Plant Powered Planet
FREE 3
Issue #21 Nov 20
JASMINE HARMAN
Back to A Place In The Sun
PLANT BASED TREATY The fast-growing campaign to push veganism in politics
ETHICAL CONSUMERISM
Jordi Casamitjana explores what Ethical Consumerism is in a Capitalist culture
Plate Up For The Planet On the ground with The Vegan Society at COP26
Contents Environment Plant Based Treaty at COP26 6 The Vegan Society at COP26 18 Obki: Fighting Climate Change 28 The Impact of Agriculture on Wildlife 148
Campaigns
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Veganuary 110 Wetnose Animal Aid 114 V for Life: Post-Pandemic
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Lifestyle
Vegan Consumerism within Ethical Capitalism 36
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The Vegan Guide: Everything you need to know to embrance the fastest growing way of life 92 Vegan Adventure Holidays
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Plant Based Health Online
132
Yaoh’s 20th Birthday
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Published by VegfestUK Ltd: info@vegfest.co.uk // Plant Powered Planet: www.plantpoweredplanet.co.uk
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28 18 138
114 16
148
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Contents: continued Food Vegan Cookbooks: A Gift for Life 80 Vegan Cookbooks: Rose Elliot
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Greenbay: The UK’s First Omnichannel Vegan Supermarket Celebrates 5 Years in Business 62 Greenbay: Xmas Round Up
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Fry’s: 30 Years of Vegan Goodies 126 Vegan Pastry Conquers The Fabulous World of RHS Flower Shows! 86
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Eating Plant-Based 90 What Exactly is Vegan Compleating? 104 Water: Helping to Boost Immune Response 144 Karin’s Xmas Gifts!
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People Victoria Featherstone Pearce wins London Lifestyle Influencer of The Year Award! 48 Jasmine Harman: Back In The Sun 50 Gary Webster 130
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Published by VegfestUK Ltd: info@vegfest.co.uk // Plant Powered Planet: www.plantpoweredplanet.co.uk
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Editor
Karin Ridgers
Content
Tim Barford
Design
Pete Metcalfe
Welcome Welcome to our 3rd issue of Plant Powered Planet! Issue 3 brings us nicely towards the end of 2021, and what a year it’s been. In this issue we focus on the recent COP26 in Glasgow, with a report from The Vegan Society on their extensive activities, we take a look at the Plant Based Treaty which is gaining traction steadily across the globe and we catch-up with Obki the Alien, now a COP26 Ambassador as well as star of their own TV show. We extend a very warm welcome to guest writer Jordi Casamitjana, who has produced 2 excellent articles for this issue – a look at Ethical Consumerism, and an in-depth focus on Wildlife and agriculture. Short interviews with TV legend Jasmine Harman and actor Gary Webster are complimented by insights from Andrea at Wetnose Animal Aid and Victoria Featherstone Pearce, winner of the recent London Lifestyle Influencer of the Year Award. Meanwhile hemp originals Yaoh celebrate their 20th anniversary, and GreenBay their 5th anniversary, with a quick roundup of Xmas Gifts to accompany my own little seasonal gifts guide, before we discover a number of vegan cookbooks courtesy of chef Tony Bishop Weston. A trip down memory lane with Alex Bourke and the Vegan Guides traces the history of the guides over the last quarter of a century, and Rose Elliot celebrates a half century of vegan cookbooks with us too! Tammy Fry joins us for a quick catch up with news of new products for the famous Fry’s range, and the Plant Based Health Online bring us news and updates of their latest courses and support groups. Amanda from V for Life joins us for the latest in their ongoing reports into care homes and vegan food availability, and there’s a quick look at drinking water, before Emma Fry joins us from Vegan Adventure Holidays, and Danielle Maupertuis our resident vegan pastry chef reports from the Chelsea Flower Show. Packed issue? You bet! Have a wonderful holiday season, a marvellous New Year and catch up again in 2022. Xxx Karin Ridgers Plant Powered Planet Editor
The views expressed in Plant Powered Planet Magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor nor VegfestUK Ltd, and neither
the Editor, Design Team or VegfestUK Ltd accept any liability for any matter in the magazine, nor can be held responsibile for any actions taken as a result of the content of this magazine. Advertisements and paid promotional copy are accepted without implying endorsement by the editor or publishers. Paid promotional copy is marked ‘Promotion’ on the appropriate pages.
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MPs demand end of animal agriculture and plant-based transition ahead of COP26 Nicola Harris, Communications Director, Plant Based Treaty
A group of MPs in the UK from six parties have welcomed the new Plant Based Treaty initiative in an Early Day Motion ahead of Novembers’ UN Climate Change Conference aka COP26. On 9th August 2021, UN Secretary General António Guterres declared a code red for humanity following the release of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th assessment report.
Scientists warned that we need to cut methane emissions urgently to avoid widespread climate collapse. While carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) usually grab the headlines, methane heats the world far quicker and has a warming potential more than 80 times stronger. Inger Anderson from the UN Environment Program says, “cutting methane emissions is the best way to slow climate change over the next 25 years.”
The solution? A 6 I Plant Powered Planet
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Dubbed a companion to the UNFCCC/Paris Agreement, the Plant Based Treaty which launched on 31st August 2021 is a grassroots initiative which aims to direct the Paris Agreement towards a plantbased economy and put food systems at the forefront of combating the climate crisis. Modeled on the popular Fossil Fuel Treaty, the PlantBased Treaty addresses the methane emergency and aims to halt the widespread degradation of critical ecosystems caused by animal agriculture and to promote a shift to healthier, sustainable plant-based diets. The do-it-together movement, which is backed by IPCC scientists, Dr Peter Carter of the Climate Emergency Institute and Professor Danny Harvey, lead author on the 4th and 5th Assessment Reports, Working Group III, urges individuals, groups, businesses and cities to endorse the Plant Based Treaty as a means of creating bottom up pressure on national governments to negotiate an international Plant Based Treaty.
Plant Based Treaty Endorsement Goals by 2023
10,000,000 individuals 10,000 organisations 10,000 businesses 50 cities
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Add your name
now!
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I endorse the Plant Based Treaty because it addresses the single largest sources of GHG emissions in a twopronged manner that parallels exactly what needs to be done with regard to fossil fuel emissions: freezing further development, and unwinding existing intensive industrial systems that produce cheap meat and dairy at the expense of enormous animal suffering.
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- Danny Harvey, IPCC Lead Author on the 4th and 5th Assessment Reports, Working Group III.
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Change is imperative, and I endose the Plant Based Treaty, for the animals, the planet and human health. - MOBY
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The campaign calls on governments and policymakers to urgently commence negotiations to adopt and implement a Plant Based Treaty, laying out a binding global plan to:
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Relinquish Committing to no land use change, ecosystem degradation or deforestation for the purpose of animal agriculture.
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Redirect Actively transition away from animal based food systems to more sustainable plant-based food systems. As well as:
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Restore Actively restoring key ecosystems and reforesting the Earth. How would an international Plant Based Treaty work?
Phasing out both fossil fuels and animal agriculture along with reforestation of Earth is our best hope of limiting global temperature rises. The Paris Agreement, which aims to limit temperature rises to 1.5C is silent on both fossil fuels and animal agriculture, which is why we need an amendment to this global agreement in order to focus on solutions.
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If we only draw down fossil fuels and ignore animal ag, it’ll all be in vain.
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- Shaun Monson, director of Earthlings 12 I Plant Powered Planet
We are now facing an unprecedented existential threat. Earth’s average global temperature has risen around 1.2C above pre-industrial levels due to record breaking concentrations of greenhouse gases and is wreaking havoc on communities across the globe. This year, we have experienced record breaking heat waves, floods, droughts, extreme weather and crop failures. July 2021 was the hottest month on record. The frightening reality is that this year’s temperatures may in fact be one of the coolest when we look back a decade from now. According to IPCC projections we are on a path to reach 1.5C warming above pre industrial levels around 2030 and a catastrophic 2C by 2040 unless we take urgent action to address the climate breakdown.
You can help by signing the Plant Based Treaty
Will the rise of veganism translate into political will?
The Plant Based Treaty depends on people power and brings together all actors under one call to action to world leaders. So head on over to:
There is a growing awareness that becoming vegan is the most impactful action an individual can take for animals, the planet and health. A recent BBC survey found that more than 60% of children in the UK aged five to 16 are either vegan, vegetarian or want to be. Another global study revealed that nearly 60 percent of young people are willing to ‘drastically’ change their lifestyle to protect the planet.
plantbasedtreaty.org ...to add your name. Since launch over 11,000 individuals, 400 organisations, 200 businesses have already endorsed along with scientists, celebrities and health professionals.
With this in mind, if plant-based solutions were adopted at a policy level on a global scale through a Plant Based Treaty this shift could be Plant Powered Planet I 13
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accelerated and many of the world’s problems could be addressed. Since the campaign launch, the Plant Based Treaty has attracted the support of politicians worldwide. One of the first to sign the treaty was Mexican Senator Jesusa Rodriguez, along with eight Members of the European Party (MEPs). Following an email action alert 10% of Bristol City Councillors endorsed. EDM 434 14 MPs from six parties have signed an Early Day Motion (EDM) welcoming the Plant Based Treaty, calling on the government to roll out a plan to transition to a plantbased economy. Emma Lewell-Buck, Labour MP for South Shields and primary sponsor of EDM 434, was also the first Member of Parliament to endorse the Plant Based Treaty.
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To know if someone really wants to fight for justice, you have to see what they eat.
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- Senator Jesusa Rodriguez, Mexico
“I’m proud to be the first MP to endorse the Plant Based Treaty and pleased to have brought forward an EDM on this hugely important issue. Whether you’re vegan or not, this EDM is about raising awareness of how the climate crisis is a real threat to humanity and encouraging others to think about how we can all do our bit by making changes to our lifestyles that would help protect our planet for future generations to come.”
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The full text of EDM 434 reads: “This House welcomes the Plant-Based Treaty aiming to put food systems at the heart of combating the climate crisis by encouraging a shift to healthier and sustainable plant-based diets, while simultaneously working to reverse the damage to ecosystems and biodiversity; and, calls on the government to use COP26 in Glasgow as an opportunity to be a world leader in recognizing the negative impact of industrial animal agriculture on climate change and commit to developing a global strategy to transition towards more sustainable plant-based food systems.” Other supporters of EDM 434 include the Green Party’s Caroline Lucas, Labour’s former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, Glasgow South West MP Chris Stevens, Christine Jardine Edinburgh West Liberal Democrat, and Liberal Democratic MP for Bath, Wera Hobhouse. First Cities to endorse Plant Based Treaty During the first month of campaigning, two cities endorsed the Plant Based Treaty. Rosario, which is the third largest in Argentia endorsed at a climate rally along with the city university and the City of Boynton Beach, Florida endorsed because they are promoting plant-based foods as part of their climate action plan.
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Add your name
now!
What more can you do?
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Visit plantbasedtreaty.org to endorse the treaty as an individual, group or business. Invite your city to endorse the Plant Based Treaty by taking part in our email action alerts on our website. Email hello@plantbasedtreaty.org to start a Plant Based Treaty group in your town. Plant Powered Planet I 17
The Vegan Society at COP26 The Vegan Society were present in abundance at COP26 – and just as well, as Governments from across the globe failed to tackle the Livestock Issue. Francine Jordan from the Society reports on what was achieved, and some of the positives to take away from COP26.
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While it is encouraging to see such focus and worldwide acknowledgement of the damage methane causes, these unambitious targets don’t go nearly far enough to solving the crisis at hand.
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Actions undertaken by
at COP26
During the 12 days that COP26 took place in Glasgow this year, The Vegan Society undertook various and numerous actions to further the vegan cause. These actions are outlined below:
• Throughout COP26 we had a stand in Glasgow’s Buchanan Galleries where we were engaging with members of the public and asking them to Plate Up! For the Planet. Those who signed up were allowed to choose a free gift courtesy of our many amazing Vegan Trademark holders. • We joined forces with award-winning music and science festival, bluedot, for three special events during COP26 from Thursday 4 – Saturday 6 November. The Plate Up! Festival featured panels and in conversation talks, live music, DJ sets, comedy, and poetry. A special thanks to TV presenter Chris Packham for agreeing to headline too! • We were based in the Blue Zone throughout COP26 where our Campaigns Team were able to meet and interact with politicians and government officials – meeting Ed Miliband was a real highlight. • We had adverts running in the Glasgow underground, in the Scottish metro and on bicycles and buses throughout the City Centre to promote our Plate Up! Campaign and encouraging the likes of Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon to come and talk to us about the benefits of a vegan diet • We also had a stand in the COP26 Green Zone on Friday 12 November. The focus of this stand was to promote our ‘Follow the Science’ message and encourage people to go vegan for environmental reasons. • In total we had 1,371 pledge to eat vegan for 7 days to help fight climate change • We also attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) Virtual exhibit • We were invited to talk about our Planting Value in the Food System report at the Nourish Scotland Recipes for Resilience panel event • On Saturday 6 November we joined the COP26 People’s March • We were also asked to join in an official United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) side event alongside organisations such as Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), Brighter Green and ProVeg International. This event will be held in the Blue Zone.
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Ed Miliband: The Vegan Society campaign team were based in the Blue Zone and were able to meet and discuss veganism with politicians during their time there, including Ed.
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‘Half-hearted’ COP26 pledge on tackling methane The Vegan Society was, overall, disappointed by what it’s calling the ‘slow and uninspiring targets’ for tackling methane set at COP26 – despite the fact it has a global warming potential 84 times greater than CO2 across a 20year time frame. Alongside commitments to end deforestation and stop public investment in coal power, one of the more major announcements to come out of the twoweek conference, was the Global methane pledge - in which over 100 countries, including the US and EU, have committed to a 30% reduction in methane by 2030. While it is encouraging to see such focus and worldwide acknowledgement of the damage methane causes, these unambitious targets don’t go nearly far enough to solving the crisis at hand. Further to this, the announcement indicated that the focus will be on ‘high emission sources’ – which could be an indication that high point-sources of emissions, from natural gas extraction for example, will take priority. This may mean that the largest source of anthropogenic methane emissions – which as we know is caused by animal 22 I Plant Powered Planet
agriculture and farming – may slip under the radar at a time when all methane emissions must come down. The damage caused by methane emissions from the agriculture sector has been largely ignored throughout the conference. While many countries have specific targets for GHG reductions in the energy sector within their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), we are not seeing equivalent targets in food and farming which accounts for up to one third of global emissions. Louise Davies, CEO of The Vegan Society, commented: “We know that time is running out and we need to bring methane emissions down substantially and quickly – and proposing to reduce it by just 30% isn’t enough. Food really does feel like the cow in the room – it’s not that we’re lacking the solutions to address food and agriculture but it’s just that there’s still so much reluctance to have that conversation in the first place.” “This slow pace of change reflects the low level of ambition we’ve come to expect from these climate conferences. The discussions around methane are
very much welcome but must include plant-based policies which we know can support mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as adaption and resilience. We’ve seen some progress since previous COPs but it doesn’t go far enough.” Whilst there has yet to be any global commitment on reducing methane from agriculture, there is some support from British politicians. At a UNFCCC side event co-hosted by The Vegan Society, former Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade, Barry Gardiner MP said: “The Global Methane Agreement… focuses too much simply on the oil and gas sector… we really do need to understand that 40% of methane emissions are actually coming from agriculture and from livestock and so we really have to address that.”
Pictured: Barry Gardiner MP
BORIS JOHNSON. We need to talk. It’s urgent! The Society was hoping to catch the attention of Prime Minister Boris Johnson with humorous adverts running on billboards, bicycles and in the Scottish Metro during COP26. The eye-catching advert featured a bright yellow post-it note for Boris – telling him that he needs to urgently talk to The Vegan Society. It also suggests he comes to Glasgow’s Buchanan Galleries where The Vegan Society were present throughout COP26 encouraging people to try a plant-based diet for a week and providing handy carbon-assessed recipes and delicious vegan treats.
The ad also included a QR code that directs commuters to our Plate Up for the Planet campaign which asks people to eat vegan for just 7 days. There were four adverts running concurrently, with the other three aimed at Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Duke of Cornwall Prince Charles and US President, Joe Biden. Louise Davies, CEO of The Society, said: “There’s no doubt that the growing climate crisis is a very serious issue. We’ve tried so many tactics to get the attention of global leaders and policy makers, but so far the impact
of animal agriculture remains ignored at COP26. So, we thought we’d try a more light-hearted approach to grab attention. Wouldn’t it be great if the Prime Minister or Scottish First Minister spotted our adverts and came to chat to us about the benefits of a vegan diet? Failing that, we can hope that Metro readers take note and make climate friendly dietary choices.” The ads, which were designed by bwa for The Vegan Society, ran from 1 Nov – 13 Nov. Other Plate Up adverts also appeared on billboards and on bicycles around Glasgow City Centre.
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Chris Packham: Chris became a Veganuary ambassador in 2018 and took part in Veganuary 2019. He joined the ever increasing number of Veganuary participants to stay vegan afterwards. 24 I Plant Powered Planet
Emotional Chris Packham slams ‘embarrassing’ treatment of planet during COP26 speech Chris Packham used his time on stage at The Vegan Society and bluedot #COP26 fringe event to slam the treatment of planet Earth as ‘bloody embarrassing’ before highlighting the importance of vegan diets. The wildlife TV presenter and conservationist headlined an event at Glasgow’s Flying Duck venue which also included live performances from Liz Lawrence and Pleasure Pool. The aim of the event, in partnership with bluedot, was to raise awareness of the Society’s Plate Up for the Planet campaign.
While several nations have pledged to end deforestation, curb methane emissions, and stop public investment in coal power, world leaders failed to cover topics relating to veganism or a plant-based food system, and failed to acknowledge the harm to the environment caused by animal agriculture. Addressing the sold-out crowd, a fiery Chris said “We’re just about to trash the earth, and it’s the only planet like it in our universe. How bloody embarrassing! In some ways it’ll be good if COP26 fails. Because that will motivate us to be more angry and act more.”
He was also met by cheers when highlighting the importance of fringe events, stating: “There’s a lot more energy and ability at fringe events than at the main event where they’ve built themselves in to ides of rigidity. If they don’t achieve anything in there, we will achieve things out here. We will hold them to account.” Chris went on to emphasise the desperate need for plant-based diets to be in the spotlight – a message that The Vegan Society’s working to promote throughout COP26 with both public engagement activities, like a stand in Glasgow’s Buchanan Galleries, and
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panel events and discussions with policy leaders. On our current food system, Chris commented: “We pay less for our food than any other country in terms of percentage of income. People can’t afford to eat properly, and we eat the wrong food. The labelling is so poor that we cannot make an informed choice. Red tractor labelling is entirely bogus. We can’t see how much our food has cost the environment.” “Being vegan isn’t a one stop shop to ethical eating. It’s a very significant step in the right direction but we still have work to do.” You can watch Chris Packham’s #COP26 Plate Up! talk in full, including details of his childhood growing up in nature and love of punk music, by heading to YouTube and/ or Facebook. Want to find out more about The Vegan Society’s work at COP26? Read more at COP26 Hub & The Vegan Society website.
