Watch Maa Ka Doodh
(Mother’s Milk):
Uncovering A Nation’s Dairy Disaster
In a country where cows are considered sacred, how has their flesh become a lucrative Indian export?
Dr Harsha, the doctor turned documentarian, quits his day job to embark on an investigative journey to expose the link between the nation’s massive dairy consumption and its meat exports.
“I was stunned to learn India was one of the largest exporters of beef in the world. The perception I had growing up was that the vast majority of Indians were against beef, but this perception was contradicting the truth. I set out to discover how this came to be.”
- Dr Harsha Atmakuri
The award-winning feature-length documentary explores the untold stories behind the success of India’s White Revolution – The World’s Largest Dairy Production and Development Campaign, along with the ethical, cultural, environmental, religious, economic and political influences the consumption of dairy in India has created for millennia.
Please share the film with your friends and family. Let us raise awareness and empower each other in making informed choices. No permission required for private screenings. Just use the hashtag #MaaKaDoodh when posting on social media.
Can Veganism Solve World Hunger? An Honest Answer ...
The fourth video that Emily Moran Barwick did for BiteSizeVegan covered whether veganism could solve World hunger, national debt, and colon health—all in under 4 minutes!
Here, she revists the claim that veganism is the answer to World hunger.
Can veganism solve world hunger? As good as this claim looks for veganism, such a sweeping statement has to be backed up with facts. So let's take a hard, honest look at what it really takes to solve world hunger.
This book offers an absorbing look at why and how humans can so wholeheartedly devote ourselves to certain animals and then allow others to suffer needlessly, especially those slaughtered for our consumption.
Social psychologist Melanie Joy explores the many ways we numb ourselves and disconnect from our natural empathy for farmed animals. She coins the term "carnism" to describe the belief system that has conditioned us to eat certain animals and not others.
In Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows, Joy investigates factory farming, exposing how cruelly the animals are treated, the hazards that meatpacking workers face, and the environmental impact of raising 10 billion animals for food each year.
Controversial and challenging, this book will change the way you think about food forever.
"An absorbing examination of why humans feel affection and compassion for certain animals but are callous to the suffering of others." -- Publishers Weekly
"I think Gandhi would have loved Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows. For this is a book that can change the way you think and change the way you live. It will lead you from denial to awareness, from passivity to action, and from resignation to hope." -- John Robbins, author ofDiet for a New America andThe Food Revolution
"Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows is groundbreaking. Melanie Joy brilliantly explains why people resist information that would help themmake more healthful food choices--and how they can overcome this."-- Michael Greger, MD, New York Times bestselling author ofHow Not to Die and founder of nutritionfacts.org
The book is available at Book Depository with FREE delivery worldwide.
Dr. Melanie Joy is a Harvard-educated psychologist, celebrated speaker, and the author of six books, including the award-winningBeyond Beliefs: A Guide to Improving Relationships and Communication for Vegans, Vegetarians, and Meat Eaters. Her work has been featured in major media outlets around the world, and she has received a number of awards, including the Ahimsa Award - previously given to the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela - for her work on global nonviolence. Joy has given talks and trainings in over 50 countries, and she is also the founding president of the nonprofit organization Beyond Carnism.
Kate Nash Stars In New Vegan Film ‘Coffee Wars’, All Profits To Be Donated
The new 'Coffee Wars' movie zeroes in on the life of a vegan entrepreneur named Jo
Coffee Wars, a new feature film starring British singer-turned-actor Kate Nash, will soon be available to watch on Amazon Prime.
The film follows Nash’s character, Jo, as she attempts to run a successful vegan coffee shop. All the while, she is hampered by her team of loveable but unreliable staff. In a bid to win some money to keep the shop open, the group enter the World Barista Championships. The lingering question is: will they beat their dairy-fuelled opponents?
While being an entertaining watch, the comedy also aims to shine a light on the need to embrace dairy-free living. This, while also underscoring the importance of ethical consumption and women empowerment in the professional world.
What the cast say
Nash, a passionate vegan and feminist activist, said in a statement: “Coffee Wars brings pressing issues to a global audience in a laugh-out-loud comedic way.
“It invites viewers to challenge their beliefs about what it means to be an ethical consumer and the overall environmental impacts of their purchases.
Fellow cast members, including Toby Sebastian, who play’s Nash’s nemisis Rudy, agree. The notion of delivering critical messaging through lighthearted entertainment seems to be a driving force behind the entire production.
“I think a lot of the hardest issues in the world, the biggest problems such as the issues of global warming and it’s dire effects, are often tackled, sometimes best, through comedy,” Sebastian told Plant Based News.
