Livin’ Veg

Georgette Shoe Give Away! August 29, 2008

Want to win a pair of Georgette Shoes? Click here to go to PETA UK’s website and win a pair of your very own fabulous heels. Personally, I love Georgette Shoes. And any time someone puts the word free in front of them, I get very excited.

Don’t know anything about Georgette yet? Here is some info straight from the ladies themselves:

Georgette is a beautiful shoe boutique that offers fabulous foot fashion and accessories in extraordinary animal friendly materials. The boutique founders, twin sisters Katleen and Liesbet, prove that wearing high-quality and chic footwear can easily be combined with a compassionate lifestyle.

So put your name in for a free pair and cross your fingers.

Rock Climbing was Made for Vegans August 28, 2008

There are leather alternatives for pretty much all sports now. Synthetic baseball gloves, basketballs, volleyballs and more. But few sports are as vegan friendly as rock climbing. I’ve been climbing for about two years now and I’m addicted. Synthetic shoes are easy to find and I’ve seen many advertised as vegan. I use these and love them. Harnesses are made from fabric, so no worries about ethics there. In addition to being ultra vegan friendly, it’s also one of the most challenging sports I’ve ever tried.

Now for some great reasons to try it and a few true stereotypes about climbers:

1. They are environmentalists. They have to be. In order to preserve the places they climb, they have to be environmentally proactive.
2. There is a huge vegetarian/vegan population. I have no idea what attracts us veggies to climb up walls of rock. But we do and we love it.
3. They are SUPER friendly and very inclusive. Want to make friends? Do something active with a positive community? Climbing might just be the right sport for you.

It’s also an amazing full body work out. You’ll build muscle, make friends and spend a lot of time flexing in the mirror because you can’t believe how toned your arms and back have become. I’ve got spaghetti arms (as you can see from the pic) and I love what climbing has done for me.

Find a gym near you by clicking here. Meet other cool people, enjoy the outdoors and get in shape. For those in the NYC area, I adore The Rock Club in New Rochelle, NY.

Vegan Stores in the USA - The Complete List August 27, 2008

I’m putting together a complete list of vegan store fronts in the U.S.A. This is what I’ve come up with so far. If anyone sees anything missing, please leave a comment and let me know so I can add it to the list.

To clarify, I’m not posting vegan food stores. They must carry items like clothes, shoes, purses, cosmetics etc. Of course, if they have some food too, that doesn’t disqualify them from the list.

Here they are, listed alphabetically by state:

California
Humanitaire - Costa Mesa/LA, CA - www.shophumanitaire.com
Micio Mambo - Oakland, CA - www.miciomambo.com
Alternative Outfitters - Pasadena, CA - www.alternativeoutfitters.com
All Vegan - San Diego, CA - www.allveganshopping.com

Georgia
Cosmo’s Vegan Shoppe - Atlanta, GA - www.cosmosveganshoppe.com

Illinois
Ethical Planet - Evanston, IL - www.ethicalplanet.com

Maryland
Pangea Vegan Store - Rockville, MD - www.veganstore.com

Minnesota
Fast and Furless - Minneapolis, MN - www.fastandfurless.com

New York
Cow Jones Industrials - Chatham NY - www.cowjonesindustrials.com
Moo Shoes - New York, NY - www.mooshoes.com

Ohio
Park + Vine - Cincinnati, OH - www.parkandvine.com
A Different Daisy - Portsmouth, OH - www.vegangoods.com

Oregon
Herbivore Clothing - Portland, OR - www.herbivoreclothing.com

Washington
Sidecar for Pigs Peace - Seattle WA - www.sidecarforpigspeace.com

Wisconsin
Vegan Essentials - Waukesha, Wi - www.veganessentials.com

Hope this helps you visit the vegan store near you. Again, if you know any store that should be on this list, but isn’t, please comment so it can be added.

Happy shopping!

2008 Walk for Farm Animals August 26, 2008

Farm Sanctuary is gearing up for it’s annual Walk for Farm Animals. This year the walk is happening in nearly 40 cities including two in Canada. Register now and you can start bugging your friends, family, coworkers and neighbors for donations.

New York City tends to have the biggest turn out, and it’s a really fun scene. But if you live in a smaller city, you can make the difference by participating and perhaps getting your cities name in the top ten. Last year the top ten went as follows:

CITY	# OF PARTICIPANTS	MONEY RAISED
New York, NY	354	$40,715.15
San Francisco, CA	94	$14,317.00
Phoenix, AZ	75	$12,350.92
Washington, D.C.	76	$8,395.52
Boston/Lexington, MA	70	$7,282.00
Miami, FL	157	$6,980.00
Ventura/Los Angeles, CA	54	$6,641.00
Vancouver, BC	47	$6,543.69
Portland, OR	66	$6,134.03
Chicago, IL	59	$5,348.53

Don’t see your city in there? Or want to see it higher on the list? Get to work. Recruit friends, and any animal lovers you know. There is nothing better than a good group of advocates walking to raise money. Make a day of it. Have a pre or post party, bring your pup, and walk for farm animals.

Calling All Californians August 25, 2008

HSUS is a remarkable animal protection organization. It helps that they are absolutely massive and have a talented devoted group of activists on staff. The factory farming campaign has perhaps gotten the most attention lately. And rightly so. They are helping to change the way the USA looks at industrialized farming and the animals we consume in whole sale numbers.

