Our Blog

A guest blog by Gary Smith

It’s important to live your life in alignment with your values, as best as you can. I would hope that we all value justice, equality, fairness, nonviolence towards others and compassion. Most cultures don’t put much value on these values. We need to disconnect from the culture of violence, competition, exploitation, racism, homophobia, sexism, oppression, speciesism…and begin to embrace our deepest values. One step in the process is to go vegan. When we participate in violence against the most vulnerable for food, clothing, entertainment and household items and cosmetics, we negate who we are as people. We live in a constant state of contradiction, denial and pain, because we are out of alignment with our deepest values. Now is the perfect time to move in the direction of veganism and to honor your values.”

Gary Smith is co-founder of Evolotus, a PR agency working for a better world. Evolotus specializes in health and wellness, spirituality, animal protection, natural foods, documentary films, non-profits and socially beneficial companies. Gary is the animal rights blogger for Elephant Journal and has also written as a guest blogger for Mother Nature Network (MNN.com). Gary and his wife adhere to a vegan lifestyle and live with their cat Chloe and their two rescued laboratory beagles, Frederick and Douglass, in Sherman Oaks, CA.

A guest blog by Gary Smith (First published 5/8/11 at The Thinking Vegan)

Today we honor the mothers around the world – the women who have given birth to us, nourished us and taught us to be upstanding members of society. Most of us have warm memories of our mothers and our childhoods, the comforting stroke of our hair, the times that we were sick in bed and the countless meals that our mothers made for us.

Yet there are billions of mothers around the world who are not celebrating today. In fact these mothers grieve on Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day is a reminder of what has been stolen from them. The mothers I speak of are the billions of nonhuman animals used for food, clothing, pet breeding, entertainment and laboratory testing. These mothers have had their babies stolen from them, some multiple times, and have no idea where their children are, or even if they are alive.

Dairy cows have their calves ripped away annually. Most will have five or six children taken away from them in their short lifetimes. The females live the same miserable fate as their mothers while the males end up living short lives confined in pens so small they cannot turn around, until they are ultimately murdered for veal.

Hens have their chicks stolen away. The males are either ground up alive or suffocated in plastic trash bins. Their lives are meaningless to humans. They are not meaningless to their mothers.

Puppy mills are filled with grieving mothers. They’ve been enslaved to be nothing but baby-making machines, whose value is the continuous production of puppies.

The vivisection industry is filled with grieving mothers as well. Whether bred for labs or ripped away from their mothers as infants in the wild, beagle, primate, rat, mice, cat, mothers all grieve.

Horses bred for racing miss their foals and colts. Elephants in the wild grieve over the theft of their babies for circuses and zoos. Lions and tigers, dolphins, greyhounds all grieve the loss of their children for human entertainment.

Cows, sheep, silkworms all grieve their losses for fashion.

So, while we honor our mothers for the joy they have brought into our lives, we also grieve for the billions of mothers whose children have been stolen away only to be confined, tortured and ultimately murdered for human pleasure, convenience and taste.

If you truly wish to honor mothers today, adopt a vegan lifestyle. Honor them by honoring the billions of nonhuman animals and their children. Being vegan acknowledges all the mothers who are grieving today and every day.

Gary Smith is co-founder of Evolotus, a PR agency working for a better world. Evolotus specializes in health and wellness, spirituality, animal protection, natural foods, documentary films, non-profits and socially beneficial companies. Gary is the animal rights blogger for Elephant Journal and has also written as a guest blogger for Mother Nature Network (MNN.com). Gary and his wife adhere to a vegan lifestyle and live with their cat Chloe and their two rescued laboratory beagles, Frederick and Douglass, in Sherman Oaks, CA.

A guest blog by Talia Fuhrman

Warning: These ooey gooey brownies are incredibly easy to eat and one bite may result in more bites and even more until you’ve taken more bites than initially intended.

This recipe is not only fantastic because these brownies are creamy and ooey gooey good, but because there is avocado in this recipe! Talk about one tasty source of healthy fats.  This recipe is actually a super tasty way to get your daily dose of healthy fats because it contains avocados and flaxseeds. Flaxseeds contain important omega-3 fatty acids that your brain requires to function properly, so eat these brownies and your brain will thank you. And rest assure, your taste buds will be satisfied too!

