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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.

The Strong, Sexy, Silent Type (of New Year’s Cleanse)

joshuakatcher — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:28:34 +0000

By featured contributor, Dr. Alejandro Junger

How does a discerning gentleman such as yourself get ready for the brand spanking newness of 2010? By getting squeaky clean, starting from the inside out.

No matter how many better-for-you-than-the-alternative-but-still-sweet-vegan goodies you scarfed down this holiday season, there's hope for squeezing into those animal & eco friendly duds you got for Christmas or Hanukkah and feeling your overall fabulous (yet manly) self. All of you gentlemen out there want pretty much the same things: to get rid of that spare tire or beer belly, look in the mirror and see clear, chiseled features, hear the women in your lives exclaim over how good you smell, alleviate depression (common with the lack of sunlight this time of year), feel sharper and stronger, have clear thoughts and increased stamina, as well as lower your risks for possible diseases and health problems in the future. You know that to accomplish all of this, a detox is definitely required, and before you write them off as too expensive or complicated, think again, because a detox is something you can easily do at home with a bit of advice and some motivation. So here you go: Consider this a house call/kick-start from your very own personal detox specialist! 1. YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE, SO CLEAN THE HOUSE! Literally, by getting rid of toxins from as many areas as you can. Consume, bathe, slather, sleep on, wear and generally surround yourself with as many organic and all-natural products as possible. Yes, it's incredibly important to eat chemical-free foods (local and seasonal as well) but don't forget about your cleaning products, or the sheets you spend 1/3 of your time in (maybe more if your new clean habits increase your stamina and suddenly magnetic attractiveness!), or the shaving lotion, cologne and toothpaste you use. Our skin is our largest organ and if toxins are going on it, you can rest assured they're doing harm in your body as well. 2. LOVE THOSE GREENS. There was a reason Olive Oyl was enamored with Popeye. He loved his green vegetables and had the muscles to prove it. Dark green vegetables are powerhouses of energy, vitamins, minerals, mood-boosters, immune system strengtheners, weight loss tools, and basic overall miracle workers. They are tools that no man should be without on the road to optimal health and vitality. Raw, juiced, steamed, sauteed, blended; however you eat them, just make sure you are! 3. BE THE STRONG, SEXY, SILENT TYPE. It works for rugged cowboys, and it will work in more ways than one for you. When you find time to be quiet as often as you can throughout the day, you are alleviating the stress and anxiety that builds up from normal everyday life. Stilling the mind works the connection between mind and body and when your mind is calm, quiet, strong and regenerated, your body immediately follows. Nothing fancy, just a few minutes a day, so instead of zoning out in front of the tv, lie, sit or stand with your eyes half lowered or closed and let your thoughts simply fall away without control or stress or pressure to do anything in that moment except BE. When you're called out for being lazy and unmotivated, invite whoever it is to join you and raise the peaceful love vibration of the world, so suddenly you have entirely universal and unselfish results for what started out as sort of a self-serving act! Oh and don't forget your beauty sleep either. . . most of us need roughly 8 hours to have the best skin, metabolism, immunity and overall mood possible. Winter is the perfect time to become a bit more bear-like and hibernate more than usual, it actually harms our health to fight nature as we do, working like crazy even when the sun is telling us to slow down a bit. 4. LOSE/HEAL YOUR GUT. When you work to promote optimal gastrointestinal health, you simultaneously streamline your size as well. . . a healthy gut is usually not a bloated and extended one so take a daily probiotic, eat lots of fermented foods (miso, sauerkraut, spicy kimchi, kombucha), and make sure you're staying well hydrated with plenty of water. Also don't forget to move around. Walk, run, stretch, lift, swim, climb stairs, play with your kids, play pickup ball games, have sex, cook a meal, hug everyone. . .any kind of movement benefits you in more ways than one, between losing extra weight, acting like happy pills, and making human connections.

So what are you waiting for? Get busy cleaning up your act this January. . . and get your sexy back.

Dr. Alejandro Junger lives in New York City, where he practices at the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center and at the Akasha Center in LA. He is the Director of Integrative Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital.

