[SusDet Announce] [VegMichigan] October 2007 Newsletter

Tue Oct 2 13:19:13 EDT 2007

Welcome to VegMichigan's e-newsletter for October 2007.
Here's what you'll find in this edition:

1) October is Vegetarian Awareness Month
2) Help Us Create a VegMichigan Recipe Book
3) Dinner Club at Szechuan Empire North - October 13, 7
p.m.
4) Veg-E-Que at Oakland University - October 17, Noon
5) VegMichigan Halloween Costume Party - October 27, 7
p.m.
6) Our Library Display in Oak Park
7) Second Annual "Nightmare on North Avenue" Halloween
Fundraising Party - October 6
8) VRG Offers Scholarships for Vegetarian High School
Students
9) VegMichigan in Action

and.. News For Life

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Not yet a member of VegMichigan? See the benefits of
membership and join at:
http://VegMichigan.org/membership/

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

1) October is Vegetarian Awareness Month

October is World Vegetarian Awareness Month. This is a
great opportunity for you to spread the word in simple
ways. Wear message shirts or buttons throughout the month,
invite friends and family over for a vegetarian feast,
place an ad in your local paper. Remember also to direct
people to a great source of information and support -
Michigan's largest vegetarian organization - us! Ask your
friends and family to visit VegMichigan.org, forward them
our newsletter and invite them to sign up for it
themselves.

For more ideas on how to celebrate Vegetarian Awareness
Month, see http://www.worldvegetarianday.org/youcando/

And see item #4 here for our Veg-E-Que celebration at
Oakland University, October 17.

2) Help Us Create a VegMichigan Recipe Book

We are in the process of putting together a cookbook of
VegMichigan members' favorite recipes. To be part of this
great event simply send your favorite (more than one
favorite is encouraged!) recipe to Adena at
adena at vegmichigan.org and your name along with your recipe
will be featured in the cookbook. All recipes should be
vegan, containing no animal products.

While you're at it, why not send your recipe to a few
friends in the spirit of Vegetarian Awareness Month?

3) Dinner Club at Szechuan Empire North - October 13, 7
p.m.

Our October Dinner will be at Szechuan Empire North, 39450
14 Mile and Haggerty Road (New Berry Square Shopping
Center)in Commerce Township. We will enjoy a vegan Chinese
feast.

We will start with a vegetarian spring roll, followed by 4
entrees: Famous General Tso Vegetarian Chicken, Vegetarian
Triple Fragrance (vegetarian beef stir fried with red
pepper, broccoli and baby corn in a special sauce), Sauteed
String Beans, and Vegetarian's Delight.  Brown rice and
vegetable fried rice are included. Cost is $16 per person,
payable in cash at the door, and includes tax and tip. To
attend, you MUST give an RSVP by October 11.  RSVP to Karen
at karen at vegmichigan.org or leave a message at
1-877-778-3464.

4) Veg-E-Que at Oakland University - October 17, Noon

Join VegMichigan on October 17 as we celebrate Vegetarian
Awareness Month with a Veg-E-Que at Oakland University. 
The event takes place from noon until 2 pm in front of the
Oakland Center at OU, 2200 N. Squirrel Rd., Rochester. 
We'll hand out vegan food samples and literature and will
be joined by FM 93.9, "The River."   Stop by!

5) VegMichigan Halloween Costume Party - October 27, 7
p.m.

Freaks, creeps, goblins and goons!  Let's gather 'neath the
bright orange moon!  Dresseth thou in strange attire as we
cast spells 'round sparking fire!  Bring offerings to
appease the spirits - but vegan, so no animals fear us!

Join us on the last Saturday in October, after dark, as we
celebrate Halloween at the Rowlson's house in White Lake
with a viciously vegan potluck!  Please bring a vegan dish
for 8-10 people and come in costume  - it's so much more
frightfully fun!  We'll enjoy games, music, dancing and a
bonfire (weather permitting), even a Samhain ritual!  Our
hosts will provide some light snacks and beverages,
including some more “potent offerings.”  VegMichigan
members get in free; others pay a small fee of $5.  Space
is limited, so please RSVP to Laura (Hostess HeLLin)
Rowlson at laura at vegmichigan.org or 248-698-4719.  She'll
e-mail directions to all ghouls
er, guests. ;)

6) Our Library Display

For the month of October, our library display will be seen
at:

Oak Park Library 
14200 Oak Park Blvd
Oak Park, MI 48237 

(248) 691-7480

Be sure to check out this eye-catching display reaching the
public in a different library each month. In addition,
VegMichigan has contributed to a display in Farmington this
month celebrating Vegetarian Awareness Month.

