SVS News | Vegan, Animal Rights, and Environmental News

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Action Alert News | News you can use

What you can do: Animal rights group Mercy for Animals states in Zoos that despite claims of being havens or simulated habitats for animals, zoos remain largely merely collections of "items."

What you can do: Check out the Running Raw Project at www.runningraw.com. Enter our weekly Salem Signs contest to win a free Vegan Fitness DVD, produced by Robert Cheeke.

SVS News | Quote of the Week

"I've done a lot of things in my life, and this just feels right to me. It's made such a huge improvement in my life, I want other people to have access to it."

Raw vegan athlete Tim VanOrden, on how training to be a top vegan athlete has improved his life. BB

Animal activists offer $1M for test-tube meat

AFP

04.21.08. According to Agence France-Presse, the animal rights group PETA is putting up a million dollar reward to anyone who can grow in-vitro meat that looks and tastes like the real thing by the year 2012.

Global Business: Social networking sites attract businesses

BBC Radio

04.15.08. According to BBC Radio, social networking sites now boast hundreds of millions of users globally. Now companies are beginning to ask how the power of the social network can help them do business.

Emergency petition filed to stop Yellowstone bison slaughter

MNS

04.02.08. According to CBS and Montana's News Station, bison advocates and environmental groups are seeking an emergency moratorium on the continued slaughter of bison in the western half of Yellowstone Park.

America's grasslands vanishing amid agricultural boom

Truth About Trade & Technology

04.02.08. According to TT&T, the open plains and prairies of the United States are now threatened by soaring grain prices that have increased the value of cropland. Once pristine land is now being converted to farmland.

Mayor declares Great American Meatout Month in Salem

SVS News

03.27.08. Mayor Kimberley Driscoll has issued an official Proclamation, declaring March 2008 as Great American Meatout Month in the City of Salem, Mass. Driscoll also presented the City's official Seal to SVS.

Climate change hitting the sea's little guys, too

National Geographic News

02.29.08. According to National Geographic News, while polar bears and sharks gain most of the attention when it comes to the effects of climate change, the sea's tiniest creatures are also now in danger.

Whole Foods adds raw food grab-n-go line

Convenience Store News

02.25.08. According to CSN, Whole Foods Markets in Northern California are now offering "raw food" grab-n-go items. The store has teamed up with Chef Roxanne Klein to offer items such as Tibetan Trail Mix.

S.F. Zoo tiger exhibit reopens

Associated Press

02.21.08. According to the AP, the big cat exhibit - which had been closed pending an investigation into the Tatiana tiger escape and mauling incident on December 25, 2007 - has reopened to the public today.

Tyson sees annual sales of at least $5B by 2010

CNNMoney

02.19.08. According to CNN, Tyson Foods, Inc., has reported that its annual international sales are projected to rise to at least $5 billion, from $3 billion, by 2010. The increase is the result of expansion in other countries.

Grezzo opens in Boston's North End: raw vegan

WCVB

02.11.08. According to WCVB TV/DT Boston and the BostonChannel.com, the opening of Grezzo restaurant in Boston this week proves that vegan, organic, and raw doesn't necessarily mean carrots and celery sticks.

Bison hunt temporarily suspended

The Prairie Star

02.04.08. According to The Prairie Star, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the Montana Department of Livestock have temporarily suspended the state’s bison hunt in the Gardiner area, effective immediately.

Acts must be local to change things global

The Age

02.04.08. According to John Thwaites and Tim Flannery of Australia's The Age, state, regional and local governments must join with business and the community to make real, immediate reductions in carbon emissions.

The 247 lb. Vegan

The Wall Street Journal

01.25.08. According to the WSJ, Kansas City Chiefs tight-end Tony Gonzalez set out to answer the question: Can a National Football League player live entirely on plants? At 6'5", 247 lbs - Gonzalez proves he can.

What you can do: In February, Salem Vegan Society airs the Vegan Fitness Team's DVD, Vegan Fitness: Built Naturally, on Salem Access Television. Visit the VFT website to find out more.

Eatery plans baby cuisine

Indianapolis Business Journal

01.25.08. According to Jennifer Whitson of IBJ, Neal Brown, owner/chef of the Indianapolis upscale restaurant L'explorateur, is launching an organic baby food business to keep up with this growing market trend.

