Emma JC

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Canada
Lifestyle
  1. Vegan
Lots of great topics this week: Vegan meat is launching in one of the world's top beef-eating countries. A London University has banned beef to combat climate change. Germany is closing its remaining 84 coal plants to reduce its carbon emissions. Chanel debuted a hat made out of vegan pineapple leather at the pre-fall 2019 runway show. A global vegan diet could stop climate change, according to a new report. Smithfield Farms, one of the world's largest pork producers, is launching a line of vegan meat. Starbucks is upping its vegan game with new menu options. Ben Stiller just spent a fortune on vegan food at By Chloe.

Emma JC

 
follow up - just saw this headline on CNN


The Amazon is burning because the world eats so much meat

and yet in the Livekindly news more and more Brazilians (especially the younger ones) are choosing non meat alternatives!

Emma JC
 
Ms. Newkirk is a pretty smart cookie, but I think in the US, a Meat Tax would not be a good idea. Maybe in some countries, like Germany, it would be a good idea.
But in the US (and I'm pretty sure the UK) there is a much easier, and better route.

Most citizens are against new taxes. But most taxpayers agree that we should reduce Government Spending. And if you can reduce government spending in one area, you can either lower taxes or spend more money on popular programs. If you are a liberal progressive you could spend more money on things like schools or health care. And if you are a right-wing A$$Hat, you could spend more money on the military. Or maybe something popular on both sides: veteran health care and benefits.

So instead of a meat tax I advocate an end for the end of subsidizing and regulating the cost of meat and dairy. I also think you should end subsidizing and regulating the cost of corn and soybeans. Something above 40% of corn and soybeans in the US get fed to livestock.

"Each year, American taxpayers dish out $38 billion to subsidize meat, fish, eggs, and dairy. " And that is just the Federal subsidies. Most states have their own programs.

I had trouble discovering the amount paid to corn and soybean farmers, but i think it averages out to something over 5 billion a year.

There are also various ways the Feds subsidize water. And although that helps the veg and fruit farmers, too, the dairy and beef industry probably couldn't even exist without water subsidies.

There are also other ways the US government spends money on livestock and corn. The Dairy Board and the Egg Board are both Federally funded programs that cost taxpayers money.

then there are all those laws that protect livestock producers. Generally called Agriculture Libel Laws or Ag-Gag laws, it makes it an act akin to terrorism to say something bad about beef, or video inside a slaughterhouse.

And don't even get me started on how Big Food controls the USDA and the FDA. Or the external costs of meat - from carbon to health care.

So instead of a meat tax, Ingrid should be lobbying for a decrease of subsidies. I've tried to find a good estimation of the cost of a hamburger without subsidies. And I guess it is pretty complicated. But PETA itself thinks that a burger without subsidies would cost $13. (Does Ingrid not read her own organization's articles?)

I think a meat tax would be very unpopular. I can already imagine Sean Hannity yelling that we are coming for their hamburgers. But a decrease in Federal Spending would be very appealing to those so-called Fiscal Conservatives. (we just have to forget to mention what a hamburger would cost.)

I think you wouldn't even have to pass a new law. Lawmakers could quietly just stop including subsidies in their budget. Maybe a gradual and incremental approach and most people wouldn't even notice.

-----
Further Reading and References








 
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ending subsidies first, or instead of, makes huge sense!!

Emma JC
 
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I don't know much (or maybe anything) about Canada and subsidies. I do know that both Australia and the UK heavily subsidize meat and or dairy.

Canada could put a tariff on American Beef. No wait, then Trump would put a tariff on maple syrup.
 
I don't know much (or maybe anything) about Canada and subsidies. I do know that both Australia and the UK heavily subsidize meat and or dairy.

Canada could put a tariff on American Beef. No wait, then Trump would put a tariff on maple syrup.

The US and Canada trade almost a similar amount of beef.... seems weird that we just don't keep ours and you keep yours. We apparently put a 10% tariff on yours back when they started trying to work out the new NAFTA and I didn't see anything that said it has been lifted.

