About 10 months ago I stopped eating meat. My reasons weren’t totally because animals are treated badly in factory farms––actually, I already knew that, and I suspect that most meat-eaters know that. I had been reading a book called Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, which explores the environmental impact that the meat industry has on the earth––and then something clicked with me. In the middle of reading that book, I threw up the chicken I had eaten for lunch, and told myself that I needed to make a change.
Becoming a vegetarian had been something I had tried several times without success. For whatever reason, I’d make it a week and then quit. I grew up raising animals that were more likely to die of old age than be eaten, but I also grew up being taught that you HAD to eat meat to be healthy. Somewhere along the line, as I grew into the person I am today, certain things became my passion–– the environment, women’s rights, LGBTQ equality, and animal rights––and that led to me seeking out new information on how I can personally be a better human on earth.
Once, I had heard someone say, “You can’t call yourself an environmentalist and eat meat,” and that always stuck with me. While I’ve watched my fair share of documentaries on the meat industry, reading Foer’s book put all the information in one spot with personal interviews and the power of the written word. I just knew I couldn’t be preaching about how much the environment matters while still consuming a product that is the number one contributor to global warming (you heard that right––farming, in general, is the biggest contributor to deforestation, and cow farming is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases).
As I said though, I’ve always loved animals, and in the past 10 months I’ve found myself using my voice to speak for them in so many ways. Eliminating meat from my diet has made me feel closer to animals and it’s made me feel more love for them.
But I know that that change happens different for everyone. So, instead of suggesting that you stop eating meat and change your entire lifestyle (even though I totally know you all have the power to do so), I have an easier way for you to show animals you love them.
Recently, I began thinking about the products I use in my home and how I can show animals (and the environment) that I care.
In the last 10 months I’ve become accustomed to reading labels to make sure meat, milk, and eggs aren’t slipping into my foods. So, I took that same energy to the beauty and hygiene isles.
Switching to Cruelty-Free Products
It’s 2021 and I honestly can’t believe we are still testing products on animals. As my boyfriend recently said, “Shouldn’t they have the formula for shampoo figured out by now?” They should, but if they don’t, a rabbit isn’t the one who should have to pay for it. So, I started looking for “vegan” and “crulety-free-free” labels on all of my products
It started with my shampoo and conditioner. Right now I am using Not Your Mother’s shampoo and conditioner as well as Function of Beauty shampoo and conditioner, both of which are NOT tested on animals! I have loved this switch the most because the products smell great, and are really high quality. They have left my hair feeling the smoothest it’s felt in a long time.
Then, I changed my body wash. I began using a body wash called Method Body wash, who, again, is 100 percent cruelty free. For me, all body wash’s are about the same. This one works just fine for me and even lathers up really nicely.
It’s winter and it’s REALLY dry in Ohio right now. As I was looking around for a great, hydrating lotion, I spotted the PETA bunny logo. Automatically, I knew I found the lotion for me. The PETA bunny logo was sitting on the side of Kiwi Botanicals Nourishing Body Butter, which means that it’s cruelty free (AKA, not tested on animals!). Plus, it smells delicious, and after only a few days of use, my skin is feeling much better.
Finally, the latest product I switched was my toothpaste. This one was super easy because I saw Burts Bee’s, which I knew is cruelty-free. I’ve been using their chapstick and lotion for this reason for years.
The reality is, animals don’t need to suffer for our products, and one of the best ways to show them that you love them this Valentine’s Day is to make these kinds of switches.
Most of these products don’t cost much more than the products you are probably already using, and you don’t have to go to some fancy store to find them. I found all of these products at Walmart and Target. By reading the back of the label, it’s very easy to find out which products test on animals, and which ones have vowed to do better.
PETA also offers a fantastic tool to help you see if they products you are using are cruelty-free. Check it out here: https://crueltyfree.peta.org
Remember, no person is too small to make a difference.