Home resources
Category:

resources

books

Your complete vegan pregnancy by Dr. Reed Mangels

by Sharné
written by Sharné

If you are new to veganism, and thinking about getting pregnant then this book is for you!

About the author

Dr. Reed Mangels is a registered dietitian with a doctorate degree in nutrition. She is one of the leading experts of vegan nutrition in the world, and specialises in vegan nutrition for children. She is vegan herself, and has raised both her daughters vegan, who are now all grown up and still vegan.

Dr. Reed Mangels is the Adjunct Associate Professor of the Department of Nutrition at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is also a free-lance writer and speaker. Since the 1980’s she has been a Nutrition Advisor for the The Vegetarian Resource Group and the Nutrition Editor for the Vegetarian Journal.

She is the author and/or co-author of numerous papers and books about veganism, including the American Dietetic Association’s position paper on vegan and vegetarian diets, Vegan & Vegetarian FAQ (2001), The Dietitian’s Guide to Vegetarian Diets (2004), The Everything Vegan Pregnancy Book (2011) and this book.

About the book

Your Complete Vegan Pregnancy (ISBN 978-1-5072-1019-2) was first published in 2019 by Simon & Schuster Inc. The book starts of with some info about the vegan diet, vegan foods, vegan nutrients, health benefits and discusses the various reasons people go vegan. It also covers all the different aspects of getting ready for your vegan pregnancy, and even includes a section about talking to your healthcare provider about your vegan diet.

Part 2 is all about what to eat for a healthy pregnancy and includes info about protein, zinc, iron, Vitamin B, Folic Acid, DHA and Iodine. Part 3 is all about the vegan lifestyle and includes a vegan food guide for pregnancy, menu planning advice, vegan shopping and ingredients, and foods to avoid. The last chapter in Part 3 is all about living vegan while pregnant and includes concerned family members and non-vegan partners.

Part 4 covers each trimester of a vegan pregnancy including labour and delivery. There’s even a birth plan checklist at the back of the book. The final Part of the book has 50+ vegan recipes you can use before, during and after pregnancy.

If you have been vegan for a while and do a lot of research about vegan pregnancy then you might already know a lot of the info in this book. I still think this is a great resource for vegans who’d like to pregnant as well as vegans who are already pregnant.

Where to buy?

You can buy the kindle (paperless) version of this book on Amazon or get a physical copy from your local bookstore. If they don’t have it, give them the title or ISBN number 978-1-5072-1019-2 and ask them to order it for you.

Have you read this book? Do you have any other book recommendations? Let me know on Facebook and Instagram. If you would like some info about my green vegan lifestyle and the vegan products I use, please take some time and browse through my blog. I have a section where I post recipes I’ve created, or you could browse through the food and drinks section. Alternatively, you could head on over to the body & beauty OR home & garden section to see what products I personally use on myself and at home.

Let’s get Social!

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with my posts and the upcoming DIY’s!

© the green vegan chick. All images & content are copyright protected. Please follow my Sharing Policy if you would like to use or share any part of this post.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Tips & Info

World Vegan Day 2021

by Sharné
written by Sharné

Today is World Vegan Day, a day that has been celebrated for 27 years, as 1994 marked the 50th anniversary of the Vegan Society created in November 1944.

Veganism is defined by the Vegan Society as “a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment.”

World Vegan Day is a day of celebration but also the first day of World Vegan Month. 

This month:

We can focus on educating others of the ethical, environmental and health benefits of living a vegan lifestyle!

We can inspire others to try eating plant based this month by showcasing our meals online.

We can support vegan businesses financially or by sharing their posts on social media!

We can host vegan dinners for non-vegan friends and family to showcase how amazing vegan meals are!

We can volunteer at our local animal shelter. I’ll be attending this years @tearsanimalrescue sleepathon in order to raise awareness of all the dogs and cats in need of homes! #adoptdontshop

We can write reviews on @abillion in order to raise funds for our favourite non profits. You can use my referral code ‘TheGreenVeganChick’ #paidpartnership

I’m sure there a tons of other ways we can make a difference this Month. If you have some suggestions please let me know in the comments of this post on Facebook or Instagram.

