Although both follow healthy vegetarian diets in real life, with Woody being a raw vegan, at least one character mistakenly thinks Twinkies are the key to everlasting health and stamina to fight off the zombies.
Comments Off on Meatless Mouthful: Alicia Silverstone Says Even Organic Cows Fart
“If environmentalists who are meat eaters were given the whole truth about how many of our resources are wasted on meat production, they’d be horrified. To create one 16-ounce steak it takes six months worth of showering water. I don’t see how an organic farmer uses less water. And what about the methane? Just because you’re raising an organic cow doesn’t mean it doesn’t fart.”
Comments Off on Phil Brabbs, Michigan Football Star, Battling Multiple Myeloma
Phil Brabbs University of Michigan
A former University of Michigan star football player is battling multiple myeloma.
But Phil Brabbs, who gained fame for kicking a 44 yard just as time expired to give the Wolverines a 31-29 win over Washington in 2002, considers himself to be in the best shape of his life.
He is also a vegetarian.
“There are a lot of parallels that I use from that situation to what I’m facing now,” Brabbs said, according to mlive.com. “I missed the first kick, which was like when I got a blood clot. Then I missed my second one and got pulled, which was like when I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.”
Brabbs started chemotherapy this week and is also up for a stem cell transplant.
Comments Off on Illeana Douglas “Easy To Assemble” Vegetarian Swedish Meatballs
Illeana Douglas
Illeana Douglas stars in a web-based series, Easy To Assemble, about a woman who’s fed up with Hollywood and decides to work in an IKEA store instead.
Easy to Assemble filming takes place in an actual IKEA store and involves lots of Swedish meatballs.
And apparently it was easy to assemble a veggie meatball to accommodate Illeana.
“I’m a vegetarian!” Illeana said. “They were kind enough to make for me vegetarian meatballs. So everything we’re doing has been with IKEA, [and we] lucked out that we’ve all become friends. It’s been a real playground for all of us. We’re constantly inspired by things that happen to them, or their philosophy, and it influences a lot of the work.”
Illeana is working on another web spin-off, Sparhusen, which follows a faux Swedish band.
Watch the clip below to see Ileana chow down on her faux meatballs.
Stephanie Smith has a heart wrenching story that may cause some flexitarians to rethink their habits.
Smith is the 22 year old woman who ate a burger tainted with e.coli and experienced a trail of medical problems, including diarrhea, seizures, and convulsions, that eventually left her paralyzed for what experts believe is for life.
Only 22 years of age.
And Smith was a dance instructor.
“I ask myself every day, ‘Why me?’ and ‘Why from a hamburger?’” Smith said of the tainted patty made by Cargill, that was labeled “American Chef’s Selection Angus Beef Patties.”
The New York Times reports that, “The Smiths were slow to suspect the hamburger. Ms. Smith ate a mostly vegetarian diet, and when she grew increasingly ill, her mother, Sharon, thought the cause might be spinach, which had been tied to a recent E. coli outbreak.”
It’s argued that meat can be made “safer,” by buying organic and taking other precautions, but every time you “cheat,” could you be putting your life in serious jeopardy?
Visit nytimes.com to see a video of Ms. Smith’s story.
Comments Off on Ana Ortiz Anti McDonald’s National Council Of La Raza Letter
Ana Ortiz is asking the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), a Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, to avoid any future partnerships with McDonald’s, on grounds of both inhumane animal and human treatment.
The NCLR’s 2009 press conference was sponsored by the fast food giant, so Ana took the opportunity to write to the council.
“I was shocked to learn that McDonald’s sponsored the National Council of La Raza’s (NCLR) 2009 conference in Chicago. As an organization dedicated to improving the lives of Hispanic Americans, you certainly must be aware that McDonald’s has very close ties to an industry that’s notorious for exploiting Hispanic immigrants—not to mention the fact that the company is responsible for the suffering and abuse of millions of animals every year.”
“The slaughterhouse is a dismal place for workers. The dim lighting and filthy air—which is filled with dust, debris, and feathers from terrified birds’ flapping wings—leads to accidents and injuries. Chickens struggle, peck, and scratch in resistance and frequently vomit and defecate as a result of stress. Poorly paid slaughterhouse workers—many of whom are Hispanic immigrants—usually receive no medical benefits despite their susceptibility to on-the-job injuries. Because companies will often fire these employees rather than pay for medical care, many workers do not seek treatment for their injuries out of fear of losing their jobs.”
Leilani’s one of those environmentalists that knows you can’t have a green planet covered with red meat, so she cites reducing your animal protein consumption as a way to improve the planet.
“Cut back on your meat intake. Grazing animals produce methane which is 21 times more heat trapping than CO2. In fact, a UN study found that 40 percent more global warming emissions come from raising animals we eat than all the world’s cars, SUVs, planes, trains, ships and all other forms of transportation. If you need another reason to cut back on meat, how about world hunger?”
“If Americans alone reduced their meat consumption by just 10%, it would free up enough land to grow 12 million tons of grain – enough to save the six million children under the age of 5 that die every year as a result of hunger. One acre of land can produce 165 pounds of beef OR 20,000 pounds of potatoes. And it takes 23 gallons of water to produce a pound of tomatoes. By comparison, it takes 5,214 gallons of water to produce just one pound of beef. Meat is super wasteful. I know not everyone reading this is going to become vegetarian, but just cutting back on your meat intake can make a big difference. Maybe just give up meat for one day each week. Small steps multiplied by many can make a big difference.”
“P.S. It’s also a great way to lose weight!”
It helps to stop using plastic bags.
“We throw away between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags every year worldwide and only 1% of them are being recycled.”
Here’s another “bright” idea:
“Change your light bulbs for energy efficient bulbs and unplug your electronics when you are not using them. Cost estimates for wasted electricity ranges from $1 billion – $3.5 billion per year.”
Leilani adds a bonus:
“Can I say four instead of 3? Thanks. Recycle! It’s super easy to do and there’s no excuse to not do it.”
