King oyster mushroom scallops were served as anvegan entree at the 77th Annual Golden Globes. Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images
And the winner is … planet Earth!
<p>The 77th annual Golden Globe Awards Sunday made history by becoming the first major awards show to go <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/vegan" target="_self">vegan</a>, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-01-02/golden-globes-vegan-menu" target="_blank">The Los Angeles Times reported</a>.</p><p>"Over the holidays, we took time to reflect on the last year and began thinking about the new year and the decade ahead," Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) President Lorenzo Soria said in a Facebook post Thursday. "The <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate crisis</a> is impossible to ignore and after speaking with our peers, and friends in the community, we felt challenged to do better."</p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6fdb04e163655f73820dfc886f39d2d2"><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/GoldenGlobes/posts/3454067294635264"></div></div><p>Doing better meant serving an entirely plant-based meal at the first major awards show of the season, which is organized by the HFPA. The dinner began with a chilled golden beet soup and continued with wild mushroom risotto, king oyster mushroom scallops, and roasted baby purple and green Brussels sprouts and carrots, <a href="https://apnews.com/2ba7e05ccb8fb6cdd27280de4d6ef973" target="_blank">The Associated Press reported</a>.</p><p>"The food we eat, the way we grow the food we eat, the way we dispose of the food is one of the large contributors to the climate crisis," Soria told The Associated Press.</p><p>Indeed, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/industrial-agriculture">animal agriculture</a> contributes around 14.5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions,<a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/golden-globes-vegan-menu-climate-change_n_5e0bbe2de4b0843d360cac59?ri18n=true&guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaHVmZnBvc3QuY29tL2ltcGFjdC9ncmVlbg&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAH6s0o7s-fgTAAB0Qf7wccCwKK_tH7_kfabioXFiV5LFxfJCuIpCfIpONrupY7QqpMl8tg44eikOzm8D8m43lbi2ltdy0F_-mKJ-Sj4AYxEJTdEIbw-op1Hjpj82Ons4wovvz95IXAs2dkUGWvRh1_jQfzNqZihsPur-TrmGoVln" target="_blank"> HuffPost noted</a>. A <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/vegan-earth-footprint-2574241439.html" target="_self">2018 study</a> found that adopting a vegan diet was probably the single-biggest thing an individual could do to reduce their environmental impact.</p><p>"A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use," study leader and University of Oxford professor Joseph Poore told The Guardian at the time. "It is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car."</p>
<p>The HFPA also took a stand against <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastic-pollution" target="_self">plastic pollution</a> by working with Icelandic Glacial to serve water in glass bottles.</p><p>The menu change was a bit of a challenge for the kitchen staff at the Beverly Hilton, where the event was being held. That's because the hotel's executive chef Matthew Morgan was only told to prepare a vegan meal a few days before Christmas, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/01/05/793827606/chef-takes-last-minute-order-a-vegan-golden-globes-dinner?t=1578310844015" target="_blank">NPR reported</a>.</p><p>Morgan said his team had planned to prepare around 150 to 200 plates of vegan food, and then had to scale that up to 13,000.</p><p>"At first, it was a little shocking, but we were happy to make that change," Morgan told NPR, adding, "I really believe in what we're trying to represent and what we're trying to accomplish - the message that we're sending."</p>
<p>The vegan menu was the brainchild of actor Joaquin Phoenix, who also took home the best actor in a drama award for his performance in <em>Joker</em>, <a href="https://variety.com/2020/film/news/joaquin-phoenix-golden-globes-vegan-1203457761/" target="_blank">Variety reported</a>. Sources said Phoenix had proposed the idea to the HFPA.</p><p>"First I would like to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press for recognizing and acknowledging the link between animal agriculture and climate change, it's a very bold move, making tonight plant-based," he said during his acceptance speech.</p>
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Brazil, one of the world's largest economies and the fifth largest nation by population, has become an important focus for animal advocates over the last several decades. The result has been a growing awareness of animal issues and noteworthy progress in regard to animal welfare.
