VSS eNewsletter 5 November 2009
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5 November 2009 |
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| VSS NEWS Anyone Can Cook Vegetarian! - with Nazli Anwari - 7 Nov Green Talk at LKY School – 11 Nov Countdown to Copenhagen Concert – 13 Nov Assembly of Youth for Environment – Labrador Park - 17 Nov Nov VSS Library Talks – 21 & 28 Nov SAVE-VSS Meatless Day Flyer VSS Writes Newspaper Advert for International Veg Food Fair in Xiamen Our Letter in Straits Times Online Forum GENERAL NEWS Two December Wellness Classes from Wong Kee Yew Another Climate Experts Says ‘Minus Meat’ Prof Campbell on CNN about Burgers Veg Outlet Opens near Clark Quay MRT New Veg Vocab: ‘Flirt’ and ‘Superhero’ Organic Cooking Classes at New Green Pastures Café Annual Meatless Day Charity Carnival in Penang PETA Is Hiring Taxing Meat? Halimah’s New Location on the Internet Wild and Fabulous Seminar and Classes from NutriHub |
The climate for change is upon us as yet another expert - Lord Stern of Brentford - calls for meat reduction. And locally, our culinary experts show us that 'meat less' can be more delicious! Take a veg cooking class and never miss meat again! Dr George M Jacobs If you have any comments or suggestions, feel free to drop us a line here. Subscribe to this newsletter here. Unsubscribe here Visit us at www.vss.sg |
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Anyone Can Cook Vegetarian! - with Nazli Anwari - 7 Nov |
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Be inspired by the delectable and health-giving cuisine of spa consultant & horticulturist, Nazli Anwari. Learn to prepare these exquisite dishes: Gotu Kola Salad Mediterranean Digestive Drumstick Spicy Dhal Salad Celery Medley Humus and caramelized vegetables Rujak Limited to 20 persons. Click here for registration and more details.  Top |
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Green Talk at LKY School – 11 Nov |
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Wed, 11 Nov, 5-7.30pm, VSS is helping to promote a panel discussion, titled “Nature Is Changing: Copenhagen and Beyond – What does it mean for Asia”, by IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) experts. The venue is the auditorium of the LKY School of Public Policy. Details: Lim May-Ann, Senior Executive, Public Education, Policy and Research, may-ann.lim@siiaonline.org, 9847.1950. Please attend and help the veg voice to be heard. Free admission but registration required: http://siiaonline.org Top |
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Countdown to Copenhagen Concert – 13 Nov |
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VSS is a supporter for the Countdown to Copenhagen Concert, Fri, 13 Nov, from 10pm, at Indochine Empress Place: http://www.indochine-group.com/greenfestival Copenhagen is hosting the big international climate change conference, starting 7 Dec. So much of the world’s hope for preventing climate catastrophe rest on that conference that it has been nicknamed ‘Hopenhagen’: http://www.hopenhagen.org http://hopenhagen.org/hopenhagenBlog Organisers are hoping to attract 2000 people, and VSS has been invited to do outreach to them. Any ideas/want to help: info@vss.sg Top |
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Assembly of Youth for Environment – Labrador Park - 17 Nov |
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The inaugural “Assembly of Youth for Environment” will be held in Labrador Nature Reserve, Tue, 17 Nov, 9am-12.30pm, in conjunction with International Energy Week. This event is jointly organized by Eureka Junction (MOE’s S2 Cluster Science and Innovation Centre), National Parks Board, Singapore Polytechnic and Addest Technovation; and supported by the National Environment Agency, Singapore Environment Council and VSS. The event aims: (a) To raise the awareness of sustainable energy and climate change among youths. (b) To empower youths to make an improvement for an environmentally sustainable future (c) To provide a platform for youths to embark on collaborative environmental improvement projects On-line registration at http://www.queenswaysec.moe.edu.sg/ environment/environment.html Top |
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Nov VSS Library Talks – 21 & 28 Nov |
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VSS has two talks at Central Library this month. 1. Date/Time: 21 Nov, 3pm-5pm Presenter: Louis Ng, ACRES Title: Making a Difference for Animals Venue: Central Public Library, Multi-Purpose Room, B1 near lending library (capacity: 70pax) |
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2. Date/Time: 28 Nov, 3pm-5pm Presenter: Dr Harvey Neo, Geography Department, NUS Title: Meat Production and Land Use Venue: Central Public Library, Multi-Purpose Room, B1 near lending library (capacity: 70pax) We hope to have another series of talks next year. If you’d like to help plan them, pls contact VSS at info@vss.sg Top |
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SAVE-VSS Meatless Day Flyer |
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VSS in cooperation with SAVE, the NUS green group, has produced a two-sided flyer to encourage people at NUS and elsewhere to go meatless at least once a day. We printed 10K copies of the flyer. Please let us know if you have ideas for where you can distribute it: info@vss.sg Front Back Top |
