HSPH Studies Link Meat & Cancer, U.N. Report Cattle/Greenhouse Gases, Events, Giving with Conscience
December 13, 2006
Dear Boston Vegetarian Society List,
1) What would you like to tell restaurant owners/managers?
2) Harvard School of Public Health Studies Link Meat and Cancer Risk
3) United Nations Report: Cattle Produce More Greenhouse Gases Than Driving Cars
4) Local Area Events of Interest
5) Gift Giving with a Conscience - Local Authors & Online Eco & Veg Shopping
1) BVS TO WRITE ARTICLE OF TIPS FOR RESTAURANT OWNERS/MANAGERS
Here's our chance! BVS has been asked to write an article for Yankee Food Service newspaper, which goes out to restaurant owners and managers. The article would put together tips for owners/managers from the perspective of a vegetarian or vegan going out to eat and what we would like to see.
2) HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH STUDIES LINK MEAT AND CANCER RISK
Two studies released this month from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) add to the evidence against meat. In one, data from 47,422 men and 88,471 women showed that those eating 5+ servings of bacon each week had a 59 percent greater risk of bladder cancer than those who ate no bacon. Those who ate 5+ servings of skinless chicken each week had a 52 percent greater risk of bladder cancer than those who ate none. Study leaders (Michaud, Holick, Giovannucci, Stampfer) hypothesize that nitrosamines and heterocyclic amines (known carcinogens) in these meats may play a role.
The second HSPH study (Cho, Chen, Hunter, Stampfer, Colditz, Hankinson, Willett), which analyzed 12 years of food intake data for 90,659 premenopausal women aged 26 to 46, showed that those who ate 1.5+ servings of meat daily had almost double the risk of getting the most common type of breast cancer than those eating three or fewer servings of red meat per week.
3) UNITED NATIONS REPORT: CATTLE PRODUCE MORE GREENHOUSE GASES THAN DRIVING CARS
A United Nations report released 11/29/06 states, “Livestock are one of the most significant contributors to today’s most serious environmental problems,” and that cattle-rearing is also a major source of land and water degradation.
Livestock generates 65 per cent of human-related nitrous oxide, which has 296 times the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of CO2. Most of this comes from manure. Livestock accounts for 37% of all human-induced methane, (which is 23 times as warming as CO2) and 64 per cent of ammonia, which contributes significantly to acid rain. Read more:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=20772&Cr=global&Cr1=environm ent#
4) LOCAL AREA EVENTS OF INTEREST
Sunday, December 17, 2006, 1 - 4 PM Perspectives on the "Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act" A panel discussion on this recently passed law which affects animal advocacy. (Rep. Dennis Kucinich, the only vegan in Congress, was hoped to attend but he cannot.) The Peace Abbey 2 N. Main Street (junction of Rts. 16 & 27) Sherborn, MA
http://www.peaceabbey.org Sponsored by Mass. Action for Animals (MAfA)
February 23-25, 2007 The National Center for Animal Law's 4th Annual Appellate Moot Court & Closing Argument Competitions An opportunity to learn from leading animal law attorneys and professors while working on legal issues. Harvard Law School Cambridge, Massachusetts
http://www.lclark.edu/org/ncal/competitions.html
March 30-April 1, 2007 The Future of Animal Law Conference Top minds in the field of animal law will discuss cutting-edge legal strategies to stop the abuse of companion animals, and animals abused in factory farming and the entertainment business; to educate prosecutors; and to foster the development of animal law. Harvard Law School Cambridge, Massachusetts 20% off registration fee through 12/31/06
http://www.cmcna.com/animal_law_conference_2007/index.htm
5) GIFT GIVING WITH A CONSCIENCE Here are some eco- and veg-friendly ideas for gift giving. We start with ideas with local/BVS ties and end with an array of convenient online veg shopping sites.
Topping the list are two new books from authors/friends of our BVS community. Buy directly from the publisher Lantern Books at
http://lanternbooks.com/, which has an extensive collection of inspiring titles.
