Livin’ Veg

Japan Responds To The Cove Winning The Oscar March 8, 2010

Last night the film The Cove won best documentary at the Oscars. I was sleeping by the time that happened but I boy was I excited ten minutes ago when I woke up and read that. The second article I read was Taiji’s response to the film’s success.

The mayor’s office of Taiji said:

“There are different food traditions within Japan and around the world,” the statement read. “It is important to respect and understand regional food cultures, which are based on traditions with long histories.”

Now, that’s true. There are different traditions around the world. I wrote a blog about the hypocrisy of people who eat pig being outraged when other cultures eat dog. However, Taiji isn’t just killing dolphins for food. In fact, killing the dolphins for food seems to be a by-product of the real purpose behind this dolphin hunt. After the dolphins are round up, the marine parks and swim with a dolphin businesses get their pick. The selected dolphins are sold for thousands upon thousands of dollars. The dolphins who are not chosen are killed for food. Much dolphin meat is labeled as whale meat tricking the consumer. Also mercury in dolphin meat is a big big problem. Many people in Japan don’t even know about the slaughter. Taiji officials are claiming cultural when really it’s greed.

The Truth About Soy March 1, 2010

Soy is used in pretty much everything these days. But vegetarians and vegans eat even more of it than the average person. People tend to worry about something called phytoestrogens that are found in soy. Those compounds are similar to estrogen but not nearly as strong. You may have heard of men not wanting to eat soy because they are worried their body will be infected with estrogen. (Many men hate feeling like they are in any way female.)

Neal Barnard from the fabulous organization PCRM wrote a great clarifying article on soy for the Huffington Post. In it, he discusses all of the rumors and gives scientific data to back his assertion that soy is totally safe and even beneficial for the body. He talks about breast cancer, fibroids, thyroid health, hormones in men and women, and other health issues.

Here is part of what Dr. Barnard had to say about cancer:

Women who include soy products in their routines are less likely to develop breast cancer, compared with other women. In January 2008, researchers at the University of Southern California found that women averaging one cup of soymilk or about one-half cup of tofu daily have about a 30 percent less risk of developing breast cancer, compared with women who have little or no soy products in their diets (1). However, to be effective, the soy consumption may have to occur early in life, as breast tissue is forming during adolescence (2-3).

Read the full article for all the facts. Then, next time someone talks to you about soy being sketchy, tell them what you know.

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.

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?