You have the power to make a real change in the world.
This page is dedicated to educating and empowering you, so together we can address the many larger than life issues affecting society, hurting the earth, and the world. Each campaign is here to generate awareness and provide action items to make a difference.
1/3 of all book sale proceeds go toward helping heal the world, through providing aid and support to refugees worldwide (with the IRC), supporting wildlife and animal conservation (like saving the elephants), and protecting the rainforest (with the RAN). Every book makes a difference, in your life and in the world.
This page is dedicated to educating and empowering you, so together we can address the many larger than life issues affecting society, hurting the earth, and the world. Each campaign is here to generate awareness and provide action items to make a difference.
1/3 of all book sale proceeds go toward helping heal the world, through providing aid and support to refugees worldwide (with the IRC), supporting wildlife and animal conservation (like saving the elephants), and protecting the rainforest (with the RAN). Every book makes a difference, in your life and in the world.
CHANGING THE WORLD starts with one small thing, it starts with you.
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Slavery didn't end, it just changed forms. This is a heartbreaking reality for millions of African Americans. When slavery ended, it found new forms, becoming a culture which criminalized black people. Lynchings, beatings, whippings, and murder were still common. Paving the way for the Jim Crow era, segregation, and second class citizenship. After the civil rights movement, the 'war on crime' was introduced by Nixon, along with the 'war on drugs' which was really just a war on marginalized communities. These political agendas promoted further criminalization of black people, leading to growing imprisonment. Prisons became privatized - setting up state contracts spelling out clauses that fined states for beds not filled. This incentivised arrests for petty crimes, and offered cheap labor which became even more profitable, which incentivised further crime/prison/profit cycles for those who stood to make a buck. ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Counsel) largely paved the way, introducing legislation that all led back to, essentially, legalized slavery. Militarized police, excessive force, choke holds, and zero accountability created a continuously hostile and dangerous reality for millions of BIPOC. Locking humans in a cage is a human rights crime. Companies profiting off incarceration and police violence, is shameful. Police immunity is dangerous and irresponsible. After 400 years of oppression, violence, rape, murder, abuse, looting the very spirit of the black American - it is time for justice, it is time for change, it is time for BLACK LIVES TO MATTER. To understand more watch 13th - linked on right. |
FACTS about POLICE VIOLENCE against BIPOC
Demand Justice for #GeorgeFloyd #BreonnaTaylor #AhmaudArbery To understand the issue of disproportionate violence towards BIPOC by police see https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/ "When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, ... Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must - at that moment - become the center of the universe."
~Elie Wiesel |
NONE ARE FREE UNTIL ALL ARE FREE, PEOPLE ARE NOT PROPERTY- The Continued Fight against Human Trafficking
Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery—a multi-billion dollar criminal industry that denies freedom to an estimated 40.3 million people around the world. And no matter where you live, chances are it's happening nearby. From the girl forced into prostitution at a truck stop, to the man discovered in a restaurant kitchen, stripped of his passport and held against his will. All trafficking victims share one essential experience: the loss of freedom. (source) How to help:
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Who is affected? Men forced to work in fields, or shops held against their will. Women forced into prostitution. People forced to work in agriculture, domestic work and factories. Children in sweatshops producing goods sold globally. Entire families forced to work for nothing to pay off generational debts. Girls forced to marry older men.