We do have lots of farm subsidies too and HEY LOOK someone had the same idea back in 2013.


Emma JC
 
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The US and Canada trade almost a similar amount of beef.... seems weird that we just don't keep ours and you keep yours. We apparently put a 10% tariff on yours back when they started trying to work out the new NAFTA and I didn't see anything that said it has been lifted.

We do have lots of farm subsidies too and HEY LOOK someone had the same idea back in 2013.


Emma JC

Great minds....
but I don't think the reduction of subsidies is my own idea. I'm sure I read it somewhere too.
 
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A new one this week with lots of good news and some so so news (Oliver):


Emma JC
 
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⭐ So much good news!!!!
My head is going to explode. No, wait! My heart is going to explode.​

⭐⭐ Not sure if this is just a LiveKindly kind of thing or what.
Did you notice how many times they used the word "VEGAN" as opposed to "Plant-Based"?​
Could this be a new trend?​
⭐⭐⭐ Favorite Quote
Stella (to Taylor): What do you think of sequins?​
It warms my heart that Stella and Taylor are friends (or at least collaborators). I did not know that.​
 
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Ms. Newkirk is a pretty smart cookie, but I think in the US, a Meat Tax would not be a good idea. Maybe in some countries, like Germany, it would be a good idea.
But in the US (and I'm pretty sure the UK) there is a much easier, and better route.

Most citizens are against new taxes. But most taxpayers agree that we should reduce Government Spending. And if you can reduce government spending in one area, you can either lower taxes or spend more money on popular programs. If you are a liberal progressive you could spend more money on things like schools or health care. And if you are a right-wing A$$Hat, you could spend more money on the military. Or maybe something popular on both sides: veteran health care and benefits.

So instead of a meat tax I advocate an end for the end of subsidizing and regulating the cost of meat and dairy. I also think you should end subsidizing and regulating the cost of corn and soybeans. Something above 40% of corn and soybeans in the US get fed to livestock.

"Each year, American taxpayers dish out $38 billion to subsidize meat, fish, eggs, and dairy. " And that is just the Federal subsidies. Most states have their own programs.

I had trouble discovering the amount paid to corn and soybean farmers, but i think it averages out to something over 5 billion a year.

There are also various ways the Feds subsidize water. And although that helps the veg and fruit farmers, too, the dairy and beef industry probably couldn't even exist without water subsidies.

There are also other ways the US government spends money on livestock and corn. The Dairy Board and the Egg Board are both Federally funded programs that cost taxpayers money.

then there are all those laws that protect livestock producers. Generally called Agriculture Libel Laws or Ag-Gag laws, it makes it an act akin to terrorism to say something bad about beef, or video inside a slaughterhouse.

And don't even get me started on how Big Food controls the USDA and the FDA. Or the external costs of meat - from carbon to health care.

So instead of a meat tax, Ingrid should be lobbying for a decrease of subsidies. I've tried to find a good estimation of the cost of a hamburger without subsidies. And I guess it is pretty complicated. But PETA itself thinks that a burger without subsidies would cost $13. (Does Ingrid not read her own organization's articles?)

I think a meat tax would be very unpopular. I can already imagine Sean Hannity yelling that we are coming for their hamburgers. But a decrease in Federal Spending would be very appealing to those so-called Fiscal Conservatives. (we just have to forget to mention what a hamburger would cost.)

I think you wouldn't even have to pass a new law. Lawmakers could quietly just stop including subsidies in their budget. Maybe a gradual and incremental approach and most people wouldn't even notice.

-----
Further Reading and References









I agree with you except most conservatives aren't that logical. Wait, I shouldn't say that - there are smart ones, the ones who refused to vote for Trump even though he was the red candidate, there are those who write for the American Conservative ...but it's readily apparent that most of them pick and choose what they like government spending on. They like government spending on war instead of welfare, and I'm fairly certain characters like Hannity would shout that meat and dairy subsidies are okay like bloated military spending in some pretzel like leap of logic, probably pouring on a heavy dollop about how farmers are the heart and soul of our blessed country.
 