Ethical Exploits, Vol.5

joshuakatcher — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:50:11 +0000

by featured contributor Matt Lara Celebrity Roast

It’s been making it’s debut all season. Everyone is talking about it. And if this month is one long headache to you, I can assure you that the Celebration Roast from Field Roast Grain Meat is something wonderful to look forward to. I happen to love the holidays, even though I haven’t been able to avoid sharing the table with dead birds this year. But those who tried my Celebration Roast loved it, and I would be happy to have it on my holiday table anytime. Luckily we still have time this year to impress with this deliciousness. Caught in the Neti There’s crappiness and cold in the air. If you’re in a big urban jungle there is smog and pollutants swirling all around you. If you’re like me you're surrounded my nasty looking air as well all sorts of pollen, dander, and allergens. Add that to winter weather and you have sinus hell. Not Sexy. Rather than jack myself up on meds, I prefer a gentler approach—Neti Pot. I know it sounds gross to rinse out your sinuses, but it has always helped me out a lot. Our pals at Crazy Sexy Life have some really great info on all things Neti. Stir Crazy Go ahead, call me a food snob. I freely admit to being one - I care a lot about what I eat. Sorry my fashionisto friends, but I spend more money on quality food than I do on looking dapper at the disco. And when I'm done eating one (or more) of these sandwiches—messy face and all—I reserve the right not wipe my food snob mouth. I just love this dump-and-stir: Snobby Joes. This is from a favorite cookbook I use several times a week, The Veganomicon. A Natural In Bed I share my bed with a partner who is supportive but soft, warm but not over-heated, and a natural in bed—my buckwheat pillow from Beans72. Our relationship wasn’t always perfect and took some getting used to. I do opt for the softness of a regular pillow at times, but I find these ones great for a number of reasons. A mainstay Asian countries, they are made for comforting support throughout the night. The pillows from this site are made of quality all-natural materials, and are recommended for those with allergies to synthetic pillow fillers. They also don’t get warm like other pillows stuffed with synthetics. I find them to be perfect for when you are reading in bed or watching TV. We don’t necessarily promote rampant consumption of gifts here, but this is one useful gift I have used for years now. (Don’t forget to order the matching cotton pillow case for the Japanese size.) Gifting To-Go While we’re on the topic of gift giving, I can’t think of a simpler gift than this set of bamboo to-go ware from Taraluna. As you may know, bamboo is a highly sustainable crop and very durable. It comes with a knife, fork, spoon, and set of chopsticks in a rolling cloth carrier. I keep them with me all the time for meals out. Taraluna is a great resource for products all made from fair-trade workers. Check out their variety of products. . .

Out of Closet Experience

I needed some last minute do-dads. Being on a tight budget, I decided to hit up the big pink LA thrift shop chain known as Out Of The Closet. Now, I actually like the “charm” of your average thrift store—the laudromat odor, the linoleum floors, the collage of wracks and hangers, the screaming children, etc.. However, this location was a nice change of pace. There was an actual selection of items and not an insurmountable mish-mash of crap. The staff was pleasant, helpful, and conversational. It was one of the few places I have shopped in LA where I felt a sense of community. Perhaps that is because Out of the Closet is owned and operated by Aids Healthcare Foundation with a mission to generate income to fund it’s services. Many locations offer free HIV testing as well. . Sap Anyone? As we pass from holiday to holiday, I have to say thanks to anyone reading this little grouping of words. I hope some of it catches your eye. If it does, I truly cherish that there are honest gentlemen (and ladies) out there who are taking action to live as responsible humans. As I count my blessings this holiday season, I’m counting you all in. Merry wassailling!

