vegansaurus!

This Saturday: D.C. VegFest (including a CUPCAKE EATING COMPETITION)  »

This Sat, Sep 22, thousands of people will gather at Yards Park from 11am-6pm to celebrate compassionate and delicious living at the D.C. VegFest! It’s free, it’s dog friendly, there are awesome speakers (Jane Velez Mitchell! Rich Roll! Terry Hope Romero!), tasty cooking demos (BEYOND MEAT!), fun stuff for kids to do so they’ll leave you alone with the FREE FOOD, a BEER AND WINE GARDEN (my favorite words together ever, with the exception of “pan gravy” and “FREE FOOD”), and perhaps most importantly, A CUPCAKE EATING COMPETITION. If a Vegansaurus reader doesn’t win that, I don’t want to know this site ever again. And I mean that. This site better not even fucking LOOK at me if one of us doesn’t win that damn thing.

Compassion Over Killing and the Vegetarian Society of D.C., it looks to be hella fun, and the only reason to be anywhere near our nation’s capital ever. Seriously, D.C. is SO WEIRD! Everyone there dresses in business suits and talks about politics like they can actually do something good. The last time I was there, I saw people carrying BRIEF CASES. It was like, WHERE AM I? The opening scene of Joe Vs. the Volcano?? Someone give me a case of brain cloud and take me away from this misery! JK JK but seriously folks, there’s some very good food there, and a few non-profits (like COK!) who are fighting the good fight, and um… weather? There’s that. Oh, and the Spy Museum, that place is dope. Alan Turing 4 eva.

Paul Shapiro’s Animal News You Can Use!  »

It’s Paul Shapiro’s weekly Animal News You Can Use! Yay!

First and foremost, don’t miss last night’s ABC World News feature on the new undercover investigation by Compassion Over Killing that led USDA to shut down a major California slaughter plant this week. Impressive.

Also, this week New Jersey’s largest paper officially endorsed the state’s bill to ban gestation crates for pigs, even citing in its endorsement the op-ed referenced in last week’s email. Boom.

Speaking of pigs, food service giant Aramark announced with HSUS that it will require its pork suppliers to end their use of gestation crates. Bring it.

Finally, five years in a row, VegNews readers have voted HSUS their favorite animal protection group. You can help make it six by voting for us in this year’s Veggie Awards! [Ed.: Vote for Vegansaurus for favorite blog and Ask Laura for favorite column, too, if you want xoxoxoxoxo!]

Video of the week: when cats get caught barking…

Big news! Some beltway Subways now have three vegan sandwiches!  »

And we’re not talking about “all the vegetables on mustard-slathered bread,” either, because that sandwich is boring. Compassion Over Killing’s got the scoop: The three sandwiches are called the Sweet Riblet, the Malibu Greek, and Italian Black Bean, and the “Italian” bread is vegan, and that’s all we know!

Have you tried a vegan sandwich yet? Let us know! We don’t usually long to live in the D.C. area, but today, we’re totally envious. Eight franchises are offering these sandwiches; find them at COK!

If you are dying for vegan Subway in your neck of the woods (and we know you are!), contact the company via WeLoveSubway and ask, firmly and politely, for the vegan options you need. SANDWICHES FOREVER!

[photo by Compassion Over Killing]

I love you, Subway. Now give us more vegan options!  »

Last time I posted about how much I love fast food/chain restaurants, the responses were mixed. Some of you were all, “Me too (and duh, of course the beans have bacon in them),” while others exclaimed, “WTF is wrong with you, you live in SF, eat somewhere better!” I’ve taken all sides into consideration and I’m back, to shout my love of Subway, from the rooftops of San Francisco! (Or type it out while watching Seinfeld in my apartment, whatever).

I’m not saying pick Subway over Ike’s Place or anything, but on a road trip in the middle of fucking nowhere, with no gourmet vegan restaurant to eat at; in the suburbs in the middle of nowhere at your parents’; stuck with picky eaters (only pasta with marinara sauce or dry turkey sandwiches, for real?): a popular chain restaurant it is! SUBWAY! I totally recommend the ‘Veggie Delight’ with sweet onion sauce as your condiment! DELICIOUS.

Subway, I loved you, but I wasn’t IN love with you. Until today! In honor of Vegetarian Awareness month, Subways asks us, the vegan people, what we want them to carry on and for their sandwiches! Compassion over Killing has made a spiffy little website where you can leave comments about what Subway should do and what products they should carry. You guys, it’s a forum for you to COMPLAIN ABOUT SHIT, and it will be valued. DO IT. Get your vegan angst out! Subway WANTS you to!

