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In the past, eating green foods for St. Patrick’s Day meant eating green-colored mashed potatoes and cabbage alongside a huge hunk of ham or corned beef—and a bottomless mug of green beer, of course. Now, there’s more to eating green than just using food coloring. If you really want to eat “green”—on St. Patty’s Day and all year round—you should choose “green” vegetarian foods. I don’t just mean spinach, broccoli, and lima beans, either. I’m talking about veggie burgers, pasta primavera, hummus wraps, potato croquettes, vegetable curry, and other fabulous vegan foods. Not only are they humane and healthy, they’re also easier on the environment. Consider these 17 reasons to ditch the smoked neck and opt for smoky soy sausage instead:

1. A U.N. report shows that raising animals for food generates more greenhouse-gases than all the cars, trucks, trains, ships, and planes in the world combined.

2. The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook states that “refusing meat” is “the single most effective thing you can do to reduce your carbon footprint.”

3. A University of Chicago study explains that switching to a vegan diet is more effective in countering climate change than switching from a standard American car to a Prius.

4. Nearly half of all the water used in the U.S. is squandered on animal agriculture. A meat-based diet requires more than 4,000 gallons of water a day, while a vegan diet requires only 300 gallons.

5. John Robbins claims that you can save more water by not eating a pound of beef than you can save by not showering for an entire year.

6. Animals raised for food produce 89,000 pounds of waste per second—that’s approximately 130 times as much excrement as the entire human population.

7. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, factory farms pollute our waterways more than all other industrial sources combined.

8. The U.N. reports that the “expansion of livestock production is a key factor in deforestation, especially in Latin America where the greatest amount of deforestation is occurring.”

9. Food for a vegan can be produced on only 1/6 acre of land, while it takes 3 1/4 acres of land to produce food for a meat-eater.

10. More than one-third of all the fossil fuels produced in the U.S. are used to raise animals for food.

11. Cows, chickens, pigs, and other farmed animals are fed more than 70 percent of the grains grown in the U.S.

12. Around 1.4 billion people could be fed with the grain and soybeans fed to U.S. cattle alone.

13. A Duke University Medical Center study showed that people living downwind of pig farms are more likely to suffer from mood disturbances, nausea, headaches, respiratory problems, and other health problems.

14. A Scripps Howard report included this warning about animal waste: “[I]t’s untreated and unsanitary, bubbling with chemicals and diseased. … Every place where the animal factories have located, neighbors have complained of falling sick.”

15. Chris Weber, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, states that “[y]ou can have a much bigger impact by shifting just one day a week from meat and dairy to anything else than going local every day of the year.” Imagine how much of an impact you’d have if you were to stop eating meat or dairy products altogether.

16. The U.N. report concluded that the meat industry is “one of the … most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global.”

17. All Earthlings deserve compassion and respect.

Have a happy and green St. Patrick’s Day, everyone!

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Smoking isn’t just bad for people; it harms our animal friends as well. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts and Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine have found that cats who live with smokers are more than twice as likely to suffer from feline lymphoma, and population studies suggest that environmental smoke may increase the risk of nasal and lung cancer in dogs. If that doesn’t prompt smokers with animal companions to quit, I don’t know what will.

Fortunately, a study conducted by the Henry Ford Health System Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention suggests that many smokers with animal companions would butt out cigarettes if they knew that they were putting their dog’s or cat’s health at risk.

Nearly 3,300 people participated in an online survey aimed at determining if smokers would change their behavior if they knew that it harmed their animal’s health. One in five of the people who took the survey smoked, and more than one in four lived with a smoker. Of the smokers, one in three said that knowing that smoking was bad for their animal’s health would compel them to kick the habit. Nearly one in 10 people would ask a partner to quit, and one in seven would ask their partner to smoke outside.

It’s a start, at least. No one should put their best buddy’s health in danger—ever. If you care about animals, you really need to stop smoking, pronto. Do it for yourself, all your loved ones, and animals in laboratories too.

Companion cats and dogs aren’t the only animals who suffer when people smoke. Mice, rats, dogs, primates, and other animals are mutilated, pumped full of nicotine, and forced to inhale smoke in cruel laboratory experiments to “test” the effects of smoking.

Help Animals Breathe Easier
This information should light a fire under all caring individuals, and if you smoke, it should give you even more incentive to stamp out cigarettes once and for all. It may not be easy, but your beloved animal companions—and animals suffering in laboratories—are counting on you to quit.

Learn more about the effects of secondhand smoke and companion animals.

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This October, in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, do something that will really help save lives—contribute only to health charities that don’t fund inhumane, irrelevant animal experiments.

Many charities, such as the American Cancer Society, the National Foundation for Cancer Research, and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, fund useless animal tests that drain money from relevant, effective, life-saving projects.