There are estimated 40.3 million people in modern slavery around the world, including:
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PROTECT the INDIGENOUS PEOPLE of BRAZIL
"The majority of the world’s 100 or so uncontacted tribes live in the Brazilian Amazon. They are aware of the outside world, use and adapt outside goods for their own purposes and may engage sporadically with contacted tribes nearby. Their hunter-gatherer lifestyles require vast and acute botanical and zoological knowledge. With this unique understanding of sustainable living, they protect some of the largest and most biodiverse forests on Earth. Uncontacted people make homes, love their families, tend the landscape, and, like any of us, want to live well and in peace. Where their rights are respected they continue to thrive, but all face catastrophe unless their land is protected. The largest area of primary rainforest under indigenous control is the Yanomami territory, which straddles part of the Brazilian border with Venezuela. It is home to around 32,000 Yanomami, including some groups who are uncontacted. A “epidemic”of goldminers have illegally invaded the territory to pillage its riches, bringing disease and death to the tribe. Right now, deep in the Amazon rainforest, a small tribe of survivors is on the run. They are the Kawahiva, an uncontacted tribe of just a few dozen people, the victims of waves of horrific attacks which have pushed them to the brink of extinction. We know almost nothing about them, except that they are fleeing chainsaws in a region with the highest rate of deforestation in the Amazon. Indigenous peoples are frequently regarded as obstacles to the advance of agribusiness, extractive industries, roads and dams. As more rainforest is invaded and destroyed in the name of economic “progress” and personal profit, uncontacted tribes become targets – massacred over resources because greedy outsiders know they can literally get away with murder. These are silent, invisible genocides, with few if any witnesses. The news often only emerges months, if not years, later." Cited from https://www.google.com/…/tribes-brazil-genocide-jair-bolson… |
See how you can help here through Survival International
"We are Survival, the global movement for tribal peoples’ rights. We’re the only organization that champions tribal peoples around the world. We help them defend their lives, protect their lands and determine their own futures." https://www.survivalinternational.org/ |
To make a change, we need to open our eyes...
AVAAZ: Avaaz empowers millions of people from all walks of life to take action on pressing global, regional and national issues, from corruption and poverty to conflict and climate change. Our model of internet organizing allows thousands of individual efforts, however small, to be rapidly combined into a powerful collective force. Avaaz seeks to create a safe haven for Syrian refugees- sign the petition here
GLOBAL CITIZEN Actions that make a difference. That help fight extreme poverty and inequality around the world, and support approaches that will make life more sustainable for people and the planet. BECOME A MEMBER/ FIND OUT MORE |
THE SYRIAN REFUGEE CRISIS,
Political conflicts, the relentless drive of corporate interests, security threats, and perhaps even climate change itself have created a dangerous and unstable social environment over the past decades in much of the Middle East, particularly so, in Syria. These issues are multifaceted in their roots, and the social issues created through this instability are multifaceted themselves. The total number of refugees (at the date of this publication according to the Syrian Regional Refugee response) is at 4,088,099 people of concern. To better understand the scope of the issue watch the VIDEO HERE. Ending the refugee crisis starts by ending the Syria Crisis SIGN THE PETITION TO WELCOME REFUGEES TO THE US "We ask the people, we ask the world, all the world, to help the Syrian people." - International Refuge Committee DONATE TO SUPPORT EMERGENCY RELIEF HERE through the International Rescue Committee If you cannot afford to donate you can still make a difference, CALL FOR CEASEFIRE IN SYRIA |
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SAVE THE LUNGS OF OUR PLANET
Modern-Day Plague Deforestation is clearing Earth's forests on a massive scale, often resulting in damage to the quality of the land. The world’s rain forests could completely vanish in a hundred years at the current rate of deforestation. Every minute . . we lose an area 29 times the size of the Pentagon! Every day . . . we lose an area larger than all five boroughs of New York City! Every week . . . we lose an area twice the size of Rhode Island! Every month . . .we lose an area the size of Belize! Every year . . . we lose an area more than twice the size of Florida! B I O - D I V E R S I T Y - A four-mile square mile patch of rainforest contains as many as 1,500 species of flowering plants, 750 species of trees, 125 mammal species, 400 species of birds, 100 species of reptiles, 60 species of amphibians, and 150 different species of butterflies. There are more fish species in the Amazon river system than in the entire Atlantic Ocean. At least 1/3 of the planet’s bird species live in the Amazon rainforest. The Andean mountain range and the Amazon jungle are home to more than half of the world’s species of flora and fauna. At least 1,650 rainforest plants can be utilized as alternatives to our present fruit and vegetable staples. 