Tag: sustainability

Refreshing Ginger Tisane (Tea)

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Hello there! I am sincerely sorry for the lack of posts on this blog! I have missed blogging so much.

What’s new? I am happy to say that I have a job working as a relationship specialist for Hampton Creek Foods!

Hampton Creek is all about connecting people with healthier choices that are far kinder to the planet and the animals. This is something I care about deeply! It’s part of who I am. I have decided I am putting grad school on hold, because I love being on Hampton Creek’s team so much. 🙂 If you haven’t tried their AMAZING cholesterol-free mayo yet, here’s how you can find it! We beat Hellmann’s in a blind taste test–just try it! 😉

Just MayoSustainable + Affordable + Delicious. Just the best!

This company is changing the world. I see the changes every day while on the job, and I’m incredibly grateful that I can be a part of it. Working for Hampton Creek is an opportunity for me to use my passion for something bigger than myself. My heart sings when I work for them. That’s beautiful to me. I truly love going to work!

For personal reasons, I haven’t been feeling like myself for a few months. When I wasn’t working, I was feeling uncharacteristically uninspired and unmotivated in pursing my hobbies, like my beloved blog. I had been struggling to find smiling myself again, but I’ve been doing so much better and taking care of myself. When I focus on helping others, I feel like I am doing something right.

Feeling down is normal, and in life there is no pause button. But sometimes you need a little break for yourself. And sometimes you may need a little pick-me-up. Refresh yourself!

Refreshing Ginger Tea | The Broccoli Bulletin

I hope you are all doing well. Whether you’re feeling down or need something to refresh yourself after a long day, this ginger tea will serve as a burst of bright, sweet and spicy sunshine that will warm and soothe your insides.

 Refreshing Ginger Tisane (Tea)
(makes one steamy cup of comfort)

Total time: 10 minutes or lessRefreshing Ginger Tea | The Broccoli Bulletin
Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of boiling water
  • 1 heaping teaspoon of freshly grated ginger (try to get organic if you can)
  • 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (or to your taste)
  • a dash of fresh lemon juice (to your taste)

Method:

  1. Pour about 1 cup of boiling water into a glass mug, or if you’re like my mom, use a small rice bowl. ^.^
  2. Add the grated ginger to the hot water and let it steep for 2-5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the maple syrup and squeeze some lemon juice into the tea.
  4. Enjoy while it’s still warm.

The ginger in this tea makes it a natural remedy for indigestion.
Both invigorating and comforting, it can also help clear your head when you have a headache.

Hope you enjoy, and please let me know how it goes if you try it!
I will post some recipes soon in a week or so, but now I’m off to a work trip in Colorado! So exciting! I’ll try to post all my adventures on Instagram.

En route to Colorado!My first flight by myself! ^.^

Warm wishes–I hope you are taking care of yourself in the best way possible. Do some meditation, go for a run, or make yourself a cup of tea. You deserve it!

‘Speciesism: The Movie’ | Review + More

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Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
Mark Twain

Speciesism: The Movie

Last week, on January 23rd, ‘Speciesism: The Movie’ made its Texas premiere at The Magnolia theater in Dallas. The documentary was written, directed and produced by Mark Devries, who was present at the screening.

Walking into the film, I expected an exposé about the way humans treat nonhuman animals, along with a philosophical discussion. I wasn’t wrong, but I also wasn’t expecting much humor. While I had heard that the movie had some humorous moments, I was surprised to find myself (and other attendees) truly laughing out loud several times. Devries himself narrates the documentary, managing to articulate and raise important questions about complex and heavy issues without boring the audience. He made us laugh, without belittling the issues. For those wondering, animal abuse footage was kept to a minimum.

Speciesism: The Movie

Devries, who was not vegan when he made the documentary, begins by asking questions. These questions beget more questions, fueling a journey of discovery that includes investigations, expert insights, and conversations with everyday citizens. The film ends up challenging an extremely under-recognized form of oppression ingrained in our society (and the implications, as such)–that is, the conventional, anthropocentric notion that animals hold no value beyond human use.

