Wish List 2012: Vida Vegan Conference

With everything occupying my time right now -- from a demanding day job to my about-to-commence yoga teacher training and my volunteer work with Maple Farm Sanctuary -- I can't even think about attending a conference on how to be a better blogger. Even a conference that doesn't kick off until August 2011.

That said, how exciting it is to learn that there is such a conference! While cruising VegDaily this morning I came across an ad for the Vida Vegan conference and clicked through (sidebar: it may have been the first banner ad I've ever intentionally clicked on :-) )

Vida Vegan, which takes place in Portland Aug. 26-28, 2011, bills itself as the place to "celebrate, explore and fine-tune the practice--and every growing community--of vegan bloggers." The conference is packed with two-plus days of workshops, discussion panels, speakers, special events and--warm my vegan heart--tons of great food.

Especially intriguing for me are sessions around how to take your blog "pro" and how to discover the "accidental journalist" in all of us. This blog will probably always remain my tiny corner of the Interweb where I ramble about things that move me. But I'm delighted to see other bloggers taking their work seriously, as it can only lead to continual mainstreaming of veganism. Intrepid bloggers: I salute you!

Oh, I really, really wanna go in 2012!

How to be a successful animal advocate

I just watched this debate between renowned animal rights advocate and author of Thanking the Monkey Karen Dawn and a gentleman who appears dead-set on re-introducing captive dolphins into what is apparently (and thankfully) an over-the-hill marine park in Australia.

Dawn comes off so poised, so knowledgeable, so respectful and--most important--totally credible and persuasive. I don't understand how anyone watching the debate could lean toward accepting the keeping of these magnificent creatures in captivity. She also smartly gives a shout out to The Cove. I agree with her that many people who haven't seen the movie may be avoiding it because, frankly, they're frightened. I know I was. But the film is a critical advocacy tool and it was very smart of her to introduce that into the debate to consolidate her position.

Here's a video of Dawn speaking at the 2009 Animal Rights Conference in Los Angeles. She is damn good. And she inspires me to be a more involved advocate. Go Karen!

Ask the Big Apple Circus to eliminate all animal performances

It's a very difficult time for animal activists right now. As I write this hundreds of dolphins are either being killed or awaiting imminent slaughter in the infamous Taji cove. Today tens of thousands of fish, chickens, pigs, cows and other "food" animals will be slaughtered and processed.

And NPR's Facebook page is showing a trailer for an upcoming piece called "Circus," a behind the scenes look at the people and the animals of The Big Apple Circus.

As difficult a time it may be for animal advocates, it's an even harder time for animals who rely on activists as their only voice.

When it comes to eliminating unnecessary cruelty, circuses seem to be (at least to me) a no-brainer, because cases of abuse and neglect have been so widely reported for years. Circus animals are routinely forced to "perform" through the pain, fear and anxiety caused by taking center stage at circuses. This is well documented by news sources across the spectrum: from national general interest media to animal welfare organization literature.

And with absolutely amazing alternatives to animal-centric circuses--such as the brilliant Cirque de Soleil--I fail to understand why we must still force wild animals to perform for our amusement.

I just wrote to the organizers of the Big Apple Circus and asked that they eliminate all animals from their circuses in favor of an all-human affair. As best I can tell the organization has sworn off the use of exotic animals (e.g., elephants, tigers, etc.) and for that I applaud them. However they still use horses -- animals that frighten easily and for whom the bright lights and loud noises of the circus can be terrifying. I urge you to respectfully write and ask that Big Apple eliminate all non-human performers. You can contact them by clicking here.

I'll end with this amazing and heart-wrenching "story" from The Onion about Topsy the Elephant's performance in a Ringling Bros. circus. The article, of course, is a parody. But it nevertheless shines a spotlight on the terror, pain and anxiety inflicted on these helpless animals as a result of performing in circuses.