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Francine Jordan from the Society expands on what was achieved at COP26 The Global Methane Pledge was another welcome announcement but there was nothing to address livestock as a key driver in agricultural emissions – there has been so much focus on other emitting sectors like oil and gas and yet policies which can support a shift in diet or even reduce agricultural emissions failed to get acknowledged. So it’s clear that there’s still a lot of progress to be made and instead of focusing on unproven technology and band aid solutions to meet our international climate obligations, we need to start addressing and investing in pathways that allow farmers to transition away from animal agriculture and start targeting methane as an aggregate issue instead of taking on a selective approach, given the significant contribution that livestock makes to this issue. The reason why food and agriculture got some traction at COP was probably solely due to this reason – it highlights the power of grassroots activism and it’s clear that this is where the hope lies but systems change can only be enacted if it individuals and governments work
symbiotically to address the urgency of the problem that we’re facing. It’s not that we’re lacking the solutions to address food and agriculture but there’s still so much reluctance to have that conversation in the first place. Plant-based policies can support mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions as well as adaptation and resilience. It also has it’s place in the climate financing agenda, with greater investment in the research & development of innovative crop protein production, and also in advancing action in built environments by supporting a shift to more sustainable diets through public procurement. The Vegan Society will continue to push for change at governmental level. We used COP to secure promising meetings with high-level decision makers and raise awareness amongst policymakers of our work. Our next point of focus will be the National Food Strategy White Paper. Of course, quite often there was more of an atmosphere on the streets of the City Centre, with music,
Pictured: The Vegan Society’s Sabrina Ahmed on a United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) side event panel in the Blue Zone
marches and dances, than there was inside some of the official event spaces. You often couldn’t move for peaceful protests, flash mobs or groups of teenagers shouting passionately about what they want for the future through megaphones. TV presenter Chris Packham himself, while speaking at The Vegan Society’s event at the Flying Duck, also said that he noticed there was a lot more energy and ability at the fringe events. There were many occasions
where you could feel the charge of the people, that was incredibly heartening. It made you feel more hopeful about what we can achieve together when we all have a shared goal in mind, regardless of what was going on internally or between government officials. We can all do our bit to help. One of the most important things you can do is to help promote our message that veganism is one of the best things you can
do for the environment. If you’re already vegan then that’s great, but you can get still involved by getting friends and family to check out The Vegan Society’s Plate Up for the Planet campaign and pledge to eat vegan for just 7 days - Plate Up for the Planet | The Vegan Society. You can also join The Vegan Society as a member – we could always do with more passionate, considerate and caring people getting behind our causes.
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Fighting Climate Change Obki is a new, fun & engaging kids brand targeting 5-9 year olds with a unique focus on positive actions kids can take to help slow down climate change. The first season of 16 TV episodes launched successfully on Sky kids in the UK & ROI in August 2021. A second series is being planned and there is also be an Obki Christmas special. The animated series features the original character Obki, a loveable alien, on his journey to be a positive force for good on Earth. Obki seeks to educate and empower kids to make positive choices that help to protect the future of our planet.
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And just before COP26, Obki’s already escalating presence went into orbit with the news he has become a One Step Greener ambassador, replete with an audience with Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
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Obki covers a whole range of environmental concerns during each episode – including one looking at the issues of cows and emissions, with Obki taking a light hearted approach to the issue before recommending a plant based diet to all. And just before COP26, Obki’s already escalating presence went into orbit with the news he has become a One Step Greener ambassador, replete with an audience with Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Obki already looks to have his work cut out for 2022 and we look forward to more from the loveable alien and his climate change combatting influence on our children and grandchildren. ‘Gasmosphere’ Gasmosphere is the episode where Obki tackles the windy issue of cows and methane with plant-based diets. What’s worse than one farting cow adding methane to the atmosphere? ...How about an army of farting cows adding methane to the atmosphere! Obki overcomes his case of the giggles in order to tackle the problem of methane gas pollution. Not quite as amused, the orb zaps him to an alpine farm where he comes face to face with the problem (a little too close to his face, in fact…) A fart cloud growing so big it could cover the whole planet! Obki does his best to battle his way out of the farm farts but a horrible SPLAT noise underneath his foot indicates he might not have escaped unscathed… Back at base, he gives his webbed foot a good scrub, with an all new appreciation for eating plant-based food instead of animal products.
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A huge advocate of helping the environment, Obki founder Amanda Evans doesn’t sit on the fence. Inspired to create Obki by her passion for open water swimming and seeing the effect the environment was having on the sea, she wanted to engage with kids. -
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Obki scoops COP26 ambassadorship! Obki, the loveable underwater alien cartoon on Sky Kids has been recognised for its ground-breaking environmental episodes for kids and contribution to the global climate change discussion at an inspiring COP26 Cultural Showcase and Reception at 10 Downing Street, London.
Obki scooped the highly contested One Step Greener Ambassadorship, voted for by the British public. The ambassadorship was awarded by Prime Minister Boris Johnson ahead of the COP26 Summit in Glasgow November 2021. The Government launched a nationwide search for climate leaders in July. Hundreds of entries from across the UK were submitted and Obki’s award-winning animator Simone Giampaolo was recognised for the creative genius behind Obki’s persona. Simone has spent the last 20 years in the animation industry and believes film can be a powerful storytelling tool to educate people on the importance of nature and protecting the environment. Obki episode Switch It Up was showcased to 190 world leaders at COP26. Members of the public were also in attendance at an Obki screening on 7th 32 I Plant Powered Planet
November at COP26 with Simone, plus questions and answers with Steve Backshall, MBE, BAFTAwinning British explorer, naturalist, presenter and writer best known for BBC TV’s Deadly 60. Simone and Obki founder Amanda Evans collectively have 40 years’ experience in the animation industry and have been recognised as the most inspiring, innovative, and ground-breaking members of the animation sector. A huge advocate of helping the environment, Obki founder Amanda Evans doesn’t sit on the fence. Inspired to create Obki by her passion for open water swimming and seeing the effect the environment was having on the sea, she wanted to engage with kids. Evans says: “The One Step Greener campaign encourages people to take actions that have a positive impact on our environment. There
are simple steps we can all take every day to make life more sustainable and they all add up. We are proud to be chosen as a COP26 ambassador. The loveable and fun persona of Obki has clearly resonated with the British public and we are so happy to lead the One Step Greener chain to encourage and inspire children around the world to go #OneStepGreener for the environment. We are looking forward to taking Obki’s message across the world.” COP26 PresidentDesignate Alok Sharma said: “From schools to businesses and employees, to thousands of individuals across the country, we all have a part to play in going one step greener. That is why I am extremely proud to see the final One Step Greener Ambassadors announced. I look forward to seeing the stories of these inspirational individuals from all over the UK showcased at COP26.”
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There are simple steps we can all take every day to make life more sustainable and they all add up.
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I love the salads my friend the Orb makes me however it does have its consequences, if you know what I mean...
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A sitdown with Obki the Alien We were over the moon to be able to connect with the astronomically busy and important Obki - Plant Powered Planet’s first interview with a real live alien! PPP: Obki! Pleasure to meet you! How’s life? Obki: Hi. Life right know is very interesting watching the world coming together to discuss and find solutions on climate change and making sure we keep 1.5 alive. PPP: And you met Boris! Does he talk a lot? Obki: He’s definitely a chatty one, yes, but I heard all politicians are... aren’t they? During the reception at 10 Downing Street, he really stressed the importance of COP26 and leaders coming together to promptly act against climate change, which I thought was nice! PPP: Boris - bit windy like the cows? Obki: Ahahah, no one can beat the cows in terms of wind - unfortunately! PPP: Cop26 - There seemed to be some progress – but not enough? Obki: Cop26 was great to be a part of and engage with kids at, showing them that the future can contain small changes and that these can make big
differences - in a fun and entertaining way with family and friends. WE all need to make changes to make a difference and our leaders to lead. PPP: What about methane and livestock farming? Obki: Methane has been discussed at Cop26. It’s about us all thinking more about what we eat and eating plant based and more local produce. I love the salads my friend the Orb makes me however it does have its consequences, if you know what I mean…. ahhhh. PPP: Hope for the kids? Obki: There is so much hope for kids and showing them what we can all do to make a difference in everyday life for the environment. PPP: We’ve just got to ask... what’s your favourite food? Obki: Pizza with no Palm oil. PPP: Tips for anyone doing Veganuary in 2022? Obki: Shop local! Plant Powered Planet I 35
Vegan Consumerism within Ethical Capitalism Jordi Casamitjana, the author of the book “Ethical Vegan”, explores whether there is such a thing as ethical capitalism, and whether it can be achieved within the vegan paradigm. I must be honest. Christmas is not my favourite time of the year. There are many reasons for that — which I may not be bothering you with — and rampant, uncontrolled consumerism is one of them. I know how much waste there is in the commercial sector, about all the unnecessary packaging, about the CO2 that gifts emit travelling to their destinations, about all those animals that suffer to satisfy self-blinded customers, and all those unwanted items people feel compelled to buy. This habitual wasteful consumer extravagance is multiplied by a thousand or more during the winter holidays. Most years I try to go to a quiet place to remove myself from that madness, but, more often than not, I fail. Even when many years ago I spent the 25th of December in the middle of the Brazilian Amazon, my plan to cheat Christmas fever crumbled when I saw someone sweating in a
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Father Christmas costume waving at me a few hundred metres ahead. There is no escape, I thought. With age, I have learnt to take an equanimous attitude to fir trees in living rooms and sparkling balls in shops’ windows. Like it or not, I live in a capitalist country that had collectively decided a long time ago that, regardless of religion or background, we all need to celebrate jointly the natural austerity of the winter solstice by spending up, showing off, and socialising more than usual. In a way, it is the time we ritually synchronise our civilised status by saying the same things, wearing the same clothes, eating the same food, singing the same songs, and watching the same programmes —all at the same time. It’s all part of living in a western capitalist country. I tolerate it all now. I know everything is transient, and Christmas will eventually pass.
However, my grinchy attitude is caused by something more transcendent than just glitter and bells. My current Instagram account profile says the following: “Vegan, atheist, animal rights advocate, environmentalist, rational, and author of the book Ethical Vegan. Any views are my own.”. At the request of my publisher, I changed it to add my book to it. But there was not enough room, so I had to take out some of the adjectives that I had initially written to define my identity. One of those I removed was “lefty”. Not that I have switched political sides, but I thought that, these days, saying you are leftwing is not sufficient. You need to be more specific, and I had not enough room for that. I am still a lefty, and as such, I am all for a progressive, tolerant, inclusive, and democratic society that embraces diversity and looks after the needy. But that’s only the social side of it. The Economic
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To get rid of capitalism we may need to get rid of carnism first. We may need to weaken the grip of carnist indoctrination enough before we ever attempt to change the political and economic system towards one based on sharing stuff instead of acquiring stuff.
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side is something else. Leaning towards the better distribution of wealth and against unscrupulous selfish market-driven capitalism. A few years ago, I may just have written about being anti-capitalist, but to be honest, if I write it now, my behaviour could be seen as contradictory to such a statement. Because I think there may be such a thing as ethical capitalism, and I hope this is what I support when I buy products and services today. The Capitalist Ship I have property. I buy stuff and look around for the best deal. I purchase more things than I need because I am the victim of seductive powerful marketing wizards. I save for a rainy day when I can, and I reject jobs I feel are insufficiently renumerated. If I feel cheated, I ask for my money back. If I see a homeless person, I spare some of my change, but that is it. I follow market trends like everyone else. I pay rent, I have a bank account, I have a credit card, and I pay taxes. I may not be a capitalist, but I am a creature of capitalism, doing capitalist things in a capitalist system. And I do it even when trying to buy fair-trade-eco-sustainable-low-carbon-veganic products. In the end, I am a consumer who buys products, and that’s that. 38 I Plant Powered Planet
The vegan company Veganaise ended up being owned by Danone. So did the plant-based milk producers Alpro, Provamel, Soya Soleil, and Silk. Apparently, the vegan cheesemaker Violife is now owned by the plant-based company Upfield, which in turn is owned by KKR (which has invested in pharmaceutical companies which test on animals). In 2018, the Vegetarian Butcher was acquired by Unilever. Let’s face it. At the rate that it is happening now, at one point all the major surviving vegan brands will be either owned by a non-vegan parent company or will move away from the concept of veganism and sit comfortably in the more flexible and forgiving plant-based paradigm. In
capitalism, the big entities grow by cannibalising the smallest ones, and as most young vegans seem keener in getting all the products they wish rather than fighting for the integrity of an old philosophy, in the end, the vegan community may stop complaining and carry on building a vegan world from accumulating vegan stuff. To get rid of capitalism we may need to get rid of carnism first. We may need to weaken the grip of carnist indoctrination enough before we ever attempt to change the political and economic system towards one based on sharing stuff instead of acquiring stuff. One truly egalitarian, fair, and fulfilling system for all, in which avoiding harming anybody or anything
Vegan snacks. Image credit: Jordi Casamitjana
that can be harmed is the norm. Not a traditional anarchist, communist or socialist system, really. Something better. An ahimsa political system based on not harming any sentient being or the environment, which would be universally applied in the vegan world of the future. But we can’t just behave as if we already live in that world. We don’t. We live in a capitalist world, and we may have to use everything it offers to us to travel to the world we want. This is the price we may need to pay, reluctantly, if we want to get there. I would have preferred that the vegan trending revolution we experience today would have been moral rather than commercial, but that’s the way it is.
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It’s like being stuck on a ship in the middle of the ocean dreaming of firm land. We cannot leave the ship until we find land. We cannot deny the ship’s nature just because we want to be somewhere else. A ship is a human-made object floating on water because of its size and the way it was built. This is its nature, and when we are in it, we cannot deny it. If we do, we will panic when the waves move it, as we won’t understand what is going on. And if the ship is old and rusty, we may sink to the bottom of the ocean if we do not look after it properly. It’s the only thing we have before we find any shore. But when we find it, we can leave the ship behind and look for a better life in the steady lush paradise of terra firma.
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How can we then do our least capitalist harm on a capitalist ship? Is being an ethical vegan enough? Is vegan consumerism the way forward for ethical capitalism? Consuming Less Less is more, they say. I often reply in disagreement “more is more”, but in the case of consumerism, I accept the cliche. Because I believe consuming less is more ethical. The novel Ishmael from Daniel Quinn has become a cult classic. Through the story of a man being taught by an insightful speaking gorilla, this 1992 philosophical novel looks at the hidden cultural biases driving modern civilization. It did the same for
me on human history as the book The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins did on evolutionary biology. It gave me a different point of view of things I already knew, but through this new perspective, everything made much more sense. In his book, he talks about two kinds of humans that were living at the start of civilization. The “takers” and the “leavers”. The takers are people from cultures based on dominating Nature. They first emerged in an Agricultural Revolution starting 12,000 years ago in the Near East, and now have grown into today’s developed societies. As the name suggests, takers take anything they can, accumulating more wealth and power. On the other side, the leavers are people of
previous cultures – or current isolated indigenous communities – who live in harmony with nature, and “leave” most of it in peace. They only take what they need, and leave the rest. Today’s capitalism (and also communism, by the way) are takers’ political systems. However, we do not see a leaver political system developed at the national or international level yet. That is what I think we need. That is what I think would come from ahimsa politics. That is what I think the vegan world would look like. Through following, manifesting, and applying the philosophy of veganism to the full, the philosophy of doing no harm and avoiding discrimination of any race or species, humanity
would return to their leaver nature, and leave their taker attitude behind. It seems over-ambitious but think about it in this way: from the several million years that there have been human-like creatures on this planet, only most members of one species of them have been takers for a mere 12,000 years or so. If our current physical and cultural infrastructure is taker-compatible, our genetic and psychological makeup is leaver-compatible. If we try it, I think we could become leavers again. What to do is simple. Control our urges to “take” stuff and cultivate our tendencies to “leave” stuff. Gradually, take less and leave more. In other
words, reduce the number of new things we acquire. Becoming reducetarian consumers. The term reducetarian is used today to describe people who, instead of becoming vegans or vegetarians, just reduce the amount of animal products they consume. For me, that is the wrong type of reducetarian, as it is reactive rather than proactive, and only focus on some animal products. Considering the amount and availability of vegan options these days, and the urgency to solve the big problems of animal suffering, environmental destruction, and climate change, I do not think this type of reducetarian is a valid ethical option anymore. I feel that, in most cases, it comes from
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we may sink to the bottom of the ocean if we do not look after it properly. It’s the only thing we have before we find any shore. But when we find it, we can leave the ship behind and look for a better life in the steady lush paradise of terra firma.
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Zero waste shop. Image credit: Jordi Casamitjana
a lack of ethical conviction, the unfounded fear of missing something, and a lazy attitude to social and planetary responsibility. As professor Francione says, veganism is the moral baseline, the minimum you can do, and animal products & reducetarians do less than that.
the markets capitalise on sharing and recycling, rather than extracting and exploiting. Where the collective economy in a resource-finite planet grows by the reduction of the individuals’ need for products and services.
However, my type of reductionism is a proactive move towards returning to our leaver natures. It is not about consuming less than this and replacing it with more of that. It is about consuming less, full stop. In this case, less is more.
If by being stuck on the capitalist ship you must consume stuff to survive and feel fulfilled, better to get it from the right sources. It’s preferable to buy it from ethical companies or organisations, especially those where your money will be used for good causes. Things like social justice, the environment, education, support of marginalised communities, and, of course, animals.
So, for me, an ethical vegan in a capitalist world, I want to consistently reduce the number of things I take (buy, possess, receive, borrow, etc.) and the number of things I need (food, space, energy, information). I am far from being significantly advanced on this quest, but every January my New Year resolution now comes from the question “what else in my life can I stop taking from now on?” This Epicurean attitude is perfectly compatible with both veganism and environmentalism, and I think that if it became mainstream, could be the root of ethical capitalism. A system where the capital and the economy shrink without eliminating private ownership and entrepreneurship. Where
Consuming better
beings, meat, alcoholic drinks, or poison. I like it, and I would of course extend this to any animal exploitation work, slavery, violent jobs, and professions that often damage the environment (oil extraction, logging, coal mining, etc.).
Earning from your honest work should be acceptable in an ethical capitalist framework, and it is good if you can help ethical entrepreneurs and businesspeople to live a comfortable life so they can continue to produce better products and services than their unethical counterparts. Especially people who have the right livelihoods.
As far as animal exploitation is concerned, ethical vegans like me already do this filtering of providers. Eco-vegans and intersectional vegans like me also try to do it for the environment and marginalised groups, respectively. But, do we really do it? If we buy a vegan product from a non-vegan supermarket, where will our money go? If you order a vegan product that is delivered by a non-vegan courier, where would our shipping cost surcharge go? If we consume a vegan burger in a traditional meat burger chain, where would our values go? Are we supporting enough the independent fully vegan companies and entrepreneurs by giving them our custom instead of wasting it with big non-vegan corporations or opportunistic ethically void plant-based popups?
