Cecil - Do I Need To Elaborate?

I think by now you have all heard about Cecil the lion who was lured out of his sanctuary, shot with a bow and arrow by an idiot dentist.  Wounded, it took the hunters 40 hours to find him when he was then put out of his pain.
Here's a video just to refresh your memory:


Now this has outraged the world community, and I'm not just talking about the vegans and vegetarians among us ... oh no, many a meat eater is up in arms about Cecil - and rightly so.

So what has prompted me to blog about something that you all know about?  I mean Cecil has been widely reported both on the internet and on mainstream media.
Well, it was this young lady ... Sabrina Corgatelli (and I use the term "lady" very, very loosely!)

So let's go with another video:


"Giraffes are very dangerous"  duh!  so are you!!!! The difference is, you've got a gun, the giraffe doesn't .... the giraffe, or any other animal for that matter, can't stalk you the way you stalk them.

I don't care what reason these trophy hunters have.  I don't believe they respect or love animals.  If they were that keen on "hunting" with a love of animals they would be carrying a camera not a weapon.

A person who "hunts" with a camera, in my opinion, has far more courage than all these trophy hunters put together.

Africa needs to be promoting the "camera hunt" far more - make it just as expensive!!!!!

And kudos to the airlines who have banned the shipment of trophies ..... just need the shipping companies now to follow suit!

I can feel my blood boiling - so signing off.

New Zealand McDonalds To Start Using Free Range Eggs.

Yes, you read the heading correctly.  The McDonalds restaurants (there’s 164 of them) through out New Zealand are going to be switching to free range eggs.

Is this a step in the right direction?  I believe it is.  For as much as I am not a fan of McDonalds (for a variety of reasons), you have to admit they are really trying to lift their image…..well, in New Zealand anyway.

This is going to start by the end of this year with all outlets on board by next year (2016).  Why so long to wait?  This is due to the fact that the free range egg farmers will have to invest quite a lot to increase production in order to supply the chain.

 

 

This is the Free Range we all believe

This is also classified as "Free Range"

I spoke to SAFE (N.Z. animal welfare) to make sure that McDonalds were, in fact, going to use actual free range - you know, the chickens running around outside (top picture), and not barn chickens with the door open (above).

Yes, indeed, true free range …. well done!

Now, the New Zealand government has said that all caged eggs must be replaced by Colony, Barn or Free Range by 2022.  Well, it would probably only take one more chain e.g. Burger King, to follow suit for the free range market to give the others a run for their money and perhaps we could even see the supermarket choices being either Free Range or Barn …. not a cage in sight.

If that happened, then McDonald’s should rightfully be given the kudos.

But, for now, for whatever reason McDonalds have done this (and there’ll be a dollar in it for them), at least it’s a step in the right direction.

Goodness, never thought I’d ever write the words “McDonalds” and “kudos” in the same sentence!!!!  

Now This Is Just Being Silly!

Today I read the most disturbing thing.

The Smithsonian Magazine reported that scientists are now messing about with the DNA of cows.  Reason?  To combat climate change and the rise in global temperatures.

Image via Flickr - Lance Cheung

So, let's step back a minute.  The first thing is that these particular scientists have declared their belief in global warming ... which is a good thing.

Now that they've done that - they have realized that, in order for the meat and dairy industries to continue, the cows are going to have to change.  (We're talking for both meat and dairy).  So, they're busy at trying to change the DNA so that the cows can "beat the heat".

"...Scientists and ranchers have an idea of traits that can contribute to heat tolerance - metabolic rates, ability to shed their coats, hair color - but there is no silver bullet. ....Several independent studies, however, have managed to link heat tolerance - at least in part - to the color of a cow's hair...."

What does that mean?  A bit of GM will be going on.

The stupid part is ... Livestock (and the majority are cattle), is the largest source of methane gas emissions worldwide, contributing over 28% of total emissions.  So let's think about reducing the intake of meat and dairy  ????  Right!  As if that's going to happen while it's such a big industry.

And, talking about genetically changing animals - In Australia, pigs are being bred to have more ribs than normal!

image via Flickr - Martin Pettitt

At the moment, it's so they can have more piglets.  You see, the more ribs, the longer the pig, the more nipples, the more piglets.  But it does make you wonder if they will bring this idea into the pork eating side of things.

Read more.

My Take On Pope Francis and His Encyclical

Pope Francis has published his encyclical and the 192 page document holds a lot of good stuff, that, hopefully, is going to be taken on board and will begin the change that is needed in this world we live in.  

I’m not about to summarize the encyclical … that would be a lengthy blog post.  Instead I just want to say that he has covered a lot of topics from global warming to the issue of water, (even covering the pollution of the oceans), and the effects on the poor and developing countries.

It’s pretty obvious he has done his homework and presents both the scientific as well as the biblical and theology side.  Oh, and he also addresses the varying opinions about global warming that are out there.

He also has not been soft in his criticism of the way wealthy countries/corporations use and abuse poorer countries who sit on goldmines such as fossil fuels, but do not have the means to protect their environments from the ravages of the greedy.

All in all, this is a powerful document.  But one that gives hope.  He points out things that are working now as examples of what can be done.

One sentence that I was impressed with “…Politics must not be subject to the economy, nor should the economy be subject to the dictates of an efficiency-driven paradigm of technocracy….”
Oh now wouldn’t that be an ideal world!

Right at the beginning he opens with the words of St Francis …“Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs”….

and in the very next paragraph he boldly states “…This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will. The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life. This is why the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor; she “groans in travail” (Rom 8:22). We have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the earth (cf. Gen 2:7); our very bodies are made up of her elements, we breathe her air and we receive life and refreshment from her waters….”

It kind of sets the tone for the rest of the document.

