The cruelty inflicted upon calves in the dairy industry is one of agribusiness’s best kept secrets. Many consumers might assume that because cows are not slaughtered directly for their milk, dairy products are somehow less inhumane. What many consumers aren’t aware of is that when they purchase milk, cheese or other dairy products, they are contributing to a brutal cycle of suffering for countless calves. In order for a cow to produce milk, she has to have a calf, and those calves are taken away from their mothers immediately after birth. Half of those calves are male, and they’re often used in veal production.

More and more Americans are beginning to understand these realities of factory farming and are taking a stand. Earlier this month, we were excited to report that after thousands of citizens in Ohio spoke out against the cruel confinement of veal calves, livestock officials voted to reverse an earlier decision and give calves more room to move.

But following on the heels of this important step forward for [...]]]>

The cruelty inflicted upon calves in the dairy industry is one of agribusiness’s best kept secrets. Many consumers might assume that because cows are not slaughtered directly for their milk, dairy products are somehow less inhumane. What many consumers aren’t aware of is that when they purchase milk, cheese or other dairy products, they are contributing to a brutal cycle of suffering for countless calves. In order for a cow to produce milk, she has to have a calf, and those calves are taken away from their mothers immediately after birth. Half of those calves are male, and they’re often used in veal production.

More and more Americans are beginning to understand these realities of factory farming and are taking a stand. Earlier this month, we were excited to report that after thousands of citizens in Ohio spoke out against the cruel confinement of veal calves, livestock officials voted to reverse an earlier decision and give calves more room to move.

But following on the heels of this important step forward for calves, comes a shocking new investigative video by Mercy for Animals. Reminding us that there is still much work to be done, the video depicts workers at a dairy calf farm in Texas subjecting young cows to horrific abuse, bludgeoning them with pickaxes and beating and neglecting them. The video is a poignant look at the horrific lives of calves born into the dairy industry.

Over the years, Farm Sanctuary and others have documented the cruel conditions of factory farms, including at a veal farm in Wisconsin. Our “Behind the Mustache” video gives a behind-the-scenes look at the California dairy industry. It’s videos like these that have helped create change in laws and policies for farm animals and inspire citizens to reconsider their diets and take action. We’re confident that Mercy for Animals’ powerful new video will help further the animals’ cause.

Since Farm Sanctuary’s inception, my colleagues and I have conducted numerous visits to farms, stockyards and slaughterhouses to document conditions. Exposing animal abuse through photos and videos is a powerful tool and agribusiness is well aware of that fact. I recently wrote about two state bills, in Florida and Iowa, which would criminalize the documentation of “animal facilities.” Since then, similar legislation has been introduced in Minnesota.

In light of these videos and photographs, the agriculture industry is fighting hard to keep consumers in the dark about where their food really comes from. That’s why it’s important that we use these investigations as tools to educate our communities and show lawmakers the importance of revealing abuse. I hope you’ll use these resources to help create change.

Photo credit: NDSU Ag Communication

Thousands of years ago, Hippocrates, the founder of western medicine, said, “Let food be thy medicine.” Tragically, the way most Americans eat, food is more like poison, making us sick and killing us prematurely. Heart disease and cancer are the nation’s top killers, and the risks of both can be reduced by eating plants instead of animal products. Removing meat, milk and eggs from the menu also prevents animal suffering and goes a long way toward lightening our environmental footprint. People are finally recognizing the profound impacts of their food choices, and we are now in the midst of a burgeoning food movement.

We read about it daily – more and more people are eating local and organic, going vegetarian and even vegan. I want to see it for myself, so I’m out on a three week, cross-country adventure to explore “vegan America.” It’s called the Just Eats Tour and you can follow along daily here.

The Just Eats Tour is part of Farm Sanctuary’s 25th anniversary. We were founded in 1986 to [...]]]>

Thousands of years ago, Hippocrates, the founder of western medicine, said, “Let food be thy medicine.” Tragically, the way most Americans eat, food is more like poison, making us sick and killing us prematurely. Heart disease and cancer are the nation’s top killers, and the risks of both can be reduced by eating plants instead of animal products. Removing meat, milk and eggs from the menu also prevents animal suffering and goes a long way toward lightening our environmental footprint. People are finally recognizing the profound impacts of their food choices, and we are now in the midst of a burgeoning food movement.

We read about it daily – more and more people are eating local and organic, going vegetarian and even vegan. I want to see it for myself, so I’m out on a three week, cross-country adventure to explore “vegan America.” It’s called the Just Eats Tour and you can follow along daily here.

The Just Eats Tour is part of Farm Sanctuary’s 25^th anniversary. We were founded in 1986 to combat the abuses of factory farming and to promote plant based eating. In the early years, we funded the organization by selling veggie hot dogs out of an old VW van at Grateful Dead concerts. Farm Sanctuary is now America’s leading farm animal protection organization, supported by more than 230,000 citizens across the United States.

We work to educate people about the animal cruelty and other abuses of factory farming, and believe that most people, when provided with information, will make healthier, more humane and environmentally sustainable choices. We also advocate for legal reforms, and although the laws are still grossly inadequate, we have been able to pass groundbreaking legislation to lessen the suffering of animals exploited by the food industry. And, we operate sanctuaries in New York and California where we care for nearly 1,000 chickens, turkeys, pigs, cows and other rescued farm animals. Once they come to Farm Sanctuary, the animals are treated like our friends, not our food. We encourage people to consider adopting vegan lifestyles, and we disseminate information like this fun video we recently released to expose the environmental impacts of animal agriculture.