<p style="">That progress continues. Yesterday, Carrefour, Brazil's largest food retailer, <a href="http://www.hsi.org/news/press_releases/2018/08/carrefour_cage_free_brazil_081318.html" target="_blank">announced</a> that it will sell exclusively cage-free eggs in its stores throughout Brazil. Carrefour, which operates almost 650 stores, is the first supermarket chain in the country to make this commitment. This commitment will spare millions of egg-laying hens a life of extreme confinement in battery cages so small that the birds can barely move or stretch their wings.</p><p style="">Carrefour worked closely with <a href="http://www.hsi.org" target="_blank">Humane Society International</a> over the past few years on the adoption of this new policy. Previously, we've worked with dozens of other leading food industry players in Brazil to secure their commitments to a 100 percent cage-free egg supply chain.</p><p style="">These industry leaders include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Leading baked goods companies, such as <a href="https://www.bauducco.com.br/imprensa/" target="_blank">Bauducco</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bll-5qkF2DY/?hl=pt&taken-by=casa_suica" target="_blank">Casa Suíça</a>, <a href="https://www.aviculturaindustrial.com.br/imprensa/mais-uma-gigante-adota-politica-cage-free/20180516-144238-x529" target="_blank">Grupo CRM</a>, <a href="https://www.casadebolos.com.br/a-casa-de-bolos-firma-compromisso-com-a-humane-society-internetional-hsi/" target="_blank">Casa de Bolos</a> and <a href="https://www.ofner.com.br/institucional/quem-somos" target="_blank">Ofner<br><br></a></li><li>The third largest pasta manufacturer, <a href="http://www.hsi.org/news/press_releases/2018/j-macedo-cage-free-011218.html" target="_blank">J. Macêdo<br><br></a></li><li>The largest gourmet chocolate chain, <a href="http://www.cacaushow.com.br/sites/all/themes/cacaushow/assets/static/Comunicado_Cage_Free.pdf" target="_blank">Cacau Show</a>, which operates more than 1,000 stores in Brazil<br></li><li>Major food service provider, <a href="http://www.lemospassos.com.br/alimentacao/compromisso-para-2015-ovos-livres-de-gaiolas/" target="_blank">Grupo Lemos Passos<br><br></a></li><li><a href="https://www.auroraalimentos.com.br/sobre/noticia/458/fornecedor-da-aurora-tem-ate-2025-para-eliminar-a-producao-de-ovos-de-galinhas-poedeiras-em-gaiolas" target="_blank">Aurora</a>, one of the largest food processors in the country</li></ul><p style="">In addition, multinational corporations including <a href="http://www.hsi.org/news/press_releases/2017/02/barilla-brazil-cage-free-022117.html" target="_blank">Barilla</a>, <a href="http://www.hsi.org/news/press_releases/2017/01/brazil-cargill-imc-cage-free-011617.html" target="_blank">Cargill</a>, <a href="http://www.hsi.org/news/press_releases/2016/12/bffc-brazil-cage-free-121916.html" target="_blank">Brazil Fast Food Corporation</a>, <a href="http://www.hsi.org/news/press_releases/2017/01/brazil-cargill-imc-cage-free-011617.html" target="_blank">International Meal Company</a>, <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161013005423/en/Arcos-Dorados-exclusively-source-cage-free-eggs" target="_blank">Arcos Dorados</a> and <a href="http://www.hsi.org/news/press_releases/2016/09/burger-king-cage-free-timeline-latin-america-092816.html" target="_blank">Burger King</a>, have all worked with HSI to announce cage-free egg policies in Brazil.</p><p style="">Our success in promoting a more humane treatment of egg-laying hens grew naturally from the momentum of our global campaign against gestation crates for breeding sows. That work persuaded Brazil's four largest pork producers—JBS (the world's largest meat processing company), BRF, Aurora Alimentos and Frimesa—to phase out the use of gestation crates nationwide.</p><p style="">There is also more good news from Brazil.</p><p style="">For example, we garnered an historic victory for our meat reduction program, announcing a partnership with four cities in northeastern Brazil to transition all meals served in their public school cafeterias to 100 percent plant-based by the end of 2019. This commitment involves more than 23 million meals a year.</p><p style="">We successfully pushed for changes to Brazil's Corporate Sustainability Index (ISE), which from now on will take animal welfare concerns into account in assessment of the corporate performance of companies listed on the Brazilian Stock Exchange.</p><p style="">Finally, thanks to the work of HSI's #BeCrueltyFree campaign, seven states in Brazil (São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Pará, Amazonas, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais) have enacted laws banning animal testing for cosmetics. Rio de Janeiro´s law is the first in in the Western Hemisphere to prohibit both the testing of cosmetics products and ingredients on animals as well as the sale of cosmetics newly tested on animals.</p><p style="">We'll continue achieving great gains for animals in Brazil, and Humane Society International is expanding its efforts there under the leadership of HSI's country director, Carolina Maciel. Carolina and her team are working across a range of issues, including animal testing, farm animal welfare and the use of animals in entertainment. We're engaged in the fight against cruelty on multiple fronts across the globe, and for reasons of scale, scope and influence in the region, it is important for us to keep our focus and attention on Brazil.</p>
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More and more Americans are retrofitting their bathrooms with high-end bidets, allowing them to enjoy cleanliness and hygiene without creating as much paper waste. Not all bidets are created equal, however, and before deciding on a particular brand, it's important to do your homework. Take a look at our comprehensive Toto bidet review, and our reviews of Tushy and Omigo, to learn more about all of their options.
