The Discerning Brute: fashion, food & etiquette for the ethically handsome man » Contributor

Shred the Streets Green

JohnHolden — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:41:37 +0000

by contributor John Holden Since 1986 Etnies has been manufacturing some of the most cutting edge skateboard shoes on the market. Now celebrating their 25th year anniversary they are continuing on that path with a new campaign BUY A SHOE PLANT A TREE. For every pair of Jamieson 2 Eco shoes sold Etnies will plant a tree in the rain forests of Costa Rica. The Jameson Eco 2 is not only a stylish pair of shoes but the out soles are made from recycled bike tires and plastic gloves while the laces are made from Pet recycled plastic bottles.

Lincoln Center Sustainable Fashion & PINNACLE

joshuakatcher — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 02:32:46 +0000

A photog from the RightyRightyRight fashion blog and zine snapped some photos of my rad outfit sponsored by CPas & NOVACAS at Lincoln Center, yesterday. In addition to the recycled-poly, hand-tailored blazer and vest, the organic cotton shirt and pants, the recycled-poly and recycled-cotton coat, the organic denim and vegan leather bag, and the NOVACAS vegan boots - I was wearing my April77 vegan biker jacket, carrying a Matt & Nat cruelty-free bag with recycled soda-bottle ultra-suede lining, and sporting my fav vintage sunglasses. This happened right before I went into Lincoln Center and got interviewed by Robert Verdi. I showed him the PINNACLE Mag, to which he said “I already have that“. I was wowed. Mr. Verdi, are you anti-fur yet? Huffington Post contributor, Andy Stepanian, wrote a really impressive article on PINNACLE: Reinvent The Icon today, featuring some of the amazing photos by Anthony Two Moons and Gregory Vaughan. PLease check it out and spread the word!

Danish Government & Media Slams Fur Industry, Again

joshuakatcher — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 18:58:15 +0000

(edited from the original article by Polyglossus )

According to Denmark's fashion forum the grievances that the fur lobby filed, regarding mainstream media coverage of conditions on Danish fur farms, were officially rejected just before the holiday season. Almost exactly one year ago, Minister Eva Kjer Hansen of Denmark stated that "Mink breeders break animal welfare rules. And that is unacceptable," after the Danish newspaper Politiken published this article (Danish): Mink live under bad conditions in two out of three farms. That came after fox farming was outlawed in Denmark following a 2009 undercover investigation from the Danish animal rights organization, Anima. The investigation sent shock-waves through the Danish media, exposing horrible conditions on fur farms, and contradicting the multimillion-dollar marketing efforts of the fur industry and fur lobby groups like Kopenhagen Fur, which are headquartered in Denmark. As the fur industry continues to dispute all claims made by animal advocates in the EU, and has even filed official complaints about the press itself. It's important to point out that, while animal advocates have nothing to gain financially from documenting and exposing these farms, the fur industry stands to lose billions - so it's no surprise when they deny clearly documented facts. This is something of which the Danish government is well aware. The Danish TV station, TV2, recently did a follow-up on 2009's Operation X, and this wasn't to the liking of the Danish fur industry, so they filed a complaint with the Danish media board (Pressenævnet). According to politiken.dk the fur industry claimed that the images in the documentary were used in a misleading way to make matters worse then they are. They didn't get very far with their complaint and the media board rejected it. The animal rights group Anima's documentation is supported by the government. It seems our politicians could learn a lot from the Danish!

Buy Shoes, Plant Trees

JohnHolden — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 07:00:05 +0000

After a Blizzard took over NYC, I'm already thinking about spring. Seeing some of the styles from myCATS, how could you not wait to slip in to some of these espadrilles. Along with all of the vibrant colors you can feel even better knowing that these eco-friendly kicks are handmade and they have partnered with the organization Tress for the Future. " For every shoe sold, myCATS will plant 2 trees in your name. These trees not only clean our air by reducing carbon emissions and fighting global warming, but also provide significant income and livelihood options for people. Trees provide medicine, beverages, fruit, soil fertility, erosion control and even something as simple as shade can help improve the quality of life for these people."

