New Mexico Vegan - May June 2022 by Arenas Nancy

NewMexicoVegan May/June 2022 Enjoy your FREE complimentary copy

For Vegans, Vegetarians, and the Veg Curious

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The views and opinions, expressed by contributing-authors, in the New Mexico Vegan Magazine; may, or may not, represent the views and opinions, of New Mexico Vegan.

Reasons To Go Vegan…

Inside

Arturo Jose Garcia

Editor’s Note

Tony Quintana

12-13

Why Are You Vegan?

Richard H. Schwartz

29-33

New Mexico Facts & Trivia

National Animal Rights Day – Albuquerque

Making a Change in the World from a Place of Power and Love

7-8

Four Reason Why People Go Vegan

Resources

You Are Not Vegan?

New Mexico Vegan Dining Guide

12-13

Health Benefits Of A Vegan Diet

Vegan Sources Of Different Nutrients

Vegan Pulse

Could Fast Food Save the Planet?

17-21

Dancing With The Bars

Photo Collage

Sprouting Compassion

Meet Our Extended Family

From Petri Dish to Plate: The Future of Cellular Agriculture

26-27

Red & Green VegFest Albuquerque, Shine ON

A Dialogue Between a Jewish Vegan and a Rabbi

29-33

Recipe: Simple Vegan Basil Pesto

We Are All The Same…

Animals Are Not…

Advertising with New Mexico Vegan

Mutt Strutt

IBC

Contributor

Page

17-21:27-27

Mariquita Solis

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New Mexico Vegan Volume 8 – Issue 3 May/June 2022 Editor: Nancy Arenas NMV Photographer: N. Arenas

a HeartnSole, LLC publication

heartnsole3@yahoo.com

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I can’t believe that half the year is passing us by. I find that times moves ever so swiftly more and more often. That is why I am saddened by the fact that people are still not making the connection as to our worldly state of affairs as it pertains to our health, destruction of our planet and the animal violence. Every time someone chooses a vegan lifestyle/diet, that person is choosing a better future for us all. They are being the hero the world needs. The change the world needs. The more I think about it, every institution that is not promoting a vegan plant-based diet, they are choosing violence. They are choosing to add to the destruction of the world. They are choosing to continue to make people ill. On the other hand, anyone supporting these entities is choosing to do the same. This is a very sad state of affairs. On the other hand, we do have vegan individuals trying to educate and inspire others to understand why we choose veganism, and why they should too! I am one of those vegan voices. I encourage everyone to do their part by advocating for veganism. Family, friends, co-workers, etc., should know why you are passionate about spreading the vegan message. Tell them you do it for the planet, Human-produced pollution is causing climate change that is dangerous now and will become much more dangerous in the future if we do not act. Tell them you do it for the animals, Let’s eliminate the suffering and killing of trillions of animals each year. Tell them you do it for human health, eating whole food plant-based vegan diet brings you amazing health benefits that include supporting cardiovascular health, controlling diabetes, reducing the risk of cancer, treating Parkinson’s disease, supporting bone health, slowing down aging process, and lowering hypertension. One of these (3) reasons can help others join us as well in this vegan journey. We are making strides, but we need to go further and not lose our current momentum in order to succeed. If you want to contact me, I’m here to help: (( heartnsole3@yahoo.com )). Cook With Compassion & Eat Without Violence!!! Livegan, Nancy

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1. New Mexico is known for its diverse landscapes, ancient Puebloan ruins, and as the birthplace of the atomic bomb. 2. New Mexico is also sometimes considered one of the Mountain States, with the southern end of the Rocky Mountains dipping into the state. 3. New Mexico shares a small border with Oklahoma to the east, Texas to the east and south, the Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua to the south, and Arizona to the west. 4. New Mexico is larger than the countries Poland, the Philippines, and Oman. 5. The state has a total area of 121,591 mi² making it 5th largest state, sitting between Montana and Arizona in terms of size. 6. With a population of 2.1 million people, New Mexico is the 36th most populous state, putting it between Kansas and Nebraska in terms of population. 7. Due to its fairly large size and relatively low population, New Mexico is the 6th least densely populated state, with about 17.5 people per mi2. 8. New Mexico has also been called the Tyrannosaur State, as several T-Rexes have been found there. The official state fossil is the Coelophysis. 9. New Mexico chiles and frijoles pintos (pinto beans) are the state vegetables of New Mexico. 10. Known for having a speed of 18 mph, the Great Roadrunner, otherwise known as the Chaparral Bird, is the state bird of New Mexico. 11. New Mexico even has an official state cookie, the Biscochito 12. Although often considered a desert state, New Mexico has one of the most diverse landscapes in the US, including forests of cottonwood, snow-capped peaks with spruce and pines, wildflower fields, vast expanses of prairie, and white sand dunes. 13. New Mexico has two national parks: Carlsbad Caverns National Park and White Sands National Park. 14. New Mexico is home to more UNESCO World Heritage Sites (3) than any of the other state: Carlsbad Caverns, Taos Pueblo, and Chaco Culture. 15. New Mexico has 84 national monuments, more than any state except Arizona. They protect ancient ruins, cave dwellings, volcanoes, rock formations, petroglyphs, and more.

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SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2022, AT 12:30 PM – 6:30 PM Albuquerque National Animal Rights Day 2022 Tiguex Park

A Memorial Ceremony to commemorate the billions of animals who die every year by human hands. A Celebration of the progress that is being made towards ending the suffering of animals and bringing forth their freedom.

