IDA Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Environment’

“fear is in your soul – say a prayer for me now”

Caged and deprived of everything that comes naturally to them, kicked, stomped on, bludgeoned, thrown to the ground, gassed, anally electrocuted, SKINNED ALIVE!  Does this sound like an entertaining music video to you?  This is Duran Duran’s latest video, “Girl Panic,” featuring five supermodels clad in fur, snakeskin, goat hair, feathers and leather.

I’ve always enjoyed Duran Duran’s music, so I was very disappointed to hear about their new video.  C’mon guys this isn’t 1982, it’s 2012, surely you’ve heard about the extreme cruelties of fur production?  The animals live in terrible conditions and are then killed in horrific ways.  A typical fur coat requires the slaughter of 35 – 125 animals.  Tragically, more than 50 million animals are killed for fur each year.  Over 2 million of them are dogs and cats.

Naomi Campbell in Duran Duran's "Girl Panic" video

Please scroll to the bottom and add your name and comment if you’re against Duran Duran’s promotion of fur.

We also request you contact Duran Duran to ask them to promote compassion towards animals, rather than extreme cruelty in the name of vanity.  We recommend you approach them in a respectful manner, so your message will be heard.

• Duran Duran on Facebook

• Duran Duran on Twitter

• Simon Le Bon on Twitter
• John Taylor on Twitter

• Email Duran Duran: media@duranduran.com, Askkaty@duranduran.com, customerservice@duranduranmusic.com, info@duranduranmusic.com

PLEASE NOTE:

A person that worked on the video and helped source the clothing confirmed that all of the fur garments appearing in the video are made from actual animal fur.  Information on the furs is also available in the printed UK version of Harper’s BAZAAR December 2011 issue.  We have reached out to Duran Duran, politely asking the band to stop promoting the use of animal fur and inviting them to participate in an IDA anti-fur public service announcement.  If they respond, we will post an update immediately.

Additionally, please politely ask the models to stop wearing fur:

Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Yasmin Le Bon: info@models1.co.uk

To help fur bearing animals please go to our Fur Campaign.

To support our work please click here.

Work every day of your life to right what is wrong.

World Go Vegan Week (Oct. 24 – 31) was a delicious success with dozens of pizza restaurants participating by offering a vegan pizza for the week featuring Daiya cheese, a vegan cheese that melts, stretches and tastes like traditional dairy-based cheese. IDA volunteers worked hard to get restaurants to participate in our campaign Vegan Pizza Takes Over the World! We had 73 volunteers reach out to 142 pizza restaurants in the U.S. and Canada asking them to participate in our week of celebration of the vegan lifestyle.

Offering motivation and to make things even more interesting, we had a contest!  Daiya generously offered a month’s supply of its delicious vegan cheese to a random participant who was successful in getting a pizza place to offer a vegan pizza. We are excited to announce that the winner of our contest is Gina Stuessy of Madison, Wisconsin. Gina got two restaurants in Madison to participate, The Glass Nickel and Ian’s Pizza. Let’s hope they will keep the vegan options on the menu beyond World Go Vegan Week.

Congratulations, Gina! We hope you enjoy your month’s supply of Daiya cheese!

Pizza wasn’t the only thing on our minds this World Go Vegan Week. Other volunteers participated in various creative ways beyond the vegan pizza project. At a church in Burnaby, British Columbia, eight families took on the challenge of eating vegan for the entire week of World Go Vegan Week and, in Sri Lanka, activists held an event with a film on veganism, speakers, and vegan food to sample. These are just a few examples of the wide reach of this important week of education. This was truly an international outreach experience!

Thank you for celebrating World Go Vegan Week with us. The animals, the environment, and your health thank you for your compassionate choices. Click here for more information on the vegan lifestyle.

New to veganism? Click here to order a free Vegan Starter Kit.

For more ideas - check out the cookbook Vegan Lunch Box!

It’s back-to-school time and parents all over the country are looking over hot lunch menus and shaking their heads in disbelief. Today’s school lunches are notoriously unhealthy and if you are raising your children in a vegan home… well, all those hamburgers and “fish nuggets” will make you shudder. That means sending your littlest loved ones to school with lunches that they will actually want to eat and won’t trade away. Kids raised on a vegetarian diet have an amazing advantage: a lower risk of the obesity, cancer, heart disease, and other health problems that will plague their meat and dairy-eating peers as they grow older. These days it is easier than ever to raise kids who are healthy and care about animals.