I’ve been vegan since 1985, and it is great to see a growing interest in this lifestyle, especially in the past couple of years. People are coming to it for diverse reasons – health, spirituality, a desire to live gently on the earth or to prevent animal suffering. Among those who have moved toward eating plants instead of animals are: Bill Clinton, Natalie Portman, Woody Harrelson, Mike Tyson, Lea Michelle, Steve Wynn, Mary Tyler Moore, Alicia Silverstone, Russell Simmons, Ellen DeGeneres, Jesse Eisenberg, Biz Stone, John Mackey and Prince Fielder. Vegans still comprise a small percentage of the U.S. population, but our numbers are growing.

The Just Eats Tour began at a black tie gala in New York City at Cipriani’s on Wall Street on May 14^th and three weeks later we’ll arrive at Farm Sanctuary’s shelter in Orland, California for our annual Hoe Down on June 4^th. Along the way, we’ll visit big cities and rural communities. We’ll speak with chefs, business owners, entrepreneurs, fitness experts, celebrities and everyday heroes who are exploring vegan living. We’ll be posting recipes, videos, photos and other resources. We also want you to share your recipes on our website, and we encourage you to take the Vegan Challenge.

We hope this tour will help Americans better recognize the impacts of their food choices, learn about positive alternatives, and ultimately, choose healthier, more humane and sustainable options. You can keep up with the Just Eats Tour daily by checking our website at www.justeatstour.org.

Beautiful, shiny, frizz-free hair? Count yourself lucky to have hair at all! I first heard about the Brazilian Blowout from Susanne Harvey, who called to tell me she’d lost huge chunks of her long red hair1 after using the popular hair-smoothing product that is all the rage with celebrities.

Turns out many women have had the same fallout experience, including actress Mary Louise Parker2 and scores of others who have been complaining to FDA for years about hair loss, blisters and rashes they experienced after using certain hair treatments.

The reason why was made clear by several recent studies3: Many salon products that promise straight, frizz-free, “healthy” hair — even those marketed as “formaldehyde-free,” like Brazilian Blowout – actually contain significant levels of formaldehyde, a potent allergen and known carcinogen.4

The revelations prompted Health Canada5 to pull the products off the market six months ago. But here in the United States, where it’s legal for hair products to contain unlimited amounts of carcinogens, FDA has taken no action to protect consumers.

Finally this [...]]]>

Beautiful, shiny, frizz-free hair? Count yourself lucky to have hair at all! I first heard about the Brazilian Blowout from Susanne Harvey, who called to tell me she’d lost huge chunks of her long red hair¹ after using the popular hair-smoothing product that is all the rage with celebrities.

Turns out many women have had the same fallout experience, including actress Mary Louise Parker² and scores of others who have been complaining to FDA for years about hair loss, blisters and rashes they experienced after using certain hair treatments.

The reason why was made clear by several recent studies³: Many salon products that promise straight, frizz-free, “healthy” hair — even those marketed as “formaldehyde-free,” like Brazilian Blowout – actually contain significant levels of formaldehyde, a potent allergen and known carcinogen.⁴

The revelations prompted Health Canada⁵ to pull the products off the market six months ago. But here in the United States, where it’s legal for hair products to contain unlimited amounts of carcinogens, FDA has taken no action to protect consumers.

Finally this week, the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration stepped forward to warn salons⁶ to stop using formaldehyde-containing hair straighteners, and the state of California requested an injunction against the LA-based manufacturer of Brazilian Blowout.

“Workers have the right to know the risks associated with the chemicals with which they work, and how to protect themselves,” said OSHA Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels in a statement.

Yes indeed! Unfortunately, workers and salons are not getting the straight story from manufacturers, who continue to insist these products are safe. According to an Environmental Working Group (EWG) survey, 95 percent of top manufacturers claim their hair-straightening products contain little to no formaldehyde, when they actually contain substantial amounts.

Obviously, these companies can’t be trusted and the FDA is failing to protect public health. The “Brazilian Blowup” is the perfect example why we need to reform national cosmetic regulations to bring American consumer protections up to standards that are already in place in Canada, Europe and elsewhere.

The federal Safe Cosmetics Act, introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives last year by Rep. Jan Schakowsky (and soon to be re-introduced into the new Congress) will make it illegal to put cancer-causing chemicals into personal care products in the first place, and will require companies to be fully transparent about their products.

Take action here to support the Safe Cosmetics Act.

In the meantime, what’s the best option for hair straightening? EWG’s assessment found possible health risks associated with all the longer-lasting chemical hair straighteners. The safest route is to use a flat iron, or – like this Sesame Street video we love – learn to love your hair just the way it is.

Photo credit: Claudio Mancilla

Sources:
1. Not a Pretty Picture. http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/eij/article/not_a_pretty_picture/ Accessed April 18, 2011.
2. Mary-Louise Parker of ‘Weeds’ claims Brazilian hair straightening caused her hair to fall out. http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/fashion/2011/04/12/2011-04-12_mary_louise_parker_of_weeds_claims_brazilian_hair_straightening_caused_her_hair_.html Accessed April 18, 2011.
3. Still waiting on FDA to do something about Brazilian Blowout. http://notjustaprettyface.org/blog/still-waiting-on-fda-to-do-anything-about-brazilian-blowout Accessed April 18, 2011.
4. National Academy of Sciences: Formaldehyde Still Causes Cancer in Humans. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/jsass/national_academy_of_sciences_f.html Accessed April 18, 2011.
5. Brazilian Blowout Contains Formaldehyde. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2010/2010_167-eng.php Accessed April 18, 2011.
6. Hair Smoothing Products That Could Release Formaldehyde. http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/formaldehyde/hazard_alert.html Accessed April 18, 2011.