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Too often, I see vegans who are angry, sad and struggling for people to listen to them. The energy of desperation is not an attractant. I get it. The planet is hurting. The animals are suffering. Our loved ones are fighting poor health. There's no time to waste. But forcing is counterproductive. Begging is counterproductive. Shaming is counterproductive. When was the last time someone changed your mind because they steamrolled you into it? I know when that happens, I shut down. I get as far away as I can from someone who's pushing their ideas on me. So, what's the solution? Standing in your own self confidence and self worth is a powerful foundation to create change. Believing in yourself and living in alignment with your values is the starting point to success. To be able to advocate effectively: You must be powerful enough to let others disagree with you. You must be empathetic enough to listen without interrupting. You must be able to speak to others where they are at, instead of where we want them to be. You must yearn for a desire to understand them. You must speak from your hearts and connect with their souls. We want them to be ready to make an immediate change to veganism, but they might be at the point where they are weighing the pros and cons. If we don’t acknowledge and respect where they are, then we can be totally counterproductive and push them farther away. Sometimes we can be so wrapped up in our emotions, that we can’t see what is really happening. We don’t see how we did the opposite of what we intended. We simply walk away furious at someone for turning their backs to us, while cursing them under our breath. How can you do better? Ground yourself in love. Veganism, to me, is about love for all beings. And with love comes respect. So, what’s a better way to create change in the world? Be the example of Vegan Light and kindness. Look for chances to share your food with the world. Let go of the need to force, fight or change. Step away from your ego. Is it more important to be right or to be effective? Let go of the idea that it is you against them. Let go of moral superiority.

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Remember, you are the example of Veganism to the world. What are they seeing? Know that change is a process. It might not happen overnight and that is perfectly normal.

People have been taught day after day, by the media, by their parents, by society that we HAVE to eat meat or: We will be sickly. We will be pale. We will be weak. We will be protein deficient. We can’t survive. This has been drilled into our heads and we believe it. Is it our fault? No, we are the victims of this mindset. Is it hard to break out?? It depends on the person. Why? Because of their individual life experiences. Is this fair? Good question. Life is not fair. The Dali Lama says once you realize that life is full of sickness and sadness and accept that, your life will be happier. Don’t we need to hurry and change the world now? Yes, but growth can not be rushed. We see what rushing growth does in the factory farms. It is not natural. It is not productive. It is counterproductive when we push someone out of their comfort zone. As soon as they don’t feel safe, their brains shut down their ability to learn and we lose our chance. If we ask insightful questions, people will become curious, and self reflect. Their own self reflection, without judgment from us, is the key to change. Your job is to plant seeds and allow them to grow. Don’t scream at the seeds to grow. Don’t overwater them. Water them and let them evolve at their own pace. People are like seeds, all unique. Some people will change overnight. Some people will take years. Some people won’t ever change. Be okay with this. Be confident in yourself. Know that your role in life is to be responsible for yourself, alone. Yes, you can influence other people, but you can’t control them. I understand, there is no time to waste. That is why your self awareness and confidence is crucial. Look for the people who are ready and wanting to learn about veganism. Those are the people to talk to. Let go of the people who are not ready. Let go of hating them and the world.

As the years passed, I grew to be more and more of an animal lover on my journey and then I was ready to hear more. Just like the tiny seed, I was ready to bloom when it was my time, and no one could determine that for me. Why was I able to hear more? Because no one pressured me, no one made me feel ashamed, no one cornered me, no one made me feel inferior. It was through love that I switched to Vegan life. The love I had for my planet, the animals and even greater, the love I had for myself. Living in alignment with my heart. Connect with people’s hearts through love and you will change the world.

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People who eat meat are not evil. They are not awakened to the Vegan World. I was one of those people for years. I thought my friend in college was ridiculous when he told me he was vegetarian. I was worried about him. Why? Because I was brainwashed into thinking I needed meat to survive, thinking that I wouldn't get enough protein, thinking that I would be pale and sickly. Was I a bad person? No, I was following what I had been taught my whole life, a life long of watching the media, listening to my family, society’s opinions and pressures. I was doing what I thought was right. I wasn’t ready to listen to anything else for years.

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ABQ Vegan: http://www.meetup.com/ABQVEG/ Albuquerque Vegan and Vegetarian Parents: https://www.facebook.com/groups/323534174705753/ Cooking with Compassion https://www.facebook.com/groups/1702731393294024/ Food Not Bombs ABQ https://www.facebook.com/fnbABQ/ HeartnSole Spiritual Community: https://heartnsolerevna.wordpress.com/ Leaf: Taos Vegan Society: http://www.meetup.com/Taos-Vegan/ New Mexico Vegan: https://newmexicovegan.wordpress.com/ Plant-Based Eating New Mexico: https://www.facebook.com/PBENM/?rc=p Plant Powered Events www.facebook.com/plantpoweredeventsnm Positive Links http://www.thelinknm.com/ Red & Green VegFest Albuquerque: https://redandgreenvegfestabq.wordpress.com/ Santa Fe Vegan: http://www.meetup.com/Santa-Fe-Veg/photos/4704212/445478790/ Santuario de Karuna: https://www.santuariodekaruna.org/

Sprouting Compassion https://www.sproutingcompassion.org/ https://www.facebook.com/sproutingcompassion Vegan Pulse www.sproutingcompassion.org www.facebook.com/veganpulse

If you are vegan and offer cruelty-free services and products please let us know for possible inclusion in upcoming NM Vegan Magazines, please email us at welcome22day@gmail.com, on the subject line please write NMV Vegan Products & Services.

VIP (Vegans in the Park): https://www.facebook.com/events/363650444507091/ If you have an article that deals with veganism and would like to submit it for possible inclusion in an upcoming NM Vegan Magazine, please email us at welcome22day@gmail.com, on the subject line please write NMV Article.

