Livin’ Veg

Beautiful Vegan Purse October 29, 2009

If you’re anything like me you need a large purse to fit everything you might ever need. Including receipts from about a year ago, a book, water bottle etc. So you might understand how excited I was when I saw this lovely hemp/cotton bag by Fluf.

A nice big size for all your random hording needs and a totally chic design to hide the fact that you (if you’re like me) never clean out your purse. I adore the soft earthy colors, the cute button, and the easy long straps to throw over your shoulder.

But most of all, I love the materials. Hemp and cotton. Not an animal in sight.

No Impact Man - Review October 28, 2009

On Sunday I saw No Impact Man, a film I had been looking forward to ever since I heard about it. I’m happy to say I was not disappointed. The film did a great job of weaving in a narrative while staying focused on what it’s like to become the ultimate greenie.

What steps did they take to reduce their impact?

- They ate all local foods
- They bought nothing new (they were allowed to buy used items)
- They turned off their electricity for 6 months
- They composted
- They didn’t use cars, elevators, subways etc. They only walked or biked.
- They ate all vegetarian foods (not vegan which I was kinda bummed about)
- They only used reusable items (things that most people throw away) like bags, diapers, toilet paper…
- They made their own cleaning supplies.

I’m sure there are more but those are the things that I can remember off the top of my head. I was happy that they talked about animal agriculture contributing to global warming. Although as I mentioned, they did not go vegan. I think they should have gone vegan to really go the full mile. I mean, if you’re going to shut off your electricity, you’re obviously not afraid of working hard. And being vegan isn’t even hard work. It’s just learning a new way of eating.

My only other complaint was that when they talked about having children, they did not mention the impact having a child has on the world/environment. The human species is reproducing so fast that it’s important to note that having a child does have an impact.

Those were my only two gripes. Otherwise, a seriously inspiring film. My husband and I left knowing we could do more than we are doing right now. I think we do most things pretty well, but there is room for improvement. When someone goes full steam ahead, it’s easy to see where you are failing.  And the No Impact Family certainly went full steam! Go out and see it. Then be inspired to up your greenie creds big time.

Also, visit his website and learn lots of cool info.

Vegan Red Wine Reduction Recipe October 27, 2009

Last Friday on her show, Ellen had a cooking session with her personal cook, Roberto Martin. And of course because Ellen is vegan, everything he makes is vegan. He showed everyone how to prepare a super simple meal with Celebration Roast, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies and a red wine reduction. I’ve never ever made a red wine reduction, but you can bet I will be with this recipe under my belt!

In fact, click here for all recipes they made on the show. And you can watch the section of the show he was on. They really promote veganism on the show and on Ellen’s website. And just for the record, I really want a personal chef. Yes, I love cooking, but after a long day, I would love to come home and see beautiful meals magically appear before me. That’s certainly not going to happen, but a girl can dream.

Town In NZ Tosses Dead Bunnies For Fun October 26, 2009

During the annual pig hunt (blech), a rural town in New Zealand has a dead bunny toss for the kids. What’s a dead bunny toss? The kids literally throw dead bunnies as a part of the festivities. Animal welfare groups in NZ have put pressure on the town and they canceled this years bunny toss. But the towns people are upset. They feel like it’s just a bit of wholesome fun and that the animal groups are being too sensitive.

I obviously agree with the AR groups. I think that throwing dead animals promotes a lack of respect for animals. In NZ rabbits are considered pests. Entire companies work on exterminating them. We have “pest” animals in the USA. Every country has them. But before this I’ve never heard of playing games with their corpses.

Watch this video and cringe. The news casters are especially awful.

Vegan Halloween Candy October 23, 2009

Halloween is coming up fast. If you don’t want to be hiding in your room all night with the lights off, you should probably get some candy in advance. But what kind? Happily, PETA kids put together a list of vegan candy so you can stick to your ethics and give the neighborhood kids cavities at the same time.

Here are veg candies you can dish out:

Airheads taffy, Atkins peanut butter bars, Blow Pops, Brach’s Cinnamon Hard Candy, Charms lollipops, Chick-o-Sticks, Cracker Jack, Cry Babies, Dem Bones, Dots, Dum-Dums, Fireballs, Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews, Hubba Bubba bubblegum, Jolly Ranchers (lollipops and hard candy), Jujubees, Jujyfruits, Lemonheads, Mambas, Mary Janes (regular and peanut butter kisses), Now and Later, Pez, Ring Pop lollipops, Smarties (U.S. Brand), Sour Patch Kids, Super Bubble, Swedish Fish, Sweet Tarts, Tropical Source mini chocolate bags, Twizzlers, Zotz

I’m not really sure what vegan parents should do with their vegan kids. It would be unfortunate to take them trick or treating and then not let them eat the candy. Has anyone encountered this problem before? Perhaps get together with vegan friends and have a Halloween gathering instead? Make lots of baked goods and let your kid go nuts on sugar so they don’t feel left out? They sounds kind of nice actually.

