Psychological Factors Regarding the Environment

There is a mental distance that many people invoke when thinking about the damage happening to the environment. A feeling that becomes present when realizing that the current lifestyle that many of us live will be the very thing that eventually kills or limits life on this planet is hard to face. There is a  sense of denial that we live with in order to cope with the reality that today’s luxuries are contributing factors to the destruction of the Mother Earth, which is why some psychological process needs to be addressed and explored regarding the problems of climate change and other environmental issues that are continuing to manifest. But doing right by the environmental movement means that we have to do without the very luxuries that we have been conditioned to believe make life worth living. 

We as people have failed to take into account the psychological conditioning that capitalism and other such systems like in the United States have had on the average person. We are continuing to struggle between the messages of society that are based on worth, gain and monetary values.

This is why the solutions lie very much in the psychological and the spiritual realms of activism; we cannot combat hundreds of years of programming with a simple Public Service Announcement or by using guilt tactics that promote recycling. We have to reach beyond the borders of our average activist actions and embrace the concept of majickal intervention as a means to transformation in thought, action and healing. We must also incorporate the knowledge we have gained from the social sciences in understanding how systems of denial operate, how dissociation from reality becomes a protective measure against what feels threatening, and how the social construct of our environment will shape and mold value systems. 

We live in a society that exists in so much pain, and with so many struggles that life becomes about the struggle and not about the beauty. We have to look at the struggle for environmental justice in combination with the many other struggles of justice we are fighting: They do not exist separately.

The fight for environmentalism is a combination of a psychological, spiritual, societal and historical wound that is wrapped in unchecked privilege, oppression, pain and the trauma of a world. We need to intensify our efforts to support ourselves in a healthy, whole and integrated way, so that we can change and heal the world.

Dr. Steven Best at Animal Rights Conference 2014

Dr. Steven Best is introduced by Michael Webermann, Executive Director at Farm Animal Rights Movement. Dr. Best discusses the differences between the animal welfare and the animal rights movements.

Love Art! Gallery in Portland Oregon, USA Closing in August! :(

"Vegans Ted and Ruby Madrona had no business plans when in 2009 they rented a shop in the heart of the Sellwood neighborhood's business district.

Three months later, the former cheese shop opened as Love Art! Gallery, now an iconic storefront on Southeast 13th Avenue. A giant medal sea horse peers down at passersby, and for five years tiled garden benches have welcomed pedestrians to rest.

But the benches are gone and the storage room is empty. Love Art! Gallery is closing Aug. 3."

Check out Love Art! Gallery and find out more about Ted and Ruby Madrona at the article link below:

Love Art! Gallery in SE Portland's Sellwood neighborhood closing in August

If you are a local in Portland Oregon, visit their store and take advantage of their huge savings as they close at the of the month!! Click at the link below for information on how to get to their gallery.

Love Art! Gallery

101 Reasons to Go Vegan

The Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF) presents "101 Reasons to Go Vegan" presented by James Wildman.

Shopping to Help the Environment

Everyday choices can affect your family's health as well as the environment.

There's a growing trend among consumers to make choices reflecting the goals and values that matter to them most. So here are a few ideas for easy changes:

Starting with the products you use most frequently can be a simple way to shift your choices to a healthier place. Many hygiene products, such as soap, shampoo and toothpaste use unnecessary chemicals and animal ingredients that are harmful to our human body and, of course, cruel for the animal it was made from. Natural, cruelty-free (and not tested on animals) ingredients work just as well or better than the artificial/cruel variety, so look for options that don't rely on dyes, formaldehyde, parabens and animal ingredients. Ingredients with chemicals directly impact waterways once they go down the drain. More cruelty-free options can be kinder to your body, to animals and to the environment.

Cleaning products like floor polish, glass cleaners, and bathroom disinfectants can be harsh and tested on animals. Consider gentler, cruelty-free alternatives.

Even if your foods are vegan/cruelty-free, certain food products can contain artificial sweeteners or use pesticides. Try switching to less processed foods and buying organic when possible. Look for locally sourced foods for added freshness and to reduce overall carbon footprint in transit.

Companies with smart environmental policies do exist. Do your research and support brands that work to lessen their environmental impact, and take pride in the quality of their ingredients, which should be listed in full on the packaging.

Brands like Tom's of Maine, which makes personal care products like soap, deodorant and toothpaste, as well as others, share their progress in helping the planet by publishing goals and results to the public. They recently released their second edition of the Tom's of Maine Goodness Report that details the company's approach to ingredients, packaging, waste, water, energy, the community, and its employees. For example, the company has opted to use steam capturing technology, ultimately reducing water usage. Cartons used for packaging toothpaste are made of 100 percent recycled paperboard and can be recycled again after use. The company is even looking into future "smart packaging" alternatives, such as biodegradable packaging made of potato starch.

Seek out a list of simple and understandable renewable and naturally-sourced ingredients. Also, inspect the material on which it's printed. Minimal packaging made of recyclable materials is ideal.

If your town doesn't take in a wide range of waste for recycling, TerraCycle is an innovative USA based up-cycling leader that enlists volunteers to recycle waste to make products such as benches, picnic tables or deck materials, ultimately sending less to landfills.

The impact of a few simple changes can have a lasting ripple effect that goes well beyond your home and life.

How to Stick to a Vegan Diet When it’s Not on the Menu

When you are out-and-about, looking for a place to eat, check out these suggestions so you can be prepared if going to a non-vegan restaurant:

How to Stick to a Vegan Diet When it’s Not on the Menu

Fruit Philanthropy: Foraging to Feed the Hungry

Nonprofit groups around the country are gleaning fruit from trees growing everywhere from backyards to the sides of exit ramps and donating it to homeless shelters--Here is one story:

Fruit Philanthropy: Foraging to Feed the Hungry