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Being an Aussie, I'm excited about Dominos offerring vegan meat pizzas. I wouldn't order one especially....but in a social setting when there's a gathering and someone suggests ordering pizzas....this will make life easier.
 
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more good news this week....


This week's vegan news:

Five-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton is opening hundreds of vegan restaurants. The chain called "Neat Burger" debuted this week, and its burgers made with Beyond Meat and Violife cheese sold out in 2 hours.

Finland is urging the European Union to ban Brazilian beef imports due to the recent Amazon fires.

Porsche’s 2020 Taycan has a vegan leather interior option.

Tesla reveals that its Model 3 is now completely vegan after making improvements to its non-leather steering wheel.

San Francisco International Airport has banned single-use plastic water bottles.

Meat consumption has dropped 20% in Europe in the past 3 months.

MorningStar Farms might be the next vegan meat brand to go public, following in the footsteps of Beyond Meat's successful IPO. The Kellogg-owned brand just revealed its new Incogmeato line of plant-based products.

Sir David Attenborough's documentary "Climate Change: The Facts" will make you consider becoming an environmentalist. The UK's Labour Party is fighting for animal rights, and has written a 50 point manifesto that would ban cruelties such as animal testing and trophy hunting.

Emma JC
 
So much good news. This is what we need to concentrate on: Good News.

?Happy Vegans

?Angry vegans.

Neat Burgers sound like a great way to get more people to reduce meat consumption.

SFO (which is just down the road from me) is one of the least green airports. so I'm happy to hear that not only are they getting on the bus but also doing some trailblazing.

I'm glad MorningStar is going vegan. I haven't paid much attention to them in years because they didn't have many vegan products. but years ago I remember someone ranking them low because of their use of non-organic and GMO crops. I wonder if that has changed.
 
So much good news. This is what we need to concentrate on: Good News.

?Happy Vegans

?Angry vegans.

Neat Burgers sound like a great way to get more people to reduce meat consumption.

SFO (which is just down the road from me) is one of the least green airports. so I'm happy to hear that not only are they getting on the bus but also doing some trailblazing.

I'm glad MorningStar is going vegan. I haven't paid much attention to them in years because they didn't have many vegan products. but years ago I remember someone ranking them low because of their use of non-organic and GMO crops. I wonder if that has changed.
Yes to happy vegans!! I just left a vegan FB group today... Ever so grateful for this forum where people are relatively sane! Don't even know why I was on that group anyway since it was all about which processed food you can find at a certain store... I don't even eat processed food, lol. I am finding it difficult to fit in in some places, being a whole food vegan. The vegan groups (not here - speaking of FB groups) don't seem to care one iota about health, and the WFPB groups only care about diet.... *sigh

OK carry on. Just had to get that out :p
 
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and here is this week's news....

This week's vegan news: According to a new survey, 70% of Canadian millennials say plants are the new meat.

Vegan “Game of Thrones” star Jerome Flynn is set to appear in a new animal rights documentary called “Hogwood: a Modern Horror Story.” Penn Jillette schools Joe Rogan on vegan ethics in a recent appearance on the PowerfulJRE podcast.

Over 100 countries have rallied to protect declining shark and ray populations.

Pornhub joins the fight against plastic pollution in "The Dirtiest Porn Ever."

Kroger, the largest grocery store in the U.S. is adding dedicated vegan meat sections to its stores.

To continue its sustainability efforts, IKEA is removing all single use plastics from its cafes and replacing them with eco-friendly alternatives.

American DJ and producer Diplo recently attending the Los Angeles premiere of "The Game Changers," and he has since encouraged fans to "be vegan."

Featured on CNN's town hall, Democratic Presidential candidates Andrew Yang and Kamala Harris believe Americans need to cut down on their meat consumption for the environment.


Emma JC
 
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