37% of all medicines prescribed in the US have active ingredients derived from rainforest plants. 70% of the plant species identified by the US National Cancer Institute as holding anti-cancer properties come from rainforests. A hectare (2.471 acres) of rainforest absorbs one ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year. Conversely, the clearing and burning of the world’s rainforest accounts for 20-25% of the CO2 emitted into the atmosphere by man. THE COST OF RAINFOREST DESTRUCTION Almost half of the world’s original four billion acres of rainforest are now gone. The lost area equals the combined size of Washington, Idaho, California, Nevada and Arizona. Man has recently increased nature’s "normal" extinction rate by 10,000%. By conservative estimates, 9,000 species are going extinct each year, most of them from the rainforests. We are presently experiencing the largest mass extinction since the demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago; only this time it’s occurring at a much faster rate." KNOW THE FACTS: DEFORESTATION THE MODERN DAY PLAGUE CAUSES OF RAINFOREST DESTRUCTION DESTRUCTION OF ELEPHANT, TIGER AND ORANGUTAN HABITAT TOILET PAPER, MARGARINE, SKIN CREAM AND RAINFOREST DESTRUCTION WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP: WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SAVE THE RAINFORESTS GET INVOLVED: RAINFOREST FOUNDATION |
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
UNRWA (United Nations Relief Works Organization for Palestine refugees in Near East) Global News reports that the staff of UNRWA, which runs 82 schools and provides food, shelter to over 200,000 displaced Palestinians, are at a “breaking point” trying to deal with this humanitarian crisis. Tax deductible donations in the US can be made through US Friends of UNRWA, a 501(c)(3) The Jerusalem Fund “Humanitarian Link” gives small grants to needy hospitals, schools, orphanages and human rights groups. Its Emergency Gaza Appeal promises that 100% of donations to this appeal will be earmarked for humanitarian relief and rebuilding in Gaza. Palestine Children’s Relief Fund is identifying injured children and providing them with critical medical care, as well as providing poor, displaced families with the urgent humanitarian aid that is needed. The Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) has delivered millions of dollars in food, medicine and medical supplies to children in the West Bank and Gaza, Iraq and Lebanon. MECA provides financial assistance for community projects in the West Bank and Gaza such as sports teams, arts programs, English classes, computer technology, media training, playgrounds and psychological-social support. MECA is currently seeking emergency aid for children in Gaza— food, milk, medicine. |
PEACE FOR PALESTINE
Disclaimer- as a member of humanity, I consider life, ALL LIFE, to be sacred. I greatly oppose any semblance of racism, anti-Semitism, or divisionary propaganda. Faith is a individual right to every member of humanity- this is not about condemning any religion or belief. The situation in the Gaza strip and West Bank is rarely given media attention. Since the Palestine war in 1948 a line was literally drawn to divide Israel and Palestine which ran through homes, neighborhoods and communities displacing millions. Today, “nearly one-third of the registered Palestine refugees, more than 1.5 million individuals, live in 58 recognized Palestine refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem” (cited from UNRWA). This is a call for immediate end to all acts of violence, colonization and occupation. For the right of all refugees to return to their homes and livelihoods. For the development and implementation of a pluralistic democratic government for Palestine/ Israel with equality and human rights for all. For an inside look please take some time to watch the Empire Files Series by Abby Martin, who spent 2 months in Palestine and Israel doing interviews and capturing footage. |
THE MONARCH PROJECT
Monarchs need our help NOW! There are 97% fewer than at their recorded height and 50% less than there were last year. This is a back to back 50% decline in their overwintering numbers. This is a crisis situation! In 1991, over 75% of the wintering Monarchs from North America froze to death in Mexico as a result of three days of rain and sub-freezing conditions. Their numbers showed some recovery but now there is a nationwide shortage of milkweed. Not only is loss of habitat a factor, but the widespread use of toxic pesticides has been a large contributor as well. Saving the monarchs can help sustain the world we know, as a vital pollinator species (like the dwindling honeybee), Monarchs are some of natures most majestic and beautiful examples of transformation. KNOW THE FACTS: http://monarchwatch.org/blog/2014/01/monarch-population-status-20/ LEARN MORE: https://www.organicconsumers.org/news/monarchs-may-win-endangered-species-protection ANIMATED MONARCH BUTTERFLY TRACKER HERE CREATE MONARCH HABITATS, BECOME A VOICE, PLANT MILKWEED, GET INVOLVED: Everyone can help PROTECTING MONARCHS ECOLOGICAL LANDSCAPE ALLIANCE CREATE A HABITAT FOR MONARCHS PLANT MILKWEED WITH FREE MILKWEED SEEDS |
Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh told Human Rights Watch that Burmese government security forces had carried out armed attacks on villagers, inflicting bullet and shrapnel injuries, and burned down their homes. The killings, shelling, and arson in Rohingya villages have all the hallmarks of a campaign of “ethnic cleansing.”
