Animal Rebellion, including two ex-RSPCA trustees, met with the RSPCA earlier this month. The meeting was an opportunity to press the charity to take a formal stance against animal farming, and to support a transition to a plant-based system. 

Martin Whybrow is a former RSPCA branch trustee and now a member of the Animal Rebellion group. He said in a press statement, “It is impossible to meet the targets needed to limit global heating without the shift to a plant-based food system.” 

Whybrow continued, “Already, millions of humans and animals are suffering from the effects of extreme climate. It makes total sense for a charity dedicated to animal welfare to join the dots.”

RSPCA’s animal welfare standards

The RSPCA campaigns for the “highest possible standards” of animal welfare during the rearing, transportation, and slaughter of animals.

But the organization permits controversial practices, including the use of gas and maceration for the killing of day-old chicks.

“Done correctly, both methods can offer an effective and humane kill and our welfare standards set strict parameters stating how both of these methods must be carried out to ensure this is the case,” the RSPCA shared in a Tweet.

Advocating for a kinder food system

Animal Rebellion is asking the RSPCA to fulfil its mission statement and support a future where all animals are respected and treated with kindness and compassion. 

“We ask the RSPCA how they can justify caring for dogs and cats while supporting the slaughter of the millions of farmed animals who are killed for food every year in the UK alone,” Animal Rebellion explained.

“Additionally, we ask the RSPCA how they can claim to care for and respect wild animals when they condone an industry that is one of the leading causes of the climate crisis.” 

The animal protection movement intends to continue taking action until “the world sees a food system that centers on climate, animal, and human justice, rather than unsustainable growth.”

The post Former Trustees Urge RSPCA To Reject Animal Farming In Favor Of Plant-Based Systems appeared first on Plant Based News.

Kardashian, who has a sizeable 313 million followers on Instagram alone, joined Beyond Meat as the company’s first Chief Taste Consultant.

The partnership will see the A-lister promoting “her favorite Beyond Meat products” with recipes and creative content, according to a press release.

She will also feature in the Beyond Meat newsletter.

“I’ve been focusing on going more plant-based and can tell you that Beyond Meat is my absolute favorite – I love how all their products not only taste amazing but are also good for me and my family,” Kardashian said in a statement. She added that her four children are “obsessed” with her Beyond Beef taco recipe, the Beyond Burger, and Beyond Chicken Tenders.

“As my fans know, my fridge and freezer are fully stocked with Beyond Meat’s products.”

Celebrity influence

Kardashian added that she’s “thrilled” by the collaboration, and “really inspired” by Beyond Meat’s mission.

“[I] love that they are not only making plant-based eating delicious and accessible, but are doing so in a way that benefits both people and the planet,” the media personality said.

“It’s empowering to know that the small changes I’m making for my family, like incorporating more Beyond Meat into our meals, can add up to make a big impact.”

Kardashian joins Shay Mitchell, Kevin Hart, Snoop Dogg, and Liza Koshy as an ambassador of Beyond Meat. The brand, founded in 2009, is now available at roughly 135,000 retail and foodservice outlets in more than 90 countries.

Beyond Meat’s star-studded lineup of celebrity backers is no accident. Besides the additional attention the company undoubtedly receives, research indicates that celebrities and social media can influence what people eat.

A survey conducted earlier this year, commissioned by dairy conglomerate Arla, found that one in three adults make dietary choices based on what they see on social media.

Additionally, a Harvard review published in 2015 looked at the role celebrities play in spotlighting the climate crisis, especially its ties to animal agriculture.

It asserted that “celebrities can help draw attention to an issue and galvanize youth engagement.”

And, that “food is one such area where celebrities can help link the impacts of climate change to our consumption habits.”

The article concluded: “Celebrities can help by relating the causes and impacts of climate change to existing socio-cultural practices, facilitating not only a questioning of cultural values (such as meat and dairy consumption) but simultaneously making the necessary changes to our habits appear more positive, achievable and accessible.”

The post Here’s Why Kim Kardashian Is Now An Ambassador For Beyond Meat appeared first on Plant Based News.

Nike x Eilish

Eilish first joined Nike’s artist roster last year. She kicked off the collaboration with a range of leather-free vegan Air Jordans, featuring her signature slime green color.  

In their latest collaboration, Eilish puts her own unique spin on the iconic Nike Air Force 1s.  

The new sneakers – featuring a neutral mushroom color palette – are made from a synthetic nubuck leather material, derived from 80 percent recycled materials, including 100 percent recycled polyester. 

Similar to past releases, the sneakers channel Eilish’s own oversized aesthetic, featuring chunky mid-foot straps. The collection showcases a total of four chunky straps covering the sneaker’s laces, a look that is inspired by two other Nike staples, the Alpha Force Low and Air Trainer 3.

