Living Without Meat

Stop what you’re doing! Turn on the TV and be sure not to miss PETA’s Senior Vice President Dan Mathews on the Today Show this morning, Wednesday, May 20, between 7:30 and 8 a.m. Eastern time.

According to PETA, “Dan will be talking about PETA’s position on elephants and Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus, Ringling’s breeding facility (the “Center for Elephant Conservation”), and the current lawsuit against the circus for alleged abuse of its elephants.”

If you miss it, I’m sure that it will be available online later in the day, just as vegan author Kathy Freston’s recent Extra appearance already is: click here to watch it.

On this episode of Extra Freston, author of the Quantum Wellness Cleanse that was featured on Ellen almost exactly one year ago, interviewed Dr. T. Colin Campbell and his son, Thomas M. Campbell, co-authors of The China Study, about the benefits of a plant-based diet and the many myths surrounding meat and dairy.

Thanks for all the vegan coverage, news media!

Compassion Over Killing (COK) is calling on the public to pledge to avoid eating eggs for the month of May, the month that the egg industry has dubbed as National Egg Month in efforts to keep sales up after the busy Easter season. Take the COK egg-free pledge today - regardless of how many other animal products you do or don’t eat - to show your support for the hardworking, mistreated hens (and the baby boy chicks that are chopped up alive or smothered in the trash).

When you take the pledge, COK will be sure to provide you with everything that you need to continue cooking, baking, and eating without eggs. You’re “Cracking the Habit” package will come in the mail just a few days after you sign up, and will include coupons for great vegan condiments, a vegetarian how-to guide, stickers, and if you are one of the first 200 to sign up, a copy of VegNews magazine.

Not everyone is crazy/dedicated/brave enough to work full time for the cause. Most people can’t live on the below minimum wage pay - and that’s okay, because monetary and occasional volunteer support is needed just as much.

Those of us working for pennies for the animals certainly don’t expect or want any personal help; however, sometimes we cannot deny needing to ask for it. Now is one of those times when someone who spends day after day turning your donations into action needs personal, financial help.

Chuck Pappas, Farm Sanctuary’s Watkins Glen, NY, fulfillment coordinator since 2005, was diagnosed with brain cancer one month ago. In the few weeks since his diagnosis, he has already spent more than two weeks in the hospital; had over a dozen MRIs and two surgeries; been put on six prescriptions, and is now scheduled to have permanent titanium plates implanted into his skull.

He is out of work indefinitely, and his health insurance is not covering everything, starting with a $10,000 emergency flight from Ithaca to Rochester. To top it all off, Chuck and his wife Jen, who also works at the Farm, have had to give up most of their numerous rescued pets because of the cost of caring for them.

Chuck is doing better, but paying the bills is going to be a long, hard struggle for the Pappas. This July a number of his friends and family members will be walking or biking from the Taking Action For Animals Conference in DC to the Farm Sanctuary Hoe Down in Watkins Glen to raise money to help them out.

If you are able, and want to support someone who truly dedicated himself to helping animals, donate to 300 Miles for Chuck.

Whether people are finally getting it or the economic downturn is claiming another victim, the fur industry is losing money. Annual global fur sales were down about $2 billion from the 2006/2007 retail year to the 2007/2008. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is unsure whether increased public education, availability of more faux options, the economy, or a combination of all three is the cause but they know the effect: an estimated 10 million animals will be spared each year if this trend continues.

“The fur industry thrives on limited public knowledge of the fur trade’s practices and high levels of disposable income—both of which have been eroding recently,” said Pierre Grzybowski, manager of the HSUS Fur-Free Campaign. “Recent high-profile investigations of animal cruelty and consumer deception in the fur trade, coupled with the economic downturn, has replaced animal fur with faux fur and other alternatives for many shoppers.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently released a new Strategic Plan for Evaluating the Toxicity of Chemicals, which reevaluates the way that we test products in America. The report, which was put together by the Science Policy Council in the EPA’s Office of the Science Advisor, starts to shine a little hope for the future cessation of animal testing as the government looks for new approaches to ensuring the public’s safety and a clean environment.

The plan concludes by stating that “the new paradigm should facilitate evaluating the susceptibility of different life-stages and genetic variations in the population, understanding the mechanisms by which toxicity occurs, and considering the risks of concurrent, cumulative exposure to multiple and diverse chemicals, while at the same time significantly reducing reliance on animal testing for assessing human risk.”

Read up on more about the potential future of animal testing in two very well written articles that include a lot of stats and scientific facts: “Are the lab rat’s days numbered?” in the Boston Globe and “New EPA Report Recommends Moving Away from Animal Testing” at the PETA Files. And be sure to read the EPA report in its entirety, too!

