Just how far have you come?!
As we draw towards the end of the year, many people reflect on their lives and learning for that year!. But sometimes the little things prompt us to look back and self appraise our actions, lives and learning!.
I love candles, was just about to order some vegetable wax ones when I realized that this time last year I used to collect beeswax 'reject' ones from a local beekeeper!. It made me reflect about how my buying habits have changed over time from regular candles, up to a year ago beeswax, then from soy to presently vegetable wax
On your Vegan/Vegetarian/meat and dairy reduced diet journey just how far have you come!?
What changes have you made to your diet, shopping patterns, banking, holidays, travel and leisure activities to fit in with your growing ethics and environmental awareness!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
I love candles, was just about to order some vegetable wax ones when I realized that this time last year I used to collect beeswax 'reject' ones from a local beekeeper!. It made me reflect about how my buying habits have changed over time from regular candles, up to a year ago beeswax, then from soy to presently vegetable wax
On your Vegan/Vegetarian/meat and dairy reduced diet journey just how far have you come!?
What changes have you made to your diet, shopping patterns, banking, holidays, travel and leisure activities to fit in with your growing ethics and environmental awareness!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
I'm working on living by osmosis but not quite there yet!.!.!. :)
Like you I've come to view this as a journey!. Not unlike enlightenment I guess!. Things are so much different than when I was a kid, at least where I grew up!. I was around (and on) farms all the time and people had careers which defined their life such as fisherman, even living on their boats!. They are almost all gone now!. Streamlined!.
People used to have a few chickens, we bought our milk from a friend who had just one cow and a surplus of fresh raw moo juice!. Back then, even though I ate meat I was horrified to find out people raised their own and had Bessie in the freezer!. Their food had names!
I've no idea why it seemed better for meat to be anonymous but being divorced from it made it easier for me I guess!. Very egocentric and selfish!.
But then meat became cheap and icky!. I mean, I could buy a bunch more than I could before but I liked it less because it had deteriorated!. I couldn't quite put my finger on it but it really bugged me!.
At the same time I decided I didn't like tomatoes anymore not able to understand how I ever had!.
Getting involved in politics is what opened my eyes!. Food is hugely political and utterly deceptive!. We are not supposed to think about how our food gets to us!. That's how it works!. Complete industry built on ignorance and audacity!. It's so bad most people can't comprehend nor believe it so they just don't!.
But if you'd told me 3 years ago there would be no milk in my home!.!.!. at *any* time, let alone *all* the time I'd have scoffed at you just as unbelieving!.
Now I guess I've become the ultimate food nerd!. I just bought into the local co-op a couple weeks ago!. That's correct, I'm a card-carrying hippie!.
I buy organic all the time now not just when the price is comparable because finally I understand why it's not a financial competition!. I also want nothing to do with Frankenfood/GMO corporate "fud" that carries a patent!. If my food isn't certified it's because I actually know and have talked to the farmer (again), maybe even have been to and toured the grounds!. Most of my food is local, even the prepared food is from local (not chains) businesses where the owners are also doing the serving and have bought their food from the same places I do!.
And oh! What food too! The most amazing, scrumptious stuff I've ever had!. I rediscovered real tomatoes and can hardly get enough!. Completely plant-based dishes that are so complex and satisfying I feel like I've found nirvana with every bite and yet nearly every day I discover something new and amazing such as a potato-curry/coconut milk soup this last weekend along with a lentil salad that had currents in it which I'd never have tried before but which was delightful!. And Muhammara! With a delightful crispy flat-bread!. This spring it was green garlic which grows in abundance just down the road yet I'd never even heard of it before!. I was eating it raw just sprinkled with salt!. I'm flabbergasted when people tell me how little there would be to eat if they tried to eat locally!. There's just so much but we have to get away from the giant corporate-based stores that sell us corporate profit-driven remixes of the basic commodities of corn, soy, over-refined wheat and other basic grains, with dairy, eggs and meat from highly-taxed animals!. There's not just dozens of different apples but literally thousands and thousands of varieties!.
