April/May 2001, Vol. 10, No. 2

Ł Vitamin B12 shuffle: Time for to be defensive page 11

Maddening cows: Prion-infected feed spreading across the globe Ł page 8

Open letter to Senator Clinton: Veg’ns say, “End the subsidies” Ł page 2

Wild fish, farmed fish: Reports say they’re both contaminated Ł page 6

1996 agriculture-policy overhaul: $46 billion over budget Ł page 7

The VivaVine is a publication of the VivaVegie Society, ’s premier vegetarian-outreach organization.

The veg/ animal-rights answer to red-meat gourmands

STORY, PAGE 14

GrazingAlso the issue Pages 5, 10, and 13

www.vivavegie.org PROGRAMS • OPEN LETTER TO OUR NEW SENATOR

VEGETARIAN CENTER PROGRAMS All events are at 121 East 27th Street, Suite 704. Where appropriate, partici- Dear Mrs. Clinton: pants may bring dinner with them. Infor- irst we want to congratulate ers receive payments from the U.S. mation: 646-424-9595. you on your hard-won vic- Treasury to make up for low prices; F tory in November. We look dairy farmers in particular are given forward to you becoming a voice for price floors; and farmers, Lecture series (6:30 P.M.) progressive policies for New York who should have their own insur- Thurs., Apr. 26 & May 24: Government State and the country. That said, we ance, are regularly given disaster re- giveaways to the : A respectfully submit the following key lief. Animal agriculture also has ben- primer (Pamela Rice) policy initiatives on behalf of the ap- efited by the complete overhaul of An introduction to the dozens of tax breaks proximately 18 million self-pro- farm policy that was put into effect and subsidies the government hands over to the meat industry. Suggested donation: $3. claimed vegetarians in the United in 1996, either through direct pay- States today, not to mention the tens ments or through cheap from of millions of environmentalists and its suppliers who receive payments. Seminar (6:30 P.M.) animal advocates, many of whom (See page 7 for further commentary.) Tues., May 8: Workshop for wanna- share a belief in these initiatives. • HIDDEN PAYOUTS. Operating ex- be vegetarian-issue journalists FIRST, we ask that you work to penses such as research and devel- Learn about the inverted pyramid, copy eliminate conflicts of interest inher- opment, environmental cleanup, and style, the importance of proper grammar, ent in the U.S. Department of Agri- meat and poultry inspection are sim- and the who, what, where, and why of cov- culture. On the one hand, the de- ply provided for by the government. ering our issues. Suggested donation: $3. partment serves to promote the Regarding inspection, the industry consumption of American agricul- should pay user fees to the govern- tural products; on the other, it is ment for the privilege of this over- SUNDAY charged with formulating dietary sight. In addition, publicly funded guidelines, protecting American con- buildings, mostly for research, are SOIREES sumers from unsafe food, and en- built to benefit animal agriculture. at VivaVegie’s Veggie Center forcing the Act. New York City is looking to finance a Light snacks • BYO beverage SECOND, we hope that you will new Fulton Fish Market. Given the Admission fee: One news- work to end subsidies to animal agri- ecological and ethical problems in- paper/magazine article on a vegetari- culture in their many forms: herent in , the government an issue. Bring your favorite music • OVERT PAYOUTS. Livestock farm- should back out. CDs and potluck dish, or make a donation to the Vegetarian Center. ੬ Apr. 22, and May 27 6:30 P.M. Obtain VivaVegie’s guide to either New York City or New Jersey, free! Simply send an SASE to our post-office Rap ’n’ Wrap (6:30 P.M.) box (see page 4), and indicate which Tues., Apr. 17, & May 15: A time for guide you vegetarians to shoot the breeze and would like sort things out from our own per- us to send. spective Everyone’s talking about mad-cow disease, ੬ even meat eaters: What about this? Why are ranchers getting subsidies when there’s Stop ‘em no government money to fund the Endan- in their tracks with VivaVegie’s gered Species Act? Where can I get a vegan “mighty convincer.” meal in Timbuktu? Suggested donation: $3. “101 Reasons Why I’m a Vegetarian,” our popular itemized booklet documenting Workshop the ills of meat and the virtues of veggies By appointment: Getting started with (by Pamela Rice), is available in single your new veggie copies and in bulk. An order form appears on page 15. What do you eat, now that you’ve decided to go vegetarian? Browse our files and take some literature. View videos that will have you saying, “Aha!” Donations appreciated. http://www.vivavegie.org

The VivaVine • April/May 2001 • 2 OPEN LETTER TO OUR NEW SENATOR Start thinking eco-vegetarian • FREE RIDE. The meat industry is granted the ludi- lowing the enlightened and humane policies that have crous privilege of essentially being exempt from laws been adopted by the European Union to ban the veal that other industries have to abide by—in particular, the crate, as well as the farrowing stall for hogs and the bat- Animal Welfare Act, the Clean Water Act, and even the tery cage for hens. As you are no doubt well aware, these Clean Air Act. implements of today’s factory farming turn sentient be- Given the dubious-at-best health benefits of animal- ings into food production units, allowing the animals vir- derived foods—including cows’ milk—it behooves any rea- tually no living space or ability to express natural be- sonably progressive government to phase out economic haviors or experience the natural environment. As the breaks to the industries that produce them. We needn’t re- number of animals raised for food in the United States mind you that cutting subsidies to agriculture in general is each year has soared to 10 billion, this issue demands at- a great way to foster good relations tention on the grounds of animal with our trading partners as well. We hope that you will welfare, human health, workers’ rights, and ecology. he best way to get people to work to end subsidies THIRD, given that one-fifth of eat more healthfully is to American teenage girls, according T make unhealthful foods such to animal agriculture to , describe as meat more expensive. Regardless, themselves as vegetarians and animal agriculture needs to pass its in their many forms. that the American Dietetic Associ- costs of production on to its cus- ation and American Medical Asso- tomers, not to the taxpayers as a whole. Just one exam- ciation have endorsed vegetarian diets as healthful and ple of how to make this industry pay its own way would nutritionally sound, we hope you will work to make sure be to place the strictest controls on confined animal feed- that every school in New York State provides at least one ing operations (CAFOs) and make sure that the controls vegetarian option at every meal. We would be pleased if are enforced. As a larger goal, we would like to see the you promoted vegetarian options in schools at the na- elimination of CAFOs altogether, as they are not only bad tional level, too. for the environment but also bad for workers who suffer respiratory problems; for people in general, because they n addition, given the epidemic levels of heart disease, are incubators of antibiotic-resistant bacteria; and for the obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and certain types of animals themselves, because the CAFOs rob them of any I cancer—all of which have been linked to a diet high in semblance of a natural life. animal fats, low in fiber, and depleted of important nutri- We also expect you to take a leadership role in fol- Continued on page 15

The Vegetarian Center’s survival is sus- Let us know if you would like to sponsor a matching fund yourself. If this is not possible, please be generous pended in the balance. Support is needed. with your contributions. Who knows? By the time you read this, there may be a matching fund in place. Please hank you, David Sielaff, feel free to contact us and find out! Contributions not in of Seattle, Washington. exchange for merchandise are tax-deductible. TYour double-matching of donations to the VivaVegie Soci- Send checks made out to VivaVegie Society, P.O. ety in 2000 made all the differ- Box 294, Prince Street Station, New York, NY 10012. ence to us. In fact, your match- ing program literally allowed VivaVegie Society • 646-424-9595 the survival of our Vegetarian Center. (See pages 2 and 6.) At the moment we are with- Five-Boro Bike Tour w/VVS out a matching fund, but we en- SUNDAY, MAY 5 courage anyone to take up David Sielaff at Stonehenge where our previous benefactors have left off. Our ex- Join VivaVegie as a team in this 45-mile free penses never stop: rent, telephone, printing, postage, ride (no cars) through New York City. Do it electricity. These are the big outlays, but the smaller ex- with 20,000 other cyclists. We’ll have a ban- penditures, such as our annual post-office-box fee, photo- ner. Call 646-424-9595 before April 10 to be copies, stationery supplies, book purchases, and Viva- with us, and we’ll all have a blast! Vine distribution, also add up fast.

