kettunainen, posts by tag: vegan - LiveJournal

The section really made me all thinky about animals, the eating thereof, and the ethics surrounding eating, well, anything, really.

Killing is a culturally loaded term, for most of us inextricably tied up with some version of a command that begins, "Thou shalt not." Every faith has it. And for all but perhaps the Jainists of India, that command is absolutely conditional. We know it does not refer to mosquitoes. Who among us has never killed living creatures on purpose? When a child is sick with an infection we rush for the medicine spoon, committing an eager and purposeful streptococcus massacre. We sprinkle boric acid or grab a spray can to rid our kitchens of cockroaches. What we mean by "killing' is to take a life cruelly, as in murder -- or else more accidentally, as in "Oops, looks like I killed my African violet." Though the results are incomparable, what these different "killings" have in common is needless waste and some presumed measure of regret.

Most of us, if we know even a little about where our food comes from, understand that every bite put into our mouths since infancy (barring the odd rock or marble) was formerly alive. The blunt biological truth is that we animals can only remain alive by eating other life. Plants are inherently more blameless, having been born with the talent of whipping up their own food, peacefully and without noise, out of sunshine, water, and the odd mineral ingredient sucked up through their toes. Strangely enough, it's the animals to which we've assigned some rights, while the saintly plants we maim and behead with moral impunity. Who thinks to beg forgiveness while mowing the lawn?

The moral rules of destroying our fellow biota get even more tangled, the deeper we go. If we draw the okay-to-kill line between "animal" and "plant," and thus exclude meat, fowl, and fish from our diet on moral grounds, we still must live with the fact that every sack of flour and every soybean-based block of tofu came from a field where countless winged and furry lives were extinguished in the plowing, cultivating, and harvest. An estimated 67 million birds die each year from pesticide exposure on U.S. farms. Butterflies, too, are universally killed on contact in larval form by the genetically modified pollen contained in most U.S. corn. Foxes, rabbits, and bobolinks are starved out of their homes or dismembered by the sickle mower. Insects are "controlled" even by organic pesticides; earthworms are cut in half by the plow. Contrary to lore, they won't grow into two; both halves die.

To believe we can live without taking life is delusional. Humans may only cultivate nonviolence in our diets by degree. I've heard a Buddhist monk suggest that the number of food-caused deaths is minimized in steak dinners, which share one death over many meals, whereas the equation is reversed for a bowl of clams. Others of us have lost heart for eating any steak dinner that's been shoved through the assembly line of feedlot life -- however broadly we might share that responsibility. I take my gospel from Wendell Berry, who writes in What Are People For, "I dislike the thought that some animal has been made miserable in order to feed me. If I am going to eat meat, I want it to be from an animal that has lived a pleasant, uncrowded life outdoors, on bountiful pasture, with good water nearby and trees for shade. And I am getting almost as fussy about food plants."

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OMIGOD, I have to share this, this thing of wondrous beauty and goreful joy: the marvel that is Ornery Boy. This is the link to the very first one. optimystik and I spent 2.5 hours last night reading through the ENTIRE SERIES because it is just. that. funny. It's like a recap of my entire time in TO (minus the zombies... but whatever). Zombie Walk today! (we're not going... I'm goingto learn how to crochet today!)

We went to the Veg Food Fair last night and one of the last tables we visited was <http://www.sickonsin.com/>Sick On Sin</a>, a small, local t-shirt company that makes, among other fabulous things, baby/kid shirts with this on them. Which we bought, of course, in a size 4, so he could grow into it.

The woman half of the team thinks up the imagery and the man half draws it. Neat!

And then we fawned over all the little buttons they had for sale: 3 for $5. We decided to get a plain green one with 'herbivore' on it, an evil octopus, and one that said 'Flesh is for zombies'. We talked a lot about the fabulousness of zombies -- this small company makes a lot of cute little animal designs, and then makes zombie versions of those cute little animals: zombie elephant, zombie deer, zombie raccoon munching on human femur from garbage can... y'know, fun stuff! They commented that they were never sure how well the zombie merchandise would go over with any given show they're at, but it went over super well with us.

So they handed us this little postcard for Ornery Boy Comics, stashed in with all the rest of the stuff we got. I didn't see it until we got home.

