10 Ways to Live Kindly

The Economist has declared 2019 as The Year of the Vegan. The percentage of millennials who have committed to a began diet is now 25% and growing.

If plant-based “meats” take off, they could become a transformative technology, improving Westerners’ protein-heavy diets, reducing the environmental hoofprint of animal husbandry, even cutting the cost of food in poor countries. -John Parker, the Economist

Closer to home, Kelly McNamara, Always There’s COO and an owner, has become a passionate advocate for animal rights by practicing and encouraging others to eliminate meat, fish and dairy from their diets
Looking to make the world a little kinder? We are, too. Today, the market- place is ripe with compassionate options in every supermarket aisle or department store counter.

There’s so much you can do, from choosing animal-free entertainment to supporting animal sanctuaries that provide refuge for abused, orphaned, or displaced animals. We’ve rounded up our top ten tips for going kind.

They’re surprisingly easy, and in many cases, delicious, too!

1. DITCH DAIRY

Milk is usually the easiest for people to replace. Most grocery stores carry at least one type of plant milk. Cheese and ice cream have nondairy alternatives in mainstream brands

2. REPLACE EGGS
Both male and female chicks are subject to horrific living conditions , constant pain then early death. Many egg substitutes are available. Making this change will spare lives and suffering and help you to avoid the high cholesterol and saturated fat content of chicken eggs.

3. GO MEAT-FREE
There has never been a more perfect time to think about ditching meat. The range of meat replacements has never been so expansive.

Most major super- markets now stock many of these products. Beyond the abundance of delicious alternatives, the reasons for keeping meat off your plate are compelling.

Meat-consumption to several life-limiting illnesses, including cancer, heart disease, and depression. By contrast, removing red meat from your diet may improve healthy aging, boost libido, protect against and even reverse serious illness.

Replacing meat is essential to save our planet; The biggest cause of ocean dead zones, and a leading cause of deforestation, environmental protection requires a move away from animal agriculture. The popular vegan Beyond Burger, which mimics beef in taste and texture, produces 90 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than beef.

If environmentalism isn’t your thing, perhaps the humanitarian benefits may convince you: if everyone switched to plant-based alternatives, we could sustainably feed ten billion people.

4. LEAVE SEAFOOD OFF THE PLATE
Sea creatures feel pain. They can make friends and express emotions. And they also have a survival instinct.. By leaving seafood off your plate, you’re helping more continue to survive.

By opting not to eat seafood, you could avoid painful deaths for sea creatures and help to stop overfishing, a practice which could decimate fish populations by 2050. But it’s not just about animal welfare. In some areas of the world, the fishing industry assists in the exploitation of human beings. By opting for vegan fish alternatives - you are helping to create a kinder world for humans, sea life, and underwater eco-systems.

5. GO FOR HONEY ALTERNATIVES
Just like bees need honey to survive, we need bees to survive. They pollinate nearly one-third of all foods vital to humans. Loss of hive populations could render many fruits and nuts obsolete, driving food prices higher as a result. Maple, date, rice syrup, and agave are all delicious substitutes that are cruelty-free and widely available.

6. WEAR WOOL-FREE
Often painted as a warm and cuddly environment, the inside of a sheep shed is much uglier than we would like to believe. Paid by wool volume rather than by the hour, sheep shearers often resort to rushed and rough handling of the animals to increase their earnings. Multiple exposés have uncovered aggression and violence in the industry, with sheep being beaten and killed.

Luckily, there are plenty of cruelty-free alter- natives to sheep’s wool. Just as warm and fashionable

7. GO FAUX WITH YOUR FUR
Buying faux fur instead of real fur is one way that you can live a kinder life and help to give back to the animals. Animals raised or hunted and then tortured for their fur. Many European countries have banned Fur farms

There are plenty of faux alternatives. A growing number of brands are embracing the faux-real feel of synthetic fur. All the warmth, style, and comfort, but without the cruelty.

8. LET GO OF LEATHER
Leather is so abundant in our lives it’s almost invisible. Except that once you see it for what it really is – the skin of dead animals – it’s not invisible at all. In fact, it can become quite horrific.
And unlike other industries, it’s virtually impossible to tell where leather originates. Animals including dogs and kangaroos are also often used for leather production, but consumers are in the dark.
But leather is no longer a necessary textile. Vegan leather options are abundant – from synthetics to those made from natural resources.

9. GO CRUELTY-FREE
The sad reality is animals are still used as test subjects for a number of industries, namely cosmetics.
A growing number of brands are now making animal-testing and animal-ingredient-free cosmetics and personal care items. From small-batch producers that may only sell in your neighborhood to bigger name brands like Dove and CoverGirl, who both just announced they’re stopping animal testing, options abound.

10. ADOPT, DON’T SHOP
Dog lovers intent on a specific breed should always seek out a high quality, fully vetted highly recommended breeder. But many dogs and cats for sale are from puppy farms or other factory style facilities. Many shelters hold far more pets than they are able to handle.

A pet can add years of joy and companionship to an owner, and improve physical and mental health.
A switch to a more compassionate vegan lifestyle is urgent as ever. This year, climate scientists gave us 12 years to change our ways and limit a climate catastrophe. And the best way for us to do that on an individual level? Eat plants. As we go into a new year, we can all make one simple change to not only protect animals and safeguard our own health, but to begin to reduce the devastating effects factory farming has on climate change.

Happy New Year–and cheers to compassion!

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