So, I do have a bit of raw honey in my cabinets, some of it mixed with elderberry from a guy who has a few unmoving hives and is working on re-establishing local pollinators but I've mostly stopped buying almonds because of the way bees are used for that crop along with the irradiation, chemical dipping and pasteurization that's now required!. I've learned some about pro-biotics, and have even started delving into raw foods (like gazpacho)!. I buy organic fair-trade coffee, sugar, spices, teas, and chocolate (shade and bird-friendly grown too) and have even met a couple Peruvian farmers who've told me directly how it has benefitted them!.
Oh, and no more bananas! If fruit could be evil then the banana has a lock on it!.
http://www!.salon!.com/books/feature/2008/!.!.!.
http://www!.thenation!.com/doc/20080317/bi!.!.!.
http://www!.bananabook!.org/
Lots more (for instance I hardly drive at all anymore; walking is good) but what I've found remarkable is I'm not really spending all that much more!. I'm actually eating less (with less waste) because for once I finally feel nourished and happy!.
But I feel like I'm still learning and evolving!. It's nice to hear you are too as I so look up to you!. :)Www@FoodAQ@Com
Like you I've come to view this as a journey!. Not unlike enlightenment I guess!. Things are so much different than when I was a kid, at least where I grew up!. I was around (and on) farms all the time and people had careers which defined their life such as fisherman, even living on their boats!. They are almost all gone now!. Streamlined!.
People used to have a few chickens, we bought our milk from a friend who had just one cow and a surplus of fresh raw moo juice!. Back then, even though I ate meat I was horrified to find out people raised their own and had Bessie in the freezer!. Their food had names!
I've no idea why it seemed better for meat to be anonymous but being divorced from it made it easier for me I guess!. Very egocentric and selfish!.
But then meat became cheap and icky!. I mean, I could buy a bunch more than I could before but I liked it less because it had deteriorated!. I couldn't quite put my finger on it but it really bugged me!.
At the same time I decided I didn't like tomatoes anymore not able to understand how I ever had!.
Getting involved in politics is what opened my eyes!. Food is hugely political and utterly deceptive!. We are not supposed to think about how our food gets to us!. That's how it works!. Complete industry built on ignorance and audacity!. It's so bad most people can't comprehend nor believe it so they just don't!.
But if you'd told me 3 years ago there would be no milk in my home!.!.!. at *any* time, let alone *all* the time I'd have scoffed at you just as unbelieving!.
Now I guess I've become the ultimate food nerd!. I just bought into the local co-op a couple weeks ago!. That's correct, I'm a card-carrying hippie!.
I buy organic all the time now not just when the price is comparable because finally I understand why it's not a financial competition!. I also want nothing to do with Frankenfood/GMO corporate "fud" that carries a patent!. If my food isn't certified it's because I actually know and have talked to the farmer (again), maybe even have been to and toured the grounds!. Most of my food is local, even the prepared food is from local (not chains) businesses where the owners are also doing the serving and have bought their food from the same places I do!.
And oh! What food too! The most amazing, scrumptious stuff I've ever had!. I rediscovered real tomatoes and can hardly get enough!. Completely plant-based dishes that are so complex and satisfying I feel like I've found nirvana with every bite and yet nearly every day I discover something new and amazing such as a potato-curry/coconut milk soup this last weekend along with a lentil salad that had currents in it which I'd never have tried before but which was delightful!. And Muhammara! With a delightful crispy flat-bread!. This spring it was green garlic which grows in abundance just down the road yet I'd never even heard of it before!. I was eating it raw just sprinkled with salt!. I'm flabbergasted when people tell me how little there would be to eat if they tried to eat locally!. There's just so much but we have to get away from the giant corporate-based stores that sell us corporate profit-driven remixes of the basic commodities of corn, soy, over-refined wheat and other basic grains, with dairy, eggs and meat from highly-taxed animals!. There's not just dozens of different apples but literally thousands and thousands of varieties!.