HAPPY WORLD VEGAN DAY!

I hope you have found this blog post interesting and useful. I’ll be adding more similar posts soon! If you would like some info about my green vegan lifestyle and the vegan products I use, please take some time and browse through my blog. I have a section where I post recipes I’ve created, or you could browse through the food and drinks section. Alternatively, you could head on over to the body & beauty OR home & garden section to see what products I personally use on myself and at home.

Let’s get social!

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with my posts! If you end up trying this product, after reading about it for the first time here, please tag me and let me know what you think. Remember to hashtag it  #thegreenveganchick

© the green vegan chick. All images & content are copyright protected. Please follow my Sharing Policy if you would like to use or share any part of this post.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
books

The Vegan Diet

by Sharné
written by Sharné

Although people’s interest in the vegan lifestyle has grown in popularity in recent years, especially since COVID-19, the Vegan Society was created a very long time ago, back in 1944. People across the world, have lived a vegan lifestyle even before then. What’s even more amazing to me is that the 3 main reasons (animals, health & the environment) for being vegan are equally old.

There were many definitions of veganism but it was not until 1979 that the definition of veganism that we know today was created by The Vegan Society: “a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment.”

I found this vegan cookbook at the Tears Animal Charity Shop. It is 36 years old, a year older than I am. It is filled with Vegan recipes and also includes some information about the Vegan lifestyle.

Animals

On the Introduction page of The Vegan Diet the authors, David Scott & Claire Golding state: “There are three main reasons for following this diet. First, by following a vegan diet we cease contributing to the exploitation and cruelty suffered by animals reared for their flesh and products. This reason is particularly relevant now that such suffering has become an intrinsic, if not intended, part of modern factory-farming methods.”

I did a quick google search and found that Factory Farming started in the 1960’s. This way of farming animals is not new, and the Sentience Institute estimates that 90% of the world’s farmed animals are in factory farms, 31.0 billion of which are land animals and 38.8 to 215.9 billion are fish. Even though this is the reality of the world we live in, so many people still don’t realise the immense suffering that happens every day to these animals.

Health

The Vegan Diet Introduction continues: “Second, we benefit nutritionally because the naturally balanced food we eat, so long as it is not refined, is low in fats and cholesterol and not over-rich in protein. Further, plant food does not contain the chemicals that are fed to animals to ensure that their flesh is of the right colour and tenderness, at the right time, for the market place, thus ensuring the optimum yield per unit according the amount of money invested.”

We have learned a lot more since then. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that proves a well-balanced vegan diet has a large range of health benefits and has the power to reduce the risk of various chronic diseases.

Since the 1980’s the use of antibiotics added to factory farmed animals has increased immensely, and in some countries 80% of medical antibiotics are fed to animals. This has contributed to the development of antibiotic resistance, as Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) stated in 2017 “A lack of effective antibiotics is as serious a security threat as a sudden and deadly disease outbreak,”.

COVID-19 is believed to be a zoonotic disease, which is a disease that originated from animals and was transferred to humans. There are currently over 200 types of zoonosis with coronaviruses, the plague, rabies, lyme disease being some of the most well-known. The WHO warns that over 70% of emerging diseases may come from wild animals.

When you consider that the underlying risk factors for COVID-19 severity and death is obesity, heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and chronic pulmonary disease, which can all be prevented or reversed by eating a vegan diet, then this really is the perfect time for a global shift towards a vegan diet. Globally since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, there has been an accelerated rise in people switching to a vegan diet.

Environment

Lastly the Vegan Diet Introduction states: “Third, the vegan diet contributes to a better use of the land available for growing food. Animal farming is an extravagant and ecologically unsound use of our resources. Many of the world’s food problems could be alleviated if land devoted to animal rearing was turned over to plant-food cultivation.”

According to Our World In Data, half of the world’s habitable land is used for agriculture, 77% of which is used to feed livestock. We know that the livestock industry is destroying the planet as it contributes to deforestation, species extinction, water pollution, air pollution, global warming, desertification, erosion and greenhouse gases, to name a few environmental issues.

