News
The number of news found: 18.
01/29/2016 MEAT CONSUMPTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE LINKED BY EU STUDY
The overconsumption of meat will inevitably push global temperatures to dangerous levels, a recent study has warned, urging reluctant governments to take action. A report published in November 2015 by Chatham House, and the Glasgow University Media Group, examined the interconnection between meat and dairy consumption with climate change. Nearly one-third of the world's cultivated land is being used to grow animal feed. In the EU alone, 45% of wheat production is used for this purpose, with 30% of overall use met by imports. On a global level, problems associated with rising meat consumption are only expected to get worse. "This is not sustainable. A growing global population cannot converge on developed-country levels of meat consumption without huge social and environmental cost […] Livestock production is often a highly inefficient use of scarce land and water. It is a principal driver of deforestation, habitat destruction and species loss," the report reads.
01/28/2016 VEGAN SOLDIER REJECTED BY SWISS ARMY FOR REFUSING TO WEAR LEATHER BOOTS
The Swiss military was forced to declare a 19-year old vegan unfit for military service after he refused to wear leather boots. Antoni Da Campo, who also had issues with army's menu, is attempting to challenge the ruling in court, claiming that governmental institutions were failing to "account for changes in society," he told Swiss newspaper 24heures. The Swiss army, which requires all 19 year-old men to complete a basic national service of 18 to 21 weeks, was unable to meet Da Campo's strict vegan beliefs and would have struggled logistically to meet the needs of the teenager's diet. Da Campo had been declared physically fit for his national service, but army doctors said that he would be ineffective as part of a group if he could not wear the standard issue leather boots. Even Da Campo's strict diet that prohibited him eating eggs, meat, fish, dairy and honey was something that the army could have overcome, Zimmerman told the newspaper. Any individual deemed unfit for military service in Switzerland is required to pay a tax amounting to three percent of their income each year until the age of 30.
01/27/2016 ANONYMOUS COMES TO RIC O'BARRY'S RESCUE
Members of the Anonymous hacker collective have launched DDoS attacks on the website of the Narita airport in Tokyo to protest the arrest of Ric O'Barry. Besides being one of the men that helped train the dolphins used on the set of the famous "Flipper" TV show, Ric O'Barry's main claim to fame is his appearance in Oscar-winning "The Cove" documentary, which depicts the horrible dolphin slaughter that takes place annually in the town of Taiji, Japan. According to the Dolphin Project, the TV actor was detained by Japanese authorities on January 18, when he arrived at Tokyo's Narita airport. Authorities refused Ric the right to enter the country, and after declining to leave, they placed him under arrest at a deportees facility, where he remains even now. After the incident was leaked to the press, members of the Anonymous hacker group came to Ric's aid and launched DDoS attacks on the Narita airport's website. First attacks were launched at around 09:00 PM on Friday, January 22, and the website was restored the following day at 01:00 AM. Anonymous has a long-lasting feud with Japanese authorities, especially for their habit of hunting and killing endangered specials of whales and dolphins.
01/26/2016 HIGH LEVELS OF PCBS THREATEN WHALES AND DOLPHINS
Scientists are raising serious concerns about the future of whales and dolphins in European waters who are continuing to suffer from the effects of toxic chemicals that were banned decades ago, but continue to linger in the environment. According to a new study led by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), which was just published in the journal Scientific Reports, whales and dolphins in Europe have been found to have some of the highest levels of polychlorinated byphenyls (PCBs) in the world. PCBs were banned globally in the 1980s, but the latest research shows they are still persistent decades later, making their way through the food chain and accumulating in marine predators, who store PCBs in their blubber, at alarming levels. For the study, scientists tested tissue samples from more than 1,000 live and stranded cetaceans, including porpoises, striped dolphins, bottlenose dolphins and orcas, while the last three were found to have levels above the known toxicity threshold for all marine mammals.