<h2>Toto overview</h2><p>Toto is a company that has been around for over 100 years. They aim to improve people's quality of life, and they do that specifically by focusing on bathrooms. To that end, Toto is known for high-quality products including toilets, faucets, showers, bathtubs, and bidets. </p><p>Toto has also expressed an admirable commitment to ecological stewardship. As <a href="https://www.totousa.com/about-toto/toto-way" target="_blank">their corporate website</a> notes, they strive to "protect the global environment by conserving finite natural resources and energy." One example of this is their donation of any imperfectly fired porcelain products for recycling and reuse as porcelain floor tile. Their <a href="https://www.totousa.com/about-toto/living-toto-library/smart-sustainable-packaging-solution" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">packaging</a> uses differing levels of recycled post-consumer paper products while their forklifts operate using <a href="https://www.totousa.com/about-toto/living-toto-library/plant-based-hydraulics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">plant-based hydraulics</a> made from soybean oil instead of traditional hydraulic oil.</p><p>Toto is definitely a company with a superior reputation when it comes to bathroom accessories in general, and bidets in particular. Here are reviews of some of the specific products in the Toto line.</p><h2>Toto bidet reviews</h2><p>There are two different bidet product families available from Toto: standalone bidets and bidet seat attachments. Their standalone models include the Piedmont bidet, the Lloyd bidet, and the Clayton bidet, while their bidet toilet seat offerings include a wide selection in the popular Washlet line. Here are details on the three standalone options and three of the most popular bidet seat attachments.</p><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><h3>Toto standalone bidets</h3><h4></h4>
<h2>Toto bidet pros and cons<br></h2><p>Whether you're considering a standalone bidet or a bidet seat attachment, here are some of the pros and cons to help you compare your options.</p><h3>Pros</h3><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Standalone bidets, such as the ones offered by Toto, are designed in a wider range of elegant, contemporary styles. If you are looking to remodel your bathroom, splurging for a standalone bidet makes sense.</li><li>Toto offers a wide selection of bidet and bidet attachment options. Some of their more advanced units feature night lights, adjustable nozzle positions, warm air dryers, and adjustable settings for the temperature of the water.</li><li>All of the Toto bidet attachments we reviewed include self-cleaning nozzles for added hygiene. They are also designed for DIY installation, and easily connect to your existing toilet's water supply without the need for a plumber or electrician.</li></ul><h3>Cons</h3><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Toto's line of standalone bidets and bidet seat attachments are more expensive than some other brands, especially some of their more high-end models.</li><li>Standalone bidets may not be as convenient for those who have mobility issues.</li><li>All of Toto's bidet seat attachments are electric, and don't feature an eco or energy-saving mode like some other options.</li></ul><h2>The benefits of buying a bidet</h2><p>Why buy a bidet at all? There are plenty of perks, both for you and the planet:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Bidets offer a more thorough, hygienic cleaning than toilet paper.</li><li>They're considerably more eco-friendly, using less water and paper.</li><li>Because you'll use so much less toilet paper, bidets are also more cost-effective.</li><li>Compared with TP, bidets can be really soothing to the skin.</li><li>They have special benefits for women, and especially pregnant women, helping minimize the risk of a UTI.</li><li>Bidets are highly accessible, even to those with limited mobility.</li><li>A bidet makes it much easier to teach your children about proper bathroom hygiene.</li></ul><h2>Considerations when buying a bidet</h2><p>As you consider all of your options for getting a bidet, here are a few of the key factors to consider:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Look for a bidet with a self-cleaning nozzle. This will help keep things hygienic.</li><li>Electric vs. non-electric? Electric bidets can offer more comfort features, like a heated seat, but they also use more energy than a non-electric one.