The Informed Vegan

Bruce Friedrich in Arlington

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:11:00 -0800

Please join PETA’s Vice President Bruce Friedrich as he presents a free screening of the HBO Documentary film I Am an Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA. Bring your friends and family, especially those who are on the fence about animal rights, to see the film and talk to the manDetails magazine named one of the top five “most influential men under 38.” This powerful documentary—a year and a half in the making—takes you behind the scenes at PETA. Great-tasting vegan food and drinks are available for sale, so come early! Don’t forget to bring a fence-sitter!

What: FREE screening of the HBO documentary I Am an Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA, followed by a Q&A with PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich

When: Sunday, November 22, 2009, at 8 p.m. sharp

Where: Busboys and Poets, 4251 South Campbell Ave., Arlington, VA 22206

For more information, call 202-540-2180.

Al Gore and His Inconvenient Diet.

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:57:00 -0800

If you eat meat you are NOT an environmentalist. That may be an exaggeration but it is true that becoming vegan is one the simplest and most important things you can do to save the planet. Too bad Al Gore can’t see this Inconvenient Truth.

Thankfully the public is finally seeing the link between our dying planet and the dead flesh they consume. PETA President Ingrid Newkirk explains the issue beautifully at Huffington Post:

“A 2006 United Nations report concluded that the meat industry produces about 40 percent more greenhouse gas emissions than all the world’s transportation systems — that’s all the cars, trucks, SUVs, planes and ships in the world combined; Worldwatch estimates that filthy factory farms, transport and all the related parts of putting the nugget into the bucket and the burger into the bun account for 51 per cent of all greenhouse-gas emissions; and that animal-based agriculture is responsible for deforestation, river contamination and 130 times more manure than the whole human population produces.”

Al Gore refuses to acknowledge these findings because he is a self-described “steakaholic.” He, like many people around the world, care more about what they can eat with A1 than about all the fresh air, clean water, rainforest, and human life on earth. If Al Gore really believes in what he says, he would go vegan.

SHAC 7 Conviction Upheld.

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:36:22 -0700

Rebolg this is you want to be on the FBI’s terrorist watch list.

With 94% of all animal test results being non-transferable to humans it is a wonder why people support animal testing at all. If people knew the whole truth about animal experimentation they would not support it. The SHAC 7 are 7 activists who attempted to deliver that truth to consumers through the encouragement of civil disobedience and were quickly imprisoned.

The appellate court this week upheld the incredibly shortsighted ruling that encouraging civil disobedience is NOT protected speech. Green is the New Red says the decision is “a landmark free speech ruling that lowers the threshold of what types of conduct are protected by the First Amendment, and upholds a law that is so broad that it targets civil disobedience as ‘terrorism.’”

The SHAC 7 were arrested for engaging in an effective (maybe too effective) campaign to expose the notorious animal testing corporation Huntingdon Life Sciences. As part of their campaign, SHAC supporters were emailed about “electronic civil disobedience.” The email and message board posts included instructions on how electronically “sit in” on corporate web sites through emails, faxes and phone calls.

Animal defenders spoke out about the insane experiments taking place at HLS and were put in prison for encouraging others to do the same. I think the only reason it is illegal to encourage civil disobedience is beacsue the target was a major corporation. Should PETA campaigners be arrested for encouraging people not to eat at McDonald’s? A boycott is an act of disobedience and there is nothing more threatening to a corrupt corporation/government than a public that refuses to obey.

"Bacon is Good for Me."

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:06:39 -0700

Usually people who get this obsessed with devouring the corpses of other animals get on my nerves/sadden me with their ignorance but for some reason this child makes me laugh.

Not only is bacon NOT good for you, bacon is NOT good for the environment and it is definitely not good for the pig that is being eaten.

Children are the future.

Caught on Camera: Babies Ground-Up in Machine.

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:39:03 -0700

Too sad for words. This goes to show, eating eggs contibutes to the deaths of millions of chickens because sadly, being vegetarian isn’t enough.

PETA and Feminism.

