Memorandum on the Journey: ESTC 2010 in PORTLAND

Saturday, September 18, 2010

ESTC 2010 in PORTLAND

I had the pleasure of traveling to the great city of Portland, OR for this year's Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC). The conference featured industry experts from all perspectives including destination managers and marketers, travel authors, wild life philosophers, and tour operators. Below, I was pictured talking to Tim Mongin, Housing and Reservations Manager for Travel Portland, the destination marketing organization for the Portland area. It was an inspiring experience, and I can't hardly wait for next year's conference to be held on Hilton Head Island, SC.

Photo courtesy of SustainableBusinessOregon.com

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July 6th-26th, 2009

I have completed the 21-day VEGAN Challenge!

And how do I feel you might be wondering?! Well, I survived, but then again, I do always love a good challenge. Seriously though, I can appreciate this diet and I do plan to continue to follow the same eating regimen. I love to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, have never really been a fan of dairy, and I love to try new foods. From a food perspective, in all honesty, I love being Vegan!

However, its not all roses because I am not ready to commit to a Vegan lifestyle. For me, sure it was easy to cut out the very few animal products that remained in my former Vegetarian diet. It just gave me a great excuse to spend more money on fresh produce and shop at Whole Foods. What I struggle with now is how do I eliminate animal products from my wardrobe, bedroom, bathroom, all sorts of luxuries that I love. The same way that a carnivore can't image their life with out bacon, I can't imagine my life without leather! And I hate to have to admit this. Being a Vegan, I have gained a sense of superiority for having such tenacious will-power and living a much healthier lifestyle, and yet here I am, a fashion victim of leather goods.

I know I should not dwell on this, and I won't. I will stay true to what I believe and live the way I choose. I firmly believe in animal rights, and I want to continue to thrive in this world without consuming anymore animal meat or products. I just need to come to terms with the demands of a Vegan lifestyle in my own time. Likewise, sharing my beliefs with others will take some time for me to become comfortable enough to educate my friends and family about my lifestyle choice. I have never been one to lecture or solicit others on my opinions. I personally believe that it is not my place; however, spreading the truth about animal violence and meat farm slaughtering is a vital part of the Vegan lifestyle, especially in high traffic areas like a college campus. I do want ton support the cause and fight animal injustices, but something about me telling others about why meat is bad doesn't seem right to me.

I can't explain it, but to me a person should be free to investigate the issues for themselves. Soon enough in this world, everyone will know someone who is a Vegan, Vegetarian, Flexitarian, or at least someone who chooses to exclude certain animal products from their diet for personal reasons or social causes. I believe that people will learn the benefits of a plant-based diet by wanting to convert without any outside influences. And I feel bad for having these types of feelings because they are not Vegan beliefs, but yet I am a Vegan. Bottom line, being Vegan is a lifestyle, and this is truly a work in progress.

*Hey but if you are interested in the challenge and ready to take that step, try something new, or contribute to this progressive movement, check out the Vegan.com podcast above and visit VeganHealth.org for more information on the Vegan diet/nutrition and activism/outreach.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

ESTC 2010 in PORTLAND

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