Ingredients (makes 12-16 ooey gooey brownies):

1 (15 oz) can black beans (I use Eden brand because cans are BPA free)
2 ripe bananas + 1 more to create banana chunks (3rd banana optional)
1/2 cup ground flaxseeds
1 ripe avocado
1/2 cup distilled water
1 cup medjool dates (pitted)
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
small handful vegan dark chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375°F. Place black beans, avocado, 2 bananas, pitted dates, flaxseeds, cocoa powder and vanilla extract in a high power blender or vita-mix and blend until smooth. Make sure you’ve got a sturdy high-powered blender on your side, because a little wimpy blender is not going to cooperate with you and you will get angry and frustrated with your wimpy blender.

2) Place this thoroughly blended mixture into a large bowl and set aside. You may be tempted to eat spoonfuls of your blended vita-mix mixture and this may be unavoidable. I can speak from experience. As long as you only eat a few spoonfuls, this should not affect the final product.

3) In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda and baking powder. Combine both mixtures and mix thoroughly. Cut up the third banana in small pieces and add the banana pieces into the mixture as to create chunks of banana in the final brownies (this is optional). Add chocolate chips and stir until they are mixed into the batter completely.

Spread onto a lightly-greased or parchment-lined glass baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the brownies comes out clean.

*I used whole-wheat flour to make these brownies, but oat flour or another gluten-free flour should work just as well for those who avoid gluten.

Talia Fuhrman, the oldest daughter of Dr. Fuhrman, has a degree in nutritional sciences from Cornell University and is currently working on a manuscript of her own health and wellness book for young women. She is on a mission to help people of all ages understand that eating healthfully can be fun, delicious, and easy. A lover of cooking and writing, she understands that disease prevention must be made positively delicious! Talia has her own website with psychological musing, nutrition tips and recipes. In addition to her posts on Disease Proof, you can find her at TaliaFuhrman.com.

We are huge fans of Erik Marcus and his site Vegan.com. In his book, Meat Market, Marcus elevates the debate over animal agriculture. He exposes the exaggerated claims and counterclaims put forth by the meat industry and its opponents. Marcus presents a thorough examination of animal agriculture’s cruelties and its far-reaching social costs. Marcus then considers the discouraging progress made by the animal protection movement. He evaluates where the movement has gone wrong, and how its shortcomings could best be remedied. Watch the short video below with his personal message to you and an urgent call to action and then hurry and get your copy of this must-read here.

The Farm Sanctuary Visa® Platinum Rewards Card

Funds from the new Visa program will help Farm Sanctuary work to end farm animal abuse. If you need to build your credit or just need an extra card for emergencies, why not help farm animals at the same time?

• Receive Visa Platinum benefits including online banking, auto rental, travel insurance, and much more!
• Earn redeemable rewards points by shopping at participating retailers.
• Show your Farm Sanctuary support and pride by choosing one of our customized card designs.
• Have the security of fraud protection and 24/7 emergency customer service.
• Farm Sanctuary will receive $50 for each approved application that is activated and used within 90 days of approval. Additionally, a percentage (.5%) of every retail purchase made using the card will be donated to Farm Sanctuary.

To see all the cute designs or to apply click here.

Joaquin Phoenix rarely makes a public appearance, but when he does – it’s generally to make a statement. According to the New York Daily News, the Oscar-nominated actor has collaborated with PETA to film a short ad promoting veganism. In the uncomfortable commercial spot, Phoenix reenacts “the terror fish experience in the last moment of their lives,” as explained by PETA.

“In water, humans drown just as fish suffocate on land,” Phoenix says as the narrator. “It’s slow and painful and frightening. … Put yourself in their place. Try to relate. Go vegan.”
The video was shot by famed Hollywood photographer Michael Muller. According to a PETA release, the organization wanted to air the ad during the Academy Awards – since Phoenix is nominated this year for his role in “The Master” – but they were rejected by ABC for being “too political and controversial.”

