All For Good - the Craigslist for service

While the White House gears up to issue a national call for service this summer, some of the top names in tech, academia, marketing and PR have taken it upon themselves to make it easier for us to get involved in causes we care about.

The result is the just-launched All for Good Web site which brings together listings from a variety of service organizations to help people from all over the country connect with volunteering opportunities that they're passionate about. The site is still in it's infancy but it's sure to get a huge boost when Obama calls on all of us to get off our duffs this summer and volunteer.

This site is awesome and I can't wait to surf for opportunities related to the environment and animal welfare. Doing something - anything - for people and places other than ourselves enriches us in countless ways, and is exactly what we all need in this time of economic tumult. I love this quote from Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist:

"All For Good makes it easier for Americans to find a way to help others out -- to give someone a break -- in a new spirit of volunteerism and service."

Check out the site today and bookmark it and let's make a commitment to get involved in *something* bigger than ourselves. I'll be posting updates as I get involved so stay tuned!

The all new 2010 Prius... Oh my god. I'm in love

Okay, I love (LOVE!) my 2008 Prius. Cruising around Boston to the beat of 50+ MPG is my kind of ride. It's the best car I've ever owned.

But I just took a spin through the 3rd generation Prius Web site and I'm salivating. I want one! I'm hoping my friend Ron - who follows this blog and has been talking about getting one (hint, hint...) - will soon take the plunge so I can go for rides!

Kathy Freston shatters the meat-eating myth: we're born vegans

Vegan extraordinaire and Quantum Wellness author Kathy Freston has a front-page column on The Huffington Post's "Living" section that lays out the unique physiological characteristics that overwhelmingly suggest humans are born vegans. From our herbivore teeth to our long, windy gut to our hands that are perfect for plucking food from trees (but totally inadequate for catching and tearing apart "prey"), Kathy lays out a smart and convincing case for living a veg lifestyle: it's in keeping with our true selves.

Kathy also cites The China Study as some of the most conclusive evidence to date linking a vegetarian diet with sustained good health and longevity (note: unfortunately, the rise of the middle class in China - and by extension an increase in meat consumption - is causing heart disease, cancer and diabetes to soar in the East).

While it's great to see this level of exposure for the veg movement I've got to wonder how much more effective an article like this would be on USAToday.com, or in BusinessWeek or Time. I love The Huffington Post but its audience is comprised largely of bleeding heart liberals (like me!) who are already well-informed on the connection between diet and health. The challenge is reaching those outside the "blue states" to take a hard look at what they're eating and how it's affecting their health, the environment and the animals raised solely for human consumption.

Here's hoping that more mainstream media/blogs will invite Kathy to contribute editorial!

Landmark legislation to curb smoking in America!

Today the Senate passed historic legislation designed to curb the tobacco industry from getting kids hooked on their poison. the bill also gives regulators more power to limit nicotine levels in cigarettes. President Obama - himself someone who struggles to quit smoking - is eager to sign the legislation, and the House plans a vote tomorrow.

Voting overwhelmingly to approve the measure, the Senate sent a strong message today that the industry's days of explicitly and purposely targeting kids with their advertising is over!

The soon-to-be new law is expected to cut deaths tied to smoking and save an astounding $100 billion in annual health care costs. Awesome!

Fox News and Monsanto: two monsters who deserve each other

Above: an anti-Monsanto crop circle made by farmers and volunteers in the Philippines.

Below: eye-opening video exposing Fox News' successful firing of two investigative journalists who had the nerve to cover Monsanto's negligence.

Regulate CAFOs, says Paula Crossfield for The Huffington Post

Great editorial in The Huffington Post on how growing awareness of the health, environmental and animal welfare abuses perpetrated by confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) is translating into a call for increased regulation.

Paula Crossfield, managing editor of Civileats.com, maintains that government subsidies of grain - used to feed and fatten livestock - allow CAFOs to continue their monstrous assault on the environment, workers and animals.  

Crossfield argues that grain subsidies should end -- and vegetable subsidies should begin.  This would gradually draw down the amount of meat consumed and increase the amount of veggies we eat.  This simple step would improve the environment, bolster human health (and reduce our nation's spiraling healthcare costs) and reduce worker and animal abuses.  She cites other CAFO-based problems, as well, such as the crazy overuse of antibiotics that jeapordizes the effectiveness of the very drugs humans rely on to fight infections.

If only stricter regulations were easier to come by.  Big Ag funnels just a small percentage of its massive profits into lobbying efforts in a fight to block change.  

Fortunately, we the people are getting smart to the many woes of CAFOs.  European group Avazz.org presented a petition demanding the UN World Health Organization in Geneva to investigate and regulate CAFOs.  The petition secured 200,000 signatures in 6 days.  People are increasingly concerned about the total amount of meat consumed in the first world, and the drastic effects of such wanton consumption.  And the recent swine flu outbreak only advances that awareness and concern.

Reductions of grain subsidies and stricter regulations for CAFOs was a clear Obama campaign promise.  We need to hold him to those promises!

Watch HOME for free on YouTube until June 14!

I just watched HOME and it's absolutely amazing.  The film's visuals are stunning and it marks first time - according to the production company's blog - that a global audience can watch a movie online, in movie theaters, on TV stations and on outdoor screens all around the world at the same time.  Woot!

