GREATER GOOD - LIMITLESS SPECIAL EDITION

I am incredibly grateful to have this opportunity to present our second issue of Greater Good Magazine. Thank you to all who supports our mission and made the time to contribute their knowledge and personal stories. This convocation has by far exceeded my expectations and motivated me to excel in everything I do. I know once you preview this edition, you will feel empowered after experiencing the challenges, accomplishments, dedication and successes of everyone in the pages to follow. The mission is to heighten awareness for animal welfare, provide the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle and help sustain the planet. As we move forward, we plan to bring our readers the most relatable, informative and exciting content on the globe. I have realized (after being vegan for two years) that veganism is a lifestyle. We all agree that diet and exercise are major factors, but one must first overcome their inner reluctance and skepticism to dedicate. I believe the inner strength we possess can conquer all. After reading through, you will find this is easier than you think. Once you realize the health benefits, animal welfare contribution and planet sustainability, the switch becomes second nature. I can guarantee by making this positive change, you will absolutely influence others around you. The (YOUR) possibilities, impact and opportunities are LIMITLESS.

Cheers!

Christian Shane Dougherty Curator + Publisher

Dotsie Bausch by Photographer CHRIS NAGAMOTO

Be an Athenian Soldier

By Vic Aguilar

As per Google, the definition of mar*a*thon is as follows - a long distance running race, strictly one of 26 miles 385 yards. If you want the historical definition, it goes like this: In a nod to Greek history, the first marathon commemorated the run of the soldier Pheidippides from a battlefield near the town of Marathon, Greece to Athens in 490 B.C. According to legend, Pheidippides ran the approximate 25 miles to announce the defeat of the Persians to some anxious Athenians.

In the modern days of running, the marathon is considered the big one. It is to many runners, the ultimate goal. In running, it is the true test of the body and mind. It will push you to your limits. It’s going to try its best to defeat you by placing the acronym DNF next to your name. DNF stands for Did Not Finish. No runner ever wants to see this acronym next to their name.

But it happens - even to the best/elite runners. It is part of the sport. The effort put forth in running a full marathon is commendable, but any runner will tell you even with a legitimate reason for not finishing the race, such as an injury, there will always be that lingering feeling of embarrassment. But this feeling must not be dwelled upon. What you need to do is think about what went wrong. Recall the race in your head. Where did you start thinking and feeling that you were in trouble? Was it at mile 10? Mile 18 or Mile 22? Then you go back to the drawing

board. Lay things out and figure out where you could have done better so the next time you attempt a 26.2. The results will be different. You want results that you want to talk about. Perhaps over a beer.

As a running coach, I can tell you a key component of finishing a full marathon without feeling completely obliterated afterwards is training. Not just training, but the level and type of marathon training you put forth. Piling on the long runs during the weekends is not enough. You need to incorporate cross training to keep your muscles healthy and strong. Strength training is very important. The

weights must be lifted. Cardio cross training such as Spinning gives your legs a break from all the pavement pounding and will keep your lungs powerful. Yoga is my personal favorite. It helps keep my muscles from being tight but more importantly, it keeps my mind at ease.

Nutrition is also an important component of marathon training that should be integrated. We all know what you put in your body has lasting effects - good and bad. I made a choice to become a nonmeat eater in 2014 based on my own personal reasons. I can tell you since that time, I have become a stronger runner. The plant-based world has many sources of protein. You just have to do the research. Regardless of what choice you make when it comes to your nutrition/ diet, you simply need to make the right choices.

Spinning, TRX, Resistance Band Training

“Discipline is the Fuel that Feeds the Fire”

https://www.runningwithvic.com/

By doing all this, from building the right type of marathon training plan and making the right food choices, you will have a much better rate of making it through that battlefield, from that start line to the finish line - 26.2 miles away. Be an Athenian soldier and take care of your body. It is our greatest instrument.

Cutting To the Chase

What was the determining factor that made you decide to go vegan?

The determining factor that made me go vegan was the fact that I literally didn’t have the time or money to eat animal products anymore. I know that sounds weird. I’ll explain. My decision to go vegan was not driven by ethical reasons in the beginning. Instead, it was based on finances and time management. Five years ago, when I decided to go vegan, I had just moved to Boston. I lost track of how many jobs I was working just to be able to afford to breathe fresh air. Working multiple jobs meant long 14-16-hour days with zero patience to cook anything that was more complex than two steps OR took more than 10 minutes to prep. At the time when I’d do my grocery shopping, I noticed that everything I purchased was usually around eight bucks. This included grains, veggies, fruits, legumes and pastas. Then I would go buy my “organic, grass fed, humanely raised” chicken breasts and that cost me about $12.00 per pound. I’d get home from the grocery store and immediately freeze my chicken breasts because I didn’t want them to stay in the fridge for a long time and go bad before I cooked them. That said, there were many 14-16-hour workdays when I’d get home at 8:00 P.M. and get frustrated because I could never remember to thaw the chicken in the morning before I left for the day. This was literally the reason I went vegan. I would get so frustrated that I spent $15.00 per week on chicken, and it would either go bad in the fridge because I didn’t feel like putting the time and effort into actually cooking the chicken after such a long work day, or the chicken would stay in the freezer and get freezer burned, which grossed me out, or it just took too much time to thaw the chicken when I would get home. Literally we are talking about only six to eight minutes of transitional time allocated to animal protein prep, but those minutes add up about 48 hours per year! That’s an entire week of one of my jobs! Finally, after looking at my frozen rock-hard chicken breast I said to myself: “This is ridiculous. I can’t ever remember to thaw the damn chicken so I’m not buying it anymore and I’m going vegan. That way I don’t EVER have to deal with chicken ever again.” I decided to go vegan because I needed to streamline my dinner routine at night and reduce unnecessary steps. There’s not enough nutritional value in chicken for me to spend my dollars on it just to spend extra time cooking it only to have it contribute to high cholesterol and also force me to use a separate cutting board and then have to wash a second cutting board. That entire process made no sense to me. I just couldn’t justify it anymore! Getting my fruits and veggies from ONE drawer in the fridge (I know you’re supposed to separate your fruits and veggies in the fridge, but I never do. And again, saving transitional time) and not having to use separate cutting boards and worry about cooking temps that cut out a huge chunk of my food

prep time. I no longer spent about $75.00 per month on animal proteins. I streamlined my grocery shopping by not even going to the meat counter, and instead I allocated most of those dollars to grains and legumes to replace the calories and protein. Now, a typical dinner is cooked legumes with steamed veggies - dice the veggies small enough that they can cook in the same amount of time as the lentil pasta and even in the same pot - about 8-10 minutes and you’re done! All macros covered. Does your plant-based diet impact others around you socially or professionally?

