Towards the end of 2011, I went through a period of discouragement. I suppose it had something to do with the holidays and the focus on food traditions like turkey and general gluttony. I began to feel that making any changes to the world view of using animals for food and other products was impossible. Every time I thought about it I got depressed and felt helpless. I desperately wanted to do something to end the suffering.

Well I realized, once again, that even though the task is huge, things are changing and I just have to keep plugging away. So I decided to make a new year’s resolution whereby every single day of the year I would make sure to do something to raise awareness of the plight of animals – and I would keep track of them on my Farm Sanctuary calendar! My mission is to do something, anything, as direct as possible, involving someone who is not vegan, every single day. And it doesn’t have to be something different every day. But if a day has almost gone by and I haven’t done anything – I do something! It has been surprisingly easy and has definitely helped me feel more in control of the situation. Here are some of things I have done…

• wrote a letter to Mountain Equipment Co-op asking them to consider selling only products that are cruelty-free (and I got a response!)

• when asked by a colleague if I’d read any good books over the holidays, I lied and said ‘Food Revolution’ by John Robbins (which I’d read over a year ago!)

• wrote a letter to the Province about an article about the escaped cow regarding the fact that the cow had been referred to as ‘it’ several times in the article

• baked some vegan cookies to thank my neighbour for giving me a jump when my car battery died

• had 5 different conversations with students in my classes about veganism – all started when students asked about the ‘animal peace’ necklace I always wear.

• have Farm Sanctuary and PETA reading materials available for students to borrow during ‘silent reading’ time

• put up posters in Kitsilano promoting the movie Vegucated

• loaned my neighbour the cookbook ‘Supermarket Vegan’ as she is trying to lose weight

• answered questions from a man who asked about my Humane Myth bumper sticker

• put PETA address labels on 3 letters I mailed

• when writing a reference for a friend’s daughter to get in to the TREK program, I slipped in a comment about how she had such mature questions for me when I decided to become vegan!

• registered for Animal Advocacy Camp

• went to our monthly volunteer night and wrote letters regarding the deer culls in Kimberley, Penticton, and Invermere, as well as the Canadian government’s decision to begin live export of cattle to the United Arab Emirates.

• had some neighbours over for a vegan dinner

• invited some non-vegan friends to come to see Vegucated

• added Gandhi and Albert Schweitzer quotes to the signature lines of my email.

I think you get the idea. Of course I am always careful to not be preachy – I just try to casually work things in. It’s become a fun challenge and helps keep me hopeful! Maybe you want to try it too – New Year’s Resolutions don’t have to start on Jan. 1! Just think of the possibilities if every one of us was consciously doing something every day! I would love to hear some ideas any of you have! HAPPY NEW YEAR!