So, I do have a bit of raw honey in my cabinets, some of it mixed with elderberry from a guy who has a few unmoving hives and is working on re-establishing local pollinators but I've mostly stopped buying almonds because of the way bees are used for that crop along with the irradiation, chemical dipping and pasteurization that's now required!. I've learned some about pro-biotics, and have even started delving into raw foods (like gazpacho)!. I buy organic fair-trade coffee, sugar, spices, teas, and chocolate (shade and bird-friendly grown too) and have even met a couple Peruvian farmers who've told me directly how it has benefitted them!.
Oh, and no more bananas! If fruit could be evil then the banana has a lock on it!.
http://www!.salon!.com/books/feature/2008/!.!.!.
http://www!.thenation!.com/doc/20080317/bi!.!.!.
http://www!.bananabook!.org/
Lots more (for instance I hardly drive at all anymore; walking is good) but what I've found remarkable is I'm not really spending all that much more!. I'm actually eating less (with less waste) because for once I finally feel nourished and happy!.
But I feel like I'm still learning and evolving!. It's nice to hear you are too as I so look up to you!. :)Www@FoodAQ@Com
Im still the same old boring veggie who grows all her own veg and much of the fruit,but i wont buy stuff for sake of It anymore,and im very aware of rip off artists out there raises prices as an excuse for the recession!.
having been veggie for over 40 years,my methods for being ethical have been in place for that long and before,so im bound to say im unchanged, great question by the way!. xxWww@FoodAQ@Com
having been veggie for over 40 years,my methods for being ethical have been in place for that long and before,so im bound to say im unchanged, great question by the way!. xxWww@FoodAQ@Com
Not enough!. Very little, actually!. I do much less than I would like to do!. Not proud of myself, my life is a mess!! But I've been reading and learning and thinking, and hope that all this will make me a stronger and better person, and soon!!Www@FoodAQ@Com
I've started buying organic food if possible and if the price difference isn't too great!. I've also gone to the farmer's market for produce!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I went from being veggie for two years straight into vegan for a few months now!. I feel amazing!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
A long way!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Mother Nature has brought me a ways!. I didn't know what chard, arugula, broccoli, or brussel sprouts looked like until I turned 27!.
That's about the time my journey began when I suddenly discovered I didn't want to consume blood anymore!. After becoming a vegetarian I became a vegan two years later after seeing photos of layer hens in battery cages!. Reading the works of Carol J!. Adams, Tom Regan, and Eric Marcus gave me even more motivation to go the next step!.
Over the last couple of years I have managed to change my wardrobe
little by little!. I can now proudly say that I own no leather, silk, wool, or p!.v!.c!. It's actually become managable and affordable for me to become eco-concious of my cosmetics, household chemicals, and clothing, as well as cruelty-free!.
I've had a vegetable garden for about two years now!. It's encouraging to know that eating out of it reduces my carbon foot-print!. What I can't
grow I buy from the local farmers market!.
My exceptions are cashews and snacks like lunar bars!. I'm in no way perfect but am happy that the light-bulb clicked some 6 years ago!. Not bad for a guy who once lived off of burgers, and quick- pik pizzas!.
I do still need to work on travel!. Although I drive a hybrid I'm aware that I don't park it enough!. Hopefully I can keep my new years resolution to walk or at least take public transit as often as possible!. Well just being honest with myself public transit sounds more realistic!. I like to run long distances!. After five to ten miles I'm too lazy to do a lot of walking the next day :O
P!.S!. Gnocchi goes well with sun-dried tomatoes and bengal lentils ):DWww@FoodAQ@Com
That's about the time my journey began when I suddenly discovered I didn't want to consume blood anymore!. After becoming a vegetarian I became a vegan two years later after seeing photos of layer hens in battery cages!. Reading the works of Carol J!. Adams, Tom Regan, and Eric Marcus gave me even more motivation to go the next step!.
Over the last couple of years I have managed to change my wardrobe
little by little!. I can now proudly say that I own no leather, silk, wool, or p!.v!.c!. It's actually become managable and affordable for me to become eco-concious of my cosmetics, household chemicals, and clothing, as well as cruelty-free!.
