News
The number of news found: 12.
03/30/2018 ZAC EFRON THRIVES ON A PURELY PLANT-BASED DIET
In a recent interview with Teen Vogue, actor Zac Efron revealed that he has been following a strict plant-based diet. The star—who is known for his meticulous grooming habits—explained that after his High School Musical days, he has been focusing on restructuring his dietary habits. "I've been experimenting with eating purely vegan," Efron said. "That's completely changed the way that my body works, and the way that I metabolize food, the way it turns into energy, [and] the way that I sleep. It's been brilliant. It's been great for my exercise and great for my routine." Efron joins a slew of celebrities that have credited their plant-based diets for improved health, including musician Will.i.am, who improved his high blood pressure, cholesterol, acid reflux, and nasal drip by eschewing animal products last year. (vegnews.com)
03/28/2018 ASK ESTONIA NOT TO BUILD A SHARK AQUARIUM
Many international organizations such as PETA, Sea Shepherd Global and Born Free USA have signed the plea initiated by Estonian animal advocacy organization NGO Loomus asking Enterprise Estonia and the family centre "Sea Star" to renounce the plan of establishing an oceanarium in Estonia. The plea has also been signed by eight Estonian organizations and almost 14 000 citizens. A demonstration to support sharks and rays will take place in Tallinn on 29th of March. By today, the joint plea has been signed by PETA Germany, marine conservation organization Sea Shepherd Global, Swedish Djurens Rätt, Norwegian NOAH, Latvian Dzīvnieku brīvība, Swedish Djurrättsalliansen, Bulgarian CAAI and Animal Friends Croatia. From Estonia, the plea has been signed by Loomus, Estonian Society for the Protection of Animals, Estonian Association of Assistance and Therapy Dogs, Pesaleidja, Saaremaa Pet Rescue, Animal Shelters in Estonia, Kasside Turvakodu and Kassiabi. You can sign the petition here.
03/26/2018 DKNY AND DONNA KARAN GO FUR-FREE
Fashion brands DKNY and Donna Karan will no longer use fur in their collections. "As we move forward with both Donna Karan and DKNY, we have decided to become fur-free with both brands beginning in fall 2019," Morris Goldfarb, CEO of the brands' parent company G-III said during a fiscal meeting on Thursday. "This move follows a long-standing relationship with The Humane Society of the United States." Humane Society International (HSI) has worked with the brand to encourage them to develop animal-free materials and follow the footsteps of other major fashion labels such as Gucci, Michael Kors, and, most recently, Versace. Legislation nationwide has moved in the direction of banning fur sales, including California cities San Francisco, West Hollywood, and Berkeley. (vegnews.com)
03/23/2018 SAN FRANCISCO BANS FUR SALES
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously voted on Tuesday to ban the sale of fur within city limits—making it the biggest region in the United States to impose such a ban. The ordinance was proposed in June by animal-rights group Compassionate Bay and sponsored by city supervisor Katy Tang, who told city officials that selling fur in San Francisco was not consistent with the city's moral fiber of treating all beings with kindness. San Francisco is now the third city in California (behind West Hollywood and Berkeley) to impose such a ban, which requires retailers such as Macy's, Saks Fifth Ave, and Bloomingdale's (along with smaller businesses that sell items such as keychains adorned with fur) to end the sale of fur by January 1, 2019. The fashion industry is also eliminating the use of animal skins, as a number of companies—such as Gucci, Armani, and Michael Kors—have pledged to discontinue the use of fur in their future collections. (vegnews.com)
03/19/2018 GERMANY'S FIRST VEGAN KINDERGARTEN TO OPEN IN FALL
Frankfurt-based Mokita kindergarten will become the first vegan school in Germany when it opens in August. According to its mission statement, the school's goal is to "provide a sustainable, full-fledged, vegetarian nutritional concept that empowers children to eat healthily and responsibly with regard to animals, fellow human beings, and the environment." The school's 40 children will be closely monitored by professionals to assure they are receiving all necessary nutrients. Local politicians have publicly opposed the concept of an all-vegan school on the basis that they believe children will be malnourished if they do not consume animal products. Data collected about the children at Mokita will be used to demonstrate that consuming a plant-based diet is safe for people of all ages. In 2015, California-based MUSE elementary school—founded by director James Cameron's wife/vegan activist Suzy Amis Cameron—became the first all-vegan school in the United States. (vegnews.com)
03/16/2018 FASHION GIANT VERSACE DITCHES FUR
Fashion label Versace will no longer create garments with animal fur. Designer Donatella Versace—who inherited the brand from her late brother Gianni Versace—made the announcement in interview with The Economist's 1843 magazine. "Fur? I am out of that," Versace said. "I don't want to kill animals to make fashion. It doesn't feel right." Dan Matthews, senior vice president of animal-rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) praised Versace's decision to abandon fur. "PETA led runway disruptions, protests, and a 2006 ad blitz at a time when Versace was synonymous with fur, so this news is most welcome," Mathews said. "Donatella's realization that it's wrong to bludgeon and electrocute animals for fur is a major turning point in the campaign for compassionate fashion, and PETA looks forward to seeing a leather-free Versace next." A number of fashion brands—including Armani, Gucci, and Michael Kors—have recently announced that they will no longer use animal fur in their collections. (vegnews.com)
03/15/2018 FIRST ALL-VEGAN NEIGHBORHOOD FORMS IN DOWNTOWN TORONTO
