Note from the Coordinators

Just as we need water in order for the world to thrive, we need passion to accomplish, self restraint, and to care about others beyond our own immediate circle. Veggie diets involve all of these.

Mary Finelli talks about living beings in water and what fish feel. Laura McGuiness writes about aquafaba, which means water and beans.

Our researcher Jeanne Yacoubou spent about six months looking at vegetarian diets and the use of water from an environmental point of view. Depending how you frame the question, you can come up with very different answers. Jeanne said, "I spoke to the dietitian at a major non-vegetarian fast food chain for one hour, at her request, for the water footprint piece. She was interested because of their efforts to make their business sustainable. She said they recently hired two people whose role is just that. She was very interested to get all the links I mentioned to her on that topic to send to these new people."

Vegetarian Journal Senior Editor Samantha Gendler attended an InDesign conference in Tyson's Corner, Virginia. It was held at the Sheraton hotel and she was elated with all the veggie choices she could choose from on their breakfast buffet including Field Roast breakfast sausages, steel-cut oatmeal with toppings, fruit, toast, and a soy latte! Times are changing.

Our Foodservice Advisor Nancy Berkoff is doing a presentation in North Dakota at a regional meeting of the National Association of College and University Food Services. A co-presenter told Nancy that in 2010 he opened the nation's first vegan dining hall, and the very first recipe book he used was Nancy's Vegan in Volume.

Thank you to all our members, staff, interns, volunteers, and donors who have been ahead of the curve. We've come a long way together, and there is much more to accomplish. Let's keep planting and watering those seeds together.

In honor of our 35th anniversary, a Vegetarian Resource Group supporter has pledged $15,000 to match donations towards outreach. So every donation you make towards ours programs will be doubled. If you would like to donate towards a veggie world, please mail to

VRG
PO Box 1463
Baltimore, MD 21203

call (410) 366-8343 9 AM — 5 PM EST, or go to

www.vrg.org/donate

Thank you for your ongoing support.