'Tis the season for passionate support of issues, ideals, life philosophies. We're all fired up, thinking of the greater good, inspired to promote change.
So let me put my own plea out there (sorry, this isn't going to be a funny post, if any of mine are). Animal cruelty is my hot button -- were there two candidates running, one in favor of poking animals with skewers just for fun and the other in favor of ... well, not torturing animals, I'd be a single issue voter (in favor of the not torturing ticket, in case that isn't clear). And I try to live my life that way, although when the deaf and decrepit Groucho is howling and yowling through the house at 2 a.m. and I lie awake cringing, just waiting for him to wake up Lucy, my internal animal cruelty gauge tilts slightly more toward center than I care to admit. But really, I feel strongly about it. I'm vegetarian, not for health reasons -- obviously...no paragon of fitness, here -- but because for me, it's the wrong choice to kill and eat animals when there are other options available for someone with my resources and lifestyle. I try my hardest to buy cruelty-free products. Hence my plea:
Want to join me? There are some simple things you can do, even if vegetarianism isn't for you.
- Cage-free eggs. This is actually the thing that made me into a vegetarian -- I saw a documentary about egg farming and was never able to eat meat again from that day forward. HORRIBLE. Most grocery stores sell them, here at least, in their regular egg section or in their "health food" aisles. They cost slightly more, but it's SO worth it.
- Cruelty free products. SO easy to do these days...grocery stores sell them, Target sells the wonderful Method line which I love -- cruelty free and nice smelling...I use the body wash/shampoo on Lucy and she comes out smelling delightfully, if slightly disconcertingly, of marshmallows. And my dishes smell like grapefruit -- delicious!
- Leather...this is where I kind of fall down on my ideals. I don't do entirely without leather. I try to limit it -- fabric shoes, fabric car interior, etc. But I do have some shoes, and a leather couch (a deliberate choice, come baby time, made with all the spills and smears and stickiness in mind).
- Free-range dairy. This is harder to find, but I do my best to find butter and cheeses made from cows allowed pasture time.
- Etc. There are lots of other things you can do; please consider it.
I know some of this is a luxury -- cruelty free food, in particular, costs more. But if you care, and if you can, I'd love to have you on my side.
I'm Melissa and I approve of this message.
17 comments:
here here sister!
I'm so glad you posted. I'm missing your more frequent posts! And you are funny all the time, BTW. I'm not a vegetarian, although I used to be (too hard to eat veg. when I can't eat much of anything out as it is). However, I TOTALLY agree with you on the points you made. I always pay more for eggs from cage free hens, I use products not tested on animals (Av*eda) (except for medical stuff), buy free range dairy, etc. Plus, whether the FDA says it or not, I can't help but think that animals that are fed grain instead of ground up animal parts are probably more fit for human consumption. Just saying... Thanks for this post!
Great post. I am pretty much a die-hard carnivore (sorry - do you still love me?) but when we still lived in MI we ate entirely bow-hunted venison. The deer were starving and that seemed more cruel than a quick death. My brother only hunted as much as could be consumed and it was all natural/organic. Before that, we only ate cow that was naturally pastured. I really believe if you are going to eat an animal you should know it's name and look it in the eye first. If you can't do that, what business do you have eating it?
We had chickens as pets for awhile - I couldn't eat their eggs (even though they were not fertilized) - it just freaked me out and I haven't been able to really eat chicken since.
Did you find it hard to eat in Vietnam? We were given a really hard time and had a somewhat challenging time finding veggie foods for our then-4yo who is and has always been vegetarian.
Kelly: glad to have you on my ticket!
Laura: sorry, I've been so bad about blogging and there's no reason. Can't commit to daily, but will try to step it up a bit.
Nicki: always and forever. You've earned lifetime bonus points with your AMAZING blogging during this election.
Glad you're here. Where do you find free range dairy?
I'm going to give it a try. Although, first on my list is ordering half a cow. (Sorry.) But, it's a HAPPY COW. It's walking around in a pasture right now, at a happy, healthy farm about 45 minutes from my house, eating GRAIN and GRASS (and not ground up other cow. Which is just nasty. Doesn't it make them, like, cownivores?). (I know it's probably not what you wanted me to do, but, I just...really, I love beef.)
Also, we are trying to do 2 vegetarian meals per week.
I've not seen cage free eggs around here, but, I will look at the speciality grocery store.
I would have a hard time giving up leather. I really would. I think we have done a lot as a family to lessen our impact on the environment. But I sure love my shoes.
Big on cage free eggs. Feel much better about eating local beef that had a happy cowlife- but still have issues if I think about it being an animal instead of a neat package labeled as hamburger. (I may be a vegatarian raised by a pack of meat and potatoe eaters and thus still confused)
But I still strongly urge you to address your toddler-poking-grabing-animal-cruelty issues.
Totally agree! And my motto is...you pay now or you pay later...
I know it relates more to health, but still true along the line somewhere I'm sure!
Excellent issue to take on!
I approve your message too! Ed and I got on the veg. bandwagon about a year ago and haven't looked back since. We've gone all organic/free range/local/etc...so worth the extra money to have a little extra peace of mind in how the animals were treated...and it's far better for the environment.
I'm still working on the leather thing too...we too have leather furniture which is invaluable with a baby...and the shoes...that's a hard switch...but slowly we're getting there :)
(ps...GO OBAMA! Still basking in the glow)
Thanks for this post. I'm gonna find me some of that free range dairy! Moo!
We totally do cage-free eggs - they are WAY healthier for you. Something about eating grass and bugs versus chicken feed ... anyway, we raised chickens when I was a kid and I definitely prefer knowing any hen I eat or get an egg from was out and about ranging free. (Oh and when I was a kid it *really* bothered me to eat a chicken we had named. What were my parents thinking with that?!)
http://www.npr.org/multimedia/2008/11/firstdogs/index.html
read about some presidential dogs in honor of the season.
I confess I don't share your passion, but I don't argue either. Besides, cage free eggs and free range chicken simply taste better. :)
I agree. I am not a vegetarian, but nothing passes my daughters lips that isnt organic or cage free. We only buy grass fed free range organic beef and cage free organic chicken and eggs. We eat less because the cost is higher, but it is worth it to us.
I dont have a shoe fetish, but I only own 3 pairs of leather shoes and I resole them rather than buying more.
We are HARDCORE on prducts that are creulty free...using Aveda, Method, Seventh Gen etc.
My goal is to someday be vegetarian...but for now, we make sure all our food is at least grown outside, given fresh healthy feed and not injected with chemicals or hormones.
I think we will need to change the way we produce and consume food in this country, our standards are some of the lowest in the developed world.
I applaud you for your post!
An inspiring stance. I'm not this good and find myself bowing to the all powerful convenience (if I am really honest) but it is important and I will try harder. I'm a pretty die hard carnivore myself, but even that, depending on your definition of cruelty, can be made as cruelty free as possible.
But, dear lord, have you seen the price of a TG free range turkey??
OK, for you, I will. Only because I love you. Well not only.
The thing is, I live in the sticks and there are not many grocery options, but I will look for cage-free eggs.
Used to do organic milk and strawberries and chicken. But we are broke and can't anymore. I do use Method stuff.
And, my husband and esp. M. are big carnivores. But I will think of you when making these choices!
Great post, and lovely cat! (I have 2, a bird AND a chinchilla who is DEEPLY offended to the thought of any fur loss!!)
Have you ever looked @ http://www.vegetarianshoesandbags.com for vegan shoes? (and they have them for the WHOLE family)
I'm sold. ;)
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