Haute Holidays

joshuakatcher — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:00:25 +0000

Pick up a copy of the latest VegNews Magazine to see my featured green holiday guide, or click above to see my spread! And check out the rugelach recipe mentioned in the article right here:

Lawn Order: Spatial Victims

TheDiscerningBrute — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:30:58 +0000

Aside from the 4-B's of Mainstream American Male Identity: Beer, Ball, Bitches & Beef, there are a few other realms of manly-manifestation. The lawn is one of them. If you grew up in suburbia, like I did, you may have spent your summers mowing lawns, weed-waking, poisoning so-called 'pests', and cursing both the dandelions and the neighbors who so carelessly let their laws go wild! I'll never forget the summer my father (a man who grew up in Brooklyn - and who, upon purchasing his first small house in the suburbs of upstate New York with my mother, proceeded to mow the lawn every single day of the warm seasons), in a fit of rage and as a last-stitch effort to communicate with the new Chinese-speaking neighbors who had let the grass get tall, drew a cartoon of a person mowing a lawn and left it in their mailbox. The next step would be a stealthy midnight-mow, which I knew was dead-serious. I also will never forget the bizarre behavior of our other neighbors who spent most days on their hands and knees cutting the lawn with scissors first, weeding, and then mowing. The saddest part was, their lawn never really even looked good after all that elbow-grease! I was indoctrinated to the ways of the lawn early on, and I made a job of it, dangerous and tedious as it was. I always felt a small pang of grief imagining that microcosm beneath the grass canopy subjected to a huge, gas-powered, spinning blade. I empathized with the crawly things when I would picture a similar scenario happening to my house. I also remember thinking how absolutely silly the whole idea was, but I could never really articulate exactly why. Green carpets. Turf. Perfectly mowed, lush, thick, emerald yards with no weeds, pests or brown-patches. It's almost like a myth; the perfect lawn. Commercials for fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and lawn-care hardware tell us that suburban-utopia is just within reach, and when you buy into the myth by buying their products and working away homogenizing a little patch of nature, your neighbors will love you, your community will rejoice, and your self-worth, financial worth, and status as a man will be carved in stone! Right? But what exactly is a lawn? Where did this tradition come from, and how does this $30 billion industry of seeds, fertilizers, mowers, power-tools, and water continue to enthrall the masses with illusions of a threatless, perfectly-controlled environment? Most importantly, what are the ramifications of this phenomenon for our health, the planet, and our psyches? The lawn certainly has not gone unnoticed. It is the subject of the books "The Lawn: A History of an American Obsession" by Virginia Scott Jenkins, and "American Green: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Lawn" by Ted Steinberg. Both of these books explore something so ubiquitous that most of us have never even stopped to ponder it's meaning. The first thing to note is that the lawn is almost completely American - and as the American lifestyle continues to enthrall and infiltrate the globe, the lawn is short to follow. In the sixteenth century and continuing through the eighteenth, the "launde", an open space or glade maintained by laborers wielding scythes, began to appear throughout the residences of British aristocrats. Obviously, it soon came to represent the leisure of class privilege, wealth, and power, and the culmination of lawn culture, according to Jenkins, was the establishment of twentieth century golf courses and country clubs. But as Steinburg argues, it never became the moral crusade it has become in America quite possibly because grass grows so effortlessly in Britain, and turfgrass is not at all native to North America - not even Kentucky Bluegrass. The early colonizers' cattle quickly destroyed the native grasses, not used to grazing, and in came bluegrass seeds from Europe to fill that niche. On a deeper level, the lawn represents a desire to control unpredictable, wild nature. Some anthropologists argue that that lawn comes from self-defense. When nomadic gatherer-hunters began settling into sedentary and semi-sedentary homes, they cleared the vegetation surrounding their dwellings in order to foresee potential danger coming - a predator, a snake, an enemy. The lawn is a bastion among the fearful and dangerous wilderness. Even more so, it is the manifestation of the deepest-seeded principals of our culture and civilization: man's control over nature. Therefore, those who let their lawns go wild are threats to the foundation of civilization itself. Those who fail to uphold this symbol fail to be Americans. This is an unconscious concern, of course. I'd be startled to see my father articulate this to the Chinese family whose lawn-gone-wild was "destroying our neighborhood". My father's anger is not alone. Stories of pissed-off neighbors leaving notes, making death-threats, and organizing at midnight to mow the black-sheeps' lawns are as bountiful and insidious as crabgrass and dandelions. The disconnect among American immigrants to their lawns is also hugely misunderstood, and often met with xenophobia, racism and aggression. The lawn is largely considered the male domain in the same sense that the backyard garden is traditionally considered the woman's. And with it, comes an ever-expanding arsenal of tools made for killing and controlling. A man with a good lawn is simply seen as a powerful protector and provider. A place for the kids to play is also a defense against ticks and whatever other creatures could hide in less manicured yards. Environmentally speaking, the partnership between the USDA and the US Golf Association (which made it possible for grass to be grown in all regions of this country) has been devastating to ecosystems with the overuse of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Couple that with suburban sprawl and the demands for water in dry regions of the country specifically for lawn maintenance, and the lawn reveals itself as a remarkable environmental problem.

