Horse carriages are soooo last century!

With other volunteers for the 'Just Say Neigh' campaign. Our tee-shirts say "Horse Carriages Are Soooo Last Century!".
You can hardly see my face as my hair is everywhere, but I'm there!

A few weekends ago I volunteered with NYCLASS, a group that is trying to get horse carriages off the streets of NYC. With a group of other lovely folks (pictured above), I handed out fliers and spoke with tourists about why having horse carriages in NY is not only outdated, but also unsafe and cruel. We also informed them about alternatives they could enjoy, while asking them to sign our petition.

Many people think that horse carriage rides in NYC are a fun, romantic activity to enjoy while visiting New York. I did, too for a while-until I came across NYCLASS, learned about their mission, and why they fought for it. I changed the way I thought of horse carriage rides in NY after that, and now everytime I pass them near Central Park, I feel sad. Some people say that this has been and always will be an iconic part of New York-but I disagree. Change can and should always happen!

But I'm not here to write about that- I'm here to talk about my volunteering experience! Here is a link for more info about why having horse carriages on the streets of NY is cruel and dangerous (for people as well as horses):
http://www.nyclass.org/about/problem

And here is a link for an alternative (besides PediCabs) that NYCLASS has come up with to keep tourists having a nostalgic New York experience while not compromising the health and safety of others:
http://www.nyclass.org/about/solution

So, about my experience: I wasn't really sure what to say to the passerbys at first, but the group I volunteered with was very energetic and outgoing; a pleasure to work it. After talking with one of the volunteers who lives in New Jersey, I came up with the slogan: "Horses belong in pastures, not the streets of NY!". I thought of that after she informed me that she owns horses and is aware of their needs, and spoke of how NYC is no place for them.

What was really exciting for me was that a fair amount of people actually came up to us to sign our petition! Some people have made the connection; considered and doubted the comfort and safety of these horses and wanted to support our cause.

The best part was when, to cap off the day, I was waiting on the subway platform to head home and a random guy said , "Nice tee-shirt. I agree with your campaign. How can I get involved?". Awesome!

Horse carriages are sooooo last century!

Till next time (with updates about my birthday and recent summer activities)!
xoxo,
Ellie

Goosewatch NYC, Chickpea and Olive, Caravan of Dreams..All in a Vegan Saturday!

If you're my friend on Facebook (and if you're reading this, you probably are), you've probably noticed that I've posted some (seemingly) random pictures of geese. Is it because I love geese? Well, if I didn't before, now I do! You see, I've been taking trips to nearby East River State Park to help my friend David and other volunteers from Goosewatch NYC keep an eye on the geese there to see if they are likely targets for killings by the USDA.
"Say what?!", you ask? Um. Yeah.

To explain briefly, ever since the "Miracle on the Hudson" incident, there's been an "all-out war" on the Canadian geese of NYC. The government has arranged with the USDA roundups of geese in NYC parks every year.
The killing of geese is not only an ineffective use of our tax money, it's also cruel. That's my two cents on the matter, anyway.
For more comprehensive info, check out this link! :
http://www.goosewatchnyc.com/our-story

So yes, I've been visiting the park..looking at geese. And I have to say, the experience has given me an appreciation for them! They are beautiful, and I love watching them communicate with eachother.
 It's June, and baby goslings are springing up in NYC parks. East River State Park has two families!

I was there last Saturday with some others from Goosewatch, talking to some of the locals. We are trying to find some residents in the area who would volunteer to document the roundups if and when they occur. And, we want to inform people about what's going on. A lot of people don't know about this (did you?), and some of the people we spoke to were really shocked and upset.

The dad (or mom?) hissed at me for getting too close. Oops!

After canvassing for a while, I stopped into nearby Smorgasburg for a bite. I met the peeps from Chickpea and Olive, friends of Goosewatch, and not only were they lovely, sweet folks, but their food was amazing!!!

I had their Slider (composed of beets, barley, lentils and mushrooms) with all the fixin's (pickled jalapenos, bibb lettuce, cheddar daiya cheese and sliced roma tomatoes) on a homemade brioche bun with a side of their Dotty's Potato Salad and a chamomile-lemon verbena-mint tea from Brooklyn Grange (local rooftop farm biz). Cool side note: Chickpea and Olive used greens from Brooklyn Grange for their sliders!

So I'm just going to repeat myself and say again that their slider was amazing! I'll even go as far as to say that one would not miss a conventional beef burger eating this. Yeah, that's right. It's a strong statement, and I stand behind it!

Afterwards, I headed into the East Village and met with my friend Shaliga to check out Howl Festival.

We stopped into Caravan of Dreams for a bit and had a great meal. Shaliga had their raw Zucchini And Yellow Squash Spaghetti (with "meatballs"), and I had their Rosemary Shiitake Mushroom Burger on ciabatta bread. We split their Caravan Cocktail smoothie (coconut shake, raw almond butter, cinnamon). The smoothie was so good and the sandwich was excellent! I don't know why I don't go to Caravan more often! Admittedly, knowing what to order is important when going to Caravan, but what I like about this place is that they have a plethora of juices, smoothies, soft drinks and other cool beverages to choose from. And their Chocolate Acai Berry Pie is to die for!

 caravan cocktail smoothie

 raw "spaghetti" and my awesome mushroom sandwich on delicious olive ciabatta bread

So that about sums up my vegan Saturday! If you're interested in hearing more about Goosewatch, go ahead and check out their Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/goosewatchnyc

Have a great weekend everyone!
xo,
Ellie

Veggie Prom 2012

Last Friday I went to the third annual Veggie Prom for the very first time. I danced my caboose off and had an absolute blast!!