In 2006, I became increasingly concerned both about climate change and the military action taken by the United States to secure its access to oil supplies in the Middle East. As a journalist and author, I wanted to find a way to make the case for a lower reliance on fossil fuels and other natural resources to the American and European publics. However, I did not believe a typical political discourse would do the trick. There had been many of such books already written that attempted such a discourse. Instead, I wanted to find a way to engage Americans who were not typically interested in politics. For this reason, I wanted to draw people in through the power of story instead of polemic.

The story I chose was one about my family–family is something people care about in the United States. Indeed, “family values” are often discussed by conservative Americans, many of whom oppose action on climate change. As the story goes, for one year, we lived, in the middle of [...]]]>

In 2006, I became increasingly concerned both about climate change and the military action taken by the United States to secure its access to oil supplies in the Middle East. As a journalist and author, I wanted to find a way to make the case for a lower reliance on fossil fuels and other natural resources to the American and European publics. However, I did not believe a typical political discourse would do the trick. There had been many of such books already written that attempted such a discourse. Instead, I wanted to find a way to engage Americans who were not typically interested in politics. For this reason, I wanted to draw people in through the power of story instead of polemic.

The story I chose was one about my family–family is something people care about in the United States. Indeed, “family values” are often discussed by conservative Americans, many of whom oppose action on climate change. As the story goes, for one year, we lived, in the middle of New York City, causing as little environmental impact as possible.  This meant, not making any trash, not using any fossil fuel transportation, buying local food, not purchasing anything new. Etc etc. This experiment in environmental lifestyle was discussed in my blog, my book, and a documentary movie, all by the title No Impact Man. My hope was that the story of, if you like, That Crazy Family in New York City would attract attention to our climate crisis.

It was successful beyond my wildest dreams. In 2007, the New York Times wrote a front page story on the No Impact Man project. It has been covered in major newspapers and television channels across the world. There have been over 3 million unique visitors to the blog. The book has been translated into some 15 languages and has sold more than 50,000 copies in the United States alone. The movie has been released in theaters in the United States and other countries around the world. In addition, there have been over 1,000 community screenings around the world to groups ranging in size from 20 to 500 people. I have been invited to discuss No Impact Man with college audiences totaling some 15,000 in number over the last three months.

Also, some 15,000 world citizens have participated in a program run by my non-profit, the No Impact Project. In this, participants try themselves to live with as low a carbon footprint as possible for a whole week. This is not 15,000 people turning out for a two hour protest. It is 15,000 people devote themselves to significant hardship for an entire week. I like to think that this shows that, when they understand the connection of climate to their own lives, people are willing to dedicate substantial effort. This is very heartening. But I have a caution.

A Google search for the phrase No Impact Man yields some 470,000 unique results. Meanwhile, a Google search for the phrase Cop 16 yields 500,000 unique results. In other words, about the same. Of course, I don’t cite these figures to suggest that No Impact Man compares in importance to Cop 16.  I say this to show that something as important as Cop 16, which I believe is part of a process of literally saving our species, does not get discussed by the public just because it is important. In fact, it’s importance gets dwarfed by “better stories.”

Just because you and I consider something vastly important doesn’t mean everyone else will. Especially if they don’t really understand it.

So how do we create “better stories”?

One method, I believe, is to find ways of creating real, human narratives that connect the life of the average global citizen to the complex and seemingly abstract problem of climate change. In other words, can we find a way to talk about climate that isn’t about climate? Instead, can we talk climate in a way that is about people? It is my thinking that the reason why my small project has received so much attention is because, through discussing lifestyle, people are able to understand the connection between their own lives and climate. Suddenly, they understand why it is relevant to them.

On the subject of engaging citizens in this discussion about climate change, I’d like to offer some conclusions I’ve drawn through my experience as No Impact Man. I don’t mean to imply that this is the way everyone should approach communicating on climate. Instead, it is a list of guidelines I have developed for myself as travel around and talk and write about climate to, I like to think, some success:

1. How to communicate about climate change is not a case of either/or but of and/also. Selling solutions to climates change is not like selling laundry soap. You can’t figure out one message for the center of the bell curve. The message must be segmented. We have to communicate with the tails of the bell curve. Don’t assume that everyone else will care for the same reasons you do.

2. No matter which community you are talking to, find a way to connect to their health, happiness and security. Mom’s in DC may well want the coal-fired power plant removed, but not because of climate change. Instead, they want to get rid of it because it gives their children asthma.

3. Break away from dry scientific stories and find sympathetic human stories that connect to people’s daily lives. In the United States, this is particularly important because Americans are ambivalent about politics. Our culture is one that concentrates more on individuals.

4. Don’t speak about the planet. Speak about the habitat that we depend upon for our health, happiness and security. The planet is something else. The habitat is the air we breathe and the food we eat. When speaking about species extinction, point out that if the habitat cannot support other species, that is a sign that it may soon not be able to support us, either.

5. For crying out loud, joke around. If we can’t laugh, is the planet even worth saving?

6. Break away from morality and guilt. Most people are moral, even if they don’t care about what we care about. Instead, figure out what your audience is concerned about and find a way to make climate change solutions appeal to their concerns.

7. Forget trying to frighten people. Frightening people about things they feel they can do nothing about just forces them to ignore you.

8. Avoid dissociating conservatives by cloying too closely to progressive language. We cannot “win” on climate change. A progressive government will soon lose to a conservative one. The culture must be transformed so that strengthening the habitat is a people concern, not just a progressive one.

9. Build coalitions around the solutions rather than the problems. There may be disagreement on climate change, but there is very little disagreement that reducing reliance on dwindling and unstable fossil fuel sources would be good. To many people, renewable energy is just plain “cool.” Use the Star Trek factor in your favor.

10. Talk about aspirations and ambitions rather than limitations. Climate may be a crisis but its solution provides many opportunities. Wouldn’t it be better not to have to live in a traffic jam of automobiles and instead have a healthy, enjoyable, and safe transportation system?