A stunningly designed accompaniment to the filmEating Our Way To Extinction, this book contains all of the most pertinent information covered in the film, from the most critical environmental statistics to exclusive interviews with key personnel, alongside beautiful on-shoot photography.
This book is a must-have for anyone who truly wants to understand the critical role the animal agriculture industry plays as a leading cause of climate change and ecological devastation.
This book also shows clearly and scientifically how a plant-based diet can effectively offset the worst effects of climate change in a time frame that can buy us time to develop technological solutions.
Introducing plant-based cuisine across multi-cultures, this beautifully photographed cookbook is brought to you by the makers of the acclaimed environmental documentary film Eating Our Way To Extinction, as a tool to help us all shift towards a more planet-saving sustainable food system.
Where other classics seek to define cuisines, this one refines them and teaches us that food is not just about our palettes, but how what we eat is interconnected with the earth's ecosystems.
Featuring vegan recipes from the major food regions of the world, this book takes us on a culinary journey, and in so doing we undertake the greatest journey of all – developing a new understanding of eating.
We’ve never met a kid who doesn’t want to save the world. These plant-based recipes will help them to do just that.
Every single meal is designed to be highly nutritious for a growing child, as well as delicious, and they’ve been tested far and wide with even the fussiest children.
The dishes are easy to make, so whether you will prepare the food for your kids or invite them for their first foray into the kitchen with you, this book will be treasured for years to come.
From the makers of the acclaimed environmental documentary film Eating Our Way To Extinction, this book was created with parents of kids in mind, as a tool to help us all shift towards a more planet-saving sustainable food system.
You don't have to be an animal rights activist to take an interest in how we treat other creatures.
All of us, with few exceptions, use animals in some way: for food, research, recreation and companionship.
In Britain we eat around a billion chickens every year, while 60% of all mammals on Earth, by biomass, are now livestock. In 2020, approximately 2.88 million scientific procedures involving living animals were carried out in Great Britain.
Because all this happens in our name, as consumers and citizens we have a duty to understand, to care and to exert some influence over how animals are used. But because such use is ingrained in our daily lives and largely happens behind closed doors, we are barely aware of it. The animals deserve better. Understanding the inconsistencies in our attitudes, in the law and in what is deemed acceptable practice is an important first step.
This timely and incisive book makes compelling reading for anyone who has an interest in animals, whether wild or domestic, free-living or captive, people intrigued about how their food is produced, and those keen to make informed and intelligent decisions.
'This is a brilliant book and I recommend that you buy it and read it.' -- Mark Avery, author and environmental campaigner
'This fascinating and engaging book challenges us all to make better lives for animals.' -- Chris Packham, broadcaster and author of Back to Nature
Alick Simmons is a veterinarian and a naturalist. After a 35-year public service career controlling epidemic diseases of livestock, in 2015 he began conservation volunteering. As well as practical tasks such as surveying waders and catching cranes, he advises a number of conservation organisations on animal welfare and ethics.
Cosmic Skeptic Shares Health Details, Here's What Mic the Vegan Would Tell Him
Another Vegan influencer breaks down Cosmic Skeptic's explanation of why he's no longer vegan.
After sharing his health story surrounding pre-existing IBS and mental challenges, Mic The Vegan attempts to put forth potential solutions for Alex as well as address the vegan vitriol that he has faced.
Animal Equality Investigation: The Face of Italian "Excellence"
Animal Equality's investigators returned to a pig farm in Northern Italy to see if conditions improved after our initial investigation in 2019 uncovered extreme abuse.
The farm produces products for the DOP (“Protected Designation of Origin”) supply chain that claims higher-quality items from regulated sources. When packaged for grocery store shelves, these products are labeled with "Made in Italy" excellence. But what Animal Equality found was anything but "excellent.".
Animal Equality has been investigating pig farms around the world since 2008—uncovering painful mutilations, deliberate abuse by farm and slaughterhouse workers, the deprivation of natural behaviors, and the extreme confinement of these intelligent and curious animals.
You can join our fight to end the physical and psychological trauma of animals, like pigs, trapped inside our food system by reducing your intake of animal food products. Visit LoveVeg.com to learn more about animal-free foods and discover plant-based recipes.
The Best Vegan TV Adverts
Here's PBN's rundown of the BEST vegan TV adverts EVER!.
This cimlilation includes ads featuring Viva!, Veganuary, PETA, Quorn, Vegan Friendly, Hallmark, The Vegetarian Butcher and Tesco ... Which was your favorite TV advert?
Cosmic Skeptic talks about why he is no longer vegan ...
Alex O'Connor
AKA Cosmic Skeptic, a popular vegan activist, is no longer vegan and has faced quite the backlash!
