May I be happy, may I maintain my happiness & live without any enmity.
May all beings be successful and happy: May they be of joyful mind, all beings that breathe & have life.

Let all beings enjoy safety, contentment, ease & bliss.
Let no one deceive another, let no one be harsh in speech.
Let no one by anger or hatred wish ill to his neighbor.

Even as a mother, at the risk of her own life, guards and protects her only child, so with a boundless heart of compassion, I venerate all living beings by permeating the entire universe with sympathy, above, beneath & all around without limit— compassion for the sorrows of others, immeasurable joy in their joys.

Thus I cultivate an infinite Goodwill toward this whole world.

During all my waking hours I treasure this thought that this very way of caring is indeed the truly noblest behavior in this whole wide world.

Thus shall I, by stilling pointless discussions & controversies, by acting blamelessly, be gifted with tranquility & true insight.

Thus shall I subdue sense-pleasure urge & never again know involuntary rebirth.

                      May this inspire all beings to fulfill the conditions leading to Nirvana.
May all beings be thus utterly liberated & released from suffering.
May all beings thus escape the dangers of ageing, disease and death.

There has to be a conscious and deliberate effort to establish and promote an animal friendly and humane society as this ultimate goal complement other major variables that are critical to our own survival. It is directly linked to other key issues like environmental protection, poverty alleviation and food security.

A solid and sustainable future for our survival will always dovetail to green advocacies and promotion of animal welfare. This is the mantra adopted by most environment and animal protection groups. It sponsors and coalesces with key institutions and other advocacy groups in order to promote animal welfare and green-based livelihood and enterprises and help protect the fragile environment.

The prevailing conditions during these modern times necessitate the need for us to adopt practices that are beneficial to animals and harmless to the environment. Sustainable development must be the focus of modern society. We have to create an environment where economic, environmental and social issues are taken into account in our effort to promote animal welfare.

Take Care of the Herd and Your Health

We need to take into account the tangible benefits that are obtaining when we adopt humane treatment of animals and advocate animal welfare. Thus, we must learn to observe the best practices which ensure positive results that are linked to sustainable animal friendly enterprises and businesses.

By doing so, we are able to enjoy its health and economic benefits. Some sectors go to the extent of becoming a vegetarian to demonstrate their commitment to the protection of animal welfare. Of course, these individuals would readily attribute the low incidence of cardiac arrest and other diseases to their meatless diet. You need to fully understand the core value of such practice – you take care of the herd and the herd will take good care of you.

Why We Need to Promote Animal Welfare

Animal welfare is one of the important pillars of our green advocacy. Nearly a quarter of the world population relies heavily on animals for their economic survival. Suffice it to say, all sectors of the society must do their share in protecting the welfare of animals as they are important in supporting the main livelihoods of people. You achieve stability and promote productivity if you focus at improving animal welfare and health.

Responsible animal care and management have significant impact on climate change, land use, pollution, biodiversity, habitat conservation and water conservation. Thus, our green advocacy must always be anchored on the best practices that support animal welfare and protection.

Good animal care and management minimize the risk of cardiac arrest and other lifestyle diseases. These include diseases triggered by pathogenic microorganisms that are transferred from animals to human. You maintain food supplies and prevent hunger and malnutrition if you have healthy animals.

Learn about the key parameters of modern-day green advocacy that aim to establish a more humane society. Go beyond the issues like being a vegetarian, cardiac arrest and other health concerns and understand the major reasons why we have to promote animal welfare and be kinder to our planet.

One of my fav’s from Dr. Seuss, captured & narrated at Burning Man. Wise words never spoken more true.

Look Within Yourself

Looking inward is more than thinking about the things that happened to you in the past. Closely inspect and then ponder your beliefs, feelings, motivations and thoughts. TO discover the positive and negative aspects of your self you must examine your relationships, decisions and experiences to gain insight into your goals. In addition, this will guide you in how to act and react in any given situation. Willingness and courage to confront yourself are all that is necessary to learn introspection. These are some hints when you decide to introspect: look for areas to improve in, forgive yourself and try to be objective.

Grow Your Capacity

The human spirit is viewed differently by science and religion. The religious view is that humans are spiritual beings with a temporary existence in Life, whereas scientific views are that the spirit is one aspect of a person. Self control and mastery is an aspect of both Eastern teaching such as Islam as well as Christian, Western teachings. The spirit’s needs are positioned higher than the body’s need, though they are not ignored. The road map to spiritual growth is defined by values, beliefs, morality, experiences, rules, and positive actions.

Self actualization is the psychological term for coming into your full potential. Maslow discovered many different human needs: security, esteem, aesthetic, self transcendence, physiological, belonging, cognitive and self actualization. Earlier James provided three categories of these: emotional, material and spiritual. Once your most basic physical and emotional needs are met, then your existential and spiritual needs will come into play. Overall growth is achieved by satisfying each need for the individual. Psychology views self development as an end unto itself, while religion views self development as a method for serving God, which is the biggest difference in the two.

