Why I am a Vegan

[Nía]

Pretty close, huh?

[Jade]

[ada]

Awwwww

[Jade]

12% of the US population of pigs live in North Carolina.

https://qz.com/1386629/hurricane-florenc...e-lagoons/

North Carolina is one of the biggest hog-farming states in the US, with about 9 million pigs being raised on some 2,300 farms. That equals a lot of manure—about 10 billion pounds of wet animal waste are produced in the state a year, according to the Waterkeeper Alliance. Farms store the pigs’ feces in uncovered, earthen lagoons, some the size of football fields. And now they’re at risk of becoming a public health hazard when Hurricane Florence touches down.

The storm is set to sweep through North Carolina on Thursday or Friday, and the manure lagoons are squarely in its path. A farming journal urged hog farmers to prepare for the storm.

We’ve seen this before: 2016’s Hurricane Matthew inundated 14 hog manure lagoons. In the days leading up to the hurricane’s landfall, some farmers pumped waste out of their lagoons and hauled it away in an effort to limit the damage. Hurricane Floyd in 1999 did much worse, flooding “dozens” of hog lagoons and causing half a dozen lagoons’ containing walls to fail. The liquid waste that escaped eventually wound up in estuaries, and was blamed for algae blooms and fish kills.

Floodwaters that come in contact with hog feces make for a toxic soup, and raises fears about the potential for bacteria from the pig feces to contaminate North Carolina’s groundwater.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/as-hur...BBN9nAX|14

Stone said that relocating animals in the storm zone was not an option for many farmers. "Nobody would have the capacity to handle your animals," Stone said. "That's not really an option."

[Jade]

Ropes and fishing gear wrapped around a humpback whale discovered in the Bay of Fundy "very likely" played a role in the animal's death, says the director of the Marine Animal Response Society.

Tonya Wimmer was part of a team on a Canadian Coast Guard boat that located the whale Saturday evening, floating in an area between Long Island and Brier Island, N.S. 

"There was a trap on the animal as well, there may be more or an anchor perhaps. The animal was quite weighted down," she said.  "It's a pretty horrific way for this animal to die."

Called Peajack, the whale was a breeding female and a familiar sight in the area for years.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scot...-1.4816563

[Jade]

Pigs rank as one of the smartest and most sentient animals on this planet.

Pigs can learn how to navigate a maze, use a lever or pulley to access food, and also can play computer games.

Pig mothers sing to their babies while they suckle.

Pigs can learn their names within a week of being born.

The average pig is much, much smarter than the average dog.

This is a picture of individual, sentient, intelligent beings, who are on their way to be slaughtered after a life of confinement and torture.

[ada]

Pigs rank as one of the smartest and most sentient animals on this planet.

Pigs can learn how to navigate a maze, use a lever or pulley to access food, and also can play computer games.

Pig mothers sing to their babies while they suckle.

Pigs can learn their names within a week of being born.

The average pig is much, much smarter than the average dog.

This is a picture of individual, sentient, intelligent beings, who are on their way to be slaughtered after a life of confinement and torture.

Their eyes show so much pain and fear.  

[Jade]

Pigs rank as one of the smartest and most sentient animals on this planet.

Pigs can learn how to navigate a maze, use a lever or pulley to access food, and also can play computer games.

Pig mothers sing to their babies while they suckle.

Pigs can learn their names within a week of being born.

The average pig is much, much smarter than the average dog.

This is a picture of individual, sentient, intelligent beings, who are on their way to be slaughtered after a life of confinement and torture.

Their eyes show so much pain and fear.  

We torture pigs. There's basically no such thing as "free range pork". Almost all pigs live in filthy dark barns ankle deep in excrement. And these are the the lucky ones, they only have 6 months of this type of torture. Breeding sows spend their entire lives (on average about ~3 years out of their natural lifespan of 20+) in tiny farrowing crates where they cannot even turn around. It is extreme confinement. And still they sing to their babies...

Based on the apparent age of these pigs, they are likely breeding sows who are "spent" (sick, downed, or otherwise unable to bear more piglets) and are now being sent to slaughter. This is likely the first time they have seen daylight. They are absolutely terrified.

Being covered in filth is also painful for them. Pigs, contrary to popular belief, are extremely clean animals. They will often designate a "toilet" as far away from their sleeping area as possible. They like to roll in mud on hot days because they don't have sweat glands. They do NOT enjoy being covered in their own and each other's excrement, though I have heard people say this about pigs, that they "seek out excrement". Not true.