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:42:00 -0700

What has always bummed me out about some of the popular feminist blogs online is that they take every opportunity they can to diss on PETA for any number of things-especially the naked ads and demonstrations. I recently read an amazing article that sums up how incorrect people are when they claim that PETA’s tactics are anti-feminist:

“What’s wonderful about these ads is that they present the nude woman as being more virtuous than her clothed audience, and make her naked body symbolic of her virtue. She’s on the right side of the issue, acting as a moral exemplar through her nudity, and guiding us to become more virtuous people. (Typical example, and another.) I think the reason PETA does this is to make vegetarianism and animal welfare in general look less like hair-shirted ascetic doctrines, and more glamorous and fun. Now, you could criticize this by saying that the whole spectacle is so ridiculous the moral point is totally lost. I don’t think this is right, but at least it’s the right question to ask — a question of whether PETA’s tactics are effective, or cost-effective. Criticizing this as some kind of objectification of women is totally wrong. That she’s posing nude for animal welfare doesn’t make her an object, it makes her a better human being than you.”

The truth is, it’s not about women posing nude, it’s about what they are advocating that makes people uncomfortable. People of all types and political ideologies do not like to be told their lifestyle is immoral/unhealty. Get over it. Vegans are hot. If you want to be as hot as a PETA girl, go vegan!

Rob Bigwood Wins and Nobody Gets Hurts.

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:01:00 -0700

Rob Bigwood doesn’t just defy vegan stereotypes, he destroys them. This 26-year old professional arm-westler from Brooklyn, NY is moving up in the world because he focuses his boundless energy and passion on excelling at his sport and bulks up with a naturally cholesterol-free vegan diet. Rob is a living breathing F&*% You to every person that claims that vegans don’t get enough protein or that eating meat is essential to being a successful athlete. No animals were harmed in the making of this champion.

When did you decide to become a vegan? Why?

I was always an animal lover. It wasn’t until after I watched a group of piglets wrestling around with each other did I realize what I was actually eating. I felt horrible! They were so adorable and reminded me of little puppies. People don’t realize that was is on their plate had feelings and emotions just like we do.

Are you vegan just in your dietary choices or in your whole lifestyle (i.e. no leather, no fur, no products tested on animals)?

I REFUSE to buy leather or any other animal product. I also try to avoid using products that are tested on animals.

What is your biggest life goal?

No matter what I choose to do with my life most importantly I want to be happy. I want to stay healthy, positive and inspire as many people as I can.

How did you get started in arm wrestling?

I good High School friend convinced me to try a tournament in North Carolina back in 2000. I ended up taking fifth place in the right hand novice division and have been hooked ever since. It is an amazing underground sport!

What do you say to people who claim that vegans are weaklings?

Most people don’t believe me when they find out I am vegan. I always get asked “how do you get your protein?” If anyone wants to grip up with me and feel my arms - I can prove that vegans are not weak!!!

What is your favorite food to eat before a match?

Apples, bananas, peanut butter, almonds, oatmeal, and soy milk!

What do girls think when they hear that you’re a vegan? Does it help or hurt your love life?

Haha, I only have one girl in my life. She is a vegetarian but not a vegan. If I had to guess it would help considering how curious people get once they find out. It is a great conversation starter.

What is the best part about being vegan?

Aside from the awesome health benefits, it feels great knowing that I am not contributing to animal cruelty. Also, being vegan is the absolute best thing for our environment!

Thanks Rob for all that you do for animals and for showing the world that compassion makes you stronger not weaker.

Check out Rob’s blog for more info on the man, the myth, the vegan legend.

And check out this amazing video of Rob in action:

The Cruelest Show on Earth

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:50:21 -0700

Kudos to PETA and their amazingly brave and talented undercover investigators for catching the Ringling Bros. Circus in their own lies. Ringling has claimed for years that it does not use the cruel and unnecessary bullhook (club with a hook on the end) to train or reprimand their elephant entertainers. New video evidence shows trainers beating elephants with bullhooks (and whips) before a performance and during rehearsals.

