A Green Thanksgiving for Everyone by Care2.com

By Jana Ballinger
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/a-green-thanksgiving.html

We are hosting Thanksgiving dinner at my house this year, and like many of you out there I have the monumental task of making a wide variety of people happy. I’ve got a newly vegan mom, a picky sister and a brother-in-law with meat-and-potatoes sensibilities, plus a dad who may or may not have wanted to host Thanksgiving himself and now wants to come over early to help cook the meal. In fact, now that I think of it, my 5-year-old nephew will probably be the easiest one to please.

But I also have to make myself happy and stay true to my beliefs–and what’s important to me is that the holiday be as eco-friendly as possible. So here’s my plan of attack:

The turkey: No factory farms! Our turkey will be organic, hormone-free and free range all the way. I am guessing my brother-in-law won’t even know the difference, but I will. And the extra money I shell out for this I’ll save by not spending any money on festive napkins or cheesy decorations (more about this later).

Vegan, too: Lucky for me, Care2 has lots of meatless main dishes for me to choose from (well, maybe I should let my husband pick since he’s the one who actually does the cooking around here). Something from this collection of favorite Thanksgiving main dishes plus plenty of vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, lima beans–organic, of course) and my mom will have plenty to choose from. If you’re going for an entirely vegetarian or vegan Thanksgiving, read Melissa Breyer’s suggestions for a bird-free feast.

Mmmm, potatoes: In an effort to be healthier we’ve been eating an awful lot of brown rice lately and while I love brown rice, I am looking forward to the mashed potatoes. I supposed we could try this vegan recipe but I have a feeling that won’t go over very well. Better to throw a plain baked potato in the oven for my mom and make the regular, butter-and-milk variety for everyone else.

Dessert: This one’s a toughie, because if I get a vegan pumpkin pie so my mom can have some will the others not like the taste? I myself have eaten many vegan cakes, cookies and pies and have found almost all of them to be delicious. But then I am not as picky as my sister. So two pies, one vegan–and no whipped cream for you Mom. (Sorry!)

The table: I tend to keep my holiday decor pretty simple, but I got some great ideas from this article on incorporating nature into the Thanksgiving table setting. In fact, if the weather’s nice (this is California, so it very well could be) we might set up the table in our backyard, which is full of fall leaves and therefore already decorated for Thanksgiving! As far as napkins, it’s cloth always (even for daily use–I haven’t bought paper napkins since the ’90s).

So that’s my strategy. Wish me luck, and let me know how you are planning to green up your holiday celebrations in the comments field below. And have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Also check out http://vegweb.com/ and http://www.vegcooking.com/ for veg recipes.

Dapatkan Fakta-fakta Mengenai Susu (Bhgn I)

Berikut ialah petikan drpd kata-kata pengarah filem, penerbit dan penulis filem "Got the Facts on Milk?" Shira Lane dan penata bunyi, Jennifer Ricciardi. Berserta dua org lain rakan, mrk membuat tinjauan tentang kebenaran di sebalik apa yg diketahui org ramai mengenai susu dan mrk menyampaikan fakta-fakta yg ditemui dlm filem tersebut.

Dianggarkan 75 peratus org dewasa sedunia tidak tahan laktosa. Di setengah negara Asia dan Afrika,hampir 90 peratus populasi kurang mampu mencerna laktosa, mengakibatkan tanda² pada abdomen spt sakit perut, perut kembang dan angin.

Adalah biasa utk manusia, tidak tahan laktosa. Bila kita mencerai susu ia adalah semula jadi utk badan kita berhenti hasilkan laktosa yg menguraikan laktosa. Laktosa ialah gula dlm susu.

Kebanyakan orang yg tdk tahan laktosa tdk dpt menguraikannya kemudian ia cuma duduk dlm usus besar, dan itulah yg hasilkan angin dan perut kembang dan cirit birit.