Animal Advocate Jake Shields Signs with Ultimate Fighting Championship

joshuakatcher — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:28:39 +0000

By Pierre Grzybowski In his November 2008 interview with the Discerning Brute, life-long vegetarian and professional fighter Jake Shields was asked to complete the sentence: “In a perfect world…” His answer: “…I’ll be the UFC Champion next year.” Well, he’s a little behind schedule, but it looks like he will finally get his chance. Sherdog.com is reporting that Jake Shields has signed to fight in the UFC welterweight division, where he will make his debut October 23 at UFC 121. Ultimately, Shields will face reigning champ Georges St-Pierre to decide the best 170-pounder in the world. While waiting for his October 23 UFC debut, read up on everything Shields has done for animals while not busy winning 14 consecutive fights over the last 5 years. Pierre Grzybowski is the manager of the fur-free campaign for The Humane Society of the United States. He holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

LIQUID FIX: Ethical Exploits – Volume 7

joshuakatcher — Wed, 12 May 2010 20:54:39 +0000

In this installment of Ethical Exploits, contributor Matt Lara deals with a lot of liquids - from the oceans that float Sea Shepherd to unclogging your drain without dumping deadly chemicals into the water - and from homemade grapefruit juice and ethical bathroom cleaners to soda that funds dog shelters. These every-day tips and tricks are always tested, tried and true by Matt, himself. . . by Matt Lara He Sells Sea Scarves I was able to score a sample one of these awesome scarves designed by a friend of mine. They are handmade and great for mild spring weather. The skull design may look familiar to you, as it's the logo for Sea Shepherd. If you haven’t heard of Sea Shepherd yet, they are one of the ballsiest groups out there. With help from such folks like Bob Barker and Ady Gil, they utilize direct-action in helping maintain natural ocean ecosystems. Much of their work was shown on Animal Planet’s Whale Wars. These scarves really do grab attention and provide the perfect opportunity for everyday advocates to spread awareness on such an incredible group. Check out the goods (coming soon!!!) here. Drain Drama I had a pesky clog in my bathroom sink, and rather than continue to buy expensive and nasty chemical un-cloggers, I decided to do some research on more natural (and cheaper) ways to put my sink at ease. It turns out you don’t need much more than baking soda, vinegar, and water. And you may just need some good, old’ fashioned elbow grease with a plunger. I sprinkled about ¼ cup baking soda into the drain, and then poured in 1 cup of vinegar. The two components fizz and help loosen the grime lodged in there. Remember the fizzing action from that volcano you made in the grade school science fair?

The verdict: I had to repeat this process twice. The sink still seemed to be clogged and draining slowly, so I went at it with the plunger. Lots of gunk came out into the sink, so I cleaned that up then repeated the process one last time. My sink drains beautifully now. Apparently, flushing regularly with boiling hot water helps keep clogs clear as well. So, there’s yet another home solution without crazy chemicals, and far less harm done to aquatic ecosystems. You can check out more detailed instructions here. Method Acting O, Method…how do I love thee? Why is that I get a little giddy when a refill for your foamy hand soap comes in a more earth-friendly pouch rather than yet another plastic bottle? I get ever so joyful from using your daily shower spray to help keep the shower from getting mildew—and to help make the big clean-ups far more manageable. And, I was so electrified to hear that your newest line of laundry detergent comes in a super-concentrated formula that pumps straight into the washer. Yes, you pump—as in, no more pouring to some mysterious fill line on a plastic cup. I know you love me too, from your letter to me (your loyal patron) on your website:

“method was founded on the vision that business could be an agent of positive change and a source of solutions to social and environmental problems. The first step of this vision is the responsibility to ensure that our products truly strive for sustainability - from the safety of the materials they are made from, to the ways that they are made and shipped, to the partners we work with in our supply chain.” From the way I’m acting, you’d think I had just discovered how affordable your products are. Which gives all the more reason to love thee. Let me count the ways… Fresh and Fruity Good, healthy whole foods—who says they have to be fancy? Most of the time, the simplest way is the best way. The theory of Occam's razor should have a supplemental cookbook. Something as easy as a fruit plate is yummy, and provides more than enough vitamins and minerals. In fact, nature designed fruit to be appealing to mammals like us, in hopes we'd carry off the seeds and help spread their genes. Check out these amazing grapefruits from my neighbor’s tree. I was never a grapefruit fan until I juiced these giant beauties and sweetened with a tad of maple syrup. Enjoy reading about the healthy benefits of a simple grapefruit. This Post is Going to the Dogs… Hey New Yorkers, love your doggies? Wanna spoil them? Check out Anything Pawsible at the Ninth Avenue Street Fair this weekend. My good friend Vincent Gerrard (a veteran actor/producer) created this portable pet store. They specialize in one-of-a-kind pet items, along with organic treats and eco-friendly toys. Their goal is 100% green. If you stop by their booth this weekend, any purchase of a toy, shirt, bandana or pet treat helps fund Broadway Barks, the annual pet adoption celeb-event. A few Broadway stars will be manning the Anything Pawsible booth:

• Saturday, 5/15 12pm -1pm: Tony nominee Jan Maxwell now starring in Lend Me a Tenor
• Sunday 5/16 12pm -1pm: Tony nominee Kevin Chamberlin now starring as Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Dashaun Young now playing Simba in The Lion King.
• More info on the street fair here.

And if you’re on the west coast…I stumbled upon this sweet little root beer company called Margo’s Bark. It is an all-natural cane sugar soda. I know, again with the carbs Matt, but all those summer barbeques are on the way, and this stuff is great. And what makes it even greater is that 100% of the profits from Margo’s Bark goes to supporting dogs in city shelters. The taste is sweet, happy, and fizzy sans the junk you get in mainstream sodas like phosphoric acid, preservatives, and corn syrup. If you’re going to have that once-in-a-blue-moon soda pop, why not help our furry friends get a forever home? Margo’s Bark is available at these locations.

Win a copy of Gristle!

joshuakatcher — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:32:19 +0000

• Gristle: From Factory Farms to Food Safety (Thinking Twice About The Food We Eat), Edited by Moby with Miyun Park (The New Press, 2010)

Moby, one of the world's most critically acclaimed and successful musicians, and Miyun Park, the executive director of the Global Animal Partnership team up to bring you a hard-hitting and eye-opening guide to the meat we eat.

Win a copy of this thought-provoking and controversial book, hot off the press in two simple steps:

• Signing up for our newsletter

• Leaving a comment below explaining why you need a copy of this book! Five of the best comments will be winners, so spread the word!

VEGANIK: 10 VEGAN PRODUCTS TO TRY IN 2010 (PART 2)