What you can do: To find out more about baby cubes, visit BabyCubes.com. Vegan & non-vegan organic baby foods are available online from Earth's Best. Read: Raising a Veggie Baby.

Rose City Chocolatier announces personalized product line

PR.com

01.20.08. According to a PR.com press release from Rose City Chocolatier, the "all natural" Belgian chocolate experience is now being targeted to personalized packaging, especially for corporate gift giving.

What you can do: Purchase online at Rose City Chocolatier, in time for V-day.

Business: Dairy farming with renewed energy

The London Free Press

01.14.08. According to LFP, we can now glimpse farming's high-tech future on a Stanton farm near Ilderton, where dairy cows are computer-tracked, the milking is automatic, and manure will soon generate electricity.

What you can do: Dairy farming may be becoming high-tech and super-efficient, but is the true welfare of the cows being addressed? Consider FS's The Welfare of Cattle in Dairy Production.

31 animals found dead on British farm

Associated Press

01.11.08. According to the AP, British police and animal welfare authorities rescued 84 neglected horses this week from a farm where they had found 31 dead horses, ponies and donkeys, officials said...

What you can do: There are many agencies available today to assist you in reporting animal abuse when you see it, including HSUS, ASPCA, PETA, CEASE, MARC, and ARL Boston.

Scientists find key to chance of human pandemic from bird flu

Wired

01.06.08. According to Wired, Med-tech, Health, scientists have unlocked the mechanism necessary for bird flu, or the H5N1 virus, to transform into the rare but deadly human pandemic virus that could kill millions globally.

What you can do: To find out more about this topic, purchase Dr. Michael Greger's timely and comprehensive book, Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own Hatching. You can also read Bird Flu online.

SF Zoo: Renovations now required for polar bear exhibit

KTVU.com

01.04.08. According to KTVU.com, following a fatal tiger attack on Christmas Day 2007, investigators now say that the San Francisco Zoo must also bolster the polar bear exhibit to ensure public safety. 

What you can do: The SF Zoo incident prompted at least one craigslist.com ad, requesting families to visit the Oakland Zoo instead. This doesn't address the real problem of animal rights.

A vegan diet isn't good for cats

The Gazette

12.31.07. Steve Dale, writing for The Gazette, quotes veterinary nutritionist, Ray Russo, who states that, "Cats are obligate carnivores... Cats should not be fed vegetarian diets." He goes on to cite possible health risks.

Animals: What a Tiger Sees

Newsweek

12.28.07. According to Newsweek, the mystery of how a tiger at the San Francisco Zoo escaped its enclosure to kill one teen and injure two others on Christmas day is becoming clearer.

Human role not ruled out in tiger attack

AP/Yahoo! News

12.26.07. According to the AP via Y! News, the big cat exhibit at the San Francisco Zoo has been declared a crime scene, as investigators attempt to determine if human intervention prompted a tiger attack that killed one.

What do vegetarians eat at Christmas?

Well Fed Network

12.22.07. Lucy Nixon, posting on the Well Fed Network, writes that if your holiday guest is vegetarian, keep in mind that they will be able to eat many of the trimmings, but it's up to you to find the alternatives to the meat.

What you can do: SVS lists the most recently published vegan cookbooks in the Notes section on our Book Club page. Still searching for more? How about Oser's The Enlightened Kitchen?

White House: Statement by Press Secretary Sally McDonough

The White House

12.17.07. First Lady Laura Bush announced that the White House 2007 holiday theme is: "Holiday in the National Parks". McDonough stated this was: "In the spirit of gratitude for our natural and historic treasures."

What you can do: White House Press Secretary Sally McDonough did not compare the official theme with the White House's official Menu for the 2007 Holiday Receptions. We felt it our duty.

The Electric Vehicle Acid Test

Slate.com

12.11.07. Brendan Koerner, writing for Slate, asks, "Are EVs really any better for the environment than gas-guzzling cars?" Electricity production, Koerner reminds us, does still originate mostly from "dirty" coal at this time.

What you can do: For a definitive work on these topics, read George Monbiot's Heat from Random House. Remain current at Monbiot's Web sites, Monbiot.com and TurnUpTheHeat.org.

