Tag Archives: ethics

Green news, Interviews, Sustainability

Your Green Life: Tess Riley

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When I first made a conscious effort to “go green” earlier this year, I knew I’d be travelling down a liberating road of knowledge and discoveries surrounding the world of sustainability. I was already aware of recycling, organic food and chemical free beauty products; but I knew there was more to it than that.  

So when I started this blog, a big part of sharing my green living experiences was delving in deeper – with my “Understanding” posts – to get to grips with the basics of sustainability issues; from understanding biodiversity, plastic waste and palm oil rain forest destruction, to the ethics of the industrialised dairy farming. It’s one thing to live green, but it’s another to try understand why it’s so important . 

This weeks Your Green Life interviewee has inspired me endlessly throughout my quest to understand these issues; and is someone who not only asks thought provoking questions (and presents well informed and reasoned answers as a result), but she puts her money where her mouth is and actively campaigns for positive change. For this reason alone, she represents my ambitions for the future of my green journey; where action can speak louder than words.  Continue reading Your Green Life: Tess Riley →

Facts and Stats, Green food, Green health, Green news, Nature, Sustainability, Vegan

A Question of Ethics: Dairy Farming

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Milk: the “nutritious” white stuff that played a huge part of my childhood memories; from drinking vats of banana Nesquik, to turning it multi-coloured in my Lucky Charms cereal. We were advised to drink it daily, and were outraged when Margaret Thatcher “took it away from us” in the 80s.

According to This is Dairy Farming, British dairy farmers produce around 11 billion litres of milk annually; of which 5 billion litres is sold for drinking, and 6 billion litres is used for dairy products such as cheese and butter. We really do love the stuff!

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It’s been in my life for nearly 30 years and a key part of our nation’s diet; so – as a vegan – what’s my beef (pardon the pun) with milk now? Well, it wasn’t until I actually knew where milk came from, and how it’s made, that my taste for dairy soured altogether. I used to love creamy yogurts, and sprinkled cheese on almost everything. Now, not only do I avoid the stuff, I disagree with the ethics of the whole industry entirely.

I personally found my discoveries of the dairy industry rather emotional – so much so that I became vegan as soon as I found out. But in order to really explore the ethics, I want to let the facts speak for themselves; and allow others to share their thoughts and experiences of dairy farming. So here goes… Continue reading A Question of Ethics: Dairy Farming →

General ramblings, Green Living, Sustainability, Vegan

A Contradiction in Ethics: Can You Really Be Vegan and Green?

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When, about a month ago, the wonderful Zero Waste Millennial posted a blog titled “Is it possible to be Vegan and Zero waste?” and began it with the immediate answer “no”, it got me thinking. I have wondered myself if it’s possible to champion animal rights, human rights, environmental issues (which in itself is a huge subject…) and live as happily and healthily as possible; whilst still having fun and enjoying the pleasures in life!

But what happens when contradictions in our ethics occur? What if the vegan option isn’t organic but the meat option is? Or the products which avoid exploitation of humans are not sustainable or chemical free? Or your beautiful, naturally sourced fabric from a fair trade cotton producer in India incurred an incredibly large carbon footprint? Surely something has to give? Continue reading A Contradiction in Ethics: Can You Really Be Vegan and Green? →