[xise]

INTRODUCING THE FIRST STATE TO BAN BEAUTY PRODUCTS TESTED ON ANIMALS By Alisa Manzelli

"California has just become the first state to ban animal-tested cosmetics after passing a bill called the California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act.

According to the legislation, it will be illegal to “sell any cosmetic in California if the final product or any component of the product was knowingly tested on animals after January 1, 2020.”

This move marks the first time a state has taken action against animal testing on such a large scale, and supporters believe it will deliver a global message."

[xise]

Warning Semi-Graphic 2 Minute Video (They use blurring).



https://www.facebook.com/virtueforanimal...555731204/

I'm posting this because I think it's important for people to see what actually goes on in the dairy industry and how they deal with male calves.

[xise]

"The study, published in the journal Science, created a huge dataset based on almost 40,000 farms in 119 countries and covering 40 food products that represent 90% of all that is eaten. It assessed the full impact of these foods, from farm to fork, on land use, climate change emissions, freshwater use and water pollution (eutrophication) and air pollution (acidification).

“A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use,” said Joseph Poore, at the University of Oxford, UK, who led the research. “It is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car,” he said, as these only cut greenhouse gas"

https://www.themaven.net/sustainablehuma...vrvpSsxvw/

[Jade]

Warning Semi-Graphic 2 Minute Video (They use blurring).



https://www.facebook.com/virtueforanimal...555731204/

I'm posting this because I think it's important for people to see what actually goes on in the dairy industry and how they deal with male calves.

Wow, I can't believe they showed that on TV. It's, in the grand scheme of things, not that graphic, but very, very, very, very, very overwhelming and sad. But honestly this might be the least distressing video I've seen of male calves being eliminated.

Such tiny, gentle, sweet, adorable little things. Innocent newborns. Yet alert and obviously by the end the third knows what is coming. Devastating. Thanks for sharing xise.

[ada]

Warning Semi-Graphic 2 Minute Video (They use blurring).



https://www.facebook.com/virtueforanimal...555731204/

I'm posting this because I think it's important for people to see what actually goes on in the dairy industry and how they deal with male calves.

Tell me this isn't madness.

I think it's a crime to hide what's going on behind the meat and dairy industries.

It's graphic because it's wrong, and we know it!!

[Nía]

[Nía]

[Patrick]

Warning Semi-Graphic 2 Minute Video (They use blurring).

https://www.facebook.com/virtueforanimal...555731204/

I'm posting this because I think it's important for people to see what actually goes on in the dairy industry and how they deal with male calves.

When they say at the end that "they go to waste".  Is this literal?  Like not even using their meat for food ?
 

[xise]

Warning Semi-Graphic 2 Minute Video (They use blurring).

https://www.facebook.com/virtueforanimal...555731204/

I'm posting this because I think it's important for people to see what actually goes on in the dairy industry and how they deal with male calves.

When they say at the end that "they go to waste".  Is this literal?  Like not even using their meat for food ?
 

Exactly.

Not sure if eating one-day old babies would be that much better though?

[Patrick]

Warning Semi-Graphic 2 Minute Video (They use blurring).

https://www.facebook.com/virtueforanimal...555731204/

I'm posting this because I think it's important for people to see what actually goes on in the dairy industry and how they deal with male calves.

When they say at the end that "they go to waste".  Is this literal?  Like not even using their meat for food ?
 

Exactly.

Not sure if eating one-day old babies would be that much better though?

From my current perspective, it makes a world of difference.  I guess one could say that it was not for nothing, that it was so that others could be fed from the mother's milk.  At my house we converted to lacto-ovo.  I am aware that babies are getting killed as collateral to produce the milk, but at least I thought their meat would be used by those still eating it.  But this is just ridiculous.  My household is still in transition and stupid stuff like this makes me want to speed up things.  Ah well !  Just another thing to add to the quasi infinite pile of stuff to learn to accept...  I must remind myself again that I am not here to fix it.
 

[Jade]

Warning Semi-Graphic 2 Minute Video (They use blurring).

https://www.facebook.com/virtueforanimal...555731204/

I'm posting this because I think it's important for people to see what actually goes on in the dairy industry and how they deal with male calves.

