veganmonk

ROFL! You forgot "seal-clubbing old-growth-forest-clearcutting whale-murder-supporting afghanistan-invading".... I'll stop... Did you really like commercial? I never go there.... It is one of those "trendy" area's where saying your vegetarian or vegan is something "in" but they really have no idea what it means. The one veganish place on commercial is called sweet cherubum and they dont' even truly know what is vegan or what isn't (like saying the lasagna with casein cheese is vegan). Portland has got to be way better than commercial drive.... But, it is a neat window shopping area... I want a VEGAN area!!!!!

Consuming your own species milk during infancy stage and also whatever goes on when two mammals engage in the reproductive process, means that the bodily fluids transferred within your species is exempt from this rule, as it is a requirement of life. However, this is not supposed to be a cross-species thing - but some humans do drink cows milk for some strange reason - like little milk-stealing Ming over here: http://www.milksucks.com/milksuckers/ethnicming.jpg

lib's raised his kids vegan - they seem very optimal to me. what do you do lib? any b12 pills? I've personally never taken any pills, and have been veggie for 16 years, transitioned to vegan over the years. I do however have fortified foods like soy milk or yves imitation meats, and do have nutrional yeast, but I don't pay attention to how much or when I get it or make sure that I get enough. And so theres as fars as I cans tells nothingg wrong nohting for me problems not any perfectololy fine here - not tissuess or brains and nevers of nerves of damaging to me. Joking aside, I do think it's important to mention the issue, simply because many people go vegetarian and will just eat junk food and not think about nutrition, so it is important to make sure they at least think about some means of getting it, but that doesn't mean pill popping.

about the leather products last longer, I know myself that is definately not true. My shoes and belts and wallet are all vegan, and so far, I've never had to replace any of them, other than my trail runners. I've had them all for over 3 years. In fact, I had a co-worker who bought a pair of high-end leather dress shoes, and said the same kind of thing, that his will outlast mine, and they definately didn't. I'm still wearing mine today, and he's replaced them already. You just have to buy good quality vegan shoes. All I can say is www.vegetarian-shoes.co.uk !!!!. Also new balance trail runners last a long long time too. You are guaranteed 2 years at minimum of these things, I'm onto my 3rd and 4th. Leather products wrinkle, stink, and wear out faster. The only argument they once had was the "breathability", but synthetics have come a long way. I wish all the hikers/climbers etc would stop buying wool socks and leather sport shoes. that's good point about the bulking.....I'm a skinny guy so I'll get off the hook on that one =)

I agree within reason and that which we have control over. Taking a few seconds to make sure your products are not tested on animals or dont' contain animal ingredients, or finding alternative clothing/shoes/accessories, is easily done. When we walk, we should be aware of where we step, but of course, we will kill insects by walking, or breathing, or cleaning, etc.. And the things we buy of course, not only the ingredients matter, the packaging, transport, manufacturing process, all contribute to animal habitat destruction or may contain animal products in glues/dyes etc, car tires contain animal based pigments for colors, etc..etc.., so it is definately not fully possible to never cause any harm to animals, especially in our modern urban living societies. As a temple/village monk, you still have the insect issue when walking or sleeping, but you are not consuming, driving, or eating anything that wasn't harvested from your own crops and eaten fresh, so it is greatly reduced compared to city life, but of course, is never 100%. The long term ideal solution, is localized living with local community farms, and everything being livable within local villages. The urban sprawl and flight travel/car travel is greatly the major problem in this world.

Lib - you should get a good laugh off this one: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4282257.stm I can't believe how retarded some of these news articles are... It is like they forget that people in China (buddhists/monks) have been living near vegan lifestyles (or if a temple monk then really a vegan), for thousands of years, and in India, only dairy was consumed, so clearly everyone in India and China is mentally retarded and inferior to meat eaters right? The studies were funded by the beef industry, and also they conclude vegans need to take pills to get the nutrients found in meat - what bs! And people have been vegan for a long time already now, and this stuff is just bs propaganda. Can't believe it makes it on the news. Geez....

I don't know if that ban in Vancouver means anything, as the rodeo's are not held in Vancouver, they are held in Cloverdale or other other such cities in BC.

I asked PeTA sometime back about the euthenasia issue, and they told me they only do it if the animal is suffering and cannot be cured, for example sometimes they find an animal cut in half and suffering, so they put it to sleep. They don't euthenize animals for the sake of money or space, or healthy animals.