Orang tidak mendapat tahu maklumat ini. Sebab mengapa ramai yg tidak mengetahuinya kerana mrk (peniaga) tidak peroleh keuntungan drpd makanan spt brokoli. Mrk peroleh keuntungan drpd keju dan makaroni. Mrk peroleh duit daripada makanan sebegitu, orang menjadi kurang sihat, kemudian org yg tak sihat membayar utk semua perkhidmatan kesihatan, yg mendorong ekonomi, ekonomi merupakan penyebab utama mengapa kita tidak mendapat maklumat ini.

Dlm kajian oleh Universiti Harvard di AS, hormon dlm susu merupakan penyebab kanser, terutamanya kanser payu dara, prostat dan testikular.

Hormon dibuat utk menumbuhkan sesuatu. Itu ialah peranan hormon. RBGH, ialah suatu suntikan yg mrk beri, bagaikan perangsang. Jadi lembu akan hasilkan sepuluh peratus pertambahan susu. Ini memberi bbrp kesan.

Pertama, ia meningkatkan IGFI dlm susu, iaitu hormon yg sebabkan kanser payu dara. Ini adalah terkenal. Dan ini ialah sebab mengapa tiada tempat lain di dunia, mrk dibenarkan utk menyuntik RBGH ke dlm lembu.

Kedua ialah kamu beri byk tekanan krn kini lebih sepuluh peratus pada ambing lembu. Jadi kamu lebih lagi memaksa lembu. Apa yg berlaku kemudian ialah lembu mendpt mastitis, sebuah jangkitan di ambing, krn ia dipaksa dan ia diperah susu tiga kali sehari. Jangkitan ini memasuki susu. Ia dipanggil kiraan sel somatik. Ini ialah bgmn para peladang mengiranya. Dan, kiraan sel somatik ini, adalah pus kerana ia juga merupakan jangkitan. Ia ada dlm susu.

Sumber: Got the Facts on Milk? An Interview with Filmmakers of the Milk Documentary

Kesan Pemanasan Global Terhadap Tumbuhan

Para pengkaji memberi amaran bhw banyak spesies tumbuhan yg kini hampir pupus disebabkan pemanasan global yg mengurangkan nutrien utama dlm pertumbuhan tanaman.

Tumbuh²an menyerap nitrogen dari tanih, dan peningkatan tahap karbon dioksida mengakibatkan pembakaran bahanapi fosil, semakin mengurangkan kewujudan nitrogen.

Para pengkaji dari Sekolah Sains Tumbuhan di Universiti Tasmania (UTAS) telah menjalankan suatu eksperimen selama tujuh tahun di tanah berumput di Pontville, utara Hobart.

Pengkaji UTAS, Dr. Mark Hovenden berkata bhw ini membawakan kes yg penting bagi pengurangan pengeluaran gas rumah hijau.

Sumber: Global Warming Impact on Plants

Health and Eco Friendly Fair and Camp (Penang)

致：

我们将在这年底举办2项活动（27日- 28， 12月 2008）。这2项活动主要是向社会人士宣导自然和健康给予教育和健康咨询。附函2张关于为您的参考。

我们也邀请环保酵素创办人Rosukon博士的莅临，当天我们也将举办一个关于环境污染的论坛，并且也将讲解环保酵素如何能帮助减少全球温室效应。我们也邀请其他讲师来讲解有关健康与环保资讯。

您的出席将会让此项活动生色不少。

为使以上活动能顺利成功的进行，我们正积极征求赞助人。无论给予的任何形式的赞助，本会先致予万二分谢意。

谢谢！
==========================================
Dearest,

These are the two events that we organised on end of this year (27th to 28th December 2008). Our objective is to educate and give awareness to the public about our nature and health. Attached herewith the two fylers for your reference.

We invited the founder of eco enzyme Dr. Rosukon to hold a forum regarding to environmental and how eco enzyme could help to reduce global warming. We are also invited other profession to share their knowledge on health and environmental.

Hence, we invite you and your family join us on this event.

We are looking for sponsors and supportors to make this event a success, we will be very appreciated if you could contribute in any form or aspect.

Thank you.

