The vegan wizarding world

It’s not the only vegan option the Studio Tour offers. In 2020, it launched a vegan version of Butterbeer, the butterscotch-flavored drink enjoyed by Hogwarts students in both the books and the subsequent movie franchise.

Prior to the launch, Evanna Lynch—a vegan activist and actor who played the character of Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films—called on Warner Bros to offer a vegan version of the popular beverage.

She said back in 2018: “I’ve been a member of the vegan community for the past five years and the Harry Potter community for most of my life, and nothing makes me happier than when these two worlds intersect.”

“I genuinely can’t imagine a lovelier day out than going to The Wizarding World to enjoy a butterbeer with my vegan friends. I will be first in line when that day comes.”

Lynch also hosted a podcast called The Chickpeeps with actor and fellow Harry Potter star Robbie Jarvis, as well as Momoko Hill and Tylor Starr.

Each episode discussed topics relating to veganism, including animal advocacy, farming, and activism. There was also a crossover with MuggleCast, a podcast dedicated to Harry Potter.

Series three of The Chickpeeps came to a close last year, and while a fourth season was mentioned at the time, nothing has been announced since. 

The post ‘The Making of Harry Potter’ Studio Tour Now Has Vegan Afternoon Tea appeared first on Plant Based News.

In 2017, following expensive animal abuse-focused court cases and amid falling attendance, the circus shut down its big top for good. But now it’s back. And it seems to have learned its lesson, because its new traveling show is totally animal-free.

According to Ringling Bros, the new show will launch next year in September, before embarking on a 50-city tour in North America.

The circus ran for nearly 150 years before it shut down in 2017. But, with a new and improved approach, the updated version hopes to match that legacy.

“We are innovating all aspects of the live show and modernizing the franchise,” said Kenneth Feld, the CEO of Feld Entertainment, the company that owns Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. “[We want] to create an engaging property that is built for today’s families and will last another 150 years.”

According to Feld Entertainment, the new circus will focus purely on human acts, and its entertainers will “push the limits of human potential and create jaw-dropping moments.” It is currently searching for new talent, with rehearsals beginning at the end of June 2022.

An animal-free circus industry

Feld Entertainment’s decision to focus on human acts over animals isn’t just an ethical one, it’s also a smart business move. Including wild animals in its acts again would limit the states it could visit with its new traveling show, as several (including California, Illinois, and New Jersey) have outright bans or restrictions on circus animal acts.

Entire countries have also banned the use of wild animals in the circus. Most recently, the French parliament voted in favor of legislation that would protect wild animals from becoming circus acts.

The French ecology minister said of the move: “To act in support of animal well-being is the mark of a conscious society and of its responsibility towards a fragile natural world. It is a sign of mature civilization.” 

The post The Infamous Ringling Bros. Circus Is Back Again – This Time, Without Animals appeared first on Plant Based News.

Is luxury fashion getting more ethical?

The news comes four years after Burberry announced a ban on fur and angora. At the time, the brand’s chief executive Marco Gobbetti said: “Modern luxury means being socially and environmentally responsible. This belief is core to us at Burberry and key to our long-term success.”

“We are committed to applying the same creativity to all parts of Burberry as we do to our products.”

Several brands have banned fur in the last few years, including Gucci, Prada, Armani, Michael Kors, and Versace. In 2018, Donatella Versace, Versace’s artistic director, told The Economist’s 1843 magazine: “Fur? I am out of that. I don’t want to kill animals to make fashion. It doesn’t feel right.”

The world of luxury fashion is consistently innovating. Coperni recently teamed up with Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams to launch apple leather bags. Danish brand Ganni went one step further, pledging to ditch leather completely and replace it with plant-based alternatives.

Nicolaj Reffstrup, Ganni’s founder, said:  “Selling leather products, although highly profitable, will soon be as outdated as smoking on TV.”

The post Burberry Just Confirmed An Exotic Skin Ban appeared first on Plant Based News.

The need for animal testing alternatives

Research into animal-free testing methods in the medical field is vital. More than 50 million animals are used in experiments in the US, says the Humane Society. These include mice, monkeys, dogs, pigs, rats, sheep, cows, and frogs.

The nonprofit says: “There is no limit to the extent of pain and suffering that can be inflicted during experiments.”

“In some instances, animals are not given anything to relieve their pain or distress during or after the experiment on the basis that it could affect the experiment.”

But, as research into alternatives advances, change could be on the horizon. In 2020, University of Dundee researchers grew skin in a lab in a bid to reduce animal testing. 