Jeevanjyot Singh, a Khalsa Aid volunteer also added that the refugees had come from Myanmar and had travelled for more than ten days. “Since then, the children had no food or water. They are in dire need of food and water,” he said Exact numbers of displaced people are unknown and hard to determine, but unverified estimates are that over 370,000 people have crossed the border into Bangladesh. And more are coming every day. Urgent needs include food, water, sanitation, shelter, medical and trauma care. This disaster is going largely ignored. The most boots on the group relief group I have located is currently Khlasa aid volunteers (more info shown right). |
ROHINJA MUSLIM REFUGEE CRISIS- Like many other important stories, this is not being covered by the media.
Since August 25th, an estimated 370,000 Rohingyas have fled the Myanmar’s Rakhine region. Myanmar has a dominant Buddhist community and the Rohingyas are a Muslim minority. They have been the targets of violence by both the state and Buddhist nationalist groups. Sadly, the Myanmar government refuses to recognize the Rohingyas as citizens and as a result, they have been denied basic rights and employment opportunities. They have faced persecution and have been told to follow Buddhism. The clash between Rohingya and Myanmar forces have led to entire Rohingya villages being burnt to the ground, causing widespread destruction for thousands of residents in the area. HOW TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE HELPING International Refugee Committee (IRC) The International Rescue Committee responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. https://www.rescue.org/ Khalsa Aid is an international NGO with the aim to provide humanitarian aid in disaster areas and civil conflict zones around the world. The organization is based upon the Sikh principle of ‘Recognize the whole human race as one’. https://www.khalsaaid.org/ UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. http://www.unhcr.org/ |
If this was your family, what would you hope and pray the world would do?
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YEMEN CRISIS- humanitarian call for aid
Thousands of civilians have died since the start of the Yemen conflict (2011-2012) and millions more have been displaced inside the country. 60 percent of the country is food insecure and over half the population is unable to access safe drinking water. Many areas in Yemen are just one step away from a famine situation. The war in Yemen has caused more than 8,000 deaths - mostly of civilians - according to the World Health Organization (WHO). More than 44,500 people are estimated to have been wounded. The situation in the country of some 27 million has been worsened by a massive outbreak of the bacterial infection cholera (more on Cholera from Doctors Without Borders) More than 600,000 people are expected to contract cholera in Yemen this year (2017), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned. More than 370,000 people have fallen ill and 1,800 have died since late April in Yemen's second cholera outbreak in less than a year, according to the ICRC and WHO. According to the WHO, 5,000 new suspected cases of cholera are registered every day in Yemen, which is facing the world's largest outbreak of the disease. A Child dies every 10 minutes in Yemen- -How you can help WARCHILD -IRC- helping Yemen refugees through the International Rescue Committee -More on how to support aid for the Yemen crisis through Doctors without Borders |
WORLD HUNGER
Each year, 2.6 million children die as a result of hunger-related causes. Some 805 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life. That's about one in nine people on earth. The vast majority of the world's hungry people live in developing countries, where 13.5 percent of the population is undernourished. http://www.wfp.org/hunger/stats WORLD HUNGER STATISTICS: · 21,000 people die of starvation worldwide each day. · Poor nutrition causes nearly half (45%) of deaths in children under five - 3.1 million children each year. · As of 2015 (2011 statistics), the World Bank has estimated that there were just over 1 billion poor people in developing countries who live on $1.25 a day or less. THE MORAL DILEMMA: 'In 2008 a doctor named Jacques Diouf appealed to the world leaders that the cost to eradicate world hunger would be an