"enzyme4u"

For more details of the event, pls click on the above posters OR
For more info, pls email enzyme4u@gmail.com

Salah Satunya di Eco Film Fest

Pada hari pertama Eco Film Fest, datang seorang wanita dlm usia 30an ke sudut Supreme Master TV kami. Terlupa nama saudari yg ceria ini, utk kini, kita panggil Azlina. Azlina menyatakan bhw sejauh ini, kami sajalah yg menggunakan recycled paper utk mencetak risalah kami. :)

Beliau mendengar kami dgn penuh perhatian. Beliau juga tertanya-tanya kenapa pihak berkuasa kurang menitikberatkan masalah alam sekitar dan pemanasan global ini kerana ia adalah masalah semua orang, bukan masalah sesuatu bangsa atau negara tertentu sahaja.

Banyak yg diperbualkan. Azlina mendapat tahu kenapa industri pemakanan daging mampu mempengaruhi kesihatan Bumi menerusi penghasilan daging yg banyak mengeluarkan karbon serta metana drpd penternakan. Beliau kini juga faham bagaimana penternakan ikan juga boleh merosakkan keseimbangan ekosistem alam.

Saya rasa amat gembira dpt bertemu dan berbincang dgn Azlina yg amat berfikiran terbuka. Beliau bersetuju bhw pemakanan berasaskan tumbuhan sememangnya adalah sungguh baik bukan sahaja bagi Bumi tapi bagi kesihatan manusia.

Rupa-rupanya terdapat seorg kawan Azlina yg pernah mengidap penyakit kanser di bhgn hidung/muka tapi kini sudah sembuh sepenuhnya. Bila ditanya bagaimana, Azlina kata kawannya berhenti memakan daging dan hanya amalkan pemakanan berasaskan tumbuhan serta memakan bahan organik sahaja. Doktor amat terkejut dgn penyembuhan drpd kanser itu. Jadi memang ada bukti, pemakanan daging memudaratkan kesihatan manusia.

Sungguhpun Azlina kini bukan lagi seorang vegetarian, namun beliau dgn penuh positif berkata bhw dia sudahpun kurangkan pemakanan daging,...malah sebenarnya beliau seringkali dlm dilemma samada harus bertukar sepenuhnya kpd diet vegetarian, sehingga kini, setelah berjumpa kami, banyak soalan batin beliau telah terjawab.

Kami berharap semoga Azlina sentiasa sihat dan diberkati dlm perjalanan beliau menuju ke arah kehidupan seorg vegetarian yg mesra alam, sihat dan berbelas kasih.

Vegan food helps save Planet Earth

"You're sure this is not real mutton?" enquired Aisha, wide-eyed with disbelief!

Like many others who stopped by our food stall for a free sampling of our vegan fare over last weekend's ECO-Film Fest held at ASWARA in Kuala Lumpur, Aisah just could not believe that she was eating a meal that was totally free of animal products.

In line with Eco-Knights'(the official organiser of the ECO-Film Fest)aim to help highlight and educate Malaysians in environmental awareness and preservation, a group of my friends put our heads together and came out with something worthwhile to share with the public.

My co-blogger PENCINTA ALAM posted useful info with regard to the Fest and also announced that we were putting up a booth as part of our participation in the event.
We gave out SOS flyers and also the SOS Planet Earth DVDs plus a few other relevant items to let people know that one of the main concerns facing climatic scientists and researchers is : The meat diet is killing Mother Earth and depleting the Planet's precious resources!

You will be surprised to find that not many people are aware of this fact! All they know in helping to curb global warming is to "Go Green" and that would mean only the THREE R's - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Full Stop!!

So, when we showed them evidence that a meat-free diet is and can be the fastest and surest way to mitigate the current onslaughts of climatic changes, they go : "Huh? How so?"

Changing our eating habits is another way of "Going Green" in more ways than one! In our previous postings, we have put down enough proofs, reasons and pointers on this subject and so, I would not dwell on it any further.