Currently it is estimated that livestock are responsible for 14.5 % of global greenhouse gases (GHG) which is almost as much as the transportation industry which is 15-20%. Given the environmental crisis we are facing it is of utmost importance to turn to what is on our plates, for the solution.

My thoughts

On the one hand it makes me sad to think that for decades we have known the environmental, health, ethical and moral implications of eating animals, and have had resources like this vegan cookbook, yet as a species we continue to consume animals. On the other hand, since going vegan in 2011 I have personally witnessed a global shift towards a vegan diet, although to be honest, it is a lot slower than I’d hoped. My own vegan journey started from an environmental and ethical stand point, and not long after, it also included the undeniable health benefits which I’ve seen in myself.

What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear from you in a comment on Instagram or Facebook.

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with my posts! If you end up trying this product, after reading about it for the first time here, please tag me and let me know what you think. Remember to hashtag it  #thegreenveganchick

© the green vegan chick. All images & content are copyright protected. Please follow my Sharing Policy if you would like to use or share any part of this post.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Tips & Info

What I think about the new YAGA & FOSCHINI collaboration

by Sharné
written by Sharné

I am so disappointed by the new Yaga & Foschini collaboration that was announced this week, and I’d like to explain why.

Foschini & Fast Fashion

Foschini is a fast fashion brand owned by The Foschini Group, who own 20+ other companies, most of which are also fast fashion brands. A fast fashion brand is a clothing brand that continuously releases new collections of trendy/fashionable clothes, sometimes weekly, to encourage consumers to constantly buy new clothes. The clothes are most often made quickly and cheaply in faraway countries by garment workers. These garment workers get paid very little, are treated unfairly and work excessive hours in horrible conditions.

The fast in fast fashion refers to how quickly once out of fashion the clothing ends up as waste. The fast fashion business model is built on the notion that your clothes are disposable, and this is just one reason why the entire fast fashion industry is inherently unsustainable. I’ll be doing a blog post about the lifecycle of fast fashion soon, but I would like to note that the fast fashion industry is responsible for 10% of the worlds carbon emissions, and is the second-largest consumer of the world’s water supply.

Yaga & Second Hand

Yaga is an online platform and app where people from across South Africa can sell clothes and items they no longer want, instead of throwing it away. I’m sure many people who shop on Yaga like I do, no longer want to support the fast fashion industry and instead buy less and shop second hand.

I know that I am privileged to be able to boycott fast fashion and that many can’t. I started buying second hand at charity shops and second hand shops not because I couldn’t afford new clothes, but because I no longer wanted to support an industry with so little ethics that is doing so much environmental damage. Yaga is a place where i could look for specific items I needed, instead of hoping to find what I need at a charity shop. I’ll be honest I’m really disappointed that Yaga has decided to collaborate with Foschini and I can’t help but wonder what financial motivations there might be for Yaga.

The Yaga & Foschini Collaboration:

Yaga & Foschini are collaborating to promote circular fashion. “For every item sold on Yaga the Seller will receive a unique voucher from Foschini as a reward for extending the life cycle of their garments.”

Before I tell you more about this collab I’d like to explain what circular fashion is and why I feel this collaboration is a form of greenwashing very similarly to Zara’s in store recycling bin initiative.

Circular fashion similarly to a circular system is a sustainable system that not only eliminates waste but also makes every step of a products lifecycle more environmentally friendly.

Circular fashion aims to look at designing pieces that are timeless, then sourcing materials that are sustainable (recycled, etc.), and then producing garments ethically and sustainably (chemical and water management). Once used for a long time, the items can be repaired when needed, and when the item reaches the end of it’s lifespan it is redesigned into a new garment, and so the cycle continues.

If Foschini really cared about circular fashion, they would look at themselves first, instead of putting all the responsibility on the consumer. This collaboration seems to be a performative action, and Foschini is misleading consumers, and is pretending to be more sustainable than they actually are (greenwashing).

I don’t think that they are taking any responsibility for the environmentally destructive fast fashion culture they are a part of, and profit from. Instead they are encouraging South Africans to buy more instead of buying less and reusing and repairing what they already have.

