[Washington Post]

Who says you can't eat healthy at an airport? According to the 2009
Airport Food Review just released by the nonprofit Physicians
Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), travelers can find
healthful meals at airports in Detroit, San Francisco, Phoenix,
Houston and Newark, the top finishers in the survey.

Bad news for Washington-area travelers: BWI Marshall, Reagan National
and Dulles International were among the lowest-ranking airports (11th,
12th and 13th, respectively, with Dulles tying Chicago's O'Hare
International for that 13th spot).

The committee's dieticians examined the food served at 17 of the
nation's busiest airports. Each restaurant received a point if its
menu offered at least one low-fat, high-fiber vegetarian entree. The
airport then received a percentage score, which was calculated by
dividing the number of restaurants serving healthful fare by the total
number of restaurants.

--
full story:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/27/AR2009112701842.\
html

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[New York Times]

JAY ASTAFOVIC, 17, has been helping out at Three Brothers Pizzeria,
which is owned by his father, since it opened here in January 2007.
But when he changed his diet from vegetarian to vegan later that year,
he had a problem: “Every time I would come here I would have nothing
to eat,” he recalled.

As a vegan, he avoids all animal-based foods — not just meat, poultry
and seafood, but also eggs and dairy products. “I would look at all
those pizzas” topped with cheese, he said, “and wish there was a vegan
option.”

So he researched the possibilities. Encouraged especially by the
quality of a commercial cheese substitute derived primarily from the
cassava root, the self-described “vegan foodie” persuaded his father,
Andy, to start offering dairy-free pizzas last summer.

“I say, ‘You want to do it, do it,’ ” said Andy Astafovic (pronounced
As-TAH-foh-vic), a native of Montenegro. “He orders it, I pay,” Mr.
Astafovic said of the faux cheeses. Now the 30-seat pizzeria offers a
full vegan Italian dinner menu, along with its traditional one, Jay
Astafovic said.

It is one small illustration of how being a vegan on Long Island is a
little easier these days, according to members of Vegan Long Island,
who met this month at the pizzeria. Their party of nine ate nondairy
pizza margherita and faux-meatball, broccoli and spinach pie, among
other varieties.

Vegan Long Island made its debut in April with the merger of two vegan
organizations; more than 220 people have signed on to its Web site,
meetup.com/vegan-Long-Island, according to Jennifer Greene, 42, a
Bellport resident who heads the group.

--
full story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/nyregion/29dineli.html

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[New York Daily News]

Here's a reason to be a vegetarian or, at least, a semi-veggie:
Trimming your meat consumption by 30% would benefit you and the rest
of the planet, according to research reported by Reuters.

The most meat-loving nations would have healthier citizens and also
would reduce carbon emissions, scientists said.

Researchers in Great Britain and Australia have found that certain
measures, like reducing fossil-fuel dependence in farming, aren't
enough to meet emissions targets, reports Reuters.

But if these steps were combined with a 30% cutback in livestock
breeding in key meat-producing nations, and a similar reduction in
meat consumption, there would be "substantial population health
benefits" and reduced emissions.

So, how much healthier would people be if they passed on the steaks and burgers?

--
full story:
http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2009/11/27/2009-11-27_becoming_veget\
arian_will_help_save_the_planet_study.html

SEE ALSO:
Brit official backs meat reduction report

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HANOVER TWP. | Bob Case, like countless dads Thursday, sat down for
Thanksgiving dinner at the head of a table crowded by family and
friends.

The 53-year-old Lopatcong Township man's daughter, Rachael, 24,
recalled how her dad's gaudy outfit once embarrassed the family on TV.
And his stepson, Chuck Nyce, 31, of Bethlehem, remembered a time the
family ate meat on a bus full of animal rights activists.
...
The Case family was among 48 people at a vegetarian-vegan Thanksgiving
dinner at the Lehigh Valley Friends Meeting center on Bath Pike in
Northampton County. Joe and Pat Judge, of Bethlehem Township, Pa.,
arranged the dinner for a ninth consecutive year.
...
Many of those gathered said they gave up meat due to what they
considered poor treatment of livestock. Others pointed to health and
environmental benefits.

Members of the Case family said they arrived at vegetarianism because
they couldn't reconcile eating meat with their calls for animal
rights.

Nyce said he and his mother, Cathy, joined Bob and Rachael Case for a
rally in 1989 to oppose fur trade. But on a bus ride to New York with
the Lehigh Valley Animal Rights Coalition, he said, the group of four
realized they were perhaps the only demonstrators who packed meat for
lunch.

"At that point," he said, "we realized how hypocritical it was to
fight for animals and still eat them."

--
full story:
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf?/base/news-2/125929864024629\
0.xml&coll=3

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COVINGTON, Ky. – Every year, it’s a tradition; the President of the
United States pardons a turkey for Thanksgiving. One bird is saved
from being one family’s main course. But one man says that everyone
has the power to pardon turkeys this year by not eating them.

The presidential pardon is only a drop in the bucket, when there are
nearly 270 million turkeys slaughtered, said Kenneth Beckett of
Covington. For him, the pardon is an opportunity to "call attention to
the deplorable conditions turkeys endure in the name of a national
holiday."