Now, you may be wondering: What is Veggie Prom?

...It's simply a prom-themed soiree for the veg*n and veg-curious community of New York City headed by event planner extraordinaire Jessica Mahady. Proceeds benefited animal rights organization Mercy for Animals, and it was held this year at Fontana's Bar in the Lower East Side.

Many awesome vegan companies donated food for the event. Some of these companies were Lula's, Raw Ice Cream Company and Regal Vegan. There was also a vegan nacho cheese pump!-But I didn't partake in any of this, because the beloved Cinnamon Snail food truck was parked outside the event! I got their raw pizza and smore donut-which I devoured too quickly to take a picture of (sorry!).
For more info about the event and its origins, check out this link:
http://www.cllctv.com/2012/05/18/jessica-mahady-veggie-prom-in-prom-we-trust/

I was so happy to see my friends and bestie Michelle was my date. I was also really happy to see my dear friends Rachel Kay and David Karopkin win the title of Prom Queen and Prom King. They do so much for animal activism and they truly deserved their recognition!!

So. Much. Fun.

xo....
Ellie

Earth Day!

Ah, Mother Earth. Isn't she amazing? But let's face it, folks. Collectively, we ain't been treatin' our mama with enough respect! Earth Day is this Sunday, and this is a great time to reflect on honoring her and on what we can do to help ease her suffering.

You may be wondering what you could do for Earth Day to play your part. Recycle more? Start composting? Buy a cloth bag and stop using plastic while shopping? All great ideas, but if I were to propose just one thing to do, it would be this:
Eat a vegan dinner on Earth Day.
That is, if you're not already a vegan, of course!

Why?
Because eating a vegan diet is actually one of the best ways.. oh heck, I'll say it-it's the best way to be "green"! Unfortunately, this is not common knowledge- but if you do some research, you will find an overwhelming wealth of info on how animal agriculture adversely effects the environment.

Here are just a few pieces of info I found when I searched the Net:


-   U.S. livestock consume more than six and a half times as much grain as the entire U.S. human population consumes directly. According to the Council for Agriculture Science and Technology, if all this grain was consumed directly by humans, it would nourish five times as many people as it does after it is converted into meat, milk and eggs.

-  Animal agriculture accounts for more than 80% of annual world deforestation.


-  Nearly half of the total amount of water used annually in the U.S. goes to grow feed and provide drinking water for cattle and livestock.

-  A report in the New Scientist estimated that driving a hybrid car rather than an average vehicle would conserve a little over one ton of carbon dioxide per year. A vegan diet, however, consumes one and a half tons less than the average American diet.

For more info, you could check out this site (where I found some of these facts from):
http://www.veganpeace.com/veganism/environment.htm




So have your vegan dinner this Sunday, folks! Cause really, every meatless meal helps. Have a fancy dinner at Candle 79 or the new Cafe Blossom on Carmine Street, or go casual and have a yummy Vietnamese din at Lan Cafe.

If you're eating in and are a meatlover, try Field Roast Sausages. Have them with your sides of choice, like sauteed kale and sweet potatoes.

Or have some bean tacos with pico de gallo and guacamole, and leave out the cheese and sour cream. Yumm!

Now, what if you're already a vegan? Well, besides recycling more, composting, and using a cloth bag while shopping, you could go to this event- the Darwin Animal Doctors' Bake Sale Fundraiser at Mooshoes, 12:30-5:30 on Orchard Street:

How cute is their flyer, btw?? Darwin Animal Doctors is an organization that is the first free full-time, full service vet clinic in the Galapagos Islands. The wildlife in the Galapagos is some of the most unique in the world. They aim to help protect the biodiversity and the environment of the Galapagos by limiting the number of domestic animals and their impacts on wildlife through humane sterilization.

At their event, they will be selling sweet, vegan baked treats, and there will be a raffle offering goodies from Mooshoes, LUSH cosmetics, and Vaute Couture.

If you can't make the event, you could also make a donation to Lotus Elephant Sanctuary. An organization in development, their goal is to raise money to buy a minimum of 6,000 acres of land to provide a haven for elephants. The eyes of many international firms are on Laos right now because of its proximity to China and its geographical position, and corporate projects will soon ensue, causing damage to the land through reckless development.  Lotus Elephant Sanctuary can help preserve land in Laos, as well as provide a refuge for abused elephants.

For more info on the sanctuary, you can look here:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/LotusElephantSanctuary/info

And look here to make a donation:

http://www.lotussanctuary.org/help.htm

Happy Earth Day everyone! Let's take this day to appreciate our beautiful home, and to be mindful of our part in it.

xo,

Ellie