I've had a vegetable garden for about two years now!. It's encouraging to know that eating out of it reduces my carbon foot-print!. What I can't
grow I buy from the local farmers market!.
My exceptions are cashews and snacks like lunar bars!. I'm in no way perfect but am happy that the light-bulb clicked some 6 years ago!. Not bad for a guy who once lived off of burgers, and quick- pik pizzas!.
I do still need to work on travel!. Although I drive a hybrid I'm aware that I don't park it enough!. Hopefully I can keep my new years resolution to walk or at least take public transit as often as possible!. Well just being honest with myself public transit sounds more realistic!. I like to run long distances!. After five to ten miles I'm too lazy to do a lot of walking the next day :O
P!.S!. Gnocchi goes well with sun-dried tomatoes and bengal lentils ):DWww@FoodAQ@Com
I've taken one step forward and two steps back!. I finally went completely vegetarian, then gained enough weight that my triglycerides got scary high, and my doctor told me I needed a high protein, low carb diet!. The vegetarian diet my wife and I tend to eat has a lot of carbs and we haven't figured out how to change that!. So that I've gone back to what I know how to cook out of medical necessity, which is grilling fish or lean meat and steaming veggies!. I simply don't know how to make an appetizing low-carb veggie dinner!.
I've still given up beef!. Our eggs are from uncaged chickens!. We're boycotting Wal-mart!. We've talked about greening our investments!. But I have a long way to go!. My wife inspires me, and I could write more long paragraphs about the things I see her changing!. But I'm not her!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I've still given up beef!. Our eggs are from uncaged chickens!. We're boycotting Wal-mart!. We've talked about greening our investments!. But I have a long way to go!. My wife inspires me, and I could write more long paragraphs about the things I see her changing!. But I'm not her!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
It was nice to pause a while to mull this question over!. Over the past year I have really started to make my own set of ethics!. I admit I have struggled as issues are not always as straight forward as they first appear!.
Sometimes I know what the right thing for me to do but still find it hard to do it, like finally giving up eating my mother's Yorkshire Puddings!. I never eat eggs or milk, except once a week when I eat my mother's cooking!. I have tried to kid myself that my motive is entirely unselfish based on the fact that I don't want to offend my dear old mum, but I never succeed Bella!.
This year I will finally buy some new vegan and environmentally friendly clothes having at last worn out all of my others!. This year I have learned to bake vegan puddings and cakes!. I had not really thought about how my holiday money is spent, so maybe next year I should make it a goal to look at my personal banking and holiday destination more closely!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Sometimes I know what the right thing for me to do but still find it hard to do it, like finally giving up eating my mother's Yorkshire Puddings!. I never eat eggs or milk, except once a week when I eat my mother's cooking!. I have tried to kid myself that my motive is entirely unselfish based on the fact that I don't want to offend my dear old mum, but I never succeed Bella!.
This year I will finally buy some new vegan and environmentally friendly clothes having at last worn out all of my others!. This year I have learned to bake vegan puddings and cakes!. I had not really thought about how my holiday money is spent, so maybe next year I should make it a goal to look at my personal banking and holiday destination more closely!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
The most noticeable thing is that I've consumed a lot less milk and cheese this year than I used to!. This is actually mostly as a direct result of reading questions and answers in this forum!. I've been buying mostly soy milk, oat milk, rice milk, goat's milk, and just the occasional cow's milk!. I even finally managed to find some hemp milk (imported from the US) last weekend!. I haven't seen any almond milk yet! In England in August, I managed to find some quinoa milk and hazelnut milk in a shop in Stratford!.
I've also been trying out many other products, such as quinoa and amaranth, that I hadn't tried before!. And experimenting a lot with mixtures of different grains, seeds, nuts and dried fruits - in breakfast cereals, cakes, breads and pancakes, etc!. I'm always looking around for more things that I haven't tried before!.