I like the concept of “right livelihood” the Buddhists use as part of their famous eightfold path. It means not living from activities or professions that harm others. According to this precept, Buddhists should not trade in weapons, living
I hear often the argument of buying plant-based products from a non-vegan business to encourage them to have vegan options (or to keep them if they are just trying them during Veganuary). I don’t find it convincing. I think Plant Powered Planet I 43
it’s a lazy argument mostly driven by the selfish attitude of convenience, rather than a sound strategy to reduce demand for animal products. Unless the vegan option replaces a non-vegan one (which is hardly the case; they tend to be added options to get more customers, not to change the habits of their current ones), or the business has decided to move towards 100% plant-based and are just transitioning to it, I think spending money regularly in such establishments (as opposed to trying their products out or buy the occasional treat) only increases animal exploitation. It removes funds from vegan providers and diverts them towards companies that will use them to exploit more animals. If you think about it, we often have a better option of product supplier or service provider, but by habit or laziness, we stick to the imperfect ones. Or we simply overvalue convenience and undervalue research and responsibility. I think that, before choosing a supplier, we all should do more research. It is worth looking at things like packaging, googling the name of the company to see who owns it, checking labels and ethical scores, and asking trusted people around from different ethical domains. And do it regularly, as sometimes the ethical status of a supplier may change. 44 I Plant Powered Planet
Some suppliers you would have considered unethical in the past may have improved attitudes with time — and perhaps campaign pressure. And sometimes changing an attitude is more important than changing behaviour, because the former may eventually lead to a genuine long-lasting wider behavioural improvement, while the latter may only be tokenistic and marketing driven. The company Unilever springs to mind. I stopped buying Marmite when I found out it was made by this company, which engaged in animal testing. But, apparently, Unilever eventually sold their animal testing laboratories, and its subsidiaries now only test products when required by law in the countries where they sell them. Even more, they seem quite vocal now in promoting non-animal testing. Enough to remove them from the penalty box? The animal rights organisation PETA think so. However, sometimes it’s not possible to find vegan products from environmentally-friendly-socially- just-fair-trade-ethicalvegan suppliers available to you. Or is highly impractical. Sometimes, the best we can do is to get them from a part-time online flexitarian! But this is when becoming a reducetarian consumer comes
into play. The less you consume, the less collateral damage you will be causing when getting the products you need — or think you need— from the wrong people. Consuming kindly It’s good to be kind. Being kind to most sentient beings would come naturally to you If you are an ethical vegan, but you should ensure you are not leaning towards speciesism and only reserve your kindness towards your favourite animals. We, ethical vegans, must be kind to all sentient beings, including humans. In our capitalist world, some people depend on selling products and services to survive. Some traders work for extra profit, but others do it for survival. We should not forget that. If you want to engage in ethical capitalism, you should consume not only for yourself but to help the sellers who depend on your trade to survive. Prioritising ethical suppliers who need your custom over those who are already doing well and are just trying to grow and expand. For instance, going to a new vegan restaurant and leaving a good review is a kind thing to do for vegan entrepreneurs — and the veganism cause in general. Especially those that just started in areas where
Vegan Sweet Tooth London: pictured at an all-vegan event. Image credit: Jordi Casamitjana
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veganism is not that popular yet and may need a push. I try to do that, even if the food they offer is not the kind of food I like. Also, supporting vegan and environmental products/services supplied by members of struggling marginalised communities is a good move towards ethical capitalism. Since the Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum in 2020, when I eat out, I make an effort to choose vegan restaurants run by Black people (which is by no means a big effort for me, as Ethiopian food is my favourite, and I have a couple of Ethiopian vegan restaurants close by). And it’s not only about buying, though. Another way to be kind is to be grateful and accept gifts from those well-intentioned friends or family members who made an effort in respecting your values. If by ignorance the gift is not suitable for vegans, I politely try to educate, explaining why I cannot consume it, but I also give a chance to correct the error and replace the gift with one I can enjoy (most genuinely generous people would gladly do so). And if it is something you do not really need, you can accept it anyway and give it forward to someone who does. I am getting better at all this, but I am not quite there yet. I buy less and 46 I Plant Powered Planet
less from standard supermarkets or non-vegan businesses, and more from vegan stores, local plant-based shops, vegan fairs and community markets. And since the pandemic has increased the offer of home delivering services, distance from the best shops that need more help is less of a problem now (to support them, if I can afford it I often order groceries from small vegan shops even if I could get them close by). And this brings me back to Christmas. Despite my uneasiness about it, I must also recognise that for some people, the trade they made during the winter holiday period is crucial for their survival. Perhaps boycotting them may not be the kind thing to do. As long as they are vegan-friendly, and are environmentally and socially sound, perhaps purchasing some ethical Christmas decorations from struggling traders from marginalised communities is what I should do every winter. Perhaps that would make me a more consistent user of ethical capitalism, and my long sickening journey on the rusty capitalist ship through turbulent waters may become more tolerable to me. Maybe I will try that. Jordi Casamitjana
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to support them, if I can afford it I often order groceries from small vegan shops even if I could get them close by.
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Victoria Featherstone Pearce wins London Lifestyle Influencer of the Year Award! Victoria Featherstone Pearce, K-9 Angels Co-Founder and Plant Powered Planet Contributor has won a highly prestigious award - Lifestyle Influencer of the Year. PPP: Exciting news! Lifestyle Influencer of the Year! Victoria: I know! Absolutely buzzing to have won. Another fabulous platform for spreading the vegan love. Winning London Lifestyle Influencer of the year was not only a huge shock but a huge privilege too. Certainly, a moment and evening I won’t forget and a wonderful surprise. PPP: How does London Lifestyle Influencer of the Year work then? Victoria: It worked on public votes which was really nice actually. After seeing the list of other influencers nominees, I’d told myself there’s absolutely no way I’d win, but was just so proud to have been in the top 10, and then to hear my name being called as the winner was just unreal and quite surreal. I actually sat there for a second after my name was called thinking and wondering if I had just heard my name correctly! 48 I Plant Powered Planet
PPP: What was the awards ceremony like? Victoria: The ceremony was incredible for many reasons. The London lifestyle awards always hold a fabulous awards ceremony but this one was extra special. Held at the absolutely stunning Landmark Hotel In London. The awards were sold out which wasn’t surprising. Such a glamorous event celebrating the best of what London has to offer. Musical performances by Beverly Knight who was unreal singing live and Ben Haenow of X factor fame. A fabulous 3 course vegan dinner which was delicious And then my win which topped the night. PPP: What’s the latest with your Charity work? Victoria: This November marks 10 years since we founded K-9 Angels and so much has been achieved in that time. Considering we are a small team of volunteers I’m so proud of all we’ve achieved. The thing about helping stray, abused and abandoned
dogs somehow leaves you feeling overwhelmed and helpless because no matter how many you help there are always so so many more that desperately need your help. Saying that I feel it’s always good to stand back and take a look at what has actually been achieved. In the past 10 years we’ve rehomed over 1,000 dogs meaning 1,000 happy endings. Sterilised over 2,000 dogs and some cats too helping to keep down the population and therefore avoiding their pain and suffering in the first place. Raised over £650,000 and sending regular food and medical supplies where needed. Our vision going forward is more of the same but we definitely want to focus more on our ongoing sterilisation program. We are always grateful to our supporters and followers as without them and their ongoing support we simply can’t help the way we want to. For more information, visit: www.k-9angels.org victoriapearceofficial.com
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Absolutely buzzing to have won. Another fabulous platform for spreading the vegan love.
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Jasmine Harman: Back in the sun Jasmine Harman has had a reflective last year or two but is back in the hot seat in top TV show A Place in The Sun. Vegan for quite a long time now, Jasmine loves travelling (obviously) and is clearly thrilled to be back at work again.
PPP: Hi Jasmine! Are you back at work yet? Jasmine: Yes we were back at work as soon as we were able to travel again. It’s been super busy with so many people’s plans having been on hold for various reasons, now it seems that every where I’ve been house hunting, property markets are moving very quickly. PPP: Is all your crew vegan yet? Jasmine: Not quite. I work with lots of different teams all the time and there are lots more vegan and veggie people I work with than before, and lots who are more open to trying it out. We usually search for local places which have good vegan options, and I never miss an opportunity to encourage the team and the Househunters to try them. Last week we went to a vegan restaurant in Cyprus twice in one week and my house Hunter ordered the “salmon” bagel made 50 I Plant Powered Planet
with carrot and said it was so amazing he ordered it again when we went back.
understand the new rules and start holidaying overseas again.
PPP: Do you manage ok when abroad with finding vegan options then?
PPP: What’s your idea of the ideal romantic meal and setting?
Jasmine: I manage pretty well. The message is getting out there and we always specifically look for restaurants with good vegan options. I often use the Happy Cow app which is great. It also depends where you are and when. For example in Greece and Cyprus during the fasting (or lent) period before Easter, there is always an abundance of vegan food as is customary for people of Greek Orthodox faith to abstain from animal products at this time.
Jasmine: I’m dreaming about a beach front restaurant, maybe in the Caribbean watching the sunset, with a cocktail and sharing some flavourful, colourful recipes made with local produce and spices, with my hubby.
PPP: Do you think travel will escalate again post-COVID? Jasmine: I think it probably will. I have noticed a big increase since last year. People will start to gain confidence and
PPP: How did Lockdown pan out for you, looking back? Jasmine: It was pretty deflating to be honest. It started off ok, but I really missed my family, I missed work a lot, I missed being able to go to my fitness classes, and I missed seeing friends. I found home schooling very challenging and I was very grateful for our family dog Jet as at least he gave us a reason to go out for a walk every day.
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The Retreat Animal Rescue is my favourite place to take the children where they can interact with animals in a safe and happy environment.
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PPP: What would you say your favourite charity project is right now? Jasmine: The Retreat Animal Rescue is my favourite place to take the children where they can interact with animals in a safe and happy environment. There are so many children’s farms and petting Zoos and other places where animals are captive and used for commercial purposes, which are targeted at children, and whilst I want my kids to be able to connect with animals, I don’t want to contribute to them being used in that way. So it is wonderful to have The Retreat where we can find out all of the stories behind
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each of the animals and help out with looking after them. As well as dining at the lovely vegan cafe. Billy who runs it is so devoted and so inspiring. PPP: Any top tips for budding Veganuary participants? Jasmine: It can be hard at first to know what to cook and what to eat when you are new to a vegan way of eating. It’s super easy with most dishes to simply substitute animal products with vegan alternatives, but I’d say, also don’t be afraid of trying something completely new and different. Something you will enjoy in its own right rather than always comparing
how it tastes to what you are used to. If you are busy and don’t have time to cook, or you’re lacking inspiration, try The Brook frozen prepared meals which are completely vegan, nutritious and yummy and only take a few minutes to warm up. PPP: Hope for 2022? Jasmine: I hope we will be safe, happy and more people will use their power to change the world, one meal at a time. jasmineharman.com helpforhoarders.co.uk
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20 Years of Hemp Tim Barford started UK Hemp Company Yaoh on Valentine’s Day 2002. With the 20th anniversary of this much loved and treasured independent vegan company now approaching, Tim steps up to the Plant Powered Planet microphone to relay the Yaoh story of the first 20 years – and what’s still to come. Origins Yaoh began officially on February 14th (Valentines Day) 2002. That’s the day I officially launched the business. It wasn’t until August that year that we got our first products out a bottle of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, 3 lip balms, a moisturiser and the salve. Getting the products sourced, packaged and manufactured was a process, for sure. The initial response was good, we were one of the first products not to be using parabens or sodium lauryl sulphate, we were vegan and we were hemp. Throw in some verve, freshness and colour and yeah, Yaoh made a splash from day one. Wild Oats in Bristol was the first store to stock us, in August 2002 we were on the shelves for the first 54 I Plant Powered Planet
time. January 2003 we were taken on by our first distributor Queenswood, meaning we were accessible for thousands of independent health stores, and by that summer we had done our first Trade show, got taken on by a several more distributors, and launched our sunblock. Lift-off. And in summer 2003, Fred started working with us as a Saturday job (he runs Yaoh these days) and we started the first vegan event. Happy days. Before Yaoh 1991, and my pal launched House of Hemp – that was it, right on it. We set off for Romania to visit the hemp farms there in February 1991 but got snowed under in Amsterdam, and never made it further. But I continued down the industrial hemp line, mainly from an information point, up until 1994 when I opened
the UK’s first dedicated hemp shop, importing hemp product from USA, Netherlands, & Germany especially. From there we launched an urban hemp clothes label (Alessandro Dasosa) in 1995. Highlights of that era included our hemp fashion shows which we took to Heaven in London and then the Melkweg in Amsterdam. There was a blossoming global hemp scene in the mid 90’s, with at the height of this boom around 70 hemp companies exhibiting at the Biofach in Frankfurt in 1995. But it didn’t last for many of us, and gradually over the next few years a lot of us went out of business – myself included. I dusted myself down, learnt how to use a spreadsheet and what a working margin was, and launched Yaoh in 2002, and haven’t looked back.
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Yaoh organised the first decade of Bristol & Brighton Vegan Fayres in the noughties, starting in 2003 in Bristol.
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First Reactions Initially – a lot of interest, we were snapped up by the independents. The vegan aspect was very interesting – Yaoh was the only vegan lip balm on a stick in the UK in 2003. And the sunblock was always a hit – mid priced, nice lotions, family sized, clean, effective and free from unnecessary additives. And vegan of course. The moisturisers have always sold well, and the original moisturiser is still our best selling product. And we still only work with independents, 20 years on. No change there either.
Discontinued: Yaoh’s Organic Hemp Protein Powder
Yaoh & Vegan Events Yaoh organised the first decade of Bristol & Brighton Vegan Fayres in the noughties, starting in 2003 in Bristol. And then in 2010, we had to sell half of Yaoh to pay the debts that the events were
incurring. And so in 2010, Yaoh became a Limited Company and stepped back from the events, and VegfestUK Ltd was created to manage the events in it’s place. Yaoh still sponsors the Vegfest events, but is a separate company with different teams and day to day management. Yaoh is a steady business, which has plateaued and remains stable – the events have been very turbulent, often weather dependent, and now hit ruthlessly by both Brexit and Covid-19. Lockdown Initially of course there was some impact, and shop sales plummeted whilst online sales escalated, so that took a bit of balancing. But over time things have balanced out again, although trade is down generally, and we seem to have lost a few of the smaller shops. We only work with independent businesses and they have been hit hard by lockdown, whilst some of the multiples have benefited from sales. Yaoh didn’t get much in the way of Government support or grants, although right at the very end our local council gave us £1000 which was very welcome. But overall, trade is down 20% since Covid so we have some work to do to make up that ground
and start growing again. Fortunately like many businesses, we have been able to take advantage of cheap finance and that has enabled us to plan ahead and launch new products and packaging for 2022 in time to celebrate our 20th birthday. Plans for 2022 Sugar Beet plastic packaging! Potato Bio Resin packaging! New designs! And a new range of Body Butters with improved formulas! Some new fragrances! And some new pack sizes! All sorts! We will be revealing all in 2022 on our birthday or thereabouts. Oh yes and LOTS of special offers and giveaways all year round – so sign up to our monthly ebulletin to get posted with news and updates! www. yaoh.co.uk The Future of Hemp Hemp cultivation has taken a massive step forward this past 12 months or so with the establishment of a hemp processing plant in Warminster capable of processing hemp seed grown in the UK, into oil, protein powder, dehulled seed and flour. This is huge. Effectively it means that farmers can grow hemp crops with a guaranteed purchase at a guaranteed price – which is what they need to transition away from livestock farming. There are trials Plant Powered Planet I 57
to use the hurds for paper currently undergoing, too. Hemp can grow pretty much anywhere across the UK and has so many uses – the plastic and biofuel potential are crying out for investment and development, likewise the use of hemp in the construction industry, and for textiles and home furnishings. Its only as a food source that we have hit anywhere near fulfilling the potential of this fabulous sustainable resource. On a global level – I’ll be honest, I am a bit out of touch. But the beauty of hemp is its ability to grow just about
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anywhere, with no chemical fertilisers or pesticides required, coupled with its multiple uses. The future can only be bright, and investment is the key, into infrastructure and into marketing the products.
demands we end the use of animals for human purpose, and climate justice demands we reduce our environmental impact immediately – with livestock farming being the main culprit.
Vegan Future
The important aspect is to support both positions, even when they appear to contradict. Clarity and honesty can help here. Essentially veganism is a rights based position which upholds the rights of individuals not to be used as property, including all animals used for any purpose, and climate justice takes a more reductionist
Both veganism as a position against the commodification of all animals, and wholefood plant based diets which benefit human health as well as increased sustainable food supply and lowered environmental impact, are on the rise and must continue so. Animal justice
approach, reducing and lowering livestock dependency to lower the negative environmental impact and increase sustainable consumer, energy & food options. These 2 positions have a lot in common – but some contradictions too. But people can still strive to live their lives consistent with and in accordance with their values on both positions. Future Ambitions
and prosper, at least on a ‘spiritual’ level and inside me, if not with my business ventures – quite the opposite in fact. But after over 40 years promoting veganism, plant-based diets, environmental issues, and always trying to take a solutions-based approach to the problems that have arisen, I am a bit wiser, if not a little older. And whilst youth can replace energy, experience is a benefit of age.
Lockdown has really hit me on a number of levels, fortunately I have been able to make the best of these challenges and grow
I see at least another decade of both Yaoh and the vegan events ahead, and a decade that will utilise all the experience garnered
over a period now spanning 6 decades. I sincerely hope that both hemp and veganism are firmly established as the default come 2030 – and that means there’s work to do. For all of us. And we know we have little choice but to succeed with that. If we make the progress we need to make by 2030, then by 2040 we really should be getting somewhere.
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Before cows there was milk from coconuts. Try Koko’s light fresh natural taste!
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The UK’s First Omnichannel Vegan Supermarket Celebrates 5 Years in Business Co-founders, Paula Alcalde and Anderson Caicedo arrived in the UK some 11 and 13 years ago respectively, Paula with £150 in her pocket and not being able to speak the language and Anderson in nearly a similar situation. Against all odds, they both established themselves in their careers over the following years, with backgrounds in some of the most prestigious firms in the world, such as Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Bloomberg. Now they are celebrating 5 years of launching what we believe is the UK’s first vegan Omnichannel supermarket, with both a physical and online presence – GreenBay in West London. The business has experienced incredible growth over the past few years: with over 50,000 customers and over half million of plant-based products sold, they now employ 10 members of staff.
Background Around 2014, we both switched to a plant-based diet for ethical, health and environmental reasons, and we quickly realised how time consuming and inconvenient it was to do our regular shopping: scattered and sub-par offerings across different retailers, having to search for suitable products, reading all the labels, and a purely transactional experience
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Customer Demand with a complete lack of expertise or advice. The idea of GreenBay was then born, and we both decided to give up our established careers to start the company. Our mission is to remove animals from the equation by making it easy, fun and convenient for everyone to access plant-based products, inspiring people to make positive choices every day.
In 2017 we established our e-commerce arm, and today we ship thousands of positive impact brands across the UK on a Carbon Neutral Next Day Delivery. This is where we’ve seen the biggest growth over the years, and the impact of COVID has only accelerated the demand for online groceries. There are also some categories that stand out and attract more
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customer demand, like plant-based meat & dairy alternatives. With this insight in mind, this year we launched our own range of GreenBay products - vegan meat alternatives that are kinder to the planet but don’t compromise on taste. Holiday Season This Holiday season is going to be particularly challenging for many people due to the impact of Brexit and the supply of products. We anticipate a lot of demand for good quality plant-based roasts like Vegusto and Sgaia, as well as charcuterie boards from our favourite vegan cheese brands like Mouse’s Favourite, New Roots, Honestly Tasty, and many more. The smoked salmon alternative by Odontella was
extremely popular last year and a great addition to any table. Veganuary The rise of plant-based products during the month of January has definitely had an impact, and as more and more people start adopting a vegan diet, we see this movement exponentially growing over the next few years. The Plant-Based Revolution The market is currently exploding ($290bn by 2035 – CAGR 11.9%); With people increasingly aware about the impact of their choices and the explosion of new products in the coming years, we don’t see the movement stopping (not now, or in the
future). When GreenBay first opened in 2016, customers didn’t even know what ‘vegan’ was; nonetheless, we truly believed the revolution was about to happen, and we think this is just the beginning. In a few years, plant-based will be the new normal, whereas animal products will be relegated to a thing of the past. In order to ride the wave, we are raising the company’s first funding round, gearing towards our next stage of growth to position ourselves as category leaders in the coming years. For more information, visit:
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Xmas Round-up Hi Plant Powered Planet readers! It’s Paula here at GreenBay, and I am delighted to share with you some of the best plant-based goodies we have to help make your holidays as tasty as possible. Rest assured everything is all vegan and delicious!
