I brought vegan chocolate cake for Friday treats at work, and it went over very well... two 8x8 pans, one with white frosting (vegan but unhealthy in a partially hydrogenated way) the other left plain... Just a piece and a half left over to bring home.

Most people thanked me and said it was good. The comment that I got repeatedly that really surprised me was "How did you get it so moist?" Apparently, if a cake doesn't have eggs or milk, it's supposed to be dry?!

I did not bake anything before I was a vegan, and I am so very happy that I do not own any of these pre-conceptions or assumptions about cruelty-free foods.

I read an article this morning that disturbed me.
Plastics 'poisoning world's seas'

Plastic has been an ongoing issue for me. I tell people to not microwave food in plastic containers, or even store food in plastic containers. Bottled water is a rip off, and the plastic used and the transportation is such an environmental disgrace. ditto for all other drinks in plastic bottles.

Plastic things, from toys to necessities, are just one more thing that's going to get thrown away and added to our landfill problem.

There is no solution. We are constantly surrounded by plastics, it's one of the trappings of civilization. But civilizations collapse... it's too bad we have to bring the environment and every living being with us.

Next year I will be starting an indoor worm box to compost our bio kitchen waste. I think about it every time I cook something... I hated throwing away the butternut squash skin and the spaghetti squash rind. And the paper products that I throw away. ugh.

I will be so happy with my little worm friends. I am nervous, too, because I really want to do it right, and I really don't want to kill anyone (the worms) by mistake. And I want them to live happy lives.

You know what? I am so sick of waiting for things to get better... Not just me, but everyone... we complain about such and such but can't be bothered to do a thing about it.

And the duplicity of unthinking people terrifies me. My own duplicity included.

Case in Point: The other day I was ranting about some chemical that I would not buy to spray on my car to de-ice it. Because, as an enviromentalist, I don't want to spew random chemicals into the environment.

uh huh. But I still own a car. Not only spewing random chemicals, but also directly supporting the petroleum/oil companies.

People use doublethink to keep sane, not realizing how horrifying it all is. You love your dog, your cat, your guinea pig, right? But if you got to know that chicken, that pig, that cow, that turkey, you had for dinner, you would find that they are just as delightful as the animals you live with.

I opened the freezer and saw an unfamiliar box in the corner. "Oh, cool," I thought, "SO found some new food." I picked it up and realized it wasn't food. It was dead animals, nicely packaged as sandwiches.

I was disgusted. disappointed. despairing. on the verge of tears. My thoughts said, "I can't live like this."

Static8 > Journal > Archive > 9 Dec 2006 Entry