[image courtesy Compassion Over Killing]

Interview: Paul Shapiro of The Humane Society of the United States!  »

Paul Shapiro is kinda like…the greatest guy on earth. He’s the senior director of HSUS Factory Farming Campaign. He also founded Compassion Over Killing when he was basically 5. Okay, more like 7, but still. He works tirelessly for the animals while remaining the nicest, coolest guy ever. Honestly, if I did what Paul Shapiro does every day, I’d probably just go around setting things on fire and eating babies. I KID, EVERYONE RELAX! But I’d be one grumpy lady. He’s just the raddest best and you should read all about him and then follow him on twitter if you want the latest breaking animal news.

Plus, he’s adorable, right?

How long have you been vegan?

Since 1993. Old school. My recollection is that it may have been before the world was in color.

Are you vegan for health, environmental, animal rights reasons, human rights reasons, or a combination?

I wish I could say it was because in Carl Sagan’s novel Contact, our species’ first communication with non-Earthlings was with a civilization near Vega, but it’s really because it reduces animal cruelty and environmental degradation. [Ed., AHH! Jonas wrote about that too! Dorks unite!]

What is your favorite animal?

My late dog, George. Late as in passed away four years ago; he was generally very punctual. You can watch a seven-minute slide show of his life if you’d like. (Give it a few seconds to start and turn your speakers on.)

Do you have any super cute photos of animals to share with us? I just ask because this is something we’re super into. Elephants, piglets, and pit bulls are a plus.

George was a pit bull-shar pei mix, so I hope that slide show counts. Or you can see my two cats at facebook.com/paulshapiro.

Favorite vegan food to make?

Really anything that can be put inside a tortilla/wrap. It’s a very fast and clean way to eat.

Favorite vegan cook book or website for recipes?

I’m partial to humanesociety.org/recipes

Favorite vegan dish at a restaurant/fave vegan restaurant?

Currently, the vegan “chicken” burrito that’s being tested at a DC Chipotle is rocking my world. Since you’re in SF, I tip my hat to Herbivore’s shawarma, too. (Note that both of these are in a wrap.)

You travel a lot for work. Based on food options alone, which is your favorite city to travel to?

NYC is pretty hard to beat. That said, I was at Araya’s in Seattle recently and loved it. All-vegan, all-you-can-eat buffet for $8. Respect.

Any eating tips for traveling vegans?

Get the Veg Out app for your iPhone. [Ed.: we’ve got it! it is awesome!]

You started an all-vegan band in high school? Please elaborate.

I didn’t start the band, but I was the singer of the DC hardcore band Crime Against Humanity. We put out a demo tape and played about half a dozen shows in 1994 before breaking up. We were this close to making it big. And by “this close,” I mean not close at all.

We recently met Jonathan Safran Foer (we call him “JSF” around here) who mentioned that he went to high school with you? Were you guys friends? What was he like then? Was he in the band!?

Jonathan is an awesome guy and his success with Eating Animals makes me so happy. I regret to say he was never in Crime Against Humanity. We did go to high school together and knew each other back then, but we didn’t become friends until long after that.

If you weren’t working for HSUS, what would you be doing?

Begging Vegansaurus for a blogging job. [Ed., Great, now we have to get you fired! WHY DID YOU TELL US THAT!?]

Who are the movers and shakers in the animal protection world who people might not know about, who to keep an eye on to do great things?

It always surprises me how few people in the movement are familiar with the late Henry Spira’s work. If you haven’t read his biography, you should. In terms of living activists, I’m always amazed at how groups like Mercy for Animals, Vegan Outreach, and Compassion Over Killing get so much done with so few resources. Of course, I love VegNews too, and think they provide a great resource for the movement. Finally, if you don’t follow Jason Matheny’s work on in vitro meat, check it out; it’s something I think has a lot of promise for animals.

How do you think new technologies, like Facebook and Twitter, are changing the game?

They allow me to share photos of my cats and find out who’s dating who. They also enable folks to reach a lot of people fast, which is helpful for people who want to help animals. BTW, you can follow me at twitter.com/pshapiro (Ed., FOLLOW HIM. Best breaking AR news and also, he’s funny. Bonus points.)

What advice would you give people with a budding interest in animal protection?

The reality of how deplorable the scope and nature of our abuse of animals is can be depressing. Don’t let that sorrow consume you. I’m not the first to say that if you’re upset by a societal problem, don’t agonize—organize!

Animals can’t organize and advocate for their interests, so they’re dependent on us to speak up for them. It’s an immense privilege to be able to work full-time on their behalf, and it’s inspiring to see the progress that’s now being made, especially for farm animals. That said, you don’t need to be an employee of the movement to make a difference. Go at your own pace – pass out leaflets, write letters to the editor, support your favorite animal charities, get your local restaurants to add vegan options to their menus, call your legislators, be a positive example for your friends and family, and so on.

Are you a good cook?

Compared to Tal Ronnen? No. Compared to Josh Balk? Yes.

Are you willing to have Vegansaurus over and cook us a vegan feast? If so, what day?

Any time we’re both in DC, consider the red carpet rolled out. [Ed., BOOKING TICKETS!]