* The Lifelong Activist: How to Change the World without Losing Your Way, by Hillary Retting, helps activists, volunteers, and others with a political or social mission be as productive as possible while avoiding burnout and leading a happy, healthy, and balanced life. Many case studies relating to veg'm and animal advocacy.
http://www.lifelongactivist.com includes "Go Veg" section.
* Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own Hatching, by Michael Greger MD. This tour de force is packed with practical advice, wit, and "demonstrates that the evolution of the devastating influenza virus, as well as that of numerous other zoonotic pathogens, stems directly from the proliferation of confinement agricultural systems. Every person concerned about human and animal health and welfare, self-preservation, and justice should read this book.”—Bernard Rollin, PhD www.BirdFluBook.com
A - A gift to a charity is a way to honor someone in a meaningful way. One option is to help through Alternative Gifts International, which sends gifts of food, shelter, trees, gardens, and medicines around the world. Or assist a local charity, animal shelter, etc.
http://www.AlternativeGifts.org
B - A gift certificate to a veggie restaurant. Pick one here:
http://www.bostonveg.org/restaurants/
C - A gift certificate to a veggie B & B. Pick one here:
http://www.bostonveg.org/bb.html
D - A magazine subscription, such as these BVS Festival sponsors:
E/The Environmental Magazine Current and emerging issues, green lifestyle tips
http://www.emagazine.com
VegNews Magazine Veg lifestyle, news, food, politics, travel, buzz
http://vegnews.com
Satya Magazine Veg'm, environmentalism, animal advocacy, social justice
http://www.satyamag.com/
Herbivore Magazine "Putting the F.U. in Tofu Since Oh Three"
http://herbivoremagazine.com/
Vegetarian Times Recipes, natural beauty, travel, health
http://vegetariantimes.com/
E - Eco-friendly and Veg Online Shopping
A vast array of animal-free products, from shoes, handbags, clothing, accessories, personal care products, food, kid and pet toys, and even hard-to-find items like vegan ballet slippers are as convenient as your keyboard. Here's a list that should provide for all your needs for yourself or for gift-giving:
Bizarro Animal Stuff Award-winning cartoonist Dan Piraro (speaker at BVS Festival) offers a line of T shirts emblazoned with some of his funniest veg and animal themed cartoons. 100% of profits go to Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, and the T's are sweatshop free, fair labor verified.
http://www.cafepress.com/bizarroanimals
Conscientiously Stylish Organic Cotton Clothing (founded by BVS member/friend)
http://www.cottonfieldusa.com/pages.php?pageid=4 (As seen at BVS Festivals '02-'06)
Moo-Cluck -- Beyond delicious vegan un-cheesecakes, cookie dough, cupcakes, more. If you loved them at BVS Festival '05, you can now order online
http://www.moocluck.com
Purrfect Play Organic Vegan Dog & Cat Toys
http://purrfectplay.com/vegan.php (As seen at BVS Festival)
Snooty Jewelry - veg*n themed pins, earrings, bracelets, necklaces
http://www.snootyjewelry.com/pins-vegan.htm (As seen at BVS Festivals '00-'06)
Chocolate Decadence One-stop shopping for all your vegan chocolate needs: Santas, Menorahs, 3-D Chocolate Dinosaurs and fun kids' shapes
http://www.chocolatedecadence.com (As seen at BVS Festival)
Rose City Chocolatier's Vegan Selection To drool for, gift boxes of Belgium chocolate
http://www.rosecitychocolates.com/vegan-chocolate-selection.html
And finally, here are two extensive lists of online vegan shopping sites that cover just about everything possible:
Peta's Shopping Guide to Compassionate Clothing
http://www.peta.org/living/alt1.asp
Farm Sanctuary's Veg for Life Veg Wears List
http://www.vegforlife.org/wears.htm
Safe and happy holidays!