He said that pardoning a turkey this year shows compassion for an
"innocent animal and our concern for our family’s and our planet’s
health. It’s a most fitting way to give thanks for our own life,
health, and happiness." And he thinks that everyone should give thanks
this way.

Beckett has been a vegan for 31 years and thinks that turkeys belong
free, not next to the mashed potatoes and gravy on a Thanksgiving
dinner plate.

The 71-year-old divorced man said that while he will be enjoying
Tofurkey, the tofu version of turkey, being vegan is more than about
food.

"Being vegan means never having to say you're sorry…seriously, animal
agriculture negatively impacts not only our environment, but our
health, as well as senseless suffering of animals, including
wildlife," said Beckett, whose daughter is a vegan as well.

--
full story:
http://www.kypost.com/news/local/story/Food-For-Thought-Vegan-Wants-All-Turkeys-\
Pardoned/t1MdLHx8vUiO1mTgQ3GJOw.cspx

SEE ALSO:
Thanks, But No Thanks
Activists try making vegetarianism sexy in China

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Sir Paul McCartney and Dr Rajendra Pachuri will tell MEPs why everyone
should eat less meat at a special hearing on Thursday 3 December.
Please ask your MEPs to attend.

See our website for more information:
http://www.vegsoc.org/news/2009/hearing.html


Bron


Bronwen Humphreys
Local Network Co-ordinator
bron@...


The Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom Limited, Parkdale, Dunham
Road, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 4QG

Registered Charity Number 259358 Registered Company Number 959115

Check out www.vegsoc.org/network to find our nearest local contact and
events in your area of the UK! And www.vegsoc.org/speakers if you need a
veggie speaker



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The Farm Sanctuary movement brings an animal-free diet into swanky
restaurants, hoping to demonstrate that veganism goes way beyond
tofurkey.
...
Reporting from New York -  There was something about the chicken
splayed across his plate that triggered Gene Baur's gross-out reflex
more than 25 years ago. As quickly as you can say "Tofurkey," the
Hollywood native swore off eating meat.

This week, his Farm Sanctuary movement brought veganism to New York's
Tavern on the Green restaurant to prove that Thanksgiving can be
decadent without turkey, sausage stuffing and buttery mashed potatoes.

--
full story:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-vegan-thanksgiving26-2009nov2\
6,0,2535307.story

SEE ALSO:
Cooking classes tout health benefits of a vegan diet

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It was two weeks before Thanksgiving but a diverse group of
revelers—some friends, some strangers—lined a long wooden table to
give thanks.

Roasted vegetables, wild rice stuffing, yams, red cabbage, and more
holiday fare were laid out on silver platters before the crowd as the
sun began its descent over the leafy green canopy of the Dallidet
Adobe in San Luis Obispo. An anxious hush swept down the line as the
Thanksgiving centerpiece was unveiled.

And there it was, what they had traveled long and far to share—a
massive, cruelty-free, sliced loaf of Tofurky.

Their dietary preferences have been called extreme and their views on
the environment radical, but the vegans and vegetarians enjoying
themselves at the Central Coast Vegetarian Network’s (CCVN) first
annual turkey-free fall feast bore a greater resemblance to the folks
next door than to unshaven hippies at Burning Man.

Veganism is no fad. Diets free from meat and milk are gaining
popularity nationally, but the lifestyle still raises more eyebrows.
New Times caught up with the founding members of the premier vegan
group on the Central Coast, as well as several restaurateurs and a Cal
Poly nutrition professor, to learn the truth about the vegans. We
asked what motivates them to resist foods derived from animals, and
whether the lifestyle is healthier than the traditional, Five Food
Groups diet ingrained in our minds by the U.S.D.A.

--
full story:
http://www.newtimesslo.com/cover/3613/readysetvegan-meet-the-vegans/

SEE ALSO:
Vegetarian Dietitian: It's Okay To Splurge On Thanksgiving Turkey
Chef Cooks Up Soulful Thanksgiving ... Vegan Style
Diabetes expert: Try vegetarian lifestyle
If a vegan comes to dinner
Holiday alternatives for vegetarians

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Here's a clue: the vegans or vegetarians coming to your house for
Thanksgiving aren't expecting much; they've been burned too many times
before.

This is what awaits them: the carving of a dead bird in their
presence; side dishes mistakenly made with chicken broth or dairy
products, which they can't eat; and jokes about their diet.

As a host, no one wants a dinner guest to have such low expectations,
let alone have them fulfilled. So here are a few suggestions to make
your vegan or vegetarian guest feel truly welcome at your table. Plus,
we share three recipes from Dilip Barman, president of the Triangle
Vegetarian Society, which organizes what is believed to be the
nation's largest vegan Thanksgiving.

--
full story:
http://www.newsobserver.com/life/food/story/209344.html

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ROCKFORD, Ill. — Caroline Trapp wants you to give yourself three weeks
— OK, four counting a week to prepare to do it right — to become a
vegetarian.

Trapp, a nurse practitioner and director of diabetes education and
care for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, offered
that challenge in a series of talks sponsored by the University of
Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford and Vegetarians in Motion
last week.

Her main message was that a low-fat, plant-based diet can be just as
effective as some medicines in fighting type 2 diabetes. But she
didn’t discount other possible benefits such as weight control, more
energy and better-looking skin.

“You can do anything for three weeks,” said Trapp, referring to a
kick-start support program the Physicians Committee for Responsible
Medicine will offer at www.pcrm.org/kickstart beginning Jan. 1. “The
important thing before starting kick-start is the week of
preparation.”

--
full story:
http://www.uticaod.com/health/x1792912608/Diabetes-expert-Try-vegetarian-lifesty\
le

SEE ALSO:
Vegetarian Dietitian: It's Okay To Splurge On Thanksgiving Turkey
Chef Cooks Up Soulful Thanksgiving ... Vegan Style

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United Poultry Concerns
25 November 2009

Coalition of Animal Sanctuaries Craft Policy Statement on Urban
Chicken-Keeping

Animal Activists Urged to Present This Policy Statement to Their
Municipalities

A coalition of animal sanctuaries involved in the direct care of unwanted
chickens in the United States has formulated recommendations regarding the
recent trend in backyard chicken-keeping.  As the popularity of raising
backyard flocks has grown, our shelters have become inundated with calls to
take in unwanted chickens. In addition, we understand many communities are
now besieged with requests to legally regulate the keeping of backyard
flocks.

Recognizing the importance of this issue, we developed the following
Position Statement. If you live in a municipality that allows urban
"backyard" chicken-keeping already or is considering an Ordinance to
allow the keeping of chickens, please provide this Position Statement to
your local Animal Control, City Council, and Mayor. Please use the
information in it to write letters to the editor of your local newspapers
and respond to media coverage about the trend in urban/suburban backyard
chicken-keeping.

But first, please read and consider the issues raised in our Position
Statement and consider the reasons we give for encouraging your
municipality to resist becoming zoned for chicken-keeping. If zoning is
already in place, we urge your municipality to establish and enforce strict
requirements designed to protect both the birds, and your community, from
serious problems that will, quite predictably, otherwise result. Thank you.

===========================================================================

Collective Position Statement on Backyard Poultry

Click here for PDF: [http://www.upc-online.org/chickens/backyard_poultry.pdf]

Background

In the past year, shelters and sanctuaries in urban and suburban areas
have witnessed a dramatic increase in the intake of chickens, particularly
roosters. Hatcheries producing day-old chicks for shipment to feed stores
and individuals are backlogged with orders. The desire to raise poultry can
be linked to organic backyard farming as well as a desire to have direct
access to food (eggs and, in some cases, meat).

As a coalition of animal sanctuaries interested in the welfare of hens
and roosters, we have created this position statement on the keeping and
raising of chickens. All of us have been inundated with calls to take in
hens and roosters who are a) no longer wanted; b) not the correct sex; c)
not legally permissible. As organizations with limited resources and space,
it is no longer feasible to take in even a small percentage of these
unwanted animals. Even with placement assistance, most of these chickens,
particularly roosters, do not find permanent placement. This leaves
municipal dog and cat shelters the task of taking in, housing, feeding,
caring for, and inevitably killing healthy, adoptable chickens.

Problems associated with urban backyard flocks

Hatcheries are like puppy mills: When animals are reduced to
commodities, their best interests are pushed aside in favor of profit.
Hatcheries that produce chicks for backyard flocks treat chickens and their
offspring in much the same way puppy mills treat breeding dogs and their
puppies. There are no legal requirements dictating how breeding hens and
roosters are housed, meaning they may be crammed into small cages or sheds
without outdoor access.

Shipping day-old chicks is cruel: Most chickens purchased are bought from
hatcheries or feed stores (these chicks originate from hatcheries).
Hatcheries ship day-old birds through the postal service without any legal
oversight. Young chickens are deprived of food and water for up to 72 hours
and exposed to extremes in temperature. As Dr. Jean Cypher, a veterinarian
specializing in avian medicine states, "A day-old chick can no more
withstand three days in a dark crowded box than can any other newborn."
Other experts in avian medicine and behavior agree that transporting
day-old chicks in boxes for the first 24-72 hours of life is cruel and
medically detrimental to the birds. See, for example:
[http://www.upc-online.org/transport/71408shippingbirds.html].

Chicken sexing is more art than science: Using data collected from
sanctuaries and rescues that field calls daily about unwanted chickens, we
estimate between 20-50% of purchased "hens" are actually roosters.
Depending on breed, visually identifying a rooster can take weeks to
months.

Roosters may be unwanted and are often illegal: Male chickens are
generally unwanted for two reasons: They don't produce eggs and they are
rarely legal in urban or suburban settings. Hatcheries may use rooster
chicks as packing material, regardless of whether they were ordered. Most
incorporated or urban regions that do permit chickens only allow hens, not
roosters. Unwanted roosters may be abandoned to the streets, slaughtered,
or end up in a municipal shelter to be killed. Very few find their way into
a permanent home or sanctuary.

Chickens attract rodents: Even the cleanest coop is attractive to rats
and mice who enjoy the free bedding (straw and shavings) and food. Rodents
are generally viewed as pests and their presence is unwanted by chicken
owners and neighbors.

Lack of professional medical care: Avian medicine has made progress but
there are few vets specialized in the treatment and care of birds.
Veterinarians who do treat poultry are often expensive, with the average
vet visit starting at a minimum of $100.

Concerns with new ordinances allowing backyard poultry

Enforcement costs: Municipal shelters run on a tight budget dealing with
animal cruelty cases, dangerous dog calls, and the normal day to day
operation of their facilities. Adding an extra burden, like enforcing
chicken licensing laws and related complaints, is unwise amidst current
economic concerns.

Slaughter: The average chicken guardian is ill-equipped to "properly"
stun and kill a chicken. Further, slaughtering can be traumatic for
neighbors, including impressionable children. If chickens are to be
permitted in urban areas, they must be protected from cruel mistreatment as
much as "traditional" companion animals like dogs or cats, including a
ban on slaughtering them for consumption.

Roosters will be killed: Creating new ordinances permitting chickens
creates a market for killing 50% of all chicks born in hatcheries. Urban
and suburban areas considering chickens generally ban roosters, yet male
chickens comprise half of all chicks born. Hatcheries mail roosters as
packing material, and sexing of chickens is more art than science (see
above). When residents purchase chicks from hatcheries or feedstores and
end up with roosters, they will be put in the position of having to rehome
the bird(s). Most roosters are not rehomed and end up abandoned or dumped
at shelters, where they are invariably killed.

Suggestions if you are considering a backyard flock

Make sure it's legal: If you live in an unincorporated area, contact
your planning department and ask about the zoning requirements regarding
poultry. If you live in an incorporated region, contact the city clerk for
information on ordinances regarding chickens. Adopt: Avoid the cruelties of
the hatcheries by adopting birds already in existence who need homes. Check
out [http://www.petfinder.org] for animals available at your local shelter.
Visit [http://www.sanctuaries.org] or [http://www.farmanimalshelters.org]  and
contact a sanctuary near you about adopting birds. If they do not have
birds, do not give up. Sanctuaries and rescues receive inquiries daily
regarding animals needing homes - ask that you be contacted if one of these
calls occurs.

Do your research: Chickens can be wonderful companions. While they are
relatively easy to maintain, they do have special needs. Be sure to
research housing, predator proofing, diet, and medical needs. Some things
to be aware of:

- Some breeds of chickens are cold-sensitive: Hens and roosters with large
single combs are prone to frost-bite in cooler climates. Make sure adequate
housing accommodates birds in both cool and hot temperatures.

- Predator protection is vital: Chickens should be locked up at night in a
safe enclosure that prevents access by all predators, including dogs,
raccoons, aerial predators, rats, cats, wild canines, weasels, etc. During
the day, animals should be housed in a fully-fenced enclosure or yard with
proper protection from aerial, day-time predators and neighborhood dogs
and, in the case of small bantams, large domestic free-roaming cats.

- Veterinary care is critical: Avian medicine is still considered an
"exotic" practice and, as such, is more expensive. A one-time visit may
start at $100. Nevertheless, before considering housing chickens, it is
imperative that they have access to veterinary care.

Supporting Organizations

- Animal Place - [http://www.animalplace.org]

- Chicken Run Rescue - [http://www.brittonclouse.com/chickenrunrescue/]

- Chocowinity Chicken Sanctuary - [http://www.chocochickensanctuary.org/]

- Eastern Shore Sanctuary and Education Center - [http://www.bravebirds.org]

- Farm Sanctuary - [http://www.farmsanctuary.org/]

- Sunny Skies Bird and Animal Sanctuary -
[http://www.sunnyskiesbirdsanctuary.org/]

- [http://www.upc-online.org/] United Poultry Concerns
(Chicken Care: [http://www.upc-online.org/chickens/])

--
United Poultry Concerns is a nonprofit organization that promotes the
compassionate and respectful treatment of domestic fowl.
Don't just switch from beef to chicken. Go Vegan.
[http://www.UPC-online.org]

View online: http://www.upc-online.org/chickens/backyard_poultry.html

[CNN]

(CNN)  -- Going vegetarian on Thanksgiving doesn't mean forcing tofu
into faux poultry or shaping legumes into meat-like blobs.

Forget tofurkey. Why bother, some vegetarians say, with the pretense?

"That scares me," said Melissa Melcombe, a 25-year-old vegetarian. "If
you try to shape a loaf like a turkey, it looks like piles of mush and
ends up more comical than traditional. I don't think it's ever
occurred to my family. It's kind of like making a piece of tofu look
like filet mignon. We don't have to kid ourselves."

Rather than lamenting the lack of a basted bird at the center of the
table, vegetarian iReporters like Melcombe relish the opportunity to
experiment beyond the traditional side dishes of mashed potatoes and
green bean casseroles, on the food-friendly holiday.

--
full story:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/24/vegetarian.thanksgiving/

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[New York Times - opinion]

Surrounded as we are this week by yams and brussels sprouts and
cranberries and turkey (and those mini hot dogs that have somehow also
become a tradition at our family’s Thanksgiving table), the moment
seems right to write about vegetarian parents and children.

My two sisters-in-law are vegetarians, along with my husband’s first
cousin, which means there are a lot of vegetables included in our
yearly feast. As it happens, none of the parents in this group expect
that their children will refrain from meat, allowing them to make that
decision for themselves when they get older.

--
full story:
http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/raising-vegetarian-children/

SEE ALSO:
PETA Tells President Obama, 'Send Pardoned Turkeys to a Sanctuary, Not
Disneyland'

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United Poultry Concerns
23 November 2009

Tune In to UPC President Karen Davis on WRIR.org Tuesday November 24

Tomorrow from 12:30 - 1:00pm EST on 97.3 FM in Richmond, Virginia. Or
live stream at [http://WRIR.org]. Listen anywhere in the world by
going to "Listen" at the wrir.org website.

"I hope people will hear your amazing stories and be changed by your
example of compassion and love for chickens and turkeys. That's what
happened to me one day on the steps of American University when you spoke
out about these wonderful birds." - Radio show host Rebecca Faris.

--
United Poultry Concerns is a nonprofit organization that promotes the
compassionate and respectful treatment of domestic fowl.
Don't just switch from beef to chicken. Go Vegan.
[http://www.UPC-online.org]

[Albany Times Union - opinion - videos at full story link]

Traditions, with corresponding rituals, are woven into the fabric of
American life. Milestones and holidays are all celebrated with unique
practices. But religious holidays, by their very nature, exclude
certain segments of the population. Not so with secular Thanksgiving,
probably the most anticipated and uniting day of the entire year.

Thanksgiving comes replete with its own customs. Traveling family and
friends, parades, prayers of thanks, football, and, most notably,
bountiful food. It is the food that is the main attraction, and the
centerpiece (both literally and figuratively) is the slaughtered bird
offered as sacrifice for the ostensibly grateful. The most common
alternate name for Thanksgiving is Turkey Day. We engage in many
actions on a daily basis that involve minimal (if at all) thought or
focus (morning routines, driving a car). Sadly, eating turkey on the
fourth Thursday in November is simply something we do, not knowing, or
caring to know, how the animal was treated and how he died. First,
though, I would like to debunk the myth of the dumb turkey.
...
The turkey that ultimately ends up on the dining room table is a
bastardization of his wild cousin. Beeks and toes are clipped (without
anesthesia) to prevent damage to neighbors that is a direct result of
stressful mass confinement and thwarted natural instincts
(dustbathing, foraging, the forming of social orders). ...
...
In the end, we refer to the proverbial scale. Which interest is to be
considered more important? Humans have an interest in pleasurable
eating. But with a plethora of vegetarian and vegan options available,
this joy can be had without cruelty. In addition, some people don’t
even necessarily like turkey, yet do so on Thanksgiving out of some
blind allegiance to familial or national custom. Conversely, turkeys
clearly have an interest in their own pain (amputated beaks and toes,
untreated broken bones and torn muscles), deprivation (no sunlight, no
freedom to roam about, no chance to bond with family), abuse (handling
and transport), and terrifying death. When weighed against the misery
of a sentient life, can we really take our shallow desire for a
fleeting taste seriously?

We purposely bring millions (around 270 are slaughtered in America
each year, 50 at Thanksgiving) of these animals into an ugly existence
only to cut their lives short (under six months; their wild cousins
live years). They are simply replaceable parts, their suffering be
damned. That is very sad.

--
full story:
http://blog.timesunion.com/animalrights/the-turkey-trot-to-hell/928/

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[UNLV The Rebel Yell]

Nothing can get a vegetarian down like the holidays. Going home to
snickers and – “What are you going to eat? Salad?” – comments is
downright berating.

Fussing relatives insist they make a vegetarian dish for you only to
have ground meat and broth hidden in the ingredients.
...
Thanksgiving dinner – stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, ham
and turkey. It’s a feast for meat eaters and a lot of “no thanks” for
vegetarians.

This year will be different. There are a lot of alternative dishes,
ingredients and price ranges for a delicious vegetarian Thanksgiving.

--
full story:
http://unlvrebelyell.com/2009/11/20/rebel-kitchen-turkey-free-thanksgiving/

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[Suburbanite - opinion]

Akron, Ohio - Thanksgiving is upon us, and I cannot wait to stuff my
face with all of that delicious food.

Although I love any holiday that involves eating mass quantities of
corn flake potatoes and pumpkin pie, I do find Thanksgiving a bit sad
considering all of the turkeys that are being feasted on.

Contrary to popular belief, Thanksgiving does not need to include a
turkey, at least not in my house.

For the past two Thanksgivings, I have gotten along just fine filling
my plate with sweet potato casserole, green beans, stuffing, corn,
cranberry sauce, potatoes and buttered rolls and have not felt like I
missed anything. ...
...
Last year I was not alone in my decision to forgo meat products, my
dad went vegetarian about three years before and together we proudly
filled our plates with everything but the turkey. My mom even made us
mushroom gravy to put on our vegetable stuffing (which was probably
better than the regular gravy if you ask me).

This year, my sister joins the vegetarian ranks, and my dad and I are
proud to have converted her. Since my family is now three-quarters
vegetarian, this Thanksgiving, my mom bought us a tofurkey (that’s a
turkey made of tofu); which came already stuffed and ready to bake.

--
full story:
http://www.thesuburbanite.com/opinions/columnists/x215401000/Interns-Turn-A-Vege\
tarian-Thanksgiving

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http://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/india-offers-nobeef-climate-\
solution-20091122-isrd.html

The Age  TheAge.com.au - November 23, 2009

India offers no-beef climate solution

India's Environment Minister suggests the world adopt vegetarianism if it is to
tackle the greenhouse emission problem, writes Matt Wade in Delhi.

AS THE international community struggles to come up with a climate change deal,
India's Environment Minister, Jairam Ramesh, has come up with a solution: don't
eat beef.

He challenged the world to follow the example of millions in his country and
eschew beef in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr Ramesh, a vegetarian, said: ''The single most important measure that can be
taken in the world to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to stop eating beef.''

He has strong support in his campaign against beef-eating from R. K. Pachauri,
the leading Indian climate change scientist who headed the UN's influential
panel on climate change.

''I'm happy that the minister is agreeing with me on this,'' Dr Pachauri said.

''If you look at the beef cycle today, you first clear forests, which increases
emissions, then you feed cattle all kinds of food grain, which is energy
intensive, and then you kill and refrigerate these animals, and then they are
transported long distances. Then you buy it and refrigerate it. If you count all
the emissions associated with this entire cycle, it is huge.''

Last year, a UN Food and Agriculture Organisation study found that meat
production accounted for about a fifth of all greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr Ramesh's comments come days before the Copenhagen summit on climate change,
where the positions of India and China will be crucial to any international
deal.

India has argued consistently that the main responsibility for reducing
greenhouse gases must be taken by wealthy Western countries with high per capita
emissions. It has resisted pressure to adopt binding targets for limiting its
own greenhouse emissions. Indian officials say any climate change treaty must be
equitable.

Dr Pachauri said the Indian Government was well within its rights to expect more
from rich countries. ''The developed world has just not lived up to its
obligations or responsibilities,'' he said.

''The concentration of these gases in the atmosphere is entirely the result of
150 years of industrialisation and so-called economic development in the
developed world, as a result of which we have the problem we have today.''

But he also said India needed to do more to project what it was doing
domestically to mitigate emissions.

India's position on climate change is liable to come under fresh scrutiny this
week when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits Washington for talks with US
President Barack Obama.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Chapel Hill News]

If you can't imagine Thanksgiving without a turkey, then you might be
surprised to learn that Durham has been home to the largest vegan
Thanksgiving meal in the country for years.

This animal-free affair (that means no dairy, honey or meat), hosted
by the Triangle Vegetarian Society, started as a friendly potluck
between a few dozen vegetarians over 20 years ago and has taken place
at Café Parizäde in Durham since 1999. It has grown from a one-room
event to a meal with multiple seatings, several buffet lines and
upward of 600 people in recent years.

So many people have been turned away in the past that a second meal
has been added at Spice Street in Chapel Hill's University Mall, said
Dilip Barman, the society's president.

--
full story:
http://www.chapelhillnews.com/news/story/53711.html

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[The Free Lance-Star]

Most people need to eat a lot more vegetables, but a local doctor
cautioned that a vegetarian lifestyle may not work for everyone.

"Going vegetarian can be a mistake," said Dr. Robert Vranian, a
Fredericksburg cardiologist.

Vranian warned of the hazards of dipping below the recommended 45-60
grams of protein a day, or falling low on omega-3 fatty acids if a
vegetarian diet isn't well thought-out.

"You can certainly find very healthy people who are non-vegetarian,
and you can find unhealthy people who are vegetarians," Vranian said.

For overall well-being, he said exercise and loving relationships are
as important as eating well.

"[When] you exercise on a regular basis, have someone you feel
comfortable with and you love, that balm of love reduces adrenaline
secretions," Vranian said.

--
full story:
http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2009/112009/11222009/504908

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LATELY more people have begun to express an interest in where the meat
they eat comes from and how it was raised. Were the animals humanely
treated? Did they have a good quality of life before the death that
turned them into someone’s dinner?

Some of these questions, which reach a fever pitch in the days leading
up to Thanksgiving, pertain to the ways in which animals are treated.
(Did your turkey get to live outdoors?) Others focus on the question
of how eating the animals in question will affect the consumer’s
health and well-being. (Was it given hormones and antibiotics?)

None of these questions, however, make any consideration of whether it
is wrong to kill animals for human consumption. And even when people
ask this question, they almost always find a variety of resourceful
answers that purport to justify the killing and consumption of animals
in the name of human welfare. Strict ethical vegans, of which I am
one, are customarily excoriated for equating our society’s treatment
of animals with mass murder. Can anyone seriously consider animal
suffering even remotely comparable to human suffering? Those who
answer with a resounding no typically argue in one of two ways.