The sneaker also features a fifth strap that goes around the ankle in the high-top version of the vegan-friendly AF1s.

Eilish’s stick-figure Blohsh logo is displayed on the lace deubrés and the Nike Air logos appear as usual over the tongue and heel. The insoles are made with cork and embossed with lyrics from her song Billie Bossa Nova: “It’s hard to stop it once it starts.”

“The challenge and opportunity with this collection was to respect the originals, but make them my own. It was also important for me to mix in environmentally preferred materials where we could and present them in a way that felt fresh,” Eilish shared in a press release.

New apparel collection

The Nike x Billie collaboration also features a new range of matching mushroom-colored apparel in her signature oversized style.

The clothing range includes a fleece hoodie, t-shirt, and sweatpants, embellished with subtle silicone Billie Ellish graphics and the iconic Nike logo turned on its side, pointing straight upwards.

Cruelty is never in style

Beyond Eilish’s music career, she’s an avid activist working to promote sustainability and veganism. She uses her platform to influence the fashion industry as a whole to recognize that cruelty is never in style. 

PETA has also recognized Eilish’s work, naming her its “Person Of The Year” in 2021. President of PETA, Ingrid Newkirk, previously shared: “PETA is happier than ever to celebrate her for seizing every opportunity to point out that vegan fashion and foods are kinder to the animals and the planet we share with them.”

The new Nike x Billie collection is now available on Nike’s website.

The post Billie Eilish’s Latest Collaboration With Nike Features Vegan Air Force 1s appeared first on Plant Based News.

Food-tech company Eat Just, creator of the vegan egg product, debuted two new television commercials as part of the campaign, starring Williams and Gyllenhaal respectively.

The adverts, narrated by actor JB Smoove, poke fun at the lengths celebrities go to in order to maintain their health and fitness. But with JUST Egg, the commercials suggest, eating healthily (and sustainably) is easy.

Like all plant-based foods, JUST Egg is completely free from cholesterol. It also contains 69 percent less saturated fat than chicken eggs, and boasts five to seven grams of protein per serving (depending on the product).

The eggs, made from mung beans, are also kinder to the planet. As of April, Eat Just had sold the equivalent of 250 million eggs, saving 9.1 billion gallons of water in the process.

It also spared 43.6 million kilograms of CO2e and 13,446 acres of land.

Celebrity endorsement

Speaking about the campaign, Williams said: “I eat to live, so JUST Egg helps me feel and perform better. But it’s also delicious – I don’t think my family can even taste the difference between JUST Egg and chicken eggs.

“I’m also all-in on the mission: how can we make healthy, sustainable options accessible to everyone?”

The athlete, who has 23 grand slam victories to her name, is also a shareholder in the company, something Williams says she’s “proud” of.

“JUST Egg is making a real difference,” she added.

Gyllenhaal – who has worked on near to 60 movies, including Donnie Darko and Nightcrawler – is also an investor in the brand.

“I’m excited to be partnering with JUST Egg,” he commented. “I’m eating more plant-based for my health, and JUST Egg makes it easy and delicious.

“I also recognize the impact our food system has on our planet, so JUST Egg’s mission is important to me. And, honestly, who can turn down being narrated by JB Smoove?”

The new ads will air on television in major markets, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City. They will also appear nationwide on connected TV platforms and social media, while billboards of the collaborations will pop up in hard-to-miss locations.

The post Serena Williams And Jake Gyllenhaal Star In New TV Adverts For Vegan Eggs 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.

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.”

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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.

In calls to the company’s toll-free number, employees said Starbucks would start charging the same for drinks made with plant-based milks. Reps claimed various timelines including “in two weeks” and “an approximate date of May 4.”

Recordings of the calls were submitted to PBN anonymously. To protect the identities of the employees, PBN is not releasing the audio files.

Callers were told to watch for an announcement about the switch on Starbucks’ social media channels.

However, at the time of writing, no such change has been publicized.

Recordings of other reps confirmed the change was being discussed or “on the table,” due, at least in part, to a number of complaints about the added charge. 

“They got quite a bit of pushback for it,” one representative told a caller, saying she was aware the company planned to drop the non-dairy surcharge, but she saw “nothing on paper” about an official date. 

The pressure is on

Starbucks has been under a growing amount of pressure to drop the additional cost, with actor James Cromwell and former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney the latest to call for change.

In December, anti-dairy nonprofit Switch4Good and corporate hoaxers The Yes Men pulled off an elaborate prank claiming Starbucks was dropping the non-dairy upcharge based on the prevalence of lactose intolerance in people of color. The headline-grabbing shenanigan included a realistic-looking but fake website and video. 

Weeks later, Starbucks dropped the plant-based upcharge in the UK, followed by France, Chile, and the Netherlands. It’s not clear whether Switch4Good’s stunt played a role in the decision, but the charity has continued pushing for US locations to follow suit.

