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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Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times / Getty Images
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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Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>
$89
CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
$35
FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>
$60
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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.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNjYzMDMzNC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwODEyNzA3NH0.adx2i4khW5Oo0vdrq-bOQcgo0FZQ28CMlCW5a9GrYes/img.png?width=980" id="3e73e" 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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