Back to Aisha and her sampling of our vegan mutton rendang with capati. In the course of our conversation, she said that she is allergic to meat. Hah! That is a big problem... especially when meat is toted as a 'must-have' on your dining table!
She had a tough time accepting the fact that she would never taste finger-lickin' good KFC, McBurgers, beef and mutton and fish dishes if she is to avoid getting 'killed' by all these meat meals. So, imagined her delight when she sampled our vegan food ... which we subsituted real meat with soy-made products which ( when cooked according to how you would normally prepare your food using meat)turned out just like the real thing. Aisah came back the very next day and tried out more of our food and she pestered us for more info on how and where she can buy such substitute meats for her kitchen. Her kids love the vegan food too and she will now have an alternative to cooking dishes she so loved but was unable to partake before!
On top of that, she will also be one step closer to saving Mother Earth from global warming! How about that? And all because of a soy-made mutton rendang and good old capatis!

Aisha was not the only friend we made during the Fest. We had many others dropping by our indoor booths and the food stall. In our small effort to help bring awareness to them, we hope that they will not just go back home and not do something positive about what they have learned from us as well as the from our co-exhibitors who were there for the same motive.

If you love yourself, your family and good old Mother Earth... take one more step to help save her.... Be Veg ! Go Green!

And just in case you think vegan food is not balanced in nutrition, a timely VEGAN FOOD PYRAMID is posted here for your reference.

God bless!

Leona Lewis turns down 7-figure Harrods job

http://www.nowmagazine.co.uk/celebrity-news/

Friday, 10 October 2008
Vegetarian singer won't open sale because the store sells fur

Leona Lewis is said to have rejected a £1 million offer to open the summer sale at Harrods.

The X Factor winner, 23, was approached by owner Mohammed Al Fayed about appearing at the event in June.
But the strict vegetarian refused the offer because the department store sells fur.

'I'm totally against animal cruelty,' she tells the Daily Mail. 'I don't have clothes, shoes or bags made from any animal products.'

Harrods is the only department store in the UK that continues to sell fur and is regularly targeted by animal cruelty campaigners.

Ten Dangers of Global Warming

By Sam Carana
http://www.gather.com/

Let's have a look at the many concerns and dangers associated with global warming and the resulting changes in climate around the world. I've tentatively grouped them into ten points.


1. Flooding.
We've all seen the pictures of disappearing glaciers and the predictions of rising sea levels. Most people live close to the sea, but many are in denial about the impact of global warming. They falsely believe that the only change that will affect them will be a few centimeter rise of sea level over many decades. Without government action to move them away into newly-built cities, they will continue to live on land most prone to flooding and most exposed to hurricanes, tornadoes and thunderstorms, until a disaster hits them like we've seen happen in New Orleans. The task ahead is many scales larger than the evacuation of New Orleans, which after all occurred in the richest nation on earth while all other infrastructure in the US was in good working order. Ironically, global warming comes with increased risks not only of flooding, but also of shortage of water.


2. Shortage of water.

Many areas could be hit by droughts, especially once glaciers that previously fed rivers have disappeared. As the weather becomes more turbulent, we can expect more extreme droughts, while the occasional heavy storm wouldn't give much relief, but instead cause landslides and run-off of top-soil. Shortage of potable water causes dehydration in people and livestock, making them more vulnerable to diseases. Lack of irrigation results in loss of stock and crop in many areas. As people and animals move to more fertile grounds, overgrazing of land and clearing land of trees could cause desertification there as well. All this, combined with the increased risk of flooding should increase concerns for famine and disease.


3. Famine and disease.

Higher temperatures will increase the risk of tropical diseases, such as malaria, in previously temperate zones. Starvation is one of the biggest unconscious human fears that may well become a reality that is daily displayed on TV. The most fertile land is typically located just above sea level, where rivers enter the sea. Due to climate change, many areas will need to switch to other crops. This will take time, further contributing to transitionary if not permanent shortages of food everywhere. Food storage and distribution will be hit by rising cost of cooling, while stored food will become exposed to pests and diseases in the face of increased humidity and in the absence of adequate refridgeration. Cost of transport will rise, while many roads may become inaccessable due to flooding and storm damage.


