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vegan NEW ZEALAND

Health, Ethics, Environment

BARCODE | 9421900615049

9 421900 615049

SUMMER 2013 | $8.50 RRP

Greenpeace Memories

Flo KorokoroVegan StarISSN 2324-1233

Hens’ Night

Vegans in Punk

Salt, Sugar, FatGIVEAWAY!

Karen Murrell

Lipstick–

SUMMER 2013 | ISSUE #

16 Florence Korokoro, Vegan Star 4

Greenpeace Memories 6

Melting Pot Massacre 8

It’s Hen 2000! 10

Hosting Hens’ Night 12

Book Review Salt, Sugar, Fat 14

FarmWatch Feast 16

Beauty Spot Karen Murrell Lipsticks 18

Animal Sanctuary Trip 21

Cookbook Review Mouthwatering Vegan 23

Vegan Chalk Activism 24

Veg, Vino and Vines 26

The holiday season is upon us again (so quickly)! Perhaps

more than any other time in the year, we are faced with the

differences between our food and the traditions of those

around us. For me, it starts very early with hints of Halloween

and recipes of Thanksgiving feasts from back in the USA,

and it’s not very long before the Christmas chorus joins in.

Luckily, we have many vegan options for practically any dish,

but when everyone about you is gathering for food – friends,

employees, and family – wise vegans will prepare for some

close food encounter that has less than a merry holiday spirit.

There are various approaches, but your best bet for peace on

earth is not to be taken by surprise.

For that reason and others, while holidays can be exciting

and joyous, they can also be very stressful. I am sadly

reminded of the recent death by suicide of Sandra Lertzman,

the Executive Director at the Animal Rights Foundation in

Ohio, USA. While we can never know all the factors involved,

we do know that the role of a vegan and animal activist in

today’s world can feel overwhelming. We may see lots of

progress within our circles, yet it sometimes unbelievable how

much animal suffering is committed and casually accepted. It

is important to remember that any one person can only do so

much, and one person is not responsible for saving the world.

So, take care of yourself before your own need becomes

desperate.

And finally, thanks to a suggestion from Loretta W, we are

now soliciting Letters to the Editor, to be printed from the

next issue. We hope to generate some interesting discussion

amongst our readers – please see the notice later in this issue

for details.

Wishing everyone a happy holiday season with lots of vegan

enjoyment!

Vegan New Zealand is published by The Vegan Society of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Views expressed in Vegan New Zealand are not necessarily the views of the Society. © Copyright The Vegan Society of Aotearoa 2013.

To become a member visit our website www.vegansociety.co.nz

PO Box 78111, Grey Lynn, Auckland 1245.For advertising enquiries, suggestionsor feedback email info@vegansociety.co.nz

Editor: Jessica Parsons, editor@vegansociety.co.nzGraphic Designer: Angela Hunter, angelajanehunter18@gmail.com

Editorial

Jessica Parsons

Winner of last giveaway of the Azurlis Wonderful Skin Serum - Stephen R

WINNER!

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Florence Korokoro hit our big screens in October as Grace Watts, the wife of Hugh Laurie’s character in the movie Mr Pip. She also recently featured as the beautiful love interest in Stan Walker’s music video Bulletproof. We’re very happy this vegan (now living in Auckland) could take some time to tell us more about herself.

Jean: How long have you been vegan, and

what inspired you?

Florence: I was vegetarian first, and then made the switch to vegan five years ago. In my heart, I’ve always known it’s never right to kill animals for my enjoyment. I just came to my senses one day and made the change. A defining childhood moment was back in Papua New Guinea. I was sitting next to a tied-up pig during a cultural ceremony. I looked into his eyes and saw pain. I had tears in my eyes and just said sorry.Jean: What advice do you have for people

thinking about becoming vegan, or who

have recently become vegan?

Florence: • Start at your own pace and enjoy more plant-based foods.

Florence Korokoro, Vegan Star

Interviewed by Jean Dorrell

• Attend a vegan cooking class.• Join vegan groups on Facebook. People have a lot to share about where to shop and eat out. • Do your research. There are a lot of great plant-based foods out there. • Learn to cook and love the art of food.• Really think about what you are putting in your body. Remember that you are only here once so look after yourself.Jean: What are the best things about being

vegan? And the most challenging things

about being vegan?

Florence: I love everything about being vegan. For me it’s the Zen way to live. You start feeling good in body, spirit and mind. You start grazing instead of eating big meals. (Honestly, just like a cow!) You radiate beauty from within. Like most things, a bit of preparation work is required but, all in all, it’s the best way to live.Jean: What is the question that you are

asked most often, when people find out

you are vegan?

Florence: “Oh, so do you eat fish?”Jean: I note that you did the Live Below

the Line Challenge last year. Any tips on

eating cheaply?

Florence: I’m a big fan of porridge, so this was my breakfast. Then I just had rice and steamed vegetables. Live Below the Line was a great challenge and going the extra mile on just $2.25 per day was a significant effort. [Note: Live Below the Line is a five day challenge where participants spend just $2.25 per day on food. $2.25 is the equivalent of the extreme poverty line. See www.livebelowtheline.com/nz for more information.]Jean: What are your favourite foods?