Humans and animals both feel pain, fear, joy, and love, but there are many physiological differences among rats, rabbits, dogs, cats, pigs, and people, and meaningful scientific conclusions cannot be drawn about one species by studying another.

Former National Cancer Institute director Dr. Richard Klausner has stated that “the history of cancer research has been the history of curing cancer in the mouse. We have cured mice of cancer for decades, and it simply didn’t work in humans.”

Compassionate, modern charities, such as the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, American Breast Cancer Foundation, The Cancer Project, and The Breast Cancer Fund, know that non-animal methods are the best way to combat cancer. If you want to make a donation to help beat breast cancer, please see CaringConsumer.com for a complete list of cruelty-free charities. After all, your contribution should help stop suffering, not cause it.

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You don’t have to live in a big city to get a great vegan meal. Many nationwide restaurant chains offer tasty vegan options. Here are five of my favorite veg-friendly restaurant chains (in no particular order). I like to take my nonvegetarian friends and family members so they can see how easy it is to find delicious meatless meals in mainstream places. It’s usually not hard to convince them to try the vegan dishes—and they always rave about them.

Not only does P.F. Chang’s have an array of already vegetarian options, like the sautéed spinach, coconut curry vegetables, and savory tofu-stuffed lettuce wraps, everything on the menu can be made with tofu instead of meat too.

At Johnny Rockets, the diner with the old-time jukeboxes and the dancing wait staff, you can get a vegan Boca burger (called the Streamliner) with grilled onions, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup, and mustard. Order fries and a cherry or chocolate Coke, too, if you want to get in the diner spirit.

The blueberry, chocolate chip, cinnamon sugar, cranberry orange, pumpernickel, and rosemary olive-oil bagels at Bruegger’s Bagel Bakery are vegan. Bruegger’s also sells hummus and several vegetarian sandwiches (just order them without cheese or dressing, and add some vegan fixings).

Although Denny’s is known for its traditional all-night, diner-style meat-based fare, it also has some vegan options. You can get a vegan Boca burger patty for any burger on the menu and order it with seasoned French fries, a garden salad, or a baked potato with vegetable toppings. For breakfast, try the vegan oatmeal, bagels, grits, or fresh fruit.

You can substitute tofu for meat in the tacos, fajitas, salads, and burritos at Moe’s Southwest Grill. You can order whatever ingredients you like, so just ask for a vegan tortilla and tell them to skip the cheese and sour cream.

Mmmm mmm, my mouth is watering already. If you know of any other chain restaurants that serve veg options but aren’t listed in the link above, let us know.

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In a previous post, I was singing the praises of Pangea and all the vegan chocolates, cakes, and cookies it sells. Well, I’m not done raving yet: Pangea just started selling the yummiest, “creamiest” vegan mac ‘n’ cheese ever. It’s called Leahey Macaroni and Cheese, and it’s the best “boxed” mac ‘n’ cheese I’ve had since I went vegan 17 years ago.

It comes with a powdered sauce mix, but it isn’t an unnatural fluorescent orange like other boxed macaroni and cheese. It’s only 97 calories per serving, too—and it’s cholesterol-free, of course. Plus it’s only $2.99, which isn’t bad considering how delicious it is.

A few years ago, Tofutti added a macaroni ‘n’ cheese dinner to their expansive line of dairy-free foods. It was rich and gooey—not bad at all—but they stopped selling it, so it must not have been one of their more popular products. Some people like Road End Organics Mac & Chreese, although I personally wish it were a bit “cheesier.”

But back to Pangea … when you order this fabulous mac ‘n’ cheese —do it now, you won’t regret it—you should also get some vegan caramels for dessert. They’re chewy and delicious on their own, but they’re even better covered in dark chocolate. I just melt dairy-free chocolate chips in a double broiler (you can melt chocolate in the microwave too) and dip the vegan caramels in. Place them on aluminum foil, and put them in the fridge for a few minutes for the chocolate to harden.

Serve the mac ‘n’ cheese and the chocolate caramels with a salad, some fruit, and whole-wheat bread, and you’ve got dinner—simple but scrumptious.

If you know of a vegan mac ‘n’ cheese that’s even better than Leahey’s, please let me know. And I’m always looking for new recipes.

Make your own
Chocolate Stout Cupcakes

Got a sweet tooth? Most supermarkets sell Oreos, Goldberg’s peanut chews, Ghirardelli chocolate chips, and other vegan goodies, but if you really want to treat yourself (or a friend), the following companies offer ooey, gooey vegan desserts that will tempt your taste buds.

Vegan Honey: This Brooklyn-based bakery offers delicious coconut cream-filled cupcakes, fruit turnovers, cinnamon buns, cherry “cheese” Danishes, chocolate “dessert cups,” and “Fauxtess” pastries that are reminiscent of popular Hostess products. My dog, Carly, gives the homemade peanut butter doggie treats two paws up too! A portion of Vegan Honey’s sales benefits animal rights and environmental groups.