The Foschini vouchers you get on Yaga are only valid to use for 30 days and only 1 can only be used at a time. In order to use a R150 voucher your minimum spend needs to be at least R600. Overconsumption is not the answer, buying less is. The reality is that we don’t truly value what we buy, and we live in a world where it’s cheaper to replace a damaged item than it is to repair it.

When you need new clothing items, please consider to buy them second hand instead of new.

Let’s get social!

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with my posts and the upcoming DIY’s! 

© the green vegan chick. All images & content are copyright protected. Please follow my Sharing Policy if you would like to use or share any part of this post.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Tips & Info

The lifecycle of glass

by Sharné
written by Sharné

According to Consol, South Africa consumes more than 3.1 million tonnes of glass a year, 66% of which is reusable. The Glass Recycling Company (TGRC) states that we recycle 44% of the glass we use.

I admit, I used to think recycling was one of the most powerful, planet-friendly actions I was doing as an eco-conscious consumer! Before going #zerowaste I would buy items that were recyclable, and justify the purchases based on the fact that the items are recyclable. I would then recycle the items after a single use.

Then I discovered that to truly make a difference recycling should not be the first step after purchase, but a last resort! This goes for all types of recyclables, but for this post I’m focussing on glass.

Reuse, reduce then recycle

We currently have over 4000 glass banks in South Africa, which is amazing because it does make recycling more accessible. But recycling is just another way, albeit a more environmentally friendly way, of throwing out your waste. We really need to shift our focus from recycling to reducing in order to truly make a positive impact on the environment! And we need to reuse what we have reduced in order to prolong the lifespan of the items already made, which reduces the items carbon and ecological footprint.

To understand why this approach is better, we need to look at how glass is made and how it is recycled. With any product, to truly understand it’s environmental impact we need to look at it’s entire lifespan from extracting the materials needed to make the product, all the way to what happens to the product after use ie. recycling.

The ingredients of glass

Glass is made by melting minerals together at incredibly high temperatures. But first Silica, a type of sand and other materials like limestone and soda ash, all of which are natural materials, are extracted from the earth. To make coloured glass different types of oxides are added.

I have to note that these materials are finite aka non-renewable, yet we are using up earths resources as if it is infinite. The mining of these materials lead to land degradation, pollution, loss of biodiversity but also causes further environmental damage.

Once the materials are extracted, they are then processed which requires an immense amount of water and energy. Then the materials are transported from various countries to the glass making facility. Transportation in itself causes environmental damage.

Manufacturing Glass

Once at the glass manufacturing facility, giant furnaces are used to melt the materials, at incredibly high temperatures (around 1,500°C), most often using fossil fuels as energy. These furnaces run 24/7, and are never switched off during their approximate 15 year lifetime. Water is using extensively throughout the process, specifically for cleaning, cooling and glass finishing processes.

According to Consol, when molten glass comes out the furnace it is cooled to 1200°C. and is then cut into gobs which are then fed into to moulds and using various methods, shapes like bottles or jars are created. Then the new shape is coated with tin oxide, which strengthens it, before being transferred to another oven, this one slowly cools the glass from 600°C to 100°C.

Once cooled the external surface of the glass item is coated in polyethylene wax which protects the surface of the glass and prevents scuffing between bottles.

During the glass manufacturing process there are a few key areas of environmental damage to note: emissions to air, waste water and solid waste.

Once the glass products are made, they are transported to various suppliers. In South Africa, there are many imported glass products not just locally made ones. Because glass is a heavy material, less is transported than would be for a lighter material. Buying locally made items will have a smaller transport carbon footprint than imported items.

Reusing glass

When I consider the negative environmental impact a single glass item like a jar already has made even before purchase, then I’m encouraged to try reuse that jar for the rest of my life, if possible. I have a house full of jars, that was once filled with food, that is now being used in the garage, craft room, medicine cabinet and in the kitchen pantry, to store my packaging free dry goods. And the ones I don’t use I try to donate to others who can use it. And if that’s not possible, only then do I recycle it.

