Livin’ Veg

The Tragedy At SeaWorld February 26, 2010

A few days ago a killer whale named Tilikum took the life of a trainer at SeaWorld in front of a live audience during a show. He grabbed her, pulled her in the water where she drowned. It’s, of course, a tragedy. Much like it was a tragedy when the chimp mauled that poor woman. But keeping wild animals in confined unnatural spaces has its risks.

This is a sensitive topic.  A woman lost her life. However, I think it’s important to recognize that this is one of the issues with keeping wild animals captive. I’m totally against facilities like SeaWorld. To take a killer whale into captivity, keep it in a tiny barren tank, expect it to do tricks in front of shrieking people and expect it to behave the exact ways we wish, just seems plain idiotic. In the wild a killer whale might swim one hundred miles in a day. At SeaWorld, they swim in circles in a blue tank. In the wild, they might live until their sixties. However in captivity, they will most likely die by their mid thirties. Killer whales live in family pods. They are highly intelligent social creatures. We stick them in a box and expect them to behave. We do it to make money and for the thrill of seeing a large animal up close. We do it because humans are selfish.

Closing these exhibits and respecting these creatures as wild animals seems to be the answer. SeaWorld would lose tons of money, so I doubt they will do that. But perhaps it will prompt an outraged reaction from the public. Nothing is better than public pressure to help close down something as big as SeaWorld.

Should Felony Animal Abusers Register Like Sex Offenders? February 24, 2010

Photo by Marci Stenberg

A bill by Sen. Dean Florez of California proposes that felony animal abusers should be listed on a public registry. This is the same tactic used with sex offenders. The hope is that if you know who has committed a crime, you can help prevent those same crimes in the future.

This article says:

Florez said animal abuse is especially bad in the Central Valley. He said the biggest problem has been with hoarders, people who keep more than usual numbers of animals as pets, without having the means to take care of those animals. Some hoarders have been found with hundreds of animals, often living in appalling conditions, Florez said.

“We’ve had a lot of convicted hoarders moving into the Valley,” Florez said. “There’s no way to find out about these people until it’s too late.”

The program would be paid for by placing a levy of 3 cents per pound of pet food. That figures to about a buck fifty a year for the average companion animal guardian. It also ensures that the state (as we all know, Cali is broke) doesn’t have to pay for the program.

This bill would surely help prevent animal abuse. I have no doubts about that. However, I’m always a bit nervous when we take away people’s rights to privacy. Should felons expect the same rights to privacy as a law abiding citizen? Should certain crimes be up for public display while others remain more confidential? For example, wouldn’t it be helpful for women out in the dating world to know if the guy they are seeing has been convicted of domestic abuse? Or is it wrong to judge people based on their past behavior? People do change. Any thoughts? I like this idea. It would be great for animals. But what about, instead of making it public, making it mandatory for a person who has been convicted of animal abuse to notify the local law enforcement about their crime instead of making it common public knowledge?

Op-Ed Argues For Making Farm Animals Even Closer to Machines February 22, 2010

I’ve read a lot of stupidity during my time involved with animal rights. A lot of people defending foie gras, factory farms, animal testing, etc. But on Friday I read the most idiotic argument ever. The funny thing is, it was posed as a solution for the inherent cruelty in our factory farming industry. What was the solution? Genetically alter animals so that they can no longer feel pain. That’s right. If they can’t feel pain, then treating them like dung becomes a little less grotesque. At least that’s the opinion in the article.

Writer Adam Shriver says in his opinion piece titled “Not Grass Fed But At Least Pain-Free:”

If we cannot avoid factory farms altogether, the least we can do is eliminate the unpleasantness of pain in the animals that must live and die on them. It would be far better than doing nothing at all.

Rather than actually fighting for real change (especially when humanity is the problem here) he’s saying that the animals should be the ones to change. That we should change them so drastically to better suit our needs that they barely resemble animals anymore. But he ignored the fact that pain isn’t the only abuse that makes factory farming cruel. The animals are aware. They are intelligent feeling creatures. They will still go mad from the boredom of being kept in a cage. They will still long for freedom or, if not freedom, then how about enough room to turn around or take part in some of their natural behaviors. A few people in the comments I saw said that the animals would probably injure themselves by banging against the cage to get out. What’s to stop them if they can’t feel pain?