Pangea: In addition to selling cruelty-free cosmetics, nonleather shoes, animal rights T-shirts, and mock meats and dairy-free cheeses, this vegan superstore has an array of super snacks, including Whitman’s Sampler-esque Belgian chocolates, donuts, fruit tarts, frosted cakes, and more. If you place your order through the PETAMall and designate PETA as your charity of choice, 5 percent of your purchase will be used to help animals.

Allison’s Gourmet Bakery: Alison’s, which supports PETA through the PETA Business Friends program, offers vegan cookies and brownies—in mouthwatering flavors like mint chocolate chip, coconut Key lime, cinnamon snickerdoodle, peanut butter swirl, and classic walnut—as well as heavenly fudge, truffles, caramels, and other chocolate-y creations.

Sticky Fingers: If you’re in Washington, D.C., you can stop by this vegan bakery for “cheese”-cake, carrot cake, chocolate almond cake, strawberry shortcake, and other drool-worthy desserts. But don’t despair if a trip to D.C. is not in your future—you can still enjoy Sticky Fingers’ brownies, blueberry muffins, chocolate chimp bread, Little Devils (chocolate cake with cream filling, coated in a chocolate shell), and more, via mail order.

Chocolate Decadence: If you’ve got a craving for chocolate-covered cherries, pretzels, nuts, raisins, coconut, peanut butter, and other simple yet scrumptious snacks, you can’t go wrong with Chocolate Decadence. Kids and adults alike will love the solid chocolate dinosaurs, classic cars, sea shells, and more.

Harbor Candy Shop: Check out Harbor Candy Shop for its selection of delectable vegan chocolates. Harbor Candy Shop donates 20 percent of the sale of its Vegan Favorite Samplers to PETA. What could be sweeter than that?!

Many other companies offer mail-order vegan goodies, and as a full-fledged chocoholic, I’m eager to try them all. Tell me about your favorites!

This morning, I received a call from a woman who was soliciting donations for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Normally I don’t waste any time getting telemarketers off the phone—especially when they interrupt my breakfast—but before I hung up on this woman, I told her that one of my best friends was a breast cancer survivor, so the issue was very important to me, but I explained why I would not contribute to any charity that funds cruel, unscientific experiments on animals.

It just isn’t ethical to harm one species in an attempt to help another. Animals feel pain every bit as much as humans do. My friend wouldn’t want an animal tortured and killed in her name, and neither would I. You could say that I’m a Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) “survivor.” CMT isn’t life-threatening like breast cancer is, but it’s no fun nevertheless. Many people with CMT have difficulty walking, and some require foot surgery, as I did.

Animal experiments won’t help me or my friend. We’re humans, not cats, rats, or rhesus monkeys. Our systems are different physiologically, and data taken from one species cannot always be correctly applied to another.

Fortunately, as I told the telemarketer this morning—and anyone else who has ever asked me to give money to a charity that’s stuck in the Dark Ages—there are ethical and effective ways to help people with diseases and disabilities. Many modern, caring health charities help people without hurting animals.

If someone asks you to support a “killer” charity, tell them why you only support progressive, cruelty-free health charities like the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, American Breast Cancer Foundation, and Easter Seals. That way, they’ll understand that you care about both animals and people.

When I was a teenager, I participated in WalkAmerica (now called the March for Babies) to help the March of Dimes raise money to fight birth defects. Since then, I’ve learned that the charity funds cruel experiments on animals and I won’t raise a foot for the March of Dimes until it stops supporting animal research once and for all.

I will help more progressive, compassionate health charities like Easters Seals and Birth Defect Research for Children fight, however. I know how important it is to help people with diseases or disabilities. I’ve had three surgeries to correct foot deformities that doctors suspect were caused by Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a hereditary progressive nerve disorder.

The March of Dimes’ inhumane treatment of animals causes me greater distress than any genetic defect ever could. It is simply unethical to cause harm to one species under the guise of helping another—unethical and ineffective. Humans and nonhumans can both feel pain, fear, sadness, joy, love, and other emotions, yet there are many physiological differences among rats, rabbits, dogs, cats, pigs, and people. Meaningful scientific conclusions cannot be drawn about one species by studying another.

So, if someone asks you for a donation to help the March of Dimes, tell them that you won’t give the charity a penny and explain why.

Pledge to give instead to a forward-thinking charity that spends its funds on humane, effective methods of fighting birth defects, such as a national birth-defect registry, improved prenatal care, counseling and education, clinical research, and treatment for pregnant women addicted to nicotine, alcohol, and drugs.

After all, your donation is supposed to help humans, not hurt animals.