</li><li>Is it a standalone bidet, a bidet seat, or a bidet attachment? While a standalone bidet is a completely separate fixture from your toilet, a bidet seat will completely replace your existing seat and a bidet attachment will be installed onto your existing toilet seat. These are usually the least expensive, but also come with the fewest features.</li><li>Does the bidet connect to your home's hot water? If it doesn't, you will only be able to clean with cold water.</li><li>Make sure you can adjust the settings. For the most comfortable bidet, look for controls that let you customize the water pressure, the angle of the water stream, the temperature of the water, and the temperature of the seat, if it is heated.</li></ul><p>Use these questions to determine whether the bidets from Toto are right for you.</p><h2>Toto bidets: a leader in comfort and efficiency</h2><p>Toto makes durable, elegant, and highly functional products that will allow you to enjoy all the hygienic and environmental benefits of a bidet. You can also read our full review of the best bidets to compare with other brands like Brondell, Kohler, Tushy, and BioBidet.</p><p><em><strong>Josh Hurst </strong></em><em>is a journalist, critic, and essayist. He lives in Knoxville, TN, with his wife and three sons. His writing on natural health, nutrition, and supplements has appeared in Health, Shape, and Remedy Review.</em></p>
Piedmont
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY3MDgyMy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMjI3MjE3Nn0.QqBs95yaFQnGwAuf0t3XaSCc7pvrSEUalnl9UulrODg/img.jpg?width=980" id="a0c63" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9d10ad2b08c5d00642b44787c1b099ad" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Toto USA
<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/TOTO-BT500B-01-Piedmont-Vertical/dp/B00084P3GO/ref=sr_1_3?crid=ZG6AGN0U9VQL&dchild=1&keywords=toto+piedmont+bidet&qid=1613591898&sprefix=toto+piedmo%2Caps%2C188&sr=8-3" target="_blank">Toto's Piedmont bidet</a> offers an elegant, classic design, and it also comes with built-in safeguards that prevent it from ever overflowing. It is available in several color options, and will look good with any contemporary bathroom design.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> This is the most affordable standalone bidet in Toto's catalog. This bidet is a good option if you are remodeling your bathroom or are building a home and want to save water and paper waste from the start. Priced starting at $533, you can find it through other retailers for around $280.</p>
$533
Lloyd
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY3MDgzMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNTU0Nzk0Nn0.h9XeFBojZff_4Un8swlIoamX7xAwO1wH3RKAiiZb96k/img.jpg?width=980" id="e5d22" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="83ff9c9b3ed8f1b5e92ff99c14ad9b0c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Toto USA
<p>The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/TOTO-BT930B-01-Vertical-Cotton/dp/B0015IVUOQ/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=toto%2Blloyd%2Bbidet&qid=1613592001&sr=8-2&th=1" target="_blank">Lloyd bidet</a> has a much bolder, "skirted" design, but it also shares the Piedmont's flushing rim and integral overflow features, which keep you from ever experiencing spillage.</p><p><strong>Why buy: </strong>This is a fancier product with a more striking appearance, and is mainly suited for a larger, more formal design. It retails for a slightly higher price point: The Lloyd model starts at $780 in total, but you can find it for $526 through other retailers.</p>
$780
Clayton
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY3MDgzMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NTI4MTYyNn0.xNOnfejHaWbEVHRbO1vFVdUoWbFvevja40qRVr6L4dI/img.jpg?width=980" id="df200" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0cdb567e670fb2e46f50fbc43c99158c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Toto USA
<p>The company's flagship standalone bidet is known as the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/TOTO-BT784B-01-Clayton-Vertical/dp/B0018L9JUC/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=toto+clayton+bidet&qid=1613592108&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Clayton</a>. It includes the same overflow safeguards as the other two, and of course, each of these products is backed by Toto's longstanding commitment to excellent craftsmanship.</p><p><strong>Why buy: </strong>This is the most traditional in its visual style, and, with a number of colors to choose from, it will look great in almost any bathroom design. The Clayton starts at $734, but is available through other retailers for around $426.</p>