I appreciated Devries’ rational approach and inquisitive nature, which encouraged viewers to think for themselves. Also, I really would have liked to see more appearances from women and vegans of color and their perspectives on speciesism and other forms of oppression. However, as a conversation starter, ‘Speciesism: The Movie’ definitely has my recommendation. I would love to see a sequel exploring the intersectionality of the issues more in depth.

A philosophical discourse in itself, this is an approachable and stimulating film that serves as a compelling start to a worthwhile conversation we ought to be having about how we treat nonhuman animals, and what that says about us. I gave the movie a standing ovation, as did the other attendees who filled up the whole theater. Regardless of whether or not you are vegan, this is a must-see for anyone interested in animals, philosophy, the environment, human health, systems of oppression, posthumanist theory, or bio-politics.

For those who have seen the film…
If you’re interested in the film’s topics, the movie’s site has some post-viewing recommendations. Also, here are some of my personal recommendations about related topics (for watching and reading):

Please let me know your thoughts if you have read or watched any of the above, and if you have recommendations.
Also, please see the related articles below for more material relevant to these issues! There’s so much to discuss and read about, so I simply had to include more related articles. 🙂

Ego vs. Eco

PSA (for UT Arlington students):
The film’s philosophical points were reminiscent of class discussions from the animal studies literature course I took in 2012, with Dr. Stacy Alaimo at UTA (possibly my favorite literature course ever–take it if you can). Through examining and discussing the works of philosophers and thinkers like Nussbaum, Bentham, Montaigne, and Derrida, the class held regular discourses about the representation of animals in human culture and the ethical implications of our widespread mistreatment of other species. ‘Speciesism: The Movie’ would have fit the curriculum very well. Those of you who have taken Dr. Alaimo’s class, I highly recommend this documentary.

Related articles (check these out!):

Did you see Speciesism: The Movie? What did you think of it? Please share your comments below!

4th Annual Texas Veggie Fair | A Yummy Roundup

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I despise and try to avoid crowds most of the time, but you can bet I always make an exception for the Texas Veggie Fair. I would choose this one-day event over the regular Texas State Fair any day, and that’s not just because admission to the veggie fair is free. I go for the awesome food, and to support the wonderful vegan community of activists, businesses, educators, and more.The event organizers do an awesome job.

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I’m always amazed at how crowded it gets, and it seems to just keep getting bigger every year. The lines are INSANE (especially the line for the vegan corn dogs), but it’s very exciting to see how many people are interested in the veggie trend, especially in a place like Texas. This year’s event was said to be the biggest yet, with over 7,000 attendees. That’s wonderful news to me! Continue reading →

Pie Five Pizza Crust Controversy Resolved!

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When Pie Five Pizza opened at College Park last semester, all the crust varieties were vegan–meaning vegan students (and lactose-intolerant students) could order the specialty Treehugger pie, or any custom veggie pizza sans cheese. However, this semester, there has been some discussion that the company has changed their crust recipes to include dairy.

Saddened by the sudden cutoff from my only source of vegan pizza on campus, I immediately contacted the company in hopes of hearing otherwise. They were quite helpful in their response and I was reassured to learn that vegan students can still go to Pie Five for all their pizza needs on campus. Continue reading →

UT Arlington’s Connection Cafe makes strides with vegan line

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The Connection Cafe at UT Arlington now has a 100% vegan line that serves lunch and dinner.

Before the new vegan line came into effect, I never gave the Connection Cafe a second glance. From my lackluster experience at my freshman orientation, I knew the options would be too limited to be worth my time or money. Luckily, things have changed immensely since I first came to UT Arlington. Continue reading →

Don’t miss these Vegan Club Events at UT Arlington

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What are you up to this week?

Halloween is tomorrow and World Vegan Day is coming up, so naturally there are several Vegan Club events happening at UT Arlington this week. Check them out below and mark your calendars!

Chocolate-covered wands! Here’s the recipe!

Bake Sale | October 31st
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Central Library Mall
RSVP here

Halloween calls for tasty treats! Vegan Club is hosting a bake sale to raise funds for our upcoming Food Not Bombs speaker event.