If you love the Planet Earth series you'll be hard pressed to find another visual accomplishment like this one.  The film's mission is to make all of us question our relationship to the planet in a way few documentaries can.  And I believe it's achieved that.  Take 90 minutes to watch this treat as soon as you can!  

I'm unable to embed the video into my blog but you can click here to be taken directly to it.

A beautiful day for a hike

Today my friend Ron and I drove to Monadnock State Park to hike Mt. Monadnock.  And it was awesome.  The weather was beautiful - about 80 degrees and sunny - and the white dot trail (fastest to the summit) was the perfect mix of "dirt-trail-through-forest" and near-vertical granite climbs to the summit.  Needless to say our legs and lungs were screaming by the time we got to the top.  But every step was worth it, as you can tell from the photo below.

Unfortunately I led us down the wrong trail from the summit (one should never trust me with the trail map) and we ended up miles away from the car.  So we added an extra 1.5 hours to the hike.  I think that's the last time Ron will believe me when I say: "Don't worry; I'm totally sure this is the right way..."

Monadnock is the perfect day hike for Bostonians: about a two-hour drive from the city, with ample parking at the base of the mountain.  There's also a small campground at the bottom for folks wishing to "rough it" for the night.  I totally need to pick up some camping gear!

Coming soon to a theater near you: Food Inc.

Most people don't know just how centralized our food system has become. The manufacturing of food is controlled by just a handful of large "agribusiness" giants, with the full blessing and an easy regulatory environment courtesy of our own FDA and USDA.

Food Inc. promises to lift the veil on the unimaginable environmental, human and animal welfare abuses perpetrated by agribusiness. I'm so glad these bastards will be exposed.

Click here to find out where the movie is playing near you.

From a talking pig's mouth to our ears: cut out the meat!

Pretty entertaining video that summarizes our unique physiological characteristics that make us ill-suited for meat-eating.  If you can get past the narrating pig's creepy voice the content is quite good.

June is "Adopt a Shelter Cat" month!

Okay, if you've been thinking about adding a feline companion to your family, now is the time to do it!  It's official: June is "Adopt a Shelter Cat Month."  

There are tons of reasons why shelter cats RULE.  Here are just a few good ones:

• Shelter cats almost always come spayed or neutered, with a full medical check-up and vaccines administered by the shelter
• Adult shelter cats - who are always in need of forever homes - have unique personalities that are already developed, which isn't so with kittens
• Shelter cats are housebroken!
• You'll be saving a cat's life - and that's the most important reason of all

My two cats, Cal and Scout, are rescues from a shelter in Brooklyn and every day they make me laugh; and they inspire me to advocate on behalf of all animals.  Go to your local shelter and pick up a cat today!  Click here to find a listing of shelters in your area.

No, lard is not good for you (and never will be)

Ugh, so the good folks at Slate.com - an outlet whose political news and analysis I love - appealed to the "real man" in all of us with a story extolling the many health benefits of - get ready for it - lard. 

Yes, lard. Rendered fat from pigs.

Writer Regina Schrambling claims that lard has "clearly won the health debate" because unlike shortening it contains no trans fat. Um, I'm no expert but I'd imagine that the absence of trans fat alone does not a health food make.

Fortunately Virginia Messina, MPH, RD, of The Vegan Dietician, is on the case. Messina fired back at Schrambling, pointing out that saturated fats (of which lard is one) are known contributors to heart disease. And she points to other studies that constantly show what we all know to be true (even, I suspect, Ms. Schrambling): veggies, nuts and vegan monounsaturated oils protect against heart disease. Foods with high transfatty acids (e.g., lard, meat and eggs) are shown time and again to increase risk of heart disease. And cancer.

So there you have it. Lard is no more a "health food" than turpentine. Let's do like PETA and leave pork (including lard) off the fork!

Foreign Policy: Someday soon we'll all be veg

Interesting editorial from Jim Motavalli for Foreign Policy magazine predicting that as early as 2025 the Earth will no longer support meat-based diets and, as a result, the world population will be foreced to subsist on a plant-based diet.

Jim cites the highly-publicized UN Food and Agricultural Organization report that says a whopping 33 percent of the world's arable land is currently set aside to grow crops for animal feed. The combination of deforastration and the depletion of fresh water (and an ever-growing world population) will result in the collapse of the food system as we know it. Jim also feels that ethical concerns around killing and eating animals will take on greater significance and cause people en masse to give up meat for good.

I tend to be more fatalistic and worry that we'll destroy the planet completely before we change our meat-eating ways, but this piece suggests we'll finally see the error of our ways before the planet is totally ruined. I hope I'm wrong!

What do you think? Do you believe Earth can continue to support meat-based diets for first world populations and, increasingly, developing countries such as China and India?

Hooray New Hampshire!

I started this blog with a clear agenda to espouse the many health and karmic benefits of veganism. And while I'll continue to blog about all things veg -- from food and clothing to the environment and animal rights -- today we celebrate a giant leap forward for human rights.

With a signature from Governor John Lynch penned this afternoon, New Hampshire has become the sixth U.S. state to legalize same sex marriage. This is huge news for New Hampshire's gay and lesbian families who are now entitled to the many legal rights available only to married couples.

Marriage is a civil institution. Religion has nothing to do with it. If churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship wish not to recognize gay marriages, they are free to do so. But we must keep in mind that marriage is never weakened when more people have access to it. Quite the contrary; expanded access makes marriage that much more valued by people to whom it's been denied.