Because glass can be reused, many companies have glass take back programs so they can reuse the item multiple times before ultimately, hopefully sending it for recycling instead of it ending up in landfill. I want to urge all companies that sell products in glass packaging to implement take back programs for their glass packaging. After all, consumers should not be solely responsible for what happens to packaging after purchase.

Recycling glass

Most glass is infinitely recyclable so it can be recycled over and over without losing quality.

Once you have added your glass to a recycling bin or collection point, it will most likely be transported to a sorting facility before being transported to a recycling centre, where it will be turned into cullet, (crushed glass) The cullet is then transported to glass manufacturers.

There was a study done in 2019, that found using at least 30% cullet together with raw virgin materials to make new glass products, results in a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, waste, energy and costs.

Once the glass is transformed into a new glass product, the cycle mentioned above can continue indefinitely.

My thoughts

Even with all the things I have learned about the negative environmental impact throughout the lifecycle of glass, I still believe that the glass recycling process has the potential to become a leading example of a closed loop sustainable practice as part of a circular economy.

There is though, still a lot that needs to be done to make the glass recycling and glass manufacturing process using cullet, more sustainable with the goal of reusing and restoring natural resources.

I hope you have found this blog post interesting and useful. I’ll be adding more similar posts soon! If you would like some info about my green vegan lifestyle and the vegan products I use, please take some time and browse through my blog. I have a section where I post recipes I’ve created, or you could browse through the food and drinks section. Alternatively, you could head on over to the body & beauty OR home & garden section to see what products I personally use on myself and at home.

Let’s get social!

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with my posts and the upcoming DIY’s! 

© the green vegan chick. All images & content are copyright protected. Please follow my Sharing Policy if you would like to use or share any part of this post.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
books

Vegetable glue written by Susan Chandler & illustrated by Elena Odriozola

by Sharné
written by Sharné

“When my right arm fell off, I knew what to do. I stuck it back on, with vegetable glue.” Vegetable glue is a very cute children’s story with a message about the importance of eating vegetables.

The book

In this story vegetable glue, which is what you get when you eat your veggies, literally keeps the pieces of your body stuck together. 😜 I found this board book at a second hand book shop called The Book Shoppe in Tokai. The book was published by Meadowside Children’s book and was printed in China.

The illustrations are beautiful and the story is fun and quirky. It is meant for toddlers but I really enjoyed it so much when I read it in the shop that I had to buy it. Maybe one day I’ll get to read it to my future kids.

When my head rolled away, I thought it had gone, But I found it again, And stuck it back on.

Vegetable Glue

The Author & The illustrator

Vegetable Glue is written by Susan Chandler, a children’s book writer from The UK. The beautiful illustrations in the book was created by Elena Odriozola, a Spanish illustrator of children’s books.

Where to buy?

You should be able to order this book from your local book store. Just give them the book title and the ISBN no. and ask them to order it for you. (ISBN 978-1-84539-299-4). If you struggle with the title try this alternative title instead: What I do with vegetable glue.

Have you come across any similar books? I’d love to know. I’ll be adding more children’s books soon! If you would like some info about my green vegan lifestyle and the vegan products I use, please take some time and browse through my blog. I have a section where I post recipes I’ve created, or you could browse through the food and drinks section. Alternatively, you could head on over to the body & beauty OR home & garden section to see what products I personally use on myself and at home.

Let’s get Social!

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with my posts and the upcoming DIY’s! 

© the green vegan chick. All images & content are copyright protected. Please follow my Sharing Policy if you would like to use or share any part of this post.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Tips & Info

Earth Day 2021

by Sharné
written by Sharné

“Earth Day should not be seen as a deadline but rather a spark that inspires future action.”

Earthday.org

April 22 is Earth Day, a day where people from across the world are inspired to protect the environment. The first Earth Day was celebrated on the 22nd of April 1970, and since then Earth Day has recruited more than 75,000 partners in 192 countries to the environmental movement.

Each and every one of us has the power and influence to make a positive change. And together with millions across the world we can #restoreourearth, which is this year’s Earth Day Theme. The Restore Our Earth theme has been broken into 5 pillars, which I have listed below with a little explanation of each and links so you can get involved.

