Just Beings Evanna Lynch and Dr. Melanie Joy

The season two finale of Just Beings is here! In this episode, hosts Evanna and Melanie discuss their experiences working to transform the food system, reflect on what they’ve learned from this season’s extraordinary guests, and share what gives them hope for the future.
They also chat about the projects they’re working on, the practices they use to help them slow down and be more present, and the issues infighting causes within social justice movements. Evanna even addresses how she feels about the controversies surrounding the Harry Potter franchise.
Happy listening!
In this episode, Melanie mentions the 45 Days to Awakening program; Sam Harris’ book and app; the Highly Sensitive Person website; and the Slovenian Vegan Society.
Check out Melanie’s new book, How to End Injustice Everywhere, and learn more about her work. 
Learn about Beyond Carnism, the nonprofit organization founded by Melanie, and its new website, infighting.org.  
Follow Melanie on social media: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter/X
Check out Evanna’s book, The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting, and learn more about her work.
Follow Evanna on social media: Instagram | Facebook
Follow Just Beings on social media: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter/X
This season of Just Beings is brought to you by our friends at Vivo Life and LeafSide!
Learn more about Vivo Life by visiting VivoLife.com.
Learn more about LeafSide by visiting GoLeafSide.com.
This episode was edited by Andrew Sims.

David Yeung—the visionary cofounder of Green Monday and OmniFoods—has been concerned about the impact of our global food system on the planet for decades. That’s why his mission to create delicious plant-based alternatives to popular Asian dishes both pushes culinary boundaries and involves a commitment to protecting the planet, animals, and society. 
In this week’s episode, David joins Evanna and Melanie to share his wisdom on how small, achievable steps to go meat-free can lead to significant changes in our food system and on how we can unite as a global team to build a more sustainable and compassionate world through our food choices. David and our hosts also explore the psychology of dietary change, offering insights on why shaming and criticism aren’t the most effective ways to drive progress, and even touch on the power of meditation for personal transformation.
David Yeung is the cofounder and CEO of Green Monday Group, a multifaceted social venture whose mission is to take on the world’s most pressing crises: climate change, food insecurity, and public health. This one-of-a-kind integrated platform empowers millions of people to work toward green awareness, action, and economy. David’s work earned him the award of Social Entrepreneur of the Year from the World Economic Forum and the Schwab Foundation, among other honors and recognitions. He has spoken at the World Economic Forum, the Milken Institute Summit, TEDx, and financial and academic institutions such as UBS and UCLA. David and Green Monday have received international media coverage from the BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, CNN, Nikkei Asian Review, and Reuters.
David is a graduate of Columbia University, an Ashoka Fellow, and the author of a number of bestselling books on Zen wisdom and mindfulness.

Watch David’s TEDx Talk.

Check out Green Monday’s website and OmniFood’s website.
Follow David on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter).
Follow Green Monday on Instagram and Facebook.
Follow OmniFoods on Instagram and TikTok.

Check out Melanie’s new book, How to End Injustice Everywhere.
Check out Evanna’s book, The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting.
This season of Just Beings is brought to you by our friends at LeafSide and Vivo Life!
Learn more about LeafSide by visiting GoLeafSide.com.
Learn more about Vivo Life by visiting VivoLife.com.
Stay up to date with Just Beings on social media by following @JustBeingsPod.

This episode was edited by Andrew Sims.

Our global food system, which relies heavily on factory farming, is wreaking havoc on our soil and our environment.

In this week’s episode, Philip Lymbery joins Evanna and Melanie to chat about his book "Sixty Harvests Left," in which he points out that if we don’t change our ways, factory farming will cause catastrophic climate change—and we could face a future without soil and, consequently, without food.

In this enlightening conversation, Philip, Evanna, and Melanie discuss how we can change course, emphasizing the role of individual choices, collective action, and the enduring power of hope for a brighter future for animals, people, and our planet.

Philip Lymbery is Global Chief Executive of the international farmed animal welfare organisation Compassion in World Farming.

He is Visiting Professor at the University of Winchester in the UK; a Leadership Fellow of St George’s House, Windsor Castle; Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics; and President of Eurogroup for Animals, a Brussels-based umbrella body of 80 leading animal welfare societies in Europe.

He was appointed a UN ambassadorial “Champion” for the 2021 Food Systems Summit in New York.

Lymbery is an animal advocate, naturalist, photographer, and author. He regularly writes and speaks internationally on animal ethics and the global effects of factory farming, including its impact on animal welfare, wildlife, soil and natural resources, biodiversity, and climate change. His most recent books include "Farmageddon: The True Cost of Cheap Meat." "Dead Zone: Where the Wild Things Were," and "Sixty Harvests Left: How to Reach a Nature-Friendly Future."

Visit Philip’s website and check out his latest book, "Sixty Harvests Left: How to Reach a Nature-Friendly Future".

Follow Philip on Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

Check out Melanie’s new book, "How to End Injustice Everywhere".
Check out Evanna’s book, "The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting".

This season of Just Beings is brought to you by our friends at Vivo Life and LeafSide!
Learn more about Vivo Life by visiting VivoLife.com.
Learn more about LeafSide by visiting GoLeafSide.com.

Stay up to date with Just Beings on social media by following @JustBeingsPod.

This episode was edited by Andrew Sims.

Soul food has its roots in the culinary traditions of Black Americans and African diaspora communities in the southern United States, and it plays a crucial role in preserving Black history. But given the impact of racism and colonialism in the US food system on Black people, what should soul food look like today?