Farmington Community Library 
23500 Liberty St
Farmington, MI 48335  

(248) 553-0300

7) Second Annual "Nightmare on North Avenue" Halloween
Fundraising Party - October 6

SMART (Southeastern Michigan Animal Rights Team) and NAOP
(Neighborhood Animal Outreach Project) are hosting the
second annual "Nightmare on North Avenue" Halloween
fundraising party. Saturday, October 6 at 8 p.m. in Mt.
Clemens.

Tickets are $8 for SMART members and $10 for all others.
Included will be both alcoholic and non-alcoholic punches,
beer, and vegan "munchies."  There will be a costume
contest, bonfire, raffles, and many scary surprises. All
proceeds benefit SMART and NAOP.

See details at:
http://animalrights.meetup.com/4/messages/boards/view/viewthread?thread=3493568

And pictures of last year's party at:
http://animalrights.meetup.com/4/photos/?photoAlbumId=104391&photoId=734377

(You may have to join the SMART Meetup group - for free -
to view the content at the links above)

8) VRG Offers Scholarships for Vegetarian High School
Students

Due to the generosity of an anonymous donor, the Vegetarian
Resource Group (VRG) each year will award $10,000 in college
scholarship money to graduating U.S. high school students
who have promoted vegetarianism in their schools and/or
communities. Entries may only be sent by students
graduating from high school in spring 2008. Deadline is
February 20, 2008. For more details and how to apply:
http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

And if you fit this description, we want to hear about you
too! Send an email to info at vegmichigan.org and let us know
about the work you're doing in your school or community.

9) VegMichigan in Action

We are constantly involved in sharing the message of a
plant-based diet and peaceful living. You'll find us giving
lectures, handing out literature, and doing what we can for
the cause. If you have an interest in participating -
experience not needed - contact Paul at
paul at vegmichigan.org or 1-877-778-3464.

* Holistic Health Festival
   October 6, Southfield, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

* Healing Arts and Green Living Expo
   October 14, Ann Arbor, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

* Bioneers Conference
   October 19 - 21, Detroit, Times Vary

* Peoples Food Co-op Fall Festival
   October 20, Ann Arbor, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

* Fall 2007 Natural Health Fair & Expo (** details below)
   October 20, Lapeer, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

For details, see our calendar:
http://vegmichigan.org/events

(**) Michigan Healthy Living Expo and Natural Awakenings
provide literature, coupons, product samples and services
from various categories including physicians and
practitioners in the natural health community, holistic
dentistry, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage &
reflexology, nutrition & weight loss and many more. 
VegMichigan will table at this event advocating a
plant-based diet concerning topics of health, environment,
and animal compassion.  This event will take place at The
Lapeer Center Building, 425 County Center St, Lapeer MI
near I-69, M-21 and M-24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

October 2007 
News For Life

This newsletter is designed to keep you aware of the many
effects our food choices have on our lives; from personal
health to a sustainable planet and respecting other
species.

General News Index:
FREE T. Colin Campbell Interview Downloads!
Healthy Microwave Cooking of Vegetables
Antibiotic Runoff 
Organic is Healthier and, If Done Right, Less Expensive
The Fit Vegan 
Raising My New Baby Vegan
Meatless State of Mind
“Diagnosed with MS; Food Became my Medicine”
Beating the Genetic Odds
Video: Post Punk Kitchen 
Video: "Cartoons, Comedy, and Compassion"
Alicia Bares Her Silverstones
Chrissie Hynde's Got a Beef With Meat Eaters

Health News Index:
The Secret to Long-Term Weight Loss Might Be a Vegan Diet
Eat Your (Whole-Grain) Cereal
Avocados May Help Prevent Oral Cancer
Low-fat, vegetarian Diet May Stall Prostate Cancer
Hot Dogs and Bacon Cause Increased Risk for Lung Disease
Fish Eaters and Mercury Poisoning
Ask The Doc: Seasonal Allergies
A New Anti-acne Diet

Environmental News Index:
Groups Push Anti-meat Message
The Dangers of Overfishing the Earth's Oceans

Animal Sentience Index:
Alex, the Renowned African Grey Parrot, Dies At 31
It's Dove at First Sight (photo included!)