Not if you don’t let it. I try to not “market” myself as a vegan because I don’t want people to see me as any different from what I hope will be the vast majority in the future. People can sometimes make a big deal if I’m in a group at a restaurant and try to overaccommodate me as a vegan. The truth is you can get vegan options at any restaurant. I use that opportunity to be gracious and thankful that they want me to be comfortable and show them that it’s very easy to navigate a restaurant menu quickly and know to supplement the meal with one or two starches or veggie side dishes which end up being great to share with the table, which actually leads to more inclusion with your group. Steak houses actually have great salad bars. It’s the Italian restaurants that I find are the most difficult to navigate as every single dish seems to have dairy, seafood or meat associated with it. I find that Mexican, Asian or American restaurants have plenty for vegans from which to choose. A few friends in my inner circle have actually cut out dairy completely because they know I don’t incorporate butter in my cooking. They’ve become accustomed to both oil free meals, or using coconut oil instead of butter. They’ve thanked me for their eczema and digestion issues vastly improving or clearing up entirely.

What do you think is the biggest misconception people have of being vegan?

The biggest misconception that people have about being vegan is that we don’t “get enough protein.” I had blood work done, and my doctor confirmed that my protein levels were in the higher range of normal. All essential amino acids can get acquired from plants, and you don’t have to eat massive quantities of it either. Another big misconception is that we all drink green juices. I rarely juice. Again, go back to #1 where I talk about food prep. I’m really not into creating more steps in order to eat. When I have greens, I just eat them instead of liquifying them. I feel that it’s too much work and sometimes the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.

What’s your go-to vegan dish?

My go-to vegan dish would be taco lettuce wraps! They can be done hundreds of ways with any kind of hearty green as the base, then any seasoned vegan meat crumble,

topped with veggies, black beans and guac for days. It’s out of this world. You can even get fancy with a homemade vegan cheese sauce which literally tastes like how I remembered queso cheese. But again, that involves time and prep, which I’m just never too motivated to do, but I will make a bomb vegan cheese sauce on occasion, and it takes the taco lettuce wraps to another level that still amazes me every time I enjoy it.

What benefits have you experienced from a plant-based lifestyle?

With the exception of saving my six to eight minutes of time every day that had been allocated to animal protein prep and saving money at the grocery store, I was not expecting to see any changes in my body or think that I would perceive food differently, but after a few weeks I started to notice I dropped some weight, I stopped having those “3:00 P.M. crashes.” My skin improved and that’s when I truly started to embrace the importance of having empathy for sentient beings. During the first couple months of being vegan, on occasion I would have a bite of a sandwich or pastry that had dairy in it, and I noticed that I really didn’t like the taste, and it made me think about the process behind the food - the slaughter, the horrific conditions of the animals and the exploitation of the female reproductive system. I felt grateful that I was no longer contributing to any of those processes. I feel totally satisfied and energetic living off plants. As a vegan athlete, I’ve proved to myself that I can train for a half ironman, push 450 pounds on a sled and ride my bike for 60+ miles just fine.

REVOLUTION IN MOTION

By Christian Shane Dougherty

2012 Olympic cycling medalist Dotsie Bausch, need I say more – yes I do. She has eight US national championships, two Pan American gold medals, a world record and a degree in plant-based nutrition. Before she became so passionate about her mission and causes, Dotsie Bausch struggled for years with eating disorders and a recreational drug habit. Only during her recovery, did she discover her gift and love of the bike. Bausch was also featured in the 2019 GAMECHANGERS movie which became the number one downloaded film of all time on iTunes. Her latest initiative is founding the nonprofit SWITCH4GOOD in 2018.

I had the pleasure to chat with Dotsie about her drive and became instantly inspired and motivated.

You have overcome many obstacles, personal and professional. How important is a plant-based diet when it comes to strengthening your mind?

A plant-based diet allows me to live in alignment with my ethics. It is a freeing thing to feel affirmed by food instead of guilty. Honestly, eating vegan is when I feel the most free and strong. It feels good making a choice to put love on my plate vs. death. It feels strong to stay committed to something that deeply matters to me. And, it does not hurt that I also feel mentally clearer and less sluggish.

Can you tell us a bit about where you grew up, your family and how they had an impact on you?

I spent my childhood in the suburbs of Kentucky, and I have to say, it was pretty

idyllic. I grew up with love, support and unconditional “you’ve got this.” My mom was my champion and said to me about a thousand times: “you can do absolutely anything you set your mind to” and I believed her. Her words got in deep. From a very early age, my favorite words were “I do it!” Whether it was unscrewing a lid, or arranging a toy, or tying my shoe, I was determined to get it done solo. According to my mother, whenever she tried to intervene, I would scream my head off: “I DO IT!!” until she backed away. Even then, I was determined to see things through to the other side, and I was fueled by a powerful curiosity that drives me to this day.

My dad traveled for work, and my younger sister was not born until I was seven, so it was just me and mom for quite a while, and we did everything together. She was a traditional stay-at-home mother—a rare species today—so she was

really available to me. Mom had always wanted to have a family, so much so that when she attended college in the sixties, she majored in Home Economics. Not exactly a hippy.

But she was strong: When I was three years old, she took me to a steakhouse where everyone was expected to use utensils and have a modicum of manners. The maître’d was not going to let me in, but my mother pushed back: “she can eat with a fork!” she responded, this nice Southern housewife was standing her ground. They let us in. I got my grit, my fight and my independence from my mother, which eventually led to me bucking the system that says Olympians cannot be old. I was the one who was never supposed to be doing what I was doing. I was definitely way too old. I did not have the pedigree, the history, the background. I was not even an athlete as a child or as a teenager, and at every

juncture I heard: “you shouldn’t be here and you’re not going to make it to greatness.” I was told that so often. There is a lot there, but I just kept stepping into the danger zone, and what I could have easily failed. And sometimes I did. But I always chose the exposure vs. avoiding the danger because I could not feel anything when I was not stepping right into the fire.

You have accomplished so much, what challenges do you face today?

As long as people continue to consume dairy, I will be challenged. It is an uphill battle to convince people that the food they were taught to believe is essential is actually bad for them. So many of us grew up thinking milk built strong bones, that we need it for protein and calcium. But that is not true, and the truth is jarring. I do not blame them—the industry does a marvelous job of spreading misinformation by manipulating scientific studies and paying off athletes to promote its products. While cow’s milk sales are falling, I am still challenged by this massive industry and will continue to fight until everyone knows the truth behind dairy.