estimated 30$ billion a year. To put this in perspective in 2012 the United States spent 737$ Billion on Military ‘Defense’. [1] Dr. Diouf gave a notably impassioned speech and provided all evidence of the ability to feed the poor and hungry in this world. “Against that backdrop, how can we explain to people of good sense and good faith that it was not possible to find US $30 billion a year to enable 862 million hungry people to enjoy the most fundamental of human rights; the right to food and thus the right to life?... Regrettably the international community only reacts when the media beam the distressing spectacle of world suffering into the homes of the wealthy countries…The problem of food insecurity is a political one, “ Dr. Diouf concluded. “It is a question of priorities in the face of the most fundamental of human needs. And it is those choices made by Governments that determine the allocation of resources.” [2] If we wanted to save lives this is our opportunity, and we could have an effect on a staggering percentage of the population of the world, all of it. “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.” Benjamin Franklin.' (Excerpt from Universal Hidden Insight) [1] Gucciardi, Anthony. About One Week of US Military Spending Would Wipe Out World Hunger. Infowars.com. June 24, 2013. <http;//www.infowars.com/about-one-week-of-us-military-spending-would-wipe-out-world-hunger/> [2] Matthews, Christopher. The world only needs 30 billion dollars a year to eradicate the scourge of hunger. FAQ Newsroom. 2008. <http;//www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2008/1000853/> UNDERSTANDING WORLD HUNGER: 2015 WORLD HUNGER AND POVERTY STATS WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SAVE LIVES: SPONSOR A CHILD- for as much as you would spend on a dinner for two in the states, you can feed a child for a month. You can save a life. WORLD VISION FEED A CHILD FOR A MONTH FOR 3.65$ FOOD FOR THE POOR GET INVOLVED STOP HUNGER NOW |
SAVE THE BEES
Honey bees – wild and domestic – perform about 80 percent of all pollination worldwide. A single bee colony can pollinate 300 million flowers each day. Grains are primarily pollinated by the wind, but the best and healthiest food – fruits, nuts, and vegetables – are pollinated by bees. Seventy out of the top 100 human food crops, which supply about 90 percent of the world's nutrition, are pollinated by bees. Scientists know that bees are dying from a variety of factors – pesticides, drought, habitat destruction, nutrition deficit, air pollution, global heating, and so forth. The causes of collapse merge and synergise, but we know that humanity is the perpetrator, and that the two most prominent causes appear to be pesticides and habitat loss. KNOW THE FACTS: http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/genetic-engineering/Bees-in-Crisis/ SPEAK UP FOR BEES, SPEAK UP FOR LIFE ACROSS THE PLANET SIGN THE PETITION WITH AVAAZ TO SAVE THE BEES ENCOURAGE RESEARCH THAT CAN SAVE THE BEES TELL THE EPA TO PROTECT THE BEES FROM POISONS http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/503/847/667/ 11 AMAZING REASONS TO SAVE THE BEES! HOW TO MAKE SIMPLE BEE HYDRATORS |
FREE WEST PAPUA
"My name is Benny Wenda and I am a West Papuan independence leader. When I was a child my village was bombed by the Indonesian military and many of my family were killed. Later, I began to campaign peacefully to free my country from Indonesian occupation. For this ‘crime’ I was arrested, tortured and threatened with death. I managed to escape to the UK, where I now live in exile. My people are still suffering. Hundreds of thousands have been killed, raped and tortured. All we want is to live without fear and for West Papua to become a free and independent country." Over 500,000 civilians have been killed in genocide against the indigenous population of West Papua in Indonesia. Thousands more have been raped, tortured, imprisoned or 'disappeared' after being detained. Entire villages have been demolished, entire generations wiped out. Basic human rights such as freedom of speech are denied and Papuans live in a constant state of fear. The world needs to know what is happening in West Papua, but the government of Indonesia is blocking human rights investigators. I just signed a Care2 petition demanding that Indonesia's president open the area to United Nations human rights investigators. Will you sign too? Sign the Care2 petition Here Learn more ways to help HERE through Freewestpapua.org Help put pressure on the right places through social media. Many people do not know about this human rights issue. |