Following up on his announcement on the his YouTube Community page, and tweeted here, where Alex said he's started consuming animal products again, he talks about the reasons why ...
PETA’s latest ad shows in stark detail what lies ahead if the meat, egg, and dairy industries continue to raise and kill billions of animals every year for unhealthy foods that no one needs.
Animal agriculture is killing the planet, spewing out 16.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and accelerating the climate catastrophe along with mass deforestation and severe loss of biodiversity, all of which combine to create the perfect conditions for the next global pandemic.
Be a good parent. Protect our children and the future by going vegan.
PETA's mission statement is that animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way: peta.org/about-peta
The website the meat industry doesn't want you to see: www.meat.org
The #1 Anti-inflammatory Food & Food Component! The Answer May Surprise You!
What is the number 1 most anti-inflammatory food you can eat?
But also what is the number 1 anti-inflammatory food component you can add to your diet? Also what is the number 1 pro-inflammatory food component! Well let's find out!!
Cambridge Student Gets into VERY UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION
The topics of todays debate at Cambridge University include: Which makes more sense animal rights or reducing animal suffering? Should we advocate to 'eat less meat' (reducetarianism) over Veganism?
Then finally we discuss the ethics of 'freeganism' ... Joey Carbstrong
Ten Years of Veganuary & End of 2023 Campaign Wrap-Up
Veganuary 2023 was our biggest yet! There were simply too many highlights to share from this year's campaign, but we did our best!
Veganuary inspired and supported over 620,000 people to try vegan during our 2022 campaign – with participants from over 220 countries and territories. We have worked with businesses to drive up vegan food provision in shops and restaurants, and have made veganism more visible and accessible through our work with national and international media.
Did you know you can take part in Veganuary at any time? Not just January?
Sign up at any point, it's always free and you'll receive the 31 days of supportive emails, along with PDF cookbooks, meal plans and everything you need to try vegan.
Vegan Friendly is a non profit organisation that works to promote and improve vegan lifestyle in the UK and worldwide. The organisation was founded in 2012 and has since launched a large number of groundbreaking projects. We operate on two main levels: The first one is making veganism more accessible. This is done by encouraging businesses to add vegan options, labelling vegan products and restaurants with the association's logo and arranging huge events for thousands of people every year. The second level is raising awareness of veganism through unique and impactful projects.
EPA eyes CAFO pollution, FDA eases animal testing mandate & more – THE MONTH IN A MINUTE: JANUARY 2023 from SENTIENT MEDIA
The first Month in a Minute for 2023! Narrated by Jasmine C. Leyva.
As Veganuary continues to grow in popularity, researchers say restaurants are removing meat dishes from their menu.
In the U.S., the FDA no longer requires all drugs to be tested on animals before human trials, a law originally passed in 1938.
Utah’s great salt lake is set to dry up in five years, scientists have warned, thanks to unsustainable water use to grow hay and alfalfa to feed livestock.
There were calls to end macaque experimentation at Harvard Medical School as it was revealed that researchers sewed shut the eyes of infant monkeys.
In a historic turnaround, the EPA commits to studying factory farm pollution and whether stronger pollution rules are needed; a first in fifteen years.
Footage from spy cams revealed the grim reality of slaughterhouse gas chambers, showing pigs squeal and thrash violently around in the cage, disproving industry claims that asphyxiation of pigs improves animal welfare and reduces suffering.
A new report detailed how factory farming drives up the use of toxic agricultural pesticides for animal feed which not only destroys native biodiversity but also threatens wild plants and animals via the heavy use of herbicides and insecticides.
Meanwhile global pollinator losses are causing 500,000 early deaths a year due to the resulting 3% to 5% loss of fruit, vegetable and nut production.
A global cohort of researchers have warned that bird flu outbreaks are fuelling the chance of a human spillover, while an outbreak at a Spanish mink farm triggered pandemic fears.
We’re on the highway to climate hell with a methane-emitting meat burger in one hand and our foot on the fossil fuel gas pedal. In 2022, global warming became increasingly dangerously close to spiraling out of control.
As we bear witness to the impacts of animal farming on the climate, we demand that politicians stop ignoring the cow in the room.
The Plant Based Treaty offers hope and a plan for addressing the much-needed changes to our food system at the local and global levels.
Please join us and campaign for a Plant Based Treaty in your city.
You can work on a school campaign, establish a community garden, lobby government, build alliances, or help create bottom up pressure by collecting endorsement.
Moby's Punk Rock Vegan Movie Streaming For Free on the Slamdance Festival Website
MOBY's "Punk Rock Vegan Movie," a new documentary written and directed by MOBY is available to stream for free now via the SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL website.