PANETTONE This year we are seeing more choices on panettone and vegan cheese, and excited to have Vegusto’s Roasts back as these make a wonderful festive centrepiece. My firm favourites for the holidays have to include the Camembert from Mouse’s Favourite and Vegusto Festive Roast. Back home in Spain we traditionally enjoy roasts and seafood; a great alternative for this is the smoked salmon by Odontella - incredible taste and great addition to any festive platters. Our diet is such an important part of our lives and traditions, and even our identity, so switching overnight can be daunting. Having these incredible alternatives can make the switch much easier and enjoyable. A vegan celebration this year really is the best festive gift to yourself, the planet and those who share it with us. 66 I Plant Powered Planet
Panettone is a sweet Italian bread eaten in many countries worldwide at Christmas – and until very recently these all included eggs! However the choice of vegan friendly Panettone is increasing so we can all have our cake and eat it! Mindful Bites: Veganetonne Chocolate & Salted Caramel
Available here.
ROASTS Being vegan doesn’t mean we don’t want a good traditional roast – many customers like a vegan meaty centrepiece, many also enjoy a nutroast… a vegan cheesy vegetable crumble and a stuffed cauliflower are also delicious vegan roast alternatives that don’t need to take too long to make. Vegusto: Festive Vegi-roast Available here.
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ADVENT CALENDARS Who doesn’t enjoy a little treat each morning throughout December? Again the amount of vegan advent calendars is increasing every year and we have a great selection this year.
H!P Chocolate Salted Caramel Advent Calendar 120g Available here.
SMOKED SALMON Seaspiracy has of course made a massive impact and especially for those who felt it was OK to consumer fish. We have seen a massive increase in customers wanting vegan fish as well as manufacturers creating more vegan fish options. This is an area that again has exploded recently and well worth checking out to see what vegan fish alternatives you like the best. Many have been created with added Omega oils too. Odontella Smoked Vegan Salmon - Perfect addition to cheese platters or festive dishes 68 I Plant Powered Planet
Available here.
CHEESE PLATTERS Nothing is more exciting than an impressive vegan cheese board! Remember to check the ingredients of any crackers you buy as these often can contain milk. Add some fresh fruit and pickles for the perfect festive treat! (Above) Mouse’s Favourite Camembert, available here. (Below) Honestly Tasty Blue, available here.
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DRINKS After the festivities (cooking, serving and clearing up!) It is great to unwind with a dairy free hot chocolate. Comforting and a winter treat. And for those who enjoy bubbles but without the alcohol we have our favourite alcohol free sparkling white and rosé. Gnaw Vegan Hot Chocolate Gift Set Great hot chocolate shots! Available here.
(Left) Belle & Co Alcohol Free Sparkling White Available here. (Right) Belle & Co Alcohol Free Sparkling Rose Available here.
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Our mission here at GreenBay is to make it easy, fun and convenient for people to make better choices, by educating them on the positive impact that small changes can make, and ultimately removing animals from the equation. We donate a portion of every new purchase to charities and organizations fighting climate change and supporting rural communities with reforestation projects, in order to offset their carbon footprint. GreenBay has helped plant over 5000 trees in Marotaola, Madagascar since starting the reforestation project. By helping people switch to plant-based products over traditional ones, to date GreenBay has helped save 38.87B litres of water, 84.97M kg of CO2 and 9.34M of animals. We hope that you have a wonderful holiday and whether it’s the first vegan festive season for you or you have enjoyed many we all know you have made the best choice possible. For more information:
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For the very best in cruelty-free vegan products visit animalaidshop.org.uk Every purchase supports our work to protect animals Thank you!
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NOT MADE FOR VEGANS MADE FOR THE PLANET So be you a fan of dark, smooth and velvety, if dreamily creamy is your thing, or if you’re just crazy for caramelly crunchy, we’ve created something to tantalise your type of taste bud.
We had a dream that chocolate could be made a whole lot better. Better for the body. Better for the planet. Better for our suppliers. But most important of all – better tasting. So we made that dream come true. We reinvented the recipe; cutting out dairy, refined sugars and palm oil. We reimagined the supply chain too; paying fair prices for great ingredients that don’t come with hefty carbon footprints. We even rethought the packaging – ours is plastic free.
We didn’t set out to make delicious chocolate for vegans. We set out to make delicious, sustainable, healthier chocolate for chocolate lovers (and that’s pretty much everyone on the planet).
Take a bite and you’ll realise why we’re most proud of the bars themselves. Mouth-watering natural ingredients like Peruvian cacao, coconut blossom sugar and whole roasted hazelnuts all play their part. As do superfruits like zesty baobabs and caramel tasting lucumas.
REFINED SUGAR FREE
PALM OIL FREE
PLANT-BASED
#EATNOEVIL /PRODIGIYSNACKS Plant Powered Planet I 73 @PRODIGYSNACKS PRODIGYSNACKS.COM
Karin’s Christmas Gifts! Karin Ridgers points us in the direction of some fabulous gift ideas for the holiday season, including a couple from the Vegan Traders Union.
Hey Readers! There are some lovely vegan-friendly gifts here for all your loved ones this Christmas.
Biocera Hydrogen Water Mist
Vegan Infant/Junior Faux Fur Double Pom Pom Beanie
Check out our friends at vegantradersunion.co.uk to see even more vegan run businesses too!
The Biocera Hydrogen Water Mist is a natural moisturiser. The bioceramic minerals contained within the tube help to generate abundant hydrogen and, because they make water clusters smaller and more easily absorbed by the skin, the device helps to provide an appreciable moisturising effect.
Grab your sledge, it’s time to play! For your mini-me and youngest winter wonderlanders, the vegan infant/junior faux fur double pom pom beanie has been created to keep the little ones warm and comfortable when playing out in cold conditions. Created with fun at the forefront this sumptuous heavy ribbed knit provides extra warmth for any winter exploration.
While there are several ‘natural’ face sprays on the market, few devices resemble Biocera’s. Most comparable hydrating mists contain rosewater, green tea extract or aloe to balance the skin’s natural oils. They do not contain natural antioxidant hydrogen water. This product is recommended for those who wish to rejuvenate tired, dry or worn skin, without the use of chemicals. Take a closer look here.
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Take a closer look here.
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the vegan infant / junior faux fur double pom pom beanie has been created to keep the little ones warm and comfortable
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Vegan Pamper Box The vegan gift box from Liberty & Love contains cold-pressed organic handmade soap, a fully certified vegan candle, rose skin good, lime body cream, almond lip balm, facial scrub, rose body scrub and a vegan chocolate bar. An absolutely decadent treat for any vegan… and for anyone, for that matter! Take a closer look here.
Lilac Tree Jewellery (VTU Member) Hand-forged sterling silver orbits beautiful deep blue lapis lazuli stones, set in 9ct yellow gold, evoking the ethereal beauty of the night sky! Elegant enough to make a statement, these earrings have sterling silver posts and butterfly backs. Take a closer look here. 76 I Plant Powered Planet
NuHide Garment Weekender Bag Vegan NuHide Garment Weekender Bag in 2 colours with subtle and stylish VEGAN Happy logo to the front panel, perfect to start the conversation wherever you go. The perfect garment prep for business and overnight stays , the NuHide® Garment weekender keeps things fashionably organised. This premium leather-look bag can be fully unzipped and laid flat, making it a superior choice for creasefree garment storage on the move. 100% Animal Cruelty Free. Take a closer look here.
K9 Angels Beanie! Vegan run dog rescue charity K 9 Angels has a lovely selection of gifts including this bright beanie and their rescue dog calendar. Yellow beanie here worn by co founder and passionate vegan Victoria Featherstone Pearce – friend of Plant Powered Planet and VegfestUK! Take a closer look here.
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Vegan Cookbooks: A gift for life This season of goodwill, why not give the gift of knowledge to friends and family? And nothing beats a decent vegan cookbook when it comes to knowledge. Tony Bishop Weston, author of copious vegan cookbooks over several decades, and thus somewhat of an expert in this area, gives us the lowdown on the highs of vegan cookery books. The Perfect Gift So what’s the perfect gift for a non vegan friend for Christmas? A vegan course!
cookbook
of
It ticks every box, including the one where you get invited to dinner without the long list of questions. “Do you eat gluten?” “Is chocolate ok?” “Is it OK if I just use half an egg?” “But honey is just pollen, made by flowers not bees, bees just collect it, no?” Book Bias Of course, if you ask, I’ll just advise that the best book is ‘The Ultimate Book of Vegan Cooking’ now re-edited and reprinted as ‘Vegan Cookbook’ by Lorenz. We put a lot into that - a history of veganism, the why, how, where, when and what of veganism and a great nutrition and health section by nutritionist Yvonne 80 I Plant Powered Planet
Bishop-Weston as well as over 140 recipes. A perfect introduction to vegan food. Cookbook Consensus Full disclosure, I don’t really use recipe books apart from for cake and bread. I tend to look at the pretty pictures and sometimes I think, “oooh that’s a good idea...” So in the interest of full disclosure - ‘other vegan cookbooks not written by Tony Bishop-Weston are available’ - I turned to my twitter followers, few in number but very lovely and asked for their favourites. Bish Bash Bosh! Inevitably there were numerous people singing the praises of the “as seen on TV”, “Bestselling” , “Simply Amazing” Bosh Boys Books. Henry Firth says The Big BOSH! Wellington Roast, a great Christmas favourite, is a firm favourite with their massive fanbase. Ian Theasby,
Henry’s other half says The Ultimate Chilli is a definite crowd pleaser. As a vegan chef for over 27 years it took all my sparse social skills to suppress the “I was cooking that before you were potty trained!!!” thoughts and begrudgingly admit that the BOSH! vegan scheese and onion crisps are an absolute game changer. (Not sure if they have a recipe for them but you can buy them in the shops in massive yellow packets) Without any sense of irony, empathy or sensitivity even my neighbour proudly
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Of course, if you ask, I’ll just advise that the best book is ‘The Ultimate Book of Vegan Cooking’ now re-edited and reprinted as ‘Vegan Cookbook’...
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announced he had bought the BOSH cookbook and there were loads of fantastic recipes in it! I’m pretty sure I suppressed an eye roll and smiled sweetly through gritted teeth, nodding politely. Dirty Vegan There were quite a few nominations on my Twitter feed for ex-Dirty Sanchez turned Dirty Vegan Matt Pritchard and his vegan cookbooks. I guess that’s understandable as he has a similar no-messing-around, tell-it-like-itis, simple but delicious ‘to hell with nutrition’ approach that seems to have gone down so well with new vegans. I met him once in Paisley (next door to Glasgow) at a Food Festival. However, I was masquerading as Vegan Pirate Captain James Tea Cook and I’m pretty sure, by the ‘not a scooby’ look on his face, he dismissed me as a local drunk, which ironically, later, I was. (It was also a beer festival)
Exquisite Vegan The ubiquitous Aine Carlin who pops up everywhere even in Sainsbury’s and Waitrose magazines got a few shout outs too. @bonesjones creator of BBC Radio 6 Music says her ‘New Vegan’ cookbook is one of his kitchen staples. Well Beaten To it The title of my next half written cookbook is entitled ‘The Great British Vegan’. Punished once again for my procrastination, Aimee Ryan of Wallflower Kitchen has well and truly beaten me to it. I suppose it’s saved me another job and has edged me ever closer to retirement.
Keep it in the Family My brother in law has been singing the praises of ‘The Ranch’ in California, a raw retreat and makeover venue treading in the footsteps of the Hippocrates
centre but not so earnest. He bought us all their cookbooks, once again my social skills training came into play and I extinguished the knee-jerk ‘eye roll’... and to be fair they are beautiful in a Deliciously Ella (but more skilled and healthier) kind of way. The downside is they stop short of being vegan by sometimes exploiting their plethora of beehives and the honey oozing out of them. You can obviously easily swap honey for maple syrup or agave syrup but they may in any case be too ‘out there’ for the average lover of sausage and mash, pizza and dirty fries. The Enchanted Broccoli Forest One of my favourite cookbooks of all time is ‘The Enchanted Broccoli Forest’ by Moosewood Cookbook author Mollie Katzen. Arrogantly and typically I doubt I ever followed a recipe in it but uniquely I did read it and fell in love with it’s inspirational prose and it’s main theme of encouraging you to go and create your own dishes with sections on cultural collections of herbs and spices to create a feel for a cuisine. Most importantly there was a huge blank note section for creation at the back which I used to write all the ideas for recipes for my first vegan cookbook the Scottish Highland themed Rainbows and Wellies. Plant Powered Planet I 83
Vegan Cookbooks: Rose Elliot Rose Elliot has been publishing vegan cookbooks since the 1960s, and her fabulous career continues to this day. We got a chance to speak with Rose, who is here to bring us up to speed with her latest creations.
I feel so privileged to have been part of the big movement to vegetarian and vegan cookery, with my first book Simply Delicious, written when I was just 19, and then of course all the books that followed. I’m now over 70! I was brought up as a vegetarian but was veering towards veganism from a very early age. I remember sending off for recipes from the Vegan Society when I was about 12 years old, and spending a whole day trying to make vegan milk (you couldn’t buy it in those days), and even ‘butter’, using practically every utensil in my mother’s kitchen! How different things are now. Experimentation I’m inventing things all the time! I’ve been experimenting a lot with lentil dals - I like to make them nice and thick with split red lentils, coconut milk, and spices such as turmeric, and cinnamon, with lots of chopped fresh coriander on top. 84 I Plant Powered Planet
Growth It’s a very exciting time to be vegan. I remember thinking years ago, how wonderful it would be to be able to get vegan or vegetarian food in a restaurant, or even to be able to buy easily the ingredients to make it at home, and now of course it’s happened. I’m more happy than I can say to see the burgeoning interest in the vegan diet because of the increase in health it brings, along with, most importantly, the decrease in the number of animals being slaughtered, or ‘used’ for their milk. Also significant, as the move to veganism continues to burgeon, is the better use of the earth’s resources: I believe that at least ten vegans can survive on the amount of land it takes to feed one meat-eater. Christmas dinner? Well it has to be my white nut roast with parsley and herb stuffing, three layers, made in a loaf tin, turned
out, garnished with parsley and lemon slices (to pick up the delicious flavours in the stuffing), and surrounded by crunchy golden roast potatoes! Tips for newbies Just do it! Find some simple recipes you really fancy, or treat yourself to some delicious readymade vegan foods. You’ll be surprised how much you enjoy it! The Favourite Rose Elliot Cookbook Oh dear, that’s a difficult one, it’s almost as impossible as choosing between one’s children! I tend to say ‘the book I’m writing at the moment’, but I think I’ll always have a special soft spot for my two first books, Simply Delicious, and Not Just a Load of Old Lentils, because their success was such a huge surprise, and opened the door to my life as a cookery writer. Rose Elliot www.roseelliot.com
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I remember sending off for recipes from the Vegan Society when I was about 12 years old
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Vegan Pastry Conquers the Fabulous World of Flower Shows! Danielle Maupertuis is a vegan pastry & desserts chef of some repute, including publication of her recent book ‘Vegans Deserve Better than a Fruit Salad.’. A regular at UK vegan events over the previous few years, demonstrating a variety of vegan desserts and pastries, Danielle was recently invited to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show to share some of her fabulous plant based creations.
For the first time, I was addressing a non-vegan audience. I awakened their attention from the very first words… My aim, beyond known plants such as lavender & jasmine, was to present unusual flowers and plants such as poppy flower. I created a poppy macaron, using the poppy syrup. Another aim of mine was to give a place of honour to plants forgotten in Pastry such as angelica, including its history & its uses. Angelica was widely used in cake decorations during
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the Victorian era, then slowly disappeared from our usual pastry ingredients over time. I also wanted to help people discover unusual plant and fruit combinations made from tea infusions such as viola & cardamom, or nettle & blackcurrant. With this in mind I made a beehive cake, a lemon meringue and a nettle & blackcurrant pannacotta. The reception was enthusiastic, and when it came to tasting, everyone was definitely convinced. I was also very pleased to see people were interested in my cookbook ‘Vegans Deserve Better Than a Fruit Salad’.
I am now in the discussion with RHS about presenting vegan pastry demonstrations on a regular basis at the RHS Flower Shows. And, why not? Organizing live vegan pastry classes for adults and children sounds like an excellent opportunity. If you wish to know about the latest developments, events, online courses and gorgeous new desserts creations, I invite you to subscribe to my newsletter:
freefromdesserts.com See you soon, Danielle Maupertuis Vegan Pastry Chef
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Vegan desserts are easy to make, taste yummy and look fantastic!
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Eating Plant-Based Dr Shireen Kassam, co-founder of Plant-Based Health Online, with her sister Dr Zahra Kassam, founder of Plant-Based Canada, have launched their first book due out on 22nd January 2022.
Pictured: Dr Zahra Kassam
Eating Plant-Based; Scientific Answers to Your Nutrition Questions, is a Q&A style book that addresses common health-related topics about a plant-based diet. A global transition to a plantbased food system has now become an urgent imperative for both human and planetary health. Even though plant-based diets are associated with some of the best health outcomes and supported by major nutrition and dietetic organisations around the world, myths about the requirement for meat, dairy and eggs persist. This book is for anyone who would like a deeper understanding of the scientific evidence supporting a plant-based diet
Pictured: Dr Shireen Kassam
and its impact on human health. It is a guide for health professionals who are increasingly meeting people in their practice who have chosen to adopt a plant-based diet. It is for those of you who are already following a plantbased diet and for those who would like to switch to this way of eating but are being put off by family and friends who question your choice and fill your head with doubt. Is it safe to raise children on a plantbased diet? How do you get enough protein? What about calcium? The answers to all these questions are simple and straightforward and this book provides the scientific background to our understanding of plantbased diets.
If you are thinking about making the transition, this book will give you the confidence to do so. If you are already following a plantbased diet, it will help you with advocating and discussing your choice with others in an impartial, evidence-based way. The questions are based around our own experience of advocating and educating family, health professionals, patients and the public on plantbased diets for the last decade. You can pre-order your copy now from Book Depository, with worldwide free shipping. PRE-ORDER NOW Dr Shireen & Dr Zahra Kassam Plant Powered Planet I 91
The Vegan Guide: Everything you need to embrace the world’s fastest growing way of life Alex Bourke invites us on a guided tour, looking back at the last 25 years of the ‘Vegetarian – and now Vegan – Guides’ that Alex has produced, including his most recent book ‘The Vegan Guide’ released in 2021.
Vegetarian Guides: The Beginning My first book was the 16-page The Hippy Cookbook that I launched at the International Vegan Festival in East Anglia in 1992. At that time I was living and working in Paris, so the following year produced The Vegan Guide to Paris, a whopping 32 pages containing 20 vegetarian and vegan restaurants and lots of shops. At 1993’s International Vegan Festival in Spain, I then gave a workshop on how that book was produced, and the following year people who were at the festival brought out similar vegan guides to Amsterdam, Berlin, Edinburgh, Melbourne, Munich and New York.
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After two years of living it up in Paris, I moved back to London and met my friend Paul Gaynor at London Vegans, who was distributing a photocopied list of all the vegetarian places in London. We decided to turn it into a book, meeting up evenings and weekends for the next few months, and in summer 1994 launched our 250-page CrueltyFree Guide to London at Animal Aid’s summer fayre. We then managed to get it into every bookshop in London. Since then there have been six more London guides, three for Britain, guides to France, Europe, East of England, North
of England, Scotland and a 200-page guide to Paris. Also Campaign Against Cruelty – an activist’s handbook, and the film Animal Rights – A Universal Declaration, which features undercover footage from six nationals and is shown in schools across the country as part of the Citizenship curriculum. Recently I published mini vegan guides to Central, East, North, South and West London, and then combined those in the latest 800-page Vegan London Complete. Publication number 26 in 2021 is The Vegan Guide – everything you need to embrace the world’s fastest growing way of life.