The Parkdale neighborhood of downtown Toronto is now officially called "Vegandale." The initiative was launched by The 5700 group—a collaboration between local vegan businesses that operate on the same block. "This premiere destination for the vegan and vegan curious is the only one of it's kind, promoting a world where animal exploitation is a thing of the past," the group's newly launched website stated. "With our roots in abolitionism, our unapologetic messaging is the connection between each project we touch." The group also hosts the annual Vegandale Food Drink Festival, which will expand to its first event in Houston in June. "We're ready to move one step closer to world vegan domination with our upcoming festival season," The 5700 owner Hellenic Vincent De Paul said. "Vegandale couldn't be contained to just one city block, so we're packing up and taking our vegan utopia on the road." (vegnews.com)
03/13/2018 VEGAN FILM EATING YOU ALIVE DEBUTS AT 560 THEATERS
Vegan documentary Eating You Alive will debut for a one-day screening on April 5 at more than 560 theaters in the US. The film was first conceptualized by director Paul Kennamer, Jr., who adopted a whole-foods plant-based diet in 2014 to effectively heal his persistent joint pain. The movie features a number of medical doctors and celebrities—such as actor Samuel L. Jackson, magician Penn Jillette, and director James Cameron—and explains how the consumption of animal products has led the American population to suffer illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, certain forms of cancer, and obesity, while promoting the health benefits of a whole-foods, plant-based diet. Last year, vegan film What the Health—which promotes a similar message as Eating You Alive—made a widespread impact on viewers, with many celebrities crediting the documentary for inspiring them to adopt a plant-based diet. (vegnews.com)
03/09/2018 GREENPEACE CALLS FOR 50% CUT IN ANIMAL CONSUMPTION
Environmental organization Greenpeace International released a report this week urging that global animal-agriculture production and consumption is reduced by 50 percent by 2050 in order to avoid imminent climate change caused by the industry. "Something is rotten in our food system," Greenpeace International executive director Bunny McDiarmid said. "Governments continue to support massive meat and dairy operations, leading to more and more meat consumption while putting our health, our children's health, and the health of our planet at risk. Instead, they should be supporting the increasing numbers of farmers shifting toward ecological production of healthy foods and helping people access healthy plant-based foods." The report warns that if the agriculture industry continues to operate in its current capacity, it will produce 52 percent of global greenhouse gases in coming decades—70 percent of which will be attributed to the meat and dairy industries. The organization called on government to cease supporting the destructive meat and dairy industries, instead urging them to promote plant-based foods. "What we decide to eat, as individuals and as a global society, is one of the most powerful tools we have in the fight against climate change and environmental destruction," McDiarmid said. (vegnews.com)
03/08/2018 MEAT CONSUMPTION IN SWEDEN HITS RECORD LOW
The Swedish Board of Agriculture's recently released statistics reveal that Swedish residents consumed a record-low amount of meat in 2017. The report shows that Swedes consumed 2.2 kilograms (4.8 pounds) less meat per capita last year than in 2016, representing the largest annual decline in meat consumption since 1990. While the report cites that Swedes are consuming more Sweden-produced meat in smaller amounts, it also points to other factors that have contributed to the overall decline of meat consumption in the country. "There are many reasons for the reduced consumption of meat, but the [vegan] trend, climate debate, health aspects, and ethical reasons are some," agricultural investigator Åsa Lannhard Öberg said. Residents across the Nordic region have recently expressed an interest in vegan food options, including McDonald's newly added McVegan burger. (vegnews.com)
03/06/2018 CANADA TO INVEST $150 MILLION IN PLANT-BASED FOOD SECTOR
A federal program in Canada will soon invest approximately $150 million in the country's plant-based food industry. Canada created a $950 million Supercluster Initiative that is intended to fund innovation in the food and manufacturing sector, and a portion of that fund was secured last month in the growing area of plant-based food innovation. Frank Hart, chairman of Protein Industries Canada Group (an alliance of 120 companies working to develop plant-based foods), told CTV News Canada that the funds will go toward developing new foods from flax seeds, hemp, oats, and pulses—Western Canada's largest crop. Pulse Canada CEO Gordon Bacon explained that consumers are increasingly interested in plant-based food. "It's a combination of a shift in processing, it's a shift in consumer awareness, and it's also a shift in cost," Bacon said, "where meat companies (and) dairy companies are looking for plant-based protein to complement their product line. It's not one versus the other." (vegnews.com)
03/02/2018 IKEA DEBUTS PLANT-BASED HOT DOGS
International furniture store IKEA debuted a plant-based hot dog at one store in Malmö, Sweden. The new option is a working prototype that IKEA might reformulate based on consumer response and, as such, the company cannot currently confirm the final version will be vegan. IKEA— which first released a vegan version of its popular Swedish meatballs in 2015—said the veggie dog is part of the company's initiative to offer more plant-based options. "Every year, 660 million people enjoy [IKEA food], and we see this global reach as an opportunity as well as a responsibility to serve food that is good for people and the planet," IKEA Food managing director Michael La Cour said. IKEA plans to debut the final version of the hot dog to stores across Europe in August. (vegnews.com)
The number of news found: 12.