11. Listen and engage. Don’t lecture. Don’t talk down. People want to be engaged and have the opportunity to discuss. They don’t want to be trained or talked at. Find ways for people to take ownership of the issue by letting them be part of the solution.

12. At least in the developed economies, don’t talk about how a sustainable society would be just economically efficient but also talk about how it could bring a more meaningful life, one based more on community and social connection rather than consumption.

13. Tell people how to help. Don’t agitate people about something that they can’t act upon. That only turns them off. In the United States during World War II, scrap drives to help the war effort were hugely important to morale because people felt involved.

Photo credit: viking_79

Creating more news conduits (aka technologies) makes room for more news providers, and as a result people have become very choosy about the types of news they take in and from which providers. Long gone are the days [...]]]>
Hi there! I don’t know if we’ve met, but I’m the media. (OK, fine, I’m not all of it, but I am definitely one teeny tiny part. Jon Stewart, Anderson Cooper and Jane Velez-Mitchell are in here somewhere, too.) So often people talk about “the media” and its influence on our society and culture as though it was a singular entity and a really mean one. It feels like the media is basically the equivalent of a cultural Balrog, the big nasty monster of shadow and fire from “The Lord of the Rings.” (Oh, excuse me. My nerd slip is showing!) As technology progresses, the media’s swirling firestorm grows exponentially. Every time a new method of delivering information to people is developed, we are more continually blasted with the influence of the media.

Creating more news conduits (aka technologies) makes room for more news providers, and as a result people have become very choosy about the types of news they take in and from which providers. Long gone are the days when every house in any city would have the local paper delivered daily, which gave the community not only a register, but a shape from having its residents sharing the same knowledge of current events. Now, we can choose to get tweets from certain sections or reporters from our favorite paper, stream only the clips of video that we most want to watch, or rely completely on blogs for our doses of daily info. While this specificity does make the news experience much more personal (and thankfully keeps newsletters with non-vegan dishes out of my inbox), it also makes the media seem like an unimaginably big monster, continually spewing out tweets, re-tweets, re-postings, links and newsletters that collate them all.

But here’s the thing: I’m the media. As managing editor of a national magazine (that just so happens to be about veganism, my favorite subject of all time), I have basically the best job on the entire planet, and one that falls decidedly under the media umbrella. I’m not just saying this to flatter myself, but I don’t too closely resemble the Balrog. At 5 feet 3 inches tall, my firestorm is more like a warm breeze. I’m a person, probably much like you. I like kale salad, walking to work and very nearly anything with chocolate on it. The big swirling mass of media is made up of tons of people, and none of the ones I’ve met have big pointy horns.

So, come over and say hi! I swear not to bite or throw molten lava at you. It’s my job to know about the amazing project that you’ve just started and tell the world about it. Media culture is a perfect example of squeaky wheels getting greased. If you have the most magnificent non-profit on the planet, you need to sound an alert! Let me know about the phenomenal book of vegan recipes you’re coming out with; tell me all the details of the vegan food company you’re about to launch, and clue me in when you’re planning an event so wonderful that I’d be embarrassed not to know about it. Call me! (OK, in reality, I prefer email, but other editors might disagree.) The good news is that with so many more reporters, editors and bloggers out in the world these days, you have even more opportunity to let the world know about whatever amazing work you are doing.

Contacting the media is something even we in the media need to know how to do. Here’s a little for instance: Once upon a time (a few months ago) we had just announced the winners of our 2010 Veggie Awards. Since we’re fortunate to have a lovely relationship with the editors at Ecorazzi, they gave their readers a little sneak peek of our lineup, which sent a bunch of traffic to our website and created buzz around our story. Sure, you’re thinking, media love fests are fine and dandy for you insiders, but what about me, the mere mortal? Try this example on for size: When Eleni Vlachos started the Bull City Vegan Challenge – a competition that encouraged restaurants to offer new, vegan items on their menus for the month of October – one of the first things she did was email me the scoop. The result? Her hometown activism was featured on VegNews.com.

As much as it might seem like the media is unreachable, uncaring or unreasonable, it’s made up of people who (for the most part) want to tell good stories. Each of us has the chance to shape the media. With any luck, we’ll someday talk about it like something slightly less scary than a fire-breathing monster and more like a trusted friend.

Photo Credit: Valerie Everett

Love Warrior,

Last week I launched my Love List series. Well, amen, hipshake, cause sooo many people wrote their own and tweeted and FB’d it. There’s even a Love List group on myCSL (go join it hot pants). Love Lists heal. They are fun and funky and free. Love Lists remind you that life is deliciously sweet, like a big drippy emotional ice cream cone (sans the glycemic spike). Tune in every Wednesday for my new list and please share the love. Meaning: Write your list! Hey, speaking of sharing, why not tap on that cute little share button at the end of this blog post? Spread the Love through the cyber soup!

1. I love taking pictures of Lola wearing hats. This week I didn’t have a hat so she’s wearing my bra. I think she looks like an old fashioned pilot, don’t you? Like Amelia Earhart. A hint about pet photography: hold a treat at the edge of the lens. I [...]]]>

Love Warrior,

Last week I launched my Love List series. Well, amen, hipshake, cause sooo many people wrote their own and tweeted and FB’d it. There’s even a Love List group on myCSL (go join it hot pants). Love Lists heal. They are fun and funky and free. Love Lists remind you that life is deliciously sweet, like a big drippy emotional ice cream cone (sans the glycemic spike). Tune in every Wednesday for my new list and please share the love. Meaning: Write your list! Hey, speaking of sharing, why not tap on that cute little share button at the end of this blog post? Spread the Love through the cyber soup!

