Living Without Meat

Veganism is still growing in prevalence in the mainstream news, even in the fashion world!

* New York Magazine’s blog, The Cut, featured Olsen Haus shoes because the brand “Makes Being Vegan Stylish.” The fashionable blogger wrote about the fast-growing, young, vegan-owned design house saying: “when we think of vegan clothes or shoes, we tend to picture shapeless sacks, earthy colors, and Birkenstock-esque footwear. … But Olsen Haus is breaking that fussy image with its chic, leather-free shoes.”

* The New York Post reported that France’s own first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, reached out to PETA to talk about her semi animal-friendly fashion choices. In a letter to PETA, Carla wrote: “I do not wear, buy, or own fur or animal skin other than leather or skin of animals raised for feeding purposes. I am not a vegetarian and I don’t find it illogical to wear skins of animals whose meat is also eaten. … I would gladly consider giving away sable, fox, and other fur coats - if I owned any.” PETA responded rather maturely and anti-abolitionist, saying that they respected Carla’s forward thinking. They did not bash her for approving of leather, instead they simply sent her a pair off vegan shoes from Stella McCartney.

* Speaking of Stella McCartney … the vegetarian designer has teamed up with Gap to design affordable, sustainable clothing for Gap Kids and Baby Gap. Read all about this new venture over at Vegetarian Star.

* Vaute Couture has been working diligently on a limited-edition collection of four vegan, high-fashion, winter coats and they are finally here! The coats, one of which is shown here, are available for pre-order right now for fall 2009, and Vaute Couture is offering to match your down payment now through June 30. So if you pre-pay $100 today toward your new Vaute Couture winter coat, they will take $100 off your remaining balance.

* Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt teamed up with vegan shoe company Macbeth to create his own vegan rocker sneaker. If you want to see the shoe and read more about it, check out my post about it at VEGdaily.

After watching a little boy pulverize a bug earlier this week, at the encouragement of his mother, I have been thinking more and more about raising children that are vegan, animal lovers, respectful of life, and generally good additions to the human race. I’m not a mother myself, but I certainly have lots of kids in my life: I babysit regularly for three siblings, and have a niece, a nephew, and one on the way any minute now. But while I am close to an expert on caring for kids, I am not an authority on raising vegan ones. For that, you’ll have to turn to other resources such as …

* The Girlie Girl Army put together a thorough collection of resources for “How to Raise Socially Responsible Rugrats” that spans the realms of respect for animals and the environment, and includes games, toys, foods, activities, and more.

* VegFamily Magazine takes you from pregnancy to teenager with everything you need to know about having veg children through articles, recipes, tips from dieticians, a message board, and videos.

* Family Education has a great article, “Raising ‘Green’ Kids,” with educational and fun activities and suggestions for helping kids understand and appreciate the Earth.

* The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) has a section all about “Raising a Vegetarian Family”that includes links to several articles from Vegetarian Journal.

* Sending your kids to the right sites helps. Check out the kids clubs for animal-loving organizations such as Farm Sanctuary and PETA.

* If you want to go offline in your learning, check out what Amazon.com has to offer.

By any PETA shirt by Father’s Day, June 19, and use the coupon code FD59 to receive $5 off any one tee shirt!

My knowledge of vegan pop culture failed me this week: I missed wishing a happy birthday to well-known, outspoken vegan advocates!

Tuesday, June 9, was the 28th birthday of the gorgeously adorable, much-loved vegan princess Natalie Portman. Then, two days later on Thursday, June 11, it was PETA President Ingrid Newkirk’s 60th birthday celebration!

Celebrating a vegan birthday in your social network? Here are some good vegan birthday cake recipes and ideas to try:

* Figure out to convert your favorite non-vegan cake recipe with the Vegetarian Resource Group’s replacement guide.

* Read up about how the Veg Family satisfies their vegan kids, complete with Elmo cakes and homemade ice cream!

* Isa of the Post Punk Kitchen has included a wealth of cake and icing recipes available on her site.

* For vegan cupcakes, you simply must head over to Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, but Vegan CupCake Recipes is a close second resource.

But birthdays are not just about the cake. Growing up, we always got to pick what we wanted to eat for our birthday dinner. I always chose one of three meals: Scalloped potatoes, homemade mac and cheese with breadcrumbs, or kabobs. The last is fairly easy to veganize, but I have never attempted to do so with either of the first two. Try one of there recipes to make a vegan version of my favorite birthday dinner:

* FatFree Vegan and Karina’s Kitchen have good vegan scalloped potato recipes.

* Everyone calls their vegan mac and cheese “the best,” including posters at Recipezaar and VegWeb. Vegan Yum Yum has a yummy sounding one, too.

Keep up with all of the vegan celebrities’ birthdays with Vegetarian Star’s regular feature, “Slice of Vegan Birthday Cake to ….”

Last night the Humane League of Philadelphia hosted a very successful dinner and lecture. We welcomed author and PETA VP Bruce Friedrich on his book tour for The Animal Activist’s Handbook as more than 50 guests piled into a small upstairs dining room at Singapore Restaurant for an all-vegan dim sum feast and Bruce’s talk about how to be an effective advocate for animals.