With vegan alternatives to deli slices and cheese available in most grocery stores, it doesn’t take much to recreate the classic sandwiches. Let’s not forget that the most beloved of childhood sandwiches, Peanut Butter and Jelly, is already vegan. Here are just a few products to check out:

• Torfurky Deli Slices
• Lightlife Deli Slices
• Lightlife Smart Bacon and Smoked Tempeh (makes great BLTs)
• Baked Tofu
• Sheese (it’s a hard vegan cheese you can pack with crackers)
• Eco-Planet Non-Dairy Cheese Crackers (they’re like a vegan version of those cheddar goldfish crackers)
• Late July Organic Peanut Butter Bite Size Sandwich Crackers
• Granola or Snack Bars
• Tofutti Slices
• Pretzels (many of the brands out there are vegan – as always you might just need read a few labels)

Don’t forget all those fresh fruits and veggies that nature has already made sweet like apples and pineapple slices or ‘kid-sized’ like cherry tomatoes and baby carrots. Healthy and happy kids need those more than anything!

Of course, you can always get vegan options in your school cafeteria using these 4 easy steps!

Don’t forget World Go Vegan Week is right around the corner! This year IDA is helping Vegan Pizza Take Over the World! To find out more click here.

New to veganism? Click here to order a Vegan Starter Kit.

Due to an oversupply brought on by low demand, chicken (or broiler) meat slaughter is expected to slow dramatically in the second half of 2011. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s latest report, third quarter production is estimated to be 1.3% lower than the third quarter of 2010.

Lower production is expected to continue in the fourth quarter of 2011, with production expected to decrease 2% from the same period in 2010.

An earlier study from the Daily Livestock Report found that U.S. meat, poultry, and fish consumption declined by one pound per person in 2010. Per capita pork consumption fell by 2.2 pounds per person in 2010, and beef consumption was at its lowest level in 2010 since the Daily Livestock Report started keeping records in 1955! This is the fourth year in a row that meat consumption has declined in the United States and the fifth decline within a six-year period.

The economy could be a factor in this trend, but studies are finding that a recent increased awareness about farm animal issues is also likely to be a contributing factor. If you would like to take action to help further this trend, join us for World Go Vegan Week and help spread healthy vegan eating.

Order your own FREE Vegan Starter Kit by clicking here!

Get fancy with a Double Taco Burger! Photo Credit : MeetTheShannons.com

We’re in prime BBQ and potluck season right now and it seems like every night someone somewhere is lighting up their grills. For many of us this a great opportunity to experiment with a new recipe or better yet introduce our friends and family to how delicious and easy it is to be vegan. Food is a great form of outreach for the animals. There are a lot of folks that don’t want to hear about the suffering that is inherent to the meat industry but are intrigued by trying out new foods. Bringing a cruelty-free dish to a get together is lighthearted way to change hearts and minds and can even invite questions on how someone can lead a more compassionate lifestyle.

If you’re looking for some new recipes for classic favorites, here’s some of my favorite summery favorites. Don’t worry – these vegan recipes are BBQ and Potluck Tested and Approved.

Beer Can Tofurky
Caesar Salad Burger
Macaroni Salad with Peppered Tofu
Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
Crab Cakes with Tartar Sauce
Tuscan Lemon Cake
Spare Ribs with 3 Different Types of Glazes
Coleslaw
Three Beans Salad
Creamsicle Cupcakes
Mojito Bars
Antipasto Pasta Salad

If you’re looking for something even simpler, you can always just throw some veggie burgers, Portabella mushrooms and vegan sausages on the grill. There are so many great vegan product out there right now from Gardein Vegan Burgers, Tofurky Beer Brats and Field Roast Chipotle Sausages, it’s a great time to really bring the shock and awe. In case you’ve never tried to grill mock meat or veggies before, here are some of the tricks we’ve picked up over the years :

• Lightly brush your grill with olive oil before putting your mock meat or veggies on the grill to keep them from sticking. If you want to skip cleaning your grill, you can always lay down some aluminum foil and brush that with olive oil. You’ll get a little less smokiness in the flavor and those famous grill lines but it can save you time later.

• Make sure your mock meat is defrosted before putting it on the grill to make sure it cooks evenly.

• Mock meat and veggies cook a lot faster than meat so keep an eye on them and brush them with a mixture of equal parts tamari and olive oil to keep you food from drying out. You can always add some Jerk seasoning to your oil to add a little bit of a kick. Here’s a recipe for a Southwestern Rub you can use with any mock meat or vegetables :

1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon agave nectar
2 teaspoons green chilies (diced)
¼ teaspoon Bragg Liquid Amino Acids
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cloves of garlic (minced)

Mix all these goodie together in a small bowl. Nothing tricky here, just blend it all up. Then brush it on to your mock meat or Portabella mushrooms. Wrap in foil and chill for 1 hour before grilling. Keep any extra to brush on your food when it’s on the grill.