SWITCH4GOOD has a great mission to educate and ditch dairy. What can we expect from your nonprofit, and you, in the rest of 2021?

First off, thank you. In 2021, we are working hard on systematic change by supporting legislation that moves the needle in the dairyfree direction. We are also leaning into the social justice side to educate people about the dietary racism inherent in

“common” practices surrounding dairy— such as schools refusing to serve plant milk or coffee shops charging extra for non-dairy options. Seventy to ninety-five percent of black individuals, Asians, Indigenous Americans, and Latinx populations are lactose intolerant. Why should these kids not have access to milk that will not make them sick at school? Why should anyone be charged extra for a milk option that will not make them sick when they order a coffee? It is not fair, and we are working to change that.

Switch4Good is also leading the charge when it comes to scientific research around the deleterious effects of dairy on performance, and our first study is launching this summer with results compiled and published by the end of the year.

Switch4Good is also partnering with some

stellar athletes who are spreading the dairyfree word. We are collaborating with Robbie Balenger—a vegan who ran across America in 2019—on his endurance running advocacy this summer, and we are building a diary-free team of influential athletes, including some 2021 Olympians.

Switch4Good has a theory of change that is unlike any other. Consider the traditional model of the omnivore’s transition. As a person moves away from a meat-based diet, they often look to replicate the satiation of animal products with foods laden with cheese and other high-fat dairy items. This increased dairy consumption can stall a person’s transition, as the addictive casomorphins in dairy interact with the brain in much the same way as caffeine, alcohol and other drugs.

What if we turned the traditional model on its head? Instead of focusing on meat reduction first, starting with dairy might eliminate the largest hurdle in transitioning for many people. Without the gastrointestinal distress, itchy skin, inhibited breathing, acne and addictive impulses that dairy supplies, individuals making the transition to plantbased eating would find the switch easier and even encouraging, leading to higher conversion rates and less backsliding. The truth is, no one ever said “I gave up chicken (or fish) and within a few days I noticed a dramatic shift in how I feel.” But that is exactly what people say when they give up dairy. And within a few months of giving up dairy, we have noticed that people begin asking questions about the animals on their plate and how to give that up as well.

Dairy is a fantastic entry point to the plant-based movement because the intersectionality of the issue provides an array of secondary justifications to feel good about making the switch. Using dairy as an entry point is going to introduce the public to a lot of social justice issues, many of whom will adopt veganism, racial justice causes, or environmental protection as passions as a result.

How do you spend time relaxing?

While some may not find it relaxing, I really love to travel (though, of course, the pandemic put a dent in that). I also feel relaxed when I see the ocean, so I make a point to ride my bike that way regularly. Walking my three dogs after a long day always offers moments of lightness, and you cannot beat the savasana after a grueling hot yoga session!

https://dotsiebauschusa.com/ https://switch4good.org/ https://gamechangersmovie.com/

A TASTE FOR CHANGE

By Greater Good Magazine

Louisa Nicholson, Founder

Louisa Nicholson, Founder of Every Vegan Recipe, is determined to build the (soon-to-be) world’s largest vegan recipe community and we are behind her one hundred percent! When you submit a recipe, it is categorized, nutritional information is added and is made available in various languages. Every Vegan Recipe promotes your recipe, profile and makes it easier to find plant-based ideas. GG Magazine was lucky to chat with Louisa and inquire.

www.EveryVeganRecipe.com

When and what factors made you decide to go with a vegan lifestyle?

Approximately six years ago, my health started to decline, and I decided to spend my leisure time studying human health in multiple aspects. It was around this time, I chose to go fully vegan in my diet, lifestyle, and spiritually, aligning my values to my diet. I went vegan overnight and never looked back since.

Tell us a bit about Every Vegan Recipe.

Every Vegan Recipe is a platform to allow publishing and sharing of vegan, all plant-based, recipes. Every recipe shared or published will be categorized in nearly 100 ways, have extensive nutritional information displayed, and allow users to share, rate and ask questions. Our audience is anyone who wants a recipe to cook with that includes only plant foods such as fruits, grains, vegetables, herbs, and tubers, whether you are a vegan, need a nice side dish, or a Meatless Monday recipe.

The aim is to make finding vegan recipes much easier. Vegan recipes were never represented well in publishing companies or recipe websites, usually only displaying salads. The truth is that plant-based food has been eaten by all cultures globally for thousands of years – the diversity in cuisine is extraordinary! People are very hungry (pun-intended) to find recipes from creators that fit their lifestyle and taste-profile. On the platform, you can find recipes much easier using categories, search terms, or relevant results versus having to network online, discuss in forums, etc. We want to support the community better as well, allowing these recipe creators to sell their cookbooks, courses and more! We want to help people connect through food.

I also believe in creating a technology company that works to help solve problems. Not only is free access to information is a huge driver of this company, but so is the company model itself as the platform does not rely on a traditional advertising model by selling user’s private information or pushing the user to interact

with other websites that do so. The company is supported through users using the platform if they find value in it. This also means that the platform is advertising and malware free.

Another set of problems I think the platform helps include are sustainability, educational reach, culture diversity and nutrition. I could speak at length on any one of these topics, but I would also like to mention how information today is promoted primarily through monetary means. Whereas, on the platform, you can access recipes from people who cannot afford to promote their creations to compete against these traditional publishers.

What inspires you to keep motivated?

This is a great question that comes up a lot mentally for me, actually, at least once a week. The life of a solo entrepreneur is very unfulfilling until the company is successful and can be extra challenging while there are many months of work ahead before a launch is due to happen. There have been a lot of challenges over the past couple of years for any business, and I think a common thread right now is exactly this - motivation.

For me, I find motivation is our social media followers who are thankful and understand the mission of the platform. The platform itself will disrupt a traditional industry model, both for recipe publishers in general and for the vegan community. Because of this, there are hurdles I have to go through. At the end of the day, the normie vegan who just wants to know what they will eat for dinner is extremely thankful to know they will have a go-to resource. Also, I am finding it much easier to share plantbased recipes with people who are not vegan and making the conversation about veganism much easier with those users. I can see changes

happening and the thankfulness of the community we are building is truly what motivates me.

Where do you see the plant-based industry going in 2022?

The past few years has shown that billions in investment have gone into creating lab-grown animal meats, processed foods, and synthetic vegan foods. Due to natural products being overly regulated lately, increasing food famine due to land regulation, and commodity prices increasing, I think we should expect to see more issues in the food supply globally escalate in 2022 from where they currently are now. Considering these two factors, I think we will continue to see media focus on the new food products and will continue to not report on the issues about access to food due to regulation, commodity control, seizure, or conflicts. Hopefully, I am wrong and instead we will see a boom in the increase in farming and supply of food and, in turn, we will see a new reinvigorated interest in cooking. That is what I always hope for anyway!

