December 6th- Week One!

Here we are again. Me forgetting to blog until Tristinn texts and reminds me. I'm glad that hasn't changed.

2018 has been the Year of Change. In the best way possible.

New city.
New job.
New lifestyle choices.
New outlook on life.
New husband. (Just kidding)

The one change I want to talk about in this blog is lifestyle. I made several changes this year in the aspect:

1. Less single-use plastic
2. Zero disposable straws.
3. Fully vegan.

The decision to go vegan has been the best decision of my life, and also the one that has changed my life the most. It affects my life every moment of every day.

I didn't realize how pervasive animal products are in everything ever until I made this change. Every time there is a snack selection at school. Every time I buy shampoo. Every time I buy clothes. I have to consider how animals were used to produce those products. And it turns out, animals are used to make EVERYTHING.

The upside is that I feel great about myself and the choices that I make. The downside is that I have spent SO much time standing in grocery stores reading labels.

The number one question I get asked is: Is there is nothing I miss. And the answer is No. I miss nothing. What should I miss about murdering animals?

I love being THAT vegan. The one who asks questions about everything on the table. The one who asks to read labels and other's homes. The one who is weirdly not eating anything at a dinner party. Because it starts a conversation, and conversation is the start to real change.

Below are a few links to brands that vegan (including not testing on animals), and rescue farms who do the work of saving animals from slaughter.

Rescue:
Rancho Relaxo is largely the reason I decided to go vegan.
My mother is obsessed with Esther the Wonder Pig
Sfisherx takes some of the most beautiful photos.
Happily Ever After Farm recently rescued to baby cows and they are so precious.

Brands:
Herbivore Clothing is a vegan clothing company based in Portland, OR.
Lush. Of course. Most everything is vegan and package free!
Doe Donuts are vegan donuts! Again, based in Portland.
Glossier has such a good skin care line!
Paul Mitchell is everywhere, and vegan!

If you can't commit to being vegan, that's your choice. But I challenge you to think twice about the products you are buying. Is it necessary that animal by-products are going in your makeup? Is it essential that your shampoo was tested on a beagle who has never felt the sun?
Maybe not.