“We must Restore Our Earth not just because we care about the natural world, but because we live on it. Every one of us needs a healthy Earth to support our jobs, livelihoods, health & survival, and happiness. A healthy planet is not an option — it is a necessity.”

Earthday.org

Five Pillars of Restore Our Earth

1. The Canopy Project

Donate to The Canopy Project so that Earth Day can continue planting trees across the globe. With the help of various global partners Earth Day has planted tree in areas that is in dire need of rehabilitation as well as areas that is home to the most at-risk communities which has been impacted by climate change and environmental degradation.

2. Food & Environment

One of the most powerful ways you can fight climate change is by changing your diet.

“Our food system is rapidly deteriorating the planet, and in its current form, we will not be able to feed the over 9 billion people inhabiting Earth by 2050. Our growing population is pushing food security to the edge, and what we’re eating is pushing the planet to the breaking point on climate change and deforestation.”

Earthday.org

Use a foodprint calculator to learn exactly how your diet affect the environment. Make your next meal plant-based (recipe ideas here), and who know you might be inspired to have more plant-based meals in future.

3. The Great Global Cleanup

“79% of all plastics ever produced have accumulated in the natural environment or landfills.”

Earthday.org

Global waste impacts everyone and there are multiple ways individuals can help reduce waste. You can do a cleanup on your own or as a group. Every piece of litter picked up makes a difference.

If you organise a cleanup event or attend one, don’t forget to Tag @EarthDayNetwork and use the hastag #GreatGlobalCleanup

In order to make a big impact on the global waste epidemic, each individual should look at reducing their own personal waste at home.

“Small choices, amplified enough times, have big impacts.”

Earthday.org

4. Climate Literacy

Sign the Climate and Environmental Literacy petition on Earthday.org. We need to urge our governments to provide students worldwide with climate and environmental education, so that they can make informed environmental choices. This will not only help them in the way they live but will also empower them to build a stronger sustainable economy where everyone is accountable for their actions towards the environment.

5. Global Earth Challenge

Earthday.org, together with the U.S Department of State’s Eco-Capitals Forum and The Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars have a launched the Global Earth Challenge™, a transparent citizen science database. The goal of this database is to combine data collected by individuals via a new mobile app as well as from existing citizen science projects to shed light on key environmental issues.

To become a Citizen Scientist, all you need to do it download the Global Earth Challenge™ app so you can start collecting data on bee populations, or support research on air quality, plastic pollution, food security, etc. The resulting data will be displayed on a public map and is available as open data. This data will be used by researchers and it has the power to drive change.

Let’s get social!

© the green vegan chick. All images & content are copyright protected. Please follow my Sharing Policy if you would like to use or share any part of this post.

Follow Earth Day on Instagram & Facebook and be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to see what I am doing to make a positive impact in the world!

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Tips & Info

Beauty without Cruelty

by Sharné
written by Sharné

Simply saying something is cruelty free (not tested on animals), does not make it so. I’m on a mission to get local brands to become Beauty Without Cruelty (BWC) accredited and I need your help!

The stop motion animated short, Save Ralph, has created world wide awareness about cosmetic animal testing which is still legal in many countries including here in SA.

In order to ensure products have not been tested on animals, companies needs to be audited. Here in South Africa, the Beauty Without Cruelty bunny, on the label of a local product is the only way to make sure that the product really is cruelty free.

Who is Beauty Without Cruelty?

Beauty Without Cruelty is an animal rights organisastion in South Africa, that has audited and endorsed 120+ local brands that sell personal care, cosmetics and household cleaners. These brands have proven their humane status according to a strict set of criteria. BWC list all of the accredited brands in a humane guide on their website. The BWC auditing process is a public service, and is 100% free, so there is no reason for a company to not get audited!

How does the BWC audit work?

As I understand it, when doing an audit, Beauty Without Cruelty checks that all the products created by a company has not been tested on animals, that none of the products use any ingredients that has been tested on animals, and that the company itself is not owned by a parent company that tests on animals.