4. Migration and refugees.

Migration will stress the infrastructure of many cities, even if they weren't affected much directly by climate change in terms of famine, droughts, epidemics, flooding or storm damage. Apart from this, people will also be driven away from many areas by pollution, heat, pests, diseases, shortages of water and supplies, and collapse of infrastructure, medical care and security. Many people will seek new habitats, while at the same time many countries will seek to stop refugees from crossing borders. Refugee camps are notorious for the outbreak of epidemics, such as cholera. Without proper planning and action, this could result in human tragedy at unprecedented scale, while refugee camps could become breeding grounds for new diseases like avian influenza.


5. Collapse of the financial system.

The value of money used to be linked to gold, but now is based on economic growth, value of real estate and the value of stock (company shares) and the like. As such factors become increasingly exposed to the the above points, the entire global financial system risks collapse. Instead, a carbon-based system of currency may take over to some extent. Uncertainty about this increases the risk that governments will simply become more dictatorial. In the absence of market forces to guide developments, there will be increased risks that such dictatorial governments take actions that make things worse, resulting in total economic collapse.


6. Economic collapse.

Many countries face uncertain futures, as they are dependent on income from oil, coal, tourism or a single crop that cannot survive climate change. As an example, air travel could become too expense for tourists, taking away the single biggest revenue stream for many small countries. Entire industries, such as manufacturing of cars and airplanes, may collapse. Globalisation has made many industries dependent on access to resources and products that come from halfway around the world, while the cost of transport is likely to go up. Again, such economic collapse may set the scene for dictatorship in many areas, increasing the risk of war and of wrong decisions being taken in general.


7. War and civil unrest.

The above points should increase our concerns about the risk of wars and civil unrest. Production of weapons is one of the biggest industries worldwide, with the clout to influence governments. The oil industry is often regarded as the most powerful influence of global politics. Some countries will want quick and dramatic changes, while other countries may resist all calls for change or may want entirely different changes, setting up confrontation at a global scale and setting the scene for World War III. Within most countries, there will also be opposing groups. The smartest people, who we now need more than ever, may be killed, may end up in prison or may otherwise be silenced, while dictators seek to grab power without any intention of solving the problems.


8. Pollution, in particular as a result of nuclear war, fallout and waste.

As concerns about emissions of carbon and methane increase, industry may seek to abandon pollution standards in order to avoid emission of greenhouse gasses. The nuclear industry may present itself as a "green" alternative, but nuclear fallout and waste should count as one of the biggest dangers in this regard. As concerns about carbon emissions sink in, more countries are considering using nuclear power for electricity, which comes with increased risk of fallout and concerns about the care of and disposal of nuclear waste. Furthermore, many countries are seeking to develop nuclear weapons in response to increased risk of war in the light of the above points. The secrecy under which such development takes place gives cause to concern about global safety and security.


9. Tipping points.

One of the biggest dangers is that, without dramatic action, the atmosphere will reach certain tipping points beyond which sudden dramatic and catastrophic changes take place that are irreversable in the short term. Droughts and more turbulent wheather may cause earthquakes and associated tsunamis, which not only come with loss of lives, infrastructure and fertile land, but which will also make the greenhouse effect worse. So, instead of facing gradual changes that can be mitigated by planned action, we may suddenly face a future in which many if not most people will have little or no access to food, water, medicines, electricity and shelter, while diseases go rampant and gangs and warlords loot and devastate the few liveable areas left. Human beings as a species will face the risk of total extinction, particularly if many species of animals and plants that humans depend on will disappear.


10. Panic.

While each of the above points gives reason to be concerned, many people are still in denial about the severity of the problem of global warmimg. Once they do get the message, though, there's a risk of over-reaction edging into panic. This may result in people buying up all the food they can get hold of, trying to get their hands on weapons, etc. Unscrupulous companies may exploit the situation by deliberately creating scarcity of medicines, etc. This is another reason to be open about these concerns and to come up with planning that makes sense.