$734
<h3>Toto bidet seats</h3>
Toto Washlet C200
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY3MDgzNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MTY3OTY1M30.3coYAuyqJLBcw8hQszI8Shbcfyr6nn9V0ek-kXv2kgQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="61762" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b7c91d2511149e271c7f0139f1580788" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Toto USA
<p>This electronic smart bidet seat fits onto your existing toilet bowl and offers a number of comfort features, including a heated seat, automatic air deodorizer, adjustable warm water, warm air dryer, self-cleaning wand, and a wireless remote control.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> We chose the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UCIOX2Q/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&aaxitk=-XjvJQOmffOcAmiCOZvtAA&hsa_cr_id=7413316040901&pd_rd_plhdr=t&pd_rd_r=0e0e7f3d-0baf-4977-85d3-663f618a76d8&pd_rd_w=Yi3yF&pd_rd_wg=LUFHB&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_lsi3d_asin_1_img" target="_blank">Toto C200</a> as the overall best bidet in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/best-bidet-toilet-seats-2650502928.html" target="_self">our review</a> of top brands. In addition to the features mentioned, its dual action oscillating and pulsating spray and pre-mist function provide a comfortable and sanitary clean.</p>
$715
Toto Washlet S500e with EWATER+
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY3MDgzOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MTgzNTIyMH0.idaacYO4MzHGTeajRkSCVHOo3TH7tehRN8TAH2s75ko/img.jpg?width=980" id="f6ed5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="87fa67b17e4c8e06f74bfbce87bf4809" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Toto USA
<p>The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/TOTO-SW3046-01-Electronic-Contemporary/dp/B078GTKSXK/ref=sr_1_2?crid=15NGPC9YFANKH&dchild=1&keywords=toto+s500e&qid=1613960063&sprefix=toto+s500e%2Caps%2C171&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Toto Washlet S500e</a> bidet seat includes the features found in the C200, plus instantaneous water heating, front and rear wash functions, two-user preset memory, and the company's <a href="https://www.totousa.com/technologies/ewater" target="_blank">EWATER+ technology</a>. This system uses electrolyzed water to keep the wand and toilet bowl clean.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> This high-end Toto electric bidet seat can help you reduce water and toilet paper use, and it can help reduce the need for chemical cleaning products with its EWATER+ technology.</p>
$1530
Toto Washlet A100
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY3MDg0Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MzU0OTU3MH0.g2PYzguGXvB1l7RvWBcw_xNtlpy8hsmcwui8Twr3CMA/img.jpg?width=980" id="08295" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d3d798b5d7737cddaadfd9f6fa5a84d6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Toto USA
<p>The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/TOTO-SW2014-01-Electronic-SoftClose/dp/B0165UFOGS/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=30E9Y1LAN9ZRW&dchild=1&keywords=toto+washlet+a100+elongated+bidet+toilet+seat&qid=1613589664&sprefix=toto+washlet+a100%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFBR1FMUTdJR1hXNUEmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAyNjIwOTkxUE1EWk5CQjg2QTZPJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0NDc1MzExSk1UMk5CQzJYVUhVJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==" target="_blank">A100</a> is an entry-level Washlet bidet attachment, but still offers numerous comfort features. It includes a heated seat with temperature control, aerated warm water with a dual action spray, and an attached arm control panel.</p><p><strong>Why buy: </strong>One of the most affordable Toto bidet options, it still lets you adjust the water temperature and pressure settings, and features rear and front cleaning functionality for a feminine wash.</p>
$499
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By Joe Loria
A groundbreaking study by Tulane University and the University of Michigan published in Environmental Research Letters found that meat, dairy and egg consumption is responsible for nearly 84 percent of food-related greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.
