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This image was circulated and posted throughout the vegan blog circles like crazy this week. At first, I wasn’t sure what the intention of the drawing was, or how to react. Then I read this article (bolding is mine):

As we (and others) have defined and discussed in the past, veganism is not about perfection. Anyone who claims to be a perfect vegan has either not done their research or is not quite sure what veganism is about. We live in a society that is built on the use of billions of animals and that isn’t going to change any time soon. The billion dollar industries that farm these animals and sell their by-products as food or raw material to other industries are not going to crumble and fall in a matter of days or months. That’s reality. But is that reason enough to do nothing? Hell no! The question is, who manufacturers these products and who buys them? We do! Who can instrument a systematic shift in how this entire modern industrial system works? We can! As Lao-Tzu, the founder of Taoism famously put it, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”.

The moment you acknowledge there’s something wrong with the unnecessary use and exploitation of animals for human benefit, you should ask yourself what that first step can be. No matter how you look at it, the logical conclusion you will arrive at is the path of veganism and ethical consumerism. Most people consider veganism to be extreme because they don’t understand the logical process that leads people down this path. Veganism is a beginning, and what follows is a practical effort to avoid products that are derived from the exploitation of animals. Eventually, with the help of creative vegan education (including the removal of the stereotypes and misconceptions associated with the word vegan itself), we will arrive at our destination. That destination is a world where the demand for animal products has been systematically eliminated.

Or you can do nothing. The choice is yours.

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Halloween Horror: Processed Food

I just wanted to quickly mention Chipotle’s “Dress To Kill This Halloween” event. In the past on Halloween, if you come to Chipotle dressed as a Chipotle burrito you’d get a discounted meal. This year they’ve decided to do something a little bit different: If you come to Chipotle dressed as the scariest, most processed food you can think of (hence “dressed to kill”), you’ll receive any menu item for only $2.00.  And if your costume is really good, you’ll be entered in a costume contest to win $2,500.  I think this promotion and it’s focus on the horrors of processed food is brilliant!

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Breakfast: Smoothie with 2 bananas, frozen peaches, almond milk, and crushed flax seed (a vegan source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid, also a great source of fiber and antioxidants)
Lunch: Mongolian BBQ (build your own stir fry) with tons of veggies and tofu (and peanuts!)

Dinner: An awesome vegan Mexican meal from Tacos And Tequila (or TNT). A black bean, soy chorizo, and avocado taco, a vegetable skewer, and their fantastic corn side.

Related Posts:

• Why I Am Vegan: Walter Bond’s Story
• Which Are You?
• Think A Second Time