What advice would you give someone thinking of switching to a plant-based lifestyle?

Keep it simple and don’t stress about everything. Take it one day at a time. Find a friend with whom you can share ideas It’ll help both of you find new things to eat and keep your diet more exciting. For health, try to keep your diet as diverse as you can. Buy from your local farmer, eat plenty of greens, and try new ingredients all the time. Right now, you can search for recipes and always find how to prepare something, but I hope to see you on everyveganrecipe.com in the future to find new foods, share your creations, and create your own library of recipes!

By Greater

Fueled:

Shane D ougherty

DAWN TO DUSK

Meet Florian Wüest, Coach and Founder of FItVegans. Florian specializes in helping vegans lose fat, build lean muscle, and get in the best shape of their lives. He became vegan for ethical reasons in 2015 and has since then transformed his physique completely. Over the last four years, he has helped over 130+ high achieving vegans in 18 countries get in the best shape of their life. If you weren’t inspired before, you will be after reading about Florian! www.fitvegans.com

Tell us where you grew up and what influenced you to become vegan.

I grew up in a small town in Switzerland close to Lucerne. The Swiss culture is meat and cheese heavy. My grandfather was a hunter, and we were friends with the village butcher. I have seen the slaughter of rabbits, as well as cows and pigs as a young kid. Back then it did not bother me. I did not make the connection yet.

A few years later, as a heavy meat eater, I was gifted the book “Eating Animals” by Jonathan Safran Foer. I kept it on my shelf for a few weeks. I thought that vegans were hippies – and they have “nothing to teach me.” After numerous pleadings from my girlfriend at that time, I decided to read a few pages. The book hooked me from the beginning. Reading those 352 pages sparked the curiosity in me and helped me to finally make the decision to eliminate animal products from my life.

What is the best way to influence others to live a healthy and plant-based diet?

After going vegan initially, I decided to confront all the people around me. Remarks such as “Why are you eating dead corpses?” on dinners with friends and family were quite common. You guess how many people I have influenced with that strategy? That is right - zero.

Over time, seeing the ineffectiveness of my strategy, I softened my approach. I stopped being confrontational. I stopped pointing fingers and instead, took a long hard look in the mirror. I then asked myself: “Am I truly a person worth listening to?” The shocking, yet unsurprising answer, was “no!” I was in a dead-end job at that time, was not in great shape and had non-existent communication skills.

I realized that being vegan alone is not enough. Having the facts on your side is not enough. Humans are emotional beings and rationality itself is simply not going to cut it. So, I started doing the truly hard work. I started bettering myself and worked on becoming a person that people actually listen to. Now, as a founder of a coaching company and being in great shape myself, persuading others to try a vegan diet becomes easy. Why? Because I love my life. And I have become a person that people actually want to listen to.

Can you give us a typical day for Florian Wüest?

I am a big fan of structure. That might be due to my Swiss roots. I wake up at 5:30 AM each morning. Seven days a week. I brush my teeth, trim my beard and have a cold shower. Before starting my workday at 6:00 AM, I aim to do some meditation. However, I am not always able to cram this in. I work continuously for four hours, fueled by a good amount of caffeine. I am a big coffee lover. This early part of the day is centred around improving our Fit Vegan Evolution program. It is where I read, think, plan and analyze our systems. The later part of my workday is centred around helping our clients, communicating with my small team and plenty of meetings coupled with daily responsibilities.

I end my workday at around 4:00 PM to go for a workout and enjoy a vegan dinner. I tend to go back to work at around 7:00 PM to finish daily tasks and plan for the next day. I aim to go to sleep at around 9:00 PM.

FitVegans.com has received great reviews, changed lives and inspired. How do you keep motivated on a daily basis to wake up at 5:00 AM and make it all happen?

I am passionate about the vegan movement and the work that we do. My entire day does not feel like work. In fact, if I only had two more months to live, I would literally do the same thing with my day. Briefly tell us how vegan-fitness varies from other fitness styles, or techniques. Do you have a personal motto?

As Kim Williams M.D., trustee of the American College of Cardiology puts it: “There are two kinds of cardiologists: vegans and those who haven’t read the data.”

I see it similar with fitness. The principles of healthy, effective and sustainable weight loss and muscle growth stay the same. It feels as though only very few fitness professionals saw the need to put in the effort - and really learn about these principles in the first place.

To be specific and admittedly, a bit blunt: “Keto fitness” is an oxymoron. As well as “carnivore fitness.” Fitness is defined as the “condition of being physically fit and healthy.” Both of these “fitness” strategies do not lead to this state in the long run.

Jessica Hllander, Artist and Owner of India and Purry

NATURAL LIGHT

By Christian Shane Dougherty

India & Purry is a collection of decorative pieces for the home by Brooklyn artist Jessica Hollander. Jessica is a visual artist with a deep reverence for nature and its nuanced beauty. The collection is derived from her oil paintings, using small sections of larger canvases. She considers each of the paintings to be portraits, studying and celebrating the unique intricacies of specific trees and flowers and using this dialogue to transmit the peaceful, healing energy of nature. The resulting designs bring the charm of the outdoors inside to counter the plasticity of modern living and elevate the home. I was fortunate to catch up to Jessica around her busy schedule.

How old were you when you became interested in animal rights?

Ihavealwaysbeenprofoundlysensitive to the suffering of animals, and I had ethical questions on my mind about buying,selling,imprisoningandeating animals even as a child. Unfortunately, it was about 10 years ago that I fully oriented myself to the reality of animal agriculture thanks largely to PETA and went vegetarian before transitioning

fullytoveganismandgettinginvolvedin activism two years later.

What was the determining factor that led you to vegan lifestyle?

Once I was confronted with the truth about the egregious cruelty and environmental devastation caused

by animal ag, I had no choice but to go vegan. It did take me two years to transitionfromvegetarianismtoveganism, but looking back it could have been such an easy shift right away. I don’t thinkpeoplerealizethatveganismistruly not a lifestyle of deprivation. There is so

much to eat and so much to wear. It is just not necessary to use nonhuman animals in any way.

Where do you draw inspiration?

The inspiration for both my art and my veganism and activism is the same. I have a deep, innate love for nature and that includes every living thing on this planet. Iworshipthebeautyoftreesand flowers just as I respect and adore every animal. It’s all connected. My ultimate wish is that I leave this planet having

oriented people to increase their respect for and connection with our environment, and all theindividualswesharethisspectacularplanet with.