The VivaVine • April/May 2001 • 3 GRAPEVINE Make Our Day: Give us questions I’m thinking of going vegan Vegetarian hunger relief I would like to obtain a hard copy of on the Lower East Side your “101 Reasons Why I’m a Vege- I’ve been a volunteer at Hare Krishna tarian.” I first saw the document on Food Relief since last summer. your Web site and was thrilled. I They’re a great group. They are try- have been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for ing to establish a Nutrition Educa- 15 years and am thinking of going tion Center, which will not only vegan. Your literature will be helpful, serve vegetarian meals to the hun- as I’m sure I’ll be bombarded with gry and homeless but also teach questions about why I would do low-income people how to cook veg- a publication of such a thing! I’m sure you can relate. etarian dishes. VivaVegie Society, Inc. Laura Messer We primarily provide meals in Tompkins Square Park in Manhat- Vol. 10, No. 2 Milan, Michigan Editor’s note: Actually, sometimes I tan’s Lower East Side. Despite the APRIL / MAY 2001 wish people would ask more ques- apparent gentrification of the neigh- P.O. Box 294 • Prince Street Station tions. Too often the problem is that borhood, the Lower East Side is not New York, NY 10012-0005 people don’t want to know. entirely affluent. In fact, because of 646-424-9595 (vegetarian center) skyrocketing rents, many residents 212-871-9304 (hot line) find themselves having less and less [email protected] That’s a lot of reasons! disposable income for food. We can think of 101 reasons why we Please let people know about us. Publisher: Pamela Rice appreciate the VivaVegie Society and Editor: Alan Rice Patricia Graeme all the work you do to promote a Copy editor: Glen Boisseau Becker Hare Krishna Food Relief*, New York: compassionate diet and lifestyle. 212-674-0698 Contributors: Mike Hudak, Karen Joe Connelly (Editor), Iacobbo, Mia MacDonald, Martin * Not part of or allied with the Interna- Rowe, Bruce Gourley, Adam Colleen Holland (Advertising) tional Society for Krishna Consciousness. Goodman Veg-News: North America’s Only Vegetarian Newspaper Webmaster: Marian Cole Santa Cruz, California VVS volunteer profile: Calendar editor: Evelyn Gilbert Rob Dolecki Gaggle of veg-evangelists: Your “101” helped Joan Zacharias, Danielle Dunbar, Judea Johnson, Jean Thaler, Kate my side of a debate Garrison, Murray Schechter, and I have a running debate with some Rob Dolecki people—I’m on the pro side of vege-

EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS: tarianism. Your “101 Reasons” helped a lot, especially the ethical •, Ph.D., information about farm animals. Melissa •Richard Schwartz, Ph.D., author, Judaism and Tempe, Arizona •, M.D. Attack on Mac market share •Mike Hudak, Ph.D. Several issues of The VivaVine ago, it was noted that McDonald’s planned SPECIAL THANKS TO: to add 150 of its restaurants to the •David Sielaff • NALITH New York City area over a short pe- riod of time. I believe we need an Rob Dolecki, of Bloomfield, New Jer- JOIN VivaVegie equally sizable proliferation of vege- sey, loves VivaVegie’s vegan guide to To become a member of the tarian and vegan restaurants. I have New York City but thought there VivaVegie Society for one year, send developed a surefire concept and a needed to be one for New Jersey, darn $15 to the above address. Member- plan to do just that. I will start here it! He utilized the Vegetarian Center ship entitles you to a membership in Oregon and then duplicate my ef- and typed up the many New Jersey en- card, five issues of The VivaVine, forts in all 50 states. You watch! tries he found, each of which was and a copy of “101 Reasons Why I’m Craig Cline double-checked with his phone call. a Vegetarian.” Salem, Oregon See page 2 for how to obtain your copy.

The VivaVine • April/May 2001 • 4 CATTLE CATASTROPHE Our Federal Public Lands: For ranchers or wildlife?

BY MIKE HUDAK, Ph.D. “Wildlife Services,” the U.S. govern- ranchers, many of whom are waging ment’s killing program, annually a losing battle to remain economi- attle, whose wild ancestors shoots, traps, or poisons on behalf of cally viable. Although many are evolved in moist river valleys ranchers roughly 300 mountain lions, abandoning ranching, their grazing Cof the Middle East, were 300 black bears, 650 badgers, 1,800 permits are often not retired but con- brought to the arid American South- bobcats, 5,500 foxes, and 82,000 coy- solidated into the holdings of corpo- west in the early 1600s and to the re- otes. The organization has so aggres- rate ranchers. mainder of the West around 1850. sively targeted the prairie dog that its Federal taxes subsidize ranch- Today approximately 70 percent of population is down 98 percent from ers. In 1998, the U.S. Forest Service our 11 Western states is grazed by 100 years ago. That all this is done at and BLM together spent $94 million livestock, and one-third the area more on their grazing programs of those states—roughly 243 than they collected in ranchers’ million acres—is federal public fees. Wildlife Services added an- land leased to ranchers. other $14.6 million, according to That this landscape is particu- The San Jose Mercury News. larly unsuited to cattle can be Other investigators claim surmised from research showing that total subsidies are much that large herds of large native larger. Focusing on public lands herbivores had not grazed west managed just by the BLM, of the Rocky Mountain front Robert Nelson, a researcher at range for the past 10,000 years— Woodruff Allotment stock pond, Dip Hollow, the University of Maryland, has since the time of a cooler and Cache National Forest, Utah. estimated the annual manage- moister climate. Lacking intense ment cost at $200 million, only grazing pressure, western flora $20 million of which is collected have not evolved defenses from ranchers in grazing fees. against this threat. Consequently, Taxpayer subsidies on all fed- livestock grazing, and more gen- eral public lands may reach erally “livestock production,” has $500 million annually when become a major factor in species water subsidies, supplemental endangerment. Combined with feeding programs, and mitiga- fences, water developments, for- tion of environmental damage age manipulation, and the killing are accounted for, according to of predators and competitors of Anthill Well stock trough, Castle Creek Allotment a 1995 study by Karl Hess and livestock, grazing has made live- (BLM), Idaho. Photos © by Mike Hudak Johanna Wald. stock production the single most Economic benefits of destructive activity on our public taxpayer expense is testimony to the ranching on federal public lands? lands when viewed in terms of species strength of the livestock industry’s In the 11 Western states, ranching on endangerment. Of and wildlife political clout. federal public lands provides fewer species listed as threatened or endan- Who holds federal grazing per- than 18,000 jobs (0.06 percent of the gered, or proposed for listing, live- mits? Federal land forage is con- regional total), 0.04 percent of the in- stock production impacts 22 percent trolled by a relatively small number come, and a minuscule 2 percent of of them—nearly as many as logging of large operators. The largest 24.4 the nation’s beef supply. and mining combined. percent of ranchers holding Forest Where to learn more: Even among wildlife species not Service permits control 79 percent of Ⅲ Waste of the West, by Lynn Jacobs. yet in danger of extinction, many the forage. On lands managed by the Ⅲ The Western Range Revisited, by populations have plummeted be- Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Debra L. Donahue. cause of habitat degradation caused the concentration of power is even Ⅲ RangeBiome: www.rangebiome.org. by livestock production. Bighorn greater, with only 10.6 percent of per- Ⅲ The RangeTree listserve: sheep now exist at 1 percent of their mit holders controlling 66.1 percent http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ population prior to the introduction of the forage. Some of these large RangeTree. of livestock, and the sage grouse, ex- “ranchers” are actually corporations Ⅲ Mike Hudak: http://rangenet.org/ tirpated from five states, has been not commonly associated with beef: directory/hudakm. declining for 20 years in nearly all re- Anheuser-Busch, Sinclair Oil, Hunt maining states within its range. Oil, and Hilton Hotels. Mike Hudak is the director of Public Then there are the wildlife species The other end of the permit holder Lands Without Livestock, a Project of the livestock industry really dislikes. spectrum is dominated by small SEE Inc.