The most exciting development so far this year has been the ballot initiative Humane California got going to ban the use of gestation crates for sows, veal crates for calves and battery cages for hens. This November everyone in California can vote to give farm animals a better life. Read Wayne Pacelle’s (the CEO of HSUS) blog about it. Humane California was initiated and funded by HSUS and Farm Sanctuary, the two big leaders in farm animal welfare.

If you don’t like watching animal suffering, but want to know more about Prop 2, then click here. If you don’t know much about factory farming or what is going on in California and want to see it, watch the video below. It’s suffering. It’s real. And it happens to 10 billion farm animals per year in the USA alone.

Cloned Meat - Of Course the F.D.A. Says Okay August 22, 2008

I wish I could say that I was shocked by the FDA approval of cloned meat this past January. But the U.S.A. has continually proven itself to be behind the times with animal welfare. The FDA approval says that cloned meat is safe for consumption and could “yield consistently high quality meat.” But animal welfare concerns weren’t even a factor in their decision.

Just because it’s safe to eat doesn’t mean it should be eaten. A recent PBS article explains that the U.S. Department of Agriculture and another group in the European Union don’t think we should be doing it just yet because people aren’t used to the idea and they worry about consumer backlash. On a happy note, the PBS article says only 10% of Americans polled would be “very likely” to purchase cloned meat.

On the animal rights side the CEO of HSUS, Wayne Pacelle has a more well rounded view that takes into consideration the animal welfare issues:

Noting that cloned animals are more likely to get sick and that the animals used to birth them are at greater risk, the chief executive of the Humane Society Chief Executive Wayne Pacelle said “the FDA did not give adequate consideration to the welfare of these animals or their surrogate mothers in its deliberations.”

The U.S.A. is certainly ahead of many countries when it comes to animal welfare. China is horrendous and in my opinion, one of the worst offenders. But Europe is so far ahead of us, we still look like we’re in the dark ages. Cloned meat should not be an option. Until animal welfare is a real consideration and until farm animals have legal protection, decisions like this are going to stay the status quo.

Terra Nostra Rice Milk Chocolate August 21, 2008

Am I the only veg alive who misses milk chocolate? I used to hate dark chocolate and only love the cow stuff. I have since learned to appreciate dark chocolate (mostly because I had to). But that didn’t get rid of my warm and fuzzy feelings about the taste of the other kind. Then came Terra Nostra’s rice milk chocolate to the rescue. It has that same amazing creamy taste without any of the guilt/torture/cruelty. And really, who wants to eat chocolate and think of torture? No one. So dark chocolate is not the only options for all you closet milk chocolate fans. Rice milk chocolate is here to save the day. Oh, Terra Nostra’s products are organic and fair trade to boot!

Here is the ingredient list for the rice milk chocolate: Organic Raw Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Rice Glucose Powder, Organic Cocoa Mass, Organic Hazelnuts, Vanilla Extract, Sea Salt

They also come with almonds or dark truffle.

For dark chocolate lovers, they have delicious chocolate for you in flavors like goji berry. The considerate company also posts a certified vegan logo next to their dairy free items so you know you’re getting the good stuff.

Humans aren’t the only vain species August 20, 2008

Two German scientists report that Magpies are able to recognize themselves in a mirror. This typical display of self-awareness is a trait that up until now humans have boasted only humans, dolphins, primates and elephants could do. And now a bird!

The articles states:

“It shows that the line leading to humans is not as special as many thought,” lead researcher Helmut Prior of the Institute of Psychology at Goethe University in Frankfurt told Reuters.

“After finding this kind of intelligence in apes, many people thought it had developed once in one evolutionary line with humans at the end. The bird studies show it has developed at least twice.”

Humans are so quick to dismiss animals because they experience the world differently than we do. It’s only when we find out that they share our traits that we give them any respect. All the same, bird’s usually get ignored in animal rights arenas and by the general public, so I’m glad the Magpie is getting some well deserved attention.

Alternative Outfitters August 19, 2008

Every Veg should know about Alternative Outfitters. It’s affordable, vegan, sweat shop free and cute. You’re going to find items for you and gifts for your friends. They get new products in all the time and have a great website as well as a store in Pasadena. These sexy heels are just the beginning. They have handbags, wallets, belts, cosmetics and much more.

These are the fantastic new kinds of stores (although Alternative Outfitters is not new) that are cropping up all over. And I’ll be sharing many more with you in this blog. Our culture is going through a major change. People are starting to ask questions about where the things they buy come from. Companies like Alternative Outfitters are the wave of the future. Compassionate. Responsible. Guilt free.

LARABAR = Goodness August 18, 2008

Ever had a LARABAR? If not, you’re totally missing out. With flavors like Peanut Butter Cookie, Cherry Pie, Apple Pie and Chocolate Coconut Chew, you’ll wonder what you ever did without them.

LARABARS are completely vegan, raw and delicious. My husband and I eat them as lovely little snacks during the work day. Compact little bars of goodness that make you drool and feel good about snacking. They are also a great company and I love supporting companies that mirror my ethics. LARABAR describes their products as follows:

LÄRABAR is a delicious blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices - energy in its purest form. Made from 100% whole food, each flavor contains no more than six ingredients. Pure and simple, just as nature intended.

So give them a try. Your body and taste buds will be happy you did. I get my Larabars at Whole Foods but you can also buy them online on websites like Amazon.