THE PROTEGO FOUNDATION - Latest Blogs

Vegan Butterbeer Topping Introduced at Universal Studios

3/3/2023

March 2nd, 2023 marked a special day as Universal Parks and Resorts surprised fans of the Wizarding World with a huge reason to celebrate: Vegan Butterbeer topping was introduced for both the cold and frozen versions of the drink at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood! The creation of a vegan topping for Butterbeer has been a long-term goal for The Protego Foundation ever since we created our first “Accio Vegan Butterbeer” campaign petition in 2018.

After Universal opted to allow Butterbeer to be served without the original dairy topping in July of 2022, speculation arose about a potential vegan topping being tested. On March 1st, 2023, a member of the Universal Orlando Vegans group received a message that appeared to be from a correspondent at Universal Parks & Resorts. The message contained information that a “new non-dairy vegan friendly Butterbeer” would be arriving at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter beginning on March 2nd.

We are absolutely thrilled at this news, and we have all the details on how this vegan version of Butterbeer compares to the original, where exactly you can get the new offering, and what questions still remain regarding this magical news.

Universal Hollywood's "Animal Actors" Show Permanently Closes

2/11/2023

We are thrilled to report that Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Animal Actors” show permanently closed on January 8th, 2023.

In addition to dogs, cats, pigs, orangutans, and other birds, the show involved two Eurasian eagle owls who were used in the Harry Potter films. These owls, who appeared in the show daily, were paraded around a stadium filled with people and subjected to loud music and clapping.

We can’t imagine the stress, anxiety, and unhappiness this kind of treatment could cause for all of the animals. It’s safe to say that we, along with any members of S.P.E.W., are over the moon to hear that they will no longer have to experience this terrible ordeal.

Zero Waste Tips

9/7/2022

When it comes to protecting our planet -- and all the magical creatures who live on it -- reducing the level of human waste is critical. Even if we can’t see it, our actions have a ripple effect; leaving a plastic bottle on a bench may seem inconsequential at the time, but as groundbreaking programs such as Blue Planet II showed us, what we do matters.

On that note, Protego decided to think about some zero waste life lessons that we could take from the Wizarding World, and found that there are quite a few! From reusable hip flasks and secondhand gifts to Transfiguration charms and repurposed Portkeys, here is our Muggle-worthy 7-step strategy for sustainable living (now try saying that 394 times fast)!

Sustainable Back to School Guide

8/26/2022

It’s that time of year again! Young witches and wizards are preparing to go back to Hogwarts, receiving their lists of books and equipment they’ll need for their upcoming school year. Those pesky growth spurts also mean that new school robes will be in order. Be sure to get to Platform 9 ¾ by 11am on September 1st to board the Hogwarts Express!

Even if you won’t be attending Hogwarts this year, you can channel your inner Hermione by preparing in advance for what you or your kids will need in their upcoming year of Muggle schooling.

In 2022, parents are expected to spend an average of $264 on their children’s back to school clothing and supplies, and according to a survey, only 50% of parents choose environmentally friendly or responsibly sourced back to school products and only 29% prefer to buy a used or refurbished product rather than brand new items for their children.

It’s important to invest in sustainable and environmentally-friendly products as much as possible, so we’ve put together this handy guide on ways you can add a bit of extra magic to your back to school experience while being as sustainable and ethical as possible.

Vegan Butterbeer Has Come to Universal Parks Around the World!

8/17/2022

Guests at Universal parks around the world can now enjoy cold and frozen Butterbeer on tap without the dairy topping!

After The Protego Foundation’s Accio Vegan Butterbeer petition garnered nearly 10,000 signatures overall, Universal made the compassionate choice to allow Butterbeer to be ordered without the dairy topping. This decision was announced on Sunday, July 31st, 2022.

Previously, people with dairy allergies, those who are lactose intolerant, and those who abstain from dairy for animal rights and environmental reasons could not get this delicious and "buttery" drink because the already-vegan soda base would not be served without the dairy topping.