Tell us a bit about India & Purry. When did you start the company? What are your goals for 2021 and beyond?

I have been a painter all my life and through some serendipitous events became inspired to apply my paintings to home decor and accessories in 2013. My vision was not entirely clear at first, but it has blossomed into somethingthatIcouldnotbemoregrateful.The opportunity to create and share beauty and liftmyselfandotherswiththemagicoforganic color and shape is a dream for me. Every time I have a customer tell me that my work in their homemakesthemfeelmorejoyfulorpeaceful.I feel abundant happiness.

What is your favorite vegan dish?

I absolutely love the stuffed squash blossom appetizer with artichoke hearts and cashew cheeseatBlossomonColumbusandwishthey would add it back to their menu! Best dish in NYC.

By Christian Shane Dougherty

MISSION VEGAN WORLD DOMINATION

Katrina Fox is an award-winning journalist, PR consultant, founder of VeganBusinessMedia. com, host of Vegan Business Talk podcast, and author of Vegan Ventures: Start and Grow an Ethical Business - the first global book providing success strategies for aspiring and existing vegan business owners.

She has written extensively for niche and mainstream media for 17 years on animal advocacy and ethical business and was a regular FORBES contributor for 12 months specializing in writing about vegan and plant-based businesses.

Katrina teaches vegan business owners how to do their own PR and get free media coverage through her signature online course and group coaching program Vegans in the Limelight.

She is a regular speaker, MC and panel host at local and international events ranging from vegan festivals and conferences to book launches and trade shows. She hosted a full day of panel discussions at VegFestUK Trade, the UK’s first ever trade show at London’s Olympia in 2017. In April 2018, she spoke about how to position ethical products and hosted a day of talks at the Naturally Good Expo, Australia’s trade show for the natural and organic industry.

She loves glitter, bling and disco.

What is the drive behind Katrina Fox?

I want to see a world where animals are not exploited or harmed, ultimately benefiting humans and the climate. I look forward to a vegan world and constantly inspiring people to start vegan businesses, specifically women to become leaders in their field. Also, to combat the negative news that often surfaces regarding the vegan community and counterbalance with positive achievements of people who are doing good in the world. I also want to help people run vegan businesses and inspire people, particularly woman, to become leaders in their field. The Vegan Woman’s Leadership Network launched officially in July of last year to empower and inspire.

Typically, how does your day unfold?

Meditation in the morning for five to ten minutes, and then check emails along with putting together a to-do list ranging from creating content, website, client work and training – plenty of time at my laptop. With the travel restrictions, I have been doing as much as possible from home, gym time and then perhaps some down-time in the evening. I feel grateful I am able to work productively, and globally, from home while able to visit local parks and enjoy the outdoors.

Do you think the effects of the pandemic altered the way we will work and socialize moving forward?

I think it makes us take a look at how much we can minimize and be more selective – to a degree. Regarding the virtual meetings and physical informational exchange, I like a mixture of both. I will always love meeting people in person, but due to the past circumstances, we all must adapt. I believe this forces us to be more selective in everything that we do on a daily basis.

Since becoming an ethical vegan in 1996 after a schoolteacher called Kay opened my eyes to the countless ways animals are used, abused and exploited for human consumption or entertainment, my mission has been to educate, inform and inspire as many people as possible to embrace a vision of a world in which all beings are free to thrive.

www.katrinafox.com

www.veganbusinessmedia.com

www.veganwomensleadershipnetwork.com

Do you feel as though the vegan growth and awareness we are experiencing now could have happened five years ago?

Well, I never thought that I would be cool and trendy! I am incredibly happy (being vegan for 25 years) that it is emerging so rapidly. Social media has played a huge part in fashion and food, and I feel the timing was just right. People are realizing the planet is being destroyed, and there is such a thing as animal exploitation. This new cuisine is giving people more alternatives and choices. You can see the rise of restaurants from New York to Australia to Asia. I love it.

How do you respond to folks that respond negatively to your vegan lifestyle? What do you say to someone on the verge of becoming vegan, or plantbased?

I respond by informing them of the health benefits and the positive environmental impact. I try to ask them questions and take a psychological stance to try to understand their point of view. Instead of powering up in defense mode, I feel it is more productive to have a calm conversation and be kind and compassionate. I will also reference different authors and websites to validate my point(s). If someone is thinking of going vegan, I refer back to the health benefits and try to emphasize how your body and mind can benefit from a vegan lifestyle. Meanwhile, you can do your part to make a difference, sustain the planet and save animals.

So, when was your defining moment to become vegan when you were 11 years old?

A schoolteacher (Kay, a vegan) in the UK explained where cheese came from, and I just remember being taken

back and very concerned and actually shocked. After that, honestly, it did take a while to adapt to the new diet and lifestyle especially being so young. I managed to forge on and here we are today!

How do you manage your time?

I tend to compose a to-do list and get to things that need to be done that day. I do the best I can without burning out – yoga class is especially important to me. Prioritization with balance is something I strive to achieve.

What is new for the rest of 2021?

I am looking to grow the Vegan Women’s Leadership Network and sharing many of the great stories along with increasing membership. I believe in growth (for everyone) and making a difference this year and beyond - all for the greater good.

St. Jude patient Marina, eye cancer

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Million Dollar Vegan is a global nonprofit dedicated to educating people about the environmental, ethical, personal and public health benefits of adopting a plant-based lifestyle. They provide free nutritional guidance and support for people who are new to veganism, and free plant-based meals to essential workers and underserved communities around the world operating in over 10 countries and seven languages. And, have an international team working around the clock to inspire more people to choose vegan. In 2019 and with the support of Sir Paul McCartney, Million Dollar Vegan launched the first campaign by publicly challenging Pope Francis to #FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE WITH DIET CHANGE by going vegan for Lent in return for a $1M donation to the charity of this choice (His Holiness responded with his blessing). Naomi Hallum, CEO, took a few moments out of her busy schedule to chat.

BY CHRISTIAN SHANE DOUGHERTY

MILLION DOLLAR VEGAN

Can you speak a bit about yourself, lifestyle choice and mission to impact others?

Like a lot of people, I have always loved animals and from a very young age, I started feeling awful about eating them. I was 10 years old. I started to question my parents about why we were supposed to be kind to the animals around me on the farm in which I grew up, but then they would be slaughtered. As a child, I just could not come to terms with that situation. This was the beginning of my journey.