01/25/2016 THE UK'S FIRST VEGGIE PUB OPENS ITS DOORS IN BRISTOL
Britain's first vegetarian and vegan pub has been launched in Bristol. The Adam and Eve, in Hotwells, is thought to be the first of its kind in the country to serve exclusively vegetarian food and drink. Owner Bruce Gray said everything from the bar snacks and the beer, to the main dishes and the wine, was meat free and up to 80 per cent of the menu is suitable for vegan diets. He said: "It is early days. We only introduced the menu at the start of January, but so far the reaction has been brilliant. During our research we couldn't find any other vegetarian and vegan pub in the UK – there are cafés and restaurants, but no pubs. And as a vegan, I thought this would be a fantastic idea." Mr Gray has created a combination of traditional and international dishes from roast dinners to Moroccan tagines to Japanese udon soup with noodles. Nearly all of the menu is vegan, with only some vegetarian cheese dishes off limits.
01/22/2016 BORDEAUX TO PROMOTE VEGETARIAN MEALS ONE DAY A MONTH!
On Jan 18 the City of Bordeaux and the Union of crafts and hotel industries (Umih) Gironde signed an agreement to encourage restaurants to offer a vegetarian menu every last Tuesday of the month. This idea was launched by the tour guide and host on TV7, Yves Simone, who wanted to perform an action in the spirit of the COP21 on climate, held earlier this month in Paris. According to Yves Simone, the feeding of animal protein, including meat, is very polluting and carbon footprint is bad. Plant proteins are more environmentally and climate friendly, while providing essential nutrients. The list of restaurants willing to participate in the campaign which starts on Jan 26 is still unknown. Bordeaux has more than 800 restaurants, and only three are fully vegetarian.
01/21/2016 THE HOLISTIC DOCTOR PRESCRIBES FRUIT AND VEGETABLES INSTEAD OF DRUGS
In Houston, Texas, a progressive doctor has begun prescribing fruits and vegetables instead of pharmaceutical drugs, as he and many others believe nourishing food is an essential requirement for becoming "well". After years of treating patients' modern-day ails, such as Diabetes and high blood pressure, Dr. Garth Davis discovered that diet and lifestyle are truly the best tools for helping a body become vibrantly well. As the medical director of bariatric surgery at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center, Dr. Davis no longer prescribes pharmaceutical drugs but instead dolls out recommendations for fruits and vegetables. So far, patients have responded very well to the change. When prescribed fresh produce by Dr. Davis, patients go to the "Farmacy" and receive $10 off a regularly priced $25 box of fresh, organic produce through the Rawfully Organic co-op. The Memorial Hermann Foundation graciously provided money to build the stand, and also funds the $10 discount for patients to eat healthier.
01/20/2016 HOSPITALIZED AND BRAIN-DEAD AFTER DRUG TRIAL IN FRANCE
Six men were hospitalized — and one of them was pronounced brain-dead — after a drug trial in northwestern France. Marisol Touraine, the minister for social affairs, health and women's rights, said in a statement that her office was informed Thursday evening about a "serious accident" that resulted in the hospitalization of the six men, at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Rennes, in eastern Brittany. The patients, all men, were ages 28 to 49, she said. The head of the hospital's neurology department said that three men may have suffered irreversible brain damage, based on magnetic resonance imaging scans, but cautioned that the scans were not conclusive. The drug was administered orally to healthy volunteers as part of a Phase 1 clinical trial by Biotrial, a drug evaluation company based in Rennes, on behalf of a Portuguese drug manufacturer, Bial. The drug is intended to help with mood, anxiety and motor problems linked to neurodegenerative diseases by having an effect on the endocannabinoid system. Ms. Touraine said the drug had previously been tested on animals, including chimpanzees, and was administered to 90 people under the trial. The six men received the drug several times, starting on Jan. 4. The first symptoms appeared in one man on Sunday. He was quickly hospitalized, and the others followed. The trial was halted the next day. (nytimes.com)
01/19/2016 HONG KONG TO PHASE OUT IVORY SALES
Activists have hailed the announcement that Hong Kong will phase out the sale of ivory in the city, a major bastion of the trade. Speaking during his annual policy address last Wednesday, Hong Kong's leader, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, said the government will "take steps to ban totally the sale of ivory in Hong Kong," adding that it would "impose heavier penalties on smuggling and illegal trading of endangered species." Lawmaker Elizabeth Quat, who has long pushed for a complete ban, said she urged the government "to execute this commitment without delay." At present, the import and export of ivory is banned in the city, but around 400 licensed sellers are permitted to trade in ivory material dating before a 1989 international treaty banning the trade.