Baltimore City Schools Have Meatless Mondays October 22, 2009

I learned about this a while ago and it’s just so incredibly exciting. The Baltimore City school system has implemented Meatless Mondays to promote healthy eating among the kids. It’s vegetarian, not vegan, but it’s a HUGE step for health, animals and the environment. Childhood obesity is a massive health problem in this country and (in my opinion) one of the biggest culprits is the awful food served to children in schools. Between the sodas, the hamburgers, the fries, the chicken nuggets, kids aren’t being introduced to fruits and veggies.

Here is a bit about what Baltimore is doing:

The 80,000 young people BCPS serves will begin each week with a Meatless Monday menu. And that’s not all. The school system has introduced a wide variety of projects to ensure its students eat and learn about healthy, environmentally friendly choices. BCPS has teemed up with local farmers and distributors to provide students fresh, locally raised fruits, vegetables and milk. They’ve also introduced Great Kids Farm, a 33-acre teaching farm, home to chickens, goats and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Educators on the farm teach kids and adults how to produce home-grown fresh food, even in an urban setting. BCPS is also in the process of developing gardens for each of the system’s 200 schools.

Watch the video to see more. Sadly, it’s a little controversial - mostly since PETA started paying attention to the school and praising them. Some people are against the things that PETA is for on principle. Because of PETA’s sketchy tactics. Alas. For all you Wire lovers, PETA is McNulty in this circumstance saying, “What the #^@% did I do?”

The Simpsons Halloween Episode Pokes Fun At Evil Meat Practices October 21, 2009

On The Simpsons Annual Halloween special, they did a skit on a new kind of burger. “The Burger Squared.” Why is it squared? Because it’s made by cows who are killed, fed to other cows, and then those cows are killed and made into a burger. They turn the cows into cannibals. What happens when they do this disgusting practice? The people who eat it are contaminated and turn into “Munchers.” Munchers are basically zombies.

I thought it was a great episode and successfully poked fun at the heinous things humanity does to farm animals. Also, the risks we take when we eat foods made by irresponsible factory farms. Making the people zombies was funny but the real consequences of eating tainted meat aren’t so silly. Mad cow, e-coli, etc.

When Lisa hears about the burger she says that it’s an abomination. Marge responds and says, “Now Lisa, you’re a vegetarian but these cows have made a different choice.” So great! Obviously farm animals (and domesticated animals in general) have no say in what they eat. It’s up to humans to care for them. And the fact that cows are herbivores makes this episode all the more great in its disturbing satire. Thank you Simpsons for continuing to tackle big issues through ridiculousness. You’re awesome.

Watch the episode for free here!

Saucony Has Great Vegan Selection October 20, 2009

First, if you haven’t commented on yesterdays post to win free vegan products from Shikai, stop reading and go comment.

Now, Saucony sneakers. I have terrible feet so I wear sneakers way more than I’d like. But that means I’ve tried on pretty much every brand out there. Saucony is the most supportive, the most comfortable and the cutest. They keep their colors and designs simple (I don’t really like the spaceship styled sneakers that are all the rage.) They do have funkier styles but for the most part, they keep it clean.

They have tons of vegan options. I’ve never actually seen a Saucony sneaker with leather but perhaps my eyes have just glazed over those in the store. If you’re in the market for new kicks, check them out. You’ll be walking on air. Also, don’t forget to donate your old sneaks.

Leave A Comment And Win Shikai Products! October 19, 2009

Not too long ago I wrote about Shikai shampoo and conditioner. The good people over at Shikai sent me, upon request, a great variety of products to contest off. There will be another contest in two weeks, so if you don’t win this time, don’t fret.

Here is how it goes: Leave a comment on this post and you’ll automatically be entered to win some awesome products. Shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and lotion. All vegan. All fab. Contest ends tomorrow at 5pm. The winner will be picked from a hat at random.

Make sure the email you provide is valid. Once I contact the winner, I’ll need to hear back from them within 24 hours otherwise I move on to the next person. Contest limited to the continental USA.

Good luck!

No Impact Week - Sign Up And Make A Difference! October 16, 2009

The Huffington Post is hosting No Impact Week. It starts next week! I’m encouraging everyone to sign up and see what they can do in their lives to make a difference. My husband and I are doing it and then next Sunday we’re going to see the film.

What is No Impact Week?

For the inaugural No Impact Week, the No Impact Project has created a detailed guide that describes how to go about reducing your ecological impact one day at a time. No, not everyone has to completely give up their cars and shut off their power; the guide gives many achievable levels of reducing your footprint and you can pick the goals that are right for you. Each day will focus on one aspect of how we live. Sunday’s focus is on reducing consumption, on Monday the spotlight will be on reducing trash, Tuesday will be about commuting without adding carbon to the environment - i.e., encouraging bike riding and walking; Wednesday will be about encouraging eating foods grown locally and/or sustainably — and so forth.

A worthwhile endeavor if I’ve ever heard of one. Sign up here and take the challenge with me. I’ll probably do a post on my experience at the end of next week. So be prepared to share your experiences…

Good luck!