‘Vegetarian’ vs. ‘Vegan’ In 1998 I registered the company name Vegetarian Guides Ltd. Back then, there were hardly any vegan restaurants. In London we had just Country Life in Soho, the East West macrobiotic restaurant on Old Street, and Rainforest Creations at Spitalfields Market, out of 100 vegetarian places. Bookshops wouldn’t have touched a guidebook with the word vegan in the title. How things have changed. Campaigning groups like Viva!, Animal Aid and PETA have revealed the realities of vegg-eat-dairyanism, that dairy and beef,
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or eggs and chicken, are the same business, and the deception of “vegetarian” cheese and “free range” eggs. Most new vegans go straight to vegan, not via several years of being vegetarian. Virtually all new vegetarian restaurant openings are vegan, except in Indian areas. A Waterstones manager told me “vegetarian is dead, everything needs to be vegan nowadays.” So I registered Vegan Guides Ltd before anyone else did, and am transitioning my business across to the new name. All the titles now proudly feature the word vegan. Vegan: Done Right? I remember the owner of Bunjies vegetarian restaurant on Charing Cross Road in the mid ‘90s lamenting that times were tough as so many mainstream restaurants had started offering vegetarian dishes. But in his restaurant there were only two vegan dishes. Vegetarians were fed up with having to always eat plain pizza, an omelette, or that abomination served in ‘80s pubs known as cauliflower cheese. Now everyone has a vegan offering. The laws around food labelling are very strict, so yes the vegan offerings are vegan. Except when a new member or staff accidentally sends a real chicken burger out on 94 I Plant Powered Planet
Deliveroo to a vegan who ordered chick’n. ‘Big Brands’ & Multinationals They are all about the money and follow the market. Those customers who used to read the menu and walk out, today they can capture them by having vegan options, whether those customers are vegans, vegetarians, or members of a religion that is against eating animal products. Imagine you’re a restaurant or pub and four groups of four hungry students walk in, chances are one of those groups includes a vegan, so if you don’t have great vegan options, you’ll lose the whole table and at least £40 to somewhere else that does. Just look at how Leon and Brewdog do more vegan
options every year, and Wagamama is already at 50%. Even McDonald’s is getting in on the vegan pound. The consensus amongst my readers about the McPlant burger is that’s it’s good that there is a vegan burger that tastes the same as a Big Mac for the same price, though many of them would not set foot in a McDonald’s themselves. Perhaps one day all Brewdogs, Wagamamas and Leons will be 100% vegan. I’m not so sure about McD though. Moving Beyond Guides & Vegan Events? We haven’t managed to get rid of the tobacco industry, except in Bhutan, where it was banned in 2010, though there is still smuggling from India and right now a temporary lifting of the ban so smugglers
don’t bring in covid. So no, I don’t see a 100% vegan world anytime soon, but maybe 90%. In India. There is a vegetarian restaurant in every street, you don’t need a guidebook to find one, and in the UK we are definitely heading that way, only vegan. However, many vegan restaurants don’t display the V word in their name for fear of scaring away non-vegans, so for now we’ll be needing guides to find them. A vegan world can only happen when subsidies for nonsense crops such as meat, dairy, eggs, and let’s throw in tobacco and sugar, are ended. Then those brutal industries, which only exist at all because they are propped up by subsidies, will collapse. Farmers can be helped to transition to growing healthy, sustainable, highly profitable, plant Plant Powered Planet I 95
foods, as some already have, and no one will need to get up at 5am anymore. Everybody wins. I’ll be out of a job of course and very happy about that. I can teach English or help out in a vegan café. And go to vegan festivals every weekend. Favourite Spaces I like being able to create my own meal, so have always loved buffets. Back in the day, Country Life, Cranks and Heathers were the pioneers, and Rainforest Creations for raw buffets. Then came the Loving Hut vegan Chinese buffets. Nowadays it seems to be burgers, burgers, burgers and loaded fries everywhere, which is not food I
would choose to eat every day, though it’s fun once in a while. Which is why I am a huge fan of Vantra - a healthy vegan restaurant in Soho, and the many healthy, black owned vegan cafes and restaurants such as Guava Kitchen, All Nations Caribbean Vegan House, Lovegift Vegan and 222. There are also lots of elegant new high-end vegan restaurants serving very pretty food which is delightful for those who want to treat themselves to a bit of luxury. Highlights For me the explosion of vegan festivals has been utterly fabulous, with often several around the country on a weekend. Vegfest took them to a completely
A Christmas Vegan Fayre. Credit: Jordi Casamitjana
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new level in top exhibition venues, with hundreds of stalls and dozens of workshop and event rooms and celebrity presenters. Some might wonder why veganism trundled along for 60 or 70 years without making much of a dent in the world, and then suddenly exploded across the planet. The professionalization of our movement has changed everything, getting the truth about food out into national media so everyone can see it. It began with the arrival of Viva! and PETA in the ‘90s, and continues with Veganuary saturating the media every day throughout January and getting vegan food ranges into every supermarket. I remember when the Vegan Society had just three staff and a
bunch of well-meaning but mostly clueless amateur trustees who year after year opposed even having a press officer. Now they have over 60 staff, a big media department, employ dietitians, and their trademark is everywhere. And let’s not forget grassroots activists up and down the country tabling every weekend in town centres. These days it’s no longer a table covered with gory animal abuse leaflets; now we have recipes, health and the environment to talk about, and vegan food giveaways, all whilst still revealing the horrors of the animal slavery industries. The arrival of really tasty vegan burgers that don’t cost four times as much as cowburgers is an important
breakthrough. Standout moments on national television for me were the BOSH! boys making vegan cooking fun, and watching Ellie Goulding cook with Jamie Oliver. In 2021 the things I’m most excited about are the stunningly designed and masterfully written information sheets, videos and books published by the vegan doctors, dietitians and nutritionists at Plant Based Health Professionals UK; Animal Rebellion working with ProVeg to get vegan food into school canteens; and the arrival in Europe of Plant Based Treaty. The New Guide Boris closing all restaurants and bookshops for months in 2020 brought
my restaurants guidebook business to a standstill. So I got on with an old idea for a low-priced but comprehensive guide to going vegan or doing it better, compiled by a team of experts and campaigning legends. These included my old co-author, friend and chef Ronny Worsey, and members of London Vegan Campaigns, the group whose members invented vegan festivals, street stalls with food giveaways, set up London’s first vegan café, and created the original one-month Vegan Pledge. I was frustrated by the poor quality of the (mostly American) go-vegan books out there that were written either from an animal rights viewpoint or a health angle and were, quite frankly, one-sided, dull, way too long, or very
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Pictured right: Glasgow flyer provided during COP26
lightweight with huge fonts and many important nuances of our diet omitted. We decided to do it right. The Vegan Guide – everything you need to embrace the world’s fastest growing way of life doesn’t open with 50 pages about what’s wrong with animal farming. We summarise all the go-vegan arguments in six pages, then dive straight into a mouth-watering spread of vegan food from all around the world. There are sections on all the basic vegan cooking and recipe construction techniques you’ll need, meat and dairy substitutes, the psychology of dealing with family, friends, and your kids’ school, the 20 tribes of vegan, reversing diabetes and heart disease with vegan wholefoods, feeding cats and dogs by the world’s top vegan vet, comprehensive coverage of vegan nutrition by a graduate nutritionist and a GP with a masters in nutrition, and we end with where to get help and how vegans will take over the world. 160 pages for just a fiver, by some of Britain’s most experienced campaigners and vegan professionals – what’s not to like? And our book has jokes, lots of them. Buy now online or order from any bookshop. They make great stocking fillers and they’re ideal for anyone doing Veganuary or simply wanting to up their vegan game and fill the gaps in their knowledge. Plant Based Treaty In September 2021 I was approached by Plant Based Treaty, a new division of the Animal Save Movement that started in Canada many years ago, to help with their campaign in the UK to get the Treaty added to the Paris Climate Agreement. The principal demands of the Plant Based Treaty are to halt the expansion of animal grazing and feed growing and the deforestation they imply, to 98 I Plant Powered Planet
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reduce animal agriculture and redirect its subsidies to help farmers transition to plant-based, and finally to restore land liberated from animal farming for reforesting and rewilding. I went up to Glasgow and compiled a plant based guide to the city centre and the area around COP26, with a big map of 20 vegan and 11 vegetarian pubs, cafes and restaurants. I also ran a stall at Glasgow Vegan Festival to recruit local vegans to PBT, and gave a talk to the vegan group at Strathclyde University and got the student union on board for our first event. Then at the end of October I returned with a big team of Plant Based Treaty Campaigners and we ran events around the city, starting with a giant “cow in the room” at Strathclyde University student union where the United Nations Conference of Youth was taking place. We distributed 25,000 of our free vegan Glasgow guides into cafes and pubs and everywhere inside COP26, projected our videos onto iconic Glasgow buildings at night with dancers doing the Plant Based Treaty dance, and gave out free vegan chocolate bars and energy drinks from The Vegan Kind, the “vegan Amazon” which is based in Glasgow, to anyone who endorsed the Treaty. Unfortunately, on day 5 100 I Plant Powered Planet
of our 17-day campaign, I went down with covid and had to watch the rest of the show online while spluttering and sweating in isolation. I talked earlier about how we must end animal ag subsidies. At COP26 it was shocking that Boris Johnson and COP26 President Alok Sharma chose to keep animal ag off the agenda, having already suppressed a report about the benefits of plant-based agriculture. The political will to even talk about animal agriculture does not yet exist. And yet, several Glasgow MPs supported an early day motion in favour of the Plant Based Treaty. PBT will continue throughout 2022 to invite individuals, businesses and organisations to endorse the Treaty and lobby their local and national political representatives to do the same. The Plant Based Treaty can unite the voices of not just the entire worldwide vegan movement, but all those who recognise the importance of halting the expansion of animal agriculture, rolling it back, and restoring the natural world. It’s our best shot at getting animal agriculture on the agenda at COP27, knocking out the subsidies, and bringing the entire meat and dairy industry down, so it can transition to plantbased, with all the benefits that will bring for the world. And farmers too.
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The Plant Based Treaty can unite the voices of not just the entire worldwide vegan movement, but all those who recognise the importance of halting the expansion of animal agriculture, rolling it back, and restoring the natural world.
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Plant Based Treaty activists in Toronto, Canada ahead of COP26 in Glasgow
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What exactly is Vegan Compleating? Ellen Tout - sustainability expert, dedicated vegan and author of the recent release ‘The Complete Book of Vegan Compleating’ talks to us about true zero-waste eating.
What is ‘Vegan Compleating’? Compleating means ‘completely eating’ – so eating all edible parts of fruits, vegetables and herbs. There are so many parts of produce that we discard without really thinking, but many of them are edible, tasty and nutrient-rich. It’s a great way to reduce food waste and also make your cooking a bit more creative. I first discovered compleating one Halloween when looking for ways to make the most of a pumpkin. I cooked things like paprika roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin peel crisps and soup from the unloved pumpkin guts from carving. I realised that I could apply this same compleating ethos to every fruit and vegetable I cooked and soon became a passionate really passionate about it. My debut book is out now: The Complete Book of Vegan Compleating: 104 I Plant Powered Planet
An A–Z of Zero-Waste Eating For the Mindful Vegan. As I learned more about compleating, I tried to find books to give me inspiration and recipes. Unfortunately, all books about food waste included meat and dairy. I realised that if I wanted a book like this, I was going to be the one to write it! My book includes recipes, advice, storage and preservation tips for making the most of every part of every fruit, vegetable, herb and ingredient found in a vegan kitchen. Some of my recipes are ‘compleat’, meaning that they use the entire fruit or vegetable. Such as a tabbouleh which uses the carrots and carrot tops. Or my onion skin-infused focaccia recipe, topped with caramelised red onions. I also use some of the less common parts by themselves to create recipes. My BBQ pulled banana peel recipe has been really popular. Then there’s
recipes using things like cauliflower leaves, broccoli stalks, onion skins, vegetable peelings, aquafaba, vegetable tops, fruit cores and more. So many of these make really delicious meals but are often overlooked or considered waste. It’s hard to choose a favourite! I didn’t previously know that kiwi skins are edible, so creating a whole baked kiwi salsa was great. My favourite might have to be my roasted butternut squash and sage ravioli. I’ve seen lots of recipes which use aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas), so in my recipe the ravioli pasta dough is made using aquafaba rather than eggs. It’s quite simple to make but looks really impressive. Food Waste & The Environment Food waste is responsible for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
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To put it into perspective, 70% of food waste comes from our homes, but 70% of food that’s wasted could actually have been eaten.
Environmental issues can seem so huge and overwhelming, but food waste is something we can all start to reduce, right from the comfort of our kitchens.
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Over a year, the UK’s edible food waste would make the equivalent of over 15 billion meals – enough to feed the entire population three meals a day for 11 weeks. Meanwhile, three billion people around the world are unable to afford a healthy diet.
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This is more than all commercial flights, but I don’t think enough people are aware of the role food waste plays in the climate crisis. When food waste goes to landfill, it can’t break down naturally and releases methane. There are also emissions from refuse trucks to take into account, as well as the energy and resources from growing, packaging and transporting the food. To put it into perspective, 70% of food waste comes from our homes, but 70% of food that’s wasted could actually have been eaten. Environmental issues can seem so huge and overwhelming, but food waste is something we can all start to reduce, right from the comfort of our kitchens. Lost Connections It feels like, with our busy, modern lives, we’ve lost that connection with where our food comes from, with how it’s grown, and the time, effort and resources that go into it. Many of us are so used to just popping to the supermarket and grabbing what we want. I think that the food shortages and demand on food banks during the pandemic has made us think a bit more about this, but there’s still not enough being done. Over a year, the UK’s edible food waste would make the equivalent of over 15 billion meals – enough to feed the entire population Plant Powered Planet I 107
three meals a day for 11 weeks. Meanwhile, three billion people around the world are unable to afford a healthy diet. What We Can Do I think that raising awareness of the impact of food waste is key, as well as showing people how they can start making changes. My book and the idea of compleating are a positive way to make a difference. I love to cook and I hope that, because cooking can
be fun, that it gives people an inspiring way to reduce their food waste, rather than it feeling like a burden or chore. I also think that the government needs to take more responsibility and tell the truth about the role our food and agriculture plays in emissions. Other Sustainability Experts There are so many brilliant people and companies trying to make a difference to food waste. I love
following Laura Gaga, aka Reduction Raider, who creates meals from reduced yellow sticker or unwanted food. I’m also a big fan of the apps Too Good To Go and OLIO, which are a great way to rescue unwanted food from local people, restaurants and businesses, as well as Oddbox, which rescues wonky or surplus food from farmers. My book, The Complete Book of Vegan Compleating: An A-Z of Zero-Waste Eating For the Mindful Vegan, is out now and available from all the usual places. If you would like a copy, please consider buying via Bookshop. org, which helps support independent booksellers. I’m speaking at lots of different virtual and in-person events. I hope to work with Vegfest soon and to continue to partner with my local Kent Vegan Events. You can follow me on Instagram @ellen_tout and @compleatly_vegan and on Twitter @ Ellen_Tout. Ellen Tout Sustainability Expoert & Author of ‘The Complete Book of Vegan Compleating’
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The ultimate guide to sustainable cookery.
"A modern and mindful guide to zero-waste living, with practical tips, trends and budget-friendly recipes." KATY BESKOW, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF 15 MINUTE VEGAN
Available to purchase online and in all good bookshops.
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Veganuary As has been the case since it’s inception in 2014, Veganuary continues to grow year on year - a feat hard to imagine when we know that Veganuary 2021 saw an astonishing 582,000+ people from 209 countries sign up for this life-changing pledge. We spoke with Toni Vernelli International Head of Communications and Marketing at Veganuary - about the expectations ahead of Veganuary 2022.
2022 – the biggest yet? Yes, we certainly hope so! COP26 has brought climate change to the front of everyone’s mind and the huge role that animal agriculture plays in this problem has gotten more coverage than ever. So we definitely expect our sign-up numbers to be even higher than the record-breaking half a million people who took part last year. Global Reach This year we will be launching our 7th official Veganuary country with India joining the UK, US, Germany, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. We will also be working closely with partner organisations in France and Italy to run Veganuary campaigns there. But, as our pledge is completely digital, we expect people to signup from all over the world. Last year we had participants from 209 countries and territories!
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Actor and activist Peter Egan is a passionate vegan and keen Veganuary ambassador
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Now one of the most amazing vegans I have had the pleasure of meeting is their new ambassador too! The fantastic Benjamin Zephaniah. Benjamin used to come to my vegan festivals 17 or so years ago in Essex – great times!
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Karin Ridgers, Editor
Latest Ambassadors We’re thrilled to welcome author and poet Benjamin Zephaniah as a new ambassador for our 2022 campaign. He joins our long-standing ambassadors like Chris Packham, Evanna Lynch, Peter Egan, Jasmine Harman, James Moore, Kellie Bright and Kerry McCarthy MP. How you can help Sign-up and spread the word! Everyone is welcome to take part, even people who have been vegan for many years. Our free recipes, meal plans and helpful advice are really useful for new vegans but also give inspiration and important reminders to longterm vegans. Perhaps challenge a non-vegan friend, family member or colleague to sign-up and then join them for moral support? Share our sign-up link on your social channels and encourage your contacts to participate. The bigger the number, the more businesses will take notice and realise they need to cater to this growing audience. Collaborations It’s too early to announce specific vegan products and menu items being launched in January but we are working with all of the UK’s major supermarkets and top food brands as well as the major highstreet restaurants and cafes. Our official campaign sponsors this year are VFC, Aveda, Cauldron, Wicked Kitchen, Beyond Meat and Violife. Toni Vernelli International Head of Communications Plant Powered Planet I 113
Wetnose Animal Aid by Andrea Gamby-Boulger Wetnose Animal Aid was set up by myself and my husband Gavin Gamby-Boulger in 2000. Sadly Gavin passed away in 2015. However I wished to carry on in his memory, so after 21 years we’re still going – supporting animals. As former kennel owners, caring for animals has always been a part of my life. However after 13 years in operation, we decided sell our kennels and turn our attention to supporting other charities, rescue centres and animal shelters in the UK. We know of the work, time, dedication that these animal rescue centres put in – non stop 24/7.
Wetnose Day has been a fundraising event for Wetnose Animal Aid for the last 8 years and aims to encourage schools, workplaces, vets, groomers, dog clubs, in fact everyone and everyone to Pose with their Wetnose and raise funds for dedicated rescue centers nationwide and the animals they care for. This has enabled us to raise £1000’s for small and medium sized animal sanctuaries, ensuring food costs were covered and veterinary treatment went ahead for animals in desperate need. Fundraisers across the country can bungee jump, host sponsored dog walks, cake sales and wear our legendary Wetnoses to raise much needed funds. 114 I Plant Powered Planet
The last two years Like for many people of course it has been extremely hard. Our events couldn’t go ahead at the beginning of 2019 and during 2020. Many people are concerned about their own finances of course too. And knowing that dogs bought in lockdown are being abandoned is just heart breaking. More than 3.2 million pets were bought during lockdown. During lockdown many families were buying puppies, kittens and chickens off the internet, for children to play with. Now because many people are going back to work, many dogs in particular are being dumped. Hope Rescue, in Rhondda Cynon Taf, said the number of dogs being
dropped off at its rescue centre in Pontyclun was the highest in its 15-year history. Many Centres will be full up over the winter which puts them under massive pressure and financial strain. Celebrity Support Yes we are so lucky that many well know people resonated with our work – and my late husband and I often went to events, filmed and interviewed celebrities like Ricky Gervais, Steve Backshall and Amanda Holden. Its wonderful they help us spread the message and help us gain coverage too. We have been blessed with having our “Rescue Awards” in the past and
Wetnose Animal Aid is a small, notfor-profit organisation staffed entirely by dedicated volunteers. Wetnose receives no government or other funding; their work is actioned purely through donations and support from the public.