Treats will include chocolate-covered wands (attention, Harry Potter fans!), pumpkin cupcakes, peanut butter cookies and more! All goodies are homemade with love by our members and of course, everything is totally vegan.

Ask a Vegan | November 1st
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Central Library Mall
RSVP here

November 1st is World Vegan Day (and November is World Vegan Month)! Once again, Vegan Club is teaming up with Animal Rights and Rescue of North TX (ARRNT) and Mercy for Animals to do some interactive vegan outreach at UTA! We have hosted several successful “Ask a Vegan” events before–they usually feature free vegan food samples (including my mini cupcakes) and Q&A.

This year’s Ask a Vegan will also include a Pay Per View, in which participants are offered a dollar to watch a 4 minute video about factory farming. I will provide comforting hugs upon request. Additionally, we’ll be handing out local vegan business cards and free vegan starter kits, featuring tons of recipes and useful information.

This pumpkin spice cake was from last year’s Thanksgiving potluck! The recipe can be found here. I plan on making it again, this time with better pictures!

Potluck Celebration | November 2nd
5:00 p.m. to whenever at Upper UC–San Jacinto/Neches 
RSVP here

We’re having a belated potluck to celebrate World Vegan Day! We decided to host this on Friday instead because more people can make it that way. Our potlucks are the best, and we will be sharing recipes!

I’m particularly excited about this event because we’ll get a chance to catch up with Vegan Club members we usually don’t get to see, since everyone is so busy.

Please write what you are bringing on the event wall. If you have trouble deciding what to bring, just comment below and I will try to help you think of something!

Please bring some canned veggies to the Central Library or the UC Starbuck’s!

FNB Food Drive | Through November 15th
Bulletin boards at the UC and the Central Library
RSVP here

We’re collecting cans for Food Not Bombs, a wonderful activist organization that makes vegan food for the homeless and anyone who needs it. We have invited the founder, Keith McHenry to come speak at UT Arlington in November, so keep your eyes open for that.

Check out the local Food Not Bombs group, and please bring some canned veggies for the cause! We have set up stations at the bulletin boards near the Starbuck’s in the UC and the Central Library (check near the elevators). We’ve been working on getting a station set up near Einstein Bagels in the Fine Arts Building–I will let you know when that goes through.

What events sound interesting to you? Please let me know in the comments below!
There are a couple of other great events I will be attending this week–please check out my events page for more details.

Tasty Highlights of the Texas Veggie Fair 2012

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The line for the vegan corn dogs was the longest food line.

I have never had a funnel cake in my life. On Sunday afternoon, I was lucky enough to spend a couple of hours with some friends at the third annual Texas Veggie State Fair. I was determined to find a vendor with vegan funnel cakes so I could sample some (they ran out quickly last year).

I ran into my friend Camille Suttles, an entertainment reporter from The Shorthorn, and together we sampled some (alas, not all) of the delicious vegan fare. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any funnel cakes, but we found plenty of other things to try. Continue reading →

Not so vegan line at UTA’s Connection Cafe?

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The Vegan Line is here! Or is it…?

The new vegan line at Connections Cafe has been vastly appreciated by students on campus.

Education junior Andrea Fleeman has been eating at the vegan line every day, and she has been very satisfied with the changes. She has even been taking pictures of her vegan meals at the cafe to show how great the options have been lately. However, today there were some complications with the food offered.

Read Fleeman’s guest post below to find out the recent problems with the line: Continue reading →

5 Remarkable Things From Vegan Club’s World Farm Animals Day Event

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Yesterday, the Vegan Club hosted a collaborative event with Animal Rights and Rescue of North Texas (ARRNT) and Mercy for Animals (MFA). In honor of World Farm Animals Day, the event featured Pay Per View video outreach, free vegan food samples, informational leafleting  and Q&A.

UT Arlington students sampled vegan goodies and watched a four minute video about factory farming at the World Farm Animals Day event.

The event left volunteers absolutely exhausted (we reached an estimated 2000 students total), but the following things made the whole event worthwhile.

