World Vegan day.

Date for your diary dear greenies, World Vegan Day is on November the 1st 2010, so how about giving it a go?
I'll hold your hand I PROMISE and it'll be fun and its only ONE day, although who knows?

One of the things that stops many people making the step to go vegan is fear.
All vegan jokes talk about the pale, sickly, sandle wearing, hippy skited, pious and preaching vegan and no one wants to be labeled a "lentil muncher".

People are not stupid.
They know that thoughtless meat consumption is not healthy for anyone, not their body, their environment (local AND global) and their own mental well being.

People are not stupid.
They know that Animals die to make meat and milk, they know factory farms are the worst invention of the cruelest nature, that modern slaughter houses employ the dregs of humanity and that few of these workers care about sending an animal off with dignity.

People are not stupid.
They understand that animals pumped with drugs to keep them alive in filthy conditions compromises their OWN health and are possibly a factor in the modern resistance to anti-biotics.

People are not stupid.
They wouldn't keep their dog in a cage he couldn't turn round in in a dark room for his whole life. They wouldn;t think that a kind end for him would be a slapdash stunning and having his throat cut still half (or fully) conscious.

People are not stupid.
They know that huge concentrations of farm animals mean huge amounts of waste, waste that spills into the surrounding areas and pollutes rivers, killing fish and plant life.

People are not stupid.
They understand the madness behind using prime agricultural land to grow food to feed farm animals to them eat. They know it makes sense to cut out the "middle man". 

People are not stupid.
They can see beyond the scare studies against dairy alternatives (funded by milk boards), they know that too much dairy steals away more calcium from their bones than not eating anything calcium giving. Osteoporosis is a western affliction and almost unheard of in countries where dairy is not consumed.

I KNOW people are not stupid.... but sometimes they need a little kick up the arse ;)

So how about it?
If anyone here is willing to give it a go for ONE day I can help, maybe make up a meal planner for the day, give you a shopping list.
Give me some suggestions but don't go quiet on me!!!

Who will try this for me?
More importantly, who will try this for THEMSELVES?  

Don't take my word for it, be smart and look it up for yourselves.

Do yourself a favour and please watch.

Watch more videos at PETA.org

Do yourself a favour and please watch.

The Vegan Society

Peta UK

Compassion In World Farming

Green baby?

Seems like summer was a relaxed time for some of you!! Yes, it seems like everyone I know is having a BABY!!!!!
So what better way to sat CONGRATS!! than by writing a blog post!

Here I am to share some tips and other info on how you can prepare for your new baby as cheaply and healthily as possible.

• Lucky you!! Freecycle, car boots and free ads are STUFFED with hardly or even never used quality baby stuff. From buggies and cots, clothes and toys, slings and playpens its a buyers market. So many people buy all this from new and then a few months down the line have no more need for it, Dive in there and grab a bargain!
• Breast is best but what if you can't? Go for organic formula milk, don't be afraid of soya formula (It DIDN'T cause growth problems, long term studies showed adults fed on soya formula in the 70,s and 80's grew up healthy and are now having kids of their own). Use glass or those without nasty chemicals BPA's especially. 
• Do you really have to buy a brand new car seat? Safety advice says yes. Impact damage during a crash will not show up on the outside of the car seat but will mean it won't protect in the event of another accident. However, use your own judgment. If a friend or relative has a car seat you know hasn't been in an accident don't turn it down. Use your head.
• Buy a cot. Seriously there is no need to buy a crib or moses basket, you will use it a few weeks tops and then have the bother of transition from crib to cot as well. You can buy dividers to make a cot smaller if you want, this way your baby won't look "lost" as a newborn and the divider can simply be moved a little every few weeks as your baby grows.
• Cot beds are a waste of money. Too big for little babies, out grown as a bed within a month or two. A regular cot can easily be adapted into a "day bed" style toddler bed by a competent DIY-er until such a time as a real bed is needed.
• Slings. How I wish they had been as affordable when I had mine (6 years is a long time in the baby market!) From front carrying and backpack styles to the "throw in a bag" ethnic slings, these are a MUST and means you can take your baby everywhere with you without having to lug a heavy buggy around.
• Think long and hard about what buggy you need. Think about where you live. If you live in the country or like to go for long walks then pneumatic tyres are a must, don't even bother if they don't have them. A buggy with a seat that can become a carrycot is very useful as it not only grows with baby but is also a useful place to let him/her sleep in the day in the early weeks.
• Baby food. Nasty nasty stuff. Avoid any tiny tins, the white coating on the inside is highly coated in chemicals to prevent rusting. If you need food on the hoof and a mashed banana won't do it go for a jar of organic baby food. Also check the BBD, if it is more than a month away don't use it, food that takes more than a month to go bad is no good for anyone !
• Make your own baby food. So easy!! Invest in a good hand blender and some little jars. Pretty much any vegetable and fruit can be heated and pureed for first foods. When they are just starting out  a good tip is to make a batch of puree and then freeze them in ice cube trays. That way you can make a lot on one go and then you can give them a good variety. ie carrot and broccolie and potato all on one plate!! Small babies on the move are well catered for with a banana and a fork :)
• Nappies. Its a toughie. If you live in an area that has an abundance of water and plenty of good line drying winds then cloth nappies are the best for baby and the environment. However if you live in an area with water shortages or constant nasty wet days when you have to use a tumble drier then disposable nappies are also an option. Go for a good bio-degradable brand. Remember there is nothing wrong with mixing and matching as well!  
• Check out  Gro Bags baby sleeping bags! An easy and safe way to make sure your baby is always the correct temp and doesn't either kick off his covers of get them over his face. Also means a sleeping baby is highly portable! 

I think that's all I have for the moment! I dare say I'll remember more later!
A good blog for organic baby musings is Annies Organic Baby Blog full of real life baby stuff :D
Mums! Please comment and add your own tips for those that are just starting out!

Congratulations ladies :)