The film, representing noted vegan MOBY's directorial debut, premiered on opening night of the 2023 SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL JANUARY 20th in PARK CITY, UT. Described as "a passionate and stylistically idiosyncratic look at the ongoing relationship between the worlds of punk rock and animal rights," it includes interviews with punk icons like IAN MACKAYE, BAD BRAINS' HR, DAVE NAVARRO, AMY LEE, ROB ZOMBIE and CAPTAIN SENSIBLE, among many others.
MOBY tells the story of how punk rock became such a "fertile and surprising" breeding ground for vegan activism. It’s also a call to action, unapologetically reminding people that in a deeply broken world it’s incumbent upon each of us to stand up and fight intelligently, passionately,\ and loudly against injustice.
Noted MOBY, “’Punk Rock Vegan Movie’ was created to shine a light on the surprising and inspiring history of punk rock and animal rights, but also to remind people of the importance and desperate urgency of adopting the uncompromising ethics and actions of the original punk rock activists. After it makes its world premiere at SLAMDANCE, it's yours. It's my goal to give the movie away, as I can't in good conscience try to profit from what is essentially a labor of love and activism."
'David Attenborough's Made Things WORSE' Animal Rebellion Slam Broadcaster In Feisty Debate ... Headline chosen by TalkTV
Animal Rebellion spokesman Joel Scott-Halkes says David Attenborough has made things worse for climate change in his years as a legendary broadcaster and has not 'been helpful at all' in promoting the climate crisis.
Animal Rebellion sat down with Archie Manners to discuss their methods; whether spilling good milk in Harrods, spray painting buildings and disrupting the rail and road network for working people helps in anyway to bring the public with them and further their cause.
Joel tells Archie that David Attenborough has 'anaesthetised' the country into thinking 'everything is fine' with the planet for 50 years before finally saying that lots of species are dying and that he hasn't helped at all with the campaign to prevent climate change.
Joel also discusses the impact the meat industry is having on planet earth while Archie challenges him that the pressure group need to keep the public on their side to have any chance of getting their point across.
In a clash over their methods Joel admits that he does condemn Extinction Rebellion, a related group to Animal Rebellion, disrupting the tube in what he calls a 'working class' area and says it would have been better if it was aimed at 'middle class people'.
Didn't Joel do well!? Find out more about Animal Rebellion: animalrebellion.org
Help Viva! expose The True Costa Dairy
An undercover investigation by Viva! Campaigns has revealed rampant cruelty at Kent’s Home Farm dairy and we need your help to expose the abhorrent reality of dairy farming to the British public.
This particular farm supplies cow’s milk to Freshways – “the UK’s largest independent processing dairy” – whose customers include Costa Coffee, Caffè Nero, Budgens, Nisa, Londis, British Airways and Iceland.
In response, Viva! is launching TWO nationwide Days of Action outside Costa Coffee shops – and we need you to help stand up for cows, by holding your very own event outside your local Costa Coffee.
On this day we will be educating the public about the devastating reality of dairy farming and empowering them to instead order a cruelty-free plant-based milk
When: Saturday, 28 January 2023 and Saturday, 11 March 2023 Where:nationwide outside Costa Coffee
Join hundreds of passionate activists and supporters who are getting involved across the nation.
Vegan Doctor Debunks Carnivore MD
Vegan Doctor, Matthew Nagra, debunks viral influencer, Carnivore MD, following his recommendations that everybody should be eating more meat...
Dr.Nagra
talks about what the CarnivoreMD
says about vegetarians needing to eat mean and meat eaters needing to eat MORE meat!
Discussing the "essential nutrients", or are they,
mentioned by the influencer: Vitamin B12, Riboflavin, Biotin, Creatine, Carnitine, Anserine,
Taurine,
Vitamin K2
& Protein.
Bite Size Vegan Replying to Earthling Ed 6 Years Late
Are We Making a Difference? Earthling Ed & a Message to Activists
"This is a message to everyone trying to make a difference for the animals, the planet, and our society. To every activist out there fighting this fight every day and wondering if they’re making an impact. It’s a message I believe we all—myself very much included—need to hear." Emily Moran Barwick AKA Bite Size Vegan
"I stumbled upon a 6-year-old comment from Earthling Ed that completely blew my mind. This video is more than a (very belated) response to Ed—it's a message to every activist out there fighting this fight every day and wondering if they're making an impact. It's a message to everyone trying to make a difference for the animals, the planet, and our society. It's a message I believe we all—myself very much included—need to hear." – I hear you Emily!! JP
The Lies, Myths & Misinformation Of Animal Agriculture - PBN's Full Earthling Ed Interview
Watch this full episode of the PBN Podcast with Earthling Ed and learn about "Vegan Propaganda" and the lies the meat industry tells you ...