Take Action Index:
Fix the Farm Bill
“Exploring Your Food,” See the Commercial and Donate!

*********************************************************

General News:

“If you don't stay informed, then who will tell the others
the truth?” 
Anonymous

FREE T. Colin Campbell Interview Downloads!

The scientific basis for supporting health by consuming
plant-based, unrefined foods: Free downloads of a series of
seven informative audio interviews with nutritionist T.
Colin Campbell, Ph.D. co-author of “The China Study:
Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long Term
Health” conducted by Sylvester Johnson, Ph.D. The first
interview treats food's impact on cancer. By Dr. Campbell's
permission as a public service from the non-profit website
www.climatehealth.net/Interviews.html

Healthy Microwave Cooking of Vegetables

In 2003 a study published in the Journal of the Science of
Food and Agriculture showed that microwave cooked broccoli
lost the highest percentage of flavonoid antioxidants. But
other studies show that microwave cooking causes the least
loss of nutrients over other cooking methods... 

Phytonutrients, such as flavonoids, play an important role
in preventing cancer, stroke and heart disease. It's
important to preserve as much nutrition as possible. The
absolutely best way to accomplish this is to grow your own
vegetables organically, pick them fresh and eat them
immediately, either raw or lightly steamed... 

Frozen vegetables, cooked lightly in the microwave in a
covered glass dish, such as corning ware, require no extra
cooking water. They steam in their own juices. Microwave
cooking can be a convenient way to put more veggies in your
life...
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art52758.asp

Antibiotic Runoff 

One of the persistent problems of industrial agriculture is
the inappropriate use of antibiotics. It's one thing to give
antibiotics to individual animals, case by case, the way we
treat humans. But it's a common practice in the confinement
hog industry to give antibiotics to the whole herd, to
enhance growth and to fight off the risk of disease, which
is increased by keeping so many animals in such close
quarters. This is an ideal way to create organisms
resistant to the drugs. That poses a risk to us all.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/opinion/18tue3.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1190203958-qgFZivmnSCF6KiNOmSZGxA
VM Note: Just one more reason to turn vegan!

Organic is Healthier and, If Done Right, Less Expensive

The recent syndicated column attacking the value of
organics has two big problems. First, it is suspiciously
similar to a national effort by chemical companies to
discredit organic. Second, and more important, organic food
is better for your health, and organic agriculture is better
for the environment. Which isn't to say that local isn't
important, too... 

*Pesticides and health effects — A National Academy of
Sciences study noted that "low-level pesticide exposure can
cause serious, developmental risks to infants and children,
some with serious lifelong consequences." Also, recent USDA
data shows that more than 90 percent of the samples of
conventionally grown apples, peaches, pears, strawberries
and celery had pesticide residues, and conventionally grown
crops were six times as likely as organic to contain
multiple pesticide residues.
*Difference in nutrients — Some nutrients, such as
antioxidants, have been proven to be higher in organic
foods. 
*Saving family farms and the environment — The Organic
Center noted, "Overall energy use is much greater on
conventional farms largely because of their reliance on
pesticides and nitrogen fertilizer. On a conventional corn
farm, these two inputs account for about 43 percent of
total energy use. "By growing U.S. organic food consumption
to 10 percent by 2010, we will eliminate 2.9 billion barrels
of imported oil annually."

