VegPlanet — October 2017

Dieffenbachia contains a chemical that is a poisonous
deterrent to animals. Elephant ear contains a chemical
similar to that in dieffenbachia, so an animal’s toxic
reaction to elephant ear is similar: oral irritation,
increased salivation, difficulty swallowing and
vomiting. Many plants of the lily family are toxic to
cats, and some are toxic to dogs. Cats are the only
animals in which the Easter and stargazer lilies are
known to be toxic. Generally, a cat’s first reaction
to this plant includes vomiting, lethargy and lack
of appetite, but kidney failure and even death can
quickly follow if a cat is untreated. So please be
careful, Lilies can kill.


Heartleaf philodendron is a common, easy-to-grow
houseplant that is toxic to dogs and cats. Jade plant,
Aloe plant, Satin pothos and Cyclamen are toxic to
dogs and cats.

Most houseplants have multiple names, so it’s
important to confirm that the plants you own or plan to
purchase are not toxic to your pet.

My workplace is fully covered with huge glass

panels. Often I see birds hitting themselves and

get hurt. Are there any reasons behind this

and can anything be done to avoid this from

happening? - Arjun, Chennai

Dear Arjun, The first step is to understand why birds
fly into windows: It’s usually because when they’re
looking at the window, they’re seeing the reflection
of sky or trees instead of a pane of glass. They think
they’re following a clear flightpath.

The number of birds who fly into glass panes is huge.
Did you know, up to 1 billion birds may be killed
annually in North America from colliding with windows?
Some birds die on impact while others are stunned
and may fly away. However, even those who fly away
my die later from internal haemorrhaging and brain
swelling or because their injury and disorientation
made them more susceptible to predation.

But it is possible to help birds avoid glass hits.
According to NationalBirdDay.com, one can vertical
exterior tape strips on the glass, very close together.
Or ask your office to install frosted or etched windows
with less reflective surface area. This can be done with
new windows, while craft etching kits are available for
existing windows. You could create movement that
can help birds avoid windows. For example, hang
ribbons or other material in strips no more than five
centimetres apart on the outside of windows for the
full width of the glass. Use external sun shades or
awnings to minimise reflection and transparency of
windows. Keep drapes and blinds closed whenever
possible to reduce the illusion that birds can fly
through the window. Position houseplants and flowers
away from windows where they cannot be seen from
outside to reduce the likelihood that birds will see

them as sources of shelter or food. If putting in new

windows, angle the glass downward so it does not

reflect the sky and trees.


We are a vegan family and are planning to take

our children for a holiday outside India. Please

suggest us some great vegan destinations with

a lot of vegan options so that we don’t have to

compromise on food and fun. - Sandeep, Mumbai

Hello Sandeep, Do you know that the world is going

vegan with a vengeance? The vegan food movement

in India too is on the rise, but it is yet to catch up with

the vegan food available around the world in almost

every country! It is possible for you to go to any city

and any town in any part of the world and find yummy

vegan food. As is the case in India, it is not necessary

that only vegan restaurants serve vegan food. You can

find vegan options almost everywhere and it’s possible

to ask chefs to create you vegan dishes. Check out the

Happy Cow guide for the list of vegetarian and vegan

restaurants in the city you are visiting.

Did you know that there are vegan supermarkets in

many cities? You can often buy vegan food staples

from vegan cafes and restaurants. Visit Vienna, Prague,

Berlin (there is an entire street full of vegan food

options here), London, Finland, Malmo, Stockholm,

Athens, Rome, Florence, Naples, etc., the list of places

where you can find vegan food is endless. Have a

super holiday!

We are a group of friends from Vishakhapatnam.

We are planning to conduct potlucks and invite

family and friends for lunch or dinner. We would

like to know how potlucks can be used as a tool

for activism. - Vanitha, Vizag

Dear Vanitha, They say that actions speak louder than

words! Oftentimes when we vegans wax lyrical about

how good vegan food is, I have seen many non-

vegans look disbelievingly at us, roll their eyes or just

agree to humour us. Yet when these same non vegans

are actually fed delicious vegan food, their negative

attitude quickly disappears.

It is important to get people to actually eat vegan

food items. One of the best ways to do this is to host

potlucks. You and your group of friends should work

on the menu to ensure that you are able to offer a wide

variety of vegan items. Try and add items in it that

contain vegan cheese, desserts et all. Each one of you

should invite your non vegan friends and family to this

potluck. You could have a cooking demo there, say

one on how to make non-dairy milk. Or how to make

nut butters. These are easy to prepare and people are

fascinated by their taste.

Just make sure that the food being offered is tasty, and

let people know that it is possible to have delicious

food which is cruelty free. Bon Appétit.