Yesterday, April 1, Mercy For Animals (MFA) released brand new undercover investigation footage and testimony that reveals unacceptable abuse at New England’s largest egg factory farm, Quality Egg of New England (QENE) in Turner, Maine.

What MFA Found
The farm in question, which was selected at random for this investigation, has despicable living conditions that are worsened by lack of vet care, insufficient killing methods that leave injured birds to slowly die in trash cans and manure pits, workers blowing cigarette smoke into the hens’ faces, rotting corpses in cages with hens still producing eggs for human consumption, lack of proper training for handling the birds, and much more. What’s worse: the owner, Jack DeCoster, has a long history as a notorious polluter and animal abusers, having been fined multiple times for his gross negligence for the environment and animals.

What MFA is Asking of You
Eggland’s Best, a company that boasts high standards, uses QENE as a supplier. MFA is asking all of us to use our money to help their efforts. MFA needs you to refrain from buying any Eggland’s Best products until they agree to stop using QENE. You can also contact Eggland’s Best and let them know that you will not stand for such inhumane production of your food. Furthermore, these conditions are, unfortunately, a industry-wide problem and going completely egg free will help immensely.

What is Being Done
MFA will continue discussions with Eggland’s Best and other QENE distributors. Additionally, the state of Maine is stepping up! Yesterday, the state received a warrant to raid QENE, based on the conditions being a violation of Maine’s anti-cruelty laws.

Learn More
* Get egg-free recipes at ChooseVeg.com
* Watch the undercover footage at MFA’s site
* Get facts about battery cages at Wikipedia
* View an animated Animal Visual to get an inside look at life in a battery cage

Fortunately for our cats and dogs, Bob Barker will never quit. The man just doesn’t stop speaking out about spaying and neutering your pets. Since retiring from The Price Is Right, he has continued to be an outspoken friend to the animals. Earlier this month he hosted the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida Gala, and now he’s written a book.

Priceless Memories, which is due to hit shelves April 6, is not an animal rights read exactly. It is Barker’s memoir about life as a TV host, his time spent on a Native American reservation, and being raised by a single mother through the Great Depression. He recalls meeting and falling in love with his wife, and training as a fighter pilot with the Navy during World War II. But, since animal rights has always been a large part of his life, he also discusses the importance of animals in his life. Plus, proceeds will benefit the D&T Foundation, which he founded in 1994 to help foot the bill of spaying and neutering animals.

Unfortunately, it seems as if there will not be a Farm Sanctuary Gala this year. There is one in the works for 2010, potentially in Los Angeles, California, but for 2009 we will just have to find another way to get our Farm fix. Living less than a day’s drive from the Watkins Glen, New York shelter, I am contemplating a northward vegan road trip with friends. Those Farm fans that are not able to work in a tour-season trip (and those that can, too) can and should check out the goods up for auction at Charity Buzz to benefit Farm Sanctuary, open now through April 1.

As always, there are a lot of top-name vegan celebrities and brands offering autographs, meet-and-greets, fashions, and more. The most popular lots right now include exclusive meet ups with Kelly Clarkson, Ali McGraw, Joan Jett, Gene Baur, Kevin Nealon, and Amy Smart. There are also yoga classes, raw and vegan nutritional counseling, an audition with an agent, tickets, salon and spa treatments, and so much more.

Happy MeatOut 2009!

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Spend your day spreading the veg love today! Don’t eat any meat, and encourage your friends to do the same … for the animals, for personal health, and for the environment. Take a page from the book of Bones star Emily Deschanel, who recently convinced former Chairman of Fox, Peter Ligouri, to go vegan, and help your friends and family with encouragement, support, and education.

“We were at a party, and I said, ‘You’d make a big difference by just trying it for a week.’ I sent him food, and he really stuck to it,” said Deschanel about helping Ligouri find the vegan light.

One day not a challenge? Try a week, or every Monday. The same folks that encourage to spread the veg word every year with Meatout Day, also host Meatout Mondays. Every meat-free meal makes a difference!

There are a lot of things happening tomorrow, March 20, the first day of spring. The Twilight movie will be released on DVD. It’s the 20th anniversary of Eric Carle’s classic picture book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. It is also National AIDS/HIV Awareness Day. And, of course, it’s the day when Rita’s give out free water ice!

But more relevantly … it’s Meatout!

Meatout day has been an international celebration since 1985 and is held annually to “expose the public to the joys and benefits of a plant-based diet, while promoting the availability and selection alternatives to meat and dairy in mainstream grocery stores, restaurants, and catering operations.”