YOU by Crocs™ Introduces Spring 2008 Collection at FFANY

Business Wire

12.04.07. According to BW, Crocs, Inc., has unveiled new models in its spring 2008 collection, including wedge models from its new women's footwear line, You by Crocsä, which will be available beginning in January.

What you can do: All models within the You by Crocsä line are either leather or suede. However, most of the company's increasingly popular product lines are vegan. Purchase online.

Video: Chimps top humans on memory

BBC

12.05.07. According to the BBC, Japanese scientists have shown that chimpanzees have extraordinary photographic memories far superior to ours, using tests in which they outperformed university students.

What you can do: Despite this news, chimpanzees are still being used in biomedical research in the United States. The mission of Project R&R is to end the use of chimps in US research.

Aquarium low key as visitors learn of death

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

12.01.07. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, spokespersons at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta stated that they have chosen not to publicly mark the death of a captive beluga whale who died on Saturday.

Low B12 levels linked to faster mental decline in elderly

ONENews

11.27.07. According to ONENews, New Zealand, a new study suggests that low levels of vitamin B12, which is of particular concern to vegans, may speed mental decline in persons aged 65 and older.

What you can do: Almost every vegan has carefully considered the vitamin B12 factor in their diets. To find out more, read What Every Vegan Should Know About Vitamin B12.

PETA urges S Korea's Rain to abandon fur

AFP

11.21.07. According to AFP, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has requested South Korean pop star Rain to "stop dressing like a caveman" and abandon fur to set a better example for youth.

Pantry essentials for vegan bakers

Columbia Tribune

11.14.07. According to the AP and the Columbia Tribune, every baker needs a well-stocked pantry, including newly-emerging vegan bakers. Listed are vegan replacements for traditional baking items, such as eggs and dairy milk.

Ballot Box Balderdash: Californians for Humane Farms

Dissident Voice

11.13.07. Author and legal director for the animal rights group Friends of Animals, Lee Hall, writing for DV, condemns a November 2008 California ballot proposal that appears to cater to consumers of animal products.

Factory farming: a cruel and destructive industry

People's Weekly World

11.08.07. Author David Kennell, writing for PWW, asks that in light of the recent Nobel Prize awards, we consider another less talked about report that details the horrors of factory farming, and its ecological impact. Kennell states that a little-publicized UN report issued in November 2006, titled, Livestock's Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options, presents an "in-depth scientific analysis of the impact of agriculture on the ecology of the planet." In providing background, the author describes the growth of corporate agriculture in the US, and how animals have been transformed from once free-spirited creatures into production units, kept in often dirty and cramped cages and pens in production facilities, or factory farms. The UN report documents the negative effects of these methods.

Loretta Swit: Original watercolors to benefit Farm Sanctuary

The Inquirer and Mirror

11.04.07. Actress Loretta Swit, best-known for her role as Hot Lips Houlihan in the long-running television series M*A*S*H, will visit Nantucket this weekend to sell her original watercolors to benefit Farm Sanctuary. According to Margaret Carroll-Bergman, of the Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror, Swit, a long-time artist and animal rights activist, will sell her paintings, many of which have animals as their subjects, at the Seven Seas Gallery this Friday through Sunday. Regarding using her celebrity status to help animals, Swit said, "Being a public person, I am in a position to help, and animals need help.”

Please respect the meat

Grist

10.29.07. David Roberts, writing for Grist magazine's Gristmill section, posts a video segment from the television show, My Name is Earl. Roberts describes the clip as a plea for higher food consciousness. In the Earl segment, we're presented with the dark musings of Darnell, who Roberts describes as a "gentle soul" in witness protection. His cover requires him to work at the Crab Shack and, of course, to kill crabs. Darnell's reality/daydream runs like a rasta version of Austin Powers. Think vintage Soul Train, Afro Sheen, Miller Lite commercials, and a healthy dose of Marvin Gaye. Darnell's animal rights message is cool, or hot, depending on your perception. In the end, the viewer realizes that despite Darnell's soulful enlightenment, smooth voice, and smoother moves, he, and the helpless crustaceans, are still inevitably subjected to the effects of modern-day human ignorance.