Florence: My absolute favourites right now are green juices and smoothies.Jean: What is your favourite place to eat?

Florence: I used to go to Loving Hutt in Auckland, but that is now closed. Recently, I’ve been going to Bluebird Café on Dominion Road. They have nice bean and lentil-based meals with salads. But my girlfriend and I go there to eat the cakes!Jean: What is your best meal ever?

Florence: My best friend made me Vietnamese summer rolls.

Jean: Can we have the recipe please?

Florence: Vietnamese summer rolls are made of rice paper with your desired fillings such as tofu, vermicelli, capsicums, sprouts, cucumber, coriander. Eat with peanut sauce made from crunchy peanut butter cooked in sesame oil and soy sauce. I just use up whatever is fresh in my fridge as filling and reheat the sauce each time.Jean: What was it like working

with Hugh Laurie on Mr Pip?

Florence: He is a truly remarkable man. He is very warm and sincere. He has a crafty sense of humour and was always very adaptable. Jean: How did you get the role?

Florence: A friend of mine in Wellington saw a casting call on a Papua New Guinea website, He emailed me and said, “Flo here’s a ticket home!” I replied to the advert and then auditioned and it started from there.Jean: How did it feel playing Grace Watts,

who I thought was a combination of mad

and sad? How would you describe her?

Florence: It was most unusual. She had lost a lot from her life in London, her young child in particular. My interpretation of her would be that she lost her soul through the process. She was depressed, and so her husband, wanting to bring her out of her depression, was to bring her to Bougainville – her home country.Jean: What was your favourite part of Mr

Pip?

Florence: I liked the classroom scenes. Brings me right back to what it’s like being a kid again, with the depth of imagination and the look on those kids’ faces. Makes me smile every time.Jean: What did you eat while filming in

Papua New Guinea?

Florence: Each day I drank fresh young coconuts. The village kids would climb the trees and leave them in a pile outside the production office. This was my body’s fuel. I grazed on fruit and nuts and lots of leafy green vegetables. A bit like being on Survivor - Bougainville Island!Jean: What was it like growing up in

Bougainville?

Florence: It was a most memorable childhood. Arawa (Bougainville Island) was a mining town, so it was a little like growing up in rural NZ. Everyone left their houses and cars unlocked, and all the kids played down at the river or beaches. All our neighbours became our families. My neighbours consisted of locals, Europeans, Australians and Kiwis. We all spent holidays up in my parents’ villages. Jean: How old were you when you left?

Florence: I left after completing year 6 in

primary school [at around the age of 11 or 12].Jean: What was it like filming in

Bougainville?

Florence: Bougainville Island is quite remote so it was a bit tricky logistically getting things there and back. The location as just gorgeous and they couldn’t have picked a better place to film this movie. The people were friendly and accommodating to us all. Jean: How did you come to be in

the music video for Stan Walker’s

Bulletproof?

Florence: Through a friend from Mr Pip.Jean: What is Stan Walker like?

Florence: I love Stan! He’s such a beautiful person. He is truly a blessing to us.Jean: What is difference between

acting in a music video and a movie?

Florence: There are no lines, but acting out the emotions is just the same.Jean: Do you have any advice for people

who want become actors?

Florence: If you are serious about it, join a talent agency. They find work for you and charge you a small fee. I recommend getting profile photos. If you have the look the

casting directors are after, then you are in luck!Jean: What is next in your career?

Florence: I’m not sure. I’ll see what else comes my way.Jean: How do you like to spend your non-

working time?

Florence: I spend most of time with family and friends. I like meditating, reading and exercising.Jean: What is your life philosophy?

Florence: Practise living in the present. Forgive yourself and do better tomorrow. Jean: What is your favourite quote or

saying?

Florence: When nothing is sure, everything is possible.Jean: In the last year or so you have

featured in Stan Walker’s Bulletproof music

video as a Jamaican nurse and then in Mr

Pip as Hugh Laurie’s mad/sad wife. Which

male star would you most like to play

opposite next?

Florence: I’d like to be in a Sci-Fi thriller alongside Christian Bale. He intrigues me a lot; I think his broad bank of characters and adaptability makes him a very reliable actor.

Cover Photo credit: Photographers Inc. Head photo caption: Florence and Mr Pip lead actress Xzannjah.

Each day I drank fresh young coconuts. The village kids would climb the trees and leave them in a pile outside the production office...

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On 18th September, 2013, a group of committed activists attempted to board an oil rig in the Russian Arctic. It was owned by the company Gazprom. A previous action last year had little result: banners were hung, activists occupied the rig for a short time. This year their reception was very different. The coastguard fired shots very close to the activists and the action was quickly called off. All the activists made it back to the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise, whereupon the ship was boarded by armed coastguards rappelling down from a helicopter.