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As a vegan foodie who loves to travel and explore vegan food gems all over the country, I keep finding myself realizing that my home state New Mexico has, hands-down, some of the most remarkable, most unique, most delicious vegan food in the country. New Mexico has the best vegan New Mexican food, obviously, but also the vegan chicken sandwiches and Philly cheesesteaks. To help you find delicious vegan eats in your area of the state, Animal Protection New Mexico has created a New Mexico Vegan Dining Guide which includes a listing of restaurants with vegan options. The new interactive format allows you to search by city and/or by keyword. You can type in something like “pizza” or “tacos” and find a listing of places where you can get delicious vegan versions of the foods you’re craving. If you’re not sure what you’re in the mood for, select a city and you can peruse the listing of options near you. The guide only includes restaurants that have at least two or more vegan entrees (or vegetarian entrees that are easily veganizable)—you don’t have to worry about being limited to options like a salad and French fries. The guide will help you find real and yummy options like burgers, burritos, pizza, lasagna, and more. Visit apnm.org/eatveganNM to explore the New Mexico Vegan Dining Guide.

Let’s explore some of the many delicious vegan options in our state and some of the spots that come highly recommended. Albuquerque Vegans in the Albuquerque area can find virtually anything to satisfy their cravings. As the largest city in New Mexico, Albuquerque also the largest abundance of vegan options when dining out, including a variety of places that are completely vegan. Vegos is an all-vegan restaurant offering a variety of New Mexican favorites, along with one of the best vegan chicken sandwiches in the country. Try their inventive burrito options such as the half pound El Jefe burrito, or enjoy other local favorites like enchiladas, stuffed sopapillas, or rellenos. Vegos also offers house made desserts including churros, empanadas, and their signature conchas. The Acre is a completely vegetarian restaurant which offers every menu item in a vegan version complete with vegan cheeses and all the vegan fixings. Specializing in comfort food made from scratch, their menu rotates seasonally and includes nachos, wings, crab cakes, burgers, meat loaf, and enchiladas. The Acre also offers desserts (though not all are vegan so be sure to ask) such as brownies and cakes. Albuquerque’s all-vegan food trucks and pop-up vendors offer some of the best vegan eats around including Lucky Goose (great burgers and milkshakes), Vegan Vato (their A La Loaded Fries truly make you say “A La!”), Ruby Reds (best Philly Cheesesteaks around), Root 66 Food Truck (try their signature Brisket Nachos), Tia Mom’s Cocina (delectable desserts, tacos, and burritos), and Planty Sweet (scrumptious sweet treats and baked goods).

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Santa Fe The state’s capitol also has a wealth of vegan options including several all-vegan restaurants and food trucks that are a must try. Root 66 Café offers deli style eats such as sandwiches, soups, and salads. Their creative options include Cranberry Chickpea Salad, Sweet & Sour Cabbage Soup, and their signature “Enchanted Egg Salad.” On Fridays, the café transitions into a bakery which offers a wide variety of goodies including Challah, brownies, Jerusalem bagels, biscochitos, peppermint patties, and more! Plant-Base Café is another all-vegan restaurant with a twist, offering three different menus: Mexican, Italian, and American. All three menus include a variety of entrees, appetizers, and desserts. Everyone is sure to find something they enjoy from lasagna to enchiladas to burgers, and classic appetizers such as wings, nachos, and mozzarella bites. Ras Rody’s is an all-vegan food truck that is beloved by Santa Fe locals for their delicious and nutritious Jamaican fare. Their rotating menu includes options like Ital stew, curried jackfruit, and black bean stew, as well as juices and desserts. Other Cities Although Albuquerque and Santa Fe are home to many of New Mexico’s vegan restaurants, there is an abundance of vegan-friendly places throughout the state such as Pizaños in Taos (vegan cheese pizzas) and Habañeros Fresh Mex in Las Cruces (vegan fajitas, tacos, and burritos). This article doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of all the amazing vegan options in New Mexico. We hope you will use it as a starting point to exploring local vegan options—let us know what you find when you venture out to discover your favorite local spots.

Visit apnm.org/eatveganNM today!

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Vegan Pulse

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It’s become a well-known fact that billionaire Warren Buffett starts off each morning at the McDonald’s drive-through. His choice of breakfast? Bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit if stocks are up and two sausage patties if they are down. Buffett isn’t alone, roughly 36% of Americans eat fast food every day, according to the CDC. With the recent surge of interest in plant-based meat products from long-established fast-food chains, we have to ask whether or not fast food could save the planet?

Why Does My Fast-Food Diet Concern You? Up until about 2018, academic literature and news headlines were dominated by the impact of fast food on health and obesity highlighted by popular movies such as Morgan Spurlock’s Supersize Me, but the tide has steadily begun to shift. Now, more than ever, we are preoccupied with our environmental impact while struggling to combat a lifetime of addiction to highly saturated fatty, salty, and sugary foods. In addition to fighting against the overwhelming pleasure signals in our brains from these foods (which “adapts and makes more receptors for dopamine,” creating an addiction like dependency — we need more and more of the same substance to receive the same pleasure originally derived), we are facing an industry deeply entrenched in politics, subsidies, monopolies, and lobbyists which have no real motivation to change their course swiftly.

Roughly 50 billion burgers are consumed each year in the United States, or 2.4 burgers per day per person, according to the USDA. (At the time of publication, the exact data for beef dedicated to the fast-food industry could not be found however, national McDonald’s burger estimates are around 2.36 billion burgers annually) Followed by China, the EU, Brazil, and India, the United States still remains the largest consumer of beef products. Breaking it down, American beef has a greater greenhouse gas emissions impact than the entire country of the Netherlands.