1. I love taking pictures of Lola wearing hats. This week I didn’t have a hat so she’s wearing my bra. I think she looks like an old fashioned pilot, don’t you? Like Amelia Earhart. A hint about pet photography: hold a treat at the edge of the lens. I think she secretly loves our shoots because I’m like a walking cookie jar.

2. Earth Cafe raw cheesecake. OMG. These awesome folks sent us a few samples some months back and Corinne and I fastened our seatbelts, donned bibs and went to town. When I was a dairy guzzler I loved me some rich and creamy cheesecake. Now as a mostly raw vegan I can visit my ole friend again. Hi cheesecake, it’s me Kris, welcome home!

3. Flea Markets. Last weekend we went to the Elephant’s Trunk Flea Market near my folk’s house in CT. This flea is not to be missed. I got a silver cocktail dress from the sixties and this awesomely ugly Mt. Rushmore lamp (which used to be a whiskey bottle). What could be better? Answer: nothing. Wondering how I took these pictures? Check out #4.

4. Hipstamatic’s hot iphone camera app. Corinne turned me onto it. She uses it on her blog all the time. It makes your snaps look like sexy, distressed art. Ps. In addition to being our blog editor and my everything, Corinne is an awesome writer. You might really like her blog too. :)

5. Speaking of awesome blogs, um, yeah, we love Susannah Conway. She’s a rockin’ creative goddess with some juicy e-courses that will shake up your photo-journaling world. Unravel with Susannah and you just might tap into some immense joy.

6. The new Klean Kanteen wide insulated sippy-wonder. Purrrfect for my tea breaks. They keep your bev so hot you might need protective hand gear. Love ‘em. Thanks Kleen Kanteen!

7. Gasland. This documentary is not to be missed. It opened my eyes about the use of fracking in the natural gas industry. You don’t want this to happen to a town near you folks. Me and the hubs are getting active about protecting the Catskills (NY’s water supply – ours too!). You might want to as well. Love this film. Hate fracking.

8. Daily Juice. I miss Austin and sure as heck hope to go back during my book tour. When in the great city that likes to keep it “weird” we always head to Daily Juice. Put it on your radar and swing by if you’re in the area. Your cells will thank ya’ll. Yee haw!

9. Spiritual jewels by Satya. I just love this store. I feel like their earrings bring me one step closer to enlightenment.

10. Listening to old records. I have an amazing collection thanks to a dear family member that passed away. I can no longer speak to him but the music plays on…

What’s on your Love List?

Peace and hearts,
Kris

PS- My girl Rory Freedman inspired me and a whole lotta readers to kick the TV habit this week in her blog! Join the “No TV for 30 Days” challenge with me on Twitter by using the #NoTVfor30Days hashtag. Tubes off, brains and spirits on.

By Zoe Weil

You’re making all the right choices. You’re an organic locavore. Whenever possible, you bike, take public transportation, or walk instead of drive, and when you drive it’s a hybrid. You choose cruelty-free, toxin-free personal care products. You’re a member of a dozen different organizations all with missions you wholeheartedly support. Compact fluorescents? Of course. Bottled water? Never. Yoga and exercise? Regularly. A positive attitude? Absolutely.

But perhaps you, like me, have those dark nights of the despairing soul when you worry whether we really can turn things around on our beleaguered planet. You present a sunny disposition, but deep inside, you sometimes struggle with your own hopelessness. And then you head to your Zumba or Pilates class to sweat away your anxieties and have a shot of wheatgrass to give yourself a boost. You focus on your good choices to stave off any bad feelings lurking below the surface.

But there’s a way to truly lighten your soul, and that is to take all that passion that drives your healthy, [...]]]>

By Zoe Weil

You’re making all the right choices. You’re an organic locavore. Whenever possible, you bike, take public transportation, or walk instead of drive, and when you drive it’s a hybrid. You choose cruelty-free, toxin-free personal care products. You’re a member of a dozen different organizations all with missions you wholeheartedly support. Compact fluorescents? Of course. Bottled water? Never. Yoga and exercise? Regularly. A positive attitude? Absolutely.

But perhaps you, like me, have those dark nights of the despairing soul when you worry whether we really can turn things around on our beleaguered planet. You present a sunny disposition, but deep inside, you sometimes struggle with your own hopelessness. And then you head to your Zumba or Pilates class to sweat away your anxieties and have a shot of wheatgrass to give yourself a boost. You focus on your good choices to stave off any bad feelings lurking below the surface.

But there’s a way to truly lighten your soul, and that is to take all that passion that drives your healthy, humane and sustainable choices and put it not only toward your daily decision-making but also toward your active participation in affecting change.

Mahatma Gandhi was once asked by a reporter, “What is your message?” Gandhi had a big message, of course. He was trying to free his country from British rule using only nonviolent methods, and he was rarely averse to sharing his beliefs with others. But on this particular day, he responded to the reporter by jotting down on a piece of paper, “My life is my message.”

When I first read this, I was stunned by the universal truth of Gandhi’s statement. If Gandhi’s life is his message, I surmised, then my life is my message. Each one of our lives is our message, whether we like it or not. The real question then becomes, “Am I modeling the message I most want to model?” “My life is my message” became a mantra for me, and I sought to make sure that the choices I was making modeled the message I wanted to spread. Readers of this blog know all about this because you do it every day. And that’s fantastic.

But, and this is the hard (gelatin-free) pill to swallow: in today’s world with the huge problems we face, from global warming to escalating worldwide slavery to the horrifying rates of species extinction to unimaginable institutionalized animal cruelty, etc., modeling one’s message isn’t enough. We must also work for change.

