The Vegan Diet

                Vegans and vegetarians are always saying how their diets are so much healthier and more considerate of nature. They’re right; a diet of fruits, vegetables, and some carbs consists of so much less fats and things we don’t need that are in meat and animal products. Although meat contains vital proteins we need, there are other protein options out there to obtain these proteins. Animals also take up a lot of space. Herding and keeping animals take up so many resources, acres and acres of land are needed to keep most animals for produce. So much food like corn and soy beans are used for feed to keep the animals all fat and ripe. We find that most of the crops we produce in Iowa aren’t used for human consumption but for animal feed for cows, pigs, and other farm animals. Corn for example is rarely used for humans to eat; sweet corn is only sold locally and in very small amounts.

                Scientific studies keep proving this theory to be true. This week, studies on reptiles found that groups that are mainly vegetarian tend to live longer lives than if they were meat eaters. More here (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141023091813.htm). Meat eaters in reptiles are more prone to earlier sexual activity and more sexual activity causing their lives to shorten.  Evidence keeps rolling in showing the advantages to eating vegetarian. Most people love their meat products though.  A big juicy New York strip or some flavorful chicken wings are delicious to people and would be hard to live without. Like every other food out there though, moderation is key to eating healthy.

                Meat shouldn’t been counted out. Protein is packed into meat and helps muscle grow and gain strength. If found and cooked right, some meats are quite healthy without any fats. All meat diets can be found to make us stronger and more lean. Bodybuilders need meat for the large amounts of proteins contained in it. Fish is also something that is extremely important to human health.  Vital vitamins and nutrients without any fat make fish a golden food. Fish contain all the healthy and positive things meat has without fats or even a large environmental footprint. It has some Meat compared to some other healthy vegan foods can be a little unhealthy, but with moderation and knowledge of what you are eating, eating some meat can make us healthier and stronger.

Jaws

                Sharks have been known to be very dangerous creatures. They eat surfer’s legs, go on massive rampages, and are the monsters of the big blue. Based on the millions of movies made about them, and weeks of shows about them, we find that sharks are portrayed as the scariest and most dangerous animal on earth.

                This is far from true; about 10-20 fatal injuries are caused by sharks each year. That is less that vending machine incidents and air fresher incidents. Sharks are interpreted as something you have to be careful of when at the beach.  They are the menace lurking in the waters waiting for you to come and take a swim. There are so many other things in the ocean to be afraid of like rip currents, jellyfish, drowning.  All are much more deadly than the star of Jaws. Discovery Channel is a huge culprit of perpetuating fear and imprinting it on sharks. Shark Week has many programs twenty four seven for a week that show the rush and thrill of fighting these animals and working and being around them. Sharknado, a humorous movie with terrible acting and a ridiculous plot, also gave the sharks an image that they are extremely dangerous creatures when really the monster is the ocean. Thousands of people die every year from just being stupid out in the ocean, it’s a dangerous place. Not because a shark is hunting you down like everyone fears but the danger of drowning or being tangled up with something is much more common than a shark.

                Sharks should be afraid of humans, not vise-versa. We kill so many more annually for their fins, teeth, meat and other things that are totally unneeded just to kill a shark. Shark Fin soup is something common in eastern countries indulge in.   And Shark Week always seems to increase the demand for shark meat.  Maybe the reason shark attacks seem so scary and are talked about so much is because there really is not an example of any other animal that attacks humans and treats us like food.  We think that it is our job to hunt and catch animals as food not the other way around.     

The Last of Us

                Thanks to humans and our ways of destroying the beautiful world we live in, many species are becoming extinct at a wild rate. I have talked about this in a lot of other posts like save the polar bears and Ivory were we humans are affecting and killing off species and animals. We have been destroying habitats and turning many species towards extinction.

                Some species we have lost are truly amazing and were heartbreaking to lose. The Tasmanian Tiger is a prime example. As it was hunted on its remote island, it vanished almost 100 years ago. These animals where amazing and we must work to preserve some cool species like the Tasmanian tiger (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thylacine) from being wiped off the face of the earth. I would have loved to have seen these animals today but without proper care and support when needed, these creatures died out and there is no way to bring them back.

                Pandas are an example of a species that was extremely endangered and has now be restored through zoos and other places of care where humans look after the animals. It is a way to preserve these few animals we have left. Research, preservation and cute animal videos are some examples of the things these havens can give to humans. Pandas are now slowly increasing their numbers in safety with video cameras watching their every movement, making sure they are safe and cute.

                This week, one of the last few Northern White Rhinos has died. He had a quite short life for a Rhino and researchers aren’t sure why. There is now only 1 male left in this dying species. Things like this cannot happen, when the balance of a species is at stake, extreme measures must be taken to protect and preserve something we almost destroyed through hunting and poaching.  Nurturing and caring for these few animals are like a helping your sons or daughters get back on their feet. You have got to give them some motivation and protection until they finally become able to sustain themselves on their own. Let these majestic rhinos have some peace and reproduce until they have enough numbers and strength to go back out into the wild as they were before. Today the San Diego Zoo is taking care of the last hope for this spices, a pair of 2 of the 6 remaining rhino alive and are the new hope for these nearly extinct rhinos. Although the progress will be extremely slow, rhinos could regroup and become the species they once were without the hunting of their beautiful horns and environmental changes. Summery here (http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/8071a6f99aa43614e224a4760a7eab66.htm)