The VivaVine • April/May 2001 • 5 FISH STORIES

Methylmercury, poly- Food and Drug Administration in mid- ment standards for the contaminant January. Specifically, shark, sword- were too weak. Even now, consumer chlorinated biphenyls, fish, king mackerel, and tilefish are groups lament that the FDA did not organochlorine pesticides, particularly dangerous, it said. include fresh tuna, used in sushi or The advisory was especially slow served as tuna steak, as part of its polybrominated diphenyl to arrive. Back in July, a dire report warning. ethers: Bon appétit! issued by the National Academy of Along with this alert, the FDA re- Sciences estimated that methyl- iterated its claim that seafood is a Meals of fish that are high on the food mercury-contaminated seafood may natural, low-fat source of protein. It chain should be kept to a minimum if be causing neurological problems in said shellfish, canned fish, and farm- you’re pregnant, planning to become as many as 60,000 children born raised fish are safe, as long as the pregnant, or nursing. Young children each year. And this was not the first noted species were avoided. should also avoid these meals, ac- time that the NAS had sounded a The FDA’s green light on farmed cording to an advisory issued by the warning. In 1991 it said that govern- fish was particularly interesting in view of the fact that just a little over a week prior to its advisory a news VivaVegie’s Vegetarian Center of NYC release issued by the Suzuki Founda- tion, of Canada, reported startling • hosts lectures, video screen- • houses a notebook of menus scientific evidence that potentially ings, workshops, and discus- from local veggie restaurants dangerous levels of toxic chemicals sion groups • offers pro-vegetarian T-shirts are contained in the feed given to • offers a referral service for and lapel buttons farmed salmon in Canada and Scot- restaurants, stores, vegan • houses an archive of books, land. Though U.S. fish were not men- products, and vegetarian pamphlets, magazines, and tioned, the discrepancies that the organizations cataloged news reports for studies revealed were substantial, • functions as a meeting place students and journalists to and Canada is a bit too close for comfort. for groups use in research The release cited research show- • is a place to get involved with • serves as a drop-in space for ing that the farmed fish sampled con- passers-by to pick up a restau- vegetarian advocacy tained much higher levels of pollu- rant guide, pro-vegetarian lit- • is a place for visitors to speak tants than wild fish, including ten erature for leafleting, and one on one with a real, live times as many polychlorinated other vegetarian information vegetarian! biphenyls (PCBs). Other contami- nants found in higher proportions in 121 East 27th Street, Suite 704, in the farmed fish included organo- Office hours: 4:00 to 7:00 P.M., M–F chlorine pesticides and polybromi- Always call ahead to confirm your visit: 646-424-9595 nated diphenyl ethers. The re- searchers theorized that as the INDOOR GARDENING SUPPLIES Ⅵ BEER-MAKING KITS concentration of protein in feed goes GROW LIGHTS

Ⅵ up, so does the concentration of con- taminants. Feed for farmed fish is for- EVERYONE’S DOING IT mulated with higher concentrations of protein to speed growth. GROW LIGHT The contaminants reportedly HYDROPONIC tend to cause learning disabilities, especially in children. They also GARDEN CENTERS weaken the human immune system, Ⅵ 2 GREAT LOCATIONS • EAST COAST HYDROPONICS INC.

HYDROPONIC KITS increasing susceptibility to every- GROWING BOOKS QUEENS STATEN ISLAND thing from colds to cancer. Ⅵ 146-49 Horace Harding Exp. 439 Castleton Ave. Coral reef report: (Service Rd. of LIE) Staten Island Flushing 718-727-9300 27 percent destroyed ( 718-762-8880 OPEN 5 DAYS An international environmental mon- OPEN 7 DAYS itoring organization declared in mid- Happy Hydroponic ) December that it estimates 27 per-

plants growing kit HOMEBREW TOO... cent of the world’s coral reefs have

-MAKING KITS

WINE LIGHTS GROW

ORGANIC PEST CONTROL CONTROL PEST ORGANIC been permanently lost. Ⅵ Ⅵ

Ⅵ Destructive fishing practices,

The VivaVine • April/May 2001 • 6 FISH STORIES, CONTINUED • COMMENTARY such as the use of dynamite and Genetic pollution: Farmed ington Post. Suddenly thrust into a cyanide, were named as threats to world of “eat or be eaten,” it would be reefs. But the biggest threats, ac- fish escape their pens a wonder if any survived after being cording to the Global Coral Reef All it took was one nor’easter to dis- accustomed to doled-out meals in the Monitoring Network, are global lodge a battery of coastal pens pen. The worry remains, however, warming and climate change. Other crammed with salmon. One hundred that a handful of escapees may live to threats include water pollution and thousand fish with genetic character- pass on their sluggish, obesity-prone sediment from coastal development, istics suited for dinner plates, not for genes to future generations—that is, according to a story posted on the survival in the wild, escaped into if they retain any instinct to head for CNN Web site in December. The re- Maine’s Machias Bay in December, a river to spawn. In any event, the port warned that if nothing is done, the largest known escape of its kind seven government agencies that 60 percent of the world’s reefs could in the eastern United States, accord- oversee U.S. aquaculture now may be be gone by 2030. ing to a February story in the Wash- starting to wake up. = Separation of Meat and State: $71 billion in ag subsidies—is this weaning farmers off the dole?