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By replacing every single burger with a plant-based option such as the Beyond Meat product, we would see a reduction of approximately 90 percent water and land usage as well as a sharp reduction of global greenhouse gases, according to a recent Wired article. It’s well known that shifting towards a predominantly plant-based diet will help bring us closer to mitigating the climate crisis.

The Rise of Plant-Based Fast Food Fast food establishments have been around for over a century, with British fish and chips shops being some of the first. It wasn’t until the rise of the American highway system that we saw a boom in what is now considered modern-day fast-food restaurants. Since then, these iconic companies have been serving up nutrient deficient and environmentally extractive foods we’ve come to depend on.

Surprisingly, plant-based meats have been around for roughly the same length of time. In 1896 John Harvey Kellogg, the very same Kellogg of Kellogg cereals, introduced a peanut-based meatless “meat.” Since then, many became interested in creating their own version of a vegan burger, but it wasn’t until 1984 that the first frozen plant-based burger became commercially available in the United Kingdom: the VegeBurger. With manufacturers seeing the popularity of these alternatives, it was only a matter of time until plant-based meat alternatives made their way into one of the most consumed food sources — fast food.

Nationally, Burger King was the first to adopt a plant-based meat alternative onto their menu: the BK veggie burger in 2002. (In 2012, McDonald’s debuted the McVeggie but with little success.) Other chains have rolled out limited options in specific geographic areas for “testing,” including Domino’s Beyond Sausage Pizza which was discontinued shortly thereafter. Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “plant-based

products are an ongoing consumer trend.” But data tells us otherwise. Plant-based meat alternatives aren’t just a trend. NM Vegan | 18

Who Really Cares? A 2019 study found that 23% to 35% of participants were aware of the impact meat consumption had on the environment partially due to the fact that a majority of Americans see the direct impact of climate change. A 2020 Pew Research Poll found that most participants don’t think the government is doing enough to tackle the crisis, and when it comes to an industry that has its hooks into politics, it may not be all that surprising animal agriculture has been left out of

climate discussions until very recently.

As plant-based meat options become more widely available at the various local fast-food joints, those bellying up to the counter may not be who we immediately think of. An estimated 5% of consumers who order such products are self-described vegans, while the remaining 95% categorize themselves as flexitarian wanting to “do their bit for the environment when they can.”

Why Plant-Based Options Are Important Putting aside environmental concerns for a moment, plant-based alternatives are important. More than 19 million people in the United States live in food deserts — meaning they have limited or no access to affordable and healthy foods. These areas are predominantly found in geographic areas of lower levels of education, lower incomes, higher rates of unemployment, and disproportionately in Black communities. While grocery stores are lacking, fast-food restaurants often aren’t.

The linkage between fast food and compromised health abound. And those with “limited access to supermarkets…eat more unhealthy fast and processed foods and end up having 7 times the risk of early-life stroke…” among other health ailments including diabetes, renal failure, heart attack, cancer, mental illness, and

dementia. Data is very clear on this point: a more plant-forward diet can help to prevent and often reverse many of

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the health complications that come with eating a meat-forward diet — especially one that is predominately fast food. Knowing millions of individuals lack access to healthy and fresh foods, can fast food plant-based alternatives fill in this health gap?

The overwhelming evidence in mitigating the climate crisis is to choose plant-based options, but that doesn’t always mean the fast-food version is healthier for you. On the surface, meatless fast food may appear healthier,

but it comes down to nutritional facts. The issue isn’t the lack of meat or the increase of veggies but the saturated fat, alarming amount of salt, and oils used in production. Some options will be better than others, but yet again, this places the onus on the consumer for both environmental and health cleanup. One British fast-food startup is trying to tackle this very issue.

In less than a few hours, Ready Burger blew past their £1.5 million targets to raise £2 million in a crowdfunding campaign that will provide nutritionally based fast food that is plant-based. Think vegan burgers and nuggets until your heart’s content. With more than 840 investors, it’s clear the interest is there, and being price conscious is helping to move consumers away from the highly saturated products they have come to know and love. If Ready Burger succeeds and others follow suit, particularly in the United States, it’s entirely possible that the fast-food industry may be able to help both the health of the planet and the consumer.

Future Outlook When McDonald’s failed to mention their McPlant veggie burger (now discontinued in the United States) was a partnership with Beyond Meat, Beyond Meat’s stock dropped 19%, leading to a $1.5 billion loss which indicates a vocal partnership is needed to raise public awareness of plant-based options. McDonald’s, the largest fast-food franchise in the United States and worldwide, is one of the last to consistently introduce plant-based options to

their menu, which satisfy those looking to swap out their traditional burger. There may be some hope in knowing

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the McPlant is still on the menu in Denmark in Sweden — a self-described test market for the company. Further, the franchise signed a three-year global agreement with Beyond Meat leading many to anticipate a menu update in the near future.

Other fast-food chains aren’t dragging their feet nearly as much: Panda Express is now piloting Beyond Meat orange chicken. Little Caesars just debuted their ‘Planteroni’ pizza while Pizza Hut pulled the Beyond Italian

Sausage pizza and The Great Beyond pizza — customers were not happy with their decision. Burger King has remained steadfast in its commitment to offering plant-based burger options with their Impossible Whopper along with Carl’s Jr and their Beyond Famous Star Burger, Western Cheeseburger, and Thickburger. Dunkin’s has also thrown their hat into the ring with its Beyond Sausage Breakfast Sandwich, and Subway now offers a Beyond Meatball Marinara sub and Veggie patty at select locations.