"I am so excited to be joined today by none other than Ed Winters (aka Earthling Ed). Ed is a vegan educator who’s content boasts over 200 million views, he has also hosted numerous viral speeches, debates, and videos engaging in dialogue with non-vegans and skeptics. Ed has delivered speeches at numerous schools, universities, and major companies including Google, he has engaging audiences all around the world.
As an activist, vegan educator and more recently a published author, he is a firm advocate for animal rights and the vegan lifestyle. Ed’s advocacy centres around compassion, empathy, and open communication. In 2016, he founded a grassroots animal rights organisation called Surge. Two years later he launched Unity Diner - a non-profit vegan restaurant in London, all the proceeds from which go directly to helping animals. The culmination of that work is his longtime passion project Surge Sanctuary, which houses rescued animals on a vast 18 acre property.
Most recently, Ed has published his first bookThis is Vegan Propaganda (And Other Lies the Meat Industry Tells You), which presents an indisputable case for veganism. This is a book that is as much for non-vegans as it is for those who already lead a vegan lifestyle, empowering them to talk more confidently about veganism with the non-vegans in their life. The book explores the effects of animal farming across the globe and how they are rooted in a number of factors that have created our current system.
I am delighted to welcome Ed and find out more about the inspiration behind the book and everything else that he has been up to with his advocacy work recently."
The PBN Podcast is hosted and produced by Robbie Lockie, Edited by Phil Marriott.
Get a copy of Ed's book This Is Vegan Propaganda: (And Other Lies the Meat Industry Tells You), the empowering and groundbreaking book on veganism that everyone, vegan and sceptic alike, needs to read. Now available in paperback.
“Ed has used his vast knowledge regarding meat & dairy production to create a must read book for everyone, vegan and non-vegan alike. His arguments are compelling and grounded in facts and logic. This is Vegan Propaganda (And Other Lies the Meat Industry Tells You) presents an indisputable case for veganism and shows us that there is a far better way of feeding the planet. An eye-opening book of our time."
– Moby
What better time is there than Veganuary for Moby to launch a film joining the dots between the world of punk rock and the world of animal liberation? He has decided the time has come to “shine a light on the surprising and inspiring history of punk rock and animal rights, but also to remind people of the importance and desperate urgency of adopting the uncompromising ethics and actions of the original punk rock activists”.
What is particularly exciting about this form of proselytising is that the film will be available to stream FOR FREE after its premiere at Slamdance festival on 20th January . The award-winning music artist, activist and now film-maker said: “After it makes its world premiere at Slamdance, it’s yours. It’s my goal to give the movie away, as I can’t in good conscience try to profit from what is essentially a labour of love and activism.”. Good on him! It will be streaming free on Slamdance after the premiere and then on Youtube after 30th January.
Interspersed with cartoon chapter credits and brief skits from Moby himself – often involving Bagel the talking dog – the overall approach is entertaining. The subject matter is deadly serious but Moby realises that you need to engage people to change the way they think. It is not littered with footage of animals being slaughtered but there are some heartbreaking images of the conditions that farmed animals are kept in. However, there are also positive images of humans communing with traditionally farmed animals on sanctuaries.
For those who don’t know the back story, there are introductions to Punk Rock – which arguably nails it better than far more detailed attempts – and to Straight Edge. The hypocrisy of attitudes to animals you pet and animals you eat are explored. Alongside folks from bands, activists whose journey began in the punk and hardcore scene, testify to its importance. As several interviewees mention, rejecting animals in your diet is in keeping with the punk attitude of rejecting the mainstream and questioning authority. And there is humour and warmth in these interviews. Examples of the efforts involved in trying to eat while on tour now seem ridiculous in hindsight, but will ring true for many – eg. taking sandwiches with you and even cooking up a meal by the side of the road.
An interview with JEROME FLYNN from Viva!'s screening of HOGWOOD in London
Jerome Flynn narrated the multi-award-winning film HOGWOOD: a modern horror story from Viva!
Jerome comments: “It is an honour to be presenting this very important film. After seeing the horrendous conditions and animal abuse that is happening behind Hogwood’s walls I had to do something. The pigs of Hogwood aren’t just meat products, they are sensitive, emotionally aware beings just like us and they deserve better than this.”
This interview explores why Jerome chose to narrate HOGWOOD, why he originally became vegan and his advice to new vegans.
HOGWOOD explores the reasons behind factory farming and exposes the negligence and inaction by government bodies and corporations alike. It highlights how meat pollutes our planet and puts us at risk from disease outbreak. It explores why factory farming is supported and follows the brave fight to expose the truth and change the world.