Find the Deeper Meaning

Serving the Creator is the highest purpose for religions such as Judaism, Islam and Christianity. There are multiple psychological theories that suggest that we need meaning in our lives. No matter if we believe in destiny or free will, spiritual growth allows us to understand that life is more than existence. We are born without purpose or meaning and through our journey in life, our relationships and the situations we get though, we gain wisdom and knowledge. As meaning is discovered we confirm and reject some of our existing values and beliefs. We can find a purpose in our lives. This allows us to put our mental, emotional and physical potential to use, give us strength during difficult times and provides a light at the end of the tunnel to strive for. A life without purpose is like a ship set adrift in the ocean, without a sail or an oar.

Spot the Connections Between Everything

How we are connected to all living and non living things are the cornerstone of certain religions. Even without family relations, we can refer to others as our sisters and brothers. The relationship between humans and higher powers is discussed in monotheistic religions such as Islam and Christianity. Alternatively, evolutionary theory is a scientific link between all living things. This relationship is demonstrated by the ecological web, where all living and non living things interact. One of Maslow’s highest needs is self transcendence and connectedness is one part of that. Recognition of your place within the interconnected of all things will allow your humility and respect for all things to grow. It will help you to appreciate all the things that surround you. It behooves you to extend yourself outside your area of comfort and connect with others, and to become a guardian of the things that surround you.

Growth is not a one time event, therefore everyday is an opportunity for spiritual growth. Spiritual growth is accomplished whether we win, lose or draw, so long as we continue to learn.

Kyle Quandel

In the past year alone, we have seen civil unrest around the world, initiated and largely marketed in the social media. The movement, as it has become, is so powerful that today Time Magazine named “The Protestor” as their Person of the Year 2011. The truth is, without social media, and the interconnectedness it affords us, none of us might have ever have known what uprisings, along with atrocities, were occurring all over the world. The television media picked up on the movement only after it became apparent that it was a force in the social media; a serious shift from prior times.

You can ban a video on Youtube if you feel it is offensive or politically incorrect. That, in and of itself, is a form of protest. People are using their ability to connect with others via the internet to build momentum for causes and issues that they deem most important.

Occupy Wall Street (perhaps more commonly known as its hash tag #OWS) is rooted all over the United States largely due to point and click protesting. Even the major banks cannot deny the power of point and click protest having had to rescind plans to increase fees after many of their customers withdrew all of their money and transferred it to community banks and credit unions in protest. For weeks, Bank of America was inundated with emails, calls and petitions against their proposed monthly debit card fees. One woman, Molly Katchopole, began a petition on Change.org and within a short time, over 300,000 people had signed, emailed instantly sent their complaint to BOA top-brass, effectively having them withdraw the fee (with other banks quickly following suit).

There are several places on the world wide web that give step-by-step instructions on how to initiate and successfully mount a protest campaign. One such site www.theonlineactivist.org, will give you a look into what works, and what has not been so successful in other protests.

Let’s face it. We live in a time where almost everyone is dissatisfied about one thing or another. In 2011, we have the forum and the following to successful change whatever we will with the click of a mouse. It is about knowing what your rights are, knowing how to assert yourself legally and having the gumption to get up and do it. You don’t even have to work hard, just smart.

: Kyle Quandel

Many people think of vegetarians as homogeneous group that simply doesn’t eat any kind of meat. Frankly, it’s just not the case here.  There’s different categories of vegetarians, as diverse as the reasons for going vegetarian in the first place.

Within the vegetarian community, there’s an array of opinions, differences, preferences and ethics. Fruitarians, for example, will only eat fruit. Their rationale is that fruits, including tomatoes, are self-perpetuating and do not need to be planted in order to generate the food which they source. This type of vegetarians think about this as a way of eating what is most in balance and harmony with the earth, the most natural; taking what nature offers.

A vegan is someone who does not consume any kind of animal product or by-product, including dairy food (and dairy by-products).   Vegans, strictly eat only vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and legumes. They also refrain from using animal products, such as leather, silk and wool. Most strict and sincere vegans will also not consume white or refined sugar because it’s mostly processed and filtered with charred animal bones (which makes the sugar white).

The more restrictive you choose to be with your diet, most times, the more educated you are required to become to be about what you’re putting into your body.  This results in a  positive realization about getting all the necessary proteins and vitamins that you require to maintain optimal nutrition, muscle and heart health.

All of the above will eat any cooked vegetables, fruits and legumes. There is also a growing movement towards eating only raw or living foods. This diet is based on the assumption that cooking food tend to process most of the nutrients out of it.  In order to get all of the full nutritional value, vitamins and amino acids from food,  it’s best consumed raw, or juiced. If cooked at all, it ought to only be cooked to slightly over 100 degrees, so the nutrients are still retained.

Whichever you choose, it’s a good idea to be keenly aware of what you’re putting into your body; being aware of the ethical and nutritional implications.  A healthy diet always consists of an array of color and variation is important.  Be sure to include proteins, antioxidants, simple carbohydrates.  When in doubt, it’s always best to do further research, find a local nutritionist, or health professional.

