TOP NEWS THIS WEEK
Aquafarming Now Kills More Individuals Than Fishing, UN Says: For the first time, the number of fishes killed in aquaculture has surpassed the number killed by fishing in open waters, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). As aquaculture continues to expand, it could immensely increase the number of animals who suffer from animal exploitation globally. As people switch from eating other animal products to aquatic animals, many more individual animals will be bred for food, because aquatic animals are generally much smaller.
Like most land farms, most aquatic farms are factory farms, and the animals suffer from parasitic infections, diseases, and painful injuries while living in cramped, filthy enclosures. They are deprived of their lives at an early age and often in painful ways. This expansion does not merely reflect people’s preference for what is viewed as a more sustainable food source. The UN is aggressively working to expand this practice. We must continue advocating for plant-based alternatives that don’t rely on the exploitation of sentient beings, whether they live on land or in water.
German Nutrition Society DGE Revises Stance on Veganism: The German Nutrition Society (DGE) has shifted its stance to acknowledge that a well-planned vegan diet can be beneficial to health and is extremely environmentally friendly. The DGE now considers the environment, animal welfare, and social issues alongside health when assessing diets. The organization’s endorsement of plant-based eating is a powerful step toward mainstream acceptance of veganism and its potential to solve our nutritional and climate challenges. We’d like to see a stronger message of animal ethics, but this is a very positive development for animals. Read about the new DGE stance.
Health Professionals Urge UK Government to Withdraw Meat Ads: A group of UK health professionals has criticized a government-backed advertising campaign promoting meat and dairy products. The “Let’s Eat Balanced” campaign, funded by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), made claims about the nutritional necessity of animal products that the health professionals described as “inaccurate and misleading.” They argue that the campaign ignores established scientific evidence on healthy and sustainable diets, and call for its retraction. If the government agrees to retract the ads, it will help animals by showing less support for animal exploitation, even if the reasons are human-motivated. Read more on Plant-Based News.
SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT
From Meat Industry to Vegan Pioneers: Several former animal-industry workers have founded startups focused on plant-based foods in recent years. Their transformations were driven by a combination of ethical awakenings, financial pressures, and a desire for more sustainable livelihoods. While the transition can be challenging, support from organizations like Transfarmation and a sense of community have helped these entrepreneurs navigate the change. Their stories underscore the importance of open-mindedness, empathy, and a willingness to question societal norms when it comes to our relationship with animals and the food system. Read the BBC article.
QUICK BITES
Grilled Artichokes: Enjoy the rich nutrients and delicate flavor of grilled artichokes with this simple step-by-step guide. Perfect for a light, healthy side dish or appetizer. Get the recipe on The Plant Powered Dietitian.
Vegan Pumpkin Banana Bread: This moist, lightly sweet bread combines the earthy goodness of pumpkin with the natural sweetness of ripe bananas. A perfect treat for fall or any time of year.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Nonhuman Rights Project is the Only US Civil Rights Organization Working to Secure Legal Rights for Animals
The Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) is a nonprofit organization founded by attorney Steven M. Wise in 2007. The organization’s mission is to secure legal rights for nonhuman animals through litigation, advocacy, and education.
The NhRP focuses on establishing legal personhood and fundamental rights, such as bodily liberty and bodily integrity, for cognitively complex animals like great apes, elephants, dolphins, and whales. They argue that these animals possess the necessary cognitive abilities, such as autonomy, self-awareness, and the capacity to suffer, to be recognized as legal persons with fundamental rights.
While the Nonhuman Rights Project has not yet succeeded in securing legal personhood for nonhuman animals in the US, their work has sparked important conversations about the legal and moral status of animals. They have also inspired similar efforts in other countries, such as Argentina, where a court recognized an orangutan named Sandra as a nonhuman person with rights in 2014.
The Nonhuman Rights Project continues to fight for the legal recognition of animal rights, with the ultimate goal of creating a more just and compassionate society for all sentient beings. They focus on a small subset of animal species because they believe they are most likely to succeed in legal cases with those animals. They are attempting to make legal arguments that will be successful. The choice of animals does not necessarily reflect their views on which animals they think deserve moral and legal consideration. Their first goal is to secure at least one legal right for one nonhuman animal.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
The stories of former meat industry workers transitioning to vegan entrepreneurship raise important questions about the power of societal norms and the barriers to change. How can we create more supportive environments for those seeking to align their livelihoods with their ethics? What role can the vegan community play in helping others navigate these transitions?
Stay informed and keep advocating for a more vegan world. See you next week with more updates!
Prefer to receive this as an email? Sign up here.
Leave a Reply