10 January 2017

Three Great Letters in Today’s Philadelphia Inquirer!

UPC President Karen Davis’s Letter Remembers the Animals

Our letters are a response to “Vegan eating: More men are going animal-free” by Elisa Ludwig, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jan. 4, 2017, p. F01.

Letters: Vegan eating: More men are going animal-free

City of vegan eateries

I am going to plan a trip to Philadelphia to check out some of those vegan restaurants ("He-man vegan eating," Thursday). It's just terrific that more options are being offered, responding to those of us who are declining animal-based foods (and products generally) and living more-healthy lives. Thank you for putting vegan-cooking chefs and their restaurants in the spotlight. I can't wait to visit.

Margaret Schulte, Ottawa, Ohio, mfschulte530@gmail.com


Eat healthy and live longer

I grew up on the standard American diet and became a vegan in my late 30s. I was motivated to do so after learning how animals raised for food are mistreated, but the switch was life-changing. I was on the fast-track to a heart attack. As I approach 70, my cholesterol level is 65 points lower than it was 30 years ago, I weigh 20 pounds less, and take no medications.

The preponderance of scientific evidence indicates that the less meat, eggs, and dairy you eat, the healthier you will be. Why not prevent disease now rather than treat it later? By switching to a plant-based diet, you'll also help fight animal cruelty, environmental pollution, and other problems associated with animal agriculture. It's a win-win-win situation.

Stewart David, Venice, Fla.


Remember the animals

I love reading that more men are opting for animal-free foods and that more restaurants are catering successfully to a trend away from animal products and toward plant-powered food choices. An ethical vegan since 1983, I have long argued for the term animal-free, which puts the animals in mind in a way that "meat," "dairy," and "vegan" do not. The animals who lived and died miserably, only to be parsed into chicken wings, hamburgers, bacon, and cheese, need to be remembered for their own sakes and for the sake of a future in which I hope they are no longer on the menu or the table.

Karen Davis, president, United Poultry Concerns, Machipongo, Va., karen@upc-online.org


Our 6th annual Conscious Eating Conference March 11 in Berkeley, CA invites you to hone your Go Vegan advocacy skills. Learn more and register for our upcoming Conscious Eating Conference in Berkeley, California on March 11, 2017.

2017 Conscious Eating Conference poster