This can allow harmful bacteria and toxins to accumulate and can create a general feeling of sluggishness, as well as a host of digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome or colitis. When we begin eating a more healthy vegetarian diet, we start to get more dietary fiber into our systems, and all of a sudden, our digestive systems start to work better,

When you eliminate high-fat meat and processed foods from your diet, then much of your body’s energy is freed from the intense work of digesting these foods. Everything becomes clearer – your blood, your organs, your mind. You start to become more aware of the toxic nature of the food you’d been eating before.

Toxicity is of much greater concern in the twentieth century than ever before. There are many new and stronger chemicals, air and water pollution, radiation and nuclear power. We ingest new chemicals, use more drugs of all kinds, eat more sugar and refined foods, and daily abuse ourselves with various stimulants and sedatives. The incidence of many toxicity diseases has increased as well. Cancer and cardiovascular disease are two of the main ones. Arthritis, allergies, obesity, and many skin problems are others. In addition, a wide range of symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, pains, coughs, gastrointestinal problems, and problems from immune weakness, can all be related to toxicity. When you start a vegetarian eating plan, your body eventually cleanses itself of the harmful effects of these toxic foods.

Kyle Noble Quandel

Probably one of the most perplexing thoughts a person has when they transition to vegetarianism is keeping their diet filled with a variety of fun, diverse, and nutrient-dense foods. It can sometimes feel like you’re cutting many options out since you’re no longer consuming meat, and it may seem you’re losing even more options if you’ve also decided to cut dairy and eggs from your diet as well. With a little creativity, planning, and forethought, you might be surprised how much variety you can achieve with your new vegetarian diet – perhaps even more than your meat-eating days!

There are some simple substitutions you can experiment with and use as substitutions in your favorite meat recipes. Tempeh, which is cultured soybeans with a chewy texture; tofu (freezing and then thawing gives tofu a meaty texture; the tofu will turn slightly off white in color); and wheat gluten or seitan (made from wheat and has the texture of meat; available in health food or Oriental stores) are all great items to start with.

Milk and other dairy products can also be easily replaced with vegetarian-friendly items. Try soy milk, soy margarine, and soy yogurts, which can be found in health food or Oriental food stores. You can also make nut milks by blending nuts with water and straining, or rice milks by blending cooked rice with water.

A good way to introduce beans to the diet is to use them instead of meat in favorite dishes, like casseroles and chili. Because of their many health benefits, beans should be eaten often. Some great examples are chickpeas, split peas, haricot, lentils (red, green or brown), and kidney beans.

Many nuts and seeds are available both in and out of the shell, whole, halved, sliced, chopped, raw, or roasted. Cashews, peanuts, walnuts, almonds are some easy-to-find favorites. Sunflower and sesame seeds are excellent choices for spicing up salads and other vegetable dishes.

And don’t worry that you’ll have to give up your favorite Mexican, Italian, or other favorite dishes now that you’re vegetarian. Many of them can still be enjoyed and only require slight variations. Some popular and easily convertible dishes include: pasta with tomato sauce, bean burritos, tacos, tostadas, pizza, baked potatoes, vegetable soups, whole grain bread and muffins, sandwiches, macaroni, stir-fry, all types of salad, veggie burgers with French fries, beans and rice, bagels, breakfast cereals, pancakes, and waffles just to name a few. The freezer sections of most big grocery stores carry an assortment of vegetarian convenience foods such as veggie bacon, burgers, and breakfast sausages.

So get in the kitchen and let your creativity lead the way! You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised just how much more variety your diet will have as a result.

Turkeys are kept in cramped, dark spaces to discourage the naturally aggressive behaviors that occur when an animal is kept confined without space to roam and feed freely. They’re overfed to the point where their legs can’t support the weight of the breast tissue. And this animal which normally has a 10-years life span is generally slaughtered at about 2 years of age.

Unhealthy and overcrowded conditions mean that disease amongst commercial turkeys is widespread, resulting in approximately 2.7 million turkeys dying in their sheds every year. Foot and leg deformities, heat stress and starvation caused by the inability of immature birds to find the feed and water troughs are commonplace. Ulcerated feet and hock burns are common – caused by continual contact with litter contaminated by urine and feces.

Can you really sit at dinner on your next holiday and look at a roasted turkey the same way? Turkeys come with the same recommendations for cleanliness and cooking that chickens do. You have to be sure they’re cooked to a specific temperature to ensure that any disease-causing bacteria are completely killed. You should clean up any counter space with bleach, again to kill all bacteria.

It makes a compelling case for switching to a vegetarian diet, doesn’t it? Suddenly, the jokes about vegetarian dinners, with nut loaves and vegetables, instead of meat, seem to make more sense, not only from a health standpoint, but from a humane issue as well. Why do we persist in eating in such a way that makes us unhealthy and is inherently bad for us? For you next holiday dinner, consider the possibilities of an all-vegetarian menu. So much of the dinner is vegetable-based to begin with; it’s a small change to replace turkey with a plant-based main course as well.