Once we got home and unpacked and settled, I noticed the postcard. There was a huge tentacled monster and zombies on it, drawn in the same fashion as the t-shirts, so I can only assume it's another project for this guy. So I decided to look it up. Oh my.... Flipping back through them, it was quickly determined that this is a comic with storylines. So, of course, after the smallest was asleep, we started from the beginning. 373 pages later, we were wrung out with laughter and memories and dumbfoundedness at how awesome the writer is. Oh so very awesome.

So I had to share. Hope you enjoy! (I take no responsibility for fluids being snorted out readers' noses.)

nocturnalia posted an excellent article on the hideousness of industrial egg production.

The obvious choice, after reading that article and understanding what you're participating in when buying an egg, would be to stop buying eggs. And yet, I still continue to. Why? Because I've tried going egg-free and I felt strongly that my body was missing something integral. It may not always be like that for me, and I do not feel that, therefore, everybody needs to eat eggs. On the contrary; I feel we should all make the best choice we can in any given situation. I feel better when I have the occasional egg dish. At the same time, I actually have an egg sensitivity, which is a gratitude-inducing self-limiting factor in my egg-consumption. Additionally, once the Smallest can eat a wider variety of protein- and fat-containing foods, I'll feel better about ditching the eggs, my own needs be damned. I'll be able to supplant my egg need with the nuts I can't currently safely use (we've only introduced two nuts, at this point).

We buy, at most, 18 eggs a month but usually a dozen, which is split unequally between 3 people. The eggs we buy are the most ethically-raised I have been able to find in downtown TO. I do what I can to create the least amount of suffering for the chickens and choose not to purchase industry eggs because, for me, that's too much blood on my hands.

This is one area. There are a multitude of other areas where there are ethical and unethical choices to be made with respect to our consumption.

Take, for instance, the article I posted a year ago June: A journey into the most savage war in the world: My travels in the Democratic Vacuum of Congo. Read this all the way through and then try to justify purchases of new electronics. I couldn't, so I vowed not to buy new electronics. It's been one year, 2.5 months, a previously-owned camera, and a second-hand laptop later (which was repaired using second-hand materials), and I'm still happy with my choice. This is not to say that it has always been easy. But minor frustration on my part? A small price to pay for knowing I'm not causing more pain and suffering for the women and children and families (but mostly the women) in the DRC by avoiding making purchases that perpetuate their suffering.

Likewise, there is an annual challenge, posted by Crunchy Chicken, to use cloth wipes instead of toilet paper. Why? Because toilet paper comes from trees. Because Kimberley-Clarke, a company that manufactures tissues and toilet paper, hacks down old-growth forests so that we can wipe our asses and blow our noses. Let me repeat that: Old-growth forests, which take millions of years to form, are being destroyed, along with millions of creatures great and small who inhabit these forests, so that you can wipe your butt.

Boycott Kimberley-Clarke, you say. To which I respond: Of course, and how far are you going to take that boycott? What will you wipe yourself with, if, say, you're in a Tim Horton's washroom and all that is available is K-C toilet paper?

Additionally, use only recycled hygiene paper products, you say. At which point, I bring up all the energy, water, and gasoline consumed in the process, not to mention the air that gets polluted, with manufacture and distribution of each roll of toilet paper, which then gets flushed down the toilet or tossed in the trash/green bin/compost heap.

For my own part, I do use recycled toilet paper. I also have a rather small stash of cloth wipes that I use and I've been meaning to make more for over a year now, so that I don't run out mid-week and so that I can bring some with me and use while I'm out. Yes, I'm serious. I already carry wipes and a wet bag for the Smallest; a few more wipes in the bag won't break my back. It's just a matter of making the time to make the wipes. As for kleenex, we've had one box open for well over a year now and it's for guests. We use handkerchiefs only, even -- especially -- when we have a cold. Cloth is so much softer than paper. For all your parts!

For questions regarding resource usage with cloth versus toilet paper, click the link to Crunchy Chicken's blog entry.

Anyway, my point is that there are thousands of issues to contend with on a daily basis and it gets overwhelming very quickly when we look into the heart of things and discover just how fucked up it all is. Nothing is black and white, and everything is messed up. We pick our battles and do the best we can with the knowledge we have in concert with the circumstances we are in.

Do what you can to learn more about the world you live in so that you can make more conscientious choices. As Maya Angelou said, "When You Know Better, You Do Better." And it's true.

I recently discovered a blog called Vegan Hope, which details the journey of a diabetic (Type 2) towards health via veganism.