Phoenix, a vegan, described his reason for participating in the campaign.
“I was 3 years old. To this day it is a vivid memory,” Phoenix said. “My family and I were on a boat, catching fish… The animal went from a living, vibrant creature fighting for life to a violent death. I recognized it, as did my brothers and sisters.”

What do you think about this ad?

A guest blog by The Veggie People originally published at ThePeopleProject.com on Feb. 5,2013

Although there are plenty of people who will disagree with me, it is important to remember, especially if you are transitioning over to a vegan lifestyle, that there is no one “correct” way to be vegan. Contrary to what the makers of the Hollywood film “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” would have us think, there is in fact no vegan police, and there is no one all-knowing authority on the subject of “being vegan.” You will not be arrested for eating bread that may contain egg products, and you will not be punished for begrudgingly allowing your in-laws to bring a non-vegan lasagna to your potluck dinner. Although for many of us, veganism represents a lifestyle or a philosophy, it is not a religion, nor does it come with a set of rules or precepts that any one person is required to adhere to.

For some, veganism represents a dietary choice and nothing more. For others, it represents a path to a healthier, more vibrant lifestyle. And for others, it represents a social and political movement against the global environmental degradation that is the direct result of factory farming. For others still, it represents a moral and ethical choice in favor of a kinder, more compassionate vision of the world, which allows us to live in conformity with our own internal values, a vote in favor of animal welfare and in favor of the right of an animal to live without human-imposed fear, torture, mutilation, and suffering. For many of us – and I will venture to say for most of us – veganism represents some combination of the above, any one of which may be of greater importance than the others at any point during our lives.

I have met people who are vegan exclusively for health-related reasons. Often, due to an illness, or to a physical ailment or condition, individuals will turn to a vegan diet in an effort to treat themselves, often with great success. Many such vegans are uncomfortable discussing the idea of animal rights or animal welfare, because for them, their primary motivation for adopting a vegan diet has nothing at all to do with ethics or morality, but represents instead a conscious vote in favor of their own health. I have also met vegans who have chosen a vegan lifestyle almost exclusively for moral or ethical reasons. These individuals repeatedly and courageously demonstrate their commitment to fight for the rights and welfare of factory-farmed animals, relegating “health” to a secondary reason for their choice to adopt a vegan lifestyle.

Just as there are so many different individuals on the face of this planet, there are – naturally – just as many different ways to be vegan. There are some vegans who abstain from eating and consuming all animal products, but who will buy clothing made of wool. Others will abstain from eating and wearing all products that contain animal ingredients, except those that contain bee pollen, beeswax, and honey. Others still will abstain from eating, wearing, and consuming all animal products, with the exception of some products like maple syrup, white sugar, and various wines and beer – which may or may not have been processed with animal products. Others will strictly abstain from eating and consuming all animal products whatsoever, including those that may have come “into contact” with animal products.

Some vegans will eat soy or wheat; some will not. Some will eat processed food or junk food; some will not. Some will eat cooked food; some will not, preferring to eat only raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains. Some vegans will date non-vegans; some will not. Some vegans will raise their children as omnivores, while other vegans will raise their children on a vegan diet. Some vegans have pets; others have companion animals. Some call themselves vegan; some call themselves vegetarian; still others refuse to call themselves vegan or vegetarian, preferring to say that they have adopted a “plant-based diet.” There are as many faces of “being vegan” as there are vegans in the world, but there is one thing that we share: We all abstain from consuming animal products as much as is possible under the circumstances – the question of how much, when, why or how remaining a matter of individual choice or preference.

Activism within the vegan community is also a question of personal choice. Many vegans are health activists, who by example or as part of a larger social movement, invest their time and energy toward educating others about the health advantages of adopting a vegan diet. Others are environmental activists, who by example or as part of a larger social movement, invest their time and energy toward educating others about the environmental advantages of adopting a vegan diet and lifestyle. Still others are political activists, animal rights activists, human rights activists, or peace activists, who by example or as part of a larger social movement, invest their time and energy toward promoting the vegan diet and lifestyle as a progressive move in favor of a brighter, more promising future for all of the inhabitants of the earth. But just as there are vegans who are activists within this community, there are vegans as well who do not consider themselves activists at all, who choose to adopt a vegan diet or lifestyle for their own quiet reasons, who prefer not to engage in any political discussion about environmental issues or animal welfare, or even about health and nutrition. For them, veganism is a personal dietary choice, and nothing more.