There are myriad systems that need transformation: food production, electronics production, energy, schooling, conflict resolution (can’t we come up with an alternative to war?!), architecture, suburban sprawl, transportation, and so on. Even if our individual daily choices do have a positive impact, that isn’t enough to fully transform unsustainable, destructive, and inhumane systems into ones that are restorative, healthy, and just.

But here’s the great news: when we not only harness our energies toward making healthy daily choices, but also uncover our most creative and viable solutions to solve systemic problems, we discover that we have never felt more alive, joyful, and purposeful.

So, what issues do you care about most? What skills and talents do you have? What great ideas do you carry around inside of you that, if enacted, could actually help change an unhealthy system and create a wonderful new avenue for peace?

Here are some ideas others have enacted:

Dara O’Rourke got to thinking as he rubbed sunscreen on his 5-year-old daughter that he should look into what’s in it. When he found out that he was smearing toxins on his daughter, he decided that more people needed to know what he knew. With a team of scientists and researchers he launched http://www.goodguide.com/, creating a business that now allows each of us to learn all sorts of important information about our products. His work enables us to make more conscious choices aligned with our beliefs.

When Katie Redford was in law school, she visited Burma and discovered the horrifying human rights violations perpetrated on the Burmese by a military dictatorship in cahoots with a U.S. oil company. She then wrote a paper invoking an obscure law, the Alien Tort Claims Act, arguing that U.S. citizens have the right to sue American companies for their human rights violations abroad. It took nine years and a group of fellow lawyers to win her case, which set a precedent and thereby changed a system.

Mohammad Yunus was an economics professor in Bangladesh during his country’s terrible famine in the 1970s. He wondered what all his education was for if he couldn’t help his own people, so he went into the village and asked 42 people what they needed. Their answer? A combined $27 to bring rice to market. This launched the microcredit movement, which has since lifted millions of people out of poverty. Yunus created a new banking system so that people with no collateral at all could borrow small amounts of money. He has since won the Nobel Peace Prize. (Notice he didn’t win the Nobel Prize for Economics, but rather for Peace, because lifting people out of poverty creates peace.)

Joan Baez once said, “Action is the antidote to despair.” If ever those dark nights of the soul threaten your peace of mind, remember that your efforts to harness your imagination and creativity on behalf of meaningful, systemic change will not only make a powerful, positive difference in the world but will also bring you incredible satisfaction and sense of accomplishment.

What a wonderful combination: model your message and work for change, two sides of the same coin, one that will fund a peaceful, healthy world for all.

Zoe Weil is the president of the Institute for Humane Education where the world becomes what you teach. She is the author of “Most Good, Least Harm: A Simple Principle for a Better World and Meaningful Life,” “Above All, Be Kind: Raising a Humane Child in Challenging Times,” and “The Power and Promise of Humane Education.” Visit her blog.

By Maya Gottfried

Many of us seek soul mates in relationships, but what about “work soul mates”? What about the work we do that helps complete us? That takes us to the next place spiritually? For me, writing Our Farm: By the Animals of Farm Sanctuary was a soul mate job.

At age 35 I learned about Farm Sanctuary, a national organization (with shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland, Calif) that rescues and advocates for farm animals. I soon became (healthily) obsessed, attending NYC activist meetings, volunteering in the area of publicity, and participating at demonstrations. It was “work,” but with a spiritual aspect, fulfilling in ways my regular job as a publicist was not. As a child, I wanted to help animals by becoming a veterinarian when I grew up. I swiftly changed my mind after discovering some details of what a veterinary education entails. Though I hadn’t found my way to veterinary school, I had somehow managed to use my skills to help save [...]]]>

By Maya Gottfried

Many of us seek soul mates in relationships, but what about “work soul mates”? What about the work we do that helps complete us? That takes us to the next place spiritually? For me, writing Our Farm: By the Animals of Farm Sanctuary was a soul mate job.

At age 35 I learned about Farm Sanctuary, a national organization (with shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland, Calif) that rescues and advocates for farm animals. I soon became (healthily) obsessed, attending NYC activist meetings, volunteering in the area of publicity, and participating at demonstrations. It was “work,” but with a spiritual aspect, fulfilling in ways my regular job as a publicist was not. As a child, I wanted to help animals by becoming a veterinarian when I grew up. I swiftly changed my mind after discovering some details of what a veterinary education entails. Though I hadn’t found my way to veterinary school, I had somehow managed to use my skills to help save animals. I felt alive.

I explored Farm Sanctuary’s website frequently. All of the animal residents had a name and a story. Truly, every story was proof of the subject’s strong spirit. These beings each had a family, a soul, thoughts, fears, quirks, and loves. In the places they had been (factory farms, stockyards, etc.), most had been abused, confined, separated from family members, and treated like soulless commodities of the food industry. Now they were free in the sun, lounging on the grass, and splashing in the water. And as one of the most amazing testaments to their enduring spirits, many of them now trusted humans.

I realized that Farm Sanctuary was a children’s book, it just hadn’t been written yet. There was a great truth here. It was a truth of peace and love and compassion. The book was (and is) the most important piece of writing I’d ever worked on. Unlike my other work, it had the power to save lives. If people saw what I saw, I hoped and believed they would be inspired to protect farm animals through veganism and other forms of activism.

Once Farm Sanctuary granted me permission to do the book, I found that the reality of writing it had grown truly intimidating. How was I going to know I had successfully portrayed the individuals living at the shelters? My other two books used poetry in an effort to communicate the soul. For this reason, Our Farm was composed of poems written in the animals’ voices. I dove in.

Then I found out I had colorectal cancer. The world stopped. I remember the bright white recovery room, sun pouring in, the uncomfortable doctor, and my mom’s look of uncertainty when I told her. I didn’t cry or start screaming or become overcome by any sort of hysteria. It was more like a message flashed in my brain, “Urgent: Your time may be limited.” After telling my Mom I had cancer, the next thing I told her was that I really wanted to do the book.