BY PAMELA RICE support programs.” He further explained that subsidiza- tion to farmers amounts to about 50 percent of farm in- s part of the Republican come: “Every other dollar now going into the pockets of Revolution of the mid- farmers comes from U.S. taxpayers.” A 1990s, the U.S. Congress Precisely how much of this subsidization goes to ani- completely overhauled American mal agriculture is anyone’s guess. Even if it were 1 percent farm laws. New Deal/Depression- of the total, it would be too much as far as vegetarians are era farm policy was to give way to concerned—but we know that subsidies to the meat-pro- Photo by Ted Teisler “Freedom to Farm.” The goal was to ducing sector are, in fact, a huge proportion. The other wean American agriculture away from subsidies and get question is, How much is going into the hands of big op- it accustomed to operating in response to the market. erators—if not directly, through the subsidization of their Except for the dairy sector, which still enjoys price suppliers? The Post article indicated that nearly three- floors, the program whisked away the widespread defi- quarters of all food production comes from a mere 157,000 ciency payments that were doled out in times of low commercial farmers, or 46 percent. They’re so efficient, prices and told farmers that in seven years the rug was Morgan reports, that low prices don’t knock them out. Of going to be pulled out from under them—and they had course, it would be well to examine the price that the en- better start getting used to it. In the meantime, the gov- vironment and the animals pay for farmer efficiency. ernment would pay them a fixed amount—an average It bears noting that the other 54 percent of farmers— total of about $5 billion per year. The payments were to the “less efficient” ones—earn half of their income from be distributed despite good prices or bad, and the only off-farm jobs, according to the Post story. They certainly requirement for receiving one was having participated in are not making out with “Freedom to Farm.” a deficiency payment program before 1996. Generally, In the end, the new legislation has done almost noth- the bigger your farm the more you would get. The pay- ing that it set out to do. Subsidies are bigger than ever, ments would come even if you did no farming at all, or and because they are, farmers (the big ones in particu- even if you now lived in the city. lar) are not listening to market forces at all. And—you The freedom in “Freedom to Farm” was that the gov- guessed it—they are overproducing, which is wiping out ernment, for the most part, no longer dictated what or small farmers and disrupting international trade. how much a farmer was to farm. The legislators seemed hell-bent on taking the communism out of the agriculture hy do these farmers receive so much consid- sector in all ways. eration? Some may argue that they’re in- And how has it been going since 1996? Are we on sched- W volved with national security: Food is vital to ule? As far as subsidies, we are indeed—and then some. a country’s strength. But how could creating an over- Whereas direct payments to farmers over the past five supply of meat have much to do with that? And how can years should have been in the neighborhood of $25 bil- some 175,000 farmers stack up against millions of vege- lion, actual payments have amounted to $71 billion. As tarians? By some estimates, those who consider them- Dan Morgan of the Washington Post wrote in a January 26 selves vegetarian come to about 7 percent of the U.S. story, “Frequent spending bills stuffed with ‘emergency’ population, or a whopping 18 million. We vegetarians payments to farms—last year’s totaled an unprecedented need to start exercising some well-deserved clout com- $8.8 billion—have become standard fare on Capitol Hill, mensurate with our numbers. And the first thing we adding to the deluge of money going out under regular should ask for is a separation of meat and state! =

The VivaVine • April/May 2001 • 7 MAD COW DEBACLE Prion Panic: Infectious agent endures incineration No mad cows yet, but are we place to keep different kinds of feed period of looking hard enough? Poten- from commingling. At least 700 out three months tially infected feed may have of 5,000 feed handlers inspected or more— spread were not in compliance, according to even though The United States has yet to en- Dr. Stephen Sundlop of the FDA, as there is no counter even one mad cow, at least a reported in the Post story. evidence that detected one. Our lack of results, A marketplace that’s gone wildly mad cow disease can be however, may be because we aren’t global doesn’t help U.S. chances of spread via blood, according to a going out of our way to find infec- avoiding this dreaded cow plague. story in TIME in late January. tion. Only about 1,000 cattle are The London Times reported early in Blood-bank officials, according to tested for mad cow disease in the February that potentially infected the Post article, fear that a three- United States every year, according meat and bone meal were exported month rule would devastate sup- to a February 4 story in the New York to 70 countries by a British render- plies in New York City—supplies that Post—and that’s out of 37 million ing company between 1988 and 1996. tend to run in crisis mode on a regu- slaughtered. According to a January Reportedly, the rendered ruminant lar basis, especially since a ban al- 14 article on mad cow disease in The material was labeled properly for ready disallows blood donations New York Times, France tests 20,000 use as chicken and pig feed, but it is from people who have lived in animals for the disease each week, likely that some was illegally or mis- Britain for six months between 1980 and it only has 5.7 million cattle. Last takenly used for cattle. and 1996. The question becomes, year it found 153 infected animals. Mad cow fallout: The Red Will such a ban create more victims An all-but-proven theory says that Cross now considering more than it saves? mad cow disease is spread by feed- blood donation restrictions EU carcass disposal a nightmare ing ruminant protein back to rumi- With mad cows being discovered all with installment of new rules nants. In mid-January, however, the across Europe—at press time the Thanks to the recent reemergence of Food and Drug Administration re- count is a dozen countries—the the mad cow crisis in Europe, regula- ported that many animal-feed manu- American Red Cross doesn’t want to tions imposed by the European facturers in the United States were take any chances. According to the Union are forcing farmers to test all not labeling their products accord- Post story cited above, the interna- animals for mad cow disease that are ing to regulations designed to keep tional rescue organization is consid- over 30 months old. But what to do cows and other ruminants from eat- ering severely tightening restrictions with the bodies when a cow can’t go ing the rendered bodies of other ru- on blood that it will accept, to the to market? A January 22 Associated minants. Such carcasses can legally point of disallowing donations from Press story recounted a monstrous be fed to other species, and many anyone who has lived or traveled scene where a farmer in Ireland feed producers have no system in anywhere in Western Europe over a found a cow carcass on his doorstep that he had buried only a few days before. Neighbors had dug it up be- cause they feared that prions, the in- fectious mad-cow agent, would leach into the local water supply. Before November, burial of infected cows was permitted in Ireland, according to a January 12 story in . But since infectious prions will stand up even to inciner- ation, carcasses are being frozen until a successful method of neutral- ization is found.=

Correction: Two issues ago, we gave you a great “” recipe from the chef of a bed-and-break- Michael Greger, M.D., gesturing at the far right, gave a talk on mad cow dis- fast in Wales. We gave the wrong ease at the Vegetarian Center late in February. He was invited as an expert wit- name and Internet address, how- ness at the Oprah Winfrey trial, which exposed the common farm practice of ever. The correct name is Pentre Bach, with www.pentrebach.com feeding rendered animal remains to livestock. The talk was videotaped and will being the Web address.—Ed. be made available to the VivaVegie Society. Call ahead to schedule a viewing.