As of April 2018 in order for a company to be BWC accredited, all their products must be 100% plant based. This means that all the products must be free from animal ingredients or animal by-products. Companies that got their BWC accreditation prior to 2018, are still allowed to use the BWC bunny on their products.

Are the products you use BWC approved?

Since January I have been assessing all the products I use, because I only want to buy products from vegan brands that only sell plant based products, and who don’t profit from animal cruelty in any way. And as part my checklist I want to make sure that those products are cruelty free (not tested on animals). Most of the products I use is BWC accredited but two of the brands I am currently using have submitted their documentation to BWC and are awaiting their approval. I will be posting about all the BWC approved vegan products I use, and the amazing brands that make them.

If I find a local vegan brand that states they are cruelty free, I immediately ask them if they are BWC approved. If they are not, I urge them to do so. Please help me, by talking to local brands about why it’s important to be BWC accredited. As consumers we have the power to demand change, and I for one, demand that brands prove they really are cruelty free!

World Day for Animals In Laboratories

April 24 is World Day for Animals In Laboratories and BWC is putting together a video montage of photographs of South Africans who are against animal testing. The plan is to send it to parliament to encourage them to ban cosmetic animal testing (notice 497 of 2020)

BWC has already submitted a memorandum supported by welfare organisations and social groups, along with a 5000+ strong hand signed petitions, but each and every additional voice helps!!!!

In order to take part, head on over to their website, and print or recreate one of the two posters, and take a selfie with it. Use the hashtags #letsdothistogether #makeadifference #choosecompassion #stopcosmeticstesting #leavethemalone post it on social media (be sure to tag Beauty Without Cruelty) OR send it to toni@bwcsa.co.za

About my blog

If you would like some info about my green vegan lifestyle and the vegan products I use, please take some time and browse through my blog. I have a section where I post recipes I’ve created, or you could browse through the food and drinks section. Alternatively, you could head on over to the body & beauty OR home & garden section to see what products I personally use on myself and at home.

Let’s get Social!

Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to see what I am doing to see all the ways I am making a positive impact in the world! 

© the green vegan chick. All images & content are copyright protected. Please follow my Sharing Policy if you would like to use or share any part of this post.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
films

Seaspiracy

by Sharné
written by Sharné

Over the Easter weekend I watched Seaspiracy, a powerful Netflix documentary that has made headlines across the world for exposing the harmful environmental impact of industrial fishing, and arguing that the only way to help heal the ocean is to stop eating fish.

The creators of Seaspiracy

Ali Tabrizi is a documentary filmmaker from the UK, that has a deep love for the ocean and passion for environmental issues. Ali is the narrator, director and filmmaker of Seaspiracy.

Lucy Tabrizi is a documentary filmmaker originally from Australia that is passionate about conservation and animal rights. Lucy is the assistant-director and filmmaker of Seaspiracy.

Kip Andersen is an artivist from the US. Kip was the co-producer, co-writer and co-director of the film What the health and he was also the co-producer, co-writer and co-star in the film Cowspiracy : The Sustainability Secret. Kip is the executive producer of Seaspiracy.

About Seaspiracy

In Seaspiracy, Ali tells us that he has always loved the ocean and that he dreamed of documenting it’s beauty. When he discovered that whales where washing up on the shores across the world, with stomachs full of plastic he realised that there was a much darker story that needed to be told.

But Ali’s discovery of plastic pollution in the ocean was just the tip of the iceberg, as he together with his now-wife Lucy, discovered many other ways in which the oceans were being harmed. In this documentary Ali shows us the reality of overfishing which includes various subtopics such as bycatch, sustainability laws, and even modern day slave labour.

Ali shows us the environmental importance of the ocean and the various ways in which we are causing it environmental damage. Ali also uncovers the truth of the shark finning industry, as well as the whale killings in the Faroe Islands, and dolphin killings in Taiji. But ultimately Ali shows us that killing trillions of fish worldwide every year, is just as cruel as killing whales or dolphins, as fish feel pain and fear too.

By the end of Seaspiracy, Ali’s has shown people across the world that the only way to truly help save the ocean, which is vital to humanities survival, is for us all to stop eating fish, as there is no way to know with a 100% certainty if something is sustainably fished or not.

