Subject: Marin VEG January News
From: Patti Breitman <eatplants@earthlink.net>
Date: 2020-12-29, 8:31 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients: ;

 January 2021
Marin VEG

Phew! Yay! We made it to the end of 2020! Things are looking up, though I'll be physically distancing and wearing my mask for many months to come.

I wish you a healthy, happy new year, with fewer occasions for "Oy!" and more opportunities for joy in 2021.



Saturday, January 9 , 7:30 PM
The Dalai Lama with Greta Thunberg
on Climate Feedback Loops
Greta Thunberg is one of my favorite humans, so I am eager to hear what she and the Dalai Lama have to say about our climate crisis.  This event is free, but registration is required.
https://mailchi.mp/mindandlife/mind-life-hhdl-climate-conversation?e=31f3d79bd1



Top Vegan Stories of 2020

According to VegNews, these are the top ten stories of the year that's ending.  I am struck by how many of the touted products at Trader Joe's, Target, and elsewhere, use plastic packaging. While I'm thrilled about the growing number of vegan convenience foods, and while I enjoy them as much as anyone, I still decry the proliferation of plastic.  It seems as if there is more of it than ever, despite increased awareness of the damage it does to wildlife and the environment.
https://vegnews.com/2020/12/the-top-20-vegan-stories-of-2020

Vegan 2020, the film
The British based organization Plant Based Foods created this one hour film summary of  vegan news in 2020.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExOPTFRcR5I&feature=youtu.be

Two Wonderful Films About Animals
I loved My Octopus Teacher (Netflix),  and Gunda took my breath away. (It's hard to find now, but well worth looking for.)  The movie is like a 90 minute meditation on a pig and her offspring.  Have tissues on hand for both films.  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/15/movies/gunda-my-octopus-teacher-documentaries.html

Vegans and Vaccines
Three cheers for Greg Lawson's common sense advice about the Covid vaccine.  As Victoria Moran observed, he is calm, sane, and centrist, a mix that is in short supply these days.  Please read his piece from Main Street Vegan:   https://us18.campaign-archive.com/?e=24715f4d98&u=79ef4dfe3d763d195a477babd&id=f2888cd56c

Heinz to Produce Vegan Mayo
Yet another food giant is adding vegan products to their line. Heinz is going to offer vegan mayo and a vegan cream salad dressing in 2021.  This reflects the popularization of vegan food; even the condiments are in demand now.  https://plantbasednews.org/lifestyle/food/heinz-launches-vegan-mayo-and-salad-cream/?mc_cid=aac5a87003&mc_eid=413af52cfb

Cashmere and Cruelty
I hadn't known that cashmere comes from goats. I'd thought it was a variety of wool from sheep, and I avoided it as I do silk, leather, and other animal-derived clothing.   Thanks to Peta, now I know it comes from horrendously treated goats, and that the popular sweaters touted as luxury gifts are the product of unspeakable cruelty.
https://investigations.peta.org/cashmere-cruelty-china-mongolia/

Two New Vegan Weight Loss Books
The How Not to Diet Cookbook by Dr. Michael Greger is now available.  With recipes from Robin Robertson, the book explains the science of long term weight loss success.
Also just published is The Secrets to Ultimate Weight Loss by Chef AJ with Glen Merzer. These two veterans of successful plant based food advice are together again to help readers attain and maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle.

Grants for Organizations Offering Vegan Friendly Policies
Animal Place would like to see more vegan options at more fund raising events.  If you know a not for profit organization that has events to raise money, encourage them to apply for a $1000 grant from the Food For Thought program to help them offer vegan food at their affair. https://vegnews.com/2018/10/animal-place-launches-grant-program-to-inspire-charities-to-host-vegan-events


More on Bone Health and Vegan Diets
Last month I included this article from Ginny Messina about the study showing that vegans have more broken bones than non-vegans. https://www.theveganrd.com/2020/11/vegans-and-bone-fractures-new-findings-and-best-practices-for-keeping-bones-strong/  I still believe her conclusions, that we need to pay attention to calcium and protein intake.  Here  is another point of view from Dr. Neal Barnard and Free From Harm.   https://freefromharm.org/health-nutrition/vegan-diets-bone-fracture/



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