Edward Espe Brown takes Zen cooking from Tassajara to movies

San Francisco Chronicle

10.21.07. According to SF Chronicle staff writer Carol Ness, Northern California Zen priest, Edward Espe Brown, is many things - baker, author, teacher - and now, in "How to Cook Your Life," he's also a movie star. Ness notes that even for a ham like Brown, the sudden fame will take some getting used to. The world premiere for "How to" took place in Berlin in February, and it opened in US theaters on Friday, October 26. According to the movie's official Web site, "filmmaker Doris Dörrie turns her attention to Buddhism and that age-old saying, you are what you eat. In "How To Cook Your Life," Dörrie enlists the help of the charismatic Zen Master Edward Espe Brown to explain the guiding principles of Zen Buddhism as they apply to the preparation of food as well as life itself."

Specter of traffic from Whole Foods looms

The Advocate

10.17.07. According to The Advocate, of Stamford, Conn., the town's Planning and Zoning Commission expressed concerns about the possibility of increased traffic from a proposed new Whole Foods Market in Darien. Whole Foods, referred to as a "natural and organic food retailer" by The Advocate, is currently seeking permission to build a 50,000 square-foot store in the town. Commission Chairman Frederick Conze stated, "It's traffic issues is basically what it boils down to." Whole Foods estimates the store will generate approximately 3,700 motor vehicle trips per day, while opponents of the new store say the number may be as high as 6,000. The retailer's proposal will be decided by November 6.

Pulling the plug on wasteful lighting

BBC

10.10.07. The once mystical and inspirational light bulb, the light that illumines our great cities and rolling suburbs, has suddenly become public enemy number one in today's mounting fight against climate change. According to BBC Science and Nature reporter Mark Kinver, UK Environment Secretary Hilary Benn, in a speech addressed to a recent Labour Party conference, announced plans to phase out the sale of conventional light bulbs in Britain by the year 2011. This follows a recent decision by the Australian government to ban the bulbs by 2009. In addition, according to the BBC, the European Commission is now considering an EU-wide ban, to cut energy consumption 20% by 2020.

Substitutions make eggs Benedict healthy

Asbury Park Press

10.07.07. According to writer Liz Kohman, writing for Gannett News Service and Asbury Park Press, traditional eggs Benedict, with its ham and rich hollandaise sauce, while tasty, can make the breakfast entrée unhealthy. Kohman recommends some substitutions to prevent the standard order of eggs Benedict from turning diners into potential cardiac care unit candidates. Noting a version that substituted roasted red peppers and asparagus for the meat became an invitation for Kohman to turn up a vegan hollandaise recipe, which she eventually found in Donna Kelly and Anne Tegtmeier's "101 Things to Do with Tofu". Claiming to be "vegetarian," not vegan, Kohman retained the eggs in her recipe.

Marked for slaughter, Maxine takes flight in Queens, survives

Farm Sanctuary

10.03.07. Like so many millions of other cows just like her raised for meat, Maxine was tagged, on her way to slaughter and meat rendering. Maxine, however, wanted to survive, and has now found sanctuary. Tagged with bar codes on her back like a piece of merchandise, Maxine, a young female Hereford cow, was spotted on the night of September 18 by residents of Queens, New York, who phoned the information to the local police. She was captured shortly afterward by police and firefighters and taken to Animal Care & Control in Manhattan. Rescue teams from Farm Sanctuary, based in Watkins Glen, NY, have now taken Maxine to sanctuary and care, where she will live in peace.

Thrills, Gills, and Chills at Tennessee Aquarium in October

The Chattanoogan

09.24.07. According to The Chattanoogan, October highlights a month of "Thrills, Gills, and Chills" for visitors of the Tennessee Aquarium, part of whose focus will be "the chilling aspects" of the predator/prey relationship. One attraction that will emphasize this relationship, according to the aquarium's penguin keeper Amy Graves, will be the Penguin's Rock exhibit, where visitors can witness the gentoo and macaroni penguins popping out of the water at high rates of speed. Says Graves, "This confuses predators like orcas or leopard seals that might be chasing them." Other exhibits that will be highlighted in October are the shark and barracuda tanks, divers dressed in costume, and an IMAX 3D theater.