At the beginning of 2021, Taco Bell announced an upcoming partnership with Beyond Meat — current sales of vegetarian items account for approximately 10% of all items sold at the popular fast-food chain. White Castle and Nathans’s Famous Hot Dog have also joined the plant-based revolution leading many to be very hopeful about the future of plant-based fast food. Only time will tell whether or not these items are here to stay, but one thing we know for sure is demand will drive the market, but demand for industry overhaul cannot be overlooked.

Fast food serves a purpose whether we like it or not. Current systems support the fast-food model. Does it need an overhaul? Yes. But do we need to embrace equal access to plant-based meat alternatives? Also, yes. So, while there is a lot of work to be done on our food systems, we cannot overlook the importance of fast-food chains in bringing about plant-based meat alternatives to large segments of the population. Perhaps the role of fast-food restaurants is to work as a broker, introducing individuals to a wider array of options as we get busy transforming

our food systems via a just transition.

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Sprouting Compassion, a 501C3 Non-Profit organization, dedicated to raising awareness about the connection of veganism and its link to social justice issues. Sprouting Compassion offers cooking demos (Eat Without Violence); vegan mentorship; school humane education for kids (EducateDuCare); Vegan Swap Meet; Red and Green VegFest Albuquerque; weekly mini podcast, Vegan Pulse. We also do live and virtual presentations, tabling, and so forth. If you know of an event we should be at, please email us at nancy@sproutingcompassion.org. We look forward to meeting, engaging, and connecting with all individuals who are seeking to improve their health, fight climate change, stand up for animals, and end oppression for all. Visit our website for more informtation, www.sproutingcompassion.org. Together let’s Plant Seeds of Compassion for all.

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Animals can feel empathy just like humans do. Empathy for each other, for us, and even for other species.

Sloths 1. Sloths have a slow metabolic rate, making them move slowly as they travel. 2. Sloths are the undisputed pull-up world champions. From the moment they are born sloths are able to lift their entire body weight upwards with just one arm. 3. Sloths have 30% less muscle mass than similar sized mammals and are over three times stronger than the average human. 4. Sloths spend most of their time in the trees. 5. Sloths can extend their tongues 10 to 12 inches out of their mouths. 6. Sloths are known as ‘Arboreal’, meaning that they live in trees. 7. Sloths are surprisingly good swimmers. 8. Sloths only enjoy, on average, one bowel movement a week. When they do finally do a #2, they can expel up to a third of their entire body weight. 9. Baby sloths are called cubs. Sloth mothers give birth to cubs about once a year. 10. Sloths give birth whilst hanging upside down. 11. Baby sloths travel on their mothers for approximately 6 months. During this time, they learn how to eat and move between tree-tops. After 6 months, they’re able to communicate with their mother by calling out to each other. 12. Sloths have an incredible scent of smell. They use this to help them move around the trees, find food and find a mate. 13. It’s estimated that the extinct ancestors of sloths were the size of an elephant, like the Megatherium. 14. Sloths live in the tropical forests of Central and South America. 15. Sloths move so slowly that algae (plant-like organisms) grow in their fur!

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In December 2020, Singaporean restaurant 1880 grabbed worldwide headlines by serving up the first commercially available cultured meat. This was also the first-time a country approved the sales of lab-grown meat, which many hoped would signify a shift in the way we ‘raise’ and consume animal-based food products. The lab-grown chicken produced by U.S.-based Eat Just wasn’t a new idea. Still, its acceptance on diners' plates, in restaurant critics write-ups, and the flood of new funding to other clean meat companies meant for the first time just about everyone was considering the just transition of food as an immediate possibility. Cell-based Meat Isn’t New Call it what you will: cell-based agriculture, cellular agriculture, cell-based meat, clean meat, cultured meat, labgrown meat, or cellular meat; the future of food will be lab-based — at least when it comes to animal products. It turns out cell-based meat isn’t a new phenomenon. In 1931 Winston Churchill penned his famous lines. “We shall escape the absurdity of growing a whole chicken in order to eat the breast or wing, by growing these parts separately under a suitable medium. Synthetic food will, of course, also be used in the future. Nor need the pleasures of the table be banished…The new foods will from the outset be practically indistinguishable from natural products, and any changes will be so gradual as to escape observation.” — Fifty Years Hence Think what you will about Churchill, but when it came to the future of meat, he was a man ahead of his time theorizing the different methods in which one may go about accomplishing such a feat. Maybe a bit too ahead of his time. It wasn’t until 2013 that the first cultured hamburger was developed and taste-tested in Maastricht by Dutch researcher Mark Post at the cost of $280,400. Thankfully a lot has transpired in the last eight years. Costs have come down dramatically, with Future Meat expecting to drop below $2. Paired with the public interest and price decreases, more companies are investing in the clean meat revolution, leading restaurants like 1880 to seriously consider cultured meat as a stable menu option. Interest from Billionaires, Venture Capitalist, and the Agriculture Sector Maybe then, it’s not surprising that some of the biggest meat companies hitched their wagon to the cellularmeat train. Both Tyson Ventures and Cargill invested in Memphis Meats, a cell-based meat company, in 2018 alongside Bill Gates and Richard Branson. Then CEO of Tyson, Tom Hayes, said, “It’s another step toward giving today’s consumers what they want and feeding tomorrow’s consumers sustainably for years to come.” Hayes may have a point about tomorrow’s consumers. A 2019 study found that 65% of Americans would be willing to try clean meat. That was up from the 27% that Kadence International found in their 2018 study. With consumer confidence and willing investors, there’s been a boom in cell-based meat companies around the globe. In 2020 alone, more than $350 million was raised across the industry, with 70+ companies “focused on developing cultivated meat inputs, services, or end products.”