All things in this world are living, including air, water, trees, plants, soil, dirt, you name it. We just do not conceive things properly. The answer lies in instinct, and following our physical design by intent, in order to carry out natures balance. There are herbivores, carnivores, bacteria and micro-organisms, natural and environmental shifts and changes, etc, etc, that allow this planet to be sustainable, and not have one species grow out of proportion. However, man has become a bit of a parasite that has managed so far to defeat this balance, but it won't be for long. Disease, natural disaster, or our own species, will result in our own fate, if we do not reconnect with this inner instinct and learn our place once again. Everything must be consumed, and die, and life must be re-created. This is how this planet works.

Actually that is a common mistake, thinking that the term "vegan" refers to only a diet. The reason it was invented was for animals (ethical reason): Also people must remember that the founding of vegetarianism comes from ethical reasons, not for health or the environment. Buddhism, hinduism, sikhism, etc, and all the founding vegetarian movements, are based on respect for animals. The environmental and health realizations are something we base on modern practices. However, that is not good enough reason to go vegan alone. If you consider how natives and indegenous people lived naturally in harmony without destroying the environment, or being really sick or ill, that negates the entire reason to go vegan based on those reasons alone. So, if one lived as a native or indigenous, what reason would you have based on the environment or health not to eat animals? It doesn't exist! Therefore being vegan must be, as originally defined, for animals and ethical reasons. Also in regards to leather lib, it is either a direct product from the slaughter industry, or it is one from a dedicated industry such as the ones in India, and it is definately a very cruel industry and one that results in the death of animals, so it isn't vegan if you wear leather! Bad lib! http://www.cowsarecool.com/theFacts.asp

Mom german, father Ismaili, and I was born in London, England to make it just a tad bit more complex lol. Nice to know some other mixed vegans out there =)

Controversial perhaps question... When do you consider someone vegan? When they change just their diet, or when they follow it completely and don't wear leather, have or buy any animal products or products tested on animals, won't eat trace amounts or non-vegan ingredients (ie: people that still have a cookie with dairy in it or wear leather shoes, etc..). I know most of the enviro or health vegans I've met don't take it seriously enough as they aren't doing it for animals, so they think only of doing the diet as much as possible for the planets sake, and forget about the true definition of being a vegan. Thoughts?

LOL lib.... And hi robert - nice to be here! You guys up late too huh?

Hello all Vegan from Vancouver here....thanks to loveliberate's guidance =) Me - vegan, male, 28, mixed breed, love animals, martial arts, food.... Anyway, nice to find this site and look forward to the posts

Look at all the vegan stuff!!!! It's not fair!!!!!!!!! I hate you portland

I think that PeTA is 90% good for all they do. All their websites and partner sites are extremely well done and informative, and provide a wealth of resources and facts to share with the world, not to mention all the proof and evidence of all the suffering that animals go through. They are by no means perfect, but they are by far the largest and most successfull animal rights group in the world, and without them, I don't think the animal rights movement would be nearly as successfull. They have accomplished a lot, whether it is completely all the way a/r such as convicing a celeb to go vegan or veggie, or baby steps like convincing ralph lauren not to manufacture fur, it is all good for the animals. My biggest bone to pick with PeTA, is that they sometimes do things that are not A/R based such as: 1. Giving the PeTA person of the year award to a guy that invented a gassing to death mouse trap. The reasoning was pathetic, stating that gassing a mouse and then alerting a person that there is a dead mouse, enables a person to find the mouse hole quickly, and close it, thus saving other mice. Ridiculous! If you put a trap where a mouse hole was, you'd know where it was to begin with! You can't find those things without looking for them specifically. Also, killing a mouse is killing, however you look at it. And, the alerting technology could have been added to a humane capture / no-kill trap instead couldn't it PeTA? Geez.... 2. Telling you that all cats must be indoor cats and not allowed to have their own free will to go outside and return if they want to. Clearly they must live in busy cities and do not truly respect their cats as equals and as having the right to be free, and live with humans by choice, but rather by force. I have grown up with cats my whole life, and all of them have been outdoor cats, and they come back by choice, under their own free will. I do not control them like possessions. This is true a/r equality and respect. 3. Believing that man must observe animals from afar, and that man and animals cannot be natural companions (ie: no cats or dogs). This is false, because both ancient cats in egypt, and dogs in the wild (wolves, huskies), ventured to man by choice, and were always throughout history free and by choice returned to be with man, as a mutual friendship (food and companionship). Therefore they are mistaken in two ways about this. They are correct in stating that man made breeding of animals is not right for profit etc..etc.., but the overall perspective is invalid. 4. They cross between animal welfare and animal rights quite often, and don't take a clear a/r stance all the time. But in general, they do seem to focus properly on a/r.