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VSS Writes Newspaper Advert for International Veg Food Fair in Xiamen |
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A VSS representative is speaking at the China Xiamen International Vegetarian & Organic Food Fair: http://www.vffair.com We also wrote the text for a newspaper advert to appear in a Chinese language newspaper in China. The fair’s organisers are paying for the advert. Chinese: http://www.vegetarian-society.org/ files/xiamen-ad-chin.pdf English: http://www.vegetarian-society.org/ |
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Our Letter in Straits Times Online Forum |
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The following letter by a VSS Exco member appeared in The Straits Times online forum on 3 November 2009 I REFER to Jeffrey Chan’s letter, “Climate Change: What Singaporean can do” (Nov 2). Mr Chan suggests eating less food, and that may be a good idea for some of us. However, more important than how much we eat is what we eat. In particular, we need to reduce our meat consumption. Last month, Lord Stern, lead author of the UK government’s ‘Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change’, one of the most comprehensive reviews on the economics of climate change, stated, “Meat is a wasteful use of water and creates a lot of greenhouse gases. It puts enormous pressure on the world’s resources. A vegetarian diet is better.” Lord Stern, former World Bank Chief Economist, likened meat eating to drink driving and forecast that as we learn about the environmental harm done by meat production, meat eating will become less socially acceptable. The link between meat and global warming involves two overlapping factors. First, eating meat is inefficient because to produce just one kg of meat, we must feed many kgs of plant food to the animals whom we later eat. This means more forests cut to grow feed for these animals rather than food for humans. Yes, we need these forests to take in carbon dioxide. The second meat-climate change link involves the gases released by the animals whom we eat as part of their digestive processes and from their manure. In particular, the gases methane and nitrous oxide contain much greater climate change power than does carbon dioxide. Fortunately, in Singapore, we have access to a wide range of meatless foods at restaurants, food centres and markets. Furthermore, many non-vegetarian restaurants and stalls are happy to prepare meatless dishes upon request. Thus, every day, three times a day, we can each do our bit to reverse climate change. http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/ Online%2BStory/STIStory_449488.html Top |
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Two December Wellness Classes from Wong Kee Yew |
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Wong Kee Yew is becoming well known for his science based Holistic Wellness classes. Here are two classes he’s doing in December. 1. Date: 10 Dec, Thu, 7.30-9pm Title: Simple Vegetarian Cooking (Mandarin) Investment: Free Venue: Buddhist Life Mission Association 19B Lorong Bachok (off Geylang Lor 19) S. 387788. Tel: 6836.9088 http://buddhistlife2006.blogspot.com buddhistlifemission@yahoo.com.sg 2. Date: 12 Dec, Sat, 4-7pm Title: Biodynamic Diet Workshop (English) Investment: $80/pax includes full biodynamic meal Venue: Onaka 8A Biomedical Grove #01-17/18, Immunos @ The Biopolis, S.138648 Tel: 6464.2007 http://www.onakagroup.com info@onakagroup.com Visit Kee Yew’s blog at http://learning-holistic-wellness.blogspot.com Top |
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Another Climate Experts Says ‘Minus Meat’ |
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From the UK newspaper, The Telegraph: Lord Stern, author of the 2006 Stern Review on the cost of tackling global warming, predicts that eating meat could in the future become as socially unacceptable as drink driving. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/ climatechange/6442164/Lord-Stern-People-should- give-up-eating-meat-to-halt-climate-change.html Here are some differing views: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/oct/ 30/vegetarianism-climate-change-meat-stern http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1223671/ Giving-meat-save-planet-daftest-idea-Ive-heard.html http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/world/ europe/23degrees.html?_r=2&hpw Top |
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Prof Campbell on CNN about Burgers |
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T Colin Campbell, professor of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University and author of the best selling ‘China Study’, did a series of talks here last July organized by VSS. Recently, he was among the guests on the CNN show ‘Larry King Live’. The topic was whether people should stop eating burgers. While the focus was food safety, nutrition and other issues also came into play. Prof Campbell advocated a plant based diet, and Jonathan Safran Foer, whose upcoming book, ‘Eating Animals’ was mentioned in the last VSS eNewsletter, talking about cruelty and env. The show is worth watching to see a very broad range of views, including someone from the meat industry and a Nutrition professor who admits that veg is possible but claims being veg is more difficult and that there’s nothing nutritionally wrong with meat. This professor has received many hundred of thousands of dollars in research grants from the meat, egg and dairy industries: http://www.cag.uconn.edu/nutsci/nutsci/hpg/nrr.html http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/10/13/ lkl.meat.infection/index.html#cnnSTCVideo http://transcripts.cnn.com/ TRANSCRIPTS/0910/12/lkl.01.html Top |