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Making an Impact South African Mzansi Meat Company, headed by Brett Thompson, saw an opportunity in the rapid rise of cell-based meat. Thompson noticed that “there (was) no one doing cultivated meat or cellular agriculture in the entire African continent, which is insane to think about…” and in 2020, connected with Ryan Bethencourt of Wild Earth to form the company — the first and only cellular-based meat company still in all of Africa. Mzansi Meat’s ethos is threefold. According to their website, the company wants to cultivate meat to replenish the earth, regain individual health, and reimagine food systems. The latter directly addresses a growing concern of potential monopolies, inequity of global distribution, and agricultural greenwashing. By focusing on local food sovereignty and security, Mzansi may be creating the much-needed local ownership of food systems that have long been overshadowed in Africa. Equally important to the company is the environmental impact. It’s estimated that cell-based meat would use just 1% of water and 1% of land resources compared to traditional animal agriculture. If true, consumers can rest assured that they are fighting climate change with each bite of juicy lab-grown burgers. A Petri Dish Future? Only time will tell what the future of cell-based meat will be, but it does look promising. That’s not to say there aren’t and won’t be stumbling blocks—the first of many being intellectual property rights. More funding will need to be directed towards NGOs and public universities to ensure the technology is not concentrated in the laboratories of the few. Additionally, scaling will need heavy consideration with investments to overhaul the agricultural systems if the true goal is to feed the global population and address climate change. Finally, regulations, labeling, and safety standards need to be agreed upon. Already we have seen some push back from the conventional meat industry on the use of labeling terms such as “milk” or “butter” for non-animal products. This sheds light on the complications of defining exactly what cellular-based agriculture truly is. Regardless of its name, consumers seem at least willing to try even if it doesn’t one-hundred percent replace their traditional meat-eating habits. For now, when we talk about solutions to the agricultural industry, food systems change, and the inherent connection to the climate crisis, it can’t be a this or that approach. The solutions must lie in a this, and this, and that style process. A system that is not one size fits all but is beneficial for all. It must take into account our differences as something to be embraced, not homogenized. Cellular meat is just one piece of the puzzle in our food systems and a just transition. As Hayes puts it, “Just as you see many different electric car models on the market right now, there won’t be a silver bullet — customers love choice.” It will not curb overconsumption nor dissuade meat purists (at first), but it provides a much-needed alternative with dramatically beneficial outcomes for people, the planet, and animals.

*For more information on how cells are harvested and grown, check out The Good Food Institute **Full disclosure: I serve in an unpaid advisory role at Mzansi Meats Co.

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https://redandgreenvegfestabq.wordpress.com/

It is vital to conduct respectful dialogues within the Jewish community on whether Jews should be vegetarians, or even vegans. In the spirit of this debate, I have imagined a dialogue as a means of encouraging readers to conduct such debates with local rabbis, educators, and other Jewish leaders. These are, of course, my own thoughts, and you are free to adapt your own. Scene: A Jewish vegan activist meets his or her rabbi in the latter’s office. Jewish Vegan Activist (JVA): Shalom, Rabbi.

Rabbi: Shalom. Good to see you. JVA: Rabbi, I have been meaning to speak to you for some time about an issue, but I have hesitated because I know how busy you are. But I think this issue is very important. Rabbi: Well, that sounds interesting. I am never too busy to consider important issues. What do you have in mind? JVA: I have been reading a lot recently about the impacts of animal-based diets on our health and the environment and about Jewish teachings related to our diets. I wonder if I can discuss the issues with you, and perhaps it can be put on the synagogue’s agenda for further consideration. Rabbi: I would be happy to discuss this with you. But I hope that you are aware that Judaism does permit the eating of meat. Some scholars feel that it is obligatory to eat meat on Shabbat and holidays. JVA: Yes, I recognize that Judaism permits people to eat meat. Jewish vegetarians and vegans understand that people have a dietary choice, but we feel that this choice should consider basic Jewish teachings and how animal-based diets and modern intensive livestock agriculture impinge on these teachings. For example, we should recognize the tension between the permission to consume animals and the extremely cruel treatment they now receive on factory farms. With regard to eating meat on Shabbat and holidays, according to the Talmud (Pesachim 109a), since the destruction of the Temple, Jews are not required to eat meat in order to rejoice on sacred occasions. This view is reinforced in the works Reshit Chochmah and Kerem Shlomo and Rabbi Chizkiah Medini’s Sdei Chemed, which cites many classical sources on the subject. Several Israeli chief rabbis, including Shlomo Goren, late Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Israel, and Shear Yashuv Cohen, late Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Haifa, were vegetarians or vegans. Also, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, former Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, was a vegetarian, and Rabbi David Rosen, former Chief Rabbi of Ireland, is a vegan. Rabbi: We also should recognize that there is much in the Torah and the Talmud about which animals are kosher and about the proper way to slaughter animals. So eating meat is certainly not foreign to Judaism. JVA: Yes, but there is also much in the Torah and our other sacred writings that point to veganism as the ideal Jewish diet. For example, God’s initial intention was that people be vegans: “And God said: ‘Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing herb, which is upon the surface of the entire earth, and every tree that has seed bearing fruit; it will be yours for food’” (Genesis 1:29). The foremost Jewish Torah commentator, Rashi, says the following about God’s first dietary plan: “God did not permit Adam and his wife to kill a creature to eat its flesh. Only every green herb were they to all eat together.” Most Torah commentators, including Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra, Maimonides, Nachmanides, and Rabbi Joseph Albo, agree that human beings were initially vegans. In addition, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hakohen Kook, first chief rabbi of pre-state Israel and a major Jewish twentieth century writer and philosopher, believed that the Messianic period would also be vegan. He NM Vegan | 29