4-H dairy show highlights 132nd Rochester Fair

fosters.com

09.22.07. According to Foster's Daily Democrat, New Hampshire's 132nd Rochester Fair presented on its closing day its annual 4-H dairy show, at which youth from around the region exhibit prize cattle they helped to raise. Young farmers from across New Hampshire, some as young as 9 years old, groomed cows and calves by shaving coats, shining hooves, and fluffing tails, as they prepared to present them to eager fairgoers. According to the Democrat, 12-year-old 4-H participant, Deanna Scruton, noted, "It will be like she's gone to the beauty parlor," referring to her blank-and-white Holstein. 4-H is intended to develop "good citizenship, leadership, and life skills," according to staff writer, Amanda Dumond.

Korean McDonald's tests cell phone ordering

Entrepreneur DAILY

09.20.07. According to Entrepreneur DAILY, McDonald's and SK Telecomm have introduced an automated Touch Order system at one of its Seoul, South Korea locations. Customers at the Seoul McDonald's test site "are now greeted with RFID readers at each table and menus are embedded with RFID computer chips," writes Kristin Edelhauser for ED. The system works this way: Plug the McDonald's reader into your cell phone, and you're linked into the fast food giant's menu ordering network. Korean diners simply point their cell phone at the items they want and then wait for a text message confirming that their order is ready for pick up.

Controversial Wyoming bison hunts begin

Associated Press

09.16.07. A campaign at Wyoming's National Elk Refuge to cull an existing 1,200 strong bison herd by at least 700 over the next few years began on Saturday, angering animal rights activists and environmentalists. According to the Associated Press, in the past three decades, since 18 lone bison first crossed into this elk territory, the herd has escalated to its current 1,200 number, pushed elk off of the refuge's "artificial feed lines," and has introduced diseases to the region that have put other livestock at risk. Yet the bison are still fed by the refuge managers, a government agency. This has angered activists, who say that the government is killing those it feeds.

EU automakers reject 2012 deadline for CO2 cuts

AFP

09.13.07. According to AFP, European automakers demanded more time on Wednesday to meet currently debated CO2 emissions targets, but stressed that they would continue to work hard to produce cleaner cars. AFP reports that, "the European Automobile Manufacturers Association agreed with a European Commission plan to cut CO2 emissions to 120 grams per kilometre, but by 2015 at the earliest," according to ACEA president Sergio Marchionne, speaking at the Frankfurt auto show. Marchionne, who heads the Italian group Fiat, said the proposed deadline of 2012 was not "do-able." He believes that a 2009 plan adoption would take an additional 6 to 7 years to implement effectively.

The future of sheep farming

Stuff.co.nz

09.07.07. In New Zealand, lamb suppliers are currently struggling to break even, let alone turn a profit, according to The Press and Stuff.co.uk. Reporter Tim Cronshaw speaks with NZ meat processor PPCS's CEO Keith Cooper. According to Cronshaw, Cooper has his work cut out for him as he attempts to bolster a flagging industry in New Zealand. Cooper says that he's aiming for a "better bottom line" than last year. According to Cooper, the "average $53 lamb, down to $47 during the main selling window," barely covered their costs, reports Cronshaw. Stuff reports that PPCS is now in a partnership with other processors to market lamb in the United States."

US court allows navy to use sonar

BBC

09.01.07. According to the BBC, the US navy has won the latest round in a court battle over whether it's permissible for the military branch to continue to implement its sonar testing equipment, which some say can kill whales. An appeals court overturned a recent decision that had banned the use of navy sonar equipment in tests due to take place off the coast of California. The judge stated that "national security" must be taken into account. In the meantime, environmentalists and wildlife experts maintain that sonar disorients whales and can cause them to beach themselves and die. In the navy's defense, it claims it has no evidence that sonar has ever caused harm to whales or to other sea mammals.

The new US trend: the cage-free egg

WorldPoultry.net

08.28.07. According to WP, the latest trend in food in the US is the cage-free egg. Eggs from chickens kept in open barns, instead of in the small battery cages that have predominated the market, are rapidly gaining acceptance. WP notes that menus at colleges and universities, hotel chains, and large corporate cafeterias are presently buying cage-free eggs exclusively, scratching battery-cage eggs from their shopping lists. Ben & Jerry's became the first major US food manufacturer to announce its corporate decision to go completely cage-free (with Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's following suit). WP says that consumer sentiment and effective animal rights campaigns have helped to bolster the change.