01/18/2016 FOUR GOVERNMENTS JOINTLY CONDEMN JAPAN'S "SCIENTIFIC" WHALING PROGRAM
The governments of New Zealand, Australia, the Netherlands and the United States on Tuesday issued a joint statement attacking Japan's renewed whaling in the Southern Ocean and calling for protesters and whalers to act safely during this year's whaling season. The statement said the four governments jointly condemned any actions at sea that might cause injury, loss of human life or damage to property or the marine environment. It said the governments respected the right to freedom of expression, including through peaceful protests on the high seas, but they were prepared to respond to unlawful activity in accordance with relevant international and domestic laws. The four governments remained resolutely opposed to commercial whaling, in particular in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary established by the International Whaling Commission (IWC).
01/15/2016 DAVID BOWIE HAILED AS "ULTIMATE ANIMAL HERO"
David Bowie is being hailed as the ultimate animal hero after allowing one of his classics songs to become the battle hymn of whaling protestors. Thousands of demonstrators will be singing Heroes outside the Japanese embassy this weekend after another mass slaughter of marine wildlife. Bowie gave permission for his 1977 anthem to be the soundtrack of the Oscar-winning documentary, The Cove, which highlights the shame of Japan's annual Taiji slaughter. Bowie personally allowed the film-makers to use the music for a minimum fee because he was such a committed supporter of efforts to save dolphins. He even had a tattoo of a dolphin on his calf. The Taiji season runs from September to March and more than 134 dolphins have already been killed in the opening days of 2016. One of the key organizers of this weekend's protest, Nicole Venter, a music industry professional, said: "David Bowie was a huge lover of animals and, like many, he was fascinated by dolphins. He was a man who turned down a knighthood but allowed Heroes to be used to end The Cove for next to nothing: he was a caring, compassionate, humble genius."
01/14/2016 DANNY TREJO TALKS VEGAN TACOS AT THE NEW TREJO'S TACOS ON LA BREA
If you've driven in LA down La Brea Avenue near Olympic Boulevard over the past couple of weeks, you may have noticed a big sign for Trejo's Tacos, featuring the face of actor Danny Trejo, that cool guy from the "Machete" movies and "From Dusk Till Dawn." This is Trejo's new taco restaurant — a project from Trejo, film producer Ash Shah and Jeff Georgino. The three owners plan to have a soft opening early next week, then officially open with expanded hours and an expanded menu the week after. "We have 10 different tacos," said Trejo. "It's just stuff that everybody likes." "Here, we wanted to include everybody, so we have a great vegan menu and gluten-free menu," said Trejo. "We try to be as vegan and vegetarian-friendly as possible, considering it's such a big movement now," added Shah.
01/13/2016 NATION'S FIRST VEGAN BUTCHER SHOP TO OPEN IN MINNEAPOLIS
The growing appetite for meatless meals driven largely by health and environmental concerns will soon reach a new milestone: The country's first vegan butcher shop is opening in Minneapolis. The Herbivorous Butcher is scheduled to open on Jan. 23 in northeast Minneapolis. "It's going to be a vegan blood bath," quipped Kale Walch, who started the business with his sister, Aubry Walch. The pair have attracted quite a following since they first started serving up their signature maple glazed bacon, Sriracha brats and other meatless wonders at farmers markets around the Twin Cities in 2014. They spent three years perfecting the recipes, using ingredients such as yeast, soy, juices and a blend of seasonings. The opening of a vegan butcher shop is yet another sign of the rise of fake meat in American diets. Since 2012, sales of plant-based meat alternatives have grown 8 percent, to $553 million annually, according to the market research firm, Mintel.