FACTS

NASA scientists estimate that turf grass is the single-largest irrigated crop in the United States. According to the Cristina's study about 128,000 square kilometers or nearly 32 million acres of the United States are covered with turf grass.
A 2002 Harris Survey suggests as a nation we spend $28.9 billion yearly on lawns. To put that into a personal perspective that translates into approximately $1,200 per household
50 -70% of all urban fresh water is used for watering lawns. More than half this amount is wasted, because of inappropriate timing or dosage. Nearly all the water used could be save by appropriate use of native landscaping that does not require any watering beyond natural rainfall.
78 million households in the United States utilize garden pesticides.
$700 million is spent annually on pesticides for lawns in the US.
67 million lbs of synthetic pesticides are added to lawns in the US each year.
We use three times as much pesticide on our lawns per acre as we do on our agricultural crops.
$5.25 billion is spent on fossil-fuel-derived fertilizer for U.S. lawns. The majority of this fertilizer is wasted because of improper timing or dosage and becomes a source of pollution to surface or ground water. Most of this expense and pollution could be eliminate by proper timing, proper dosage, or intelligent use of compost and other organic fertilizers.
A typical power lawnmower pollutes as much in one hour as driving an automobile for 20 miles. This can be greatly reduced by using 4-stroke gas lawn mowers or electric mowers. Where feasible, it can be totally eliminated by using a hand-powered reel mower.
60 to 70 thousand severe accidents, some fatal, result from lawnmower use, as well as significant damage to human hearing.
580 million gallons of gasoline are used for lawnmowers. Much of this goes to pollute the air by evaporation, or to harm vegetation and surface or ground water by spillage.

So, what are the alternatives? I think growing your own, organic food is probably the healthiest, smartest, and most economic solution to the virtually useless and destructive lawn. "Food Not Lawns" and "Edible Estates" are two books that explore this revolutionary act. Talk about local food! And free! Sounds good to me.

Fresh Friday Finds

TheDiscerningBrute — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:40:09 +0000

1. Viori's Tees and Scarves, 100% US-grown organic cotton, water-based inks, made fairly in the USA. 2. NY Coalition for Healthy School Lunches is an organization that promotes plant-based farm-to-school nutritional and educational implementation. I had a chance to go eat a delicious, vegan meal with the kids in Harlem last week, and I have to say that the menu, which was designed by a collaboration between Candle 79 and the school, was really yummy! Find out how you can get involved by clicking below: 3. Reware's JuiceBag ES300 Solar Messenger charges iPods, Cell Phones, GPS, Cameras, etc, and is made from recycled soda bottles. 4. Refinding's reclaimed accessories, made from reclaimed materials like trading cards, nylon, matchbooks, and type-writer keys. 5. Abuse of Primates in Research Labs exposed on ABC's NIGHTLINE. If you missed it on TV, read the article at change.org. Read also about why animal experimentation is so inneffective from a woman undergoing cancer treatment, and watch the Nightline video below: 6. Sameunderneath Knit Blazer on Sale, 75% organic cotton, 25% polyester 7. HBO premieres the documentary "Death on a Factory Farm". Get program schedule here. Watch a clip from the doc: 8. Of The Earth organic cotton hoodies. 9. Veg News weighs in on obstacles to estimating the number of veg kids. The CDC fails at surveying. Read the article: 10. Do you ever have a clogged drain and you end up buying the toxic, animal-tsted Draino? Finally there's a pure, natural environmentally-friendly, enzyme-producing bacteria that liquefies grease, fats, and other organic wastes and controls odors in drains, garbage disposals, and septic systems. Earthworm! What's best? It's only five bucks at VeganStore.com.