US Returns Exotic Smuggled Birds To Mexico After 18 Months

AHN

08.25.07. The US government returned approximately 150 smuggled, bright-green talking parrots and parakeets to Mexico this week, according to AHN news writer, Nidhi Sharma. The birds had been in quarantine for 18 months. According to AHN, the smuggled birds, which can be sold on the black market for over $1,000 apiece, had been held at San Diego's Otay Mesa border crossing due to recent outbreaks of Newcastle disease in California. The talking birds will be either returned to their native habitats in southern Mexico or kept for breeding. According to Sharma, there have been several similar bird smuggling cases recently. Forty-five parrots were also recently stolen from a New York pet store.

Key to survival: Healthy soil

swnewsheral.com

08.21.07. Everybody's Science columnist, Sandy Miller Hays, asks us to imagine what sustainable living on Earth might mean with a human population that's expected to rise a staggering 39.69 percent in the next 50 years. Hays points out that many factors will decide whether or not life on the planet will in fact be livable for the projected 9.22 billion population. Will all of these billions of people have enough food, water, and clean air to breathe? Never fear, says Hays. The scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have been studying ways to improve our soil quality. The bottom line? Their studies have concluded that organic farming produces better, richer soil than conventional farming.

Truly: A Vegan Restaurant in Hollywood

LAist

08.14.07. Essayist Maxwell Schneller, writing for LAist, relates how, as a vegan, he prefers to make his own meals, but that being outside of the home so frequently also has him searching for vegan options on the go. According to Schneller, this prompted him to begin formulating a mental list of vegan restaurants in and around LA that he had visited, and then prompted his vegan restaurant reviews for LAist. He begins his review series with Truly: A Vegan Restaurant in Hollywood. Schneller came upon Truly while bicycling on Hollywood Boulevard. Its small, welcoming interior, along with Britney Spears on the sound system, caught his attention, but the blueberry-and-banana pancakes cinched the deal.

Quit your preaching and eat something already

The Globe and Mail

08.11.07. Globe and Mail writer Leah McLaren says she's frustrated with the fuss that some vegans make in trying to convert her to veganism, citing that she does eat vegan food, along with foods from animal sources. McLaren says that she regularly eats plenty of tofu, kale, organic brown rice, and "other crunchy-granola stuff," but that she also enjoys "melted Stilton sirloin burgers" as well. The reporter says she had planned to hold a contest to determine "the most wretched vegan diatribe," when authors Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin published "Skinny Bitch," rendering the need for the contest futile. Needless to say, McLaren prefers her vegans moderate.

NOHARM combines high fashion, ethical consumerism

eMediaWire

08.05.07. High fashion and ethical consumerism: NOHARM recognizes these two terms are no longer mutually exclusive. "Ethical consumerism" is a term gaining support and recognition at an exponential rate. The growing demand for cruelty-free, eco-friendly products is placing an onus on the fashion industry to look towards socially and ethically responsible materials and production methods. NOHARM is at the vanguard of this new era and is proud and honored to introduce an exciting range of high fashion, cruelty-free, vegan footwear for the discerning and ethically responsible consumer. The inaugural NOHARM exclusive vegan footwear collection consists of 14 styles, including: The NOHARM leather-free lace-up ankle boot easily compares with the most exclusive traditional designer brands. 

Religion: Exploring Jainism

Chicago Public Radio

07.27.07. According to a recent Chicago Public Radio piece, produced by Eight Forty-Eight, non-violence and self-control are two of the main tenets of one of the world’s oldest and smallest religions, Jainism. In India there are only four million or so practitioners of this strictly vegetarian faith, and in the US that number is closer to 100,000. According to CPR, last Saturday, the Culinary Historians of Chicago sponsored a Jain lunch in suburban Glendale Heights, and Eight Forty-Eight contributor David Hammond produced this audio report.