--
full story:
http://elpasoinc.com/readArticleNYT.aspx?guid=d09c723f-2671-4ab4-becb-974d4484e5\
37

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[Philadelphia Daily News - comments at full story link]

No-meat team runs marathon for animal cause
...
When Jennifer Clark went vegetarian, her mother was afraid she would die.

Clark didn't die, or turn into a 98-pound weakling. Instead, she
became so fit that she's running in her third Philadelphia Marathon
tomorrow.

Clark, 33, now a vegan, is one of 25 vegans and vegetarians from
Philadelphia and the suburbs running as an unofficial team tomorrow
for the Humane League of Philadelphia. Vegetarians eat no meat. Vegans
eat no animal products at all, including dairy and eggs.

Clark, an engineer who lives in Center City, said she's always been an
animal lover, but in college took a class in which she learned about
"factory farming," the mass production of animals for slaughter that
she said takes place in crowded, inhumane conditions.
...
Cooney said each team member will use the marathon to raise money from
family and friends to help farm animals.

--
full story:
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20091121_Powered_by_veggies.html

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Please visit http://www.meatoutmondays.org/current.htm to take a peek at the
current edition of FARM's Meatout Mondays e-newsletter. This issue features a
recipe for Gentle Thanksgiving Tart, info about Celebration Roast, health news
about how a veg diet enhances mood, and inspiration about Gobbles the turkey.

Meatout Mondays is an excellent vehicle for reaching out to your veg-curious
friends, family, and associates. You can forward them a copy or just subscribe
them directly at http://www.meatoutmondays.org/regForm.php. There is no charge.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Broward New Times]

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since Turkey-Gate — Sarah
Palin’s infamous interview in front of a turkey slaughter days before
Thanksgiving. In the background of the video, a turkey fights for its
life, the whole machine shaking as the turkey violently tries to
wiggle its way out of the contraption that hovers above a tub of
blood. All this while Palin chats away seemingly unfazed, and, in a
hilariously ironic turn, calls the day “fun.”

While the day might have been fun for Palin, the turkey probably felt
differently. The same goes for vegans on Thanksgiving. ...

--
full story:
http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/events/vegan-thanksgiving-dinner-984747/

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[Flyer News]

Many students on campus have a new way of going green these days and
it's all about eliminating the red.

Being vegetarian, or not eating meat, is one way students can
contribute to saving the globe. Not to be confused with vegans (people
who eat no animal products such as eggs or cheese) vegetarians do not
eat meat. Some will eat seafood while others will not, but abstaining
from meat has positive effects for the global environment and
resources.

"We spend a lot of farmland growing food for animals," Brother Dan
Klco, a professor in the biology department, said.

In fact, about 40 percent of food grown worldwide is for animals. In
more developed countries the percentage is as high as 70 percent. In
addition to using land and food for animals, Americans spend a lot of
other resources to maintain a very large and corn-fed cattle
population, Klco said.

--
full story:
http://www.flyernews.com/articles/volume/57/issue/17/id/5353/category/news

SEE ALSO:
A Vegan At Thanksgiving

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[GSU Signal - opinion]

The moment my mom set that first Tofurky down on the table in front of
me 6 years ago, I knew I made the right decision. Even though many
people thought it defied logic, becoming a vegetarian right before
Thanksgiving solidified my commitment to my new meat-free diet.  It
was my freshman year of college and to this day, I still consider it
the best, and perhaps most life-changing decision, I ever made.

Growing up, we’re taught that Thanksgiving is about celebrating life
and giving thanks for our families, friends, and fortunes.  Going
around the table, expressing to each other what we’re thankful for,
I’d never thought about exactly what—or who—we were about to feast on.
That is, until my 18th Thanksgiving celebration. That day, I was
thankful to be carving into my first Tofurky dinner. And I was
celebrating my decision to choose a meal that doesn’t involve killing
animals.

The overwhelming majority of the turkeys on our tables spent their
short lives—about 5 months—crammed inside poorly ventilated warehouses
that typically house up to 25,000 birds in a single shed. Each bird is
afforded as little as one square foot of living space.

--
full story:
http://www.gsusignal.com/perspectives/the-benefits-of-a-vegetarian-thanksgiving-\
1.2089528

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Rep. Dennis Kucinich and wife Elizabeth were in Washington DC today
promoting vegetarian school lunch options. The couple was joined by
John Salley, vegetarian and retired NBA basketball star, and members
of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).

--
full story:
http://www.examiner.com/x-29556-Cleveland-Vegetarian-Food-Examiner~y2009m11d18-E\
lizabeth-and-Dennis-Kucinich-in-DC-promoting-vegetarian-lunch-options

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United Poultry Concerns
18 November 2009

UPC Fall-Winter 2009 Poultry Press Now Available!

[http://www.upc-online.org/fall2009/]

Inside This Issue:

- Ritual Sacrifice: "The reduction of living beings to objects upon whom
atrocities can be heaped."

- New UPC Store at www.Printfection.com/upcstore - T-shirts, Aprons, Bags,
and more!