This article, although it’s pretending to pose a solution for the suffering of animals, is actually just a shill for big ag. It’s trying to justify our disgusting treatment of animals by taking even more away from them. They take their lives. Now, they want to take the parts of them that make them what they are. Their ability to feel.

Vaute Couture At Fashion Week’s Green Shows February 19, 2010

Vaute Couture previewed next years incredible new coats in NYC on Monday at the green shows. As an owner of the El coat from their debut season, I can say first hand how warm, comfortable and gorgeous these coats are. These coats have it all: They are vegan. They are eco. They are made in the USA. And the people who sew them are paid a living wage. Leanne Hilgart, the mind and heart behind Vaute Couture, outdid herself again with a new line that will go on presale this summer. The colors are going to be pinks, browns and fire engine red for those ladies who like to make a statement.

See all the images of the new coats on Leanne’s blog On Our Sleeve.

And for those of you who have male veg friends who have been envious that your coat is totally vegan and fab, please know that Vaute Couture is releasing their first men’s line! To see some images of those (including gloves!) go to The Discerning Brute here.

Want to see a coat in action? Check out Emily Deschanel’s character Temperance Brennen in the hit show Bones sporting the blue El. (My exact coat!) She wears it in the first five or so minutes of the show.

Fur Big At NYC Fashion Week February 16, 2010

Remember when people (especially the young) felt ashamed to be seen out in public wearing fur? There was a reason to be embarrassed. You were Cruella de Vil. You were considered insensitive and out of touch.

But now fur is back. I see it on women in their twenties in NYC as well as the usual older mid town Broadway crowd. And it’s definitely back at fashion week. Designers are using fur and no fuss is being made about it.

In this article, the fashion director of Bloomingdales had this to say:

“I believe people will buy fur in the fall. It keeps you warm,” said Bloomingdale’s fashion director Stephanie Solomon. “And for those who don’t like the idea of fur, there is great faux fur.”

I think she’s missing the point. It’s not about having options. It’s about right and wrong. Fur is a frivolous expense for the wealthy few who can afford it. There are plenty of warm winter coats that don’t involve anal electrocution or harvesting animals in tiny cages while they go insane from captivity.

Fur is still seen as a luxury. A status symbol. It shows that the person wearing it can afford it. Like a BMW. Or a big diamond engagement ring. It is my belief that the status is what keeps people wearing it. What we need is a great campaign, like the one in the eighties, to shame designers and potential buyers into shunning fur. Last winter a lot of work was done to get people to stop wearing fur trim (because it was most likely made out of a dog from China) but I really feel like we need to stop focusing on one species. It makes it about dogs suffering, not a cause for all the animals suffering. We need to be talking about fur farms and the frivolous nature of fur. Shame needs to be brought back into the equation.

Pala Pizza In New York City February 15, 2010

I think one of the biggest things that vegans miss when they give up dairy is pizza. It’s easy, great for parties, and a perfect comfort food. Happily, Pala Pizza on the lower east side offers a vegan menu with seven vegan pizzas to choose from. (They are not a vegan restaurant but they certainly cater to vegan needs and their pizzas use daiya cheese.)

On Saturday night while there with my husband and our two friends, we had a fabulous time in the small stylish restaurant. I shared the Patatosa with my fellow vegan friend and WOW! I mean seriously, wow. The Patatosa has: shaved patatoes, zucchini, rosemary and daiya cheese. It was beyond delicious. I wish I had brought my camera so I could have a picture for you. But you can see pics over at the blog that made me curious about this fabulous find, The Discerning Brute. Also click here to visit Pala’s site and see all their vegan pizza options. They also deliver.

I’m not a big drinker but their alcohol menu looked so delightful that I had a beverage. For those serious about their cocktails, they were on the weak side, which is kind of frustrating when you spend ten bucks. That was my only real complaint.

Note: If you’re going on a weekend evening, be sure to make a reservation. They were turning people away when we arrived with our 8pm reservation.

Also, one more word to the wise, make sure the door is locked to the bathroom. My friend walked in on some poor woman who claimed it didn’t lock and he saw…everything. The door did however lock for him. A possible vegan exhibitionist? Who knows.

HSUS Enters The Dog Food Business February 11, 2010

This is bound to cause controversy even though it shouldn’t. HSUS has just released a new brand of dog food called Humane Choice. Humane Choice is an organic (almost) vegan dog food full of quality ingredients and made without animal suffering. Apparently there are some by products… I think in the supplements that are in the food.