In this week’s episode, Rev. Dr. Christopher Carter joins Melanie and Evanna to talk about his book The Spirit of Soul Food: Race, Faith, & Food Justice, which unpacks the connections between food injustice and racial injustice. They discuss how decolonizing soul food offers a way to reclaim culinary history and human dignity for Black communities; the importance of advocating for a more equitable food system and future while upholding the values of compassion, love, justice, and solidarity for the marginalized; and what a movement toward Black food sovereignty might look like.

Rev. Dr. Christopher Carter’s research, teaching, and activist interests are in Black, womanist, and environmental ethics, with a particular focus on race, food, and nonhuman animals. His publications include The Spirit of Soul Food: Race, Faith, & Food Justice; “Blood in the Soil: The Racial, Racist, and Religious Dimensions of Environmentalism,” in The Bloomsbury Handbook of Religion and Nature; and the coedited volume The Future of Meat without Animals. In them, he explores the intersectional oppressions experienced by BIPOC, nonhuman nature, and animals. He’s an Associate Professor of Theology at the University of San Diego and Lead Pastor of The Loft at Westwood United Methodist Church. He’s also on the board of directors of Farm Forward, an anti-factory farming nonprofit.

Evanna mentions The Food Empowerment Project’s Chocolate List.

Christopher mentions the book Afroism by Aph and Syl Ko.

Visit Christopher’s website and check out his book "The Spirit of Soul Food: Race, Faith, & Food Justice".

Follow Christopher on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

Check out Melanie’s new book, "How to End Injustice Everywhere".
Check out Evanna’s book, "The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting".
This season of Just Beings is brought to you by our friends at LeafSide and Vivo Life!
Learn more about LeafSide by visiting GoLeafSide.com.
Learn more about Vivo Life by visiting VivoLife.com.

Stay up to date with Just Beings on social media by following @JustBeingsPod.

This episode was edited by Andrew Sims.

In this episode of Just Beings, actor, entrepreneur, and influencer Daniella Monet joins Melanie to discuss her journey to plant-based eating—which began when she was just five years old—and her advocacy for healthy food systems and peaceful living.
This uplifting conversation delves into the importance of balance and self-care, particularly for people who champion social justice causes; how being authentic can be an effective form of activism; and why we need to give ourselves grace for doing the best we can in our advocacy efforts.
Daniella Monet is a mom of two, an actor, an entrepreneur, an influencer, an investor, and a podcaster. A longtime vegan, Daniella uses her platform to advocate for a holistic plant-based lifestyle. In 2018, she and Evanna cofounded Kinder Beauty Box to curate and deliver cruelty-free beauty products. And most recently, she launched Daniella’s Digest, an app that helps individuals and families thrive by following a vegan lifestyle. Daniella is also an investor in several plant-based businesses, such as Sugar Taco, which provides plant-based meals to children in need, and Outstanding Foods.

Melanie mentions The Highly Sensitive Person quiz.
Learn more about carnism. 

Daniella’s membership app is Daniella’s Digest.

Download Daniella’s e-book, “10 Habits For Health, Wealth & Happiness”.

Follow Daniella on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
Check out Melanie’s new book, "How to End Injustice Everywhere".
Check out Evanna’s book, "The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting".
This season of Just Beings is brought to you by our friends at Vivo Life and Leafside!
Learn more about Vivo Life by visiting VivoLife.com.
Learn more about LeafSide by visiting GoLeafSide.com.

Stay up to date with Just Beings on social media by following @JustBeingsPod.

This episode was edited by Andrew Sims.

Have you ever looked at the “Climate Friendly!” label on a packaged item and wondered whether the product is truly environmentally friendly? If so, you’re not alone. In today’s world, where protecting the environment is paramount, it’s important to know how to differentiate genuine sustainability efforts from greenwashing. Greenwashing is a form of marketing in which an organization falsely claims that its products or policies are environmentally friendly.
In this week’s episode, Evanna and Melanie are joined by passionate social justice advocate and Greenpeace economic expert Ursula Bittner. They discuss the dangers of greenwashing, Greenpeace’s campaigns and lobbying efforts to change our food system, and the role of direct action in bringing about positive change. Tune in to learn the steps we can all take to become more effective advocates for social justice and protectors of our planet.
Ursula Bittner is an economic expert at Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe. She works on democracy, compliance, civil society, greenwashing, trade, supply chains, agriculture, and biodiversity. She holds a degree in international development from the University of Vienna, an MBA from California Lutheran University, and a degree from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna.
10 years ago, she worked for a soya-food company. She then cofounded an association for a sustainable European protein supply, where she worked for eight years as the general secretary. During that period, she also managed the Austrian Soy Association. She has made research trips to India, Brazil, Argentina, Taiwan, Japan, China, and several countries in eastern Europe to explore issues related to soy, milk, and agriculture in general. In 2021, she founded the Initiative Saubere Hände—Stoppt Korruption to fight against corruption in Austria.
Ursula advocates for a liberal democracy, a strong civil society, sustainable agriculture, and the protection of our planet. She became vegetarian when she was 11 years old and vegan about 15 years ago.
Explore Greenpeace’s website to learn more about its work and how to volunteer. 
Visit Saubere Hände’s website to learn more about its work addressing corruption in Austria.
Follow Ursula on X (formerly Twitter).


Check out Melanie’s new book, "How to End Injustice Everywhere".
Check out Evanna’s book, "The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting".

This season of Just Beings is brought to you by our friends at Leafside and Vivo Life!
Learn more about LeafSide by visiting GoLeafSide.com.
Learn more about Vivo Life by visiting VivoLife.com.


Stay up to date with Just Beings on social media by following @JustBeingsPod.


This episode was edited by Andrew Sims.