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Also for our Wetnose Day event every September we have support from Ricky Gervais, Paul Macartney, Tom Hardy, Ben Fogle, Chris Packham, Paul O’Grady, Amanda Holden, and our Patrons who give us so much support.
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have met some wonderful celebrities, such as Martin Clunes, Dame Judi Dench, Brian May, Virginia McKenna, Rick Wakeman, Peter Egan and more. Also for our Wetnose Day event every September we have support from Ricky Gervais, Paul McCartney, Tom Hardy, Ben Fogle, Chris Packham, Paul O’Grady, Amanda Holden, and our Patrons who give us so much support. Plant Powered Planet co-editor Karin Ridgers is our PR guru and ambassador, TV actress Vicki Michelle MBE and Lorraine Chase are wonderful ambassadors and TV presenter Wendy Turner Webster is a fantastic Patron. 2022 Wetnose Animal Aid raises funds every September on our fundraising day for the smaller Rescue Centres. This year your challenge is to walk 50 MILES this September for our Wetnose Animal Day September challenge! You can register your pet online & help raise funds for our ANIMAL RESCUE CENTRES, or BUY a NOSE from our website Wetnose Day HERE. POSE with your pet & post on our Wetnose Animal Aid Facebook page or @ Wetnoseday Twitter page. Plant Powered Planet I 117
We are seeing what happens during 2022 and hopefully we can work on something wonderful for the animals as well as the people who work so tirelessly to give a home to abandoned and abused animals all over the UK. Please do support us – check out our website and perhaps pose with a nose! wetnoseanimalaid.com
Can you walk 50 MILES this September for our Wetnose Animal Day September challenge? You can register your pet online & help raise funds for our ANIMAL RESCUE CENTRES, or BUY a NOSE from our website Wetnose Day - Wetnose Animal Aid POSE with your pet & post on our Wetnose Animal Aid facebook page or @Wetnoseday twitter page. Please do support us – check out our website and perhaps pose with a nose! wetnoseanimalaid.com
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Wetnose Animal Aid raises funds every September on our fundraising day for the smaller Rescue Centres. This year your challenge is to walk 50 MILES this September for our Wetnose Animal Day September challenge!
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Benjamin Zephaniah: Benjamin is a British writer & dub poet from Handsworth, Birmingham. Among his many works, in 2018 Benjamin released his autobiography ‘The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah’, available here.
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International Travel has been somewhat limited this last 2 years or so but that’s slowly changing as restrictions around the globe lift, and the travel industry – perhaps one of the worst hit by the pandemic – begins to open up again. Emma Fry runs Vegan Adventure Holidays with a focus on travel in Central America, and is slowly emerging from the wreckage to start planning some very exciting options! Plant Powered Planet caught up with Emma in between packing and planning for her latest round of vegan adventures abroad. Coping with restrictions Tough might be a bit of an understatement but hey, what’s a global pandemic when you deal with volcanic eruptions twice a week? Obviously, everything ground to a halt due to C19, and like so many people, I really thought I would be back running trips again in a month or two... and here we are nearly 18 months later and I’m just about to run my first post-pandemic trip! I’ve got a Mexico New Years’ Eve special trip, a hiking & multi-activity adventure in Guatemala for February and a new Belize trip is about to go live. Bring on the adventures.
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You may think these hurdles would dull people’s appetite for travel, but my New Years Eve trip in Mexico sold out within two weeks! I would say if anything the appetite for adventure and travel seems to have increased, definitely a postpandemic effect I’m very happy about!
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There is a wonderful and fast-developing vegan scene in Mexico now which is being led by locals of all ages, not just the under 30’s which is so nice to see. Go Mexico!
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Continued restrictions Travel rules and regulations from country to country and still changing by the minute and many of the countries I operate in have implemented new mandatory requirements which to be honest, are just a headache. Sadly some of these new regulations are putting a lot of small, locally operated places out of business. You may think these hurdles would dull people’s appetite for travel, but my New Years Eve trip in Mexico sold out within two weeks! I would say if anything the appetite for adventure and travel seems to have increased, definitely a post-pandemic effect I’m very happy about! Carbon concerns Without a doubt, flying and the subsequent carbon emissions of international travel are at the forefront of everybody’s mind now, both mine as a tour operator and my clients too. There’s a small but growing movement of people traveling internationally but staying for one month instead of doing several flights per year and to
meet this demand I’ll have my first vegan work & travel one month program in Guatemala in November 2022. I’m also beginning to offer online experiences as an alternative for anyone not wanting to fly abroad. How Vegan? VERY vegan! The only thing I still struggle with here in central America is some of the furnishings in the hotel rooms sometimes are not vegan; rugs or textiles made with wool, the odd leather sofa here and there but things are improving and my suppliers are excellent at doing their best to accommodate my requirements. If I had to choose a destination that has come the furthest in terms of plantbased options that I’ve seen, it would definitely be Mexico. There is a wonderful and fast-developing vegan scene in Mexico now which is being led by locals of all ages, not just the under 30’s which is so nice to see. Go Mexico! On the other hand there’s Belize. It’s an absolutely amazing country, the people are great, it’s culturally fascinating but probably one of the least
vegan-friendly countries in Central America - I’ve taken on the responsibility of trying to create some change amongst my suppliers and further afield but have my work cut out that’s for sure. My advice to vegan travellers is - be prepared, it’s definitely best to do some research before you arrive somewhere new and don’t arrive in a linguistically challenging location without at least a few vegan snacks in your bag! Favourite destinations I love the USA, it’s an outdoor adventurers paradise, I’ve been traveling in the US for years and still don’t feel like I’ve even scratched the surface. Vegan Adventure Holidays will definitely have a trip in America in the next year or two. Goals My biggest goal is to continue to create the best, most friendly, fun, global community of vegan travelers! My aim is to expand my current range of 7-14 day vegan adventure trips in Central America, start running one month work programs and develop online experiences. So much to do!
That’s right! There are finally Vegan Adventure Holidays trips available now at veganadventureholidays.com. Click the link or logo to check out the website now!
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30 Years of Vegan Goodies At the forefront of the plant-based movement for decades, Fry Family Food Co. is celebrating its 30th birthday this year. Tammy Fry is the marketing director at global plantbased brand The Fry Family Food Co and marketing & communications director for the LIVEKINDLY Co. “When I first went veggie then vegan Frys Vegetarian was (and still is) a go to fully vegan brand – and I was delighted to work with the UK team headed by Pat and Lisa Drummy to promote the products in the UK nearly 20 years ago. I was delighted to be one of the first people to try their vegan fish at a media event a few years ago – they went down incredibly well with everyone there! Tammy’s father, Wally Fry, grew up as a meat lover, making meaty ingredients a part of his dayto-day life. Her mother, Debbie, on the other hand, was a long-time vegetarian. After Wally decided to join Debbie and Tammy in embracing vegetarianism, he started creating tasty high-protein meat replacements for himself and his family – a year later the Fry Family Food Co. was born.
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Beginning as a small family business in South Africa, Fry Family Food Co. has since grown to become a global company.” - Karin Ridgers, Plant Powered Planet Editor. The Fry’s Story We have been on such a journey with Fry’s over the last 30-years. There are so many memorable moments that, in hindsight, helped us define who we are. I think some of the most memorable landmarks would be when we sold our first products to the general public (nearly 30 years ago). Up to that point we’d only been feeding friends and family with our sausages and Chicken-Style burgers, so it was quite extraordinary that people outside of our circle were responding to the products. The first time we imported to another country was
very significant for us, and it was the UK - our first international market. And of course, signing our deal with the LIVEKINDLY Collective, which is helping us take the Fry’s brand to new markets, was a hugely exciting time. There have been many milestones in between those – winning some wonderful awards, creating some ground-breaking products and more – but those three are real cornerstones for us. Exciting things are happening at the moment with Fry’s globally, and the biggest growth for the company is in the USA and Africa. in the USA, we are starting from a zero base, and are experiencing unprecedented growth. South Africa is our home base, and we have significant brand equity and brand awareness here, so our growth here comes from new consumers being introduced to the category.
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Tammy is a crossfitter, 5th Dan Karateka and has been South African National Champion multiple times, a self-defence coach, surfer, businesswomen, public speaker, and mum of two little boys. Left: Her successful book Made with Love and Plants is now available on Amazon. The book includes helpful support and tips to make dieting easier. The recipes encompass a full range of meals from breakfast through to treats, and for family and entertaining.
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Product Development New product development is one of the most exciting aspects of the job and coming up with ideas for new products is so much fun. Being a family of vegans, we often look at the types of products we want as a family, and then we start developing them. Often new ideas will come from a conversation over dinner or suggestions from friends or consumers. When it comes to testing the latest products, our consumer research has always been tried and tested on our own family first! Our kids are the best with feedback as they are so honest. If they like the new product, it stays and they can be the best food critics, so we completely trust them.
personally, the Fishless Fillets gives me the most satisfaction. As a surfer and diver, I am very passionate about ocean conservation, and the Fishless Fillets are so important as they provide an alternative option to consuming fish. They contain all of the protein and Omega 3 that fish contains, without the impact of commercial fishing. They are so versatile and can be used in a multitude of recipes including fish tacos, fish curries and even fish and chips!
Best Sellers Our most popular products are our Chick’n Burger, Chicken-Style Nuggets and Schnitzels – the all-time greats! But
Carbon Footprint Over the past 20 years, we have implemented many processes to reduce our carbon footprint and our efforts include sourcing raw materials which are sustainable, and changing to more eco-friendly packaging solutions. Currently, we are looking at local manufacturers and vertical integration, an example of which is growing our own raw materials. The Future The future for Fry’s is simple. Now, more than ever, change is needed in the world and we want to be a part of the solution. We have been fighting a lonely fight for 30 years, but times are changing and awareness is at an alltime high. So, for now, it’s about staying focussed on our purpose and maintaining the excellent quality of our products.
In the future we would like to continue with our consumer research and have sensory evaluation panels to test any new products. Aside from new product development and testing, we also constantly optimise and improve our current ranges, to ensure they taste the very best for our customers.
what we enjoy, and family meals are very important to us.
Xmas dinner at the Fry’s household We live in the Southern Hemisphere, it means a Summer Christmas for us, so we also tend to eat a little lighter, and we love grazing tables, so a table filled with yummy veggie dishes and fresh salads is
Also, we have SUCH an exciting product launch coming up and I cannot wait to share it with you… watch this space! Tammy Fry International Marketing Director for Fry’s Family Food Co. Plant Powered Planet I 129
Gary Webster We have chatted with Gary live online several times via VegfestUK Live – and every time he has me in stitches. Married to long time inspirational vegan and friend – TV presenter Wendy Turner Webster - Gary is an author and Soap Award Winner. Gary Webster is the much loved actor famed for Eastenders, Family Affairs, Ray Daley in Minder, Thunder Girls, The Cat & The Canary on tour and much more. We find out more in this quick festive interview… Karin: Hi Gary! Straight away - tell us your ideal Xmas dinner in a nutshell. Gary: Vegan sausages, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, peas, broccoli, vegan bread sauce, mint sauce, redcurrant jelly and roast potatoes again. I used to make it but I get too stressed so Wendy does it now!! Karin: What do you want from Santa for Xmas this year? The same as I want every year… Good health and happiness for my family. But apart from that socks and boxer shorts mainly from TK Maxx and razor blades from Boots. ‘Present Heaven’. Karin: Bet you wouldn’t mind-er few better jokes in the Christmas crackers this year than the editor’s feeble attempt just now? Gary: I’m more into riddles so here’s a joke and a riddle: “Who does Santa rely on when he’s ill???...The national ‘Elf service!!” 130 I Plant Powered Planet
AND What dries as it gets wet?? ...A towel!! Karin: What’s next for Gary? It must have been a tough couple of years… Gary: Every day we wake up breathing means we can change the world. So first is keeping well and making sure all my family is well also. Secondly I have a new film coming out next year – a sci-fi thriller called ‘Dream Hacker’ which we have great hopes for and so it’s also to make more movies and to hopefully get myself back on the box rather than just watching it!! Karin: Do you have any advice for someone doing Veganuary in 2022? Gary: Now is the best time to move to a vegan diet. Great plant-based meat substitutes, a wonderful commitment to the welfare of animals as in allowing them to live and you get to save the planet at the same time. What can be a better incentive than that?
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Every day we wake up breathing means we can change the world.
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Plant Based Health Online: Living with Cancer Plant Based Health Online is using an evidence based message to highlight the benefits of adopting a healthy plant based diet after a diagnosis of cancer.
Following the success of two pilot cancer survivorship programmes earlier this year, the team at Plant Based Health Online have launched further Virtual Group Consultation (VGCs) programmes designed specifically for patients who have breast, prostate and colon cancer. These six week programmes aim to improve cancer survivorship and connect cancer patients with those who have shared similar lived experiences. They have been generously subsidised by the Chartwell Cancer Trust. What healthy habits should people adopt? Although around 40% of cancers are preventable, it is not possible to prevent all cancers. The number of people living with cancer is increasing and there is recognition that we can do more to support patients to live well after a diagnosis. Diet choices, physical activity, avoiding harmful
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substances, good quality sleep and managing stress are all key components of supporting the body and giving yourself the best chance of recovery. There is robust evidence to support a healthy plant based lifestyle for certain cancers - namely breast, prostate and colon cancer. This is why, at Plant Based Health Online, we have chosen to focus our group programmes for patients living with these diagnoses. Breast cancer Breast cancer is now the commonest cancer in the UK and the most common cancer in women globally. 1 in 7 women in the UK will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Breast cancer is more common in high income countries, in part related to the ‘Western lifestyle’. The genes we inherit are responsible for only 5–10% of breast cancer cases, with the most widely studied genes, BRCA 1&2,
implicated in only 1–2% of cases. In contrast, up to 25% of cases could be prevented by addressing a number of lifestyle-related factors and a healthy plant-based diet and active lifestyle can make a huge difference in prevention, improving outcomes and survivorship. Prostate cancer and the benefits of a plant-based diet Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. Early stages of prostate cancer often don’t require medical treatment. However, adopting healthy lifestyle habits can be beneficial. A plant-based diet is the only diet that has been shown in a clinical study to arrest and in some cases reverse the early stages of prostate cancer. In a randomised study of 93 patients with early-stage prostate cancer, one group was randomised to a plant-based
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Being able to ask so many questions and hearing others’ questions has been really useful. It has allayed many fears and given me inspiration. I feel so much more in control of my health and am feeling so much better already!
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Connecting with other patients who had gone through cancer was hugely helpful. The team at Plant Based Health Online have made a big and very positive impact on my life. Thank you.
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diet and other healthy lifestyle habits, including regular exercise, stress management and social support. The other group continued their usual diet and lifestyle practices. After 1 year, the intervention group had a significant reduction in the PSA level (measure of the growth of the cancer), whereas the control group had a rise in PSA level. After 2 years, 27% of the control group had to go on and have conventional treatment (surgery or radiation) compared to only 5% in the intervention group. Similarly, a recent study of 1344 men from the USA showed that those consuming a diet full of healthy plant foods and low or absent in animal and processed foods had a much lower risk of having an elevated PSA level. Short episodes of regular physical activity have been shown to suppress the growth of prostate cancer and eating more plant foods was shown to reduce the risk of dying from prostate cancer by 19% in a study which involved 47,239 men followed for over 30 years. In separate studies the mechanism by which these diet and lifestyle interventions might be controlling prostate growth
was investigated. Lifestyle interventions in men with prostate cancer were found to increase the activity of the enzyme telomerase in blood cells, which acts to maintain the length of telomeres, and favourably alter gene expression in the prostate cells themselves.
Healthy habits improve remission rates and survival after treatment.
Cancer of the colon
Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of dying from colon cancer by 30-40%.
Cancer of the colon is the 3rd most common cancer in the UK (in females and males). Recently, a rapid rise in the incidence of colon cancer in young adults (aged 20-49) has been reported and evidence shows that a meat-heavy diet may be associated with an early onset of the disease.
For example, one study showed that those eating a more plant-based diet before and after treatment had a longer remission and lived longer than people eating a meat-heavy diet.
Although the research is less extensive, managing stress is also an important part of recovering from a cancer diagnosis. Even a short, daily relaxation routine can be of great help, bringing down levels of stress hormones and helping to maintain a steady mood. Restorative
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Doing the VGCs with PBHO has been such a brilliant experience. I’m learned so much about health and wellbeing after cancer and it’s been so good to connect with other women in a similar situation.
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sleep and avoiding tobacco and alcohol are equally important. At Plant Based Health Online, we recognise that it’s difficult to find the support to make all the necessary changes after a diagnosis of cancer and take on new habits. This is why we have teamed up with Chartwell Cancer Trust to support patients recovering after cancer and achieve their best health.
Following the success of two pilot cancer survivorship programmes earlier this year, we will continue to run regular Virtual Group Consultation (VGCs) programmes designed specifically for breast, prostate and colon cancer patients. The reason we use VGCs is because we understand how having a supportive network can really drive positive health outcomes. Our VGCs bring people
together who have shared similar lived experiences and provide opportunities for learning, understanding and expert advice. They are delivered in a caring, confidential environment and it is the peer support and group dynamic that makes them so powerful.
Cancer Programmes • There is space for 10 patients for each group. • Participants will be supported through a six-week structured diet & lifestyle programme • They will have access to the team of PBHO healthcare professionals who will help the groups incorporate healthy diet and lifestyle choices in order to improve their overall health, quality of life and cancer survivorship. • Consultations will be delivered via zoom • Patients must be living in the UK • The groups are suitable for patients with a diagnosis of early-stage prostate cancer, colon cancer or breast cancer • Cost £150 per patient (normally £350 – generously subsidised by the Chartwell Cancer Trust) For more information, please contact us by email:
info@plantbasedhealthonline.com
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Plant based health online was exactly the support I was looking for after I had gone through cancer treatment. It was more than I had hoped for. It felt like having a personal doctor and dietician who could answer all my questions.
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V for Life Post-Pandemic V For Life is a UK charity that helps take care of vegans in care homes. Amanda Woodvine brings us a post pandemic update as V for Life open up again and resume many of their previous roles in providing for elderly vegans in care.