One of the researchers, Dr. Michael Coneely, told the Times that animal tests are often not even 100 percent reliable. He said that animals serve as “good analogs to study general principles.” But added that “they often fail when it comes to specific details due to animal/human species differences.”

He continued: “Upwards of 90 percent of drugs that are proven safe and effective in animals fail during clinical trials.”

The post New Study Findings Could Reduce Animal Testing In The Medical Field appeared first on Plant Based News.

It’s not the first time Varshney has hit the headlines for her climbing expeditions. Last year, she summited Nepal’s Ama Dablam, which stands at just over 6,800 meters. 

Widely regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful mountains, Ama Dablam is a tough climb. Not only did Varshney complete the trek, she also did it all while experiencing menstrual cramps. 

“For me, it made me cross my limits,” she told the Indian Express after the climb. “Like, I feel I would not have known how strong I am if this wouldn’t have happened.”

“I feel, a woman can be as strong as she wants and as fragile too,” she added. “And we have to embrace both.”

Vegan climbers 

Varshney is also a passionate animal lover and a strong advocate for veganism.

While she is said to be the first vegan Indian woman to summit Everest, Varshney is not the first vegan climber to reach the top.

Kuntal Joisher reached Everest’s summit in 2016, and in the same year, experienced Australian vegan climber Dr. Maria Strydom also reached the top. Tragically, she died of altitude sickness during the descent.

Joisher summited Everest again in 2018, and is now on a mission “to normalize vegan mountaineering.”

Describing the experience in 2016 for Red Bull last year, he wrote: “It was so overwhelming, I couldn’t hold back the tears. With a minute’s credit left on my satellite phone, I called home, then I sat down to soak in the view from the top. I’ll never forget those 20 minutes. The only feeling that compares is the birth of my daughter.”

He added: “It was a huge achievement for me as a mountaineer, but it also shone a positive light on veganism.”

The post Prakriti Varshney Hailed As First Vegan Indian Woman To Summit Everest appeared first on Plant Based News.

Aveda’s global brand president Barbara De Laere said in a statement: “Aveda was founded on the principle to care for the world we live in, and this includes always being opposed to animal testing.”

“We have been a leader in sustainability for more than 40 years. We are proud to underscore this commitment to our planet with our Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny approval. The internationally recognizable gold standard for cruelty-free cosmetics.”

Vegan and cruelty-free Aveda

Last year, Aveda also announced it was going vegan, eliminating products like honey and beeswax from its entire product line. The move involved reformulating more than 500 products over the course six years.

At the time, the brand’s vice president of research and development Christine Hall said that removing beeswax was one of its “biggest challenges.” This is because of its integral role in creating “texture, structure, color payoff, and smoothness.”

But eventually, it managed to create a new strong and effective blend, with no need to call on bees.

Cruelty Free International’s CEO Michelle Thew praised Aveda’s “well-deserved reputation” for ethical business and sustainability. She added: “I am thrilled that this now includes Leaping Bunny approval.”

The post Global Beauty Brand Aveda Now Certified Cruelty-Free With Leaping Bunny appeared first on Plant Based News.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Vegetarian Society (@the_vegetarian_society)

Are Brits giving up meat?

It is easier than ever for people to choose meat-free options in the UK, with more vegan products on supermarket shelves and more menu items in restaurants. But Richard Mcllwain, the chief executive of the Vegetarian Society, believes more can be done.

He said in a recent statement, “we want to see more vegetarian and vegan options included front and center on all menus,” before arguing that vegetarian options, in particular, are appealing to flexitarian consumers.

Previous data released by YouGov indicated that most flexitarians will not go vegan, but instead see reducing meat as a “conscious” and “deliberate” long-term choice. 

But other reports indicate a different trajectory for people who reduce their meat consumption. Earlier this year, a survey by Veganuary revealed that more than a third of people who gave up animal products for January intended to stay vegan. 

Veganuary’s international head of communications Toni Vernelli said: “These incredible results show that Veganuary is so much more than a one-month pledge as taking part leads to lasting diet change for most participants.”

The post Over 25% Of Brits Want To Reduce Meat Intake, Says New Study appeared first on Plant Based News.

Local meat

Vegan activist Joey Carbstrong recently called out the same slaughterhouse in an op-ed for Plant Based News.

