“I don’t personally know anyone who read a book or a pamphlet one day, became a vegan the next, and is still a vegan. I do know people who became vegan (also after watching “Earthlings”) who are now vegetarians, pescetarians and run-of-the-mill omnivores.” [...] “Vegan education, in my experience, is a multi-pronged, multi-year effort if it’s going to be sustainable.”

Mary Martin explained in her latest post. Similarly, I only know one vegan who went vegan “overnight” after watching I Am An Animal. I know lots of vegans and vegetarians, but only one went veg immediately. Like Mary, I believe that vegan education requires many approaches and lots of perseverance. It’s a process. And each person has their own process.

Whenever we do any kind of vegan education, we can’t judge it by the immediate outcomes. We must have a longer view. We must see how our work fits into the larger scheme.

When we do vegan education - leafleting at a college, giving a presentation, or even just having a conversation with a friend - we are planting seeds. Some seeds will grow and some won’t. But if we spread seeds, then check back the next day and don’t notice any growth, that doesn’t mean we haven’t been effective. The seeds just need a little water, that’s all.

So go plant seeds. Or… go water someone else’s seeds.

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO MONSANTO
(full feature-length film)
KING CORN
(preview)

SUPERSIZE ME
(full feature-length film)

RAW FOR 30 DAYS
(preview)

EARTHLINGS
(full feature-length film)
MEET YOUR MEAT
(full length film: about 12 minutes)

Humane Education: An Essential Element of Animal Activism from Let Live Foundation on Vimeo.

Description:

“Education is a powerful and essential tool for creating a compassionate, just world for all beings, and we as animal activists ignore it at the animals’ peril. In this interactive presentation, learn about the philosophy of comprehensive humane education, which involves helping people make choices that do the most good and least harm for all people, animals and the planet; learn about the importance of approaching global problems from an interconnected perspective, and gain some practical tools for engaging people in exploring the power of their own choices to make personal and systemic change for a better world.”

See more Let Live videos here >>

Q: Although there are literally millions of pets in shelters, pounds and other ‘temporary housing’, many pet-owners-to-be (aka nonhuman animal guardians) don’t think about adoption when they’re looking for their new four-legged friend. Why do you think this is, and what can be done to turn that around?

A: Many people who want to get a pet just are not aware of how many pets are available at shelters. They might also have the misconception that pets are shelters might be there because there was a problem with the animal. In fact, most pets end up in shelters not because of any problem pet behavior, but because an owner died, moved, or simply didn’t have the time or money to care for the animal.  In some cases animals are lost and never found by their legal guardians.  These animals are healthy and very eager to please.  Rescues are wonderful - just ask anyone who has one.

Some people are seeking purebred animals or puppies and think these are not available in shelters. In fact, nearly a quarter of all animals in shelters are purebred. Often someone buys an expensive purebred animal and then attempts to breed that animal to recoup their money. Often these puppies or kittens are not placed in homes, and end up in the shelter. Puppies and kittens often up in shelters as well, but it is important to note that your animals, especially puppies, require a lot of work and training and can be quite destructive (peeing on the carpet or chewing shoes). Puppies are great but often people are much happier getting a dog who is older, and whose size and temperament is a known quantity.

With Adopt-a-Pet.com and without even leaving their home, people can search all their local pets and see pictures and descriptions of the animals.  This way, they can find the exact pet they want, call the animal shelter or rescue group, and get information on how to adopt that specific animal.

Q:What are the 5 most important things a potential adopter should consider when choosing their new pet?

A:We actually have a blog post on this highlighting the top 10 things we believe are important when adopting. Here are five, the rest can be located by visiting this page http://www.adoptapet.com/public/guides/permanentpets.html.
1. You need to make a real commitment to care for your pet for its entire life.
2. Verify in advance that you’re allowed to keep a pet where you live.
3. Never adopt on a whim or because you feel it’s love-at-first-sight
4. Provide sufficient exercise and stimulation during the first few weeks, this will help the animal adjust.
5. Make any necessary modifications to your yard and fence to provide for your pet’s safety.