In We Animals Media's new short film, “Transfarmation”, we follow Sarah Heiligtag, a woman in Switzerland helping transition animal farms into vegan farms and sanctuaries by working directly with farmers seeking a different relationship with animals.
Going vegan is the ONLY way to STOP the sixth mass extinction. Viva! are asking people to make one vital change – to go vegan to prevent further species loss.
Experience the heart-breaking true story of the wild animals across the world who are clinging onto survival because of our insatiable demand for meat and dairy products.
Forests are being cut down and wild animals’ homes are being destroyed to make space for farmed animals' food. Without their homes, wild animals die. And without wildlife, WE can't survive.
In terms of weight, 60 per cent of the mammals on Earth are livestock, 36 per cent are humans and only four per cent are wild.
You can still change the narrative and save wildlife – by going vegan now.
In this debate Earthling Ed sits down with a student in Arizona who is also a keen fisherman.
Things get a little tense at times as he struggles to grapple with his cognitive dissonance and defend his actions, which are in direct contradiction with the values he says that he has.
Viva! have uncovered rampant cruelty at Kent’s Home Farm dairy and we need your help to make a difference for cows.
Now, you may not have heard of Home Farm, but you have heard of Costa Coffee. Home Farm supplies Freshways, who provide milk to Costa Coffee, one of the nation’s largest coffee shop chains.
Viva! investigated Home Farm in Kent after a tip-off. We were horrified – but what happens here happens on thousands of farms across the UK.
Dr. Neal Barnard clears up common myths about plant-based diets, including concerns about protein, calcium, and supplements in this episode of The Exam Room podcast.
THIS YEAR IN FOOD AND FARMING NEWS: 2022 SUPERCUT – SENTIENT MEDIA
A new year is almost here, but there’s still time for a quick look back at 2022. Check out our twelve-minute supercut recap of the year’s top stories in animals, climate and agriculture.
2022 has been full of contradictions. The agriculture industry has surpassed itself in greenwashing, bluewashing and misinformation campaigns. We saw the worst bird flu outbreak in the history of the U.S., which devastated both farmed and wild bird populations across the globe, while at COP27, we saw major food firms agree to eliminate deforestation by 2025. Meanwhile JBS admitted to buying almost 9,000 cattle from one of Brazil’s biggest deforesters.
Catch up on the year in headlines with our Supercut of The Month in a Minute series.
What a year 2022 has been. Russia invaded Ukraine. The UK was plunged into a cost of living crisis. We had three prime ministers in the space of a few months. And, we are set for a turbulent winter with many workers striking over pay and working conditions.
Against this backdrop, Viva! has continued its fight for animals, the planet and public health. Take a look at what we have achieved in 2022!
Viva! is the UK’s leading vegan campaigning charity, specialising in undercover investigations and animal, health, environmental and lifestyle campaigns. Founded in 1994 by Juliet Gellatley, we have spent almost 30 years creating a kinder, more sustainable world for humans and animals alike.
Biodiversity is more than just the wide variety of species found on earth. It describes the critical balance of diverse species needed to keep an ecosystem regulated and functioning. Without that balance, we lose species of wildlife and put human health and local economies at risk.
Our global food system is the primary cause of biodiversity loss. Farming threatens 86 percent of the species at risk of extinction — mostly driven by the expansion and export of factory farming around the globe. The global rate of species extinction today is higher than the average rate over the past 10 million years.
Over 1.5 million cattle graze on U.S. public lands to the detriment of biodiversity. And 80% of global soy is fed to farmed animals. Clearing room for grazing and soy production wipes out wild plants and woody trees. Even low-density grazing alters ecosystem biodiversity and crowds out deer and elk from grazing. It also impacts the quality and quantity of food available for native wildlife.
An open letter to James Cameron & Avatar crew by Ric O’Barry
“I was hoping it was a mistake.
“It wasn’t, but it was a brutal wake up call.”
I watched the video of the Avatar: The Way of Water Tokyo Press Event several times – held on/around December 10 at the Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa. I hope you will watch it, too.
To watch this particular group of filmmakers, whom I greatly admire and respect, applaud captive dolphins performing tricks in a tiny pool absolutely floored me. I was hoping it was a mistake. It wasn’t, but it was a brutal wake up call.
The clapping really got to me. It wasn’t just James Cameron. Everyone clapped. Everyone was amused and entertained: Jon Landau, Zoe Saldaña, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang.
Apparently a good time was had by all.
Taiji dolphin slaughter, fueled by captive dolphin sales, goes on...
And at the same time, the Taiji dolphin slaughter — and related captures — rage on in Taiji, opposed by too few.
These are very intelligent people watching the live dolphin show. They are world travelers. Educated. Some are vegan.
At least some of these filmmakers have probably seen The Cove movie, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2010.