based this on Isaiah’s powerful prophecy that “a wolf shall live with a lamb, . . . and a lion, like cattle, shall eat straw. . . . They shall neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mount” (Isaiah 11:6–9). Hence the two ideal times in Jewish thought—the Garden of Eden and the Messianic period—are vegan. Rabbi: I have to tell you one thing that concerns me. Jews historically have had many problems with some animal rights groups, which have often opposed shechita (ritual slaughter) and advocated its abolishment. Some have even made outrageous comparisons between the Holocaust and the slaughter of animals for food. JVA: Jews should consider switching to veganism not because of the views of animal rights groups, whether they are hostile to Judaism or not, but because it is the diet most consistent with Jewish teachings. It is the Torah, not animal rights groups, that is the basis for observing how far current animal treatment is from fundamental Jewish values. As Samson Raphael Hirsch put it: “Here you are faced with God’s teaching, which obliges you not only to refrain from inflicting unnecessary pain on any animal, but to help and, when you can, to lessen the pain whenever you see an animal suffering, even through no fault of yours.” Rabbi: Another concern is with two teachings in Genesis: The Torah teaches that humans are granted dominion over animals (Genesis 1:26) and that only people are created in the Divine Image (Genesis 1:27, 5:1). I fear that vegetarians and vegans are promoting a philosophy inconsistent with these Torah teachings, hence potentially reducing the sacredness of human life and the dignity of human beings. JVA: I think that if we consider how Judaism interprets these important verses, we can go a long way to reduce this potential problem. As you know, Jewish tradition interprets “dominion” as responsible guardianship or stewardship: we are called upon to be co-workers with God in improving the world. Dominion does not mean that people have the right to wantonly exploit animals, and it certainly does not permit us to breed animals and treat them as machines designed solely to meet human needs. This view is reinforced by the fact that immediately after God gave humankind dominion over animals, God prescribed vegan foods as the diet for humans (Genesis 1:29). Although the Torah proclaims that only human beings are created “in the Divine Image,” animals are also God’s creatures, possessing sensitivity and the capacity for feeling pain. God is concerned that they are protected and treated with compassion and justice. In fact, the Jewish sages state that to be “created in the Divine Image” means that people have the capacity to emulate the Divine compassion for all creatures. “As God is compassionate,” they teach, “so you should be compassionate.” Rabbi: Yes, these are good points, but some vegans elevate animals to a level equal to or greater than that of people. This is certainly inconsistent with Judaism. JVA: Vegans’ concern for animals and their refusal to treat them cruelly does not mean that vegans regard animals as being equal to people. There are many reasons for being vegan other than consideration for animals, including concerns about human health, environmental threats, and the plight of hungry people. Because humans are capable of imagination, rationality, empathy, compassion, and moral choice, we should strive to end the unbelievably cruel conditions under which farm animals are currently raised. This is an issue of sensitivity, not an assertion of equality with the animal kingdom. Rabbi: Another issue to be considered is that, with all the problems facing humanity today, can we devote much time to consider animals, and which diets we should have?

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JVA: Vegan diets are not beneficial only to animals. They improve human health, help conserve food and other resources and put less strain on endangered ecosystems. In view of the many threats caused or worsened by today’s intensive livestock agriculture (such as climate change, deforestation, and rapid species extinction), working to promote veganism may be the most important action that one can take for environmental sustainability. In addition, a switch toward veganism would reduce the epidemic of heart disease, various types of cancer, and other chronic degenerative diseases that have been strongly linked to the consumption of animal products.

Rabbi: Perhaps I am playing the devil’s advocate here, but by putting vegan values ahead of Jewish teachings, aren’t vegans, in effect, creating a new religion with values contrary to Jewish teachings? JVA: Jewish vegans are not placing so-called vegan values above Torah principles but are respectfully challenging the Jewish community to apply Judaism’s splendid teachings in all aspects of our daily lives. Jewish teachings about treating animals with compassion, guarding our health, sharing with hungry people, protecting the environment, conserving natural resources, and seeking peace are all best applied through vegan diets. Rabbi: What about the Torah teachings about animal sacrifices and that Jews had to eat korban Pesach (the Passover sacrifice) and parts of other animal sacrifices? JVA: The great Jewish philosopher Maimonides believed that God permitted sacrifices as a concession to the common mode of worship in biblical times. It was felt that had Moses not instituted the sacrifices, his mission would have failed, and Judaism might have disappeared. The Jewish philosopher Abarbanel reinforced Maimonides’ position by citing a midrash that indicates that God tolerated the sacrifices because the Israelites had become accustomed to sacrifices in Egypt, but that He commanded they be offered only in one central sanctuary in order to wean the Jews from idolatrous practices. Rav Kook and others believed that in the Messianic period, human conduct will have improved to such a degree that animal sacrifices will not be necessary to atone for sins. There will be only non-animal sacrifices to express thanks to God. Rabbi: You have correctly pointed out that Jews must treat animals with compassion. However, the restrictions of shechita minimize the pain to animals in the slaughtering process, and thus fulfill Jewish laws on proper treatment of animals. JVA: Yes, but can we ignore the cruel treatment of animals on factory farms in the many months, and sometimes years, prior to slaughter? Can we ignore the removal of calves from their mothers shortly after birth, often to raise them for veal; the killing of over 250 million male chicks annually immediately after birth at egglaying hatcheries in the United States; the placing of hens in cages so small that they can’t raise even one wing; and the many other horrors of modern factory farming? Rabbi: As a rabbi, I feel that I must point out that if Jews do not eat meat, they will be deprived of the opportunity to fulfill many mitzvot. JVA: By not eating meat, Jews are actually fulfilling many mitzvot: showing compassion to animals, preserving health, protecting the environment, conserving natural resources, and helping to feed the hungry. And by abstaining from meat, Jews reduce the chance of accidentally violating several prohibitions of the Torah, such as mixing meat and milk, eating non-kosher animals, and eating forbidden fats or blood. There are other cases where Torah laws regulate things that God would prefer people not do. For example, God wishes people to live in peace, but he provides commandments relating to war, knowing that human beings will quarrel and seek NM Vegan | 31