Recent long-term studies at the Rodale Institute have shown
that organic soils are more resistant to both drought and
floods, and yields in most products are equal or better in
organic. The United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization estimates that worldwide average yield of all
organic products are 130 percent that of conventional...
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070914/OPINION/709140308

The Fit Vegan 

In 2005, Dr. Klaper, who specializes in vegan nutrition,
published the preliminary results of the Vegan Health
Study, which followed over 900 vegans through
questionnaires, as well as testing blood and urine samples
of some of the participants. The results of the study were
positive, suggesting that a properly balanced, vegan diet,
based on whole foods and with special attention to the
supplements discussed here, can offer many health benefits.
Klaper's list of benefits includes relief from, or even
prevention of, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and
certain cancers, as well as some kidney disorders,
immune-inflammatory diseases, toxin exposure,
gastrointestinal diseases and eye disorders. 

Dr. Klaper has shown that a low-fat vegan diet can,
remarkably, reverse heart disease. Not just slow it down,
or halt progression, but actually encourage your body to
heal the damage, and return to a healthier state...

Of course, being vegan doesn't render one immune to
conditions such as cardiovascular disease, particularly if
one doesn't follow popular advice such as limiting sodium,
avoiding cigarettes, and staying physically active. And the
benefits apply most strongly to those who maximize the
amount of whole foods in their diet. If one is mainly
replacing animal products with highly processed faux meat
and dairy alternatives, the benefits aren't as great...  

Nutrition and Lifestyle Recommendations from the Vegan
Health Study Clinical Summary 
1. Make whole plant foods the foundation of your diet... 
2. Minimize refined carbohydrates - both sugars and
starches... 
3. Include a healthful intake and balance of essential
fatty acids... 
4. Assure an adequate protein intake... 
5. Assure an adequate supply of trace minerals... 
6. Insure a reliable source of vitamin B12... 
7. Control your sodium intake...
8. Eliminate hydrogenated vegetable oil... 
9. Consider taking a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement... 
10. Be sure to get a consistent reliable source of vitamin
D... 
11. Try to get 20 to 30 minutes of active, weight-bearing
exercise at least every other day... 
12. For optimal health, says Dr. Klaper, a positive mental
and emotional state is essential - and possibly more
important than nutritional intake...
http://www.friendsofanimals.org/actionline/Summer-2007/fit_vegan.php

Raising My New Baby Vegan

Vegan Nutrition with Marty Davey, RD
http://www.vegfamily.com/dietician-marty/vegan-child-nutrition.htm

Meatless State of Mind

While it's a jump outside of the dietary box for many
Americans, veganism is steadily gaining attention.

Vegetarianism in general involves eating no meat, fish or
fowl, but vegans live an animal-free lifestyle. For ethical
reasons and health benefits, they avoid meat, eggs and dairy
in their diets, and animal fibers and products tested on
animals in their homes.

Twenty years ago, vegans were on their own to experiment
with developing meatless recipes and ingredients, but
today, nationwide chains are developing soy milk and other
vegan-friendly products and cookbooks featuring recipes for
meatless dishes and even vegan cupcakes...

RECIPES
Vegans and vegetarians say the possibilities are endless
when whipping up culinary delights. Here are three recipes
that take you from appetizer to dessert.
GUACAMOLE-STUFFED ROMA TOMATOES...
SARAH'S PIZZA PIE...
INSTANT SORBET WITH FRESH WATERMELON PALETTE...
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070904/LIVING/709040322

“Diagnosed with MS; Food Became my Medicine”

... Multiple sclerosis, a disease of the central nervous
system, affects around 350,000 Americans (mostly
Caucasians, and more often women than men).  Its numbers
are higher in populations where typical diets are comprised
of beef, butter, cheese, and other saturated fats. The
addition of so many trans-fats has also escalated numbers.
MS is often treated with one of three or four very
expensive and toxic drugs. Dr. Swank's work, however, is
completely nutrition-based and carries no dangerous side
effects.

It's been 18 years now since I first met with Dr. Swank,
and today I do not use any kind of aids or devices (such as
a walker, cane, or braces), but I do take the daily rest
breaks that he strongly advised (to allow my body's
compromised nerves adequate time to rest and recover). I am
grateful for each day of health that I enjoy, and only
occasionally do I feel some extremity tingling (when I've
allowed myself to overdo it without rest). 