UPDATE:

Immediately before writing this blog post I sent the below email to the Big Apple Circus via its online contact page:

I just watched the PBS trailer for an upcoming spotlight on the Big Apple Circus. I'm writing to respectfully ask that you eliminate animal performances for your circus. It's increasingly evident that animals suffer pain and fear while performing unnatural "tricks" during these performances. This is well documented by news sources across the spectrum: from national general interest media to animal welfare organization literature. I will never support a circus that forces animals - wild or domestic - to perform. And I will use all forms of advocacy available to me to stop them. Please reconsider the use of animals in your shows. Respectfully, Rob Halpin Boston, MA

And the following day I received the below (rather curt) response from Joel Dein, who works for Big Apple. I suppose it's probably standard operating procedure for the circus to route animal advocates toward its own PR page that overviews its animal care policy and procedures. I can appreciate that -- given that I work in PR -- but it kind of smacks of the 1950s strategy employed by tobacco companies to steer concerned smokers toward industry literature proclaiming the health benefits associated with smoking. Needless to say, I ain't buyin' it.

I would suggest that you click on the following link:

http://www.bigapplecircus.org/about/backstage/animal-care.aspx

the “well documented news sources” you refer to have never sited any abuse by the Big Apple Circus, of it’s animal partners, in the Circus’s 33-year history.

Maple Farm Sanctuary!

Several weeks ago I had a discussion with co-workers about the benefits of joining a not-for-profit board: professional development, business networking and--most important to me--the chance to use my business skills to help an organization whose mission I feel passionate about.

Enter Maple Farm Sanctuary.

I knew I'd like to put my PR and marketing skills to work for an organization devoted to spotlighting the dreadful treatment of animals raised for food. Maple Farm Sanctuary is a vegan-owned and operated sanctuary in Mendon, Mass. It's a safe and loving refuge for farmed animals to live in peace for the remainder of their lives. The sanctuary's story is inspiring to say the least.

Like many not-for-profits the sanctuary has suffered from dismal fundraising as of late. The economy, coupled with health problems that one of the owners is enduring, have combined to create a situation that's very urgent. Winter is approaching. The sanctuary needs to raise thousands of dollars to buy hay and other supplies the animals will need to stay warm and well fed over the coming months.

This is a challenge I'm so keen to take on. I've already detailed a list of near- and longer-term fundraising and marketing goals. I'm going to meet with the owners on Saturday, Oct. 16 for a day of planning (and hopefully a day of farm chores and meeting the animals, too!). I so look forward to joining the organization's board and putting my skills and experience to work for them.

I'll write more about MFS on this blog in the future and hope to share news of fundraising initiatives that include: yoga at the sanctuary; sponsoring of individual animals; picnics; merchandise and a host of other ideas that are still in the "concept stage" inside my head. So stay tuned for more updates from the farm!

Vegan business leaders

Alicia Silverstone, everyone's favorite vegan, recently posted a blurb on The Kind Life about vegan business leaders. In it she claimed that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is vegan. Having just seen the *excellent* movie, The Social Network, I looked into it and, sadly, it appears Mark is not only not vegan, but that he's also fond of bacon-wrapped hot dogs. Mark, say it ain't so!

The good news is that there are indeed some high-flyin' business leaders who are either vegan "flirts" or bona fide V Club members. Here's a quick list and I'll add to it as I learn of more:

• Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, one of my absolute favorite time-wasting social platforms. Biz is not only vegan but he boasts bar-none the coolest name among the social media/biz tech glitterati. Moreover, Biz sometimes blogs about veganism on his personal blog. Rock it, Biz.

• Steve Jobs, founder and CEO of Apple, maker of the only socially acceptable line of computers, phones and music/video players. I'm typing this very post from my ultra-bad-ass-and-nearly-five-years-old MacBook. I salute you, Steve.

• John Mackey, the Whole Foods guy (who frankly I don't have the warm and fuzzies for given his rant about healthcare reform), and his general Libertarian/Republican political views that are so at odds with my own. Still, I applaud is efforts to start eliminating the crappy "food" from Whole Foods shelves and his commitment to a healthy, kind plant-based diet.

There are many other high-flying business leaders rumored to be vegan/vegetarian or at least experimenting with a mostly plant-based diet, such as Disney's Michael Eisner and Ford's Bill Ford. And, of course, Bill Clinton recently caused a major stir when he decided to adopt a "mostly vegan" diet to experience for himself the healing, restorative and lasting health effects of eatin' green. Go Bill!

Anyone know of other verified vegan CEOs that I can add to the list?