The VivaVine • April/May 2001 • 8 VEGGIE NUGGETS

1 profits in 2 2⁄ years were blamed on the panic over Veggie mad cow disease raging in Europe. It didn’t help that Organic World Cuisine a supplier to an Italian Mc- Nuggets Donald’s restaurant dis- THE UPPER WEST SIDE gg covered an infected cow ORGANIC CAFE in its processing facility. Meat from the cow never made it to the McD es- 624 Amsterdam Ave. No longer taking the bait tablishment, but at this point a war at 90th St. In the face of a vicious predator, a room undoubtedly has been desig- cagey crustacean has adapted and is nated at McDonald’s headquarters in 212-579-1500 now looking to flourish. The preda- Oak Brook, Illinois, and the words ORGANIC VEGETARIAN tor, man, on the other hand, is seeing battle plan must be in use by more & VEGAN CUISINE FROM before his eyes an object of his de- than one McD executive on the AROUND THE WORLD! sires—Maine lobsters—increasing in premises in anticipation of a domes- number yet becoming more elusive tic mad cow crisis. What a time to be • Healing Juices & Smoothies • than ever. What’s going on? a fly on at board meetings! • Organic Wines & Beers • A theory, according to the Boston Leno on a roll • Vegan Homemade Desserts • Globe, is that lobsters are increasing • Lunch, Dinner & Weekend Brunch • despite the odds because a new breed Jay Leno seems to understand the 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. is gaining a foothold, one that won’t killer aspects of animal foods pretty EVERY DAY enter a trap, no matter the goodies well these days. When hearing about that beckon it from within. Live long, Ben Cohen (of Ben & Jerry’s ice FREE DELIVERY my friend, evolve and prosper. cream) and his recent bypass, Leno quipped, “They’re going to do a new Ayurveda Cafe MCD:Do you think flavor—Chunky Arteries.” And never mind mad cow disease, Leno had A Place for Balance McDonald’s—or mad some comments on the deadly prop- 706 Amsterdam Ave. cow disease? erties of McDonald’s new bacon, at 94th Street cheese, and chicken sandwich. “How 212-932-2400 The ticker symbol for McDonald’s much cholesterol is in that?” he won- Inc. on the New York Stock Exchange dered. “I mean, McD’s has come full Dedicated to health is MCD, and as luck would have it, circle. First the breakfast meal, then and well-being this is an acronym for mad cow dis- the happy meal, now the last meal.” serving 100% Indian ease—not the kind of mind associa- vegetarian food tion the burger giant would like to get Vegetarian hero from the around. No matter what, MCD earn- 11:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. ings are likely to be lower in the near most unlikely of places EVERY DAY term. Recently, the lowest quarterly It verges on scandal! A celebrated FREE DELIVERY French chef from a celebrated Video screenings French restaurant—in Paris, no less—recently declared that he no Ayurveda Center Call 646-424-9595 to schedule an longer eats meat and therefore is no opportunity for your group, or just A Center for Balance yourself, to watch videos at the longer willing to prepare it either. 204 West 96th Street Top chef Alain Passard explained in Veggie Center. Sample titles: (btwn & Amsterdam) a New York Times profile in February Ⅲ The Witness (award-winning plea for that the mad cow crisis certainly 212-280-1000 ; features NYC’s Eddie Lama) Ⅲ (stylistically inven- had influenced him, but in reality he THE CENTER FOR ALL OF tive and poignant documentary) was simply bored with preparing YOUR AYURVEDIC NEEDS Ⅲ Foods for Cancer Prevention and meat. His meals still command $200 Ayurvedic Individualized Survival (Dr. Neal Barnard’s com- for a ten-course dinner, according to Consultations • Herbal Supplements pendium of facts from the latest studies) the Times. “For a chunk of veal or Ayurvedic Massage Ⅲ (John Rob- lamb, a few minutes less or more Aromatherapy & Massage Oils bins’s powerful synopsis of his book) Incense & Beauty Products Ⅲ may not make the difference,” he Truth or Dairy (a star-studded exposé) Candles, Books & Music Ⅲ A Diet for All Reasons (Dr. Michael was quoted as saying. “With a leek Gift Boxes Klaper’s superb case for vegetarianism) you can ruin the texture or flavor in (OTHER TITLES ALSO AVAILABLE.) a few seconds.” = CALL FOR INFORMATION AND APPOINTMENT

The VivaVine • April/May 2001 • 9 ECO/SUBSIDIES BEAT We’re All meatless Dead zone: Paying off the polluters again The Mississippi River is just a trough for refuse as far as & We’re All OKAY!! a lot of farmers are concerned. Oh, they wouldn’t admit such a thing, but ultimately, as long as no one is looking, Tr y Ou r it’s fine with them that nutrients such as manure and fer- Custom-Baked tilizer run off their land and end up in the river. Of course Vegetarian runoff happens invisibly, so presumably no one can be Specialties! looking, even if they wanted to investigate. One thing is not invisible, however, at least not to sci- entists measuring oxygen in the Gulf of Mexico down the pike. Excess nutrients—a little bit from a lot of farmers— cause algal growth, Excess nutrients—a which in turn re- little bit from a lot of sults in a decrease in dissolved oxy- farmers—cause algal gen in the bottom We all can be soldiers for good… growth, which in turn water. Mobile ma- Through our efforts and the efforts of some very brave individuals results in a decrease in rine life can relo- and organizations, together we have helped raise awareness of cate to oxygen-rich healthy alternatives for animals. Let’s all keep joining hands… oxygen at the bottom of areas, but slow- We have, and will continue to make a difference. moving animals Call today for information on our extensive line of alternative the Gulf of Mexico. therapies, our great selection of vegan and vegetarian pet foods, die. Every year a and the most humane meat-based foods and, of course, “dead zone” the size of a small state forms off the coast our famous handmade fresh-baked biscuits! of Louisiana, later to disappear. Wow-Bow Distributors LTD. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, this 1.800.326-0230 ebb and flow has gone on long enough. In January it pro- 13B Lucon Drive, Deer Park, NY 11729 • email us at: [email protected] posed a plan to elicit volunteer cleanup from farmers, prodded by incentives from the government, to cut the size of the dead zone in half by 2015. Environmental groups are urging that the incentives be generous enough to convince farmers to do the right Dine out thing. They argue, according to a Reuters story posted to the CNN Web site, that “without adequate funding Amer- and save ican farmers will…continue to add to the high amounts of polluted runoff already entering the river.” With much a zillion* if not most of the runoff coming from animal agriculture, including the cultivation of feed , vegetarians may with your wonder “Where’s our payoff?” when our contribution to the dead zone is minimal. VegDining Ranchers get paid to be destructive card Cattle grazing in the American West usually takes place along fragile riparian zones—wide floodplains along rivers and streams where wild species of plants and ani- (*a slight exaggeration mals congregate and regenerate. These delicate ecosys- tems, which serve as natural purifiers of the water, are but the food will be great!) being summarily trampled flat and contaminated by ma- nure. A 1999 study published in the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation asserted that 80 percent of stream $ and riparian ecosystems in the western United States have been damaged by cattle grazing. VegDining.com But now we’ve learned, after a recent discovery by the Forest Guardians, that since 1990 cattle ranchers on pub- Your online guide to lic lands have received $237 million in federal subsidies, vegetarian restaurants as reported in a January story by the Environmental News Network. At the same time, the Bureau of Land around the world Management has said that there are no resources left to enforce the Endangered Species Act adequately. =

The VivaVine • April/May 2001 • 10 FOR THE HEALTH OF IT The original Candle Cafe Ironclad conjecture: Get the rust out of diet 1307 Third Avenue at 75 Street (212)472-0970 If you’re over a certain age, you can remember a time when a mortal fear was placed in society’s collective brain about getting enough dietary iron. The Geritol mantra in the sixties, God help us, was “Do you have tired, iron-poor blood?” (Funny, in our meat-centric na- tion, that anyone was ever short on iron.) As with pro- tein—another nutrient associated with meat—you just couldn’t get enough of it. The pendulum has swung, however, to the other side, and the phrase that now comes to mind is “too much of a good thing.” GO TO Researchers are realizing with a number of nutrients that upper limits on intake are as important as recom- mended minimum requirements. In the case of iron, a team of Japanese researchers recently uncovered some key arterial mechanics when they looked at dietary iron in the body. According to a Reuters story in October, just as iron oxidizes into rust outside the body, it can in- Be kind to animals crease the oxidative stress on the lining of blood vessels. Don’t eat them Too much iron, the researchers discovered, becomes a risk factor for atherosclerosis (hardening of the arter- ies), the already recognized badge of the meat eater. Ac- cording to the lead researcher cited in the Reuters story, “This could mean that the Western diet, rich in red meat, causes heart disease not only because it has so much fat, but because it is too rich in iron.”