joshuakatcher — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:56:47 +0000

(Part II: #6-#10) By contributor Nik Tyler Continuing on my epic quest to discover new (to me) products that I think you’ll dig as well; enjoy #6-10 vegan products to try in 2010!! (see 1 -5 HERE) . . . . 6. AMY'S I think Amy's Natural & Organic meals are groovy!! Everything they produce is vegetarian, and many are vegan. They're all organic, easy to heat and serve, and darn tasty to boot! Amy's vast array of vegan options range from breakfast steel-cut oats to tofu scramble to Asian noodle stir-fry to vegetable enchiladas to veggie burgers, pizza, chili, baked ziti and even chocolate cake (and that's just to name a few)!! My personal fave is Amy's vegan "Family Marinara" Sauce - which is a fantastic addition to noodles, quinoa, beans, sauteed veggies and just about anything else you can think of! You can find Amy's products at Whole Foods and several other health food stores. For more info, check out their website: http://amys.com/ 7. MAUK FAMILY FARMS I've been a fan of Mauk Family Farms products for a while now. This company makes some really delectable Flax Seed crackers (my favorite flavor is "Garlic Onion") as well as two other great products called "Wheat Free Crusts" (brown and golden flax seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, celery seed, garlic, onion, red bell pepper, parsley, sea salt & water) & "Breakfast Crusts" (pumpkin seeds, black/white sesame seed,golden flax seed, garlic, onion, dulse flakes & sea salt). They have no grain or gluten and are rich in Copper, Magnesium & essential fatty acids. These crusts are totally addictive and perfect on their own... or try one of my favorite combo's and spread on some creamy coconut oil and you'll be in total ecstasy!! You can buy Mauk Family Farms products at Whole Foods, perhaps your local Co Op or in their online store: https://maukfamilyfarms.com/mm5/merchant.mvc 8. ENJOY LIFE FOODS® cookies : click to enlarge" width="195" height="302" /> Searching for a food company that makes delicious snacks and is "sensitive" to the issue of food allergies? Enjoy Life Foods is that company; their mission is to create and sell cookies, trail mix, snack bars & baking products that are uber tasty, as well as free and clear of gluten, dairy, egg, casein, peanuts, tree-nuts, and soy... And that's exactly what they've done! My favorite products that they make are the "Happy Apple" & "No-Oats "Oatmeal"" cookies; They're moist, chewy, not-too-sweet, and just undeniably delicious! So now you know a company that makes treats that can be enjoyed by literally everyone, even those who need to be extra cautious due to food allergies. Be sure and check out their full product list and learn more about this cool company: http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/ 9. 2 MOMS IN THE RAW Founded by Shari, a very cool, health-conscious mom of three, 2 Moms In The Raw is a fantastic company that produces a yummy array of organic, raw Granola ("Blueberry", "Cranberry", "Gojiberry" & "Raisin") and Sea Crackers ("Garden Herb", "Pesto" & "Tomato Basil"). The "Garden Herb" Sea Crackers are definitely my favorite; consisting of Flaxseed, Kombu (Sea Vegetable), Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Sea Salt and Spices - they're light, crunchy, crisp and they taste like a fresh herb garden compressed into chip form! The "Tomato Basil" Sea Crackers are rad as well, made up of Flaxseeds, Sun-dried Tomatoes, Garlic, Kombu, Herbs & Sea Salt - they have a wonderful garlicky, sun-dried tomato bite! Both of these crackers are the perfect light-bite for kids and adults; enjoy them on their own or dip it! In addition to their delicious crackers, 2 Moms also sell raw Granola which rocks! Not your typical granola, a little more chunky, you can break it into little pieces and eat it like a breakfast bar. The two flavors I've tried, Blueberry & (Gluten-free) Gojiberry are free of refined sugars (substitute Agave) and instead are jam-packed with a ton of healthy ingredients (buckwheat, coconut, a plethora of seeds/nuts and more!!), all of which have been soaked & sprouted to perfection; chewy, crunchy, semi-sweet and utterly delicious, countless textures and flavors awaken your taste-buds and take em' on one helluva' wild joy-ride! You can purchase 2 Moms In The Raw products at Shari's wonderful site: http://2momsintheraw.com/ or look for them at your local health food store. 9. SUNPOWER NATURAL In addition to a full-blown gourmet vegan menu at their restaurant (located in Studio City, CA), Sun Power Natural has an awesome product line of raw cookies that I recently discovered at my local co op. The two flavors I've tried are "Cinnamon" (coconut, raisins, cinnamon & agave) & "Fruit Burst" (oranges, coconut, raisins, agave). These cookies are "chewy, gooey & delicious" and I definitely think Sun Power Natural has got it going on! In addition to tasting like heaven, these organic treats are raw, gluten-free & low glycemic. Look for SunPower food at your local co op and Whole Foods, or just click on this link (http://www.sunpowernatural.com/) and get some raw decadence in your life stat! ________ I hope you enjoyed my 10 vegan product picks! In addition to these yummy snacks, try and balance your diet and combat any acidic/sugar intake by consuming tons of alkalizing greens and lots of pH balanced water. Here's to your health!