DC Vegan » Rambling

Your Daily Requirement of Dirt

Amber McDonald — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:55:04 +0000

I don’t like the word “prissy,” but I’m struggling to find another term to describe what I was like as a child. I liked to read and play with my dolls. I certainly didn’t like to play outside, mostly because I hated dirt. I have distinct memories of tearfully insisting that I be allowed to go home from school because a perfect outfit had been sullied during recess.

Oh how things have changed! In high school, I discovered sports. In college, I trained alongside the big boys at a Divison I school. And in law school, I discovered martial arts, and found that I both loved and excelled at groundwork — grappling, clinch fighting, and rolling around on sweaty floor mats.

Today, I will tell you that there is nothing better for you than dirt. At farmers’ markets, at your coop or in your weekly veggie delivery, dirt lets you know that your produce hasn’t traveled around the world to get to you. That dirt hasn’t been knocked off in cross-country trips or overseas transit. Your veggies haven’t been cleaned in who-knows-what and soaked in bleach. That’s good local dirt, meaning your produce is fresh and seasonal to where you live. We are blessed to be able to scrub that dirt from our vegetables. It’s true that now I smile every time I pull out a beet or carrot so covered in clods of soil that it is hardly recognizable.

But hold on, these aren’t our only dirt needs! It’s a little known scientific fact, but our knees are desperate for dirt. They cry for us to dig in gardens, to crawl on the grass with children, to roll around with our pets, and to cover our knees (and hands and fingernails) in dirt as we volunteer at community gardens, shelters and sanctuaries.

Knees, if not given their necessary requirements of mud, muck or grime, will start to weaken, resulting in aches and pains. This can even lead to bad backs, wheezing and all around bad health. So get out there — it’s prime weather for getting filthy — and bring the dog with you!

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Vegan in Furs

Amber McDonald — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:37:16 +0000

As the leaves change and the weather turns chilly, my inbox has been inundated with fashion advice on the winter’s it item: fur. When it comes to fur, there’s no shortage of faux, and the taste makers are happy to tell you that “this isn’t your mother’s faux fur. Gone are the days of ultra-synthetic, seemingly flammable pieces that were typical of this category even a year ago.”

As vegans, we’re no strangers to faking it: from the kitchen to the closet to the bedroom…oh my! But faux fur makes me stop short. It’s no secret that the fashion industry has a history of mislabeling real fur, but even if we attempt to make certain it’s fake, what about those who admire, and are inspired by, our wardrobe? When we rock our fake fur-trimmed coats or faux fur water bottle (really?), do we risk inadvertently encouraging someone to put on real fur? Do we keep our fingers crossed that our clothing will inspire questions about our cruelty-free choices? Or, do our obligations as vegans end with the personal, with what winds up on our own plates and our own backs? What do you think?

Zpizza has vegan pizza!

Denise Shrader — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:18:54 +0000

I used to not order the soy pizza from Z Pizza because from doing some research online, it was said that their soy cheese had casein. Well, color me surprised when I found that the cheese is vegan!

Check out their website….www.zpizza.com

They even have gluten free crust which is tres delish. To me, it’s like thin crust.

Being Vegan is Sexy, not Skanky

Denise Shrader — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:14:23 +0000

says in the September issue of Cosmopolitan. Check it out on stands now.

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Love, Sex, Vegetables

Sean Conner — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:51:10 +0000

Monogamously Partnered Carrots

As any postpubescent knows, the dating world is terrifying terrain. There are your standard creeps, cheaters, clingy potential stalkers, thirty-year-old Dungeons and Dragons enthusiasts and… meat-eaters?

Yes, as many of you have probably noticed, just because you’re an awesome veggie vixen or broccoli boy doesn’t mean that your dating pool is. In fact, depending on your location and sexual preference, the odds of you finding a partner who can spell “seitan” correctly may be slim.

With all the standard red flags to watch for on a first date, how important should we make sizing up a date’s diet? With so much of the mating game centered around local nightlife and restaurants, you and your partner are bound to take notice when one of you orders lentil soup and a dinner salad while the other orders Porky Pig and Foghorn Leghorn. We’re left to wonder: how/to what extent is a vegan/vegetarian (veg*n) to tolerate non-veg*nism in a partner? Here are the approaches I’ve seen others/myself take:

Veg*nsexuality. You absolutely cannot date someone who eats meat/animal products. It’s either unappealing to you emotionally (usually the case for “ethical” veg*ns) or just gross to consider coming in contact with their “PG-13 and worse” areas because they consume/pass/smell like animal products. Your only interaction with non-veg*ns is when you lean from the balcony on your Fortress of Moral Superiority and shout at the unwashed masses, telling them they all smell like cheese because of their dairy intake.

Veg*n Playstation. You get around, my dear. You are a die-hard animal advocate, putting your reputation on the line in the name of what’s right. You spend every weekend possible at your favorite bar, on the prowl for attractive, soft-hearted omnivores who you can win over with your superior stamina (I’m referring to dancing, of course…). Then, once they’ve experimented with or converted to veg*nism because of your persuasive arguments and their dedication to you, drop them and move onto the next one.

The “blind eye” method. You might be a “health reasons” veg*n or just don’t feel it’s your place to judge or force yourself onto your partner. I’m guessing you probably enjoy listening to Tegan and Sara. Either you don’t mind smelling meat nor watching your partner eat it or you choose to eat and prepare your meals separately, then regroup for romance later in the evening. You might even be willing to cook meat for your partner, despite the fact that you probably have no idea what temperature it needs to reach to avoid possibly killing them.

Where do you fall among these approaches? Or do you have your own patented method of being both a great date and a great herbivore? Leave a comment to let me know!

Save the Date for DC VegFest 2010!

Outreach Coordinator

Michelle — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:50:41 +0000

Hello everyone! I wanted to formally introduce myself as the new outreach coordinator for DC Vegan. Have ideas? Want to be promoted? Shoot me an e-mail at michelle@dcvegan.com– I’d love to hear from you. )

Taken from the About page:

Michelle is currently a senior at University of Maryland-College Park, majoring in sociology. She has been vegetarian since 2006 (after seeing a truck of baby chicks drive past) and vegan since 2008 (For all of the many reasons). Michelle is a part of the Peta2 Street Team in DC. Michelle would love to adopt a rescue dog but because finishing her degree is her main goal, her (very cute) parakeet will suffice for now. In her spare time she enjoys screenwriting, traveling and watching any film that Christian Bale has graced the presence of. She lives in Silver Spring.

Pets with Disabilities

There’s App for that…

Denise Shrader — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:20:16 +0000

As an avid user of the Iphone, I wanted to know if what the commericals say about the applications were true. Is there pretty much an app for everything? So I typed in Vegan in the search box and varies apps appeared such as VeganXpress. This app’s description states, “VeganXpress is an on-the-run guide to what’s vegan at popular chain restaurants & fast food places.” This app costs $1.99. Another one is iLocate – Vegan Restaurants. “iLocate is a comprehensive searchable database for all the vegan restaurants wherever you are with contact info, directions and so much more – all at the touch of a button.” This app costs $.99. But the one I found that I like the most and it even has a cute cartoon as my app, is called VeganSteven. This also shows you vegan spots around the area you are in and the best part about this app is that it’s FREE!

Apps that also popped up when I did a search for vegan, were some apps for getting vegan and vegetarian recipes, where to shop, and even an app called Veggie Passport. You can express your veggie lifestyle in 33 languages. This app doesn’t claim to be just a normal translator. Apparently this app already has various scenerios programmed in so all you have to do is chose your phrase and language and show it to the waiter or dinner host. This one is $1.99.

I guess the commericals are right. There really is pretty much an app for everything.

The Unlikely Contenders

Vegan Bake Sale-this Sunday!

Noelle — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:53:32 +0000

What better way to introduce others to the joys of vegan eating than by tempting their taste buds with deliciously decadent desserts? In honor of the 1st annual World Wide Vegan Bake Sale, Compassion Over Killing (COK) staff and volunteers will be offering homemade cupcakes, cookies, brownies and more during the Takoma Park farmers market on Sun., June 21. We’ll also be distributing literature about the many benefits of choosing meat-, egg-, and dairy-free foods.

Don’t forget to stop by on Sunday to satisfy your sweet tooth and pick up a treat for dad this Father’s Day—and help us help animals at the same time! All of proceeds from this vegan bake sale will be donated towards COK’s farmed animal advocacy efforts. Pick up a sweet treat for dad on Father’s Day!

WHERE: Summer Delights, 6939 Laurel Ave., Takoma Park, Md.
METRO: Takoma Metro station on the red line
WHEN: Sunday, June 21 from 10:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m.

Oh No! Evil Vegans Plot to Save Horses, Puppies

Amber McDonald — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:29:45 +0000

They both look so good! I can't decide which to eat first.

The vegans are coming! The vegans are coming! Hide the women and children, the American way of life, and the meat products!

Stock & Land, a rural Australian newspaper targeted to livestock producers, brings us the terrifying (or terrifyingly preposterous?) news that a vast vegan conspiracy is behind the push to ban the slaughter of horses for their yummy meat! As we all know, horse is the main source of protein for Americans and the criminalisation of one animal-based protein source – horse meat – could be a stepping stone toward making all meat consumption illegal.

Save the horse harvest! (Isn’t that a lovely euphamism? As if horses were ears of corn.) Stock & Land shares that Sue Wallis, of Wyoming, believes that “it is ethically and morally wrong to waste a nutrient-dense food source in a hungry world.” So, finish your horse, Johnny. There are children starving in Africa.

In addition, “Wallis said prohibiting horse owners from a salvage market is the same as prohibiting a rental car company from selling their cars once they have so many miles on them.” Old horses are no different than old cars, you crazy, morally devoid vegans! Horses carry us around, cars carry us around. When they’re used up, we should be able to “recycle” them. It’s green, when you really think about it…

Of course, the evil vegans of the world are not content to deprive us of our precious horsey burgers and destroy good ol’ American initiative. The Charlotte Observer brings us the boot-quakin’ news that North Carolina’s meat industries are battling a bill the Humane Society of the United States and its vegan president say is meant to protect puppies, warning instead that it is the first step toward ending meat eating as we know it. Although evil vegan Wayne Pacelle insists that the Humane Society bill seeks to crack down on puppy mills by regulating and licensing commercial dog breeders in North Carolina — and not put an end to meat eating — the Observer knows that Pacelle is a big, fat vegan liar (albeit with a healthy cholesterol intake). “He is quoted in news articles in the early 1990s calling for a ban on all hunting.” BUSTED!

Kay Johnson, Executive Vice President of the Animal Agriculture Alliance, isn’t falling for Pacelle’s scheming either. Johnson reveals that the “Humane Society of the United States has a very direct agenda to eliminate the use of animals for food.” Ohhh noooes! What will we eat??

Don’t forget, this nasty Pacelle character “is a vegan or strict vegetarian who eats no animal products.” And, as we all know, those strict vegetarians are a dangerous lot.

Free Vegan Dinner & Screening of “A Delicate Balance” at American University

Francesca — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:31:13 +0000

Compassion Over Killing is teaming up with American University’s Community Action & Social Justice Coalition to present “A Delicate Balance,” a new film that explores how our food choices greatly impact our health as well as the world around us. Join us and Aaron Scheibner—the director and producer of “A Delicate Balance”—at the Kay Chapel Basement on American University’s campus for this event, which is open to the public and includes a free vegan meal!

WHERE: Kay Chapel Basement on American University’s campus at 4400 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., D.C.
METRO: Tenleytown/AU Metro station on the red line
WHEN: Wednesday, April 8 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

DC Vegan » Rambling

Your Daily Requirement of Dirt

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Vegan in Furs

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Outreach Coordinator

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Oh No! Evil Vegans Plot to Save Horses, Puppies

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Free Vegan Dinner & Screening of “A Delicate Balance” at American University

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