For vitamin B12: Fortified , not meat One of the first questions meat eaters ask vegans is HEALTH “Where do you get your vitamin B12?” The question is asked so often that the answer should probably be flashed out in lights in . Myths abound re- garding this nutrient, and if recent research has any say in the matter, it may just be the vegans who should be asking the meat eaters where they get their vitamin B12. According to surveys conducted by the Vegetarian Re- organic seasonal vegan menu source Group, only about one-half of one percent of the population is truly vegan. Yet according to discoveries by a U.S. Department of Agriculture research center in Boston, nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population is flirting with a marginal vitamin B12 status, and 9 percent are de- ficient. Deficiencies can cause walking and balance distur- bances, a loss of vibration sensation, confusion, and, in advanced cases, dementia. The body requires B12 to make the protective coating surrounding the nerves. The USDA researchers discovered, not surprisingly, that meat, poultry, and fish consumption has no impact on deficiencies, despite ample amounts of the nutrient found in these foods. A person’s ability to absorb the nu- trient is the key. The vitamin, it has been discovered, tightly binds itself to proteins in meat and dairy prod- ucts and requires high acidity to be cut loose. As we age, we lose the acid-secreting cells in the stomach. Zagat Survey 2001 But younger adults, the researchers learned, also have award of distinction trouble utilizing the nutrient, thanks to the high use of antacids, the researchers surmise—antacids to counter- www.candlecafe.com act the effects of eating meat. What is one of the best ways to overcome vitamin B12 deficiency? Fortified cereals. =

The VivaVine • April/May 2001 • 11 VEGETARIAN ROOTS Gove Nichols: Uncommonly Victorian & veg ian advocate. It’s doubtful that she would have approved Gove explained that God did of many vegetarian convenience foods, although she probably would have liked those low in fat and high in not design the human body fiber. One’s diet had to be heavy on whole grains, veg- for flesh eating. etables, and —devoid of coffee, tea, , and grease as well as meat—to pass inspection by her. BY KAREN IACOBBO Gove and other vegetarian crusaders contended that in some cases a diet that included flesh foods might be ARY GOVE NICHOLS was a leading crusader for veg- more wholesome than one that was vegetarian but etarianism during the mid 19th century. She loaded with grease and pastries. This was a concession was a disciple of —perhaps evidently born out of compromise, which all but the the foremost vegetarian advocate of the century—and as staunchest vegetarian activists (those motivated primar- a “Grahamite” her major form of activism was to teach ily by religion or animal rights) seem to have made. Most physiology and anatomy to Americans. likely they made this concession because they lived in a To this end, Gove, who was a physician and proprietor virulently meat-hungry and vegetarian-suspicious time of a water cure establishment (a non drug, “nature cure” that lacked hard scientific evidence proving the benefits facility), presented a series of lectures to female-only au- of rejecting meat. diences eager to learn about the human body and how it functions. At the time, women were not supposed to lec- ESIDES THE “ DIET,” Gove and other “physi- ture to audiences including males, but Gove managed to ologists” called for a long list of daily practices, reach them as well through her published lectures, her from bathing and exercise to adequate rest and magazine, and other works. Gove was also a novelist, ac- cheerful attitude, as the prescription for health. If that ad- knowledged by no less a literary figure than Edgar Allan vice seems familiar, the next time it is mentioned remem- Poe, whose dying young wife Gove attempted to save ber Gove, who like Graham, journeyed from city to city from a fatal case of consumption (tuberculosis). preaching physiology and a vegetable diet. Over time, Gove couldn’t save Poe’s beloved cousin/wife, but she many of the ideas of the American veg pioneers—derived did help many people regain good health. Women (and from observation, the Bible, and natural history—have men) were interested in what Gove had to teach, be- been scientifically verified and adopted by mainstream cause they wanted to take control of their health and the medicine. Until now, Graham, Gove, and company have health of their families instead of relying on the often rarely received credit for their attempts to aid ailing treacherous, sometimes fatal drug medicine prevalent America. When they have been recognized, they and throughout the century. their groundbreaking work have usually been portrayed Nichols and her lectures were popular. History more as caricatures than as people of strong character, records that at one lecture, the audience numbered as out to save the sick from unhealthful habits.= many as 2,000—and that lecture was delivered in a small city. Vegetarianism was an integral component of Gove’s Karen Iacobbo and her spouse Michael Iacobbo are the au- teachings. Like her mentor Graham, Gove explained that thors of the forthcoming Encyclopedia of Vegetarianism God did not design the human body for flesh eating but and a in America: 1817–2000. to eat of the foods of the vegetable kingdom. You can contact them at [email protected] or American Gove, like Graham, was not typical of today’s vegetar- Lyceum, 409 Pine Street, First Floor, Providence, RI 02903.

Take Back Your Health free initial consultation a program uniquely designed to gently coach you towards a healthier lifestyle Japanese Macrobiotic Food Frank Mediate 212-945-7549 • [email protected] 566 Amsterdam Avenue at 87th Street SATYA A Magazine of Vegetarianism, 212-787-8316 Environmentalism and Animal Advocacy Open for lunch and dinner, 7 days a week Our foods are naturally prepared To read current and back issues, visit our website at http://www.stealthtechnolo- without dairy products or refined sugars. gies.com/satya Call 212-674-0952 for sub- We serve organic . scription information and advertising rates.

The VivaVine • April/May 2001 • 12 PROTECTING RANCHERS AT ALL COSTS Yellowstone: Held hostage by cheeseburgers