Q:What are 5 positive aspects of pet adoption, and why it’s a good option?

A:
1. When you adopt an adult animal, you can see his/her size and temperament.  This helps ensure that the pet is right for you and your family.
2. It feels great to know you have saved an animals’ life and everyone you meet will give you kudos for that for years to come.
3. Adopted pets are very loyal and know they have been given a new home.
4.  Adopting a pet can be an important lesson to teach your children– both about the value of life, and also about civic responsibility.
5.  Choosing a mixed breed animal can help avoid many of the genetic health problems that have developed in purebred animal due overbreeding and inbreeding.

Q:If someone reading this isn’t in a position to adopt a pet right at this time, but still wants to help homeless pets, what are some things they can do to get involved?

A:
1. People can do Social PETworking!  They can run a search on Adopt-a-Pet.com, find a pet they want to help get exposure for, and use the share tools on our site to post the pet link on their Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or other social network page. Or, they can email the link of a pet in need form our site to their friends.
2. They can place a link/grpahic or even a search widget for Adopt-a-Pet.com on their personal website to encourage they users to see pets in need at local shelters.
3. People can add their info to our volunteer database (link) so shelters who need volunteers can find them.
4. People can search Adopt-a-Pet.com to find a local shelter, and make a cash donation to that shelter to help them with the costs of housing, feeding and medical care of shelter animals.
5. People can encourage other pet owners to spay or neuter their pet to help prevent unwanted births.

A vegan at the PPK asked for “some good articles about the effects of the meat & dairy industries as a whole on the environment.” So I offered this list and thought some of you, dear readers, might like it, too. The last few articles were suggested by other PPKers.

You might want to bookmark this list:

1. “Livestock’s Long Shadow”:
http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e00.htm
An in-depth report about the environmental impacts of animal agribusiness. The report was published in 2006 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

2. “Putting Meat on The Table: Industrial Farm Animal Production in America”:
http://www.ncifap.org/
A comprehensive, fact-based and balanced examination of key aspects of the farm animal industry published in 2008 by the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production.

3. “Environmental Hazards & Health Effects: Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)”:
http://www.cdc.gov/cafos/about.htm
A brief overview of factory farming’s environmental and health threats from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

4. “How Do CAFOs Impact the Environment?”:
http://www.epa.gov/region07/water/cafo/cafo_impact_environment.htm
Short article about factory farms that says things like “Failures to properly manage manure and wastewater at CAFOs can negatively impact the environment and public health.” From the US Environmental Protection Agency.

5. “Meat: the slavery of our time”:
http://experts.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/06/03/meat_the_slavery_of_our_time
Short article that makes the case that humans will go vegetarian out of necessity, not compassion or choice published in Foreign Policy magazine.

6. “Aren‘t ‘humane’ animal products more sustainable?”
http://www.humanemyth.org/faq/1127.htm
Short piece about how meat-eaters must choose between being kind to animals or to the environment, but they can’t have both.
From the Humane Myth website FAQ.

7. “Vegetarian is the New Prius”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathy-freston/vegetarian-is-the-new-pri_b_39014.html
Short article drawing conclusions from the UN report.
From the Huffington Post.

8. “The Low-Carbon Diet”
http://www.audubonmagazine.org/features0901/viewpoint.html
Article about meat-reduction and vegetarianism for the environment from the Audubon Magazine.

9. “Rethinking the Meat-Guzzler”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html
Compares meat-eating with driving gas-guzzlers. From the New York Times.

10. “As More Eat Meat, a Bid to Cut Emissions”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/science/earth/04meat.html
A world-wide perspective on meat consumption and environmental destruction published in the New York Times.

11. “UN says eat less meat to curb global warming”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/07/food.foodanddrink
A plea to reduce meat consumption by going meatless one day a week, and it’s reactions. From The Guardian.