I volunteer at a local hospital and cook healthful and
tasty meals for my very supportive husband and myself.
Keeping to a simple diet of brown rice, legumes, fresh
vegetables and fruits, as well as minimizing fats, has done
a world of good... 
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007star/sep/stardonna.html

Beating the Genetic Odds

When I was five years old my aunt died of breast cancer in
our home. My mother and sister also had breast cancer. My
mother later died of Alzheimer's, but she also had
diabetes, osteoporosis, and had had several open-heart
procedures. Both of my sisters have heart disease, and my
sister who hasn't had cancer has diabetes. In addition,
both of my parents and their parents had diabetes.

Given my history, shock and awe transform my doctors' faces
when they discover that I am 54 and am on no medications.
All of these diseases, they told me, are genetic and there
is nothing I can do about them. But they are wrong. This is
my story of how I found great health and beat the genetic
odds that were working against me...
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007star/sep/starellen.html

Video: Post Punk Kitchen 

Punk rock vegan cooking show straight outta Brooklyn. 4 -
30 minute shows. http://www.theppk.com/
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=post+punk+kitchen+Isa+Terry

Video: "Cartoons, Comedy, and Compassion"

Dan Piraro (Creator of Bizarro)
http://vsh.voip-info.org/Piraro.html

Alicia Bares Her Silverstones

We know it's healthy, but Alicia Silverstone is going to
show what a vegan diet can do for the parts of the body
that don't regularly see the sun. The leather-eschewing
Clueless star has taken it all off for a 30-second PETA
commercial touting vegetarianism...

"I'm Alicia Silverstone, and I'm a vegetarian," the
30-year-old actress says in the ad, as she climbs out of a
swimming pool. "There's nothing in the world that's changed
me as much as this. I feel so much better and have so much
more energy."... "Physically, the effect has been amazing,"
she said in a statement. "Once I went vegan, I lost the
weight I wanted to lose, my nails were stronger and my skin
was glowing. I feel great!"
http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=4353fd85-4666-49a9-a1f4-dcfc77b7c6e7&entry=index&sid=rss_topstories&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories#comments

Chrissie Hynde's Got a Beef With Meat Eaters

You've just admitted to rocker Chrissie Hynde that you're a
meat eater. Turns out she's not one of the easy-going PETA
people who will cut you some slack. 
''Why do you do it?,'' she asks frostily. Uh, because
you're lame? Really, because you like the taste.

''That's not a very thought-out answer,'' says the
straight-talking frontwoman for The Pretenders, wearing
veggie-friendly eyeliner, a vegan T-shirt she picked up in
Brazil and red, knee-high Stella McCartney boots made from
something unleather... 

``Read a couple of books. You'll find out we aren't
[carnivores]. Our digestive systems aren't. Our jaws swing
from left to right like herbivores. Go to a slaughterhouse.
I don't have to go, because I have an imagination. I can
imagine what an animal goes through. If you don't have
enough of an imagination, go to a factory farm and see the
pigs on the rape racks. And if you don't like what you see,
then gouge your eyes out and walk around unconscious, which
is what most people do.''...

I don't think animals should be killed for any reason. To
me it's pornographic to be so interested in your tongue. I
find it beneath human dignity. If you're governed by your
tongue and your d- - -, then you're an animal.''... 
http://www.miamiherald.com/288/story/221918.html

Health News:

"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your
food."  
Hippocrates, the father of medicine.

The Secret to Long-Term Weight Loss Might Be a Vegan Diet

A new study in September's Obesity shows that a vegan diet
helps people lose more weight and keep it off more
effectively than a more conventional low-fat diet that
includes meat and dairy products. Social support in the
form of group meetings was also associated with greater
sustained weight loss, according to the study's authors,
who include health experts with the Physicians Committee
for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)...
http://www.pcrm.org/news/release070910.html

Eat Your (Whole-Grain) Cereal

Doctors who reported eating whole-grain cereals seven times
a week or more cut their heart failure chances by 28
percent. Those eating these cereals between two and six
times a week saw their risk drop by 22 percent, and even
those who just ate the cereals once a week had a 14 percent
lower risk... 