The Marauders as Animal Rights Activists

7/19/2022

It has been 23 long years since Potterheads were introduced to Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs and their mischievous misadventures at Hogwarts. Fans have fanatically fantasised about the Marauders in their youth as so many questions remain unanswered.

To celebrate the anniversary of when we solemnly swore we were up to no good, we have cast our inner eye to focus on our beloved Marauders as magically inspiring animal rights activists. Read on to find out what type of activist we think each Marauder would be!

How You Can Help Stop Plastic Pollution

7/14/2022

Did you know that 10 million tons of plastic ends up in our oceans every year?

Plastic can take 20 to 500 years to degrade. This means that the plastic produced and used today will continue to impact the lives of future human and non-human animal populations for generations to come.

We have a real plastic problem on our hands, and it’s not just affecting us. It’s affecting the environment and the livelihoods of all creatures, from the Grindylows and Merpeople who live in the Black Lake to the sea turtles, whales, and seals who live within oceans around the world.

Imagine how different the second task of the Triwizard Tournament would have been if the champions had to swim through a lake full of plastic!

Join us this Plastic Free July (and beyond!) to help create a world without plastic waste.

Attracting Bees to Your Garden with Neville Longbottom

6/21/2022

Forget Fizzing Whizbees! After following this Muggle-worthy guide to magical insects and flora, your garden will be a fuzzy, buzzy bee’s greatest desire. (Now try saying that five times fast!)

Bees are one of the planet’s most hard-working and loyal creatures. They even have the Hufflepuff colors to prove it. Like “interdepartmental memos” for the natural world, bees carry pollen from one flower to another, allowing them to bloom and grow forevermore.

Without bees, there would be no flutterby bushes, honking daffodils, or the 250,000 other species of flowering plants, trees, and crops that rely on pollination. Thankfully, we know a Herbology master with expertise in this subject, Professor Neville Longbottom! Even passionate gardeners such as Molly Weasley and former Hogwarts Herbology professor, Pomona Sprout, have been known to take advice from Professor Longbottom.

Without further ado, we’ll hand it over to Neville…

Deforestation: 5 Actions You Can Take to Make a Difference

6/6/2022

When we think about forests in the wizarding world, most minds jump to the Forbidden Forest. Located on the Hogwarts grounds, the mysterious forest is the home to many enchanting creatures, including centaurs, Acromantulas, unicorns, and Thestrals.

Other forests are also seen in the Fantastic Beasts films. In the newest instalment, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Newt Scamander wanders through the woods in southern China to search for Qilins.

However, unlike these magical forests, our Muggle forests are threatened by mass deforestation. These ecosystems are home to thousands of animal and plant species. Every two seconds, a forest the size of a football field is destroyed. This pollutes our air and water and ruins the habitats and homes of over 400 species of animals in forests that date back as far as 70 million years. This impacts human life as well, as deforestation is one of the leading causes of world hunger.

So what actions can you take to help stop deforestation? Here are five tips to get you started.

Turning "Pests" into "Guests"

5/2/2022

Based on our recent episode of ProtegoCast, “Pest’ Control with Tylor Starr”, (Season 2 Episode 11), we’ve decided to delve into the harmful forms of “pest” control that we see in the wizarding world and how we can advocate for safe alternatives in the non-magical world.

You’ll notice that throughout this blog, when writing “pest,” we’ve chosen to put it within quotation marks. This is because we don’t see these creatures (magical or non-magical) as pests. They are simply creatures who are living alongside us. Some may be a little closer than we want them to be, but that doesn’t mean we should refer to them as “pests.” Instead, we prefer taking a kinder approach and calling them “guests!”

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The Protego Foundation and its activities are not licensed by, sponsored by or associated with Warner Bros., J.K. Rowling, or their affiliates. 'Wizarding World,' 'Harry Potter,' ‘Fantastic Beasts' and all related names, characters and indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. - Harry Potter publishing rights © J.K. Rowling.
The Protego Foundation's work is made possible, in part, thanks to Tylor Starr.

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