Watching this video of the Avatar: The Way of Water press event left me feeling completely hopeless. It made me question everything we have been doing. Still does.
Our work at Dolphin Project is very specific: it’s all about the dolphin captivity issue. That’s our issue. We don’t profess to be saving the entire planet, or even the seven seas and the rainforest. We don’t have goals of the highest abstraction. We are focused on the dolphin captivity issue like a laser beam – educating and enlightening so people can make educated choices about which forms of “entertainment” they choose to support.
Have I wasted the last 52 years of my life?
Now I’m wondering if I’ve wasted the last fifty-two years of my life doing this? After all, if we can’t even get through to this select group of well-educated filmmakers, maybe we’re wasting our time trying to educate ordinary people in hopes they will think twice before buying a ticket from the dolphin abusement park industry?
At 83, I don’t want to spend my time wasting my time. I have been forced to rethink everything, now that I know we’re not even getting through to people whom I truly believed were already onboard: the producers, director and cast of the Avatar movies – blockbuster films about saving the environment, which includes dolphins.
Perhaps the film’s very title – Avatar: The Way of Water – is the silver lining in all this. For isn’t the way of water both gentle and strong, with water making up 90% of our blood plasma? Perhaps too, it is within our biological make-up to understand that water, and what depends on it, is sacred and a birthright amongst all creatures, including dolphins and other whales.
Inviting Cameron et al to Taiji
I am hereby formally inviting James Cameron, Jon Landau, Zoe Saldaña, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang to join me and our team in Taiji, Japan.
Yes, I’ll be going back and am formally asking the Avatar team to join me for just a few days.
I’d like to personally show them where the dolphins that entertained them so well most likely came from.
I’d like to show them exactly how dolphins are captured in Japan. I’d like to show them that trainers who purport to care for dolphins work alongside those who brutally slaughter dolphins.
Would they ever applaud another dolphin show?
I’m sure, once they witness this first-hand, they will never applaud another dolphin show again.
Please share this letter far and wide, and help educate on the cruelty of dolphin captivity!
PBN’s Annual Film ‘Vegan 2022’ Is Out Now – Here’s How To Watch It
The environmental conversation tends to focus on fossil fuels, but is it missing something? Vegan 2022 addresses the elephant in the room
Plant Based News (PBN) has today (16th December) released Vegan 2022, a short film that spotlights animal agriculture’s impact on the climate crisis. And, highlights and celebrates the rapid growth of the vegan movement.
Despite the fact that livestock farming is one of the most environmentally destructive industries, it is often completely left out of the conversation. Its impact was barely mentioned at COP27 this year, with the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference even serving beef to guests.
With a runtime of 33 minutes, Vegan 2022 deep-dives into this hidden industry, exploring the “elephant in the room” of the climate crisis.
“This year’s film will focus on the missing link to hit net zero,” said PBN founder Klaus Mitchell. “It will look at how we need to shift away from animal agriculture, or at the very least start talking about it, because at the moment the conversation is just around fossil fuels.
“While there’s no doubt fossil fuels are important, livestock farming is also a necessary part of the solution. It really is the missing link.”
The short film features clips from author and social psychologist Dr Melanie Joy and IPCC expert Dr Peter Carter, as well as climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Animal agriculture is responsible for at least 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. This figure has been disputed by many, however, with some experts arguing it’s much higher. It is also a leading cause of deforestation, having been responsible for around 91 percent of Amazon destruction.
On top of this, our global food system has been identified as a “primary driver” of biodiversity loss. A 2021 UN report found that a shift to a “plant-heavy” diet was essential to combat this.
Each December, PBN releases a short film that looks at what’s happened in the plant-based and vegan movement that year. They celebrate the increasing awareness of ethical consumerism, plant-based business, animal rights, environmentalism, the health of our planet, public health, personal health, and more.
The films include the biggest voices in the plant-based space, showcasing the developments and challenges that the movement has seen.
“Despite the fact that veganism has become even more normalized this year, the movement has also come under increased pressure from the media and meat industry, who are trying to push back,” said Mitchell. “This year’s film will provide a birds eye view of all the developments, good and bad, in an entertaining feature-length format.”
Bird flu continued to spread, Neurolink killed 1,500 animals in testing & more – Month in a Minute
Got a minute? Watch our super-fast recap of December’s biggest stories in animals, our global food system and the environment.
The final edition of Sentient Media's 'The Month in a Minute' for 2022, narrated by Jasmine C. Leyva.
As 2022 winds up, the CDC released figures showing that avian flu killed 53 million U.S. birds this year, making the outbreak the worst in U.S. history.
Meanwhile Bird flu also continued to spread through Peru, where thousands of pelicans were found dead.
