I wasn’t one of the protesters for Occupy Vancouver, but I should have been.

When the Occupy protests first began, it wasn’t clear to me what they were about and it seemed as though people were just marching because they wanted to “stick it to the man”.

Fair enough.

But like many people, I didn’t really understand what was actually being accomplished to dismantle greedy corporations, aside from raising awareness. It also wasn’t clear to me if the demonstrations were just limited to fighting for human equality.

Not that I think these things aren’t worth fighting for—of course I do. But when we talk about oppression, anticonsumerism and hierarchy, we must include animals and the environment in the 99 percent.

When doing some more research on the Occupy movement I was surprised to discover that animals and the environment are explicitly included in the Declaration of the Occupation of New York City:

We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments. We have peaceably assembled here, as is our right, to let these facts be known....

• They have profited off of the torture, confinement, and cruel treatment of countless animals, and actively hide these practices.

• They have poisoned the food supply through negligence, and undermined the farming system through monopolization.

• They continue to block alternate forms of energy to keep us dependent on oil.

• They have purposely covered up oil spills, accidents, faulty bookkeeping, and inactive ingredients in pursuit of profit.

Also, the de facto Occupy Wall Street website states: “Our nation, our species and our world are in crisis. The US has an important role to play in the solution, but we can no longer afford to let corporate greed and corrupt politics set the policies of our nation.”

While I may have missed the height of the Occupy protests in Vancouver, I can still make up for my absence. This holiday season, I am on a mission to make choices that support people, animals, and the environment all at the same time, and I want to share my ideas with you.

Don’t give a cow

In the spirit of the 99-percent movement, my biggest pet-peeve at this time of year is when people donate to organizations to send a cow, pig, chicken, or goat overseas with the intention of helping to eliminate poverty and hunger.

Giving animals as gifts is never a good idea. It just promotes the idea that animals are commodities and seems to minimize the fact that animals are a huge (and expensive) responsibility.

It would appear to me that if people can’t support themselves, how can they care for a cow, pig, chicken, or goat? What if these animals get sick? Veterinarian care for farm animals is very expensive, if it’s available at all.

Also, apparently some of the world’s impoverished don’t even want these animal gifts. An exposé into animal donation programs by an editor of one of India’s largest newspapers revealed the burden that these animals place on families that are struggling to survive.

As an alternative, there are great organizations such as A Well Fed World, Vegfam, and Food for Life, which provide nutritious vegetarian meals to people who are disadvantaged, malnourished, or victims of disaster.

If you want to keep your donation local, consider a giving a gift membership for Earthsave Canada, which provides support and educates the community about the health-related, ethical, and environmental issues associated with our food choices. Earthsave and its members organize many events which create awareness and foster a sense of community and connection. Over 900 people annually attend the potlucks, veggie drinks nights, talks, movie nights, and other events.

Kick corporate greed to the curb

Locally owned and operated, Nice Shoes is a hidden ethical gem of all things awesome. Not only do they sell only vegan shoes, but they have a huge selection of shoes that are nonsweatshop and made from recyclable or Earth-friendly materials. They have cool ethically-made accessories too—guitar straps, ties, recycled umbrellas, handbags, and more. So if you are kicking corporate ass, you might as well wear nice shoes doing it.

Warm and fuzzy

Other ideas for ethical gift giving ideas that honour some of the animal-related principles of the 99-percent movement include sponsoring local orphaned wild animals through the Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. or the Critter Care Wildlife Society.

My organization, the Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals, accepts donations to help build exclusion fencing to prevent the cruel trapping of local beavers and prevent flooding to local farmlands.

Another gift idea is that you can make a donation in memory of a loved one to the Vancouver Humane Society’s McVitie Fund, which helps lower income people pay for their companion animals’ veterinary expenses.

For something completely different, you can sponsor a pig or donate your skills to the Hearts on Noses pig sanctuary in Maple Ridge.

We are the 99 percent

If the 99-percent movement has any hope of truly “sticking it to the man”, we need to work together to put a dent in the pocketbooks of those who hold the animals, the environment, and us captive.

We can do that by shopping local, buying Canadian, and by buying socially responsible, animal-friendly, and ecofriendly items. We can also volunteer our time, make our own gifts, choose to buy secondhand or perhaps not buy anything at all.

So, the next time the masses take to the streets to occupy Vancouver, I will be the one carrying a sign on behalf of the animals whose voices weren’t clearly heard this time around.

It’s the least I can do for the billions of animals that suffer in silence everyday.

Oh and Adbusters, my cheque is in the mail.

Lesley Fox is a humane education specialist and animal-rights activist based in Vancouver.