There aren’t many stops scheduled, just Chicago today and Washington, D.C. tomorrow, June 8, for now, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t appreciate what Bruce has to share: you can listen to the PETA podcast featuring Bruce as he talks about his new book in “Activism Questions Answered.”

Download and listen at your convenience as “PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich talks candidly about his experience as an activist and the new book that he coauthored, The Animal Activist’s Handbook: Maximizing Our Positive Impact in Today’s World.”

****

Here’s what two other writers are saying about the new Handbook, cowritten by Matt Ball:

“This book is so much more than a “how-to” guide for activists. It is an inspirational and motivational opus from the two gentlest yet most effective giants in the movement. The Animal Activist’s Handbook will elevate your activism and forever alter who you are and who you want to be.” - Rory Freedman, co-author of Skinny Bitch

“There is nothing more maddening than wanting desperately to change the fate of animals and not knowing how to go about it. This book shows you how to streamline your thoughts, present information, and be the greatest force you can be for these creatures who have no voice. It is a Godsend for a movement that is gaining ever stronger momentum.” - Kathy Freston, author of Quantum Wellness

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!

Last night was the opening night of the Ringling Brothers’ Circus in Philadelphia. It was also my first time attending a protest; usually I stick to spreading the word about being veg. For two hours before the event started, I stood outside of one of the parking lots with three other women, big signs, and fliers to hand out. Around the corner, at the main entrance, about a dozen more activists were doing the same, along with one person dressed up in a giant elephant costume.

Nearby, we could peek behind a somewhat see-through temporary plastic wall and see the elephants waiting, unchained momentarily so the public didn’t see the chains. They had just arrived in Philly, after spending 30 hours on a train from Connecticut. One time I peeked in to watch the circus folk cleaning the elephants with a leaf blower. The men wanted the animals to lay down while getting cleaned, and since one elephant didn’t want to he was “encouraged” to do so with a swift whack from a bullhook.

We had a lot of fun - despite the occasional person shouting accusations at us or giving us the finger. At least one family turned around and decided to find something else to do for the evening instead of go in to the circus.

Confused as the why we would not like the circuses? Please take a moment to check out these explanations:

* PETA’s Circuses Web site

* Wilmer “Fez” Valderrama’s video

* The Humane Society’s circus articles

* Any of the hundreds of videos of abuse caught on tape, available through YouTube

Two outstanding men in the animal activist world - Matt Ball, co-founder and director of Vegan Outreach and Bruce Friedrich, a vice president of PETA - have poured all of their tips, suggestions, and knowledge into one easy-to-understand new book: The Animal Activist’s Handbook: Maximizing Our Positive Impact in Today’s World.

This guide goes beyond the basic “how-tos” for animal activism and delves into all aspects of speaking out for your cause. From picking a worthy and meaningful topic and action to effectively playing out all the steps, this book has it all. There are also lots of extras to be found within the pages, including a foreword by PETA President Ingrid Newkirk, an index of recommended resources, a look at the controversial concept of “humane” meat, and theoretical discussions on ethics and animal liberation.

The Handbook was released in the beginning of April by Lantern Books, a publishing company worth checking out if you like books about animals, veganism, health, spirituality, and other socially conscious topics.

It seems that the 22-year-old PETA employee FishingHurts, formerly known as Rachel Feather, has some company. Ms. FishingHurts, of Arizona, legally changed her name last year in February 2008 to show support for animals’ rights by creating a personal conversation starter.

Later in the year, in October, a teenager followed suit and legally changed her name as well. The 19-year-old PETA intern from North Carolina, formerly known as Jennifer Thornburg, now goes by CutoutDissection.com.

“I normally do have to repeat my name several times when I am introducing myself to someone new,” Cutout told The Asheville Citizen-Times. “Once they find out what my name is, they want to know more about what the Web site is about.”

Cutout’s family, however, understandably still calls her Jennifer. “It will take me a while,” said her dad, Duane Thornburg. “She’s still Jennifer to me. I understand why she’s done it. Believe it or not, I totally respect it.”

FishingHurts and CutoutDissection.com were not the first and surely won’t be the last animal activists - all of whom so far seem to be PETA employees and interns - to legally change their name for the cause. In 2003, the then 23-year-old Karin Robertson, of Indiana, also a PETA employee, changed her name to GoVeg.com. In 2005, PETA worker Christopher Garnett, whose driver’s license is shown here, changed his name to KentuckyFriedCruelty.com. He changed it back to Chris a year later.

I’m sure that there are more name changes that I am missing. So if you have dreams of one day working for PETA, particularly as an intern or youth outreach coordinator, be prepared to change your name! I think I will wait to become Ms. LivingWithoutMeat until I own the domain name.

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!

In fall 2007, when handbag designer Hogan created a ponyskin leather purse and named it “the Chrissie” after Pretenders’ lead singer and PETA activist Chrissie Hynde, she successfully sued. So I’m wondering - now that designer Chloe has created a calfskin leather purse named “Sally,” can I sue?

