware of the consequences of their eating habits… Getting governments on board with promoting plant-based diets and more sustainable food systems requires a combination of collaboration, education and advocacy.”

Awareness… and then?

For ProVeg, international conferences like COP28 are a great chance to raise awareness among various governments about the need to transform the global food system.

But how can the campaigners ensure the key takeaways don’t vanish along with the trails of delegates’ jet fumes?

Podselver recognizes the need to push for concrete commitments. “With clear policies, like the implementation of subsidies and regulations that increase the availability and affordability of plant-based options, we can support the government to shift behavior in this direction.

Big Meat’s lobbying efforts are a reminder that there is a lot of work still to do. But Podselver is resolute: “Transforming the global food system is a unique opportunity for real change.”

More like this:

• WATCH: Is Fossil Fuel Action Enough To Save Earth? What The Science Says
• Meat Recipes Dominate ‘Climate Conscious’ Media, Study Finds
• Denmark Unveils ‘Groundbreaking’ Plant-Based Food Roadmap

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