BY BRUCE GOURLEY disease that can cause domestic cattle to abort their fe- tuses. Oddly enough, however, there is not one shred of o, this shocking headline is not from the front evidence—despite extensive research continuing to this page of a supermarket tabloid or a sequel to day—that wild bison can transmit the disease to domes- N the cult movie Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! It tic cattle. is not a marketing gimmick by some fast-food restaurant, The simple solution to this “problem” would have nor is it the plot line of an upcoming “X-Files” episode. been to declare the public lands adjacent to Yellowstone And neither is it the punchline of a new comedy routine National Park off limits to cattle grazing. But the govern- by Jay Leno, nor a scare tactic by ment, in its infinite wisdom, decided Disney to try and reroute vacation- The government decided that the 2,000 head of cattle, grazing ers to the Mouse Kingdom. virtually free on land owned by you that 2000 head of cattle, In fact, this rather ludicrous state- and me, were more important than ment is not fiction at all. It is a true grazing virtually free on Yellowstone National Park and in- story that is taking place right now. land owned by you and me, deed needed to be protected from And not only that, it is old news: This Yellowstone’s bison. Of course, the bizarre hostage situation has been were more important than government did not bother us tax- going on for years. Following are the Yellowstone National Park. payers to learn what our preferences basic facts and figures of this would be for our land. strangest of true stories. Having decreed that the 2,000 Yellowstone National Park is America’s oldest and head of cattle are more important than Yellowstone Na- best-known national park. Yellowstone is tional Park, government agencies set out to put our renowned for its wildlife money where their mouth and geysers. The two is. In recent years, symbols of Yellow- the government has stone National Park, spent millions of known the world our dollars pro- over, are Old Faithful tecting the 2,000 geyser and the bison head of cattle from (sometimes called buf- the subversive Yel- falo). Bison, which lowstone bison. Much once numbered 60 million of that money has been in North America, were hunted to the brink of extinction used to kill well over 1,000 of Yellowstone’s bison in re- in the late 1800s. Yellowstone became a place of refuge cent years. Then, in December 2000, government agen- for the remaining few. The bison slowly made a come- cies announced that they will be spending $50,000,000 back from the edge of extinction, and today the world’s over the next 15 years to harass and kill those subver- largest free-ranging herd (some 3,000 animals) resides in sive Yellowstone bison. Yellowstone. In the mid-1800s, there were few domestic cattle in the y contrast, Yellowstone National Park’s entire American West. Today, domestic cattle in America num- budget for last year was $24,508,000, far less ber in the tens of millions and supply our insatiable ap- B than was actually needed to protect Yellow- petite for the billions of hamburgers Americans eat stone’s bison and tens of thousands of other mammals monthly if not weekly. In the American West, where many (including the endangered grizzly bear and wolf), not to of these cattle are raised, ranchers lease public lands mention small animals, fish, vegetation, and geology, (that is, land owned by the American people, vegetarian maintain hundreds of miles of roads and trails and hun- and nonvegetarian alike) on which to graze their cattle, dreds of facilities, and provide enough staffing for the 2.2 paying the government pennies per head. million acres that make up Yellowstone. There are 2,000 head of privately owned cattle grazing Only in America does the government spend on public land in Montana adjacent to Yellowstone Na- $50,000,000 of your money and mine to ensure that a slue tional Park. The owners of these cattle pay the govern- of cheeseburgers (enough, perhaps, to supply all the Mc- ment only $13,000 per year in grazing fees. Donald’s restaurants in the Atlanta metro area for about 15 seconds) are given higher priority than Yellowstone overnment agencies decided some years ago National Park, one of the world’s first and foremost na- that Yellowstone’s bison are a threat to the tional parks. G2,000 cattle that graze on public lands adjacent Yes, the truth is stranger than fiction, and insanity is to Yellowstone National Park. The bison were labeled a in abundant supply. = threat because some carry the disease brucellosis, a Copyright © 2001 by Bruce Gourley

The VivaVine • April/May 2001 • 13 BIKE BITES Courier Epiphany: Deliverance for Vine messenger the past. But I always had a problem much stronger with less pain after a BY ADAM GOODMAN with being a “real” vegetarian, be- day of riding. So I decided to give am a bike courier here in New cause—well, I really like to eat. No, I being a full-time vegetarian a try. The York City. Yeah, that’s right, I’m mean I really like to eat! My nickname improved feeling and riding contin- I one of those guys you really is “The Bear,” no less. Eating vegetar- ued, which in my business translates hate when I am moving freely and ian always meant to me eating noth- into more money! So I’m thinking, “I you are stuck in rush-hour traffic. ing but salad and and cardboard kind of like this.” Anyway. the other day, a friend of and rocks and stuff! I mean no more mine asked me to do him a favor by “butta on da bread,” no more lox on he day soon came when I taking over delivering The VivaVine my bagels, and well, fagetaboutit! went out to eat with my for him. Now, my friend is one of So I took the job, which consisted T vego-cop friend. Of course, those “vegan policemen”—you of going to the city’s vegetarian the last thing anybody needs is an “I know, the kind I would consider an- restaurants and healthier food stores. told you so,” right? So, in pure spite, noying—someone who tells you And the first thing I no- I ordered a burger— about the horror of the feedlot ticed was how many of No, I mean I really the real kind—and steer’s life while you are trying to eat these places there are fries. But I just didn’t a burger. But he’s a pal, so I’m like, in this town. Quickly, like to eat! My nick- like it anymore. By “What the hell, a job’s a job.” my idea that vegan name is “The Bear.” this time I had been Now let me say here that I have food is boring went up running so vegan dabbled with being a vegetarian in in smoke. Everywhere, the clean that the burger became food looked so good! When I nothing short of an act of pol- took my break, I stopped in at a lution on my body—like a van- shop that had a vegan hot bar, dalism or something. And where I had some sweet- even worse, after this meal, I and-sour no-meat meat- couldn’t believe how slow balls over eggless noo- and tired my riding became. dles with some beans on So, what you gonna do? T-shirts: the side—tasted great! When the truth hits you in 1 But more than this, I the face, you better pay at- ⁄2 0ff! noticed that my rid- tention. ing suddenly be- Since then, I have been came faster and pretty regular about eating stronger. And when vegetarian. And the truth is, I I finished the route, I found that I find I am simply much happier was not as fatigued as usual. For sup- and healthier now. I just feel better. per, there was no question: I decided And I don’t think I have given up any- to go to another vegetarian place. It thing in terms of variety or flavor ei- specialized in cuisine from India. ther. So there you have it—one Everything there tasted great too. man's honest opinion. And you know Later that night I noticed that I what? All I wanted to do was a favor continued to feel better than usual— for a friend. See what happens? =

Stop by VivaVegie’s Vegetarian Cen- ter, 121 East 27th Street in Manhattan COVER PIX: “It’s almost as if the 31 sponsors of this $100-a-plate red-meat ex- (office hours: 4:00–7:00 P.M., Monday travaganza (‘Big Red’ at Cipriani’s on 42nd Street) were daring us animal- through Friday), and pick up one of rights and vegetarian activists to protest!” said instigator Joan Zacharias (hold- our T-shirts, modeled here by Yichun ing “blood clot” sign). About 25 of Lin. The khaki shirts, silkscreened in us braving icy rain didn’t let those navy, are available in most sizes (S, in attendance down, reminding M, L, XL) and are yours for half off the regular $12 price, because our the revelers from behind our old phone number is on the back. picket that red meat is nothing to Add $3.50 for mail-order purchases celebrate. Special thanks to Carol (see page 4 for the mailing address). Moon for getting the permits and You will be able to display the words Joyce Friedman for publicity. “Vegetarian Center” on your back Many of the signs came courtesy wherever you go! of the VivaVegie Society.

The VivaVine • April/May 2001 • 14 VIVA VEGIE NEWS “101 Reasons Why I’m a Vegetarian” No carnivorous human has a chance against it. YES... please send me _____(copy / copies) of “101 Reasons Why I’m a Vegetarian.” The first copy is $2, postage paid. • Additional copies are 50¢ each, postage paid. • 50 copies are $20. • 100 copies are $35. Name______ຜ (______) ______Address ______City ______State ______Zip______Now: BECOME A MEMBER of the VivaVegie Society. For a COST of $15 PER YEAR receive: — one copy of “101 Reasons Why I’m a Vegetarian” — five issues of VivaVegie’s newsletter, The VivaVine — one copy of the “Vegetarian Guide to New York City” — one membership card (Yes, I) / (No, I do not) want to become a card-carrying member of the VivaVegie Society. Herewith, also, is a tax-deductible donation to the VivaVegie Society for $ ______. Total enclosed: $______.

Checks payable to the VivaVegie Society • Send order to the VivaVegie Society, P.O. Box 294, Prince Street Station, New York, NY 10012. Thanks aplenty for these contributions: VivaVegie wish list Since our last issue, donations of $25 or more were re- ▪ Publicity/public-relations director, most urgent ceived from the following people: Suzy Richardson of ▪ Director, “Operation Target Media” GreenVision Foundation, Roberta B. Vogel, Laura A. ▪ Volunteers coordinator Bigini and Bella Hecht Cloude. ▪ Grant writer ▪ Pro bono accountant or lawyer Volunteers are VivaVegie heros ▪ Correspondence secretary There are many ways to make a difference if spreading ▪ VivaVine distributor (even for a single place) knowledge about the virtues of vegetarianism is your calling. Special thanks to the following people who helped the VivaVegie Society since the last issue of The SENATOR CLINTON, Continued from page 3 VivaVine: Rob Dolecki, Tom Thompson, Goeff Watland, ents—promoting a sound vegetarian diet in schools is a Evelyn Gilbert, James Langergaard, and Seth Asher. public health necessity. Other public institutions where vegetarian choices are imperative include prisons and VivaVegie wants you! jails, homeless shelters, and food relief programs. Do something on the low-commitment side. FOURTH, we hope you will work assiduously to pro- mote organic agriculture, farmers’ markets, and commu- ▪ Collect vegetarian ask if there may be an nity-supported agriculture (CSA). Government support restaurant menus and errand to run. can play an important role in promoting the increased send them to us. ▪ Keep our notebook of ▪ Arrange to do filing at veggie current events use and consumption of nutritionally rich and ecologi- the office. and conferences always cally sound organic foods. ▪ Call on short notice to up to date. We look forward to hearing your positions and thoughts on these urgent issues of concern to our state, our coun- Get the “101 Reasons” stocked at your neigh- try, and indeed the world our children will inherit. We borhood store. would welcome the opportunity to discuss these issues ivaVegie will give you a stack of sample “101 Reasons with you or your legislative staff in detail and would be VWhy I’m a Vegetarian” to give to a retail establish- happy to provide supporting documentation. Thank you ment, free of charge, to test how they sell. Engage the for your attention and interest. We look forward to many owner/manager and keep in touch with him or her. Es- years of outstanding service from you as our senator. sentially, do all the things that a sales rep would do to Special thanks to VivaVegie secretary Mia MacDonald and service the account. Ultimately, VivaVegie wants to get Martin Rowe for initiating this letter. They worked hard on regular orders. An order blank is on the 15th page of the Hillary Rodham Clinton campaign, as well as on for- each copy of the “101 Reasons.” mulating this letter. —Pamela Rice

The VivaVine • April/May 2001 • 15 VivaVegie Society, Inc. P.O. Box 294 Prince Street Station New York, NY 10012-0005 NOTE TO SUBSCRIBERS: IT’S TIME TO RENEW IF YOUR LABEL READS APRIL 2001 OR EARLIER www.vivavegie.org

CALENDAR

See page 2 for program listings of events ter. Share an article that shows the Cromwell and Lily Tomlin, will be that take place at the Vegetarian Cen- environmental impact of meat. on the roster. Tickets are $250. 607- ter, including seminars, workshops, rap 6:30 P.M., 646-424-9595. 583-2225, ext. 281. sessions, and soirees. For the following list- ings, please call to confirm details. Events Sat., May 12 Sat., June 30–Thurs., July 5 are in Manhattan unless otherwise noted. Ⅲ Join VivaVegie and Penelo Pea Ⅲ Animal Rights 2001 conference in Sun., April 15 Pod at the Transportation Alter- Washington, D.C., sponsored by Ⅲ Join VivaVegie and Penelo Pea natives street fair on Avenue C be- FARM. www.animalrights2001.org. Pod at the Easter Parade—our tween 5th St. and 6th St., 646-424- Wed., July 11–Sun., July 15 biggest outreach day of the year! 9595. Ⅲ North American Vegetarian 646-424-9595. Sun., May 20 Society Summerfest. Johnstown, Sat., April 21 Ⅲ hosts a not-to-be- PA. 518-568-7970. Ⅲ EarthSave Long Island’s missed gala at The Plaza to raise Sat., July 21–Sun., July 22 dinner/lecture, 631-421-3791, Box funds for its Year 2001 “Say No to Ⅲ EarthSave Long Island’s Wantagh #1, or [email protected]. Veal” advertising campaign. Friend Summer Festival, featuring Earth- Ⅲ Eco-Rap for Earth Day with of farm animals Rep. Gary Acker- Save’s “Planet Earth.” 631-421-3791, VivaVegie at the Vegetarian Cen- man (D-NY), as well as James Box #1, [email protected]. MORE NYC-AREA RESOURCES So, what is the VivaVegie Society? Ⅲ Accent on Wellness Natural Hygiene support group meets he VivaVegie Society takes vegetarian every Monday at 7:30 P.M. at the Hygeia Center, 18 East 23rd St. advocacy to the streets. VivaVegie ad- Raw pot lucks are held the first Saturday of the month at 6:00 T vocates approach Mr. and Ms. Pedes- P.M. 212-253-2262, [email protected]. trian to get the facts out about their healthful, Ⅲ Brooklyn Raw holds a pot luck the last Friday of each month, ethical, and environmentally conscious vege- 7:30 P.M., at Eco Books, 192 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn, between tarian diet. Advocates assemble where there Sackett and Union Sts. A support group is held the first Wed- is plenty of pedestrian traffic. They come nesday of the month, 7:30 P.M. 718-832-9380. donned in T-shirts and brightly Ⅲ Central Jersey Vegetarian Group has monthly pot lucks. colored and expressive sand- 908-281-6388. wich boards—like the one Ⅲ EarthSave Hudson Valley hosts a pot luck the fourth Satur- shown on Mayra Ortiz at right. day of each month. http://hudsonearthsave.org. They carry plenty of fact- Ⅲ International African Vegetarian Network and Friends’ filled information. The dinner, the first Sunday of the month. 4:00 P.M., the House of mission? To distrib- the Healing Fire, 212-368-5320, Sis Moutique. ute, for donations, Ⅲ Iron Vegans’ Raw Food Connection holds a pot luck the the flyer “101 Reasons second Saturday of the month. 718-263-7160. Why I’m a Vegetarian,” Ⅲ Lactovegetarian pot luck the second Sunday of the month. written by Pamela Rice 6:00 P.M., Greenwich Village, 212-475-9879. and inspired by John Rob- Ⅲ NYC Vegetarians holds monthly dinners, pot lucks, and other bins’s book Diet for a activities. Les Judd, 718-805-4260 (Mon.–Thurs., before 10:00 New America. The P.M.), [email protected]. VivaVegie Society wel- Ⅲ Veggie Singles holds monthly events for single vegetarians comes new outreach interested in meeting and possibly dating other like-minded activists. plant eaters. An April Fool’s party is planned. 718-437-0190. DONATIONS ARE Ⅲ VegOut (the social group for lesbian, gay, bi, and transgender TAX-DEDUCTIBLE. vegetarians and friends). 212-802-8655, [email protected].

The VivaVine • April/May 2001 • 16