Wayne Pacelle, CEO of HSUS has this to say about it:

We created Humane Choice to give pet guardians an option to feed their dogs a complete and balanced food that is also sustainably grown and helps us in our work to combat inhumane factory farming practices. Humane Choice is certified organic…Our formula contains only vegetables and grains that are grown without the use of synthetically produced fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators, or genetically modified organisms. Our product is cruelty-free and contains no fats or protein derived from animals. Most importantly, Humane Choice is nutritious.

For you skeptics out there, dogs are omnivores - kind of like people. They can eat meat but they don’t have to as long as they get a balanced diet through plant based sources. Note: puppies are a different story. This food is only for adult dogs. And like with any change in food, HSUS recommends you speak with your veterinarian.

I’m sure all you dog lovers out there are thrilled to have experts like HSUS supplying dog food. An extra bonus: 6% of the whole sale price will go to HSUS. Which means you can support them while feeding your dog! Visit the site and read all about it. So great!

Affordable Super Cute Vegan Shoes February 10, 2010

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a super cute pair of affordable for everyone vegan shoes. Alternative outfitters is always a great place to find shoes with those qualities.

These sweet pleather flats come in black and taupe and are perfect for jeans or a skirt. The ruffled detailing in the front makes them have that soft country chic Anthropologie feel.

At $34 these shoes certainly won’t break the bank, but they will allow you to soften up an outfit during any season.

For those of you in NY, happy snow day. Last night I prepared the Creamy Broccoli Dal soup from the Vegan Yum Yum cookbook so I have some yummy comfort food while stuck indoors today. Many people have already had tons of snow but this is NYC’s first big snowstorm. So exciting!

Eating Dog No Different Than Eating Pig February 8, 2010

In the NY Times last week there was an Op-Ed on the outraged reaction so many people give when they hear about the consumption of dog. In many countries eating dog is considered a delicacy. In the U.S.A. dogs are pets and therefore not an animal that we consume. Other cultures don’t feel so emotionally connected to the animals and find them socially acceptable to eat.

The Op-Ed tells us about some pending legislation in China:

As it happened, our meal came shortly before the eruption of a furious online debate in China over a proposed “anti-animal maltreatment” law that would outlaw the eating and selling of dog and cat meat, making it punishable by fines of more than $700 and 15 days of detention.

But seriously, how can it not be hypocrisy to say that killing dogs is bad but killing pigs or chickens or cows is fine. Are dogs and cats superior in some way that makes them above eating? We share our homes with them. Is that a good enough reason? Some people share their homes with a pig. Did George Clooney stop eating bacon while sharing his home with his companion pig? For a vegetarian or vegan, all animals are superior and should not be eaten. But does an omnivore have a leg to stand on when they take an ethical position against the eating of companion animals? In my opinion, no.

The Op-Ed had this to say about it:

However I cannot see a rational argument for saying eating dogs or cats is barbaric while eating pork or beef is fine. If you eat meat you cannot logically find it morally or ethically repugnant to eat a particular meat.

Basically, it’s saying put up or shut up. Be a vegetarian or stop being so hypocritical when making racist remarks about how horrible it is that people in other countries and cultures eat dogs and cats. If you wouldn’t eat your cat, but you would eat a farmed animal, well, your simmering daily in hypocrisy. Your comments are not only racist, but also specieist.

What Do You Say When People Ask Why You’re Veg? February 4, 2010

I asked that question on twitter yesterday to see what kind of responses people give. It’s a common question veggies are asked when they encounter a new person in a social setting.

Here are some of the answers people gave:

“Lately I have been telling people I am vegan because I believe in non-violence.”

“For animals, one’s health and the environment. Consuming animal products–dreadful, inefficient way of feeding people.”

“It depends on their intention behind the question. I usually say ethics and health.”

All good answers. Although I try not to overwhelm the person by listing more than one reason. I really like the “I believe in non-violence” answer. That’s a phrase usually reserved for humans but this person turned it and made it about all beings.

When people ask me, I have a few quick answers ranging “Because I wouldn’t eat my cat” to “Because in order to be a healthy happy person, no animal has be harmed.” I try to make the answer short while still leaving room for them to ask more questions - hopefully resulting in a discussion.

What is your short answer when the random person at a party asks you why you’re veg?