HELP THE VICTIMS OF WAR
PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING DUE TO CONSTANT WAR ACROSS THE PLANET, often forgotten are children, families, orphaned souls who lost their parents. These innocent people have nothing to do with either side, they are simply victims, and THEY NEED OUR HELP. If you are warm, comfortable, and fed right now, PLEASE take moment to help our fellow members of humanity as they go without something so basic as a blanket, food, water. These basic provisions and support can mean the difference between life and death. The media has remained silent on this humanitarian crisis, but I will not, please spread the word, and take just ONE MOMENT to donate and SAVE A LIFE. Something so simple, we can each be a part of, to save the lives of others who need our help. The Cost of War: IRAQ: 133,000+ dead due to direct violence due to the “war on terror” launched by the US. 450,000+ dead due to dislocation (illness, disease, lack of food/ clean water, and health care) And 1,500,000 (1.5 million) men, women and children have either been displaced or fled the country (that is 1 out of every 20 Iraqi’s) AFGHANISTAN: 21,000 dead due to “operation enduring freedom” launched by the US. And 155,000 people have fled their homes, and a total of 450,000 people have been internally displaced. SYRIA: Estimates between 129,230 and 295,060 dead due to the war in Syria. And 2,300,000 (2.3 million) men, women and children have either been displaced or fled the country due to the Civil War. GAZA: 1,440 Palestinians killed (114 non combatant women, 431 non combatant children) according to totals by the Palestinian Ministry and Health , Gaza between 2008 and 2009 along with another 100 or more this past July 2014. And more than 50,000 people displaced sleeping on classroom floors and courtyards. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CRIMES OF WAR: CRIMES OF WAR |
GET INVOLVED WITH ORGANIZATIONS HELPING VICTIMS OF WAR: JOIN THE HELPERS AND HEALERS:
HELP WAR VICTIMS WITH WE HELP WAR VICTIMS HELP CHILDREN WITH WAR CHILD HOW TO HELP WITH BELIEF NET VOLUNTEER ABROAD WITH CROSS CULTURAL SOLUTIONS GAZA ORPHANAGE SPONSORSHIP PCRF (CHILDREN S RELIEF FUND) AID FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN AID TO SYRIA |
VEGAN FOR LIFE: and boycotting factory farming
What is the difference? We love some and eat some... this has been a constant reflection of mine over the past 9 months and my journey into being vegan and making myself aware of the issues with the factory meat and dairy industries. Most people are not ready yet to really look at this, but if we don't know what is wrong we can't change it. Did you know a mother cow will cry for days when its calf is taken from her?
What is the difference? We love some and eat some... this has been a constant reflection of mine over the past 9 months and my journey into being vegan and making myself aware of the issues with the factory meat and dairy industries. Most people are not ready yet to really look at this, but if we don't know what is wrong we can't change it. Did you know a mother cow will cry for days when its calf is taken from her?
We have been the victims of a century of campaigns and advertising which taught us to believe many lies about a meat and dairy based diet; we believe milk does a body good, we believe beef is what's for dinner... We see pictures of cows in a green pasture on the milk carton and don't imagine the utterly egregious suffering that cow endured. This is not just about the animals, this industry is tied to world hunger, carbon pollution, the wasting of multiple resources. (To date, probably the most reliable and widely-accepted water estimate to produce a pound of beef is the figure of 2,500 gallons/pound. Newsweek once put it another way: "the water that goes into a 1,000 pound steer would float a destroyer.") In a world where 20,000+ people die a day* of starvation and 45% of children under the age of 5 die for no other reason than they did not have enough food an inconvenient fact is the United States alone could feed 800 million people with the grain fed to livestock.