V for Life I lead a small and talented team supporting older veg*ns – and those who care for them. The charity has certainly grown over recent years – from just a couple of home-workers in 2014 through to around 20 people on the payroll, with a Manchester office base. Demand in Lockdown One small positive of lockdown was a rise in local community support groups, such as COVID-19 Mutual Aid – offering shopping and more to vulnerable self-isolating people. And more services moved towards home delivery – prioritising people in vulnerable groups. Agerelated networks have been working to get more older people online. So in one sense, lockdown led to more support. Lockdown also made many of us aware of the challenges that frailty might bring. Restrictions in how far you can travel 138 I Plant Powered Planet
is a sad reality for many, all year-round. Up to 3.5% of the UK population may be housebound. For over 85s, this figure may be as high as 1 person in every 5. Supporting vulnerable older veg*ns has been at the heart of V for Life’s work since its formation. The pandemic has been challenging for some older veg*ns, including those living in care homes who haven’t been able to receive visitors. Even before the pandemic, many residents had no visitors at all. So we launched ‘A Write to Smile’, a card-writing campaign to raise a smile among isolated older veg*ns. We developed a ‘Good grocery shopping guide’ to support people shopping for those with special dietary requirements, perhaps for the first time. And we produced a ‘Selfisolation survival guide’, outlining the support available from the charity during this challenging period. Our chefs in Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and London switched to
online delivery of cookery demonstrations – taking a break from ‘roving’! They were joined virtually by almost 3,000 attendees across 45 organisations, including lunch clubs, care home caterers, carers groups, and older people’s groups and networks. Our annual Awards for Excellence in Vegetarian and Vegan Care Catering moved from Parliament to online. And we launched a virtual vegan lunch club; continued our veg*n penand phone-pal scheme; and facilitated the Mature Vegans and Veggies UK Facebook Group, which almost doubled in members. Post-Lockdown Slowly but surely we’re resuming in-person cookery demos – it’s been a pleasure for our chefs to be with people and cook for people again. Recently Chef Alex delivered a cookery demonstration and lunch club for a group from Age UK Wigan. The return of sharing the cooking
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They were joined virtually by almost 3,000 attendees across 45 organisations, including lunch clubs, care home caterers, carers groups, and older people’s groups and networks. 140 I Plant Powered Planet
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process, answering questions and chatting was wonderful – this natural interaction of people is not the same via Zoom. Of course, everyone also got to enjoy the food he made – again not possible via Zoom. Supporting V for Life As a national charity, it is not always easy for us to get our information to local communities. Relying on our supporters in local areas, with knowledge of local services, really helps us get information to people who need it. We have produced guides such as a Self-Advocacy Pack – explaining how to
protect your vegan values and beliefs in care – and Dinners to your Door for those that don’t have internet access. It is important that these guides reach the people they can help. It is important for people receiving care, and those that support them, to know that their identity is protected. We want to make sure that people know who to speak to if they feel that their values are being neglected.
lovely cards printed with rescued ex-battery hens on the front and are calling upon members of the veg*n community to write a short message inside. A sample message will be provided. We aim to send cards and a small vegan gift to over 1,500 care homes with veg*n residents – raising over a thousand smiles.
Join us as a Friend and we’ll explain how you might help raise awareness of these guides.
If you can help, please let V for Life know how many cards to send to you (info@vegetarianforlife.org.uk or 0161 257 0887).
You could also support our ‘A Write to Smile’ campaign. We’ve had some
We’ll post them to you, for you to please return to us at your earliest convenience.
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Options Unavailable Just before the pandemic, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Vegetarianism and Veganism called for evidence into respect for religious and philosophical beliefs while eating in care. This followed reports to V for Life of people being served foodstuffs that disregarded their religious or philosophical beliefs. This issue is deeply distressing – both for those being given food that didn’t align to their belief systems, and also for their families and loved ones. It is also a breach of the legislation and regulations in place to protect individuals’ rights. Evidence came in from those personally affected and their loved ones. In some cases, evidence came directly from care workers – such as Tuesday. Tuesday worked in various care homes across the UK for over 14 years. As a vegan, Tuesday was aware of what veg*ns do and do not consume, and was happy to follow individual care plans. However, Tuesday found that many care homes did not seem to care about an individual’s beliefs, even when they were outlined in the care plan. One
resident
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was
85,
non-verbal, and couldn’t move her limbs without assistance. She was given the same three meals every day – one of which was mashed potatoes with minced meat and peas – but often tried to refuse the food. Labelled as ‘aggressive’ or ‘bite risk’, Tuesday looked at the resident’s care plan and recognised that this resident was labelled a vegetarian. The caregivers had been mixing all her food together and feeding it to her. She couldn’t taste different flavours or textures, and most importantly, she wasn’t able to refuse the meat. Tuesday brought this to care management and chefs’ attention, but was told to feed meat to the resident anyway, claiming she needed it for nutrition, and wouldn’t feel full enough without it. Sadly, this resident passed away and no solution was found. These harrowing stories have been used to shape the recommendations of the VegAPPG Inquiry. They offer a deep insight into the daily challenges faced by older veg*ns in care settings. Government Support There are some legislative protections for those receiving care in the UK. However, we have four
main recommendations to strengthen the existing framework. First are a couple of recommendations to strengthen care regulations and related guidance – by recognising that philosophical beliefs are as important as an individual’s religious beliefs or cultural background. We’d also like to see mandatory training introduced – helping carers to learn more about, and fully understand the importance of, religious and philosophical beliefs. Finally, we’d like to see dietary guides in kitchens – ensuring that dietary practices arising from protected philosophical beliefs such as veganism are easy to understand and accessible for chefs. Watch out for updates at vegappg.org.uk! The Future We’ve really ramped up our research and policy efforts this year – follow us on socials for some very exciting announcements…
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The return of sharing the cooking process, answering questions and chatting was wonderful – this natural interaction of people is not the same via Zoom. Of course, everyone also got to enjoy the food he made – again not possible via Zoom.
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Water: Helping to boost Immune Response When people think about boosting their immune system they frequently think of Vitamins such as Vitamin C and D or herbal nutrients such as echinacea, garlic, oregano etc. Seldom do people think about water yet good hydration is vital for a healthy functioning immune system.
Poor hydration is a contributory factor in many of our degenerative disease issues. Over the years the focus of the majority of medical research has been the cell and comparatively little has been carried out into the function and characteristics of the water around the cells. Yet recent research by leading water research scientist Dr Gerald Pollack from the University of Washington has proven that the quality of the water around our cells has a profound effect on the integrity of the cells. Water comprises the largest fraction of our body. Typically this is about 80% for a newborn baby and drops to below 60% for an adult. In some older people the percentage is lower than that. Proper Hydration is Important for Body pH Balance Modern day diets, high levels of stress and environmental pollution have 144 I Plant Powered Planet
a very negative impact on our body’s pH balance. Our blood pH needs to remain in a very tight slightly alkaline range for our optimum health. Unfortunately the side effects of typical diets and stress increasingly push the blood pH towards acidity, which has many negative effects, including poorer oxygen transfer. If allowed to continue long term it can increase the potential for degenerative disease and make us more susceptible to infection. Good hydration is an important part of maintaining good body pH balance, helping to eliminate toxins and maintain good oxygen transfer. Good hydration does not solely depend on the amount of water we drink. It depends on the quality of the water we drink and its absorption. There are many people who drink lots of water - however much of it is not being absorbed. One of the contributory reasons is a lack of electrolytes in
the body. This problem is most prevalent on people taking inadequate amounts of good salt. The body needs salt, although there are a small percentage of people that are sodium sensitive. It is essential to consume salt that is unprocessed. Medical Doctor Batmanghelidj, a leading ambassador for the benefits of hydration, wrote a book called Water and Salt which is an excellent introduction to the extensive health benefits of water and salt. Hydration - Digestive Health and Its Effect on Immunity In addition to the benefits of toxin removal and better blood oxygenation one of the keys benefits of proper hydration is in improved gut health. Poor hydration is a major contributor cause of many of the manifestations of digestive tract dysfunction, particularly those conditions resulting in a sluggish bowel. If our digestive tract is not
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In addition to the benefits of toxin removal and better blood oxygenation one of the keys benefits of proper hydration is in improved gut health. -
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no doubt over the next few decades we will begin to understand better the vital role that good mineral rich water, suitably structured, has on improving or maintaining our vitality and immunity. -
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Proper hydration is vitally important to promote overall wellbeing and a robust immune system.
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functioning optimally it will greatly impact our immune function since much of our immune cells are located in the gut. Whether the manifestation of digestive problems is colitis, IBS, constipation, bloating, acid reflux, leaky gut or some other disease label you can be sure that the gut environment is out of balance. If the gut environment is not what it should be it will result in an imbalance of the microbial colonies in our bowel which are vitally important for our wellbeing. More and more research in this area is showing the connection between the gut microflora and disease problems in different areas of the body and in particular our brain health. The balance and proliferation of good microbes in our digestive tract very much depends on the environment. The right environment depends on many factors including hydration, pHbalance, mineral balance, body temperature, vitamin D levels in addition to blood flow and nutrient flow. A properly functioning gut will
enhance our health and boost our immunity. Proper hydration is vitally important to promote overall wellbeing and a robust immune system. As we mentioned earlier this begins with consuming good water. The quality of the water we drink is of key importance. People automatically assume that good health promoting water is solely achieved by removing chemical contaminants such as chlorine that is added during water treatment or the multitude of chemicals found in our environment such as micro plastics, heavy metals, pesticide residues, drug residues and the weedkiller glyphosate. Giving Your Body the Type of Water that Will Enhance Wellbeing However removal of contaminants is only part of the process to create water which is going to help good hydration of our body. Good water should be mineral rich, slightly alkaline, have antioxidant properties and good structure. Neither tap water nor bottled water possesses the majority of these properties. Over the last decade there has been significant published research on the antioxidant effects of water that contains the tiny molecule molecular hydrogen. This water is found in waters in nature
that have particular benefits for health. Good structure is also necessary to give the body the type of water that it can use to effectively protect our cells. Japanese scientists believe that the optimum structure of water for the body is hexagonal water where 6 water molecules are bound around an alkaline mineral. There are many views on the structure of water and increasing ways to improve its structure and no doubt over the next few decades we will begin to understand better the vital role that good mineral rich water, suitably structured, has on improving or maintaining our vitality and immunity. With the need for heightened immunity being on the minds of an increasing number of people as we go into the winter months it is prudent to consider optimising hydration levels. Water is the No 1 nutrient for our body. Proper hydration is the single most important and most cost effective thing we can do to protect ourselves.
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The Impact of Agriculture on Wildlife Zoologist Jordi Casamitjana discusses the different ways agriculture has been impacting the lives of wild animals all over the world.
I have been campaigning for the protection of wildlife longer than I have been vegan. I started last century dealing with the issue of wild animals in captivity. First, trying to rehabilitate back into the Brazilian Amazon a colony of woolly monkeys kept in a primate sanctuary in Cornwall. Then, campaigning to phase out zoos and public aquaria in the UK. It continued by working on the enforcement of the Hunting Act 2004 investigating and prosecuting those who hunted foxes, hare, and deer against the law. I even helped train anti elephant and rhino poaching officials in the East African country of Mozambique. Therefore, I have a pretty good idea about the main threats wildlife are exposed to, and what kind of measures we can take to help. But most of the wild animals involved in my campaigning were either big mammals or “exotic animals”. In other words,
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animals most people like. In reality, though, the majority of the wild animals that suffer because of human activity are not of these types. They are the small birds, the rodents, the insects, the arachnids, and the aquatic animals we interfere with when we go into Nature to build structures or to farm for goods. The wildlife we harm, displace, or kill to accommodate our population growth, our relentless expansion, and our growing economy. When we cut down forests and build concrete towns and cities in their place, countless wild animals perish. But once we have done it, the resulting land is no longer part of “the wild”. Some species do manage to adapt to our urban environments, but the biodiversity of these spaces is small and fragile. When we build major structures, roads and buildings, we attack nature as huge meteorites attack our planet when falling from the sky. Fast, devastating, and
indiscriminate, causing the extinction of many local populations all at once. However, when we go into Nature and make it the countryside, the damage is no longer acute, but chronic. When we transform a forest into a farm, we keep attacking wildlife every year—and we have been doing it for the last 12,000 years. We are in a constant never-ending battle with all the animals who try to get their land back. A battle that arguably causes more suffering than the concrete, plastic, and metal tsunamis we unleash when we urbanised the world. Agriculture is a chronic disease for wildlife. Like an oozing wound that never heals. The Worst Type: Animal Agriculture There are different kinds of agriculture and not all of them are equally damaging to wildlife, though. Some are depleting while others are regenerative. Some are destructive while others are sustainable. Some
Kingfisher: a Kingfisher pair dig out a ‘nest chamber’ with a curved space at the end to prevent their eggs from rolling out. Unlike a usual nest, Kingfishers don’t bring materials inside the chamber.
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are traditional, while others are industrial. There is one type, though, which is, without doubt, the worse for wildlife. The depleting, destructive, and industrial rearing of animals for food, fibre, or any other goods. In other words, animal agriculture. For us vegans, the term “animal agriculture” (shortened as Animal AG) is not like the term “Borg” for a Trekkie; or “Voldemort” for a Potterhead; or “Darth Vader” for a Jedi. It’s not a personification of evil that is useful to make our outreach narrative more dramatic and compelling. It’s something much more dangerous and sinister than that, because it has permeated most societies in the world, and has almost become part of all humanity’s landscapes wherever we go. It is so entrenched in anything human, that it feels it is already a part of our essence, even when we reject it. Many vegans still eat food shaped, coloured and flavoured by the marketers of animal agriculture. Still wear clothes, shoes and accessories with the textures and shades created by the designers of such industry. And still indulge in the pastimes that animal farmers conceived to entertain countryside folk. Vegans may be able to avoid the direct use of animals for all those things, 150 I Plant Powered Planet
but the bloody connection remains. The number of farm animals involved in Animal AG is so high, that it has become almost meaningless. Like the number of stars in the Universe, when we talk about trillions of animals being killed by animal agriculture every year, we cannot process this magnitude. However, the number of wild animals this industry harms is bound to be much higher. So high, that nobody has ever managed to calculate. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, about 24,000 of the 28,000 species threatened with extinction, are mainly threatened by animal agriculture. Half of the world’s habitable land is arable land, and 77% of that is used for animal agriculture. Livestock grazing occurs on approximately 60% of the world’s agricultural land and supports at least 1.5 billion cattle/buffalo, and 1.9 billion sheep/ goats. Global production of “livestock” for human consumption has more than doubled since the 1960s. But in addition to eliminating natural ecosystems. there are many other ways Animal AG harms wildlife. Let’s talk about some of them.
Killing by Polluting For each pig, chicken or cattle factory farm in the countryside, there is a myriad of wild animals constantly perishing by the pollution spilling out from their hellish premises. Animal waste from these factories of flesh and excreta contains traces of salt and heavy metals, which can end up in bodies of water and accumulate in the sediment. It generates dangerous levels of phosphorus and nitrogen, which removes water from oxygen and destroys aquatic life. These animal factories often give antibiotics to their inmates to promote growth, which enter the environment and the food chain disturbing the ecological balance. Not only the water and soil are affected. The air too. Factory farms contribute to air pollution by releasing hydrogen sulphide, ammonia, and methane. The US Department of Agriculture estimates that farm animals in factory farms generate more than 450 million tonnes of manure annually, three times more raw waste than generated by American humans. And this is constantly releasing damaging gasses into the air. But if you remove the buildings but keep the animals, the situation doesn’t improve much. The so-called grass-fed
animals of the industry still devastatingly pollute the environment. The recent documentary Milked has exposed the wrongdoings of New Zealand’s dairy industry, which sells itself as clean, green and grass-fed based, an example for ethical consumers to admire. However, it turns out that, to get to such lush greenery, the dairy industry is resorting to irrigating the fields with synthetic fertilisers, which end up polluting the soil, rivers and lakes, killing the “disposable” wildlife there. New Zealand now holds the dishonourable title of having increased synthetic fertiliser use more than any other OECD nation since 1990. As a result, Nature in New Zealand is being slowly killed by animal agriculture — as it has already done so in many countries that used to be as green as them. In this documentary, Genevive Toop, from Greenpeace Aotearoa, says: “Industrial dairying is this country’s biggest polluter. It’s our biggest climate emitter. Emitting more greenhouse gases than the entire transport sector. It’s our biggest water polluter, and is also a major stressor for biodiversity and soil health.” And it happens everywhere. Intensive cattle grazing in Tanzania is reducing the diversity of grasses, which is impacting on zebras, wildebeests,
elephants, giraffes, and rhinos. Soil degradation of grassland by grazing domestic animals causes defoliation, trampling damage, and excretion contamination, which are serious problems in many countries. According to the UN, about 20% of the world’s pasture areas are considered to be degraded as a consequence of overgrazing and associated erosion and compaction. And then we have the other type of polluting that
affects not only the local populations of wild animals but wildlife all over the world: global heating. This is not only about CO2 emissions, though. Methane, the problematic gas hugely emitted by animal agriculture, has a global warming potential 84 times stronger than CO2, and one dairy cow produces about 500 kilogrammes of methane. It turns out that grass-fed cows produce more methane than grain feed cows. In 2006, the UN concluded
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Photo credit: ‘Milked’ documentary
that animal agriculture is responsible for at least 18% of greenhouse gas emissions. Then, the Worldwatch Institute, a Washington D.C. environmental think-tank, reported that “livestock” emissions account for 51% of greenhouse gases. And a recent white paper published in the Journal of Ecological Society now estimates that animal agriculture could be responsible for as much as 87% of greenhouse gases. It doesn’t matter what is the actual percentage. Nobody doubts anymore that Animal AG is one of the leading causes of global heating…and this means a major cause of hardship for populations of wild animals all over the world.
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The Competition Game Another way animal agriculture harms wildlife is by persecuting those animals from species deemed to be competing for space, food or water with animal farmers. Let’s look at some examples. Hens and sheep farmers use all sorts of lethal methods to get rid of foxes in their land because they claim they are a threat to their “livestock”. Despite the fact research has repeatedly shown that such claims are gross exaggerations, it does not matter if they are real or not. What matters is that animal farmers believe them, so they use foxhunting, terrier work, snares, shooting, lamping, and any other means at their disposal to kill foxes in their land or neighbouring areas. This does not work, by the way. Fox populations expand
when such methods are used, as they allow these territorial mammals to occupy more land when the local foxes are no longer there to defend their territory. And the more you try to control foxes’ populations with lethal means, the more foxes you would have to kill. A vicious circle of violence and suffering. Chicken and lamb farmers are not the only ones that do this to foxes. Shooters do it too. Those in the business of commercial shooting not only kill the foxes but also any wild raptor in the area — even if it is illegal to do so. You may think that the pheasant shooting industry is not part of animal agriculture, as they just kill wild animals in the wild. You would be wrong. The pheasants they shoot are introduced in the land after they have been bred in captivity with similar methods to chicken
factory farming — often from chicks imported from other farms overseas. Both pheasants and chickens are not native to the UK. They both come from the East. They are both captive bred in factory-like enclosures. The only difference is that chickens are killed in abattoirs, and pheasants are shot by paying punters after they have been allowed to run a few days in a field — a practice that also harms the local wildlife as the huge numbers of birds released compete with the local animals, and the ammunition scattered when people shoot them is also a threat to them. All of this is not new, by the way. Since the birth of animal agriculture about 12,000 years ago, farmers have been targeting wild animals that may threaten their “livestock”. Countless species of predatory mammals and birds have become extinct because of this. In the UK, there are no longer wild wolf populations because of this. Or wolverines. Or Lynx. And the populations of these mammals have decreased considerably in the rest of Europe for the same reason. The grizzly bear and the Mexican grey wolf were driven to extinction in southwestern American ecosystems by “predator control” programs designed to protect the animal agriculture industry.
Sometimes this is done by farmers and their countryside friends. Sometimes is done by governments (perhaps disguised as ecological measures). In 2018, 68,292 coyotes were killed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The next year, it killed approximately 1.2 million animals native to North America. That includes hundreds of black bears, grey wolves, and bobcats, thousands of red foxes, tens of thousands of beavers, and hundreds of thousands of birds. All using poison, inhumane traps, and even being shot from the air. And once they have eliminated all the big mammals that may constitute a real or imaginary threat to their “livestock”, then farmers go for smaller ones. For instance, badgers. There has been a government-sanctioned badger cull in England for many
years now (one of several culls that have targeted this iconic species), and it is all done, the government says, to protect animal agriculture. Cattle from the dairy industry, to be precise. Badgers have not been accused to predate on cattle, but to make them ill by spreading Bovine Tuberculosis. This is not true, though, as this cattle disease is mainly spread from cattle to cattle, and the badgers are just some of the unfortunate collateral wild animals that also catch this disease — another way animal agriculture affects wild animals, by infecting them with pathogens they would not have encountered in the wild. But as in the case of farmers blaming foxes, it doesn’t matter if it is true or not. The government and the farming leadership decided they had to kill badgers, and that was that. So far, they have killed more than 100,000 in England.