Here are a few posts that give her history and her rather sound (IMO) advice. Given that she topped 400lbs and was on 8 different medications related to her diabetes and has since, in a year, lost nearly 100 lbs, is no longer on insulin or any of her medication, I gotta say, it made me want to pay attention. ;)

Looking Back

Vegan Hope

Changes

Being Fat Is Not All That It's Cracked up to Be

My Big Fat Life -- Addictions Part 1


As for myself, I've had chronic hypoglycemia, which, as far as I am able to discern, is among the first serious problems with blood sugar. It seems intuitive that insulin resistance would come next and then diabetes.

I was on a high protein, low carb diet and I HATED IT. Mostly because I'm not a great omnivore. I'm a pretty darn good vegetarian, having never really liked meat to begin with (with the notable exceptions of canned tuna and the salty, smokey food crack known as bacon). And after reading The China Study, which also fueled the blog author on her journey towards her current level of health, and also realizing that my body didn't process dairy well anymore (nor did my son's body), I quit dairy. Easy enough for me because I was never addicted to it in the first place. Not like I was addicted to wheat. Wheat addictions and Dairy addictions are quite similar in function, so I understand the blog author when she talks about dairy.

Also, in reading The China Study (TCS), I learned that it would likely be helpful to stop the animal protein and focus primarily on plant nutrients. There are plenty of studies that support plant-based diets and blood sugar health (if you want them, check out TCS or look them up yourself).

I wish I could say that veganism helped rid me of hypoglycemia, but I have pregnancy to thank for that. However, after reading TCS, post-pregnancy, I was upset that no one had told me about it beforehand. It could have saved me a lot of grief and clogged arteries, learning that I didn't HAVE to be on a high protein, low carb diet. In fact, that I SHOULDN'T be on that sort of diet.

Oh well. The least I can do is pass along the info I've gathered, with my own added life experience, in the hopes that someone somewhere might benefit.

Currently, I am doing well at maintaining an odd, not-quite-vegan diet, which includes fish oil supplements and some organic eggs (preferably from pastured chickens). We go through about a dozen and a half eggs a month between the three of us, and I'm ok with that for the time being. Just keep the meat and dairy away from me. ;)

May your lifestyle bring you peace, health, and happiness. Enjoy the journey. :)

Dear People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals,

In case you have forgotten, PEOPLE ARE ANIMALS.

And since you are hopelessly clueless, let me spell it out for you:

This is unethical.

So is this.

If you cannot be true to even your own name, at least stop creating more hate in the world so that you can actually further your cause, rather than making people (who are still animals) get stabbity in your direction.

Srsly.

Signed,
an angry, mostly vegan Foxwoman

ps, if you would like yet another letter from an angry vegan, check this beauty out. (Also, awesome vegan blog!)

Aw, fuckitall... I just discovered that Nestle owns Green & Blacks. Fuck fuck fuck. Guess it's down to Cocoa Camino and ChocoSol for me now.

This weekend was way less stressful than I had anticipated. We went up to L's parents to fetch my kayaks and take them to N's parents' place. 17 hours in the car, about 1500km, two nights spent driving. We saw dragonflies, chipmunks, foxes, bats, a toad, caterpillars, spiders, hummingbirds, chickadees, fish, swans, hawks, and a beautiful sky full of stars. A got to swim a little and N and I spent some time kayaking and soaking in the hot tub. And we got back in time to actually relax a bit. Sweet.

A has started signing 'outside', 'water', and 'apple'. He said squirrel yesterday when he saw one at the park: duhyel. He's starting to add the 't' at the end of cat, so it sounds like dat, instead of just dah... nearly everything starts with a 'd' these days. I have no idea what happened to bah bah bah bah bah. He's all about the d's with a few m's in there for good measure. He drives us crazy at times because he never really stops moving, but even still he's an absolute pleasure to be around. I swoon even more with every new development. I told him I loved him earlier today and his response was to wrap his arms around my neck and hug me with all his little might. *omgdies*

Finished Omnivore's Dilemma and have discovered that eating animal is beginning to feel like a seasonal sort of thing for me. Quasi-vegan in the spring/summer and less so in the cooler months. I've realised that I'm more concerned with the quality of life the animal had before it ends up on my plate than I am about abstaining entirely from animal products. As such, I will potentially be adding in such things as butter (the only dairy product I truly miss -- but only when it's cool/cold out), more eggs, fish and meat, with the stipulation that the fish is wild-caught, the diary cows, laying hens, and other meat animals actually get to be cows and chickens, etc. Not production units, but actual animals who live as quality a life as any domesticated animal could.