Former richest-man-in-the-world Elon Musk’s brain-implant company Neurolink is facing federal inquiry after killing 1,500 animals in testing.
Scientists have traced how livestock systems act as a reservoir for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, in a new study that showed how easily antimicrobial resistance genes move between humans and livestock in a crowded urban environment.
The EU agreed to a new law preventing the import of goods linked to deforestation.
A new report from Greenpeace found that in the UK over 90% of UK Marine Protected Areas have no meaningful, site-wide regulation on the most destructive fishing activity.
Up to 3,000 ‘peak polluters’ were given their last chance to close by Dutch government amid a crackdown on ammonia and nitrogen oxide emissions, with farmers being offered more than 100% of the value of their farms to quit.
A new study claimed that in order to save the planet we should replace beef with spirulina, claiming the algae is superior to beef meat in terms of proteins, essential fatty acids and iron.
Another study found that Plant-based diets can cut bowel cancer risk in men by 22%.
And bats are the death metal singers of the animal world, according to new research that showed how they engage thick structures in the larynx called ventricular folds to communicate with each other at low frequencies.
Four strangers decide which animals they would eat.
Earthling Ed/Surge asked four non-vegans which species of animals they would or would not eat and why. This is what happened.
"In today's Surge Media production, we decided to do something a little different. With the aim of highlighting the contradictions society has regarding different species of animals, we put out a casting call asking for strangers to come into a studio to answer a series of questions.
What they didn’t know is that the questions where about which species of animals they would or would not eat and why. What followed was a very interesting array of responses."
"With gratitude, amazement, and yup a healthy dose of beaming pride,
I am thrilled to share our 66-page full colour impact report
as the final piece of a 6-year journey!
From inception (2016) to exhibition (2020) to impact (2022)
we worked with an amazing team to formally evaluate and chart the
global reach, influence, and legacy of Meat the Future.
By surveying participants both before and after they watched the film,
we were able to understand how the film influenced both their
knowledge of and support for cultivated meat and seafood.
100% of viewers told us they learned something new from watching Meat the Future.
As an educational companion to the film, this report is a contribution to the growing field of research in the cultivated meat and seafood space,
and for the broader alternative protein movement.
Concurrently, this impact report is a tool for the documentary film industry,
and for changemakers and storytellers.
A big thank you to our stellar and talented team and generous funders!
We couldn't have done it without you. " Liz Mars
PETA's mission statement is that animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way: peta.org/about-peta
It’s Rare That Farmed Pigs Get ‘Happily Ever Afters’ – But This Family Of 11 Did
Matilda hit headlines after escaping a Nottinghamshire farm in 2021
A new feature-length vegan documentary, When Pigs Escape, showcases the story of a family of pigs rescued from a UK meat farm.
The “Ollerton 11,” as they became known, was made up of Matilda and her 10 piglets. They attracted national media attention in June 2021 after a heavily pregnant Matilda escaped from a Nottinghamshire farm and gave birth in the woods.
Capturing the hearts of the UK public, Matilda’s freedom was negotiated by nearby rescue teams at Surge Sanctuary and Brinsley Animal Rescue. She is now living out her days in peace with her children at the former.
When Pigs Escape comes from director Jusep Moreno. It offers an honest look at the lives of Matilda and her piglets, while gently asking viewers to reconsider their relationships with and treatment of animals.
Often shot from their eye-level, it attempts to move past simple anthropomorphism of the animals (as seen in Hollywood films such as Babe) to offer real insight into their interactions. It also demonstrates how sociable, intelligent, and maternal pigs are.
Neil deGrasse Tyson on righteous vegans – Earthling Ed
Do you know what the only two foods on the planet that don't cause any death are?
Spoiler alert, it's not plants. In today's video I respond (again) to Neil deGrasse Tyson's utterly bewildering thoughts about veganism. Unfortunately his views around veganism are becoming more and more absurd, and his cognitive dissonance is really being turned up.
We spoke to our celebrity friends and brands about the impact Veganuary has had on veganism and the plant-based food landscape over the last decade.
These clips are from our upcoming Veganuary documentary, due out in summer 2023. So look out for a trailer and title announcement soon!
A massive thank you to Jasmine Harman, Elena Devis (Deliveroo), Ian & Henry (Bosh!), Derek Sarno (Tesco/Wicked Kitchen), Evanna Lynch, Jane Fallon, Jonathan Moore (Asda), Tom Lindley (Cauldron Foods), Peter Egan, and Andrea Harburn (Cauldron Foods) for their time and kind words!
Have you signed up to Veganuary yet? It's our tenth year this January so a great moment of celebration to get involved and try vegan for one month!
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