What You Can Do
1. Go Vegan!
Going vegan is by far the simplest and
most effective thing you can do to minimize animal suffering and to
promote sustainable living!
It’s important to network and surround
yourself with a solid support group. A good place to find like-minded
individuals may be at local vegetarian societies. If you live in Connecticut,
try the Northern
Connecticut Vegetarian Society (NCVS). NCVS has monthly potluck
dinners with engaging speakers.
2. Outreach!
In order to become the best advocate for
animals and for sustainable living, read up on the issues, including
opposing viewpoints. Yes, issues may be painful at times. However, as
ambassadors, we need to know the facts and must be able to articulate
arguments in a persuasive manner. Always keep in mind that people may
become very defensive when asked to question their consumption habits.
Therefore, learn discussion strategies by first practicing with members
of your support group. Another way to handle defensive people is by
offering books and videos that they can read and watch privately. Please
visit our “Reading List” for suggestions. To reach out to the general
public, consider sponsoring a library display. Libraries are wonderful
venues in which to educate. Libraries will often enhance your display
by exhibiting books related to your display material. CLP is currently
working on several display packages that will be available soon. For
more information, please contact us.
3. Invite CLP to Schools and Community
Groups!
If you are a parent, student, teacher,
work in a school system, or are a member of a community group, you can
help bring messages of compassion and critical thinking into the classroom
and/or to your group. CLP’s Director of Outreach, Neil Hornish, has
a Master of Education with a concentration in Humane Education and has
experience speaking to classrooms from elementary school to college
level as well as to community groups. For a sample of potential topics,
please see “Presentation Topics”.
4. Discuss Animal Rights with Your Religious
Leaders!
Encourage these moral and ethical stewards
to incorporate animal rights into their theology. Request that your
minister lead prayers for all life suffering from oppression so that
people may open their hearts to all of God’s creation and find the strength
to live more fully consistent with the commonly held values of love,
compassion, and mercy.
An excellent piece of literature is “Good
News for All Creation”, by Dr. Stephen Kaufman and Nathan Braun. This
book provides the spiritual and practical reasons behind vegetarianism,
and is readable for Christians who are not yet vegetarian. Please visit
ChristianVeg.com
for a preview and to purchase.
5. Get Active Politically!
Write and call your local, state, and
federal officials on issues regarding animal welfare. Let them know
that a compassionate society is important to you. Join and financially
support groups that are organizing politically for animals, such as:
Animal
Advocacy Connecticut
HumaneLines (Federal
Government)
6. Support Vegan Businesses!
Mainstreaming vegan products through
consumer demand will make it easier, both psychologically and as a matter
of convenience, for people to go vegan. Although it’s important to support
vegan businesses, there are many simple things you can do to increase
public awareness through nonvegan businesses as well, such as requesting
that local merchants carry vegan products. Supermarkets, even large
chains, are often very receptive to customer requests. Chefs, especially
at high-end restaurants, will often gladly accomodate requests to prepare
gourmet vegan meals. At your workplace, write to food service managers
and request that healthy vegan options be served and marketed to employees.
When dining out, ask for vegan foods (such as soy milk in your coffee),
and if they are not available, politely suggest that the restaurant
begin carrying these options.
Some Vegan Businesses
Pangea
Vegan Essentials
Vegetarian Dining
Shopping Guides that Identify
Products Not Tested on Animals
Personal
Care for People Who Care
Caring
Consumer
7. Donate to CLP!
Help us financially with funding for our educational/outreach
activities, including CLP’s public access television show, Animal
Matters, and CLP’s "Books
for Boo” initiative, a project dedicated to purchasing books for
distribution in Connecticut libraries.
Please send donations to:
Compassionate Living Project
P.O. Box 202
Granby, CT 06035 |