He described an investigation into the facility, stating that cows were “terrified” and the owner was swearing and threatening them. He added that the footage proves that meat bought from “local farms” is no more ethical than any other meat on the supermarket shelf.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Joey Carbstrong (@joey_carbstrong)

“You may often hear people say, ‘I only buy meat from my local butcher, and the animals are from local farms,’” writes Carbstrong. 

“Well, the animals who were killed at C.J. Byford & Son were from the surrounding local farms. And, the business supplied only to local butchers, not supermarkets. This place was about as local and family-run as you can get.”

Cruelty at slaughterhouses

This is far from the first investigation to uncover abuse at slaughterhouses. But these facilities don’t just hurt animals, they harm people too.

Last year, Jack Hancock-Fairs, who is a vegan advocate and the son of a slaughterhouse worker, announced a documentary called The Dying Trade. The film shines a light on human and animal suffering in slaughterhouses.

He said at the time: “The suffering experienced within slaughterhouses is huge in scale and clearly neglected.”

“I really hope this film can open people’s eyes to the animal cruelty and poor worker treatment that exists within the walls of slaughterhouses all over the world. By raising awareness about these issues, we can help lay the groundwork for future progress.”

The post Petition To Shut Down ‘Family-Run’ Slaughterhouse Exceeds 80,000 Signatures appeared first on Plant Based News.

According to the NGO Eurogroup for Animals, around five liters of blood is taken from pregnant horses every week in Iceland. When they give birth, their foals are often sent to the slaughterhouse.

The blood farming process is inherently exploitative. But on top of this, animal rights activists recently discovered horses being abused on the farms. They obtained footage of the animals being hit before their blood was taken.

They also discovered bite marks inside the horse enclosures, which they say is an indication of anxiety and distress.

#DYK? Huge amounts of blood are taken from pregnant mares to produce a hormone called #eCG.

This is used to increase fertility in farm animals.

We call on the to stop this cruel practice and ban the production/import/use of eCG.https://t.co/44MawgLzdl

— Eurogroup For Animals (@Act4AnimalsEU) May 16, 2022

Growing opposition to blood farms

Animal rights activists aren’t the only ones against blood farms. 

The European parliament wants them to be banned too. In fact, a 2021 Motion for a Resolution called “on the Commission and the Member States to halt the import and production” of Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin. It called for the use of “animal-friendly alternatives” instead.

Applying more pressure on Iceland and the European Commission, Eurogroup for Animals recently partnered with 16 animal protection organizations to file a complaint against blood farming to the European Free Trade Association’s Surveillance Authority.

The complaint argues that Iceland is not applying its laws on the protection of animals used in science to blood farms. Despite claims to the contrary, Iceland does not see the extraction of the hormone as an animal experiment.

Many Icelandic people are also against blood farming.

Rósa Líf Darradóttir, who lives in Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, and owns horses, told the Guardian: I would like people to know that Iceland is actually stabbing semi-wild pregnant mares. [They’re] taking their blood in extreme volumes and frequency, just to make pigs have more pigs.”

The post Iceland Faces Calls To Ban Blood Farms That Exploit Pregnant Horses appeared first on Plant Based News.

Right now, a completely animal-free car does not exist.

Aside from the obvious leather interiors, carmakers often use animal products to build everything from tires to the frame. In the former, animal fat toughens the rubber, and in the latter, it lubricates the steel.

But, in line with public opinion, car manufacturers are making changes.

Cars get more vegan-friendly

According to PETA’s vegan car guide, Honda, Citroën, Dacia, and Ford now offer vegan interiors in a number of models.

In 2020, Bentley revealed its new electric car concept (the EXP 100 GT), which featured interiors made with grape leather.

At the time, the company’s design director Stefan Sielaff acknowledged that people’s attitudes towards animal products were changing.

He told Robb Report: “Maybe you eat everything organic, sustainable, vegan, animal-free – and yet we’re using 15 hides of leather for our cars. This is obviously the extreme, and things change bit by bit, but some people will want a car that better aligns with their belief system.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mercedes-Benz (@mercedesbenz)

More recently, Mercedes-Benz announced that its new electric concept car (the VISION EQXX) features mushroom and cactus leather. It also includes vegan silk in the interior.

The Vegan Society’s senior insight and policy officer Louisianna Waring believes it’s “highly encouraging” that Brits are interested in vegan cars.

She said: “The automotive industry is taking steps in a more ethical direction. But products from animals can still feature throughout the manufacturing process.”

“It’s pleasing to see that 70 percent of consumers are revving up to see fully vegan cars hit the road in the future.”

The post 75% Of Brits Want Vegan Cars, According To New Study appeared first on Plant Based News.