01/12/2016 LIONS ARE RAISED TO BE KILLED IN SOUTH AFRICA
They call it canned hunting. South African ranchers breed lions in captivity, from cubs to adults, then release them just after the arrival of a hunter who pays about $15,000 for a kill. Sometimes the animal is drugged to make it easier game. Sometimes it's lured by fresh meat to a place where the hunter lurks. Sometimes the felines are so accustomed to humans that they amble up to the person waiting to kill it. Not surprisingly, the success of these hunts is 99 percent. But the Obama administration's federal protection of lions could end the practice when a new rule goes into effect in about three weeks. As part of actions listing African and Indian lions as threatened or endangered, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared that it will make it much harder for American hunters to import the slain animals' heads — their trophies and bragging rights. In addition, the fees for hunting permits will increase substantially.
01/11/2016 MOBY DONATES PROFITS FOR ANIMAL CAUSES
Moby’s Silver Lake vegan restaurant Little Pine plans on giving away all its profits to a slate of animal welfare programs."Opening little pine was never meant to be a conventional entrepreneurial endeavor. I want it to represent veganism in a really positive light, and also to support the animal welfare organizations who do such remarkable work," said Moby. The move is certainly made easier by Moby's undoubted millions in the bank, though there is truly something charming about the whole idea. It also fits in with Moby’s longstanding friendly and compassionate vibe. The organizations being donated to include: The Humane Society, Farm Sanctuary, Sea Shepard, PETA, Animal Legal Defense Fund, and more.
01/08/2016 SILENT FIREWORKS FOR ANIMALS' SAFETY
While us humans enjoy the sounds and sights of these colourful explosions, animals feel very differently about it. The explosion that happens when a firework is set off can cause animals to have heart problems, nausea, tremors, debilitating fears and lightheadedness. It can also lead to "acoustic stress" as most animals' ears are much more sensitive than humans. The town of Collecchio in the province of Parma in Italy are doing something about it. The local government has introduced new legislation whereby people have to use silent fireworks as a way of respecting the animals and reducing the stress it causes them. The company, Setti Fireworks makes these fireworks which include a spectacular light show but with no deafening sound to go with it.
01/07/2016 25 HURT IN NORTHERN COLOMBIA BULLFIGHT FESTIVAL
At least 25 people were injured, four of them critically, during the five afternoons of the historic bullfighting festival in the northern Colombian town Turbaco, where crowds try to fight the bulls after some serious drinking. In these improvised bullfighting events, people leap spontaneously into the ring with some rag as their bullfighting cape or simple barehanded, seeking their moment of glory and the applause of the crowd, which cheers those who manage to spin around artfully to elude the bull charging at them. These festivals, like the one in Turbaco, take place in a wooden bullring that is assembled and taken down for each occasion, and reach their climax when the not necessarily purebred bull charges at any of the dozens of people who dare jump in the ring to taunt it.
01/05/2016 PLANT-BASED FOODS NAMED A "GLOBAL TREND" FOR 2016
Veganism isn't going anywhere this year. In fact, according to the recent global food and drink trend report for 2016 from market research company Mintel, it's only getting bigger. "Veggie burgers and non-dairy milks have escaped the realm of substitutes primarily for people with dietary concerns and followers of vegetarian diets. Instead, the growing ranks of novel protein sources and potential replacements appeal to the everyday consumer, foreshadowing a profoundly changed marketplace in which what was formerly 'alternative' could take over the mainstream." Veggies also appeared on a slew of top trends list for 2016, including Yahoo Food's 16 Food Trends list and Baum + Whiteman's list of the top 11 trends on tap for 2016. You can thank Millennials for the popularity in plant-based foods. In another report released in early 2015 that analyzed the meat alternatives market in the U.S., Mintel identified Millennials as the generation most likely to consume plant-based proteins.
The number of news found: 18.
