Livin’ Veg

NY Restaurant Uo Serves Diners Live Fish - Take Action February 2, 2010

The Japanese restaurant Uo in NYC serves a traditional Japanese dish, live sashimi. And when I say live, that’s exactly what I mean. Every Tuesday night - yes, today is Tuesday - chef David Bouhadana stuns the fish, slices them open and serves them to diners while the animal’s heart is still beating.

Let me say that again. The heart is still beating while the creature is on the plate. This article from Tastings Table describes the process as follows:

Bouhadana begins the process by making graceful slits along the fish’s flesh before picking it up and slamming it down on the cutting board, where it curls and seizes, rendering it firm to the bite–in some cases, almost crunchy.

Please call the restaurant, send a letter, or stop by and ask them (very politely) to please stop this inhumane process of serving fish. The very least we can do for animals is ensure that they are actually dead before people slice and bite into them.

Here is the contact info:

Sushi Uo,
151 Rivington St. (between Suffolk and Clinton sts.)
212-677-5470

Saving Earth’s Oceans And Marine Life November 19, 2009

Last night I was fortunate enough to see Carl Safina, cofounder and president of the Blue Ocean Institute, talk about his work to save our planet’s oceans. As veggies, I think we spend a great deal of our time advocating for farm animals and (because they are in our homes) companion animals. I know that’s where I focus most of my efforts. There is so much suffering taking place and we have the video footage of factory farms and puppy mills to inspire us to be active. Sadly, I do feel as if the AR world ignores marine life a little bit. Especially when it comes to the plethora of life beneath the surface.

Sure, we pay a lot of attention to seals, whales, dolphins, and sharks. The biggies. But overfishing is quickly depleting the ocean of all its inhabitants, not just the popular ones. And we don’t have the undercover video footage to shock us into action because most of it is taking place on boats and away from the watchful eyes of activists. Consider the picture of the Loggerhead turtle I took off the Blue Ocean Institute’s website. That turtle is an unintentional catch. Meaning, the fisherman who caught it were actually looking to catch shrimp off the coast of South Carolina. But the fact is, we pull out millions of creatures from the oceans every day and because of that fact, the earth’s oceans are in mortal peril. They need us to speak for them, to act for them, and to change their fate.

I’m going to be posting about more take actions having to do with ocean life. Safina gave some wonderful advice to activists last night. He said that we should all channel our activism into areas we are good at. If you like the law, become an environmental lawyer. If you like to write, then write. If you’re a teacher, then teach the topics. Personally, I will be writing about the topic and teaching kids about the issues.

Want some ideas on what you can do now? Check out the take action section of the Blue Ocean Institute’s website and make a difference.

Federal Study Says ALL Fish in US Streams Have Mercury August 20, 2009

From 1998 to 2005 while testing over 1,000 fish in nearly 300 streams, a federal study found that ALL fish in US streams are contaminated with mercury. If you eat fish and that doesn’t scare you, I’m not sure anything in the world will.

25% of the fish had levels that were considered unsafe by the EPA.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar had this to say about it: “This science sends a clear message that our country must continue to confront pollution, restore our nation’s waterways, and protect the public from potential health dangers.”

What does mercury do to the body and how did it get into our streams?

Mercury can damage the nervous system and cause learning disabilities in developing fetuses and young children. The main source of mercury to most of the streams tested, according to the researchers, is emissions from coal-fired power plants. The mercury released from smokestacks rains down into waterways, where natural processes convert it into methylmercury — a form that allows the toxin to wind its way up the food chain into fish.

Hopefully this study will wake us up and inspire us to protect our water systems. Humanity rarely fixes anything unless it directly effects them. Well, guess what humanity: It’s time to get off our butts and do something.

Read the full article here…

Shark Finning and Shark Slaughter July 29, 2009

There is a great opinion piece in the NY Times today on sharks. Killing a shark for it’s fins is to me, one of the most horrific reasons to kill an animal. It’s like killing an elephant for it’s ivory. Such a small part is used and then the rest of the corpse left to rot. The waste of a life. Not that I’d be much more thrilled if the entire body was used, but it would be like if a cow was killed for her hoof, and that’s it. And since fins are so small, many sharks die to meet the demand.

The opinion piece talks about the ramifications on the health of the oceans:

Nearly a third of shark species in the open oceans are threatened with extinction. Losing these top predators creates a cascading imbalance. The species whose numbers the sharks once controlled begin to explode; they then wipe out smaller fish, some of which humans depend on for food. Water quality suffers. Healthy oceans require sharks, and without healthy oceans, healthy fisheries are impossible.

If you want to learn more about finning  and information on the laws in the USA about finning, check out HSUS’s fact page on the topic. They have a lot of great info on sharks.

Sharks aren’t the most sympathetic creatures in the ocean. We have learned to fear them from films, and think of them as a threat to human safety. It’s a very rare occasion when a person is attacked by a shark. It’s easy to want to protect the fluffy and cuddly, but sharks need help too. Even if they are kinda scary.

Sea Kittens (AKA Fish) January 12, 2009

Depending on the day I either think PETA is doing a great job, or I think they are completely screwing things up with their antics. Sure they get press, but at what cost. Today, I’m down with PETA, because I really like their new campaign, “Save the Sea Kittens.”

Sure it sounds kind of ridiculous. Sea Kittens? But to me, it really points out the specieism and disregard most people have for fish. Many people become pescetarians because they don’t want to eat animals - but somehow exclude fish from the category of sentient awesome creature.

So kudos to PETA for their sea kitten stunt. Fish certainly are pretty much ignored, and not just by the public, but also by AR activists. Unless they are whales or dolphins, we don’t seem to have much time for them. PETA is one of the only groups that actively campaigns for fish.

You can also create your own sea kitten. The pic above and to the right is my own sea kitten. Make yours here.