Plans for Double Oak Farm: "It's going to change people's lives"

Mail Tribune

07.20.07. Plans to open the Double Oak Farm animal sanctuary in Applegate Valley, Oregon, near Ashland, as early as spring 2008, are now gaining momentum. The 55-acre farm site, brainchild of Oregon land developer Lloyd Haines, will serve two purposes, according to the Mail Tribune: It will provide care for abandoned or abused domestic pets and other farm animals, and it will also provide therapeutic opportunities for the elderly, criminal offenders, and at-risk juveniles. "But it's not merely about rescuing 50 dogs, cats and chickens. The people component is huge, joining animals with disadvantaged youth, retirement communities," said Haines.

BVS annual vegan potluck hosts Dr. Will Tuttle

Dover-Sherborn Press

07.16.07. The Boston Vegetarian Society's annual vegan potluck gathering, held Sunday at The Peace Abbey in Sherborn, Mass., brought together over 250 guests, who shared over 200 vegan potluck dishes, according to the Dover-Sherborn Press. In addition to sampling from many homemade vegan dishes and touring the farm-like Peace Abbey campus, guests also had the opportunity to attend a special lecture by vegan and animal rights author, Dr. Will Tuttle, who spoke regarding his latest book, The World Peace Diet. Tuttle, who grew up in Concord, Mass., is currently touring various vegan and animal rights events in the area.

What you can do: You can join or donate to the Boston Vegetarian Society and The Peace Abbey online. Dr. Tuttle's The World Peace Diet is also available for sale online at the Pangea Web site.

Animal rights activists not horsing around

New York Press

07.12.07. Animal rights activists gathered outside City Hall Park in New York City yesterday to demand that horse-drawn carriages be banned from the city, according to Kari Milchman, posting to New York Press. According to PETA Director Debbie Leahy, “There’s nothing romantic about animal abuse, injuries, and death. How many more horses will be mangled and how many more drivers will land in hospital beds before New York City bans these devices?” 

What you can do: Find out more, and how you can assist, at PETA's Action Center.

America and Russia: Days of fishing and poker

The Economist

07.05.07. President George Bush hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for a fishing vacation in Maine. According to The Economist, the pair discussed missile defense strategies between the two countries, Iran's nuclear program, and the proliferation of nuclear technology. The meeting, which The Economist has dubbed the "lobster summit," was to show the public that America and Russia can, and still do, meet together to reinforce diplomatic ties and to calm public sentiment regarding sensitive issues.

What you can do: While the world's two most powerful men met to fish together in Maine, the world's oceans continue to suffer staggering losses of fish, marine mammals, and crustaceans, largely because of government policies that have failed to comprehend or to recognize the vegan message. According to Will Tuttle, author of The World Peace Diet, it's estimated that approximately "eighty million tons" (that's tons) of water creatures are killed for their flesh each year, either to feed humans or other factory farmed animals! There are ways to help. For the adventurous, there's the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's Crewing At Sea opportunities. For those who have not yet gained their sea legs, assist with PETA's Fish Empathy Project by visiting their Fishing Hurts site.

Plant-based, vegan diet wages war against cancer

Orlando Sentinel

Posted on SVS: 06.24.07. Diagnosed with breast cancer 23 years ago, Linda Blanchard thought that getting more exercise and daily radiation treatments were all she could do to help fight off the disease. Today, Linda attends a Cancer Project weekly cooking class, developed by doctors, nutrition experts, and registered dieticians, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The eight-week course recommends that we omit meat, poultry, and dairy products from our diets. According to Cancer Project instructor and former nurse, Delisa Renideo, "The purpose of the series is to help people make healthy choices to prevent cancer, or to survive it if they already have it."

What you can do: The Cancer Project is an independent, separately incorporated affiliate of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). There are several ways that you can support The Cancer Project online. Also, order a free copy of Healthy Eating for Life.

Companion book to Live Earth concerts due out June 26

Live Earth

06.10.07. A companion book to this July's global Live Earth concerts will be released this month, on June 26. The book – in keeping with the purpose of the concerts, to raise awareness about global warming and our environment – will be printed on "environmentally responsible" paper, according to Live Earth News. According to Live Earth: "The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook: 77 Essential Skills to Stop Climate Change — or Live Through It" is a 160-page paperback release with an announced firs