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U.S. Colleges Go Vegan - Here’s How You Can Too

U.S. Colleges Go Vegan – Here’s How You Can Too

It’s estimated that 14% of students in the U.S. identify as vegan or vegetarian. With an increasing number of young adults going cruelty-free, vegan burger-serving robots are set to be introduced in U.S. colleges next year. But as a college student there’s a lot more you can do than just eating foods free from animal by-products, including opting for vegan clothes, homeware, and college books and supplies.

Vegan-friendly clothing

College students typically spend a combined total of $9.5 billion on clothing and accessories every year. This figure is increasing annually due to young adults seeking out more eco-friendly products. This is backed by the nation’s green colleges, including Colorado State University which has a platinum reward for sustainability to its name. There’s a whole list of materials that aren’t vegan friendly, including leather, suede, silk, and wool, so be sure to steer clear of clothing made from these. Instead, look out for cotton, polyester, linen, viscose, and faux fur. Always check the label of any clothing or accessory you wish to buy as sometimes an unexpected animal product may have been used to produce it, such as a fur pom pom or leather zipper pull.

Animal-free homeware

55% of students live in rental housing, according to National Real Estate Investor. This type of housing is ideal for vegan living as you often have a bit more leeway with what you can have in your home. But regardless of your housing situation, you want to eliminate all animal products from your accommodation. When buying items such as a sofa, consider leather alternatives like Pinatex which derives from pineapples. If you want to decorate your college room, avoid paints and varnishes that use casein as this is a milk protein. Instead, go for casein-free paints or keep the shade already on the walls and enhance it with artwork and photos from home.

Cruelty-free college supplies 

On average, college students spend more than $1240 on books and college supplies every year, states US News. However, not all the items you require for college are vegan, such as laptops, notebooks, and pens. The problem with laptops is that LCD screens and batteries contain animal by-products, such as cholesterol. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to buy a laptop that’s vegan-free, but you can limit the impact on animals by using a second-hand one and buying a non-leather laptop bag to carry it around it. Biodegradable pens are plastic free and don’t harm the planet. These may be made of bamboo, corn, or soy. One problem with the books you’ll require throughout your college life is that they’re bound together with glue which contains isinglass, a product that comes from fish and farm animals. Where possible, download and use e-textbooks instead or, if you need a physical copy, a used copy is best for the planet.

U.S. colleges are encouraging students to try vegan options wherever possible. While it’s easy to eat vegan meals during your time at college, it can take a little more work and effort to turn everything in your life vegan.

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“Real Fur is Dead” Jordan Laub Vegan Fur Designer and Creator of @VELUFUR

Real Fur was cool when it was necessary. When taming nature meant something—a life or death expedition into the tundra for a battle with nature’s Apex predators, but in the age of fur farms and our ever-expanding human footprint, it’s not just unnecessary—it’s outdated. It’s the overpriced participation trophy of the fashion world.

“Don’t get me wrong,” says Jordan Laub, creator of @VELUFUR, a line of ridiculously awesome vegan fur jackets that are popping up at festivals everywhere. “I love a thrift shop score as much as the next, but we are not talking about Macklemore here. Reduce, re-use, recycle is still a go, it’s the continued industrialization of real fur that gives it a bad a rap.”

Our oceans are polluted. A nature hike is relegated to a paved road through Torrey Pines and millennials are determined to do something about it. On June 11th, 2019 Kim Kardashian made headlines with a post on Instagram that “[she] took all [her] fave furs and remade them in faux fur.” (Kardashian. 2019). Maybe it’s because conservation is the hot new trend, or maybe it’s because K-dash grew tired of having flour thrown on her. Who knows, maybe she genuinely cares about making a positive impact, but one thing’s for certain, real fur is out and faux fur is in, but why now?

“Faux fur is taking over because it’s the animal-friendly alternative to a form of clothing that has been the wardrobe choice of humans since forever. I’m sure a wooly mammoth fur coat looked awesome, but there’s a reason woolly mammoths went extinct,” says Laub.

So fake fur that looks like real fur, all the fun without the guilt, we get it, but what’s up with the neon colored Monster’s inc festival fur explosion?  Why is faux fur the go-to for party animals everywhere?

“The 70’s are back baby” —Jordan Laub

“That’s why we named our jacket the Mac Daddy, gave our fur names like GROOVELU, and designed our bandana packaging with this retro flower power look. Bright colored pimp coat furs, bell bottoms, platform boots, heart shaped glasses, and low brimmed hats that LA pilgrims everywhere seem to love. The cocaine and MDMA craze, it’s all coming back. It’s almost impossible to imagine Coachella without the Brady Bunch spinoffs rocking a pair of high waisted shorts with sunflower bands.”

I guess our grandparents don’t know how cool they really are–if only they still dressed the way they used to. Fashion is cyclical, retro hand-me-downs from the attic are inherited, and as much as our parents would like to pretend it’s not true, so is the lifestyle. The disco era defined itself in the fashion world as the era of the party, so if disco house is your rhythm, and moon rocks are your jam, strap yourself into some platform moon boots and bright colored pimp fur, and sing it with me now (along everyone else who can’t get Will.i.am’s stupid rap song out of their head): “I got it from my momma.”

Or maybe, ‘I got it from my older sister?’