Regardless of the foregoing, given the importance that we place on the mighty dollar (or euro, pound sterling, peso, etc.) in today’s society, there is no question that when you choose to adopt a vegan diet, many people – other than your friends and family – will notice. The meat, dairy, and egg industries will notice. The fish and shellfish industries will notice. The leather, fur, and wool industries will notice. Company executives who realize that they are not getting your business because there are animal ingredients in their products, may decide to substitute these ingredients with plant-based ingredients – not out of any effort to “do good” in the world, but because they want YOU to become their customer. Company executives who realize that they are not getting your business because they are testing their products on animals in laboratories, may suddenly “see the light” and decide that these antiquated and unreliable tests are no longer necessary. In fact, some of these company executives might even decide to roll out a line of cruelty-free vegan products in an effort to win back your loyalty. Whether you mean to or not, whether your decision is a personal one or one that is motivated out of a conscious desire to change the world, there is no question that people will notice that you are no longer consuming animal products.

Trust me. EVERYONE will notice.

I am one who believes in personal, small-scale activism – which I believe to be an extremely potent form of activism. Every time you meet a person and say “I’m vegan,” you are making a powerful, but quiet statement in favor of a particular vision of the world. It may not even be your intention to do so, but at this particular point in time, when even avid meat-eaters are expressing concern about the additives and hormones that are being used to produce the meat on their dinner plate, your statement makes people think twice about a whole range of issues, from animal welfare and factory farm runoffs to mercury-tainted fish and mad cow disease. And so, whether or not it was your intention to do so, you have now set the stage for a discussion – which may or may not take place, depending on how you feel at the moment, how open you are about “being vegan,” and whether you think your dinner companions are open-minded enough to listen to what you have to say.

My objective in writing this article is simply to say – especially to those of you who are currently transitioning to a vegan diet – that there is no one correct way to “be vegan.” So, relax, have fun, get out and try new things. Try vegan junk food or processed food. Try macrobiotic cuisine. Try raw vegan food. Try vegan superfoods. Try an intimate dinner for two at a swanky, gourmet vegan restaurant. Visit an animal sanctuary, or your local shelter. Volunteer at an organization that promotes vegan school lunches. Don’t worry about whether you should give away your leather coats right now. And don’t worry too much about whether there was any dairy in that bread you ate for lunch at the restaurant. After experimenting with the vegan diet and lifestyle, you will eventually make the choices that are right for you. And don’t think twice about what other people have to say about it. Give yourself the time to ease into the lifestyle, and to educate yourself about the things that are of greatest importance to you.

Here’s the great thing about becoming vegan. Whether your choice to adopt a vegan or plant-based lifestyle is motivated out of a concern for your health, the environment, or the animals – or whether you just think vegan food is too delicious to pass up – whether you’re an eco vegan, ethical vegan, glam vegan, celebrity vegan, gourmet vegan, junk food vegan, raw food vegan, power vegan, fitness vegan, or an all-round super-vegan, your choice is one that will get people to sit up, take notice, and start talking. And whether that is your intention or not, there is no question that this is a good thing for the vegan community and for the world at large. The more we talk to one another, the greater the likelihood that others will listen, and the greater the likelihood that we, as a community, will come up with solutions to create a kinder, better, healthier, happier, less violent, more prosperous world for animals and humans alike. And seriously, how bad would that be?

The Veggie People want to bring together a world community of vegans, with the objective of stimulating debate and discussion about a wide range of issues that are central to the creation of a compassionate society. In building such a community, we look not only to vegans, but to vegetarians with whom we share a desire to end animal cruelty around the world, and to omnivores who are interested in adopting a cruelty-free lifestyle or who wish to learn about veganism. Please visit their website.