DBTV Valentine Special: TODD OLDHAM HEARTS YOU

TheDiscerningBrute — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:06:07 +0000

Don't be jealous! Ever since I watched a green-haired Todd Oldham on "House of Style" back in the nineties, I knew that I had to get crafty with him one day. So, with Valentine's Day around the corner, Todd and I got together at his downtown NYC studio to show you how to make some heart-shaped gifts that come from the heart. We both agree that this holiday is all about affordable, DIY craftiness. From his features in ReadyMade & Dwell, to crafting Amy Sedaris' interactive vaginal diagram on the Chelsea Lately Show, and with a line of vases for FTD, a classic menswear-inspired carpet collection, and design book series called Place Space, Todd is a royal of the creative world. To top that, he is a photographer, filmmaker, interior designer, fashion designer, and can see through walls ...well, maybe not the last part. Mr. Oldham is no stranger to being ethically handsome, either. A vegetarian and environmentalist, he has worked with Peta on undercover investigations, encouraged the sales of plantable oak trees through FTD, and even raised money for the NRDC. He continues to find innovative ways to use eco-friendly, recyclable, and animal-friendly materials (from soy based inks, to un-coated, recycled cardboard) in his products, and one thing we agree on is that having mainstream skills along with aspirations for environmentalism, animal rights, and social justice, is a recipe for making change from the inside.

Chocolate Heart Cake

WHAT YOU'LL NEED: • Two 9" heart-shaped baking pan • 3 cups organic all-purpose flour • 2 cups organic, unrefined sugar • 1.5 cups organic cocoa • 2 tsp aluminum-free Baking Powder • 1.5 tsp Baking Soda • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/4 cup organic coconut oil • 1/4 cup organic canola oil • 1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening • 1/2 cup prepared egg-replacer (Energie or Brand) • 1 Tbs vanilla • 2 cups almond milk (or other non-dairy milk) • 2 cups cold coffee • 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips Icing • 1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening • 1/4 cup coconut oil (not melted) • 1/4 cup Earth Balance (or other non-hydrogenated margarine) • 4 cups organic powdered sugar • 2 teaspoons vanilla • 1/4 cup soy creamer (for pink, add 1/8 cup beet juice or 3 drops of red veg-based food coloring) Marzipan • 1 cup marzipan • Natural veg-based food coloring • Small cookie cutters CAKE DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 375º, and coat your pan with non-stick cooking spray or canola oil. 2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl: Flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, & salt. 3. In a separate bowl (or using a mixer) beat the coconut oil, canola oil, shortening, egg replacer, and vanilla until fluffy. 4. Pour the coffee and almond milk onto the dry mix, then add the whipped oil and egg-replacer, and stir in the chocolate chips until the mixture is smooth. 5. Bake for about 30 minutes (or until edges pull away from sides of pan). FROSTING DIRECTIONS 1. Beat the shortening, coconut oil, and margarine until smooth. 2. slowly add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. 3. Finally, add vanilla and soy-creamer and beat for about 5 minutes until fluffy. *Once cakes have cooled, take out of pan. If storing prior to decoration, line pan with wax-paper, then put cakes back in tins. SEE VIDEO FOR DECORATING INSTRUCTIONS!

Heart of Flowers

WHAT YOU'LL NEED: • 20 carnations • heart-shaped pan (at least 2" deep) • 2 - 4 bricks of floral foam • water • scissors DIRECTIONS See Video (above)

Pointers, Alters and Sustainers

TheDiscerningBrute — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 03:26:50 +0000

The Black Carnaby from Vegetarian Shoes UK looks like any pointy oxford you'd see on the runway. The difference is that this shoe is made from eco and animal-friendly vegetan, as opposed to someone's toxically-preserved skin. One of our favorite shops, Alter, is having a big sale on everything fall 08. There are tons of animal-friendly options, and everything is up to 70% off! For example, this Spiewalk Cotton-Moleskin jacket with Thinsulate lining is only $155, and will keep you warm for the next four months! Another great place to stop by is the new and imporved Sustainable NYC shop. They've got a cafe, now - with lots of veg options (not sure why everything isn't vegan). Also make sure to check out their online store.