EDM has hit the mainstream. It’s almost impossible to escape it, from rap, to country, almost every genre has morphed to include repetitive bass lines with minimal lyrics and easy-to-remember one-line choruses. 70s disco may have defined the dress code of the party, but the warehouse rave era of the 90s and 2000s made bright colored faux fur more than just fashion statement, it made faux fur a lifestyle.

As the disco era retired its Studio51 dancing boots, the era old enough to remember Sandstorm stole the style and gave it its familiar twist. Growing older means growing tired of hating sunrises and living with hangovers. When the spice girls broke up, everyone else was too busy playing with their tomagachis to care, and the bleached hair generation hung up its tacky arcade fur hats with its techno-goth duster coats, never to be seen again. That is until their little siblings heard Avicii’s “Levels” for the first time. A new faux fur generation was born–ready to follow in their older siblings’ footsteps and pick up right where the last generation left off.

As long as there is a party to go to, faux fur will ride its coat tails—literally

“Fur is soft, and warm–it feels good, but only when you don’t have to kill for it. Real fur is dead, but faux fur is here to take its rightful place as the iconic symbol of party fashionistas everywhere.”

Oh yeah, and don’t forget about @VELUFUR when you’re ready for your next jacket.

https://velufur.com

Introducing Oui Juice and The Health Benefits of Juicing For Your Body

The chronicle of Oui Juice and Owner/Founder Hassan McCullough dates back to 1999, consequently, it is also the year he began training as a profession.

He is known to be a giver by nature. At this juncture in his life, he was attending nursing school in an effort to provide care for those, whom were unable to care for themselves. Amazingly, he found nursing to be a high stress occupation. As a result and to relieve stress, Hassan worked out daily at the gym after class. Ultimately, he learned what was needed comprised of a healthy balance of training the mind and the body alike. Noticeably, while working out, he witnessed many trainers with their clients in the gym. As a former division I football and track athlete, he understood himself to be in better shape than those doing the training. Why is that important, one may ask, well Hassan believed his most valued resource to be his body, which ultimately served as his temple as well as his best business card.

Securing Client Trust

In the meantime, he realized nursing was not his calling. Yet, he recognized his passion suggested he remain in an area inclined to help people. Then, he decided to partake in an activity he had participated and excelled in since age 5, he pursued a career in training. As with any true professional, Hassan achieved the necessary certifications needed to be the best trainer while providing the best service to his clients in an effort to help people so inclined to become the best version of themselves. Hassan garnered major experience afforded by Bally’s and followed by 24 Hour Fitness. In learning the interworking of “fit” life, Hassan came to understand the business aspect of what it takes to foster successful clients. He then knew it was time to go private!

In training people, Hassan learned, the relationships fostered grow to be intimate between client and trainer. As a collegiate athlete, Hassan believed that was the missing element. In conversing with his clients, he has come to know his clients trust his word. More importantly, he has conveyed with the proper intake of fruits and vegetables success will be paramount to sustaining a healthy lifestyle. Training without a proper diet is equivalent to “spinning ones wheels.” You go nowhere fast!

As a colligate athlete and now as a trainer, Hassan has observed many athletes and clients alike unaware of the correct food to stay healthy, strong, and provide right kind of energy necessary to maintain and elevate a healthy lifestyle. Seemingly, even when drinking a “healthy” smoothie, it’s usually more fruit-based and has a high concentration of processed sweeteners to make it palatable.

The Mission

For Hassan, a concept was born! He believed, he could enhance the physical lives of his clients while providing a holistic service for others in making healthy juices, full of fruits and vegetables that would also taste great. The mission and vision was set. He immersed himself in books regarding the basics of juicing. He studied and concocted different mixtures at home. In no time, he began noticing changes—his food tasted better, his skin looked healthier, and he had more energy. Finally, he knew he had a product he could share with others.

At the onset, he provided juices to his clients after training sessions to serve as a source of recovery. He would learn the juices were well received. Then his clients began referring the juices to their friends and family for purchase and consumption, it was then, he knew he had a good product. Oui Juice was born! For the past ten years, helping people get healthy and feel great while serving a real nutritional need coupled with a product the owner stands by has led to high praise and continue promise from the client base.

So, Why Juice?

Well, according the Centers for Disease Control, less than 10% of Americans eat enough fruits and vegetables each day (cdc.gov). More importantly, 90% of the remaining population is at greater risk for chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and obesity. Incorporating a juicing regiment helps to meet 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. In turn, greater energy, weight loss, pH balance, immunity to illness, healthy skin, and productive digestion will be achieved as well as aiding in detoxification, recovery, and hydration.

Hassan and his clients alike have come to know juicing is a delicious alternative to a healthy life and meal replacement. When Hassan started juicing, he noticed changes right away. He had the energy of a young man and it felt great. One of the many aspects of juicing allows the body to know it is getting the proper fuel needed without having to eat poultry. At 45 years of age, Hassan is in the best shape of his life—he runs daily, he lifts weights, he operate two successful businesses, he is never sick, and he looks and feels great! If you’re looking for results like these, Hassan has a great juicing program for you–from weight loss to detox, from energy boosting to immunity boosting—whatever you’re looking for, you will find it in Oui Juice.

 

Created by a certified sports and fitness trainer, Oui Juice is designed to enhance your diet and exercise program for superior results. Our mission is to provide a way to incorporate healthy choices into daily life in a way that is enjoyable, nutritious, and suited to each individual. 

Visit Ouijuice.com to start your health journey, now!