victories over others. Similarly, the Torah’s permission to take a female captive in wartime is a concession to human weakness. Indeed, the sages go to great lengths to deter people from taking advantage of such dispensations. Rabbi: Judaism teaches that it is wrong not to take advantage of the pleasurable things that God has provided. Since people find it pleasurable to eat meat, is it not wrong to refrain from eating meat? JVA: Can eating meat be pleasurable to a sensitive person when he or she knows that, as a result, their health is endangered, grain is wasted, the environment is damaged, and animals are being cruelly treated? One can indulge in pleasure without doing harm to living creatures. There are several other cases in Judaism where actions that people may consider pleasurable are forbidden or discouraged—such as the use of tobacco, drinking liquor to excess, having sexual relations out of wedlock, and hunting. Rabbi: As you know, the laws of kashrut are very important in Judaism. But a movement by Jews toward veganism would lead to less emphasis on kashrut, and eventually possibly a disregard of these laws. JVA: I believe that there would be just the opposite effect. In many ways, becoming a vegan makes it easier and less expensive to observe the laws of kashrut. This might attract many new adherents to keeping kosher, and eventually to other important Jewish practices. As a vegan, one need not be concerned with mixing milchigs [dairy products] with fleishigs [meat products]; waiting three or six hours after eating meat before being allowed to eat dairy products; storing four complete sets of dishes, extra silverware, pots, pans, etc.; and many other considerations incumbent upon the non-vegan who wishes to observe kashrut. Rabbi: I must express a concern for the livelihoods of some of my congregants and other Jews. If everyone became vegans, butchers, shochtim [slaughterers], and others dependent for a living on the consumption of meat would lack work. JVA: There could be a shift from the production of animal products to that of nutritious vegan dishes. In England during World War II, when there was a shortage of meat, butchers relied mainly on the sale of other foods. Today, businesses that previously sold meat and other animal products could sell tofu, miso, falafel, soy burgers, and vegan cholent [Sabbath hot dish]. Besides, the shift toward veganism would be gradual, providing time for a transition to other jobs. The same kind of question can be asked about other moral issues. What would happen to arms merchants if we had universal peace? What would happen to some doctors and nurses if people took better care of themselves, stopped smoking, improved their diets, and so on? Immoral or inefficient practices should not be supported because some people earn a living in the process. Rabbi: If veganism solves some problems, doesn’t it create others? For example, if everyone became vegan, wouldn’t animals overrun Earth? JVA: Respectfully, this concern is based on an insufficient understanding of animal behavior. For example, there are millions of turkeys around at Thanksgiving not because they want to help celebrate the holiday, but because farmers breed them for dinner tables. Dairy cows are artificially inseminated annually so that they will constantly produce milk. Before the establishment of modern intensive livestock agriculture, food supply and demand kept animal populations relatively steady. An end to the manipulation of animals’ reproductive lives to suit our needs would lead to a decrease, rather than an increase, in the number of animals. We are not overrun by animals that we do not eat, such as lions, elephants, and crocodiles.

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Rabbi: Instead of advocating veganism, shouldn’t we alleviate the evils of factory farming so that animals are treated better, less grain is wasted, and fewer health-harming chemicals are used? JVA: The breeding of animals is big business. Animals are raised the way they are today because it is very profitable. Improving conditions for animals would certainly be a positive step, but it has been strongly resisted by the meat industry since it would push up already high prices. Why not abstain from eating meat as a protest against present policies while trying to improve them? Even under the best of conditions, why take the life of a creature of God, “Whose mercies are upon all His works” (Psalm 145:9), when it is not necessary for proper nutrition? Rabbi: If vegan diets were best for human health, wouldn’t doctors recommend them? JVA: Although still relatively a small number, more and more doctors do recommend vegan, or at least vegetarian, diets. Unfortunately, although doctors are devoted to the well-being of their patients, many lack information about the basic relationship between food and health, because nutrition is not sufficiently taught at most medical schools. Also, many patients are resistant to making dietary changes. The accepted approach today seems to be to prescribe medications first and perhaps recommend a diet change as an afterthought. However, there now seems to be burgeoning awareness on the part of doctors about the importance of proper nutrition; but the financial power of the beef, dairy, and egg lobbies and other groups that gain from the status quo prevents rapid changes. Experts on nutrition, including the American and Canadian dietetic associations, stress the many health benefits of plant-centered diets. Rabbi: Some of my congregants would respond, I enjoy eating meat, Why should I give it up? JVA: If one is solely motivated by what will bring pleasure, perhaps no answer to this question would be acceptable. But as you well know, Judaism wishes us to be motivated by far more: doing mitzvot, performing good deeds and acts of charity, sanctifying ourselves in the realm of the permissible, helping to feed the hungry, pursuing justice and peace, etc. Even if one is primarily motivated by considerations of pleasure and convenience, the negative health effects of animal-centered diets should be considered. One cannot enjoy life when one is not in good health. Rabbi: Well, I am sure there are other questions that should be addressed. But I think you have made a very strong case for having a broad discussion of the Jewish and universal issues related to our diets. Please help form a committee with members of different viewpoints and set up a forum at which all of the issues related to our diets can be discussed.

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They protect their young.

They have families.

They have friends.

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heartnsole3@yahoo.com

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