<p style="">Scientists analyzed the effects of more than 300 foods and the diets of 16,000 Americans. They found that only 20 percent of Americans, those who eat the most animal products, make up 46 percent of diet-related emissions overall on an average day.</p><p style="">Plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, cereals and grains, and nuts and seeds, make up a mere three percent of diet-related emissions. Legumes were found to be the least harmful to the planet, with pulses accounting for just 0.3 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.</p><p>"Reducing the impact of our diets—by eating fewer calories and less animal-based foods—could achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in the United States," <a href="https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/animal-products-cause-83-5-of-dietary-emissions-says-new-study" target="_blank">said Martin Heller, a researcher at the University of Michigan</a>. "It's climate action that is accessible to everyone, because we all decide on a daily basis what we eat."</p><p style="">This is hardly the first time eating animal products has been deemed harmful to the planet. Last year, the <a href="https://www.mercyforanimals.org/15000-scientists-from-184-countries-urge" target="_blank">Alliance of World Scientists</a>, a group of 15,000 scientists from 184 countries, concluded that humans must change their behavior and switch to a plant-based diet to prevent environmental destruction.</p><p style="">Raising <a href="https://www.worldwatch.org/node/6297" target="_blank">animals for food produces more greenhouse gas emissions</a> than all the cars, planes and other forms of transportation combined. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, carbon dioxide <a href="https://www.mercyforanimals.org/meat-is-the-new-suv" target="_blank">emissions from raising farmed animals</a> make up about 15 percent of global human-induced emissions, with beef and milk production as the leading culprits. In fact, even without fossil fuels, <a href="https://www.worldwatch.org/node/6294" target="_blank">we will exceed our 565-gigaton CO2e limit by 2030</a>.</p><p style="">Furthermore, simply by <a href="https://www.mercyforanimals.org/here-are-the-top-5-foods-killing-the-planet" target="_blank">avoiding animal products</a>, we can <a href="https://www.mercyforanimals.org/killing-animals-is-killing-the-planet-heres" target="_blank">cut our carbon footprints in half</a>. A <a href="https://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/664S.full" target="_blank">pound of beef requires 13 percent more fossil fuel</a> and 15 times more water to produce than a pound of soy.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
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</p><p style="">There is no such thing as sustainable meat. Plant-based alternatives to meat, dairy and eggs take a mere fraction of the resources to produce than their animal-based counterparts. It's time for anyone who cares about the future of our planet to take action and ditch animal-based products altogether.<br></p><p style="">But a vegan diet isn't just good for the planet; it also <a href="https://www.whatcodysaw.com/" target="_blank">spares countless animals a lifetime of misery at factory farms</a>. Pigs, cows, chickens and other farmed animals suffer terribly from birth to death.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
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</p><p style="">So what are you waiting for? Join the millions of people who are helping to protect farmed animals and the planet by switching to a vegan diet. Click <a href="https://thegreenplate.com/vsg/" target="_blank">here</a> to get started. And check out Mercy for Animals' Pinterest page for <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/mercyforanimals/" target="_blank">thousands of recipe ideas</a>.<br></p><p style=""><em>Joe Loria is the communications and content manager at </em><em><a href="http://www.mercyforanimals.org/so-you-think-youre-an-ethical-meat-eater" target="_blank">Mercy For Animals</a>.</em><em><u></u></em></p><p style=""><em><em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.alternet.org/environment/new-study-further-proof-going-vegan-best-thing-you-can-do-planet-video" target="_blank">AlterNet</a>.</em></em></p>
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By Avinash Kar and Eili Klein
The world's leading authorities on public health—from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to the World Health Organization (WHO)—have been warning us loud and clear: we must stop taking life-saving antibiotics for granted or else they will continue to fail us when sick people and animals need them. A new report from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shows that consumer demand for better practices might finally be having an effect.