Years later, I watched the documentary Cowspiracy, and that hit me really hard, and I realized there was even more damage being done than I could imagine not just to the animals, but to the planet. I realized just how much I did not know so, therefore, I began reading. I read Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, The China Study by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell and others. The decision to go vegan and plant based is important. It is not just a diet - it’s a whole way of living and seeing the world with open eyes. The challenge I ran into was how to use my talents to promote veganism to others, to educate people on the negatives about supporting animal agriculture and help support them as they go forward on their vegan journey. At this point, I moved over from my corporate sector, where I then worked, to my animal rights sector currently.

Has your work had an impact on non-vegan acquaintances?

Well, my parents went vegan after watching my journey for a while. Others have told me they are more conscious about animal products they consume and have actively tried to reduce their intake. Now I see them enjoying things like the Beyond Burger and Impossible Burgers. I do see them making changes in the right direction which is all positive.

Million Dollar Vegan?

Million Dollar Vegan launched in February of 2019. We were co-founded by Matthew Glover and Jane Lang Founders of Veganuary. The plan is to acknowledge people out there today with huge amounts of influence (that are not vegan) and to question how many people they would influence if they were to go vegan and what it would take to get them to go vegan. So, we decided to target world leaders and what would resonate with them so we offered $1,000,000 to the charity of choice should they accept the challenge. We focused on the Pope who constantly speaks of climate change and put forth a challenge for Lent. The Pope supported the idea, invited us to the Vatican, but ultimately just gave us his blessing. We also have different celebrities that support different campaigns that resonate with them. Joaquin Phoenix supported our Pope campaign.

Is there a new million-dollar challenge on the horizon?

We like to surprise the person we are challenging. That is what creates the media buzz. We will challenge someone very high profile because that is the way we get our mission noticed by mainstream news outlets. We received over 700 headlines across 150 countries when we challenged the Pope. We aim to take the world by storm and get the vegan message out there in the mainstream at the same time. We do plan to launch another challenge towards the end of the summer, and all I can tell you is that we will focus on an incredibly famous person in India, and it is going to be extremely challenging tied to the dairy

industry. We want to lift the curtain on chronic illnesses and the mistreatment of cows showing a way to reduce suffering.

What happens in the down time?

We do a food aid. We have pledged to donate at least one million meals by 2022. By doing so, we hope to inspire more people to try vegan food. We also aim to empower people to help prevent future pandemics, improve their health, reduce animal suffering, and safeguard our planet for the generations to come. Building a safe and sustainable future for our children begins with what we choose to put on our plates.

Give it a go. It just makes you feel good.

Please head over to the website for more info and try veganism for 31 days! Our Vegan Starter Kit provides all the info you need in bite-sized pieces, including meal plans ideas, nutrition facts, where to eat out, tips on getting started and answers to all those tricky questions.

The decision to go vegan and plant based is important. It is not just a diet - it’s a whole way of living and seeing the world with open eyes.

NAOMI HALLUM CEO AT MILLION DOLLAR VEGAN

By Christian Shane Dougherty

TASTY A NICHECarved OUT

I am so delighted to have the opportunity again to chat with Jenny Goldfarb, Unreal Deli Corp. CEO. She spent some time chatting before a busy day to update us on her successes, challenges and how to come out on top after one heck of a year.

Congratulations on your success since your feature in our last issue! Things are moving and ABC’s Shark Tank has had you back. What happened on the second visit?

After the initial Shark Tank airing, everything was going along swimmingly. We were not yet retail ready, but retail was indeed the plan for us ultimately. Although, we did have the food service packaging intact, and we distributed to restaurants, marinas, etc. ready to serve. Restaurants were loving us, and we

actually started working with Quizno’s. Shortly thereafter, the pandemic hit. Sales flatlined and my father became terribly ill unexpectedly. By two miracles, my dad was saved by way of plasma donation and the business needed to make a fast pivot into retail, although nothing ever pivots quickly into retail. I explained to Mark Cuban that the restaurants were barely ordering anything at all, and he said to reach out to every grocery store and tell them you are ready. With a bootstrap and scrappy mentality, me and my team worked around the clock to make beautiful packaging, and we created our second item – Unreal Roasted Turkey. We created the retail packaging for both and now we are in approximately 700 stores including mainstream locations such as Ralph’s, Wegmans, Fresh Time, Giant and many more on the horizon waiting for the green light.

Extremely exciting.

The Turkey deli slices, can you elaborate?

We wanted it to be heavily vegetable based, not just wheat gluten and spices. We use plenty of white beans, celery and onions. The entire vegetable gets pureed and put into the “meat.” We tested many versions, and we feel as though we finally perfected the taste. What can we look forward to from Unreal?

We went back to Quizno’s and suggested a way to really have them make a mark – all vegan virtual kitchen. So, after collaborating with other vegan suppliers (cheeses and sauces), we are sending a “kit” to five Los Angeles stores testing eight fully vegan subs – the world’s first all-vegan sub shop! We hope to expand this in the near future.

I feel overwhelming humility and total excitement for what I get to do! Number one goal is closing down factory farms. Number two goal is having a successful business. I am here for the party! I want to make plant-based food super-delicious and mainstream. Unreal Deli is for everyone.

TRUE SELF ESTEEM

Ilearn, grow and receive guidance and correction from just about every interaction I have with other beings. It is possible to get to a state of awareness that this constantly occurs. It is not a destination. It is a journey that continues to improve and reinforce daily. In this article, I will outline some of the greatest hurdles I had to jump to get to a state of mind where this began.

The process that brought me to this state of awareness is not necessarily going to be the same for others. However, the lessons learned along the way might be similar. I will share my course in learning these lessons. If you find yours, you can experience peace and joy that knows no limits.

The first thing I had to establish was a basic understanding of human nature. Several things gradually grew me in this regard. I read “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnage when I was 16. The title of this book does not reflect its true value. I would name it “Understanding Basic Human Nature.” Once you have this “understanding” it is up to you what you do with it. Certainly, there are immoral, unscrupulous people

that have used the principles in that book to manipulate others to suit their own selfish desires. I think the lessons in the book are more powerful when applied with genuine concern and compassion for others. The most valuable lesson I gleaned from its pages was not becoming offended by the actions and attitudes of other people. Understanding it, did not mean I had to accept it. It helped me understand why others reject truth. It also helped me understand myself in this. With this basic understanding of human nature internalized, the stage was set for my next lesson. In my mid 20’s, I read the serenity prayer “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” (Reinhold Niebuhr) During this time, I also began to study the Christian Bible. I still glean wisdom and inspiration from its pages. The “Sermon on the Mount” and the “Proverbs” gave me the keys to internalize and apply the serenity prayer. Now I was ready for the next step. I had to learn to love myself unconditionally. It is called self-esteem or self-respect. There is no quick way to describe this process. Many comprehensive works have been dedicated to this subject. I will explain, as briefly as possible, my path to this in the hope that others may find clarity. Some things I thought, and did, were indicators I was not actually functioning with a healthy respect and esteem for myself. Hopefully, some will wake up, as I did, and accompany me on this path of enlightenment.