In “The Doctor,” Corbett’s famous voice brings us the story of a life-loving pig who earned his name for his endearing assistance to medical caregivers at an emergency rescue site. “I love The Doctor!,” says Corbett. “Many people don’t realize that pigs and other farm animals form strong social bonds and want to help get each other through tough times, just like we do. When you hear about the intense devotion The Doctor showed to his sick and injured pig friends following the Iowa floods of 2008, it changes the way you think about pigs. We should all be so lucky to have a friend like The Doctor.”

Farm Sanctuary’s “Animal Tales” project launched in October with Allison Janney’s story of a shy chicken named Symphony and continues to tap some of Hollywood’s most recognizable voices to share the magic of Farm Sanctuary’s shelters and the farm animals who call them home. Farm Sanctuary residents are ambassadors for all farm animals on factory farms, and each one has a story to tell.

Check out John Corbett’s new video “The Doctor” and learn more about farm animals at farmsanctuary.org.

Farm Sanctuary’s three shelters in New York and California provide lifelong care for almost 1,000 rescued farm animals. These animals — including The Doctor — are ambassadors for the billions on factory farms who have no voice, and their stories help raise awareness about the harsh realities of factory farming.

A guest blog by James McWilliams

You know them, I know them, you may even be one of them: the “gotcha” vegan. In my mind, there are few characters more annoying than those who troll the vegan world on the lookout for a vegan slip-up. Leather car seats, animal-tested travel toothpaste, beer filtered through isinglass, the wool socks your 90-year-old grandmother knitted you for Christmas, the leather puffs on the inside of your fancy headphones: these are just some of the violations that a “gotcha” vegan will nab you for, administering a moralistic finger-wagging rebuke as they sip their soy lattes and cinch up their pleather belts in smug satisfaction.

Of course, we need to be reminded—constantly—about the relatively hidden places where industrial production secretes animal products. It’s not at all uncommon, after all, for highly intelligent and aware people to remain completely oblivious to the fact that, say, beer might not be vegan or your canvas shoes might have melted horse hooves in them.  But animal exploitation is animal exploitation, so they need to know. We all need to know.  How we are educated on this issue, though, matters as much as the message. And when we fail to live up to an ideal standard, it really sucks to be chastised for it, especially when we’re already trying so hard to do what’s right in a world that generally thinks we’re nuts.

Thus the dilemma: it’s critical to spread the word about vegan responsibility, but nobody likes to be told what to do—or be reminded of their faults—by someone who appears “holier-than-thou.” Adding to this burden is the backfire potential of yelling at someone for their belt when he’s just gone through hell to give up bar-b-que and fried eggs.

I’ve no simple answer to this common problem. Ultimately, though, it comes down to personal qualities: tact and humility stand out in particular. Tact–in that when we do seek to educate potential or practicing vegans we must tread gently in terms of messaging. “Gotcha,” for example, should be replaced with an understanding that there are many levels of awareness, and that different people are in different places. Instead of crying foul, maybe we could say “maybe it’s time to think about taking your activism to the next level by, say, replacing all your leather shoes with non-leather ones.” “Let me know when your ready and I’ll shoot you some links.” Etc.

Humility—in that when you, vegan old-timer, encounter someone who knows better but falls short, just calm down. I recall a seasoned activist once expressing admiration for the fact that I travel with my own soap. I recall thinking “and this person doesn’t?,” but then I also remember feeling a bit relieved by this person’s honesty and willingness to publicly admit imperfection. In no way was this person’s activism diminished for the soap laziness. In my mind, his humanity was enhanced. Plus, I later learned, he later started to carry along his own soap. No proselytizing required.

Ethical veganism is not an all or nothing position. It’s a journey on a long continuum. It’s critical that we never stop articulating the ultimate goal: a world as free of animal exploitation as we can achieve. It’s equally critical that we help make that road as accessible, welcoming, and supportive as possible.  Hence the importance of yesterday’s post: we need leaders who are humble, direct, and tactful.

Oh, and a sense of humor helps, too.

James McWilliams is a professor at Texas State University and the author of four books on food and agriculture, including Just Food: Where Locavores Get it Wrong and How We can Truly Eat Responsibly. His work appears regularly in Slate, The New York Times, Harper’s, The Washington Post, and  the Atlantic.com. He blogs at his Eating Plants Blog and lives in Austin.