In Anatomy of the Spirit, written by Caroline Myss, Ph.D., the author quotes a Native American woman’s words on completing your work before dying, “…you cannot leave one part of your work unfinished before you die. Otherwise, you leave a part of your spirit behind.” When it is not possible to finish, the responsibilities are passed on to someone else, but not left undone. I think back to my desire to be a veterinarian as a child. That same soul, that same mind that began life wanting to help animals, now given a potential deadline, wanted to get that done before leaving.

I had chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is indescribable. It’s beyond words. My feet and fingers tingled, I could barely eat, and I couldn’t leave my apartment for weeks. I could feel the chemo when I cried. I practiced restorative yoga and drank green juices, which helped. Shining bright on my horizon was the book. It was bigger than chemo. It was bigger than cancer. It was close to God. A channel. My own personal ray of sunshine that I had been given to transfer joy, truth, and life to other beings. I focused on it during those horrible, nauseous, dizzy days of chemo.

When on breaks from chemo, I would visit the Watkins Glen shelter to get to know the animals better. Once chemo was done, the chemicals withdrew, and I finished the poems.

Through the eyes of the Farm Sanctuary residents I experienced the world anew. As I put myself in their sweet, innocent bodies and minds, I imagined what it was like to be happy and in the sun after so much meaningless pain. I saw the pure beauty of nature and the peacefulness of their new homes as they might see them.

I also learned from other people like Colleen Patrick-Goudreau who podcasts “Vegetarian Food for Thought” and Natalie Bowman at Farm Sanctuary. The organization’s president and co-founder Gene Baur’s book, Farm Sanctuary, caused me to re-examine the true nature of human relationships with animals. As children, people have an innate connection with and love of farm animals. I wanted to support this in my book.

As with any job, there were days of struggle, days when I didn’t know what to write, or how to communicate what I wanted to express. But I never doubted that writing the book was something I wanted to do, something I needed to get done.

So now that the book is out and I’m cancer-free, does that mean I have nothing left to do? Of course not! The book has brought me to a new spiritual place. I feel stronger, more truly accomplished, and more connected to the beauty, love, and joy that exist in the world. I know I can help others and I want to do MORE! Everything I work on doesn’t have to be a life-saving endeavor, but I look forward to meeting my future soul mates.

Maya Gottfried is an animal-loving writer of poetry and prose for children and adults, as well as a publicist. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with two fabulous cats, and drinks a lot of vegetable juice.

In the past, I wasn’t particularly keen on celebrating my birthday. As a child, of course, it was always exciting to commune with friends over plates full of greasy pepperoni pizza and frosting-covered yellow birthday cake. But as I got older, the thought of organizing a party to celebrate yet another passing year just seemed…well, sort of unimportant.

Then I turned 25, and everything changed.

My 25th year of living was perhaps the most exacerbating time of my life. Full of disappointments, setbacks and life-altering tragedies, it was as though the Universe had sent a Category 5 hurricane to devastate the very foundation of my existence. At the time, I tried with all my might to resist the brutal storm, to hold on to the few remaining precious scraps of truth that had once sheltered and protected me so. But the world is stronger than the individual. Eventually my grip gave way, and I was thrust violently into a whirlwind of chaos and destruction, left only with a prayer that I would [...]]]>

In the past, I wasn’t particularly keen on celebrating my birthday. As a child, of course, it was always exciting to commune with friends over plates full of greasy pepperoni pizza and frosting-covered yellow birthday cake. But as I got older, the thought of organizing a party to celebrate yet another passing year just seemed…well, sort of unimportant.

Then I turned 25, and everything changed.

My 25th year of living was perhaps the most exacerbating time of my life. Full of disappointments, setbacks and life-altering tragedies, it was as though the Universe had sent a Category 5 hurricane to devastate the very foundation of my existence. At the time, I tried with all my might to resist the brutal storm, to hold on to the few remaining precious scraps of truth that had once sheltered and protected me so. But the world is stronger than the individual. Eventually my grip gave way, and I was thrust violently into a whirlwind of chaos and destruction, left only with a prayer that I would emerge unharmed and with a greater sense of purpose. I’m happy to report that the prayer was answered.

When the winds let up and the darkness faded, my perpetual uncertainty had been replaced with clarity, determination and pure, unleaded gusto. I knew deep down that my life had been clear-cut to make room for something greater than I had ever known. Sometimes destruction must occur before creation can ensue.

Some call what I experienced a quarter-life crisis, but for me it was greater: it was a bloody war brought on by an internal regime change; a personal reformation of the highest order. It was the forced carving of the first sentence of the second chapter of the rest of my life: “And when he awoke, he saw the world for what it was: a vast plain of endless possibilities, a canvas from which to freely create, a world in which to forever change.” It was then that the tradition of Birthday Activism was born.

Birthday Activism is quite simply the act of leveraging one’s special day to help further a cause and create change. And since my 27th birthday is on Monday, April 12, I thought I’d share my homemade recipe for Birthday Activism with you.

Here’s how it works: about two weeks before the big day, start thinking about issues that you find meaningful. For me, veganism is the cornerstone of my ethical make-up and the nucleus of my belief system. I’m also incredibly passionate about the power of citizen action, volunteering, and effective change. So, naturally, I chose to highlight those ideas for my birthday.

Now that you’ve identified your cause, start brainstorming about projects that might complement your issue. Remember, it’s YOUR birthday! This gives you incredible bargaining power with friends and families. You’d be surprised at what individuals will do when asked the right way.