<p style="">In 2015, more than 75 percent of U.S. sales of antibiotics important to human medicine were sold for use on livestock, not for the treatment of sick people. Sales of those drugs increased 26 percent from 2009 to 2015. Often, these drugs are not used to treat sick animals, but are distributed <em>en masse</em> to animals, a practice closely linked to use of antibiotics to promote faster growth and compensate for stressful and unsanitary living conditions on industrial farms.</p><p>For the first time in many years, livestock sales of antibiotics important to human medicine have dropped—down 14 percent from 2015 to 2016 according to new data released today by the FDA.</p><p>These developments are encouraging, showing that meat can be produced with fewer antibiotics in the U.S. But more work remains if we are to make a real dent in the problem. Though an improvement, the 2016 sales figures remain significantly above 2009 levels.</p><p style="">This welcome news follows a series of food industry commitments to reduce antibiotic use in chicken production, which started with <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/09/03/perdue-foods-antibiotics-human-antibiotics-food-safety/15013253/" target="_blank">an announcement</a> by Perdue Foods in the fall of 2014. Since then <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/lena-brook/restaurant-chains-fail-beef-pork-antibiotics-policies" target="_blank">fourteen of the top 25 U.S. restaurant chains</a> (and approximately 50 percent of the chicken industry) have made some level of commitment to curb unnecessary antibiotics used in chicken—following increasing demand from customers and <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/resources/chain-reaction-how-top-restaurants-rate-reducing-antibiotics-their-meat-supply" target="_blank">advocacy</a> and <a href="http://science.sciencemag.org/content/357/6358/1350" target="_blank">research</a> from groups like ours. (Note that while an FDA ban on the use of medically important antibiotics for growth promotion went into effect earlier this year, the most recent data precedes the ban).</p><p style="">But further change can't come soon enough. Each year in the U.S., at least 2 million people become sick and at least 23,000 people die from antibiotic-resistant infections. This crisis is fueled by the overuse of these drugs when they are not needed to treat sick people or animals. It threatens the health of every single one of us by making once manageable infections much harder or even impossible to treat. It also means that procedures we have come to rely upon—such as joint replacements, transplants, caesarian sections, or dialysis—may soon become untenable, due to the elevated risk of untreatable infection.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNjYzMDMzNC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3MTE5OTA3NH0.6W60aKu-5aCl_i8OSL6NMVOmewdhg6tWou5vry19Ls8/img.png?width=980" id="90887" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="451eab9bce069d529cb821b7299acbe2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">A. FDA, Center for Veterinary Medicine, FDA Annual Summary Reports on Antimicrobials Sold or Distributed for Use in Food-Producing Animals. B. Center for Disease Dynamics, Economic & Policy, IQVIA MIDAS. * Data on human use in 2016 is not yet available</small></p><p style="">Unfortunately, federal policy to date has fallen short in addressing the problem. While FDA finally enacted a ban on the sales of medically important antibiotics for growth promotion in January 2017, the regulations allow these drugs to continue to be used on animals that are not sick to compensate for the crowded, unsanitary, or stressful conditions found on many livestock operations, under the guise of "disease prevention." As a result, representatives of the animal drug industry have <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bethhoffman/2013/12/13/new-fda-rules-will-not-reduce-antibiotic-use-on-farm/#281bf3d778fe" target="_blank">estimated</a> that the ban on growth promotion affects no more than 10-15 percent of antibiotic use in the livestock sector. The WHO recently released <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/david-wallinga-md/new-who-guideline-offers-hope-curbing-antibiotics" target="_blank">recommendations</a> that medically important antibiotics should not be used for disease prevention in healthy animals—and the FDA should heed that call and close this loophole.<br></p><p style="">In the meantime, industry, states, cities and consumers must keep leading the way. The chicken industry has reached a tipping point. And giants of the industry—from <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tyson-foods-toxic-dead-zone-2504305201.html">Tyson</a> and Perdue on the producer side, to McDonald's and Subway on the restaurant side—are responding to consumer demand and helping lead the way. But we need to see the same kind of action in the pork and beef industries, which lag far behind. FDA's reported estimates of the breakdown of the sales of these drugs by animal species show beef and pork accounting for about 43 percent and 37 percent of the total, respectively, whereas chicken only accounts for 6 percent. Similarly, based on the 2016 FDA estimates and <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=84376" target="_blank">USDA production data</a>, the beef industry used 314 milligrams of medically important antibiotics per kilogram of meat produced (mg/kg), the pork industry 273 mg/kg and chicken 27 mg/kg.