"There are good and powerful arguments for eating a
whole-grain cereal for breakfast," reports Luc Djoussé,
M.D., M.P.H., D.Sc., lead author of the study and assistant
professor of medicine in the Division of Aging at Brigham &
Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. "The
significant health benefits of whole-grain cereal are not
just for kids but also for adults. A whole-grain,
high-fiber breakfast may lower blood pressure and bad
cholesterol and prevent heart attacks."
http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/news-32369-29.html

Avocados May Help Prevent Oral Cancer

Nutrients taken from avocados are able to thwart oral
cancer cells, killing some and preventing pre-cancerous
cells from developing into actual cancers, according to
researchers at Ohio State University... Studies have long
associated the consumption of fruits and vegetables with a
reduced risk for various types of human cancer... 

Avocados are chock-full of beneficial antioxidants and
phytonutrients, including vitamin C, folate, vitamin E,
fiber and unsaturated fats. They are naturally sodium-free,
contain no trans fats and are low in saturated fat, making
them a healthy addition to any diet, D'Ambrosio says. "The
future is ripe for identifying fruits and vegetables and
individual phytonutrients with cancer preventing
activity,"... 
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/81577.php

Low-fat, vegetarian Diet May Stall Prostate Cancer

Low-fat, plant-based diets may help prevent or slow the
progression of prostate cancer, according to a new research
review.

A number of studies, though not all, have suggested that
eating plenty of fruits and vegetables may help ward off
prostate cancer, while "Western"-style diets heavy in
animal fat and dairy products may increase a man's risk of
developing the disease...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070911/hl_nm/vegetarian_prostate_dc_1

Hot Dogs and Bacon Cause Increased Risk for Lung Disease

A new study finds that eating cured meats is associated
with an increased risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD). Researchers analyzed the consumption of
cured meat products (bacon, hot dogs, and other processed
meats) in 42,915 men participating in the Health
Professionals Follow-up Study. Those men consuming cured
meats daily had more than two and half times the risk for
COPD compared with those consuming these products rarely or
never. The researchers speculate that cured meat may
aggravate the effect of smoking on risk for COPD.
http://www.pcrm.org/news/archive070912.html

Fish Eaters and Mercury Poisoning

People who eat a lot of fish are increasingly falling
victim to the debilitating effects of mercury poisoning.
Women, in particular, are putting their babies at risk for
irreparable brain damage when they eat seafood high in
mercury while pregnant and even beforehand. According to
the EPA, about 630,000 newborns in the United States every
year--roughly 15 percent of all--may be exposed to
dangerous levels of mercury in the womb. 
http://www.vivavegie.org/vv101/101reas2007.htm#55

Ask The Doc: Seasonal Allergies

Nutrition plays a major role in asthma, and there's
increasing evidence that foods can affect seasonal
allergies too... Why do vegetarian and vegan diets help?
Researchers first attributed these benefits to the absence
of common food triggers, such as meat, dairy and eggs.
After all, if you're not eating troublesome foods, you
can't have an allergic reaction to them. But there's
probably more to it. Repeated studies have shown that
people who eat more fruits and vegetables have reduced risk
of asthma, presumably because these foods improve immune
system functions... One note of caution: A vegetarian diet
does improve nutrition and help alleviate asthma, but it's
also possible to be allergic to some vegetarian foods, such
as peanuts, soy or wheat...
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/resources/ask_the_experts/6

A New Anti-acne Diet

Many doctors say that diet doesn't cause acne, however a
new Australian study suggests otherwise. 

Facial acne improved dramatically in young men (ages 15 to
25) who for three months shifted their diet away from foods
that spike blood sugar, such as soft drinks, candy and white
bread... Their theory: Foods that are sugary and highly
processed hype insulin, which affects hormones in ways that
promote acne. 

Message for youths who are prone to acne: Curb blood sugar
spikes by eating whole grains, legumes, fruits and
vegetables, and you might actually be able to keep acne
away. 
http://www.usaweekend.com/07_issues/070909/070909thinksmart.html#eatsmart

Environmental News:

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for
survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a
vegetarian diet."  Albert Einstein

Groups Push Anti-meat Message

Ever since "An Inconvenient Truth," Al Gore has been the
darling of environmentalists, but the movie hardly endeared
him to animal rights folks. According to them, the most
inconvenient truth of all is that raising animals for meat
contributes more to global warming than all the sport
utility vehicles combined... In late November, the U.N.
Food and Agriculture Organization issued a report stating
that the livestock business generates more greenhouse gas
emissions than all forms of transportation combined...
"Environmentalists are still pointing their fingers at
Hummers and SUVs when they should be pointing at the dinner
plate," said Matt Prescott, manager of vegan campaigns for
PETA.