My lacking in these areas of esteem manifested in drug and alcohol abuse. I also abused and neglected my body through junk food and lack of exercise.

These were my manifestations. Yours may be quite different. Perhaps you are healthy and strong and do not use alcohol or drugs. Your manifestations are there if you honestly look for them, you will find them, unless, of course, you already have established and function with a core of “true self esteem.”

It is necessary to make a distinction here. I did not have a low self-esteem. I had a false sense of esteem. This false sense was fueled by external factors; for example, relationships with others of “low selfesteem.” My encouragement and support of them gave me a false sense of worth. As I saw them improve, it made me feel better. Another way I fueled this false sense of worth was serving the needs of the less fortunate. I did so through food drives and participation in homelessness outreach programs, etc. When I did these things, it made me feel worthwhile. It finally hit me. Last year, when my dying mother told me that in order for me to stop abusing food, drugs and alcohol, I needed to constantly feed my “need to be needed.” I realized my sense of worth was wrapped up in serving others. This caused me to sacrifice my peace, health and at times sanity to fill this “need to be needed.”

Gradually, in the months following mom’s death, I began developing true self esteem. This is not a destination. It is a journey. It strengthens and clarifies with each passing day. I will share some thoughts regarding the things I used to do to build my false sense of esteem. One’s thoughts, actions and activities can be indicators of a true self esteem or feeding a false one. To do so, you must resist the natural tendency to justify your thoughts and actions. Finding mentors that love you enough to show you is an essential key. Then, having enough respect, for you, not to shrink and run from them, is another crucial key. Finding people like this takes a considerable effort. Most people are afraid to say things that might hurt your feelings. You will know when you meet the ones that are not afraid. They will say things that bother you. When this happens to you, step back, and logically look at what they said that upset you. Is there validity to what they are saying? This takes courage. Understand, it takes courage not to justify your actions and lie to yourself. Also, be careful there are plenty of nasty people out there that do not care about you and the things they say will not be valid.

When you help someone, and they are unappreciative, does it affect you in a negative fashion? Perhaps you feel hurt, abused, taken advantage of or indigent, etc. If this is the case, then you were helping others to boost your false sense of worth! Do you receive praise and admiration for your deeds and encouragement of others? Does it raise your mood and excite you when it happens? Were you feeling lousy before being praised? Again, you were feeding a false sense of worth! Can you love and help others and experience deep down that regardless of rejection or praise that you helped to help, not to build your esteem? Can you accept their dismissal if they do not get it and still love them? When that happens, you will see you are doing for the sake of love and kindness toward others. Nothing external can take that away from you. That is “true self esteem.” Please understand this is an ongoing process. You will not just wake up one day and no longer be subject to the actions of others. The injustice, ungratefulness, or approval and worship, will still cause intense feelings, especially when it is directed toward you. Below is something that will clarify what I am trying to convey. It was found written on the wall in Mother Teresa’s home for children in Calcutta.

“People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”

This version is credited to Mother Teresa. Here, is an astonishing thing that happens, when you are functioning through a heart that

is rooted in a true self-esteem and tempered with humility and unconditional love toward all. You will produce a tremendously positive energy. Yes, my hippie friends, you will give off “good vibes.” Since there is no longer energy being wasted on your part and drawn from others, feeding your false sense of esteem, a couple of things will start happening. Others around you will intuitively manifest with insight, instruction, help, love, inspiration and advice that is tailored specifically for your growth. The negative manifestation of your “Good Vibes” will introduce you to someone called “Energy Vampires.” more on “Energy Vampires” in a moment. You have experienced both of these aspects already during your life at various times. As you begin to operate most of the time in the moment with true self esteem internalized, you will see both the manifestations mentioned above with increasing intensity! Each needs to be tempered with humility and assertiveness, respectively.

On the one hand, the respect and praise you will receive from others can intoxicate and corrupt you unless it is tempered with humility. Many church leaders fall into this pit! Here is my way of thinking of it. (I am no better than anyone, yet I am not worse either, I just am.) On the other hand, the grief and degradation that you receive from negative souls can stress and depress you to the point of becoming physically ill. It can manifest through unhealthy frustration and anger. (I use the word unhealthy here because there is such a thing as righteous indignation. Christ was an excellent example in this principle. He called the Pharisees “snakes” and “vipers” and he threw the merchants out of the temple courtyard! He even got physical and turned over their tables.) Regarding the “negative souls,” I suggest you research “Energy Vampires” and prepare yourself to deal with them effectively. Building assertiveness is a gradual process. Be careful that you do not over do it! I like to say it this way. Loving unconditionally does not mean

you have to put up with abuse.

Loving unconditionally also means you should learn to utilize “tough love.” It is not easy to do and say things that you know will hurt others. Just remember, it is still love. I suggest you spend some time internalizing this concept. Constantly criticizing and correcting others, even if it is constructive, can be unsuitable for the given situation. It is particularly counterproductive when conducted in a group situation. Get them one on one and let them know you love them before calling them on their shortcomings. Many of these “Energy Vampires” are unaware of what they are doing. So, love them, do not let them exhaust you and tactfully call them out with love not indignation. They will get it or not. It is no reflection on you. This process works for me anyway. You will have to find your specific calling regarding how you perform in these situations.

Take stock in yourself and be aware if the positive experiences are boosting you into a prideful state. Focus on maintaining true humility through this process. Then, you will continually rise to higher levels of awareness. You can and will learn, be guided, helped, corrected and inspired through most experiences with other beings - both positive and negative.

I have intentionally avoided giving you examples of the situations that I see regarding these “soul to soul” experiences with others. I do this because the sensation will be unique to you. Rationally analyzing your experiences through descriptions of mine could hinder you. Focus on jumping your specific hurdles and rest assured you will see you are on your way when it starts happening.

Author, John Thomas 2009 johncnc@gmail.com

HELLO!

I’M ENZO DAL VERME

Currently based in Milan, Enzo Dal Verme has been working in the photographic industry for over 20 years. His celebrity portraits and features have been published in Vanity Fair, l’Uomo Vogue, The Times, Marie Claire, Glamour, Grazia, Madame Figar, Elle, GQ and many other magazines.

