What is the right to rescue?

No doubt many of you will have seen the news this week about Zoe Rosenburg, a student in California who is currently on trial for taking chickens from a factory farm. She carried out this act with other members of the animal rights group, Direct Action Everywhere, whose members are routinely in court for carrying … Continue reading What is the right to rescue?

Should meat come with a warning label?

In the news this week there has been a lot of debate on whether or not meat (in particular bacon and red meat) should be labelled with a warning labl similar to those found on cigarette packets. Bacon has been focused on in particular because Durham University academics tested alerts on 1,000 people and found … Continue reading Should meat come with a warning label?

UPDATE – Is the European Union planning to ban widely-used ‘meaty names’ for plant-based food?

Further to my original post, The European Parliament has indeed voted to ban the use of traditional meat names - including ‘steak’ and ‘burger’ - to describe plant-based alternatives. Members of the conservative EPP (European People’s Party) group supported the move, arguing that using meat and dairy terminology for vegan-friendly counterparts is “misleading for the … Continue reading UPDATE – Is the European Union planning to ban widely-used ‘meaty names’ for plant-based food?

Is the European Union planning to ban widely-used ‘meaty names’ for plant-based food?

In 2020, the European Union (EU) put forward proposals to ban the use of 'meaty names' - such as 'sausages', 'burgers' and 'like-chicken' - on labels for plant based food products. These proposals were quickly dismissed, however it appears that the EU has tried again! Two competing sets of planned restrictions which are currently being … Continue reading Is the European Union planning to ban widely-used ‘meaty names’ for plant-based food?

UN High Seas Treaty formally ratified

The High Seas Treaty will come into force in January 2026! The Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (also known as the agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction or 'BBNJ') was created to implement … Continue reading UN High Seas Treaty formally ratified

Is it ethical to have pets?

A professor at London School Economics (LSE) has recently written an article about the ethical implications of people having pets. Richard Healey is a moral, political, and legal philosopher, and his latest article argues that we have a strong moral reason to abolish the institution of pet keeping. His article is interesting, as it approaches … Continue reading Is it ethical to have pets?

Should dire wolves be back?

No doubt you will all have seen the news stories that announce that the dire wolf has been brought back from extinction. And it raises a very interesting conversation that I think has been touched on before (anyone else getting Jurassic Park vibes?) but has never been given any serious thought because it seems like … Continue reading Should dire wolves be back?

Doughnut Time rebranded to Rodeo Doughnuts

I am likely late to this party (as I am to most parties really) but it seems that Doughnut Time has rebranded to Rodeo Doughnuts. I have tried to figure out when this happened, as when I look online it seems that only the London branches of Doughnut Time have been rebranded to Rodeo. I … Continue reading Doughnut Time rebranded to Rodeo Doughnuts

Should cat cafes be banned?

This week, the RSPCA and Cats Protection called for a phase-out of so-called "cat cafés" after revealing a remarkable 44% increase in licences granted for the cafés during the last financial year. According to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, there are currently over 30 cat cafes within England and of those 30, 44% were … Continue reading Should cat cafes be banned?

Can vegans eat lab grown meat?

The issue of lab grown meat has been quite a hot topic in recent years, mostly from the agriculture industry who obviously don't want to support this industry as it would put them out of business. I believe we are still a long way off lab grown meat being able for human consumption - lab … Continue reading Can vegans eat lab grown meat?