When they say at the end that "they go to waste".  Is this literal?  Like not even using their meat for food ?
 

Exactly.

Not sure if eating one-day old babies would be that much better though?

From my current perspective, it makes a world of difference.  I guess one could say that it was not for nothing, that it was so that others could be fed from the mother's milk.  At my house we converted to lacto-ovo.  I am aware that babies are getting killed as collateral to produce the milk, but at least I thought their meat would be used by those still eating it.  But this is just ridiculous.  My household is still in transition and stupid stuff like this makes me want to speed up things.  Ah well !  Just another thing to add to the quasi infinite pile of stuff to learn to accept...  I must remind myself again that I am not here to fix it.
 

Basically, the little bit of dog food that can be made off of a newborn calf is not worth the cost of transporting that calf to the slaughterhouse and keeping it alive in the interim. Lots of dairy farms just dig holes and pile the bodies up in them.  Some dairies are set up to produce veal, so they keep the males and fatten them up for a few months, but this is also rarely cost effective. This is just one reason why a lot of dairy farms are going out of business.

[EvolvingPhoenix]

Tried to go vegetarian once. Maybe I didn't stick with it, ultimately cause I was merely "trying"?

When I manage to go back to a healthy weight (lowest Ive reached in the past few weeks was 114.4 lbs at 5'5!) and have more resources and get out of this house, I'll feel free to have more control over what goes in my own pantry. Maybe I'm making excuses for s***, but Im taking it one step at a time, nahmeen?

[Jade]

The first step to changing our behavior is acknowledging that we want to change our behavior. So, hey, good luck on whatever path you choose to take.

[EvolvingPhoenix]

The first step to changing our behavior is acknowledging that we want to change our behavior. So, hey, good luck on whatever path you choose to take.

Thanks Jade

[Nía]

Just because I just had those tabs open.

Conscious Eating for Star Souls

20 Tips for Conscious Eating

Compassionate Eating

[EvolvingPhoenix]

Just because I just had those tabs open.

Conscious Eating for Star Souls

20 Tips for Conscious Eating

Compassionate Eating

How synchronistic! It's dinner time

Granted, we'r about to eat pot roast, but links to conscious eating should teach me something useful here

Thanks for the links, Nia!

[ada]

Dunno if it was posted here already or not, one of the forum members recommeneded it.



30 minutes in and I started crying and went to bed.

[Diana]

I've just created a board on Pinterest for vegan pins. These are pins I create myself. I'm keeping the pins as positive as I can, and I am not going to showcase the horror of factory farms. I want the pins and sentiments to be accessible and reach non-vegans.

This page is one of my author pages, so the perspective is from vegan writers, authors, and musicians/songwriters. Link:

my vegan Pinterest page

Here is one pin I created with Jenny Brown, one amazing individual. My blurb with the pin: Author Jenny Brown is a remarkable human being. She survived bone cancer and an amputated leg at age 10. She became a film and TV producer, and did volunteer undercover video work for animal advocacy. She and her husband founded the Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, home to over 350 victims of the food production industry. Several animals under her care have been fitted with limbs or use devices that aid their disabilities. THANK YOU Jenny.

[Diana]

The very best to everyone on B4 and may 2019 be the most amazing year ever.

[EvolvingPhoenix]

Ever since I got back from Homecoming 2014 at the start of September (about 5 weeks now) I've initiated a series of changes to my life.  This is not unusual; other members and other attendees have also reported a similiar change of tact.  It's like something gets re-awakened or re-connected by being in such a positive space.  So many people, and so much clear heart radiation.

We talk about love.  We even experience with friends and significant others.  But the Law of Squares being what it is, when there is a grouped collection of aligned individuals such as at Homecoming, the effects can only be described as being Transcendent.

I need to go to one of these "Homecomings" When and where is the next one, so I can plan on going to it?

[Plenum]

It's on the Labor Day weekend, and it's in Louisville, Kentucky.

It gets announced around March or April I think.

[MangusKhan]

At what point does it become acceptable to consume or destroy second-density beings? Do the vegans here slap mosquitoes? If you pulled a tick from your groin, would you set it back on a leaf and wish it well? Do you believe it's wrong to consume basic sea creatures like mussels, or even anchovies?

I've gone basically vegan now, but if an organism lies sufficiently close to the bottom of the food chain, or is harmful parasite, then I see no problem with sending it back to its group-soul.