My thoughts

I read a lot, so I had already known most of the things mentioned in Seaspiracy, but there was some things, like the slave labour, which I did not know about. I was glued to the screen from the get go, and I watched it all the way through, even through the parts where animals where harmed, tears and all.

Learning about the reality of what’s happening in the world, with regards to animals, sustainability, pollution and climate change is why in went vegan 10 years ago, and it’s why I continue doing what I can to make a positive difference.

The truth might not always be nice to hear, but I believe we should all know what truly happens in this world, so we can make informed decisions.

I honestly feel that everyone should watch this documentary. And I’m not just saying that as a vegan, I’m saying it as a steward of this earth. Each and every one of us has a responsibility to treat our natural world and the animals that live on it, with respect and to protect it for current and future generations. This is our home, and it’s very clear to me that as a society we have no respect for our planet. We seem to still not have realised that if we don’t make drastic changes to protect our planet, then we will make our home inhabitable. The threat is very real, so I’m very thankful that documentaries like Seaspiracy exist, because awareness is the first step towards change.

For those who think this is a big ConsiraSEA, I recommend that you first watch the documentary and then go do some further research and read as much as you can about the topics covered in Seaspiracy.

How to protect our oceans

According to SeaSpiracy here are some things you can do to protect our oceans.

Step 1. Shift to a plant-based diet. There is a meal planner on www.seaspiracy.org

Step 2. * We must enforce No-catch marine reserves with the short term goal of protecting 30% of our ocean by 2030.

Step 3. * End all fishing subsidies. $35 billion in tax payer funding props up the most destructive industry in our oceans.

Step 4. Watch Seaspiracy on Netflix, follow @Seaspiracy on Instagram, share this post. and join the movement at www.seaspiracy.org

*In order to do point 2 & 3 we must urge our local governments to protect our oceans.

More ways to help:

Share what you have learned from watching Seaspiracy with friends and family. Talk about it, debate it, create as much awareness as you can.

If you are already vegan or plant-based, show your friends and family the plant-based seafood alternatives you enjoy and be sure to share them online as well. Familiar foods make diet transitions easier.

Follow @seashephard & @dolphin_project on Instagram and share their posts to spread further awareness. Donate to these amazing organisations if you can.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my post about Seaspiracy. If you’d like to see what other films I recommend watching, have a look here. If you have decided to stop eating fish and desperately need some vegan recipe inspiration, have a look here.

Let’s get Social!

Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with my posts!

© the green vegan chick. All images & content are copyright protected. Please follow my Sharing Policy if you would like to use or share any part of this post.

0 comment
2 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
films

Save Ralph

by Sharné
written by Sharné

Save Ralph is a stop motion animated short film about a rabbit that “works” in a laboratory where beauty products and their ingredients are tested on him in various cruel ways. If you have not watched it, I urge you too! (Watch here)

save ralph

About the film

Save Ralph is presented by the Humane Society International in association with Arch Film studio and Blue Tongue Films. The short film is written and directed by Spencer Susser and stars Taika Waititi, Ricky Gervais, Zac Efron, Olivia Munn, Pom Klementieff, Tricia Helfer, and Rodrigo Santoro.

save ralph

Cosmetic testing on animals

Sadly cosmetic testing is a reality, as 500,000 animals across the world, are tortured and killed every year, all in the name of beauty. The suffering and death of these animals are completely unnecessary as there are many #crueltyfree alternatives available.

According to the Humane Society International, animal testing is still legal in 80% of countries. There are already 40 countries that have full or partial bans on cosmetics animal testing. Sadly here in SA, animals are still being used.

save ralph

How to help?

We can end this needless cruelty! Head on over to hsi.org/SaveRalph and add your name to urge the South African government to ban cosmetic testing.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my post about Save Ralph. If you’d like to see what other films I recommend watching, have a look here. I’ll be adding more soon.

Let’s Get Social!

Be sure to follow the Humane Society International on Instagram & follow me on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with my posts!

© the green vegan chick. All images & content are copyright protected. Please follow my Sharing Policy if you would like to use or share any part of this post.

0 comment
1 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts