Alicia Silverstone's Blog, page 44

How A Devout Breeder-Bought Schnauzer Family Became A Rescue Family, And Why It Matters

I love Schnauzers.

I love them in a collect knickknacks-and-other-paraphernalia sort of way. In fact, my most recent browser history reads “Schnauzer lamps.”

I am that person. I do draw the line on novel t-shirts with sayings like, “Happiness is Schnauzer Kisses,” but I digress.

I love their tootsie roll-shaped, stout bodies, their bold eyebrows, colorings and scholarly beard.  To be honest, the fact that schnauzers exist makes me believe that there must be a god or higher power, as who else could create such beauty, such perfection.

I grew up with the breed, and am now on my second as an adult. Like many purebreds, Schnauzers do have their share of health issues: pancreatitis, metabolic syndrome, sudden blindness, diabetes, to name just a few.

I would have thought I could never love another breed. Turns out I’ve fallen head over heels in love with a ‘chit’ which is short for a DNA-confirmed Chihuahua Pitbull – incidentally the two most euthanized breeds at shelters.

Thomas Jo is either the world’s biggest Chihuahua or the world’s smallest Pitbull, depending on how you want to look at it. I love this dog with all my heart and soul. I love his bicycle seat shaped face, the fact that he has no hair under his armpits, that the same area feels like satin, and that even when he tries to be mean, he can’t stop wagging his tail. I love that he can chase a fly for hours, but couldn’t care less about pigeons, and how he has to smell every treat that I hand him before accepting it.

Falling in love as I did is akin to living your life as a career heterosexual, and then suddenly realizing you may tip the Kinsey scale after all.

If I had seen him in a pet store window, I would have walked on by, and not just because I think pet stores should be illegal, but because he wasn’t my type and I certainly would not have googled or sought out chit breeders.

So how did an affirmed Schnauzer zealot end up in love with a rescued chit?

As most things in my life tend to, it happened over cocktails when I engaged in a deep conversation with a well-connected animal-rights activist. I mentioned that I was in the market for a second dog and had a deposit down at the same breeder where my current Schnauzer was from. She asked why I didn’t adopt (not in a judgy way), and I told her that I had tried. I constantly filled out paperwork, gave references, and never so much as got a follow-up call. The process was daunting, if not impossible.

She asked what I was looking for, and I told her a young dog or puppy in the terrier family. She said she’d call me the following day.

She did.

At noon, I was picking up my first foster, a Yorkie mix, who we called Daphniss. She was a sweetheart (around people) and loved nothing more than to sit on a lap and be pet. She snuggled up to my husband and nestled herself in his heart, but our schnauzer Perri was not a fan – a big problem considering the whole reason I wanted a second dog was for her to have a playmate. I found Daphniss a home with a single woman who had no other pets. They were, and are, a match made in heaven. It felt good to do good.

My husband was devastated (he cried), but I knew it was the right move for Daphnis and my household. After that, we were in good with a rescue organization called Waggytail Rescue. My friend vouched for me, and we did a bang-up job getting Daphnis cleaned up and re-homed. When the next crew of dogs to be fostered arrived in NYC, this time from Texas, we picked up Thomas on an NYC street corner and carried him back to our apartment.

He came in, saw Perri and it was quite literally best friendship at first sight. They began to play games that we have now named, and they continue to play them some three years later.

Whether we would keep him was never a question.

Before becoming involved in animal rescue, I thought I did my part: I donated all of my speaking fees to the NJ Schnauzer Rescue Fund. I volunteered at ASPCA walking and socializing dogs too.

Now I know that wasn’t enough.

As long as there are dogs in shelters or walking the streets, I can’t justify ‘buying’ a pet. I also know that I can still always have a Schnauzer, as there are so many purebreds that need homes.

Every community has an [insert breed] rescue group on social media, and Petfinder is a catalog of adoptable pets in every size, shape and breed that will even send you a daily email alert to your favorites. There’s simply no excuse not to do better, when we all can.

The statistics should give every animal lover paws (get it?). About 6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.3 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats, the ASPCA states.

I became a volunteer with Waggytail Rescue, and fostered again (knowing that two pets is the limit given our current NYC apartment living situation) and have seen many puppies and dogs find new homes. I even recognize many of them around our neighborhood, and so do Perri and Thomas!

Many people will tell you that fostering and rescuing pets is hard work, but super rewarding.

Thomas required no work and was all reward. The dividends keep coming. He assimilated seamlessly to our household and our ways. I realize I got lucky as many dogs are traumatized and need some extra help to learn to trust.

I still don’t identify as an activist in any way, but loving and caring Thomas has taught me that it is OK to challenge beliefs about myself – especially when and if those beliefs get in the way of the greater good. Love is love.

Denise Mann is a freelance health writer in New York. She lives with her husband, David, their miniature schnauzer Perri Winkle Blu and their Chit Thomas Jo (pictured above), and their two human sons, Teddy and Evan. She is working on a novel loosely based on her own family.

Photo by Sebastian Coman Travel on Unsplash

Golden Retriever Torture – What This University Is Doing To Puppies and How You Can Stop It

As I sit down to write this, my dog suddenly begins blustering loudly, doing her level best to protect her people from the imminent incursion by that menacing delivery person carrying a vegan pizza who dared knock at her door. At night. The nerve!

That’s what dogs do, you might say. Well, yes and no. Dogs in loving homes are often protective of their guardians. But not all dogs have guardians. And not all are in loving homes, although they all should be.

Not long ago, Emmy-winning actor James Cromwell, a longtime defender of animals and a general badass, was arrested, handcuffed, and jailed during a PETA protest at a board of regents meeting at Texas A&M University. His arrest brought needed attention the university’s gruesome muscular dystrophy (MD) experiments on dogs.

Because of it, many people became aware that Texas A&M operated a dog laboratory where golden retrievers and other dogs were intentionally bred to have a canine version of MD (they’re physiologically unable to develop human MD) and were subjected to painful experiments as their condition invariably worsened.

The dogs suffer and die in barren metal kennels as their bodies slowly and painfully waste away. Many will eventually lose the ability to chew or even to swallow. Long ropes of saliva hang from the mouths of those whose jaw muscles have weakened. For some, even balancing is difficult.

There is a video of the dogs here, but please be warned, it is difficult to watch.

These experiments on dogs have been going on for close to 40 years, the last eight at Texas A&M. It is important to note that in all this time and with all this suffering, the experiments have not produced a single cure or treatment that reverses the symptoms of MD in humans. That’s four decades of painful, unrelenting suffering—for absolutely nothing.

That’s why since 2016, PETA has done everything possible to get this useless den of misery shut down. Its goal has never wavered: to shut down the lab and place all the dogs in loving homes where they can live out their lives surrounded by caring families to call their own.

To that end, PETA and our supporters have righteously thrown everything but the kitchen sink at Texas A&M: clever protests, celebrity action, disruptions of football games and public meetings, multiple lawsuits, call-ins, pledges of support from 500 physicians, testimonials from people with MD, even a “dog” riding public transit—anything we could think of.

Finally, the public exposure got to be too much. Last year, after all this coordinated, focused pressure, the university finally bowed and permanently ended its MD laboratory dog-breeding program. This was a huge breakthrough.

Dozens of the dogs were adopted into good homes. The lead experimenter of the program retired, and it appears that funding has dried up for experiments. The Texas A&M administration has discussed ways the whole laboratory could be closed down.

But while we’re close, we’re not quite there yet.

There are still 29 dogs imprisoned in the lab. The university is stubbornly refusing to release them. PETA has repeatedly offered to take them all and place them in good homes, but all it’s received from Texas A&M is silence. It seems that the university, which now has no use for the dogs, doesn’t want to admit “defeat” by publicly allowing their release.

Lucilla and Varinia are a bonded pair of sisters imprisoned at Texas A&M. They are two of at least 15 dogs who are healthy “carriers,” meaning that they carry the gene for canine MD but do not have the disease.

Lucilla and Varinia have been publicly available for adoption for months. A PETA staffer who applied to adopt them both was denied. A dog named Cannoli was listed for adoption. But the school has taken him off the adoption list and transferred the healthy 2-year-old golden retriever to another one of its laboratories, likely to be used in more cruel experiments.

What did Lucilla, Varinia, Cannoli, or any of the other dogs still being held at Texas A&M do to deserve the life they’ve been given, devoid of comfort, love, or anything else that makes life worth living? The answer is simple: nothing. Given different circumstances, any one of these dogs would gladly put themselves between you and a sinister delivery person any day of the week.

That’s the way it should be.

Please take a moment to demand the release of all dogs still being held at Texas A&M.

Kathy Guillermo is the Senior Vice President of the Laboratory Investigations Department at PETA

Photo by Bill Stephan on Unsplash

White Chocolate Strawberry-Rose Cheesecake Recipe {Gluten Free, Paleo, Raw, Vegan}

A little bit decadent and a whole lot of pretty, this raw dessert looks like the perfect centerpiece to show the people you love how sweet clean eating can be!  I can’t wait to try this!

White Chocolate Strawberry-Rose Cheesecake Recipe {Gluten Free, Paleo, Raw, Vegan}

Ingredients

For the crust:

2 cups raw almonds
1/2 cup medjool dates, pitted, about 8-10
1/4 cup cacao powder
2 tablespoons cacao nibs

For the cheesecake filling:

3 cups raw cashews
1 bag frozen strawberries, completely thawed (I used Trader Joe’s strawberries)
1/2 cup filtered water
3/4 cup maple syrup, preferably grade B
1 cup melted cacao butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon rose water
Pinch sea salt

For the topping:

2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Sprinkle of organic dried rose petals

Instructions

For the crust

Blend all the crust ingredients in a food processor. Press into a 9 inch springform pan. You can also use a regular pan with high sides. To unmold, you’ll have to dip the pan in hot water for a few second.

For the filling:

In a high speed blender, blend the strawberries, water, maple syrup, vanilla, and rose water. Once smooth, add the cashews. Add the cacao butter last.
Pour on top of the crust. Place the cheesecake in the freezer overnight.

For the topping:

Take the cheesecake out of the freezer, unmold it, place it on a serving plate, and let it thaw in the fridge for about 3 hours.
Melt the chocolate chips until smooth. Pour the chocolate into a ziploc bag, snip the tip of a corner, and pipe melted chocolate all over the cheesecake. Finish with a sprinkle of rose petals.

To serve:

Run a sharp knife under very hot water. Rinse it with every cut you make for pretty slices.

Joanna Steven is an author, attachment parenting mom to 2 boys, and a lover of food. Her mission is to inspire mothers and make their life easier so they feel nurtured, nourished, and better able to raise children in a peaceful way.

How To Be A Spiritual Activist

A friend of mine who is an animal rights vegan activist asked me if I had any tips that might help her be able to be a better speaker on the subject.  “Who will you be speaking to?” I asked. “Normal people, who know the typical ignorant small town American, beer drinking, drives a pick-up truck, watches football, likes to hunt, fish, probably a republican,” she sneered. “And what do you hope to communicate to them?” “I want them to become vegan.” “Are you sure?” “What do you mean, am I sure? Yes I’m sure!”  “Okay, just checking.” “Checking what?”  “That you aren’t just looking to vent your anger.”  “But I am angry at them!” “Is your anger worth more to you, then a chance to communicate to them?” “Hmm, well I do want to communicate the vegan message. I want them to become kinder people.” “Well then you will have to see them as kind people, see them as holy beings.” “No! They are not holy beings! They are not yoga-people! These are ignorant, stupid, crass, selfish, bigots most likely racists and wife beaters too—real scum.” “You have to see them as holy beings,” I repeat. “No I can’t!” “Well if you can’t see them as holy beings capable of kindness and compassion, how dare you expect them to be?” “I gotta think about that one for a while.”

To be an effective speaker and use your words to move people to be respectful, kind and compassionate towards animals and stop eating them the first step is to be a joyful vegan yourself. View everyone as providing you with opportunities to be kind and articulate empathy and compassion for other beings. See whomever you speak to as a holy being. Do not see anyone as mean, stupid, or compassionless or as a person who needs you to enlighten him or her. If you can’t see people you speak to as compassionate, how can you ever expect them to see themselves that way?

Before you speak to someone, ask yourself, how do I want this person to feel about himself or herself? Do you have the largeness of heart to see that person’s highest potential? For that to occur, you must be willing to give up any negative thoughts about him or her in order to provide a space for the person to turn around in. Keep in mind that when you are speaking to others, they can always feel your underlying contempt or respect for them, and that will determine whether they are able to hear your message. What is your goal in speaking to them? Is it to vent your anger, bully them, assert your superiority, berate, and make them feel guilty? Or do you really want to empower them to change for the better and to become the kind of person who doesn’t want to cause animals to suffer? If you really want them to stop eating meat, you must see in them the potential to do that and you must speak to that potential.

The biggest misconception about activism is the thought that hate and anger are more powerful motivators than love and acceptance. When you think the world is out there coming at you and you have to fight back, you are engaged in war, and war never brings peace and cannot activate the inner force of love within you. To separate the world into vegans and meat eaters, good guys and bad guys, or victims and perpetrators will result only in more division, not the peaceful unification we say we seek.

The misconception about activism in general starts with a confusion about the effectiveness of advocacy without aggression. Aggression is confrontational and against, whereas advocacy is for.  There is a misconception that advocacy expressed without aggression will be perceived as too touchy-feely and ineffective, whereas advocacy linked with aggression is commonly regarded as more effective. This idea that you need to be aggressive to effectively get your point across and thus elicit change undermines any chance for communication, and without communication, intelligent solutions to problems become impossible. You can’t make lasting effective change through merely expressing your anger. Advocacy with a long-term aim forces you to look deeper into the issue and come up with solutions for all involved. It takes two people to make a fight; it takes one to make a difference.

The ability to find common ground to begin a conversation is essential. For that to happen, you have to let go of any animosity or contempt you may feel toward the other person. Aggression, as well as advocacy, can come in the form of actions, words, and thoughts. A person can always feel how you feel about them, and this will determine the outcome of any interaction. Again, if you can’t see others as potentially kind and compassionate beings, how can you ever expect them to see themselves that way?

To think well of another and to want that person’s happiness, even though you do not agree with the person’s current thoughts and actions, is the key to spiritual activism. When you engage in conversation with others who may not agree with your point of view, be sure that you are coming from a place of tolerance yourself. “I try to treat whomever I meet as an old friend,” says the Dalai Lama. “This gives me a genuine feeling of happiness—this is the practice of compassion. A truly compassionate attitude towards others does not change even if they are behaving negatively.” And from Harvard professor Arthur C. Brooks, “When you feel contempt for another person, practice warm-heartedness towards them. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. put it this way: “You have no moral grounding with someone who can feel your underlying contempt for them.”

Sharon Gannon is the co-founder of the Jivamukti Yoga method, and an author and activist. Her newest book is  Yoga and Veganism: The Diet of Enlightenment

Photo by Jared Rice on Unsplash

Otters Don’t Belong In Cafes

The International Otter Survival Fund recently enlightened me to the recent heightened demand for wild otters as pets – spurred on by social media – and the unthinkable popularity of “otter café’s. Here’s how to help:

The otter pet trade continues to be a problem, and seems to be worsening. The demand for these pets comes from three main aspects: circuses, particularly around South East Asia, social media and “otter café’s”. Circuses have long been a problem where otters are “trained” to play with balls, jump through hoops etc. but the other two factors have grown and deepened the problem. A simple search for otters on Instagram or Facebook will pretty quickly show you otters in various situations that they shouldn’t be in. They shouldn’t be pets; they should be in the wild where they belong.

Social media is the perfect platform for the black market. Otters, particularly Asian short-clawed otters, are sold regularly and for nominal fees. Sometimes the otters that are sold haven’t even opened their eyes and their mother is killed in defense of her babies. Young otters are particularly hard to rear and should they die, they are simply replaced, and the cycle starts again. Social media sites have clear rules against the sale of live animals on their platforms, but these are being ignored and sales are still going through on a regular basis.

Otter cafés are also a huge and growing problem. There are a number of wildlife cafés in Japan where you can share your afternoon with various wild animals, including otters. Yes, when the otters are “on show” they appear healthy and fun, but they are soon forced into a life of cruelty behind closed doors. Otters don’t belong in buildings; they belong in the wild! A recent study has shown that Thailand to Japan is the most heavily trafficked route in the world and given the popularity of otters in both countries, we can assume that they are largely involved.

More recently, there are plans to start an otter café in Indonesia too. This will no doubt also be the first of many and this will be catastrophic for them. These cafés drive the demand for pets as the visitors want to have their own otter.

IOSF is also working with organisations across the area who have rescued pet otters. Facilities in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia all care for a number of otters which are being reared with a view of returning them to the wild. Although the problem mainly persists with Asian short-clawed otters, these facilities have also rescued the other three species, Eurasian, hairy-nosed and smooth-coated.

The problem isn’t only happening in Asia. In South America, giant otters in particular are being sought after as pets too! Recently, four baby giant otters were found in Trinidad and Tobago. This species doesn’t exist in the wild there and so they were clearly meant for the pet trade. Unfortunately, these otters died but it shows the extent of the problem and it continues to grow.

At the end of the day, otters don’t belong on leashes, in cages, or in bags. Wild means wild.

What can you do to help?

SIGN THE PETITION TO STOP THE OTTER CAFÉS IN INDONESIA – OTTERS NEED YOUR HELP!
Donate, and put ‘Illegal Trade’ in the message. All money raised goes to support the workshops and investigations into the illegal trade. You can also adopt rescued otters in the Adoption section, and support the Vietnam otters and Furget-Me-Not campaign.
Follow their work on Social Media through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and sign up to for their e-updates.
Otters face a lack of awareness – so share this post, and make all your friends aware of otter conservation and what we are trying to do.
If you come across incidents of trade you can report them to us anonymously here.

Learn more:



Cover photo by Jerome Heuze on Unsplash

Additional images courtesy of The International Otter Survival Fund

Romanesco and Maitake Deliciousness

Inspired by what was fresh at the Farmer’s market, this savory and delectable dish could be enjoyed as a side or on its own as a filling main course. Featuring crispy capers and garlic-y mayonnaise, you’ll want to ready your cast iron pans and get to cooking. Featured in this video are me – the Mama chef, and 2 little peanut sous Chefs, Bear & Isabelle!

Romanesco and Maitake Deliciousness

3-4 baby Romanesco heads (or one big one)
Olive oil
1/2 a small shallot
1 clove of garlic
1/2 lemon
3 large maitake mushrooms
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp shoyu

Crispy Capers

3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp capers

Garlic-y Veganaise

1/2 cup veganaise
2 cloves of Garlic
Juice of one Lemon
1/2 cup Parsley

Blend together and serve!

Start by peeling away the outer leaves of the Romanesco. Do not discard these as we are going to cook these up, and make them delicious. Waste not, want not! Cut the Romanesco into florets that are roughly the same size. Place them on a lined baking sheet, and drizzle with 2 tbsp of the olive oil – toss around to coat. Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes.

Chop up the Romanesco greens. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the skillet, and sauté over medium heat. Add 1/2 a small shallot diced, one clove of garlic and sauté until onions are translucent. Finish with the juice of half a lemon.

Over high heat, add a few tablespoons of olive oil into a saucepan. Once the oil is hot, add the capers and crisp up for about 5-7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Cut the maitake mushrooms into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil into a skillet and over medium high heat, start searing the mushrooms. After about 5 minutes add 1/4 cup water if needed to stop the mushrooms from sticking. Sauté for another 3- 5 minutes and add tbsp of shoyu (good quality soy sauce) -then cook for another 2 minutes and they are done! Squeeze lemon on top.

Top the Romanesco greens with the maitake mushrooms.

Plate the roasted Romanesco florets, and sprinkle with the crispy capers and a big dollop of Garlic-y veganaise!

Romanesco Photo by Steven Lasry on Unsplash

Do Your Health Habits Up Your Covid Risk?

During the 1918 influenza pandemic an estimated 50 million people died worldwide. The majority were young and healthy. At that time no one knew what viruses were. Scientists and clinicians referred to them as “filterable pathogens.” 20 years after the worst pandemic in history the Influenza virus was identified. That discovery along with the pandemic itself resulted in a cascade of public health measures, some of which are being employed today.

With today’s COVID-19 pandemic the SARsCoV2 virus was identified in near real time. And our ability to care for those made seriously ill from it is far better than it was in 1918. Ironically the same public health measures used over 100 years ago are in use today: masks, social distancing and shutdowns. Knowledge about the virus, the illness, treatments and prevention and who is vulnerable and why is being disseminated at break neck speeds.

Data that has emerged from this current outbreak shows not only the role the environment we live in and our genetics has on infection, but also how one’s personal health and habits can significantly impact how we respond to the coronavirus.  We know that people with underlying medical conditions such as cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, coronary artery disease, chronic lung disease, immune system compromise, and obesity are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. We have seen it in hospital wards and in morgues. Knowing far more about who is getting seriously ill and why should be a wakeup call to all of us to examine our habits as nearly all of the medical conditions putting people at risk for bad outcomes from COVID-19 can be prevented by changes in what we eat, our activity levels and our sleep patterns.

For years public health experts, wellness gurus and nutritionists have been saying that we are what we eat. We know a plant-based diet that is low in fat prevents and even reverses heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, kidney disease and obesity. A plant-based diet, devoid of animal products, can reduce heart disease risk by 40%. A plant-based diet is 3 times more effective than a traditional diabetic diet at controlling blood sugars. The risk of some cancers such as breast, prostate and colorectal cancer are reduced by decreasing the intake of animal products and increasing plant derived anti-oxidants and fiber.  And people who shift to a plant-based diet can lose weight which will reduce diabetes risk, cancer risk and wear and tear on knee and hip joints.

We do not know when this COVID-19 pandemic will pass, but we do know there are many threats to our health that we can take control of by changing the way we live. This is the time to take control in order to stay as healthy as we can, to strengthen our immune systems to battle infections and cancer cells for us. We need to listen to this pandemic’s wake up call, and honor the people who became gravely ill and died from COVID-19 by using what we learned from them to change our own unhealthy habits. We can start to do that by staying hydrated, increasing activity, eating for wellness and getting enough sleep each night. Just these few changes will go a long way towards preventing infections and warding off chronic diseases.

Dr. Eileen Natuzzi

Dr. Eileen Natuzzi is the second of 5 children in an Irish Italian family. She is the only doctor in a family of teachers.  She works as a General and Trauma Surgeon in San Diego and Bakersfield, California. For the first 15 years of her career, Dr. Natuzzi’s practice focused on treating vascular disease where she saw first hand the cumulative vascular damage that results from our animal fat diets and unhealthy choices.  She recently obtained a Master in Public Health in order to become more involved in a preventive approach toward health. In her spare time Dr. Natuzzi enjoys gardening, writing and walking as exercise.  She is an avid gamer, as a way “to keep my laparoscopic dexterity skills up and to have fun.”  Dr. Natuzzi loves a challenge so switching to cooking and preparing a vegan diet has introduced her to new foods, new techniques and new places to shop.

Note from Alicia:

This week Bill Maher’s closing monologue on HBO’s Real Time succinctly took on the same topic in this must-see feisty and powerful clip:

Cover image via Unsplash

Were Your Coconuts Picked by Abused Monkeys?

I recently read a post from PETA regarding Monkeys and Thai Coconuts, and I needed to know more immediately! My Pal, Lisa wrote this guest blog for us to share all the information about Thai coconuts and the problems surrounding them.  Lisa was a huge inspiration to me in going vegan over 20 years ago, and her work for animals has always been stellar. Please read her call to boycott the Thai coconut, and then contact your favorite coconut companies to find out the location and source of their coconuts to ensure they aren’t participants in this brutality. Encouraging companies to do better shows that consumers are aware, and that we want them to make kinder, more ethical choices! xo Alicia

Like many longtime vegans who remember the days of trekking to the nearest co-op on weekends just to buy soy milk, I’m still amazed that I can now walk into almost any supermarket and find an abundance of dairy-free products, even decadent treats like coconut whipped topping and coconut milk ice cream. It’s a sign of how much progress the animal rights movement has made. Most people choose these products instead of those made with cruelly produced cow’s milk because they don’t want to support industries that exploit animals. So compassionate consumers will be appalled to learn that what they thought was an animal-friendly purchase may actually be causing animals to suffer.

My colleagues at PETA Asia recently released a disturbing investigation revealing that monkeys in Thailand who are reportedly stolen from their families are kept almost constantly chained and forced to climb trees to pick the coconuts that are used in coconut milk and other products.

PETA Asia investigators visited eight farms in Thailand where monkeys are used for picking coconuts—including those for the country’s major coconut milk producers, Aroy-D and Chaokoh—as well as several monkey-training facilities and a coconut-picking competition. What they found was heartbreaking.

Many of the monkeys exploited by this industry are reportedly kidnapped when they’re just babies, never to see their families again. While this practice is illegal, the animals’ origin is virtually untraceable once they are sold to farmers.

These terrified youngsters are forced to wear rigid metal collars and are kept tethered, chained to old tires, or confined to cages barely any larger than their own bodies. Denied mental stimulation, companionship, freedom, and everything else that is important to them, they slowly lose their minds. Driven to desperation, they pace and circle endlessly—repetitive behavior indicative of extreme stress. PETA Asia’s investigator recorded one monkey confined to a cage on a truck bed violently shaking the bars of the cage in a futile attempt to escape. Another monkey tied by a rope was recorded screaming while frantically trying to run away from a handler.

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The monkeys are forced to perform the grueling task of twisting heavy coconuts until they fall off the trees from a great height. Tethered by the neck with a metal collar, they climb up and down trees and collect up to 1,000 coconuts per day. If they resist or try to defend themselves, their canine teeth may be pulled out.

Some trainers also use the monkeys in circus-style shows in order to make even more money off them. Visitors pay to see them ride bicycles, shoot basketballs, and perform other “tricks” that are confusing to them and demeaning.

While other coconut-growing regions—including Brazil, Colombia, and Hawaii—harvest coconuts using humane methods such as tractor-mounted hydraulic elevators, willing human tree-climbers, rope or platform systems, or ladders or by planting dwarf coconut trees, according to an industry insider, monkeys are used to pick most of the coconuts that come from Thailand.

The good news is that following PETA Asia’s exposé, many major retailers have already taken meaningful action. For example, after hearing from PETA, Walgreens Boots Alliance agreed not to stock Aroy-D or Chaokoh products or sell any own-brand coconut food or drink products of Thai origin in its more than 9,000 Walgreens and 250 Duane Reade stores in the U.S. and its 2,700-plus Boots stores in the U.K. and Thailand. Cost Plus World Market stopped buying coconut products from Chaokoh. And Ahold Delhaize and its 2,000 U.S. store locations and distribution centers (including Food Lion, Giant Food, Hannaford, and Stop & Shop) committed to not stocking or selling any coconut products sourced from suppliers that use monkey labor.

Everyone reading this can make a difference, too. Please take a moment to sign PETA’s appeal urging Aroy-D and Chaokoh to obtain coconuts for their products without the use of monkey labor. Until Thai officials crack down on this cruel industry (which PETA Asia is pushing for), be sure to read food labels and buy coconut products that are sourced elsewhere.

So, how do I know if my coconut products are procured kindly in the meantime?

Here are a list of retailers committed to protecting monkeys, and these coconut brands do not support monkey labor.

We will win this campaign, and I’m looking forward to a day when the biggest dilemma surrounding coconut milk ice cream is … should I buy one pint or two?

Lisa Lange is the Senior Vice President of Communications at PETA

Main Photo by Brian Mann on Unsplash

How To Make Soil

What if there was an opportunity to be kind to the planet right under our noses? Think for a moment about those bits of the Earth that are left over after they have fed and nourished us? Veggie scraps, coffee grounds, leftover tea-bags, and even dirty napkins (which were once trees!). These pieces of Earth gave us life and enjoyment, and in turn we take them and… throw them in the trash can.

Wait, what?

That’s right — every day, in most places on Earth, people are accustomed to tossing the remnants from food-prep (or foods that have spoiled) into the waste bin, where they are hauled off by big smelly trucks and dumped into a landfill. If you think about it, that’s literally treating the planet like garbage! When those bits of Earth go off to a garbage dump they rot and produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas that exacerbates climate change. And by being mixed in with all that garbage their valuable nutrients are forever taken out of our food system. It’s a broken loop, not at all in harmony with nature, and it means that our food system is essentially becoming less nutritious by the day. And it’s completely unnecessary. Because instead, all of those beautiful bits of Earth can be turned back into new, living soil — soil that can be used to grow more healthy and delicious food.

This is why we created MakeSoil. MakeSoil makes it easier than ever to begin composting. To get started, just go to MakeSoil.org and search the map to find a soil site near you. Soil sites are hosted by neighbors called Soil Makers, who love these precious bits of Earth, and know how to turn them back into soil.  All you need to do is join their soil site and begin taking your scraps to them. Week after week you’ll see your food scraps disappear and new, living soil build up in place.

Not only does making soil feel way better than making garbage, but to witness the Earth regenerating itself in this way is a truly transformative experience, leaving us with an even greater sense of connection with – and empathy – for the Earth.

MakeSoil is a global movement. Find a soil site near you. Or start one!

Now maybe you’ve been reading this and thinking, “Me! Me! I have a compost bin! I know how to make soil.” If so, would you please add your compost bin as a soil site on MakeSoil? It really is one of the simplest and most immediate ways to begin having a positive impact on your neighborhood.  If enough people participate, we could even help address climate change.

MakeSoil is also about having a good time. So we let you set privacy levels and participation limits so you end up with just the right number of trusted “soil supporters” making soil with you.

The power to create new living soil is in our hands. So why treat the planet like garbage, when we can make soil instead!

