2008 Woodie Awards
No safe place for vegans
Martha Devine
Issue date: 9/19/07 Section: Letters to the Editor
- Page 1 of 1
Dear Lumberjack,
In reference to your review of the Organic Planet Festival held in Eureka last month, I am writing to challenge your assertion that "the food offered at the festival did not have toxins because it was all-organic. There were a wide variety of foods ranging from vegan soup to cheeseburgers."
It is well known that animal foods, whether they be "organic" or
not, are heavily contaminated with viruses and bacteria such as
salmonella, listerra, E. coli, campylobacter, and streptococcus, which can be harmful, if not fatal to people, especially given our already overworked immune systems. The urea in animal flesh also contains toxins. It has furthermore recently been shown that cooked animal flesh contains heterocyclic amines, which are carcinogenic chemicals that form during the cooking process. Thus, by not cooking flesh enough, we may expose ourselves to salmonella, E.coli, and other pathogens, and by cooking, we end up eating cancer-causing chemicals formed by heating the animal fat.
At the Organic Planet Festival, I heard many attendees complaining about the unfortunate placement of the "organic" grilled beef burger booth which was spewing toxic meat smoke over the Kid's' Area all day. Located right at the entrance, through which everyone had to pass, there was no escape from the noxious fumes of the grilling urea-soaked flesh.
We were all forced to place ourselves "in harm's way" and to be reminded that there are few safe places, even in "eco-groovy" Humboldt County, for vegans, vegetarians, or the animals they love and, therefore, choose not to eat.
Have a heart, Humboldt County!
Martha Devine, Arcata
In reference to your review of the Organic Planet Festival held in Eureka last month, I am writing to challenge your assertion that "the food offered at the festival did not have toxins because it was all-organic. There were a wide variety of foods ranging from vegan soup to cheeseburgers."
It is well known that animal foods, whether they be "organic" or
not, are heavily contaminated with viruses and bacteria such as
salmonella, listerra, E. coli, campylobacter, and streptococcus, which can be harmful, if not fatal to people, especially given our already overworked immune systems. The urea in animal flesh also contains toxins. It has furthermore recently been shown that cooked animal flesh contains heterocyclic amines, which are carcinogenic chemicals that form during the cooking process. Thus, by not cooking flesh enough, we may expose ourselves to salmonella, E.coli, and other pathogens, and by cooking, we end up eating cancer-causing chemicals formed by heating the animal fat.
At the Organic Planet Festival, I heard many attendees complaining about the unfortunate placement of the "organic" grilled beef burger booth which was spewing toxic meat smoke over the Kid's' Area all day. Located right at the entrance, through which everyone had to pass, there was no escape from the noxious fumes of the grilling urea-soaked flesh.
We were all forced to place ourselves "in harm's way" and to be reminded that there are few safe places, even in "eco-groovy" Humboldt County, for vegans, vegetarians, or the animals they love and, therefore, choose not to eat.
Have a heart, Humboldt County!
Martha Devine, Arcata
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