I have a wonderful new partner living with me now!. She's a non-vegetarian, but she probably only eats non-vegetarian food a couple of times per week!. Being from southeast Asia, she uses tofu a lot in her cooking!. Last year, I would probably have eaten tofu like maybe twice!. The last five or six months, I've eaten it nearly every week!.
I'm consciously trying to keep my weight at a steady level this year!. Sure, I want to lose a few kilograms, but, as that's not happening, I'll settle for just not putting on any more weight!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I've also been trying out many other products, such as quinoa and amaranth, that I hadn't tried before!. And experimenting a lot with mixtures of different grains, seeds, nuts and dried fruits - in breakfast cereals, cakes, breads and pancakes, etc!. I'm always looking around for more things that I haven't tried before!.
I have a wonderful new partner living with me now!. She's a non-vegetarian, but she probably only eats non-vegetarian food a couple of times per week!. Being from southeast Asia, she uses tofu a lot in her cooking!. Last year, I would probably have eaten tofu like maybe twice!. The last five or six months, I've eaten it nearly every week!.
I'm consciously trying to keep my weight at a steady level this year!. Sure, I want to lose a few kilograms, but, as that's not happening, I'll settle for just not putting on any more weight!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
This time last year I was eating meat and didn't really think much about the environment!. This year I began to learn and pay more attention to what was going on, after seeing what animals went through, I became vegetarian, and then vegan a few months later!. Becoming vegan really made me think not just about animals, but about my health too!. I try to eat a balanced, healthy diet, and I'm slowly replacing the products in my house to environmentally friendly ones!. also, being vegan was what finally got me to quit smoking :) My next goal is to get to the gym!.!.!.
So yeah, I think I've come a long way this year, and writing this, I realize just how much my life has changed for the better by just taking the time to look deeper and question my surroundings, instead of just accepting them as they areWww@FoodAQ@Com
So yeah, I think I've come a long way this year, and writing this, I realize just how much my life has changed for the better by just taking the time to look deeper and question my surroundings, instead of just accepting them as they areWww@FoodAQ@Com
I have made a lot of changes in my diet, not so many in my lifestyle!. I really need to get some good beginner books on becoming totally vegan in every aspect of my life!. There is just so much to think about, everything from candles to make up!.
As for growth in my personal ethics, I am increasingly aware of how egocentric I have been in my purchasing habits and taking steps to overcome this!. I am more aware of the impact my everyday decisions have on other sentient beings, the more I recognize how many everyday items are made from animals or animal products!. I was surprised when I found out conventional film for cameras is gelatin based and have recently changed over to a digital camera!. It is a small sacrifice too, to give up glossy photo paper as this usually contains gelatin!. I have even changed my art brushes to synthetic brushes as the bristles are usually made from sable, squirrel, hog, ponies or goat hair!.
Www@FoodAQ@Com
As for growth in my personal ethics, I am increasingly aware of how egocentric I have been in my purchasing habits and taking steps to overcome this!. I am more aware of the impact my everyday decisions have on other sentient beings, the more I recognize how many everyday items are made from animals or animal products!. I was surprised when I found out conventional film for cameras is gelatin based and have recently changed over to a digital camera!. It is a small sacrifice too, to give up glossy photo paper as this usually contains gelatin!. I have even changed my art brushes to synthetic brushes as the bristles are usually made from sable, squirrel, hog, ponies or goat hair!.
Www@FoodAQ@Com
"What changes have you made to your diet, shopping patterns, banking, holidays, travel and leisure activities to fit in with your growing ethics and environmental awareness!?"
To reiterate: how can you "grow your own ethics [and morals]" if they are derived solely from social dogma!? You believe in Demonstrative Morality so you can't possibly grow your own ethics!. Perhaps you need to reword the question or re-examine your beliefs!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
To reiterate: how can you "grow your own ethics [and morals]" if they are derived solely from social dogma!? You believe in Demonstrative Morality so you can't possibly grow your own ethics!. Perhaps you need to reword the question or re-examine your beliefs!.Www@FoodAQ@Com