I can’t wait to see how they try to lie their way out of this one.

Mad yet? Do something about it. Tell the USDA to seize Ringling’s abused elephants before it gets even worse.

And please please please, don’t go to the circus.

Food Wasted as Many Starve.

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:33:49 -0700

I’m always shocked when I hear of how much food is truly wasted in the Western world. That is one of the reasons I first decided to go vegan, a diet free of animal products is much less wasteful.

The Guardian U.K. has recently published an online gallery of some horrific photos of wasted food. One of the most powerful images is an entire field of spinach left to rot because the weeding was too difficult. Makes one want to become a freegan.

Check out the entire gallery.

ontherox: Playboy playmate Jayde Nicole was on Capitol Hill...

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:27:00 -0700

ontherox:

Playboy playmate Jayde Nicole was on Capitol Hill handing out veggie hot dogs for National Veggie Dog Day along with PETA. She was wearing lettuce leaves to cover up.

Hey that’s me in the PETA shirt! Learn more by going to GoVeg.org.

Do Vegetarians Have Cleaner Dishes?

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 15:44:07 -0700

This is a great article from PETA Prime written by an author from my old stomping grounds in Spokane WA.

By Kerry Anderlik

We were thrilled when the ban on selling high-phosphate dishwasher detergents went into effect in our county, Spokane County, Washington, last July. We had worked hard to help get this law passed because it is a win-win law: Phosphate-free dishwasher soaps are better for the environment, and the companies that produce them are also frequently cruelty-free! This ban will help stop pollutants from entering our aquifer, lakes, and rivers, and at the same time, it will save animals from the nightmare of animal testing.

The ban began last July and is scheduled to take effect in all of Washington State in the year 2010. And we have already seen a 10 percent drop in phosphate levels in the water flowing into Spokane’s wastewater treatment plant.

So, what’s been the reaction of our residents? You would think that people would be thrilled that a simple thing like using phosphate-free dishwasher detergent was having such a big impact, but there has been an uprising of people wailing about the ban. They are actually smuggling the high-phosphate dishwashing detergent from across the border in Idaho. Why? They’re complaining that the low-phosphate detergents do not get their dishes clean enough!

I can report that the Anderlik family has been using cruelty-free, phosphate-free detergents in our dishwashers for many, many years, and we have never noticed a single problem with our dishes getting clean. Maybe it’s because our dishes are not covered in greasy, cheesy animal fat that sticks to dishes like it sticks to the insides of veins and arteries.

It’s hard to understand how people can be more concerned with their dishes than they are with their health, the safety of our drinking water, or the health of our rivers, lakes, and streams.

Have any of you PETA Primers had experience using phosphate-free detergents in your dishwasher? Have you had any problem getting your vegetarian dishes clean? I would love to hear about your experiences.

anthropophagous: Ecology and Food Now add together Red...

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:14:57 -0700

anthropophagous:

Ecology and Food

Now add together Red Meat+Dairy Products+Chicken+Fish+Eggs and see what you get. Not being vegetarian or vegan is WAY too expensive.

New PETA Campaign Brings Canadian Shame.

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:50:17 -0700

The video is from a really neat new website PETA just launched. See it in all its glory here.

Vancouver Olympic Shame: Learn more.

Not Vegetarian? You Will Be Soon.

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:02:00 -0700

A recent article found at The New Foreign Policy argues that, like it or not, the vegetarian revolution is upon us and it is arriving by force. The article centers not on the moral or ethical debate for an animal-free diet but rather supports the logical conclusion to a meat filled world, total environmental destruction. Here’s a sample:

The numbers suggest that we won’t stop eating meat simply because it’s “the right thing to do.” People love it too much. Instead, we’ll be forced to stop. By 2025, we simply won’t have the resources to keep up the habit. According to the FAO report, 33 percent of the world’s arable land is devoted to growing crops for animal feed, and grazing is a major factor in deforestation around the world. It’s also incredibly water-intensive. The average U.S. diet requires twice the daily amount of water as does an equally nutritious vegetarian diet, reports the Worldwatch Institute. Meanwhile, there will be more than 8 billion people on this earth, and two-thirds of the world’s population will live in water-stressed regions.