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Both pheasants and chickens are not native to the UK. They both come from the East. They are both captive bred in factory-like enclosures. The only difference is that chickens are killed in abattoirs, and pheasants are shot by paying punters
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Badger: Many species of badger are social creatures and live in ‘clans’ or a ‘cete’, that share their territory and setts. Setts can be centuries old and are used generation to generation.
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The Better Type: Plant-based Agriculture Removing farmed animals from agriculture reduces considerably the harm done to animals of all types. However, growing plants with the traditional methods instead of rearing animals also harms wildlife. Standard plant-based agriculture is responsible for the distress, injury and death of billions of wild animals. As vegans, we may not like this fact, but we cannot deny it. Traditional plant-based agriculture is also partially responsible for the destruction of land ecosystems to plant crops — although more often than not these are part of animal agriculture as crops to feed “livestock”. For example, forests in Sumatra that are home to elephants, jaguars and orang-utans are being destroyed for palm plantations. Pollution from plant-based crops is also a cause of negative impact on wild animals. For instance, fertilisers. Non-organic fertilizers mainly contain phosphate, nitrate, ammonium and potassium salts, that when they go into the natural ecosystems in great quantities have devastating effects on wildlife. The fertilizer industry is considered to be a major source of the ecosystem’s contamination with dangerous heavy metals.
And then we have the use of substances directly designed to kill wildlife: pesticides. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, about one billion pounds of pesticides are applied every year to agricultural land and other areas in the United States. Bees, frogs, birds, hedgehogs, and bats are often the victims of pesticides, even if they were designed to kill other species considered pests. A 2019 report by the Endangered Species Coalition showed that insecticide exposure kills about one-tenth of the San Joaquin kit fox population. In California, 70% of tested wild mammals have been exposed to pesticides designed to kill rodents. Malathion, an insecticide registered for use in the US since 1956, is likely to harm 97% of the 1,782 mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and plants listed under the US Endangered Species Act. In theory, organic farming uses fewer pesticides or fertilizers, but most plant crops are not organic. For instance, in the EU in 2019, the organic area was only 8.5 % of total EU agricultural land. Only 5% of the UK crops land is organic. The North American share of the global land used for organic farming also only amounts to 5%. The persecution game is also played in plantbased agriculture. And not
only with innocent “scarecrows” deterring wild birds from eating food from crops. In the UK, from 1st January 2021, landowners can use a government’s general licence to kill or take certain wild birds to prevent serious damage to their property (such as crops). These include carrion crows, feral pigeons, jackdaws, magpies, rooks, and wood pigeons. Larsen traps (which contain a separate compartment for a “decoy” bird that are seen as intruders by the local birds) are commonly used for this purpose. There are also wildlife disturbances (including deaths) when the food of crops is harvested, especially if mechanical methods have been used. There are a couple of studies that suggest that the average number of rodent deaths during harvest is between 6 and 40 per acre, but they have been challenged as overestimations as some of these rodents may have just left the fields, rather than perished. But being forced out of your home is also a disturbance that we should not ignore. They may be disputes regarding the numbers involved, but when I watch farmers using big machines on their fields to harvest as much food as possible as fast as possible, it seems inevitable to me that some wildlife would not be able to get away on time.
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Additionally, we have rainforest deforestation to plant crops. Between 1994 and 2004, the area of land used to grow soya beans in Latin America more than doubled to 39 million hectares, making it the largest world area for a single crop above maize (28 million hectares). However, this trend has been driven mainly by the sharp increase in demand for animal products, which led to a tripling of global meat production between 1980 and 2002. Most of the soya beans grown in these areas are to feed cattle, pigs and chickens. And most of this increased production came from the demand for intensive “livestock” operations in China and other East Asian countries, where arable land is scarce. More than a third of the world’s crop calories are fed to animals in a very inefficient system that wastes most of the food (for every 100 calories fed to animals in the form of human-edible crops, people receive just 17-30 calories in the form of meat and milk). In other words, most plantbased agriculture is, in fact, animal agriculture in disguise, and therefore all the wildlife it harms mentioned above should be added to the tally of animal harm that animal agriculture causes. This is why 156 I Plant Powered Planet
many vegans continue to eat plants without feeling too guilty of the ecological damage crops may have caused. What About the so-called “Ethical” Animal Agriculture? We have seen that traditional plant-based agriculture also causes a lot of damage to the countryside and wildlife. Also, we know that some types of animal agriculture (such as factory farming) are worse than others. Therefore, is consuming only products of the better types an acceptable ethical alternative to vegan eating? Which types I am talking about? Firstly, we have “organic” animal agriculture. Then we have traditional low-scale sheep grazing operations in mountainous land to produce wool, which has been put forward as an acceptable farming option in some harsh landscapes where crops cannot grow — one of the classic arguments against vegans’ intransigence. And finally, we have “regenerative animal agriculture”, put forward as ecologically sound. Are these tolerable ethical alternatives to veganism? I don’t think so. Ethically speaking, trying to “do less harm” will never be a better alternative than trying to “do no harm”. And if a business ends
up killing animals before their natural time, even if it improves their lives considerably (such as letting them roam free in the countryside eating grass), this would always be an ethical reason to reject it. Organic animal farming may cause less harm than factory farming, but it still pollutes the environment, wastes resources (land and water), persecutes competing animals, and kills the farmed animals using the same horrible slaughter methods. But some neo-farmers now claim they have found ways to reverse the negative effect of their practices on the environment, so using their products should be acceptable — especially by eco-vegans. They call these practices “holistic grazing” or “regenerative animal agriculture”. They claim animal grazing sequesters enough carbon in the non-cultivated grass soil to compensate for the animals’ greenhouse gases contribution. Sounds nice, but in my opinion, these “changes” are mostly greenwashing and propaganda. For instance, the environmental claims of holistic grazing have already been debunked by many experts. In 2017, the Food Climate Research Network (FCRN) conducted a two-year review of holistic grazing titled “Grace and Confused”. They
Mouse: Mice are reported to eat between 15 and 20 times every day. Because of this, they prefer to live close by food sources. Plant Powered Planet I 157
concluded that Carbon sequestered in the soil from grazing only offsets 20–60 % of the emissions produced by the animals. And after 15 years or so this effect vanishes when the soil reaches carbon equilibrium. But what about the flock of sheep in a Welsh or a Scottish hill? Isn’t that the only option for a landowner in this type of harsh environment? No, it’s not. Rebecca Knowle is the founder of Farmers for Stock Free Farming and Vegan Outreach Scotland. In 2018 she began lobbying Scottish politicians for a change in the food production system. She told me the following: 158 I Plant Powered Planet
“During 2018 and 2019 we were lobbying for the shift to a plant-based diet. Through our lobbying, my colleague Amanda and I were meeting with two of the Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). One has one of the biggest egg production facilities in Scotland. He stopped us and he said, ‘Do you know what? If you shift to a plant-based diet you are going to put 60% of Scottish farmers out of business.’ We knew he was wrong, but we knew we had to prove it.” “Out of our agricultural land in Scotland, 77% is permanent pasture or rough grazing. And that is deemed unsuitable
for growing food for human consumption. It’s only deemed suitable for grazing sheep and cows. So, people say the only way to grow food in grassland is by grazing sheep and cows, and then eat them. And that’s not true.” Rebecca’s response was to create a new website that shows which other income-generating alternatives to animal agriculture Scottish farmers could choose. And she did not find only two or three. The webpage is titled “100 Ways to Farm StockFree”. Here they all are: Growing stuff (broad beans, field beans, lentils, peas, lupins, oats, wheat,
barley, rye, triticale, potatoes, purple sprouting broccoli, kale, onions, carrots, beetroot, chard, lettuce, turnips/swedes, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, leeks, parsnips, Calabrese, cucumber, radish, squash, Spring greens, mushrooms, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, tayberries, honeyberries, tomatoes, rhubarb, apples, pears, plums, gooseberries, hazelnuts, sweet chestnuts, hemp, kelp, buckwheat, oilseed rape, flaxseed/ linseed, high erucic acid rapeseed, Echium, lavender, peppermint, rose, rosemary); repurpose buildings (vertical farming, mushroom growing, storage space rental,
renting space, wedding venues, meeting venues, children’s holiday clubs, gin distilling, pet boarding facilities); alternative land use (native tree planting, rewilding, lazy beds, ‘Leafu’ or Leaf Protein Concentrate Production, Polycrubs, green burials, outdoor weddings, music festivals, film shoots, secure dog walking); retailing (farmers markets, farms shops, crafting, veg box schemes, vending machines, garden centres); renewable energy (wind turbines, solar panels, anaerobic digesters); catering/accommodation (farmhouse B&B, self-catering, AirBnB, shepherd huts, yurts, hikers’ / campers’ cafés or restaurants); leisure activities
(grass-sledging, archery, zip wire rides, segway hire/ adventures, straw bale mazes, paintballing, hovercrafting, speedboating, kayaking, paddle-boarding); and Nature-based tourism (guided nature walks, birdwatching, wildlife watching, den building, foraging workshops, Arts and Craft holidays). And all that in the harsh high latitude environment of Scotland. You may think that some of the suggested crops are not possible in the Scottish grasslands, but that is not true. Rebecca has done her homework. She told me: “If you look at the islands now there is only sheep. But they used Plant Powered Planet I 159
Shumei Natural Agriculture: ”A 5 acre [veganic] site near Yatesbury, run by Shinya and his co-workers.” - VON The Road Summer Tour 2020 from issue 1 of Plant Powered Planet.
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Photo credit: Vegan Organic Network
to grow oats and hemp there. They used to grow their own food. There is history that hemp was grown in the Isle of Lewis in 1771. It grows on marginal land.” I rest my case. The Best Type: Veganic Agriculture Even if we re-label most of the crops on Earth as being part of animal agriculture as they are grown to feed “livestock”, I do not doubt that the remaining crops still cause far too much harm to wildlife to be ignored by ethical vegans. Traditional plant-based agriculture is better than animal agriculture, but that’s not good enough. OK, by switching to organic plant-based agriculture, we improve the situation considerably. We get rid of the suffering caused by most pesticides and synthetic fertilisers, but that’s not enough either. Organic farming still uses some pesticides (in the EU, 28 of the 490 substances approved for use as pesticides are approved for use in organic agriculture), and still uses animal manure as fertilizers. There must be a better way. There is. It is called Regenerative Veganic Agriculture. The term “veganic farming” was first seen in a Vegan Society’s magazine in 1960. It meant the organic
cultivation of plants and crops with a minimal amount of exploitation or harm to any animal. For instance, no use of animal manure or bone/fish meal, no pesticides, and no killing of competitor wildlife. It was initially experimenting more in gardens and orchards rather than major farms, but with time, veganic farmers become more organized, developing different approaches and standards. And recently, they have taken an even wider approach in the way they look at avoiding harming not only local wildlife but the planet — thus becoming Regenerative Veganic Agriculture. This type of crop growing aims to produce food for society sustainably and compassionately (for domestic and wild animals alike) and helps to repair the planet faster. The methods they use to minimise negative impact to wildlife go beyond avoiding pesticides and nasty fertilisers. They use physical barriers to deal with competing species, do not intentionally kill any animals on their holdings, and try to promote biodiversity in and around their crops. They use buffer zones or hedges if the farms are close to sprayed fields, and they favour companion planting with extensive crop rotations. Although this type of agriculture is still a very small
minority of the total, it is nevertheless growing. In different parts of the world different terms and standards are used for this type of farming, such as stock-free farming, vegánics, Biocyclic Vegan Agriculture, Certified Stockfree-Organic, etc. Each of these labels may imply slightly different approaches, but the core idea is the same: minimising even further the harm that plant agriculture causes to animals — including wildlife — and the environment. This is why, although small in numbers and often unknown, this is the best type of agriculture for wild animals — and vegans. It’s not all just letting Nature do the work, though. Some veganic farming methods can be very hands-on and high tech: No-till cultivation, using plants with taproots, planting cover crops, and even using ultra-lightweight robots for less disruptive precision farming, are all methods that are being tried. There is an exciting future in veganic farming too. The Post Agricultural Era Even Regenerative Veganic Agriculture may have some negative impact on wildlife, though. After all, it is occupying the land that otherwise would be a wild meadow or forest for wild animals to use Plant Powered Planet I 161
at their leisure. Can we go a step further? Well, some people are trying. You can now grow plants in vertical farms in urban areas with even less disruption to wildlife. Vertical farming is the process of growing plants indoors under controlled conditions in a series of stacked layers. Many may use LED light instead of sunlight and may not even need soil. This type of indoor farming has become popular among investors across the globe getting around $1.8 billion of investment since 2014. Denmark and Abu Dhabi seem to be leading on this. And via precision fermentation, you can now grow all sorts of food miles away from the countryside by using bacteria. You can even grow food from the air, so to speak. In California, a company called Air Protein uses Carbon dioxide-reducing hydrogenotrophic bacteria that take CO2 and Hydrogen from the air and produce biological molecules from which, adding the right substrate, you can make nutritious food with all the proteins, fats, carbs, vitamins, and minerals that you need. NASA studied these in the 1960s trying to find ways to feed astronauts on long journeys, and this technology has now been resurrected. You can grow all sorts of food from bacteria, algae, and fungi, and you do not need that much land, water 162 I Plant Powered Planet
or space. And in the end, it may be cheaper as well, as it takes fewer resources and can grow faster. So, theoretically — and now also practically — humanity could soon leave the agriculture era behind and move into a new post-agricultural era (I am sure future historians will be clever enough to give it a better name) less harmful to the environment and wildlife. I say theoretically, because who knows which hidden cost and risk these technologies may carry, which will only be discovered when they are sufficiently scaled up. If all these new food technologies work efficiently, safely, and do not carry unexpected negative surprises, this may be quite a clean solution to the problems we have been discussing. They will not only allow producing more food faster without harming wildlife but will also allow for freeing land and returning it to Nature. And then, balanced natural ecosystems could be restored, which, in the long term, are bound to cause qualitatively and quantitatively less suffering than that caused by “the countryside” humans created since the dawn of agriculture. We could then sign a peace treaty with wildlife and finally live in harmony with everyone. I am sure the animals will sign it.
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GLOBAL
VEGFEST 18th December: Looking forward to the second Global Vegfest this month? This month Global Vegfest - an online event that saw vegan activists and speakers from around the world back in September 2021 - returns for it’s second edition. Be sure to follow the event page, our VegfestUK Facebook page and Global Vegfest’s Facebook page for more information and regular updates. Did you watch Global Vegfest 1 live in September of 2021? If not, you can catch up on all the livestreams as well as find out information on who took part in each session & what each session is all about in this interactive event programme.
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Hello and welcome to Issue 3 of Força Vegan Online Magazine, touching base with the 4 corners of the globe in this post-pandemic epoch overshadowed by the combined threats of climate change, corporate negligence and the consistent annihilation of billions of living beings and vast hectarage of wildlife habitat, confronted by the consistent actions of millions of committed activists and individuals fighting for change, for justice and for liberation. Força Vegan continues its journey that began back in March 2021 and enhanced in May 2021 with a fabulous collection of news, views and reflections from a compact yet undoubtedly bijoux selection of contributors from across the globe. Our gratitude and respect extends to all those living the change we want to see in the world, those working for a vegan future for everyone, and especially those featured in this collection of inspirational vegan and animal rights activism.
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A warm welcome to our readers from across the globe as we bring you our second issue of Força Vegan Online Magazine, dedicated to animal rights activists and vegan outreach throughout the world. Issue 2 doesn’t disappoint, delivering frontline reports from Gaza from the extraordinary Plant The Land Team, plus in-depth interviews with activist and healthcare professional Leila Dehghan, who also presents ‘Athletes, Food, Diversity’, and long term activist Alison Plaumer, recently making the global media headlines with Animal Rebellion. Simohamed Bouhakkaoui updates from Morocco, Maya Cohen – Ronen reports from Wellington New Zealand, Cina Ebrahimi describes first hand some of the recent protests in Seattle, Jenna Kamal brings us news from Dahar in Egypt, Nella Giatrakou features the upcoming Online AR summit in Kent, Roger Yates delves into the world of TikTok and we take time out to visit Tivai and the Vibrant Vegan Society of Ghana. On a creative note, we were thrilled to catch up with vegan comedian Ishi Khan- Jackson, whilst The Art of Compassion features a brand new online... READ MORE > 168 I Plant Powered Planet
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Welcome to Issue One (March 2021) of Forca Vegan – the free online vegan magazine that joins up activists and campaigns across the globe into a glorious celebration of all things vegan. Born into a world emerging from Lockdown and the global COVID Crisis, Forca Vegan brings together a feelgood factor, information, education and a myriad of different voices and experiences from a multitude of global vegan activists. Removing barriers and focusing on solutions, Forca Vegan reflects a living, growing, unfolding history of liberation, understanding and evolution at a time like never before, and at a time like we never needed before. If we are to face the problems that lie in front of us and lie ahead, and change them for the better, we’ll all benefit from listening to a broader vegan fanbase and learning from these experiences, and turning these lessons into effective and consistent education & action. Forca Vegan aims to help do that. Our thanks to everyone who has contributed to this iconic first issue. There are some truly outstanding stories and you are invited to share this magazine widely... READ MORE > 170 I Plant Powered Planet
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Issue 2 is full up with fantastic interviews and focuses on the best the plant based lifestyle has to offer the discerning 21st century individual, who values animals, environment and people when making lifestyle consumer choices. Our regular contributors Tony Bishop Weston (The Vegetable Plot) and Daniele Maupertuis (Vegans Deserve Better than a Fruit Salad) return with their summer special seasonal sprinklings of plant based gold dust, including asking the question ‘Are you eating too much ultra processed vegan pap?’ and a wonderful raw vegan cheesecake recipe, and we were thrilled to catch up with our star 3 guests for issue 2, BodyBuilder Robert Cheeke, Activist Juliet Gellatley and Actor Danny Hatchard. The Vegan Organic Network make their regular appearance including more seasonal veganic gardening tips from author Piers Warren, Emma Fry once more takes us on a few vegan travel tips, and we take a look at new book ‘Feeding Your Vegan Child’ alongside the launch of new vegan snacks and motivational packs brand GoalPower, before getting to chat with The Vegan Vet about companion animals and plant based... READ MORE > 172 I Plant Powered Planet
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Strawberry jam packed with the most fantastic vegans on the planet (well aren’t we all my lovelies?)…. We bring you ….. the best independent vegan owned business we must support, expert advice, travel, health and all needless to say with a massive positive vegan angle. Super Toni Vernelli gives us the lowdown and updates on Veganuary and we catch up with the most fabulous new vegan clothing range on the block with an interview with the inspirational Lorri Delahunty from VEGAN Happy Clothing. We find out more about what TV and radio presenter Kirly-Sue has been getting up to – especially with her vegan TV show filmed in the UK and Jamaica now on Amazon Prime. And my wonderful friend plant based chef Keith Squires tells us about the health benefits from working from home. CEO and founder of Planet Arborist gives us fantastic advice for what to look out for Greenwashing wise… And where else do you get to hear from the vegan doctors at Plant Based Health Professionals UK?... READ MORE > 174 I Plant Powered Planet
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