But… we’ll answer it anyway, because you ought to know the truth: Vegan protein sources include tempeh, tofu, seitan, lentils, black beans, chickpeas, pinto beans, quinoa, TVP, sunflower seeds, cashews, almonds, lima beans, veggie burgers, veggie dogs, black eyed peas, peanut butter, almond butter, soy milk, hemp milk, vegan protein powders, soy yogurt, fortified foods, amaranth, spirulina, chorella, split peas, whole wheat, and even potatoes have some protein! Here are some more detailed resources regarding vegan protein: veganhealth.org/articles/protein, ivu.org/faq/protein.html, vegan.org/FAQs/index.html, pcrm.org/health/veginfo/nutritionfaq.html#Protein, vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm

Back to the topic at hand: extremism. Are vegans really extreme or is the opposite the case? Take a look at these articles to help you decide for yourself who/ what is extreme:

• “I feel that going vegan is too extreme. Can’t I show my support for animal rights by eating vegetarian food most of the time and only eating free-range, organic animal products when I do eat them?” get the answer here >>
• “People who profit from animal exploitation like to call animal-rights advocates ‘extreme.’ But what’s extreme about not wanting to see animals suffer?” read more about how not being a vegan is extreme >>
• “Vegans don’t eat, wear or use animal products, or products tested on animals. Sure, it helps the animals and the environment, and enables more efficient use of global food and water resources, thereby saving human lives too. But no meat pies, no leather jackets, and no animal-tested lipstick?!? Surely vegans must endure grim and joyless lives of self-denial?” read more about Extreme Vegan Sports >>
• “Torture and death are extreme. Meat, fur, and animal testing involve both. Therefore, these actions should be considered extreme. Veganism bypasses all of this. Veganism opts out of exploitation, torture, and death. Veganism strives for compassion. Veganism is peace. Veganism is not extreme.” read more here >>
• “When you know that buying vegan products can eliminate your personal contribution to cruel practices, and when you know you can get both function and style with available vegan alternatives, then I think the pertinent question is really: ‘why not vegan?‘” read more about vegan clothing here >>
• “why the media continues to insist that veganism is ‘extreme’ and ‘out there on the fringe’ is beyond me. Is that really what people still think about veganism?” more here >>

* The book was first published in 2007.

* Now the book has been expanded and revised. The new publication date is 2009.

* The No-Kill Center is offering free copies of the 2007 edition to any animal lover who buys a copy of the 2009 edition.

What’s not to love?? A chance to get this amazing book for yourself plus another you can pass on to a friend, a shelter owner, a politician…advocacy at little cost.

Read about the offer on the No Kill page.

Thanks to easyVegan for spotlighting this offer (and including a reference to the review of the book we printed here, too, of course).

Hat tips: vegan.com and Naomi.

Answer: You know yourself, your resources, and the people you interact with best, so you’re the best judge of what you should do to help animals. Maybe you’re a social butterfly so you want to organize potlucks. Maybe you’re a computer wiz so you’d like to create a website. It’s up to you what you do to help foster veganism in other people.

However, Vegan Soapbox has some suggestions:

• Browse the Soapbox’s activism section for ideas or news about activism.
• Leave A Link, Change A Life is worth a read, as well as 10 Kinds Of Vegan Activism.
• Also, there’s Being An Effective Advocate For Animals, How To Be A Blogger Activist, PETA Tips On Getting Active, Getting To Your Friends And Family.

Two of the most effective methods of “vegangelism” are: leafleting and videos.

Here are some videos:

• The 8 Most Disturbing Animal Videos Available Online Now
• The 8 Most Compelling Vegan Videos Available Online Now
• Investigations, interviews, etc: PETA TV
• Doctors, dietitians, etc: VegSource TV
• Cooking how-to videos: Everyday Dish

Here are some leafleting resources:

• Vegan Outreach
• FARM
• PETA
• Compassion Over Killing
• Animal Emancipation

Here is a compilation of some of pieces of the conference:

Want more? Check these out…

Thinking Outside the Lockbox: Making Our Actions Count in a Changing Activist Environment

Protest Conduct and First Amendment Issues

Campaign Development: Goals, Strategy, and Tactics

We’ll post more here at Vegan Soapbox as they become available.