Cruelty-free Lifestyle
It is a way of life which gives...
- good health & good culture to us & our society,
- respect & harmony among humans & creatures,
- protection & preservation of planet environment & resources,
- peace & happiness in this life & the next life.
Do you want to get long lasting peace, happiness and health? Do you want to keep your family with good culture? Cruelty-free lifestyle offers these benefits. Monks from Jain religion are ideal example of cruelty-free lifestyle. One can establish cruelty-free lifestyle by practicing: Nonviolence, Simplicity, Compassion, Forgiveness, and Gratitude.
Let us study them in detail:
A) Nonviolence:
Nonviolence is a key factor to achieve cruelty-free lifestyle. Nonviolence means not to harm any life, including creatures & all other tiny earthlife. Jain & Buddha religions define nonviolence in deep sense. To practice nonviolence, one has to reduce cruelties from own lifestyle as indicated below.
a) Not to kill or hurt any life (not even for religious sacrifice, national festival, research or learning purpose, abortion, etc).
b) Not to eat, buy or sell animal & other creature products (e.g. meat, beef, pork, chicken, egg, fish, crab, etc.)
c) Not to take away freedom from any life (e.g bird in cage, fish in tank, animal in zoo, human as slave, etc.)
d) Not to harass any life by keeping away from life needs (e.g air, water, food, medicine, shelter, etc.)
e) Not to use, buy or sell gun, drugs, etc. violent products.
f) Avoid the following: 'hidden' cruelties from the lifestyle.
1) Milk & milk products:
This is widely used & extremely 'innocent' looking cruel item. To obtain milk in more quantity, cows are kept wholelife in prison, given special injections regularly and milking is done with pain by machines. Cows are made pregnant so often. After pregnancy, the calf is sent to slaughterhouse. When cows become no longer useful, they are also sent to the slaughterhouse. Using milk & milk products supports lifelong pain & killing of cows. Many people use rice or soy milk instead of animal milk.
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2) Eggs:
Some people argue (for own satisfaction) that eggs available in the market are non-fertile, so they are vegetarian. This is not true. Most eggs contain live embryo inside. Eggs do contain life inside. Whether egg is fertile
or non-fertile, the way hens are treated to obtain eggs is extremely cruel. To obtain maximum amount of eggs, hens are kept entire life in very small cage & frequently kept starved under severe conditions. When become
unproductive, hens are sent to the slaughterhouse.
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3) Cosmetics & personal care products:
Perfume, lipstick, nailpolish, hairspray, bodyspray, cream, soap, lotion, shampoo, etc.. most beauty aids & personal care products are TESTED ON ANIMALS before coming to market. Testing on animal is very cruel mentod, in
which high potency chemicals are injected in animal eyes & skin till they get affected badly. Finally, they are sent for being killed. Many concerned people use the items which labled or marked with NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS,
mostly available in natural food & health stores (like GNC in USA).
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4) Toothpaste:
Most toothpaste contain bone powder of slaughtered animals. One should look for toothpaste/powder made from totally natural ingredients, like toothpaste/powder from Vicco & Amar brands from India.
5) Gelcap (Gelatine coated tablets):
Gelatine is derived from slaugtered animal bones. If possible, one should use regular tablet instead of gelatine coated (gelcap) tablet.
6) Pearl:
Perls are obtained after killing insects inside shells. Pearls are used in jewelry & fashion items. One should not use any item containing pearl
.
7) Silk:
Thousands of silk worms are boiled alive & killed to obtain even small amount of silk. Avoid using silk cloth or any other silk item.
8) Leather (animal skin products):
Leather is animal's skin. Animals are killed to obtain their skin. New born animals are killed to obtain soft skin to make very delicate or soft leather items. Leather is widely used in making cloth, furniture, seats, shoes,
luggage, briefcase, purse, pouch, belt... etc. It is good idea to buy non-leather items, like, made of cotton, reczin or other synthetic materials
.
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9) Fur:
Fur is animal's hair. Animals like cat, dog, mink, bear are killed to obtain fur from them. Fur is used to make cold protection clothings & other decorative items. It is shame to wear or use any fur bearing item.
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10) Wool:
Wool is animals hair, specially derived from goat, ship & camel. Removal of hair is often very painful. Animals are badly affected with seasonal cold & diseases without hair. Wool is used in clothings, bedsheets,
sweaters, gloves, caps, socks, etc. items. One should not use any item containing wool.
11) Painting brush / shaving brush:
Brutally hand snatched hairs from camel, pig, horse, etc. animal are used to make artist brush to wall paint brush and shaving brush. We should use the brush made from nylon or other synthetic materials.