So start your grills and let’s make this summer fun for everyone… including the animals!

For more information on how to go vegan and vegan outreach check out our vegan campaign and order a vegan starter kit!

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Surgeon General unveiled a new food guide, MyPlate, that will replace the Food Pyramid that has been the standard nutrition guide since 1992. First Lady Michelle Obama, a champion of healthy eating and raising awareness about childhood obesity, spoke at the Agriculture Department in Washington DC to introduce the new, more visual guide.

The innovative plate shows four portions with vegetables and grains being the largest segments, fruit and “protein” making up the smaller sections. Not only is it very exciting that the vegetable and grain section are by far the largest slice of the plate, also noteworthy is that the actual food is listed for vegetables, fruits, and grains, however, the fourth section, “protein” is listed as a nutrient. Not as meat- not as meat/beans- just protein. The other sections could be listed as “carbohydrates” or “vitamins” but they are not. It is clear that they are specifically recommending eating vegetables, grains, and fruits, however, how you get your protein is optional. The clear message is that meat is no longer recommended or required in the diet. This is a true turning point in mainstream nutrition education. This is practically a vegan plate!

MyPlate shows the country what we in the vegan community have been excited about for years, plant-based diets ― including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes ― offer an abundant, diverse selection of nutrient-rich foods to choose from, are high in fiber, phytochemicals, and antioxidants, and have no saturated fat (with the exception of coconuts and palm oil). According to numerous studies, plant-based diets have been shown to lower the risk of many diseases including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity.

The only disappointment with the new guide is the separate small circle to the upper right hand side of the plate, representing a glass of dairy. Dairy is completely unnecessary in the diet and is actually harmful with high saturated fat, cholesterol, and many people are allergic, especially in communities of color. Not to mention the very sad, miserable, and short life of a dairy cow and her calves who are usually slaughtered in the veal industry. It’s unfortunate that this was included, but this shouldn’t damper our celebration of this landmark new guide.

MyPlate is an important stage in the global shift to a plant-based diet, and IDA would like to give kudos to the USDA for educating the public on the importance of vegetables and grains on our plate.

For more information on how you can go vegan or promote veganism – Please check out IDA’s Vegan Campaign Pages and Resources!

This year’s International Day of Action for Elephants in Zoos (IDAEZ) – on Saturday, June 11 – is quickly approaching. IDA is pleased that Lily Tomlin is again supporting this global event and the actions of advocates around the world who will hold outreach events and demonstrations to educate the public about the tragic affects of confining elephants in small, urban zoo enclosures.

Lily is urging everyone to participate:

Elephants were never meant to be confined in zoos, where they are suffering and dying prematurely. Please help me share this important message by participating in the International Day of Action for Elephants in Zoos on June 11, a unique event that brings the world together to stop the suffering of elephants in zoos.

Last year there were events in more than 30 cities worldwide that educated thousands of people around the world. You can help make this year’s Day of Action an even greater success by organizing or participating in an event near you.

Events are already scheduled in California, Florida, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Texas and Washington, and internationally in Canada, Spain and the UK. Click here for a full list of scheduled events. (New events are being added all the time so check the list often – or add your own event!)

If your city isn’t yet listed for an event, we can help you organize one. See the IDAEZ Get Started page for more information. IDA provides flyers and posters, issues alerts to advocates in your area so they can attend your event, and sends news advisories to the media.

The elephants need your help. Please join IDA and Lily Tomlin in putting an end to their suffering by taking part in the International Day of Action for Elephants in Zoos.

For more information on IDAEZ click here or email IDAEZ@idausa.org.

Washington State’s Governor Chris Gregoire has signed into law a ban prohibiting the sale and trade of shark fins in the state. This historic bill passed unanimously in the state Senate and by a vote of 95 to 1 in the House. We at IDA want to thank the Washington state government for making the compassionate and environmentally sound choice to end the terrible practice of shark fining off the coast of Washington.
A California bill that would ban the possession, sale, trade and distribution of shark fins in California, Assembly Bill (AB) 376, will be up for a vote very soon. This bill was introduced by Assembly members Paul Fong (D-Cupertino) and Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael). A similar ban in Hawaii passed in 2010 has help start a much needed cascade effect of legislation on the coast of the Western United States to protect the top predator in the ocean.