By Greater Good Magazine and CSD

At what age did you start to become conscious of how diet effects animals?

I turned vegetarian when I was ten after an excursion in the mountains, where I met cows and spent some time with them because I was curious. Those gentle giants were peacefully chewing their cud in a large meadow and would occasionally moo and walk around - how could I

possibly eat them? Next time I sat down and got a steak on my plate, I refused to eat it, and nothing has been able to change my mind ever since.

Tell us what inspired you to go full vegan back in 1983?

The London scene had quite an influence on me with those highly creative activists, places like Neal’s Yard and all sorts of initiatives. I visited often from Italy, and I got really inspired seeing people living in an ethical way, starting trends and basically making a difference with their everyday life. I was vegetarian, and I never really considered veganism before, just because I had never met

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER/OWNER OF VEGAN-CLICKS

any vegans. But, as soon as I discovered it, it made immediately sense, and I was wondering why I had not made an earlier connection.

Why do you think the plant-based lifestyle and veganism is so popular today?

What is happening is really incredible. When I turned vegan, I could not imagine that in my lifetime I could witness veganism going mainstream. Back then, it was something extremely unusual. I believe the Internet helped. Now, videos and information spread quickly. When a celebrity makes a statement, it goes viral in the blink of an eye.

One would be tempted to assume that humanity is becoming more respectful and compassionate, but I am not so optimistic. Certain vegans can be enthusiastic about a new plant-based snack, but not necessarily sensitive about the impact of their choices in general. Still, it is a start (with potential for improvement). On the other hand, certain meat eaters are now coming up with the most imaginative stories to defend their right to be selfish and eat what we know causes suffering, death, and pollution. Arguments like “animals are happy to suffer so that we can develop compassion” might sound like clear BS, but, yes, I have heard this too. The thing is: meat eaters seem to hate feeling responsible for all that suffering, and sometimes in very subtle or creative ways, try to make vegans seem wrong for their “extremism.” When you paint someone as wrong, you feel righteous and feed the triumph of competition, conflict, individualism and egoism that characterizes our times. I am afraid that a shift toward better times will require a lot more than veggie burgers, but I am happy for the spreading and flourishing of vegan businesses. Our economy needs to change. Money needs to be redirected from unethical businesses towards a more sustainable economy that respects humans, animals and the environment.

What defines you as a photographer today?

Photography has been my work for over 20 years. Looking back, I can see that my main drive has been to share something inspiring by putting it into a picture. I have had the privilege of photographing extraordinary people around the globe and publishing their stories in major

magazines.

The reason I have been working mainly for fashion magazines has something to do with my yearn for subversion. I have succeeded in giving space to issues that normally do not match the latest lipstick color. My stories have been published right on those same pages, waiting to capture the attention of readers principally focused on cool fashion tips. And, I love that! I am also known for my celebrity portraits, and I have experience with commercial photography. I still get my biggest fulfillment knowing that my pictures could inspire someone or support a good cause. Recently, I felt the growing desire to know that my photography could motivate people to shop ethically. I love cooking, I love eating, vegan food photography was a natural step. I am particularly happy when I know that my photography can make a difference and inspire.

From where do you pull your creativity?

Finding creative inspiration has never been a problem for me. Everyday encounters, news, a chat - pretty much anything can trigger my imagination. The real tragedy is when all these ideas are screaming to be brought to life and my clients say, “we actually had something more conventional in mind.”

What do you think is the next "big thing” for the vegan community?

Quality. Right now, we are all excited to witness the incredible expansion of the vegan market, but perhaps turn a blind eye to the fact that certain foods are hyper processed or do not guarantee ethical sourcing of the ingredients. Cruelty-free fashion is also a sector that is developing fast with new innovative materials, but it is struggling to keep up with the competition of unethical (or green-washed) fashion. Developing impactful and cruelty-free fashion brands is not a simple matter. Debate on how to improve things will continue to develop, and I trust it will lead to better quality in many ways. I would (selfishly) hope that ethical brands will soon start giving more weight to their communication too. Most brands limit themselves to using pictures to show products and are missing the opportunity to create a strong brand identity using visual communication. For food, better quality in communication would mean creating images that are very impactful, not only because the food looks delicious and makes your mouth water, but also because it is surprising, ironic and astonishing! Anyway, things are developing fast, and I believe that we will witness quality improvements in products, communication, networking and many areas.

www.vegan-clicks.com

www.enzodalverme.com

PLANT-BASED BBQ

People choosing a plant-based diet no longer have to miss out on anything and that includes a sizzling summer BBQ!

There is an amazing array of delicious vegan burgers, sausages, hot dogs, steaks and more that can take centre stage at any BBQ, as well as the vegan versions of all the traditional side dishes which are now widely available! We also hope to inspire people to choose a #PlantBasedBBQ by highlighting the environmental and animal welfare impacts of intensive pig and cattle farming.

582,538 PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD SIGNED UP TO BE PART OF VEGANUARY 2021.

They pledged to try vegan for a month, receiving 31-days of support emails, encouragement via social media and other useful resources. When they signed up we asked a few questions about who they were.

Bean Burger Ingredients

2 cans red kidney beans, rinsed, drained, and mashed

VERY EASY BEAN BURGERS

Coral Sirett – Zest Health

When I first became vegan, way back, I found it really tricky making burgers that didn’t fall apart. I finally found a very simple combination that works and haven’t looked back! This recipe works really well with kidney beans because they’re quite easy to mash, but feel free to vary with other beans. You can also easily adjust the flavoring with different dried herbs and spices. I just love the simplicity!

Serves 4 (8 burgers)

Drain and mash the beans in a bowl, using a potato masher or fork. Add the oats and soy sauce. Mix well.

Add black pepper and spices and mix thoroughly.

Form into eight small burgers.

Warm the olive oil, if using, in a non-stick frying pan. Start with a higher

heat to brown. Cook for a few minutes on each side. Lower the heat and cook for a few more minutes, so they are warmed right through.

Serve with your choice of accompaniments.

2/3 cup oats

2 tbsp reduced salt

soy sauce

1 tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp cayenne powder

¼ tsp chili powder

dash black pepper

½ tsp olive oil (optional)

To serve:

Burger buns, quinoa, brown rice or potato wedges

Salad veggies or steamed kale, spinach or broccoli

Toppings of choice

I AM NOT A RUG

As few as 3,890 wild tigers remain. Poaching for their skins, bones and other parts is the greatest immediate threat to their survival. Find out what you can do to stop wildlife crime.

worldwildlife.org/wildlifecrime