12) Ivory:
Ivory is used in making ornaments and many decorative items. Elephants are killed to obtain ivory. Many countries levied ban to import & sell Ivory products.
13) Refined Sugar:
Mostly, we all use refined (white) sugar in our daily use. Animal bone filters are used to refine sugar to turn it to white. It is better if we use unrefined (brown) sugar.
14) Honey:
Honey is food for honeybees. After enormous labour, honeybees collect honey as their food and store in honeycomb. We destroy honeycombs, kill many honeybees to grab honey. We should avoid using honey.
15) Cheese (& cheese products, like Pizza):
Cheese is made from milk after adding, mostly, animal enzymes, named 'bovine', derived after killing fresh born calf. We should not eat cheese or cheese products, like pizza.
16) Extra thin silver foil layered sweets:
Many times we see sweets nicely decorated by fine silver foil on it. Such silver foil is made after beating silver leaves between smooth textured intestine of calf. Very cruel process of making. Silverfoil also mixed in
nuts, tobacco, etc.. eatables. We should avoid eating items containing silverfoil.
17) Circus & animal shows:
Animals are treated mercelessly in circus & shows. We should not enjoy such entertainment at cost of animals life.
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18) Photographic film:
Animals' bones are used in making photographic film. Be careful in taking pictures or using camera with film. If possible, use polaroid camera, which does not require photographic film to take a picture
.
19) Walking on grass, plants, insects & other tiny earthlife.
Grass & plants have life. Avoid walking on it. Also, be careful and avoid walking on tiny earthlife like insects, worms, etc.
20) Petfood:
Most petfood contains slaughtered animals ground feathers, dried blood & other waste products from slaughterhouse. Feed your pets with innocent food, from natural petfood store.
21) Investing in the company engaged in cruelty:
For example, (1) investing in fast food company making food from meat, beef, pork, egg, etc. animal products, (2) investing in a company who manufactures machines for slaughterhouse, (3) investing in a company who makes
leather or fur products. Avoid such investments.
22) Encouraging or assisting others in 'cruel' acts:
By helping or encouraging others in any cruel act, you also become responsible. For example:
Do not encourage or assist anyone in such acts.
B) Simplicity:
Simplicity is another important factor. To achieve curelty-free lifestyle. Simplicity means to avoid luxury & be conservative. One needs to have control on own desire, need & habit to practice simplicity.
It is important to note that with simple lifestyle, knowingly or unknowingly, one automatically reduces many cruelties from own life. The following are ways to practice simplicity.
1) Check your real need, before any new purchase.
Our needs are endless, We are always tempted to buy more & more without actual need. Our habit of overbuying or hoarding results in unnecessary spendings and early replacement of old items. Do not buy anything if you already have enough to work with.
2) Use till maximum cycles or fullest extent.
For Example:
- Paper or plastic cups, plates, spoons, etc. can be used many more times by rinsing after each use. Not to discard them just after 1st use.
- To write or print on both sides of the paper instead of using only one side.
- Clothing, dresses, shoes, etc. personal items to use till maximum possible time before discarding.
3) Reduce quantity of the item during use.
For Example:
- Reduce shower time and save water.
- Reduce use of soap & shampoo during shower.
- Reduce quantity of paste while brushing the teeth.
- Take 1/2 cup of tea instead of full.
- Take light meal instead of heavy.
4) Do not waste.
- Not to wate food at end of the meal.
- To stop unnecessary use of water, gas, electricity, petrol, etc.
5) Send maximum items for recycling.
Separate paper, plastic, metal, glass, etc. while discarding and send them for recycling. Recycling helps to reduce the consumption of valuable natural resources & keeps environment safer, cleaner & healthier for us.
C) Compassion:
Compassion means to have sympathy in heart for others, to have feeling of sorrow on seeing others in pain. One should offer physical help or mental support or monetary assistance to needy one. Help & save ANY life from
pain & suffering.
D) Forgiveness:
Forgiveness means not to think of revenge and willingfully give a pardon with broad heart to the guilty one. Forgiveness removes bitterness betwen the hearts and creates friendly environment.
E) Gratitude:
Gratitude means to give respect & reward and not to forget the one who helped us or benifitted us in our need, progress & prosperity.
Practice all these virtues to turn your life to cruelty-free in true sense. Also, encourage your family, friends & others to adopt cruely-free lifestyle. Do not hesitate to pass your view & message on cruelty-free lifestyle in meeting, seminar or friendly discussion. If possible, spare own time to spread this message for happy, healthy & peaceful lifestyle.