*p.s. — Some cities and towns have curbside compost pickup services. Worldwide, these are still relatively rare and it’s estimated that over 90% of compostable materials are still headed to landfills. Even places that have had such programs in place are finding it challenging to operate them due to financial strain from the Covid pandemic. New York City, for instance, has cancelled their composting service indefinitely – meaning that millions of pounds of water, energy, and nutrients are heading to landfills right now.  MakeSoil can help – so please tell your friends! Besides, by participating you’ll build community, stimulate the local food system, and get way better feels than by chucking your compostables into a curbside bin.

MakeSoil Founder, Josh Whiton teaching new Soil Makers.

Josh Whiton is the Founder of MakeSoil.  MakeSoil is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization that develops and maintains the MakeSoil platform, which is being increasingly used world-wide. Donations are greatly appreciated and are essentially for powering this global movement to take better care of the Earth.  Follow MakeSoil on Instagram here.

Thailand Elephants Need Your Help for a Cruelty-Free Future

Save Elephant Foundation (SEF) and Elephant Nature Park (ENP)—founded by Saengduean Lek Chailert, is in a race against time to not only feed starving elephants but to also transition elephants across Thailand out of inhumane trekking camps forever. In the last few years, the cruelty behind training elephants to carry tourists on their backs (aka trekking) has begun to come to light thanks to many animal welfare organizations. However, the demand and trekking industry continue to exist.  Training these elephants for the trekking industry involves force breeding of captive elephants and a brutal practice called phajaan or elephant crushing, where elephants are taken from their mothers, confined to a small space, and abused with bullhooks. They are starved and deprived of sleep in order to make them submissive to humans. Once this barbaric training is complete and the elephant’s spirit is broken they will then be used in the trekking industry. Elephants live in socially complex herds and need social interaction with other elephants but in the trekking camps, they are kept solitary.

Before Coronavirus began to spread, SEF founder Lek Chailert worked with elephant owners & elephant keepers known locally as mahouts on new ways to sustain themselves and their families without the use of these elephants for tourism activities such as riding, degrading performances, and street begging. In addition to educating tourists, Chailert focuses on moving camps toward an ethical and sanctuary-based model where elephant welfare is a priority. The progress is undeniable as SEF has engaged and transitioned more than 30 cruel trekking and performance camps to ethical programs where elephants are able to live their lives with dignity and respect.

Enter Covid-19

Now with Covid-19 in the picture, the dialogue between Chailert and the mahouts has increased due to the fact there are no tourist dollars coming in. Mahouts and elephant program operators have quickly become aware of the catastrophic impact Covid-19 is having on unethical programs offering elephant riding and shows. While it is great that the elephants are free from trekking, they cannot be set free into the wild—contrary to common public misconception —and must still be fed and cared for due to the fact that they have been in captivity their entire lives. Feeding the elephants on the verge of starvation is the current focus of SEF but the organization also sees it as a key opportunity to open dialogue and ignite compassionate changes with elephant camp owners who have thus far been extremely resistant to converting to ethical models of elephant care.

The timing is now right and with SEF’s efforts, there is reason to hope—SEF is currently working with the longest-running elephant riding and performance camp in Thailand which has agreed to remove the saddles from all 78 elephants in their care and move to a sanctuary model with SEF’s support. This is huge progress, not only freeing these 78 elephants from their lives of servitude but will inspire other camps that change is possible!  

 

Call to Action

SEF needs our help. Feeding one elephant, which eats ten percent of its body weight a day, costs $30 per day or $900 per month. At any given time, Save Elephant Foundation is feeding approximately 1,750 elephants—it’s an ongoing, critical need. Trunks Up, a partner 501c3 organization is spearheading a fundraiser to help. Anyone wanting to donate should visit http://spot.fund/trunksup.

Planning for a sustainable future,SEF is working with the Thai government to release land so indigenous tribes can start to grow their own crops, feed themselves and their elephants, and earn income from the produce instead of animal tourism. Another source of revenue will be the burgeoning coffee producing industry. However, until that is initiated, SEF could use our help to feed and nourish these gentle giants. 

“A path to a sustainable future is the only way we can protect these beautiful animals,” said Lek Chailert, founder of Save Elephant Foundation and Elephant Nature Park. “We have a small window of opportunity to make this dream a reality and give Thailand’s elephants the life they deserve.”

 

Photo: Save Elephant Foundation