Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Sometimes sticking to veganism can be discouraging especially when you are eating out. If you eat with family or friends you might only be able to eat a small salad, while everyone around you eats full plates of non-vegan food. It can feel like we as vegans are making no progress in what restaurants are serving and what food companies are offering, which couldn't be further from the truth.

Here's a list of exciting vegan options that are on the horizon:

• Pizza Hut will use vegan cheese in its UK stores
• Beyond Burger gets a new home at T.G.I. Friday's 

• Baileys now offers a liquor made from almond milk

• Baby food brand Once Upon A Farm lead by Jennifer Garner is 100% vegan

• Mikoyo's Kitchen is planning on making vegan cream cheese
  

While day to day it can seem like veganism isn't catching fire, it's important to stop and reflect on all the progress we've made. Veganism is growing because of people spreading the message, leading by example and sharing the benefits and companies are reflecting that. When there is more demand for something, companies will offer it. With more and more people turning to veganism to improve their health, save lives and improve the well-being of the planet, companies and restaurants have started to offer more vegan options. They want to be profitable and be inclusive so anyone can eat what they serve. And with more options on menus, people who aren't vegan might try some vegan food to see what it's like.  

If you are vegan and want to contribute to this growing inclusion of vegan food, sign this petition to get Starbucks to offer a vegan food menu. And remember, you are making a difference! If you aren't vegan, try some vegan food to see if you like it. You might be surprised. What other places do you think should have more vegan options? 

Photo by NASA on Unsplash

What's up with this weather? These past few weeks have definitely some of the most hectic, scary and devastating weeks concerning the weather that I can remember. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma destroyed the Caribbean and parts of the Southeast United States and left flooding in their wake, Mexico experienced an 8.1 magnitude earthquake and the western United States had some of the worst wildfires in its history. The are another two hurricanes brewing that have potential to do some damage as well. While all of this is scary, we have the power to help change these events from becoming a normal occurrence in the future.
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When we think about climate change we usually think of ice caps melting in the arctic and not about these hurricanes, earthquakes or wildfires that we have been experiencing. All of these events are connected and caused by the same thing: humans. What's great about us being the problem that's causing this increase in the temperature, is that we can also be the solution.

Animal agriculture is the leading cause of climate change due to its scale and wastefulness. It accounts for 18% of global green house gas emissions which is more than all of transportation combined. Animal agriculture negatively affects our water, air and land at a much higher rate than growing plants. Simple changes to our diet can yield profound results. It is more sustainable to eat plants since it helps to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions which changes the climate's current course. Plus, plant-based foods are more readily available than ever before making the switch in diet accessible. It might not always be easy, but changing our diets could save many lives and prevent people from losing everything they have.

For facts about how animal agriculture is affecting our climate, visit the Cowspiracy facts page here. For how you can help the victims of the recent hurricanes, visit this page for Irma and this page for Harvey. If you are considering going vegan, check out this awesome video about how to get started!