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

DBTV Interview: Jeff Corwin

joshuakatcher — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:09:03 +0000

I recently interviewed Jeff Corwin, wildlife conservationist and television host/producer, about some environmental issues. We discussed everything from palm oil plantations to endangered species, extinction, and his breathtaking documentary: 100 Heartbeats for MSNBC. (Special thanks to Joelle Katcher, for shooting the interview!) While I respect the amazing work he does educating people about wildlife conservation, I do wish Corwin had stuck to his vegetarianism due to meat production's connection to deforestation, global warming, air and water pollution and worse. When asked about his stance on being veg at a talk documented on Youtube, he avoided any of the facts, and fell into personal defensiveness, evoking the cliche rationalization, "if lions can do it so can we...and I am hungry". C'mon, Jeff! You don't see lions making gazelle factory farms. They kill for survival. We torture for the taste. You are smart enough to see the difference. At least acknowledge that meat production is a huge environmental disaster and one of the most powerful things we can easily give up to help the environment. Regardless, Jeff is pretty awesome, and his mission to educate people about endangered species and the current extinction event we are causing is so critical to the future of the planet and our survival as a species. So watch the trailer for 100 Heartbeats:

Fresh Friday Finds

TheDiscerningBrute — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 05:09:27 +0000

1. If you thought they couldn't possibly be any more disgusting, the parting Bush Administration has denied dwindling, drowning and starving Polar Bears protection under the Endangered Species Act. Human generated global-warming, mostly caused by meat & dairy production, is the #1 culprit. Read the full article here.

“This rule makes a mockery of the Endangered Species Act, our nation’s most important wildlife protection law,” said Defenders of Wildlife executive vice president, Jamie Rappaport Clark. “The polar bear doesn’t have time for political maneuvers. Its habitat is melting away, its food is becoming scarce and the science is clear that the cause is global warming - yet the rule this administration released today affirms that little will be done to save the species from sure extinction.

2. If you wear glasses or sunglasses, and you don't know about Fabulous Fanny's, you are missing out! Get the most amazing selection of thrift & vintage frames and shades. Buying thrift is the greenest way to shop! It's one of the East Village's best kept secrets, and one of my personal favs. 3. Farm Sanctuary strikes again! With an awesome party, of course! With Miss Guy on the turn table, more amazing vegan food than your eyes and tummy can handle, and the most inspiring crowd of activists and celebs from Danilea Sea and Alison Becker to Jennifer Coolidge, Corey Feldman & Inder Bedhi of Matt&Nat - this Winter Wonderland fundraiser was not to be missed - but if you did miss it, make sure to make it to next one! Farmsanctuary.org 4. Our friend Karl at PARTYBOTS has designed some awesome, 100% post-consumer recycled, originally designed notebooks! These are sweet and under $6 each! Cheap gifts for everyone this holiday! 5. This holiday, you may be feeling philanthropic. However, be very aware of organizations like Heifer International - whose promises of alleviating malnutrition and poverty through providing animals, actually has disasterous results. Like the little fact that over 90% of the Africans who are given dairy cows are lactose intolerant. Our friends at WFAS school us on this, and tell us how we can really help: "While this might sound good on paper, the water and land needs of livestock in areas that are often short on both quickly outweigh the benefits -- instead it increases human dependence on an unsustainable food-system that depletes the environment and does not fulfill all of a community’s real nutritional or long-term survival needs" Read the full article. 6. Organic Cotton from Alternative Apparel is so much better than conventional cotton from the notoriously homophobic Urban Outfitters. 7. December 20th is National "Adopt, Don't Shop" day. The Saturday before Christmas is the biggest puppy-buying day of the year. This year, In Defense of Animals is teaming up with activists in dozens of cities around the country to educate the public about the horrors of pet factories (puppy mills) and encourage people to adopt a homeless animal from a shelter or rescue group instead of buying one from a pet store. Enzo and I say you should adopt! 8. In case you missed it on Ecorazzi, Chloé Jo Berman, and yours truly were interviewed about ethical fashion. Read the interview! 9. Elephants should not be in zoos. For example, the Los Angeles zoo has killed 13 elephants. Help close down this horrible slave-trade, and save Billy from the same fate that his previous 13 fellow elephants experienced. These intelligent, emotionally complex and gorgeous beings belong in their native habitat, not in captivity. You can view video of Billy and the Los Angeles Zoo here. You can donate to IDA's campaign to Free Billy here. 10. The sleek Pool Collection from Matt&Nat has arrived! Get it while it's hot, then take a dip in the pool. 100% vegan, recycled lining, and cool as hell.

Boutiques, Sweets, Slices, & Endangered Bears

TheDiscerningBrute — Sat, 17 May 2008 20:33:00 +0000

1. Eco Boutique Opens in LA. An awesome eco-boutique, Visionary, has opened in West Hollywood - but so far it's only for the ladies. Hey Visionary! Don't forget about us Brutes! 2. Penny Licks is Vegan Sweets Heaven! Last night at Penny Licks - Melissa, Jodi and I indulged in vegan brownie sundays with soy whipped-cream and a cherry on top! While wearing a gorgeous Organic cotton polo, I had a peanut-butter brownie sunday with temptation cookie-dough vegan ice cream. Jodi went to town on a huge slice of vegan coconut cream cake from Vegan Treats. To top that off, We ate with biodegradable corn-based spoons and ate out of biodegradable cups. Not everything is vegan here, but most of it is, and most of it is organic as well. This is my new favorite spot! See you there....

3. Vinnie's Pizzeria Makes Love to the Vegan Pie. Just a few doors down from Penny Licks, Vinnie's Pizzeria is putting shame to any other pizza place that has attempted to do vegan pies before. There isn't just one "we have to put something out to take economic advantage of those annoying vegans" pie. Every day there are at least three innovative pies, in addition to handwheels, rolls, and sandwiches. They use Teese, from the same people that brought you Temptation. 4. Polar Bear on Official "Endangered Species" list. Earlier this week, the Secretary of the Interior placed the polar bear on the Endangered Species List as a threatened species.The listing is clearly a step in the right direction. Much more needs to be done -- to save the polar bear and solve the climate crisis. WeCanSolveIt.org