Animal Rights

Birthday for Me, Gifts for the Animals

by Stephanie Ernst

Published October 15, 2008 @ 07:36AM PST

The Oprah post is still coming (this following post was mostly finished pre-Oprah). In the meantime, check out the Animal Person response. Mary Martin and I had some of the same issues with the program.

But let's move away from Oprah for a moment:

Today is my birthday. Although some of you reading this know me personally, most of you don't, so you're probably not too inclined to get me a birthday gift. And truth be told, I'm not big on being given birthday gifts either. I don't mind, however, using my birthday for the greater good, so I'm going to ask for gifts anyway—for my nonhuman animal friends. Here's my birthday list. I'm asking each of you to cross off as many of the items as you can.

1. Make at least one of your meals today a vegan meal—no flesh, no dairy, no eggs, no byproducts (check ingredient lists!). Find recipe suggestions here: VegCooking, ChooseVeg.com, FatFree Vegan.

2. Watch at least two of the vegan videos on the 10 Recommended Videos list.

3. Order or download a free vegetarian starter kit from one (or more, if you're looking for variety) of the many organizations that offer them: Compassion Over Killing starter guide (download or order); Mercy for Animals/IDA/FARM starter guide (download or order); Vegan Outreach Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating (download or order). For more, see the list at the Boston Vegetarian Society's Web site.

4. Donate to a nonprofit working for the animals, whether financially or with your time or services.

5. Go to your local bookstore or an online store and purchase one of the books from the 10 Recommended Readings list, and read the online readings from the list today.

6. Talk or write, today, to at least one person who is important to you about what you know or are learning here and elsewhere about animal issues. Forward to them the posts and videos you find powerful.

7. Download or order a cruelty-free guide to help make sure your purchases today and every day do not fund animal suffering: Caring Consumer guide, American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS) guide (pocket-sized!).

8. Try a food or meal—a vegan food or meal—you've never tried before.

9. Visit Happy Cow to check out what restaurants and stores in your area (or in the areas to which you're traveling) are vegan or offer vegan options.

10. Purchase or build a birdfeeder and place it outside to help out our feathered friends.

11. If you haven't already, check out the informative background posts in the About section of this blog, including the Top 10 Ways to Make a Difference for Animals.

12. Visit HumaneMyth.org and educate yourself on the realities of all animal agriculture, with information and stories from the people who would know best—former farmers themselves. Check out Humane Facts as well.

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Vegan birthday cake photo courtesy of QuintanaRoo at Flickr.

 

Comments

  1. Zarah Patriana

    Happy Birthday!

    Posted by Zarah Patriana on 10/15/2008 @ 07:38AM PST

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  2. Lisa Smolen-Jenkins

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

    Posted by Lisa Smolen-Jenk... on 10/15/2008 @ 10:09AM PST

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  3. Animal Legal Defense Fund

    Happy Birthday! Love the blog!

    Posted by Animal Legal Defense Fund on 10/15/2008 @ 10:32AM PST

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  4. Lisa Rimmert

    Happy Birthday!

    1. Make one of your meals vegan: for dinner, I will be having brown rice and vegetables.
    2. Watch two of the recommended videos: Can’t do this, as I am at work. But I did order “Earthlings” from Netflix, which I think will arrive today.
    3. Order a vegetarian starter kit: done. I chose COK.
    4. Donate to a nonprofit working for the animals: done. I am now the proud sponsor of Snortin’ Norton of Longmeadow Rescue Ranch.
    5. Buy one of the recommended books:  I can’t do this, because I already have a million books at home waiting to be read. However, I am currently reading “The Meat You Eat.” Next might be "The Pig Who Sang to the Moon." I started it, but got distracted.
    6. Write to someone about AR issues: Done. Emailed the bro, who is still a vegetarian by the way.
    7. Download a cruelty-free guide: I was actually looking at the company lists yesterday. I wish this was easier. I wish each product had a “yes” or “no” labeled on it. Many “companies” are owned by others, and I find it totally confusing.
    8. Try a new food: I could do this, as my coworker brought in filled croissants. However, I doubt they are vegan. I’ll have to save number 8 for another day.
    9. Visit Happy Cow: Fayetteville is not listed, but Raleigh (an hour away) has some listings.
    10. Purchase or build a birdfeeder: We have one. I’ll put more seed in. We also have a squirrel feeder but I guess they’re afraid of Dakota…
    11. Check out the background posts in the About section: Done it.
    12. Visit HumaneMyth.org and Humane Facts: Done, but there’s a lot of info. I’ll have to visit again (and again).

    Posted by Lisa Rimmert on 10/15/2008 @ 10:46AM PST

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  5. Tracy H

    Snortin' Norton?! How fantastic!

    Stephanie, Happy Birthday!! That was a great list of suggestions.

    Posted by Tracy H on 10/15/2008 @ 03:45PM PST

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  6. Alex Melonas

    Happy Birthday. Great idea about gifts....

    Posted by Alex Melonas on 10/16/2008 @ 09:41AM PST

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  7. Stephanie Ernst

    Thanks, everyone! :)

    Posted by Stephanie Ernst on 10/17/2008 @ 07:42AM PST

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  8. Michelle Cehn

    Happy happy happy late bday!! I'm going to go eat a slice of vegan bday cake in your honor. MMmm, good.

    Another idea for people: subscribe to VegNews Magazine!! The newest issue just arrived and I'm so excited to go read it :)

    I think I'll go send a little contribution to Vegan Outreach in your honor, because you are suchhhh an awesome vegan outreacher (and because they need money, badly)! If I wasn't already vegan before I met you I definately would be after reading this spectastic blog! Rock on girl :)

    Posted by Michelle Cehn on 10/17/2008 @ 12:50PM PST

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Stephanie Ernst Stephanie Ernst
St. Louis, MO

Stephanie is a vegan, a tree hugger, a freelance editor and writer, and an animal rights advocate. She lives in St. Louis with a motley pack of three dogs and two cats as well as the world's most adorable foster pit bull.

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