I agree fully with the author of this article. Many people will never care how brutal or unhealthy meat consumption is but they may someday care to have clean water to drink and fresh air to breathe. The vegetarian/vegan revolution will arrive by force, I can almost guarantee it. If you are not a vegetarian now, you may be one in 16 years.

Artist Uses Human Skin to Create Latest Works.

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:53:24 -0700

Artist Andrew Krasnow is using human skin to create his latest works of art, including the map of America pictured above. The artwork is drawing huge criticism and yet many fail to see the connection between human skin and that that of cows and seals that are commonly used for “fashion.”

United Egg Producers Think We're Stupid.

Thu, 28 May 2009 13:33:42 -0700

The United Egg Producers have issued an extremely ridiculous argument for why hens are kept in tiny disease infested cages. The organization posted on their website:

“We also want to protect them from their natural predators like fox, hawks, coyotes, and even stray cats and dogs; and we want to make sure they are protected from the weather … snow and ice in the winter, searing heat in the summer and thunderstorms and hail almost any time of the year.”

God forbid a natural predator eat the chicken before someone at KFC could pay $3.99 for it.

You can check out the entire asinine argument here.

Or, if you are interested in the truth about egg production, you can go here.

Canadian Official Eats Raw Seal Heart.

Wed, 27 May 2009 07:00:00 -0700

In a bizarre effort to show support for the brutal seal slaughter, Canada’s governor general, Michelle Jean, ate a slaughtered seal’s raw heart. Yes you read that right, a raw seal heart. After slurping down the bloody organ, the govenor general proclaimed. ”It’s like sushi. … And it’s very rich in protein.”

I am not really sure how this proves that the slaughter is still needed for human survival nor does it provide support for the case that the slaughter kept legal. The world’s largest funders of the seal slaughter (the U.S. and the E.U.) have both banned the import of seal products effectively shrinking the market down to only a few million dollars a year. The country has lost millions more for massive boycotts of Canadian exports like fish and maple syrup.

The hunt does little to preserve culture or the economy but does a lot to tarnish the image of the Canadian government and it citizenry.

And they say animal rights groups are crazy.

Friday Vegan Spotlight: Elijah Wood

Fri, 22 May 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Some people would say that Elijah Wood is super hot. It’s obvious though that Elijah’s hotness comes from the fact that he is a dedicated vegan.

Elijah has starred in many of the most famous and influential films of the last 20 years including in Lord of the Rings where he played the famous Frodo Baggins of the Shire. Not only is Elijah the hero of middle earth, Elijah’s veganism (and promotion of the lifstyle) has no doubt saved thousands of animals and helped protect our earth from global warming so he’s the hero of real earth too.

Thanks to Elijah for being in cool movies and helping animals (including humans) everywhere.

End the Madness...

Thu, 21 May 2009 12:03:31 -0700

Only YOU can stop this. Please take two seconds to reblog this and help spread the word.

Two More Sea Lions Killed on the Columbia.

Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

PHOTO: Sea lions being trapped in Oregon.

The sea lion slaughter on the Columbia river continues. Two more were trapped and killed this week in an effort to boost salmon population. A much simpler way to boost salmon populations…STOP EATING SALMON!

Portland Independent Media puts it best:

Killing sea lions will not help with salmon recovery. Both sea lions and salmon suffer from such shoddy and desperately ineffective wildlife mis-management schemes. The public also suffers, in that we are footing the bill — wasting precious time and resources that should be spent on actions that will actually be effective in bringing back the salmon. We are all very sad that two more sea lions have now died, sacrificed to the ignorance and the hubris of the people whom we have entrusted to “protect” Cascadian wildlife.

Anyone who wants to learn more about this issue or wants to help save the sea lions of the Columbia can go to the Sea Lion Defense Brigade’s website.