Vegan Earth Day

Now both Ostara and Easter are behind us, and Beltane is just around the corner! I am very excited to see my baby garlic peeping cautiously (yet with increasing optimism) out of the garden beds. It was preceded by the brash chocolate mint, which was clawing it's way through last year's dead tangle. And in the front yard the chives are at least three inches tall...leading the way for everyone (along with the dandelions and crocuses). Yay! Spring! The beaver-built pond in our back field is now populous with birds, including a lovely pair of geese. It is so good to see them all again!

I think earth day and the activities that go with it are a great way to head into Beltane. Beltane is full of spring energy and passion. For those of us who want to turn this metaphor toward activism, earth day is a great avenue.

Never forget that veganism is great for the environment. It always makes me a little sad to watch environmental education type movies that totally miss animal agriculture as a major part of the problem. But environmental groups are catching on. Just recently, the Center for Biological Diversity put up a new campaign urging people toward a vegan diet due to environmental impact of animal foods. For instance, they give this sobering piece of info:

"Every minute, seven football fields’ worth of land is bulldozed to create room for more livestock and feed crops — land that was once habitat for wild animals and biologically diverse ecosystems that play a key role in absorbing carbon dioxide and filtering water sources."  (Smithsonian Institution, 2002)


They don't start people off as full-bore vegan, but suggest reduction. And their campaign slogan is great: "You have at least three chances a day to save the planet."

Their campaign is called "take extinction off your plate" and I love this message, as well. We need to remember that it isn't only the slaughtered animals who are killed when we consume meat. Other species are going extinct because animal agriculture is taking away their habitats and their water. It is such an important set of facts for vegans to know. To get some great info and talking points from their site, check it out at: http://www.takeextinctionoffyourplate.com/ 

Also FARM (farmed animal rights movement) has a great earth day campaign with tons of environmental info. And their beginner's' veg pledge is going on right now! Check them out at: http://www.greenyourdiet.org/

and I hope you had a lovely earth day!