What will you to tomorrow to share the veg love? There are thousands of events already planned worldwide that you can join. Invite all of your friends out to dinner, and talk to the restaurant ahead of time about having vegan options available. Hand out pamphlets on the street. Send your friends a Meatout e-card. Tell random people that you don’t eat meat. Shout “Happy Meatout Day!” from the roof. Wear a veg shirt and carry a reusable veg tote. Donate to an animal charity. If you’re not veg, refrain from eating any meat!

And, of course, order a vegan water ice for free at Rita’s!

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My plans for the day, after getting some work done and my hair cut, are to grab my free Rita’s, and then meet up with Humane League members and volunteers to leaflet in the heart of the city. After, we’ll be having dinner at a tiny little restaurant that has agreed to add more vegan options to their menu and will be offering a special three-course, all-vegan dinner for the evening. And then I’ll need to find another Rita’s and get another free one!

A lot of big names have been popping up with new veg blogs lately. Here are some to check out:

Farm Sanctuary now has multiple blogs and bloggers to follow. Gene Baur’s Bloggings features just that - the words, wisdom, and thoughts of Gene Baur, the Farm’s co-founder and president. Making Hay is all about speaking up, advocating, and generally stirring up the dirt for the benefit of animals. It is co-written by Danielle Bays, advocacy and outreach manager, and New York City-based Jasmin Singer, national advocacy organizer. Sanctuary Tails provides “news from behind the barn doors” from the fingers of Susie Coston, national shelter director, and Leanne Cronquist, the California shelter director.

And, the newbie veg blog that I am proudest to announce … top-rated green gossip blog Ecorazzi recently gave birth to two new special topic blogs. The first, Ecorattle, provides readers will all things green for the babies in the family. Then there’s VEGdaily for all things veg. Both sites are written by a team of writers, as Ecorazzi is, and the VEGdaily team will feature your truly!

Have you noticed any other new veg-related blogs popping up? Share them with us!

This site, LivingWithoutMeat.com, has been nominated in four different categories for the 2009 Blogger Choice Awards. Now, many bloggers seem to have realized there was voting going on long before now, and have dozens, hundreds even on a few accounts, of votes already. I, however, do not.

If you like the info that I provide and my writing skills, I would be honored if you would head on over and give LWM a quick click of support. The categories LWM was included in are “Best Charity Blog,” “Best Animal Blog,” “Best Health Blog,” and “Best Food Blog.” Here’s a icon for each specific category, each with a link to vote for LWM in the category.

No pressure, but I will be sending good thoughts to anyone who votes on one or all of these!

I’m listed on BlogCatalog, too!

HBO Documentaries attempts to show viewers the “hidden corners of society,” about the topics that most of us choose to pretend don’t exist. The current featured documentary film is Death on a Factory Farm where Tom Simon, the seven-time Emmy winner filmmaker of the previous HBO doc Dealing Dogs, takes his crew undercover, investigating the truths of animal cruelty at a hog farm in Ohio.

The 87-minute long film premieres on HBO on Monday, March 16 at 10 p.m. For the rest of the month it will air almost daily, sometimes up to four times per day. It is rated mature for adult language, adult content, and mild violence. In other words, crude people are caught abusing innocent animals, which we all know can be upsetting to watch.

Check out Death on a Factory Farm’s homepage at HBO’s site for a detailed scheduled, full synopsis, and brief preview.

The Brat Pack, a family of happy rescue dogs that blog, are hosting a online blogging party on Friday, March 20 (which also happens to be National Meat Out Day) to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Best Friends Animal Society.

RSVP for the social event dubbed Pawty for a Purpose to be eligible for some great giveaways and prizes, and to receive a party favor! Then join the party March 20 from 7 to 10 p.m. central time at FiveHappyHounds.com to play along in trivia games, see who wins the different door prizes, socialize with other animal lovers, and learn all about Best Friends.

To be eligible for the big loot of the night, you have to be a Best Friends member. So sign up now for just $25 and be in it to win it!

Victoria’s Secret is no longer hiding in closet. The lingerie and beauty product brand is getting loud and proud about veganism. Pink Body is a new line of Victoria’s Secret cosmetics - including fragrance, body wash, lotion, chapstick, and more - that is being promoted as green. All products in the line are 100 percent vegan, natural, and organic. It doesn’t get much better than that.

During the Pink college tour, brand representatives talked to young women about what they want in a product. Pink Body was the answer. From VS’s press release:

“INTRODUCING PINK BODY, a unique line of skin-loving and earth-friendly products created specifically for the pink girl. She spoke. We listened. The result? A more personalized approach to everyday body care using organic and vegan ingredients, powerful natural formulas and eco-friendly packaging.”

How awesome is that? A major company performed market research and determined that the 20-something generation of women want their products to be organic, natural, and vegan.