- Why Chickens Should Be Eliminated From Kapparot Ceremonies

- How Houdini and His Flock Escaped From Kapparot Sacrifice

- Book Recommendation: Prisoned Chickens, Poisoned Eggs

- Freddaflower Memorial & Appreciation Fund

- Kapparot Chicken "Swinging" Ritual: A Story of Suffering in the
Clutches of "Custom"

- Chicken Abuse by San Francisco's Live Animal Vendors: An Update

- NPR Report: "Swinging Chicken Ritual Divides Orthodox Jews"

- Vegetarian Thanksgiving Open House on the Virginia Eastern Shore

- The Social Life of Chickens: A Visual Lecture & a Book Signing with
Karen Davis in NYC

- Vegan Recipe Corner: Homemade Tofu "Turkey"

--
United Poultry Concerns is a nonprofit organization that promotes the
compassionate and respectful treatment of domestic fowl.
Don't just switch from beef to chicken. Go Vegan.
[http://www.UPC-online.org]

[http://www.upc-online.org/fall2009/]

United Poultry Concerns
18 November 2009

Children Slaughtered Chickens in Idaho Community School
"Poultry Project" Condemned by United Poultry Concerns

"Poultry project ruffles feathers" by Terry Smith, Idaho Mountain
Express, Nov. 18
"A Virginia-based poultry protection group has condemned a Community
School project in which chickens were raised and later slaughtered to teach
eighth-graders about the realities of food production." Read more:
[http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005128823]

"Poultry project was misguided" by Karen Davis, President of United
Poultry Concerns, Idaho Mountain Express, Nov. 18
"As an educator, I'm appalled that The Community School encouraged
eighth-grade students to slaughter chickens as a classroom exercise - and
in student-made killing cones." Read more:
[http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005128790]

Two Background Articles in the Idaho Mountain Express:

"Poultry project yields life lessons" by Terry Smith, Nov. 11
"The Community School's eighth-graders learned the realities of
poultry production in a class project for which they procured 16 fuzzy
yellow chicks, raised them to maturity, then killed, cleaned and dressed
them for a 'good foods' banquet." Read more:
[http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005128745]

"You can't have your chicken and eat it too" by Terry Smith, Oct.
30
"Thirty-one eighth-graders are learning about the realities of food
production in a chicken-raising project at The Community School in Sun
Valley." Read more:
[http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005128587]

What Can I Do?

1) You can post a Comment to today's article and to Karen Davis'
letter in the above links urging a compassionate education. You can also
submit a Letter to the Editor through the Idaho Mountain Express Website
at: [http://www.mtexpress.com/contact.php/].

2) You can write a thoughtful letter to the head of The Community School,
a private K-12 college preparatory school in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Mr. Andrew Jones-Wilkins
Head of School
The Community School
PO Box 2118
Sun Valley, ID 83353
Email: [mailto:Awilkins@...]

Please Note: This was the first time The Community School conducted the
chicken slaughter project. Let us speak out and make it be the last.

It appears that while the school is defending the slaughter on grounds of
"healthy eating" and "learning where food comes from," no effort
was or is being made to teach the students about the ethical, healthful and
environmental benefits of a wholesome vegan diet or how to prepare and
serve delicious and nutritious vegan meals.

The claim that students have to kill animals in order to learn "where
their food comes from" is as pedagogically false as arguing that the only
way students can learn the effects of drug addiction is to conduct a
project in which students inject themselves with harmful drugs. There are
plenty of videos on YouTube that students can watch to learn how terribly
and needlessly animals suffer in being slaughtered. Teachers should not be
putting knives in the hands of their students to kill immobilized birds.
This is a misuse of education, vulnerable students, and defenseless
animals. There is no excuse.

--
United Poultry Concerns is a nonprofit organization that promotes the
compassionate and respectful treatment of domestic fowl.
Don't just switch from beef to chicken. Go Vegan.
[http://www.UPC-online.org]

View online:
http://www.upc-online.org/classroom/091118idaho_community_slaughter.html

[Bangor Daily News]

Thanksgiving without turkey and gravy? Yes, it can be done, and area
vegans an vegetarians are offering up a medley of wholesome
alternatives that redefine the holiday feast
...
Charlotte Zelz made a big decision last summer. A decision that would
seem big to lots of other people, that is — but to her, it just made
sense. This past August, 12-year-old Charlotte gave up meat.
...
Depending on the guests gathered at a meal, the vegetarian experience
can range from mashed everything and cranberry sauce to a delicious
array of herbivorous treats. Some families will happily accommodate a
vegetarian, while some look on with pity as a grandchild or sibling
turns down turkey. With the exception of the actual turkey, however,
there’s not one Thanksgiving staple that can’t be made vegetarian, or
even vegan — a simple Google search will reveal plenty of recipes for
vegan pumpkin pie, stuffings and even green bean casseroles (a recipe
is included).

Mary Lake, a vegan blogger from Bangor (www.mittenmachen.com), is not
only vegan, but also is allergic to gluten. It makes eating in general
interesting, but as an adventurous cook, Lake welcomes the challenge.
She’s not a huge fan of tofurkey, or other soy- or grain-based meat
substitutes, so she opts for lots of vegetables and legumes to cook
and serve.

--
full story:
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/129834.html

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