If you are against rape then you are already against the dairy industry (I'm sorry guys... unless you think rape is justified in some scenarios, there is no way around this one.) If you are against torture, murder, children being taken from their parents minutes after they are born leaving the parents collapsed and weeping from grief, then you are already against this terrible industry. If you believe in animal rights, then you are already against the very premise of factory farming. There are social, environmental, economic and even political benefits to a vegan or vegetarian diet, as well as what is being called a "conscious omnivore" (those who avoid factory farmed products opting for meats and dairy products raised by responsible and ethical farming.) Being vegan for one year saves roughly 198 animals along with having a multitude of other positive effects on the environment and the world. It protects our soil, “You can get almost all vital nutrients you need from eating plant-based foods (save vitamins D and B12)—and that’s because minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and amino acids are in our soil. Researchers have found that raising animals for consumption contributes to erosion and nutritional depletion of soil, plus desertification and deforestation.” It conserves water, “more than 70 percent of the earth’s fresh water is used in agriculture of plants and animals: it takes 100 to 200 times more water to produce a pound of beef than it does to grow a pound of plant foods.” It saves energy, “a Cornell study found that producing animal-based protein requires eight times more fossil-fuel energy than creating plant-based protein.” It clears the air and prevents deforestation, “a report by the UN concluded that animal agriculture is a larger contributor to greenhouse gas than all forms of transportation. And speaking of the previously mentioned issue of deforestation, when rainforests are cleared to create livestock pastures, carbon is released into the air.” Perhaps most importantly, it combats world hunger, “Hundreds of millions of people around the world are currently suffering from hunger and malnutrition, and yet 70 percent of the grain grown in the United States is fed to livestock. Even animals in poor countries are fed cereal, as well as legumes and vegetables, in order to produce meat and dairy. All in all, more than 700 million tons of human-grade food goes into animal agriculture each year, which could instead be used to eradicate hunger.” Do your own research and I challenge you to look at what so many of us have avoided looking at- a culture can influence what is perceived as ethical, but ethics and what is right must be deeply considered, often challenging all preconceived notions, from within you. |
"If we could live happy and healthy lives without harming others, why wouldn't we?" ~Edgar's Mission
Check out the good work the people at places like Edgars Mission Farm Sanctuary for rescued factory farmed animals are doing, it will warm your heart and make you reconsider what we think of our dinner. https://www.edgarsmission.org.au/
For those who may need a wake up call here is a 5 min video explaining dairy industry (warning, this is graphic content)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcN7SGGoCNI
Check out the good work the people at places like Edgars Mission Farm Sanctuary for rescued factory farmed animals are doing, it will warm your heart and make you reconsider what we think of our dinner. https://www.edgarsmission.org.au/
For those who may need a wake up call here is a 5 min video explaining dairy industry (warning, this is graphic content)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcN7SGGoCNI
To become truly self-aware as a species, we will have to recognize the powerful responsibility that what do makes a difference. What we feel, think, and put our energies toward, what we share, and what we withhold, what we use and what we throw away, in every sense each choice we make affects the world. That influence can be sensed spiritually, in that it is not only a material affect, as well as practically, in a sense that physical affects are measurable and visible in the environment and others surrounding us. We can begin to see through our own self-awareness that it is us who will change the world, whether we like it or not, so we have to do the right thing, make the choices and changes that will benefit not only ourselves, but all the life which we are connected to in this tapestry of existence. The pinnacle of self awareness is to achieve collective awareness, we are all connected. When we help others, we help ourselves. ~Lisa Falcon G.
FIND OUR MORE about how we can heal ourselves and the world in Universal Hidden Insight the Book!! |