Shark fining is an industry where the fins and tails of sharks are cut off and the remainder of the often still living fish is thrown back into the ocean. Sharks then sink to the bottom, unable to swim and die a slow, agonizing death. Every year, tens of millions of sharks are killed in this manner for shark fin soup, a tasteless, Asian delicacy. This unnecessary dish has been a major contributor to the near collapse of many shark species world-wide as well as in California. Sharks maintain the natural balance in our oceans marine food web. Scientists are warning that the massive decline of sharks is having a devastating effect on the marine ecosystem.

California’s (AB) 376 will give important protection to sharks to help preserve the ecosystem and biodiversity of the California coast and the world’s oceans.
PLEASE TAKE ACTION:  If you are a California resident, please contact your representative and ask them to support (AB) 376.

2 Words - Vegan Treats. vegantreats.com Photo Credit : MeetTheShannons.com

This is it folks, vegan is headed for the big-time! Just in the last five years, the vegan diet is being recognized more and more in the mainstream. Famous celebrities and politicians have gone vegan like Emily Deschanel, James Cromwell, Bill Clinton, and Ellen DeGeneres, who recently “veganised” an average American family on her show. Dr. Oz got an overweight, diabetic cowboy to adopt a vegan diet to save his life and Oparh and Martha Stewart have each dedicated an entire show to the vegan lifestyle.

Even millionaire moguls are embracing the plant-based diet like Biz Stone, the founder of Twitter (recently a guest on Martha Stewart’s vegan show), Steve Wynn, Las Vegas casino tycoon and Hip-Hop music producer Russell Simmons whose new book is titled Super Rich: A Guide to Having It All. We know that vegans are smart, but some vegans are geniuses. Like George Church, a molecular biologist who helped map the human genome at Harvard and Stanford Biochemist Patrick Brown, who transformed genetic research with his invention of micro-array DNA.

Mega food retailers like 7-Eleven sell vegan options in six of their New York locations and Disney World kicked out McDonalds to make room for the all vegan bakery, Babycakes. Speaking of vegan baking, Animal Planet is rolling out a new reality TV show about Vegan Treats owner and founder, Danielle Konya delving into her animal activism.

Meatless Monday is taking hold across the nation with Baltimore and New York City schools adopting meat-free meals in their cafeterias on Mondays. Sodexo implemented Meatless Monday in its 900 hospital accounts and Oprah Winfrey’s company cafeterias are meat-free on Mondays. Celebrity chefs like Wolfgang Puck and Mario Batali have gotten on board offering a Meatless Monday menu in their restaurants. And San Francisco and Washington DC have Meat-Free Monday Resolutions signed by their board of supervisors.

All this awesome news is incredibly inspirational and I hope makes it even easier for people to adopt a compassionate diet. I also hope that it inspires activists to work even harder to help reduce farm animal suffering. We are winning, but we have to keep the pressure on and the energy up in this critical time.

Do you know of a new way vegan is going mainstream? Add it to the comments!

Earth Day is a great day to get the veg message out! Events will be happening on and around April 22 all over the world as we honor the Earth and learn about ways to reduce our impact on the environment. One of the best ways we can reduce our carbon footprint is by choosing to eat a plant-based diet. The United Nations, the EPA, environmental organizations, and countless scientific studies all worn of the detrimental environmental impact of animal agribusiness. In fact, meat and other animal by-products are responsible for 51% of the total human caused greenhouse gas emissions worldwide according to a study by two prominent World Bank environmental advisers. Learn more about the environmental impact of animal agriculture by clinking here.

Take Action for the Animals and the Earth-

Want an easy way to help animals and the environment? Find out where your local Earth Day event is being held, grab some brochures, and leaflet the crowds at the event. Get some friends together for support or just go solo and help educate your community on eating green. IDA can provide you with leaflets that explain the connection between animal products and global warming, water waste and pollution, deforestation, and more. We also have posters linking climate change with animals raised for food.

lf you would like any flyers, brochures and/or posters, or have any questions about leafleting please contact Hope at Hope@idausa.org or 415-448-0058 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 415-448-0058 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 415-448-0058 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 415-448-0058 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Ideas for Earth Day Activism:

• Apply for a table or leaflet at an Earth Day event.
• Leaflet on your local college or high school campus, or on the main street near the campus.
• Pass out flyers in front of a grocery store.
• Pass out flyers at concerts.
• Pass out flyers at your church.
• Distribute flyers to your friends and family.