In addition, I've happily spent the last several months eating less animal product than most North Americans eat in half a week, so I'm not looking to jump on the meat meat meat bandwagon. Ugh. I will do as I have been training myself to do for the past several months: pay attention to my body and eat what it tells me to eat... as long as it's in season. My body wants a little bit of butter to go with the wild-foraged mushrooms, and the occasional small bit of meat or egg. Not industrial egg replacer or pseudo-meat. Not factory-farmed, antibiotic-ridden, misery-drenched, corn-by-product saturated animal. I want the real thing: pastured, grass-fed ruminants (the grazing beasties), grain-fed free-range (in its TRUE sense -- what we picture, not what free-range actually means when you get bureaucrats rules lawyering the phrase into meaningless drivel) bird, free-swimming fishies, etc.

I've also discovered in the last little while that my mycophobia has all but vanished. I'm so excited to try whatever edible mushrooms come my way.

Little by little, I'm learning what food means to me and it's a fantastic journey.

I am missing Pride again. Last year, it was because I was the size of the Goodyear blimp and much too swollen and pregnant to enjoy anything beyond a walk around the block, let alone a whole parade with millions of people around. This year, it is because we are spending the weekend with N's parents. It's their birthday weekend and his dad's retirement party, so the whole family is going to be visiting.

N, A, and I will be sleeping in a tent. Wish us good weather and/or a water-tight tent. There's a chance of rain and thunderstorms... eep!

Lots of last minute preparation: we discovered only last night that we will have to provide all our meals, too. This is because my food sensitivities and our mostly vegan lifestyle is completely incompatible with his family's very meat-oriented, microwavable, suburban food lifestyle. There's a rant in there (they put SUGAR on perfectly sweet, ripe STRAWBERRIES, FFS! ugh.)

yeah, so... got lots to do, little time in which to do it; add in 11-month-old baby and everything is crazier and harder than it would normally be.

Thankfully, I've mostly got A packed up. Just need to get his food situated and figure out which toys to bring. Need to get our food bought and packed, which will take up the rest of the day.

A is currently napping. *phew*
****

and for a quick baby update: he has started to sign to me. He lets me know when he wants 'more' and today, he signed his version of 'all done'. He also lets me know which food he wants to eat if I give him a choice (he smacks at whatever of the two options he prefers) , which is so awesome! Yay for communication! He's also trying to say words like apple and pear and more, but it's still pretty garbled.

He's standing on his own, but it'll be awhile before those first step happen.

He turned 11 months old yesterday. *sniff* It really goes by quickly!

*****

ohohohohoh! We finally got the window box up and have plants! Garlic chives, lemon basil, oregano, and a viola (the blooms are edible). Wheeeee! And I discovered that lettuce would probably grow really well in a window box in the kitchen, so that's our next project in a couple of weeks.

Next week, N will be pretty much unavailable, due to biannual work craziness. I could use some visitors. Anyone interested in coming over some evening next week to hang out with me and A?

How We're Wrecking Our Feet

trying to figure out whether you can grow heirloom tomatoes well in window boxes. anyone know, fer sher?

totally loving not eating meat, eggs, and dairy: my mouth and body feel clean
(but I bought 6 farm eggs at Saturday's market: for cookies!)

A. loves munching on cardboard. We just moved. Cardboard = not so healthy. Parents = work cut out for them. Ack! Fortunately, N is a box moving genius!

Friends = love
(still need to reconnect with a few)
kuaimao tomorrow?

Everyday, I get closer to looking like my true self. Which is to say, I'm looking more and more like a dirty hippie. Wheeee!

I'm totally digging the Dufferin Grove Farmers' Market. I'm totally spoiled for food now. Local people, go here: http://tfmn.ca/

Going out to a local moms' group on Friday. Hope it's what I need it to be.

Just discovered No Impact Man: http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blo…

And a way to get rid of bras

Last night, N and I went to the side yard between our building and the next and cleaned up 4 bags' worth of trash. It felt good to clean up stuff and bad knowing that there's no way we'll ever be able to easily make it safe for A to play there: too much broken glass. Oh well. You win some, you lose some.