  • Cooperation from (some of) UT Arlington’s staff:

Props to this guy (I didn’t catch his name) for helping us with the electricity! I appreciate him so much.

At the beginning of the event, many complications arose–almost everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong (I’ll save you from a full-on rant and leave it at that).

One of the problems we were having was getting the electrical outlets on site to work, but thankfully the Office of Facilities Management was very helpful in responding to my phone call–they sent someone over to do some re-wiring. They really made the video outreach part of the event possible, so I am extremely grateful to them.

It’s always great to see people to go above and beyond their jobs to help people.

  • Compassionate gestures:

    Dollars for the video outreach!

During our Pay Per View outreach, we paid participants a dollar to watch a four-minute video about factory farming, to raise awareness about where our food really comes from. The point of this activity is not to scare participants or traumatize them–the goal is to expose the industry and hopefully empower consumers to make different choices.

While most participants were initially attracted by the dollar offer, several people decided to donate their dollars back to us for the cause.

Business junior Eric Floyd donated his dollar back, with these comments:”Now I feel so bad for just wanting the dollar, at first. I had no idea what kind of profound event you guys were hosting. Thank you so much for doing this to open my eyes to these things.”

  • Collaboration of volunteers

The event would never have been possible without the help of ARRNT and MFA. All of the Vegan Club members had class during the event (though a couple were able to help for a few minutes). Without volunteers from these groups, we could not have pulled off the event in the least.

Barbara DeGrande of ARRNT provided food samples, vegan literature, a small tables, and a great canopy to protect our event from the sun.

Nora Kramer, from Mercy for Animals, even went to the trouble of purchasing a table for the event, because there were complications with our table requests at UTA. Halfway through the event, we also got another small table from Millie Hunt Fain (ARRNT).

While I was taking care of the Pay Per View, ARRNT volunteers handed out food samples, and Mercy for Animals leafleted.

All these people worked their hardest to make the event come together so that we could reach as many people as possible. I cannot fully express my gratitude to them.

  • Kids participating in our event! They were so curious and receptive.

    Receptive audience

One of the things I love best about these events is seeing the participants’ reactions.

Activists rarely receive negative responses from college campuses, because most students are open-minded.

Notably, several students from a junior high field trip were very interested in the Pay Per View. I was initially hesitant…I wasn’t sure what the rules were about engaging young audiences in discussions about such heavy topics.

However, the kids told me they were more than willing to learn and knew what they were getting into, so I had no qualms about letting them participate. Their responses were inspiring. Some kids had known about the issues, some didn’t, but most of them eagerly accepted the vegan starter kits and told me they were going to show their mothers the recipes in the back.

All other participants I interacted with expressed their concern for the issues and wanted to find out more about the vegan lifestyle.

  • Delicious food

Okay, let’s be honest–food is probably my favorite part of any event.

We got countless compliments about the free food samples at our event. Participants sampled whole wheat chocolate chip muffins, vanilla cupcakes with chocolate ganache, and Field Roast vegan sausage samples (Mexican Chipotle and Smoked Apple Sage–available at Kroger and Whole Foods).

Everyone asked for the recipes, and I will do my best to post them soon, so keep checking back!

Vegan Club’s next event will be a film screening–please come out and say hi! I will also be making free cupcakes for this event.

Vegan dining resolution at UTA: hurdles and results

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Last semester, Student Congress passed Resolution 11-19, a resolution aimed at making healthy, plant-based meals more accessible in the Connection Cafe. The resolution, inspired by the all-vegan dining hall at the University of North Texas, called for increased vegan options and ingredient labels on all foods served in the cafe.

Photo courtesy of Richard Hoang (The Shorthorn).

After the resolution was passed, it was sent to President Spaniolo’s office for review. Nursing senior Zak Murphy, a student senator on the resolution’s research committee, has kept me updated with the progress of the resolution. While it is well-known that resolutions can take time to implement, Spaniolo’s course of action came as a disappointment to both of us–as we had both worked very hard to get the resolution on the table.  Continue reading →