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Veg Outlet Opens near Clark Quay MRT |
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Real Food Organic Grocer + Café Address: 6 Eu Tong Sen Street, The Central. #B1-52 Singapore 059817 Tel: 6224.4492 Open: Daily 9am-8.30pm Specialty dishes: Organic Brown Rice Set, Organic Chinese Noodles Top |
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New Veg Vocab: ‘Flirt’ and ‘Superhero’ |
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In her new book, ‘The Kind Diet’, actor Alicia Silverstone introduces two new terms into the veg lexicon. A flirt is someone who is just getting their feet wet with going veg, trying things out, not sure if they will go all the way to becoming veg. A superhero is someone who has committed long-term to eating a plant-based diet. http://newsroom.mtv.com/2009/10/13/ alicia-silverstone Top |
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Organic Cooking Classes at New Green Pastures Café |
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Sophia Teh runs New Green Pastures Café on Level 4 of Fortune Centre, the only eatery with a VSS donation can. Please support her. Your taste buds will thank you. Sophia is doing a new series of cooking classes, once a week, beginning Sun, 22 Nov. Each class covers four recipes from the vegetarian cuisine of a different Asian country. The total price is $200, including food and recipes. All classes are from 3-6pm. 1. 22 Nov - Chinese 2. 29 Nov - Japanese 3. 06 Dec - Thai 4. 13 Dec - Indian For more information, call Sophia at 6336.8755. Top |
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Annual Meatless Day Charity Carnival in Penang |
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Our vegetarian friends in Penang are staging their annual charity carnival on Sun, 15 Nov at Jalan Padang Kota Lama (Esplanade). Lots of great Penang style veg food, plus entertainment. Info: penangmeatless@yahoo.com or meatlessday@hotmail.com Top |
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PETA Is Hiring |
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PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is one of the world’s best known animal advocacy organizations. PETA Asia, PETA India and PETA Australia are hiring. The work is certainly tough and long, and the pay is probably low. If you’re interested: newsmanager@petaasiapacific.com Top |
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Taxing Meat? |
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Don’t expect this to happen any time soon, but a tax on meat makes lots of sense and has been proposed by ground breaking animal advocate and Princeton University Philosophy professor Peter Singer. http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2009/ 10/25/2009-10-25_make_meateaters_pay_ ethicist_proposes_radical_tax_says_ theyre_killing_themselves.html Top |
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Halimah’s New Location on the Internet |
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Halimah Ilavarasi is known for her vegan baking, especially the cupcakes she brought to one VSS function. She now has a new blog address: http://vegbuzz.blogspot.com Plus, you can read more from Halimah at http://www.vegvibe.com which is the home of VegVibe, Sg’s premier veg magazine. Top |
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Wild and Fabulous |
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Wild and Fabulous is a fashionable affair at The Loof - www.loof.com.sg 331 N Bridge Rd - to raise funds and awareness for ACRES as they help the wild animals in Singapore. Come chill out with our delectable green poison, get tangled in our wild quiz, and take your pick of clothing and accessories from our exquisite range of jungle wear. Where: The Loof When: 5 Dec (Sat) Time: 6pm till late, lucky draw at 11pm Contact: leonora@acres.org.sg Top |
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Seminar and Classes from NutriHub |
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NutriHub, the organic fusion café, is hosting a seminar and dinner on 14 Nov, Living in Harmony with Ayurveda: A Focus on Women’s Health, by Dr. Poornima K. Murthy, MD, PhD, MRAV & Dr. N. V. Krishnamurthy, MD, PhD, DNY, Directors and Chief Consultants, Prajna Kuteera, Mysore, India. Nutrihub will also be offering its usual interesting mix of classes. For detail: http://www.nutrihub.blogspot.com Members or associates / corporate members, enjoy discounts. Non-members: 10% discount when registering for 2 workshops or more. 10% discount for group of 2 persons or more registering for 1 workshop. To register, contact the Café at 6738.2746 or sms Ms Vinitha Ang at 9236.8402. Enquiries: contact Ms Vinitha Ang at 9236.8402. Top |
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