... [PETA] also plans to send billboard-toting trucks to
the Colorado Convention Center in Denver when Gore lectures
there Oct. 2. The billboards will feature a cartoon image of
Gore eating a drumstick next to the tagline: "Too Chicken to
Go Vegetarian? Meat Is the No. 1 Cause of Global Warming."

The Humane Society of the United States is running ads in
environmental magazines that show a car key and a fork.
"Which one of these contributes more to global warming?"
the ads ask. They answer the question with "It's not the
one that starts a car,"...
http://www.twincities.com/ci_6778765?source=rss

The Dangers of Overfishing the Earth's Oceans

A few years ago, Jason Kelly visited the Tsukiji fish
market in Japan, the largest such market in the world. With
the equivalent of five football fields filled with fish each
morning until it was empty by 8 a.m. each day, it got Kelly
wondering - how many fish can there be in the ocean?
Specifically, how can the ocean support this every morning?

What Kelly was shocked to find upon further research was
that in the last 50 years, the ocean stocks have been
depleted by 50 percent. 

“The conservation groups are all very clear on this. If we
don't change our fishing habits by the mid-century, there
won't be fish anymore,” said Kelly. “The fish in the ocean
won't be there anymore in our lifetime.”... 

http://www.canarsiedigest.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18792758&BRD=2384&PAG=461&dept_id=551981&rfi=6

Animal Sentience:

"The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They
were not made for humans any more than black people were
made for white, or women created for men."  
Alice Walker, author and activist.

Alex, the Renowned African Grey Parrot, Dies At 31

... pioneering research resulted in Alex learning elements
of English speech to identify 50 different objects, 7
colors, 5 shapes, quantities up to and including 6 and a
zero-like concept. He used phrases such as “I want X” and
“Wanna go Y”, where X and Y were appropriate object and
location labels.  He acquired concepts of categories,
bigger and smaller, same-different, and absence. Alex
combined his labels to identify, request, refuse, and
categorize more than 100 different items demonstrating a
level and scope of cognitive abilities never expected in an
avian species... 

Alex has left a significant legacy—not only have he and Dr.
Pepperberg and their landmark experiments in modern
comparative psychology changed our views of the
capabilities of avian minds, but they have forever changed
our perception of the term “bird brains.”
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070911154520.htm

It's Dove at First Sight (photo included!)

The 12-week-old macaque was rescued on Neilingding Island,
in Goangdong Province, China, after being abandoned by his
mother. Taken to an animal hospital, he was weaned back to
physical health but still showed little appetite for life.
It was not until a fellow patient, a white pigeon, took him
under her wing and showed him love and affection that he
perked up. Now the two are inseparable, say staff...
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=65876&in_page_id=

Take Action:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed,
citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing
that ever has."  
Margaret Mead, anthropologist

Fix the Farm Bill

Ever wonder why cheeseburgers are so cheap? Or why school
cafeterias still serve more meatloaf and hot dogs than
fruits and vegetables? The answer may surprise you.

The Farm Bill, America's primary federal food policy, keeps
high-fat, cholesterol-laden pork, beef, cheese, and other
unhealthy animal products cheap and widely available.
That's why I hope you'll take action today...
https://secure2.convio.net/pcrm/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=139&autologin=true&AddInterest

“Exploring Your Food,” See the Commercial and Donate!

With the propaganda feel of a 50s style “educational” film,
Compassion Over Killing's newest 30-second commercial
combines humor and truth to encourage viewers to explore
their food and discover the reality of exactly what—and
who—they're eating. “Exploring Your Food” will hit the MTV
airwaves this fall, potentially reaching more than 24
million household cable subscribers in hundreds of cities
from coast to coast. The ad will run two times a night for
several weeks—and with your help, they can keep this ad
running throughout the fall academic semester! 
http://www.cok.net/camp/mtv/feature/

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