Eric, I get the impression that Canada is pretty fur tolerant, if their slick fur council marketing is any indication. Seems that the fur trade up there is associated with a certain degree of nationalism. I know seal hunts will forever attract activists but there are a lot of Canadian designers who still work with seal (whitecoat and blueback pups are illegal to obtain, but the clubbing of the adults is still barbaric). I believe it's against the law to bring seal fur into the U.S. now. Maybe not in AK, but I guess they have their own seals. Canadian pine marten which is marketed as "golden sable" is a popular export.

I'm against fur altogether, because of the treatment of these animals, I feel strongly about it, but if someone else wants to wear it, that's on them

I don't believe in testing on animals either and will not wear products that test on animals like Mary Kay or Avon

I had a friend go vegan and she went so extreme that it almost killed her. So please, be careful. Since it seems most of you are doing it for other reasons than to be healthy, I won't give you "bull [!@#$%^&*] it makes you healthier" stance. Just make sure that you're staying healthy and taking care of yourself the best way possible.

I have to take a lot of extra vitamins and supplements to get through an avergae day in the Uk, because my diet here is without any basic dariy. No milk, no cheese, no cream, no yougurt, etc. at all. I know what it does to a person's body to not be able to have it or not want it, and not supplement it in your diet. I lost 15lbs last time by shocking my system without having it in my diet, and this time I'm about 10lbs in 3 months. There were effects on my skin, my fingernails, my teeth, etc.

Edited March 13, 201213 yr by Kylie

If the treatment of animals is the reason for some of you going vegan.... might I suggest you use free range eggs from a farmer that is local to you? That way you can see for yourself how the chickens are treated, and no living thing is harmed by you eating eggs. These small farmers that sell eggs many times have such high quality eggs you will be astounded! And like I said before, BEANS BEANS BEANS. But do make sure that if you use lima or kidney beans especially, make absoutely SURE that they are completely cooked, and do not cook these beans in a crock pot. those beans raw contain cyanide, and some studies have shown slow cooking in a crock pot can increase the poison. make sure all beans are boiled HARD for 10 minutes to be safe. This applies to both dried and fresh raw beans.

Edited March 13, 201213 yr by alphanguy74

I buy free range eggs at the store, they cost more, but they taste better. I have a neighbor who said she will give me some eggs from her chickens as well(didn't even ask her, she offered).

Thanks Kylie. wow really? Don't they have milk there or is it expensive or something?

^I'm lactose intolerent in the UK, and they don't have anything (they have one set of pills I can buy here, but they're so weak they do nothing) to help me. I bring some from the U.S. but that's only for those times when I got out and don't know if I can avoid a menu that has dairy on it. But yeah, the weight loss was good, the other effects weren't so much. Taking calcium out of your diet without replacing it is not good for you--so make sure you remember that.

Yeah I have to watch what nutrients I get, cause I'm iron deficient anemic

Yeah I have to watch what nutrients I get, cause I'm iron deficient anemic

Then you need to speak to your doctor because you can either take iron over the counter or take a prescription iron if that's appropriate.

Eric, I get the impression that Canada is pretty fur tolerant, if their slick fur council marketing is any indication. Seems that the fur trade up there is associated with a certain degree of nationalism. I know seal hunts will forever attract activists but there are a lot of Canadian designers who still work with seal (whitecoat and blueback pups are illegal to obtain, but the clubbing of the adults is still barbaric). I believe it's against the law to bring seal fur into the U.S. now. Maybe not in AK, but I guess they have their own seals. Canadian pine marten which is marketed as "golden sable" is a popular export.

No, it really isn't tolerated here among anyone I know (my mom has her grandma's old fur coat but is too embarassed by potential reactions to ever wear it out). That's socially and I've only lived in fairly big populations. Obviously it's a completely different case in the Inuit culture, and the seal fur trade is a huge issue of course (one that frankly, while I'd prefer to see it abolished, I think has been picked on unfairly by many who aren't in Canada particularly when it's been shown that their cultures often have just as, if not more, barbaric animal practices--but of course the image of cute baby seals, pure white in the pure white landscape surrounded by blood you're going to get a bigger reaction than some other practices).

It is probably more tolerated in the colder north in general--not just among Inuit communities, but I wouldn't really know.

Montreal did have a number of chic women who wore fur--probably less than say in Paris, but Montreal is very much the fashion capitol of Canada and I think that was more the connection.

And I'm fine with animal testing for medication as well--have no tolerance of it for cosmetics. I don't know wre I stand about animal products in skin care products, personally though

Edited March 14, 201213 yr by EricMontreal22

I don't eat based on ethics. I do, however, shop based on ethics. It's pointless to kill something simply to wear it when there are scores of alternatives that are equally stylish, warm or practical. I don't think I've ever really lived anywhere that was appropriate for leather: LA (too hot) England (too wet) and Vancouver (ditto).

And yet, I don't begrudge a woman of a certain age her furs. If you're under 30 and wearing fur, I think it's tacky, we all know better these days.

It only extends to clothing. I have absolutely no qualms with animal testing for medications and I absolutely use skincare that has animal derived ingredients. It's a matter of alternatives for me: if there is a viable, high quality alternative, I will take it. If there is not, I will go forth with no guilt.

That makes sense to me. I didn't mean to be insulting in my question at all--I was just wondering since you said the food wasn't based on ethics, what the reason for clothing was. I do know some meat eaters who would never touch veal or foie gras for ethical reasons, but aren't vegetarian or even partially vegetarian, so there are many different factors.

I admit, as I said, I have a lot of grey areas--one reason I do eat fish, but try to be aware of where it's being sourced from.

If the treatment of animals is the reason for some of you going vegan.... might I suggest you use free range eggs from a farmer that is local to you? That way you can see for yourself how the chickens are treated, and no living thing is harmed by you eating eggs.

I do And they definitely taste better, at least on average, I think. I'm lucky because the cost here isn't really that much more (I don't buy a huge amount of eggs, though)

Ah, I see. I think I was "fooled" if you will by the very slick Canadian Fur Council material I've seen ("Fur is Green"). Plus, Zuki, one of the most celebrated furriers is Canadian. When I watched "Witness" (the documentary that got Robin Strasser to donate her brand new mink coat and stop wearing fur...at least temporarily), all of the footage of animals being trapped appeared to be from Canada.

That makes sense to me. I didn't mean to be insulting in my question at all--I was just wondering since you said the food wasn't based on ethics, what the reason for clothing was. I do know some meat eaters who would never touch veal or foie gras for ethical reasons, but aren't vegetarian or even partially vegetarian, so there are many different factors.

Anne Hathaway told an amusing anecdote about being at a chi-chi la-dee-dah party once and some woman asked, "Is this veal organic?" I thought that was kinda funny, the odd prioritization.

Ha, that actually is pretty funny. And something I could picture more than a afew people I know asking, sadly...

I'd barely heard of the Fur Council of Canada before, just some mentions, and NEVER of the Fur Is Green campaign--wow, but I found the website for both. I admit that I think there is *some* valid argument to those, like them who complain that *cough* humanely using the fur of non endangered animals raised for it is not all that different from leather, and suede, which ahs far less of a stigma although some of that is valid. But...

What's funny is apparently the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Lishman Bill Lishman, the Canadian who the film Fly Away Home was based on and has helped Canada and the US with geese and whooping crane migrations, is apparently married to "Paula Lishman, a fashion designer and president of the Fur Council of Canada."

I don't care much for eggs overall, the only way I like them is deviled or in egg salad. I wish they sold organic eggs in a half dozen like they do regular eggs