For Birthday 25, I got a large group of friends to volunteer at a local soup kitchen in New York City. Birthday 26 was spent learning about the plight of farm animals at Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. This year, I asked all my Facebook friends to go vegan for the day (so far over 200 have agreed), and I got a group of 15 to attend an orientation at New York Cares, thus empowering them to volunteer throughout the year.

The third and final step is to promote your birthday activity. Use Facebook, Twitter or make a few good, old-fashioned phone calls to get people excited about the project. Don’t feel bad about asking anyone and everyone to take part. Volunteering is a lot like getting a massage: it feels fantastic and everyone knows they should do it once in a while, but rarely does one take the initiative. In fact, by participating in Birthday Activism, you’re not only receiving a gift, but also giving one equal in value.

Now, don’t worry—it doesn’t have to be ALL about service. After the project, I always make sure there’s something fun planned nearby at a bar or restaurant. But truth be told, years later my friends aren’t talking about the vodka soda they had that night; instead, they’re reminiscing about the lives they helped touch and the good they helped create.

We may not be able to control how many birthdays we get in this world, but we do have the power to make sure each and every one of those special days truly counts.

My time in Luna taught me so much about myself, the world, and what it means to be fully present and alive through every [...]]]>
Julia Butterfly Hill lived a fast-paced lifestyle until surviving a severe car crash at the age of twenty-two. Hill has said that the accident and subsequent year-long road to recovery awakened her desire to begin a spiritual quest. She ended up 180 feet above ground, living in a California Redwood Tree named Luna that was over 1,000 years old to keep it from being cut down. Hill lived in the tree for 738 days without ever touching the ground on two 4’x6’ platforms. Her dedication protected the tree from destruction, sparked a movement, and transformed her life. Today, Hill travels the world sharing her knowledge of environmental conservation and inspiring others to believe in their power to create serious change.

1. During your two-year stay in Luna, how did you cope with feelings of isolation and confinement? How has this aspect of the experience influenced your daily life?

My time in Luna taught me so much about myself, the world, and what it means to be fully present and alive through every experience—whether we perceive it as positive or negative. The isolation and confinement I sometimes felt while living in Luna taught me how powerful, and even important, it is to source from within ourselves our connection to the Divine (however we relate to or define its meaning) and to the Natural World of which we are a part. We so often look outside of ourselves for things like joy, peace, love, or power. Yet, when I had what felt like nothing is when I found out how much I truly have, just by being connected to Source. Prayer, meditation, and gratitude exercises were and still are vital in my finding freedom, joy, and power even in the most challenging of moments.

2. How did you maintain physical health during your stay in Luna? Could you tell us about your diet and physical activities?

What we eat, what we think, and what we do with our bodies and our choices all play an important role in the health of our bodies, our communities, and our world. I am a Joyous Vegan (meaning I joyfully refrain from eating animals, including fish, chicken, cows, sheep, goats, or pigs; nor do I eat anything that comes from them.) When the weather permitted, I climbed in the tree for exercise—which was like partner yoga with a tree! My favorite yoga ever! I, also, have found that prayer and commitment to living spiritually and mentally healthy also plays an important role in my physical well-being. So, too, with what we do to the planet. It is all connected. It is all one. What we do to the Earth, we do to ourselves.

3. How would you describe the force that guides your activism? What advice do you have for those yearning to change the world for the better but feeling like they cannot make a difference as an individual?

Because no choice happens in a vacuum, every single choice changes the world. It is actually scientifically, physically, and spiritually IMPOSSIBLE to not make a difference! Therefore, the question is not, can one person make a difference? Each and every one of us absolutely does make a difference! Once we realize this, we stop believing in the myth and asking ourselves, “Can I make a difference?” We awaken and recognize and step into the truth of our power, and ask ourselves instead, “What KIND of a difference do I want to make?”

The force that guides my activism is my commitment to living a life that (to the best of my ability) models the world in which I want to live. These are my choices. I am human, so I make many mistakes, but my commitment is to live Love in Action with every thought, word, and action. For me, my life and my choices are a Spiritual practice in every moment.

4. What is a typical day in the life of Julia Butterfly Hill? Are there a few simple habits that you integrate into your daily life that our readers can adopt to care more for the earth on a daily basis?

Although there is no such thing as a typical day in my life, I do have everyday mindfulness practices. The guiding principle for me is an idea of true “Ahimsa,” or non-violence. My understanding of this movement is a deeper definition than I normally hear articulated. For me to live this commitment is “to live so fully and presently in Love, that there is no room for anything else to exist.” This is a much bigger calling than to just live as a non-violent person. This commitment calls me to be so committed to being a full and living embodiment of love consciousness that I fill a space until all else falls away. I look at every thought, word, and action through this lens and do my best to live up to this calling.

There is no such thing as a perfect choice, but there is always a best choice for any given moment. This can be as simple as selecting reusables instead of disposables. When we say we are going to throw something away—where is “away?” There is no such thing or place. “Away” always has a face and a place. I do not feel that Love would guide us to trash the Earth and livelihood of others. So Love guides me to bring my own reusable mug, utensils, napkin, and container with me everywhere I go. I love this Earth and her species and future generations far too much to trash and waste them. I am a joyous vegan because how we decide to eat can be tools of mass compassion or weapons of mass destruction. Love guides me to choose to joyously eat as simply as I can to honor all life and to live as lightly on this Sacred Earth as I can.

I have chosen to not birth another human into this world because Mother Earth has 6.9 BILLION children and can not care for the children already here. Love guides me to know that the most conscious choice I can make is to redirect the energy of birth into birthing a more healthy, loving, and thriving planet for the children who are already here. These are just some of the ways I do my best to follow what Love would do moment to moment. It is actually very empowering and joyful to ask myself, moment to moment, “What would Love do?” Then, I do my best to live in a way that honors the answer of Love.