Switch4Good published an open letter in the Seattle Times, cosigned by nearly two dozen organizations. It also conducted a hyper-targeted digital media campaign aimed at Starbucks executives, and engaged members of the company’s board of directors by email. 

An opportunity

“Ironically, Starbucks is known for creating smart, planet-friendly policies around so many of its initiatives, like giving 10 cents back to customers who bring in their own reusable cup,” said Switch4Good executive director Dotsie Bausch. “This is another opportunity for the company to show leadership.” 

It has been argued that because plant-based milk production costs more than cow’s milk – particularly in the US where dairy production is heavily subsidized by the government – food businesses (like Starbucks) must pass those costs onto the consumer.

But Bausch notes that Starbucks gives away millions of gallons of free dairy cream every year in its approximately 9,000 US stores.

“If they wanted to save money, they could stop giving away free cow’s milk. As things stand now, people who can’t digest dairy, or don’t for ethical or environmental reasons, are subsidizing lactose lovers.” 

But Starbucks’ recent decision to remove the upcharge from hundreds of its international locations is a good sign, Bausch says.

“If this is what their customer service reps are telling people, it’s clear that public pressure is having an effect,” she added. “So please, please, keep those calls and emails coming, and let Starbucks know that it’s wrong to charge extra for healthier and more sustainable options.”

“It’s wrong for health, for dietary equity, and for the environment.” 

The post Starbucks US Reps Reveal Non-Dairy Surcharge Is On Its Way Out appeared first on Plant Based News.

In each decade, Hart serves up a Beyond Meat burger to comedian Will “Spank” Horton.

“Traditions keep us connected to our past, but we have to make decisions for our future,” he says in the commercial. “We’ve gotta go beyond tradition, make changes that are better for the planet.”

“Eating plant-based is actually fighting climate change,” he continues. “Sometimes we don’t look for the most obvious things we can change, and I don’t know why. Some things should be easy, like eating Beyond Meat. Changing the world one burger at a time.” 

Changing up traditions

Founded in 2009, Beyond Meat’s products hit the shelves for the first time in 2012. While the brand’s products are entirely plant-based, its target audience is not vegans. Instead, it wants to encourage more meat-eaters to swap out beef burgers for plants.

And it’s working. In 2018, the brand released data revealing that 70 percent of its customers were actually meat-eaters.

With the new Hart commercial, Beyond Meat is continuing to nurture that customer base. 

“Our consumer testing found that Kevin resonated with non-plant-based consumers,” Beth Moskowitz, Beyond Meat’s chief brand officer, told Adweek. “He makes plant-based eating very approachable.”

Hart’s decision to show a backyard barbecue in the commercial was intentional. For many, it’s a summer tradition where friends and family gather to eat a meat-heavy feast. But Hart, who has reduced his own meat intake, maintains it doesn’t have to be that way.

He said: “I love that my family and I can enjoy all the foods we love, like grilled burgers in the backyard, but do so in a way that’s better for us without feeling like we’re sacrificing anything.”

The video (and shorter variations of it) will appear on digital, social, and connected TV, as well as TikTok. Beyond Meat and Hart will also host pop-ups and sampling events together to promote the products.

The post Kevin Hart Teams Up With Beyond Meat For New TV Advert appeared first on Plant Based News.

Animal agriculture is responsible for 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, but plant-based foods have a considerably lower impact. In 2018, one of the biggest ever food production studies revealed that going vegan was one of the most impactful choices a person could make for the benefit of the planet. 

The new study from Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg was published in the journal PLOS Climate.

Researchers gave more than 250 participants nine hypothetical menu designs. All had the emissions impact of each option clearly labeled.

For some dishes, the label indicated a “high emission” option (i.e. a salad with beef) or a “low emission” option (i.e. a salad with falafel). There was also a third, “medium emission” choice for some (a salad with chicken, for example).

Encouraging sustainable food choices

The researchers suggested that adding climate labels to menus was one of the “easiest things” restaurant owners can do to encourage more sustainable food choices.

They stated: “If we want more climate-friendly restaurant visits, highlighting dish components on a menu can really be an important parameter because it communicates what is normal and recommended.”

Some restauranteurs have already added climate labels to menus. Lou Palmer-Masterton, who owns the small vegan restaurant chain Stem & Glory, started including carbon emission scores on menus last year.

For example, Stem & Glory’s Affogato dessert contains a shot of espresso and dairy-free vanilla ice cream. It features a “high” rating. But most of its options range from “very low” to “low” on the carbon intensity scale.

Palmer-Masterton told the BBC: “Even though all our products are plant-based, I was still curious about the impact they have on the environment. This movement is exploding right now, and it makes sense.”

The post Carbon Footprint Labels On Menus Encourage Diners To Choose Plant-Based Foods, Says New Study appeared first on Plant Based News.