Regardless if you are a devout Catholic, of other Christian faith, Muslim or other religion, Agnostic or Atheist, you can take out the religious part if you want and you will still find this is a powerful document.  This man packs a heap of a punch and has a fair amount of influence.  I’m hoping that it pays off.

His Letter Is About To Go Public!

Do you remember the blog post I did recently about Pope Francis and the environment? … well, in it I said that the rockin’ Pope was going to be issuing an encyclical (see end for definition), about the environment and humanity’s relationship with nature.

Well, be prepared, folks - it’s due out on Thursday.  That’s June 18th and I will try to keep you posted as soon as I hear what it says.

In them meantime - wrap your laughing gear around this.  Last Tuesday, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the UN trotted over to the Vatican and he and the Pope had a bit of a pow-wow session on climate change and its impact on the poor of the world.

They weren’t alone, there were scientists, diplomats and religious and political leaders in there as well.

As I said in the previous Pope post (say that 10 times quickly), his stance as rankled some of the more conservative Catholics not to mention the climate change skeptics.  They reckon that the Pope is being misled by climate change scientists.  And, get this - they believe that our sweet Francis should be arguing that fossil fuels are the moral choice for the developing world!  Now this statement doesn’t surprise me in the least as this has just been released “…The U.S. could be completely powered by renewable energy by 2050, according to a report from Stanford University…”.  CNBC NEWS . So I'm wondering how much these "skeptics" have invested that they are scrambling to try and back the fossil fuel industry

This “greenery” thing from the Vatican is actually not new.  Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, wrote about the role of industrial pollution in destroying the environment.  And, surprising, Pope Benedict was labeled a "greeny" after he initiated projects to make the Vatican carbon-neutral. Other religious groups, including evangelical Christians, have spoken about the impact of environmental destruction on the poor.

Also, just as an aside.  Did you know that Francis, when he was a Cardinal back in 2004, actually came out and said that destruction of the environment contributed to inequality and the need for social reforms.

Wait - there’s one more fact I want to tell you.  He also trained as a chemist and became very interested in the links between environmental destruction and social ills, including a dispute over paper pulp mills on the border with Uruguay, which Argentina claimed were polluting local drinking water.  Unfortunately it went to the World Court and they backed Uruguay.  Source. 

It's not a new thing for him and, obviously something he's very passionate about.

So … it’s going to be interesting on Thursday when it all becomes public. 

An encyclical is a letter - and one from the Vatican goes round to all Catholics world-wide … it’s read out during the service.

The Big Boys Are In Town - G7

What’s in the news at the moment …. that is, world news, is the G7 meeting that’s just ended in Germany.
A quick definition of G7 = The Group of Seven is an informal bloc of industrialised democracies - the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom - that meets annually to discuss issues such as global economic governance, international security, and energy policy.

In my opinion I don’t think that these topics are as important as the topic of the health of our planet.  Well, maybe you could put in there “energy policy”, but that’s just a red herring in my book.  They want us to believe that they are all for sustainability but then they go home and nothing gets done.
Although, I have to hand it to France with the latest news that new commercial buildings have to have 50% green on their rooftops …. solar or plantings. More Info

So back to G7.  What are they discussing under “global economic governance”.  The one mission that Obama had going into this meeting was to get the European community to continue with the sanctions again Putin.  Duh … they’re not working anyway!!!!  There’s still fighting going on in Ukraine and the Russian economy is picking up - not going down.  So what’s the point?

Next, “International security” - well, that’s a given - ISIS and what they can do about that.  Not a lot really.  Fundamentally ISIS has risen up because of corrupt politics and people in poverty and despair.  Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not in favor of ISIS in any way, shape or form and they’re sure not helping their people at all.

Now we come to “Energy policy” - climate issues, which, in my opinion, should be the most important.  Why?  Well, without a planet nothing else matters.  I’ve had a look at the agenda of this two day event and there was 45 minutes designated to this important topic.

I don’t like these power hungry countries and their “meetings”.  They’re like the big kids in the playground huddling together to work out who to bully next instead of looking at how to deal with the kids who don’t have food in their lunchbox or how best to fix the environment our children have to play in.

I should have titled this post "One Big Boy and One Big Girl" - that's who is really wielding the power.

I know I look at things in a simplistic way, but then I believe life really is quite simple.  We all need food, shelter, compassion and love and the great majority of us are not getting these basic requirements.

Apple Pastry Desert YUM!

Ingredients:

1 cup cashews soaked
 with filtered water for at least 4 hours.

Juice of 1 large orange
.

2 Tblsp maple syrup
.

1 cup semi-soft coconut oil
.

Apple and cinnamon sauce
.

7 sheets Filo pastry
.

Coconut sugar.

Method:

Blend the cashews with a little filtered water until creamy.
While the blender is on add:

• The orange juice
• Maple syrup.

Put into the refrigerator while you do the pastry.

Hint: This cashew cream can be done the day before and stored into the fridge until you are ready. If you wish to make your own apple/cinnamon sauce, this also can be done the day before.  All it is is stewed apples with cinnamon added to taste.

Prepare the filo pastry using olive oil between the sheets and on top.
Lay out on a greased oven tray.
Slice in half lengthways then slice into oblongs. You should be able to get 5 large oblongs.
Prick the top of each oblong.
Bake at 200°C or 400°F for 10 - 12 minutes until golden.

While the pastry is cooking add the coconut oil to the cashew cream and whip through. Keep it at room temperature.

Cool the pastry

To Assemble:

One pastry oblong.
Apple sauce.
Cashew cream.
Pastry oblong.

Spread a spoonful of the cashew cream along the center of the top of the pastry and carefully spread.
Sprinkle with a little coconut sugar.
Refrigerate until ready to use.

Totally Vegan and it ROCKS!!!!