</p><p>States and cities too can help fill the gaps in federal action. States can follow the lead of <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/avinash-kar/lets-celebrate-governor-brown-signs-californias-important-new-law-antibiotic-use" target="_blank">California</a> and <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/maryland-law-seeks-to-curb-antibiotic-overuse-on-farms/" target="_blank">Maryland</a>, which have fully banned the routine use of antibiotics in healthy livestock and poultry. Cities, meanwhile, can look to <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/avinash-kar/sf-law-would-end-secrecy-us-livestock-antibiotic-use" target="_blank">San Francisco's</a> new antibiotics use disclosure ordinance, which requires large grocery chains to report the antibiotic use associated with the raw meat and poultry sold in their stores, empowering customers to make informed decisions on the meat they buy.</p><p>The growing spread of drug-resistant bacteria and infections affects anyone who may ever need antibiotics—or cares about someone who might. That's all of us. And so action is needed from all of us—consumers, companies, states, cities and especially FDA—to extend this progress and help save these miracle drugs before it's too late.</p><p style=""><em>Dr. David Wallinga and Abby Zlotnick of NRDC contributed to this blog.</em></p><p style=""><em><a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/avinash-kar" target="_blank">Avinash Kar</a> is a senior attorney for the Health & Environment Program at the <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/" target="_blank">Natural Resources Defense Council</a>. </em></p><p style=""><em><a href="https://www.cddep.org/profile/eili-klein/" target="_blank">Eili Klein</a> has been associated with the <a href="https://www.cddep.org/" target="_blank">Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy</a> since its founding and is currently a fellow. Dr. Klein is a mathematical ecologist and epidemiologist whose research focuses on the role of behavior in the spread of infectious diseases.</em></p><p style=""><em></em><em>This blog provides general information, not legal advice. If you need legal help, please consult a lawyer in your state.</em></p>
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By Joe Loria
According to The Guardian, JBS, Cargill and Tyson—three of the world's largest meat producers—emitted more greenhouse gas last year than all of France and nearly as much as the biggest oil companies, such as Exxon, BP and Shell.
<p style="">Hardly any meat or dairy companies publish their climate emissions, so it's almost impossible to know the exact amount of greenhouse gas generated. But using the most comprehensive data from the <a href="http://www.fao.org/" target="_blank">Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations</a>, The Guardian estimated emissions from animal agriculture, and the results are staggering.</p><p>The top 20 meat and dairy companies emitted more greenhouse gas in 2016 than all of Germany, Europe's biggest climate polluter. This means if these companies were a country, they would be the world's seventh-largest greenhouse gas emitter.</p><p style="">It's impossible to take world leaders seriously when they <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/al-gore-methane-2471033730.html">fail to mention animal agriculture</a> in addressing climate action. Raising <a href="https://www.worldwatch.org/node/6297" target="_blank">animals for food emits more greenhouse gas</a> than all the cars, planes and other forms of transportation combined.</p>
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</p><div id="aa5ba" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a777ab257bf3702985daad4b3e77066c"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="925342917157445632" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Tyson Foods Linked to Largest Toxic Dead Zone in U.S. History https://t.co/qIYdalaltM @ewg @foodandwater @CFSTrueFood @OrganicConsumer</div> — EcoWatch (@EcoWatch)<a href="https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/statuses/925342917157445632">1509453918.0</a></blockquote></div>
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<p style="">What's more, according to the <a href="https://www.mercyforanimals.org/meat-is-the-new-suv" target="_blank">Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations</a>, carbon dioxide emissions from raising farmed animals make up about 15 percent of global human-induced emissions, with beef and milk production as the leading culprits.<br></p><p style="">But simply by <a href="https://www.mercyforanimals.org/killing-animals-is-killing-the-planet-heres" target="_blank">avoiding animal products, you cut your carbon footprint in half</a>. Keep in mind that <a href="https://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/664S.full" target="_blank">a pound of beef requires 13 percent more fossil fuel</a> and 15 times more water to produce than a pound of soy. Additionally, a recent study found that switching to <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/local-organic-carbon-footprint-1.4389910" target="_blank">a plant-based diet reduces your personal carbon emissions</a> more than replacing your gasoline-powered car with a hybrid.</p><p>There is no such thing as "sustainable" meat, and plant-based alternatives to meat, dairy and eggs take a mere fraction of the resources to produce as their animal-based counterparts.</p><p style="">A <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/vegan-environment-emissions-2509383659.html">vegan diet</a> is not just good for the planet. It also spares countless animals lives of misery at factory farms. Pigs, cows, chickens and other farmed animals suffer horribly. These <a href="https://www.whatcodysaw.com/" target="_blank">innocent animals face unthinkable horrors</a>: cruel caged confinement, brutal mutilations and bloody, merciless deaths.</p><p style=""><em><em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.alternet.org/animal-rights/three-largest-meat-producers-rival-exxon-greenhouse-gas-emissions" target="_blank">AlterNet</a>.</em></em></p>
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