Aside from the color, which I love, what about this bag made you think of me, Chloe? I am vegan, the shoulder bag is leather. I am cute, the bag is not. Please don’t use my name to promote your cruel fashions.

But anyway, speaking of Chrissie Hynde … In a recent interview with her Akron, Ohio, hometown news, Chrissie talked about her vegan restaurant, the VegiTerranean, and why she is a vegan: “For me it’s about [the animals] health. If I get any (nutritional) benefits from not killing them, I guess that’s a bonus.”

Hynde’s restaurant is making the news a lot lately as her Executive Chef Scot Jones is making a name for himself in the vegan health food world. When he’s not working up new creations at the VegiTerranean, he’s been writing for vegan cookbooks and developing recipes for Oprah’s 21 Day vegan cleanse. Ironically, this master veg chef isn’t even vegetarian, let alone vegan. But since his life is increasingly saturated with all things veg, he has been incorporating more vegan food into his regular diet.

The cookbook that Jones wrote for is due out this fall, and currently has a working title of The Conscious Vegan. Chef Tal Ronnen, founder of Veg Advantage, a non-profit organization that helps restaurants put vegetarian items on their menus, is the main author of the book.

I hope you haven’t forgotten about Price Is Right’s original host, the animal-loving Bob Barker, because he certainly hasn’t forgotten about the animals! He may have retired from his TV gig, but he’s not just kicking back and relaxing in his retirement years. In fact he’s found a new hosting gig, at least for this weekend.

On Saturday, March 14th, Bob “spay your pets” Barker will be hosting the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida’s (ARFF) star-studded, $250 per ticket, 20th Anniversary Gala in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Also attending the gala are well-known, outspoken animal lovers including Pamela Anderson, PETA President and Co-founder Ingrid Newkirk, and PCRM President and Founder Dr. Neal Barnard.

ARFF has been “promoting and protecting the rights of animals in Florida” since 1989 and are always in need of more volunteer activists.

Last night I attended the first (and hopefully now monthly) Vegan Drinks Philly. About 70 vegans, vegetarians, and veg-inclined people packed into the small bar room at the local vegan go-to restaurant Horizons. It was a fun, social, easy going, friendly atmosphere. And the most popular question of the evening was how did I get a job in the animal rights field. So in case anyone else is interested, here’s the path that I followed …

Almost two years ago I started writing for this site. I would say that having this on my resume, and being something that potential employers could easily review, was a major benefit. I was particularly complimented on interviews over the professional nature of my writing.

So that’s my first suggestion: take up a hobby that relates to animals or veganism and then present yourself in a professional manner while doing so. Volunteer with local shelters or rescues and always show up when you say that you will. Start a blog, but keep it more informative than personal, more article like than diary. And in everything that you do watch your language. Consider everyone that you interact with a potential employer and therefore offer them respect.

Once I decided that I was ready to move on to a full-time job benefiting animals, I began looking around online. There are some animal-based job searches, such as the Humane Society’s Humane Career Toolbox, but I found the most fruitful search to be going directly to the source. If you are willing to move, head to the Web sites of Farm Sanctuary, PETA, and HSUS. Check out what job openings they have. But don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a response. HSUS didn’t respond to me at all. PETA considered me, but said “no thanks.” Farm Sanctuary interviewed me in person, but went with someone that had more experience.

So my second big tip is to look for smaller, growing organizations, and be ready to work for pennies! Growing companies will not be able to pay as much but will also be willing to let you learn on the job - as long as you have the passion, professionalism, and at least some skills.

And finally, as with any job search, keep at it. It never hurts to send your resume, even you think you are not quite qualified.

Since the four new Go Max Go Foods vegan candy bars won’t be on sale until after Valentine’s Day, sweet-craving vegans will have to look elsewhere for the upcoming hearts-, love-, and chocolate-filled holiday.

Lots of candy brands are vegan, but finding a box of chocolates that’s all vegan is a harder feat. PETA has put together a mix, weighing over one pound, of dark and rice Belgian chocolates with all the standard nuts, fruits, and fillings, but minus all of the animal products.

There are also plenty of other ways to say “I love you” without giving your sweetheart (or yourself) a cavity. Farm Sanctuary suggests adopting a farm animal in your loved one’s name. Click on the banner below to check out more info about sponsoring a goat, chicken, duck, or cow.

This photoshopped picture of a sushi roll made out of a golden retriever pup is making it rounds through cyber space, getting every reaction possible - WTF, LOL, OMG … you know, the usual. At first I was disturbed, but if you think about it, this picture looks suspiciously like something that would compliment PETA’s “I you wouldn’t eat/do this to your dog …” campaigns, which have previously used master photoshop talents to put a dog on a plate, put a pig’s and chicken’s head on a dog and cat; hook a dog with a giant fish hook, and more similar images. Then again, I see a bored college student doing this to be funny and prove their skills.

Regardless of where it originated, this picture makes a strong, valid point: there is no difference between your pet pooch and the fish and seafood that you consume.