All were charged with piracy initially, and bail was refused in all thirty cases. Charges have now been “downgraded” to hooliganism. This is the Russian equivalent of “breach of the peace” - a catch-all phrase that police will use to arrest you. However these charges are still very serious and can easily lead to substantial jail time for all thirty peaceful protestors. I have been following these events with great interest and working to raise awareness because I remember my own history with Greenpeace.On board the Arctic Sunrise

Back in June 1999, I was aboard the MV Arctic Sunrise, a Greenpeace ice-breaker ship. The Arctic Sunrise planned to spend 6 weeks travelling along the ice edge in the

Arctic, taking US scientists to visit walrus colonies for one of the first observations they’d ever done. As you can imagine, the Arctic ice edge is not the easiest place to visit. You need a very special ship, for starters, and the Arctic Sunrise is one special ship. She started life as a seal hunting ship, so her current role in the campaign for the environment under the banner of Greenpeace was great karma.

I was the assistant Radio Operator (RO) to Colin Russell, who is one of the activists currently languishing in a Russian prison in Murmansk. It was his first trip too, so together we learned much about communications “Greenpeace-style”. All emails were downloaded twice a day through the Sat A, we had no access to internet, bandwidth was an issue and we paid for every bit of data used. Our job as the RO was to keep ship-to-shore communications running smoothly; this is vital for the job that Greenpeace does. Sailing with us was First Mate Paul Rusycki, also one of the captives in Murmansk.Veganism on board

At the time I was a vegetarian, rather than fully vegan, but we did have a vegan engineer onboard. I have to say that as a non-meat-eater within Greenpeace, I was somewhat outnumbered. Meat was certainly very much a staple, and I doubt it is much different today. We were well catered for as vegetarians; there are always a small number of us on board at any one time. I talked to the vegan engineer and asked him how it was for him. He got soup every day and was just glad that he was catered for in some way.

Food was always available, and we were able to help ourselves to whatever we could find. I talked to the chef about my

vegan friend; the chef’s opinion was that the engineer was very easy to cater for, he didn’t complain and didn’t ask for much. I couldn’t help thinking that probably he would have preferred something different from soup every day.

A week later there was a crew change. Our new chef was vegetarian.“Great!” I thought. Toni Hessell was from New Zealand, and I made sure to befriend her right away. I always think it’s a good idea to make friends with the chef when you have what many would consider an odd diet. I had foolishly believed that vegetarians would abound within Greenpeace but I didn’t find it to be the case. The Rainbow Warrior

In 2003, I sailed on board the Rainbow Warrior and met David Haussmann, one of the Kiwis who is locked up until at least 24th November on charges of piracy (now hooliganism). By this time, I was vegan and again made sure to befriend the chefs. I was even raw vegan, which made it simple for them. “Just cut up some veggies and set it aside for me,” I requested. Easy!

Through my many actions and work with Greenpeace UK, I also met Frank Hewetson, a UK Actions Team member, also in prison. I lived and worked voluntarily at GPUK office for a couple of years. The café in the GPUK office is fully vegetarian and there is always a vegan option. (Of course, the cooks are my friends. ) However, I know that some GP staff refused to eat there because it is vegetarian! Greenpeace and veganism

I did find on all my trips with Greenpeace that some people were quite negative towards my food choices, and there were times when certain crew members pretty much attacked me for not eating animals. I found this highly disturbing and quite curious within an

Greenpeace Memories

Claire Insley

environmental organisation. Any time I tried to point this out, I was attacked again.

I cannot get my head around how an organisation that is so committed to the environment has so many individuals who continue to eat meat – the most damaging controllable action you can do.

After I left London and moved to Totnes, I set up a Greenpeace local group and continued to do as much as I could for the environment, but slowly I found myself finding it harder and harder to continue working for Greenpeace. I continued to have discussions with meat-eaters who claimed to be environmentalists, yet would not make this one simple change for it.

I started to read through the websites, trying to find some proof that GP itself had made the connection between diet and the environment. I could not. I wrote to the GPUK office to question this. I got the “standard” response from a vegetarian staff member they made answer such emails. I responded to it pointing out that many staff weren’t veggie and didn’t eat at the café, but I never received any further answers.

I have worked on ships, in many worldwide offices and even at the Head Office, and everywhere I found the same story - a few committed people who are vegan and vegetarian, but the majority of staff are meat-eaters (probably about 70%). It eventually got to the point for me where I could no longer give my time to an organisation that does not make this connection.

Regardless, Greenpeace does a really

important job, and we certainly need such organisations in the world. I do not know if Friends of the Earth has similar stories. I would also note that the RSPCA (UK version of the SPCA) staff at Head Office are mostly vegan. Paying the price for oil

However, even though Colin, Paul, David and Frank are all meat-eaters, I would not want them to spend the next 7 years in a Russian prison! None of these people are pirates or hooligans. They acted with conscience to put a stop to people who wish to destroy our planet. The risks of drilling for oil in the Arctic are immense. The seas are often very rough. It will not be a case of if an oil spill occurs there, but when. As climate change thins the ice in the Arctic, places that were once thought impossible to drill in become more possible but very risky.

All this for oil. At a time when the planet needs us to be choosing different energy sources. The solutions are there, we do not have to do this, yet oil companies driven by profit above all other considerations are determined to get every last drop out of the planet. There are billions of barrels of oil still in reserve that we can ill afford to burn and keep the average global warming to 2°C.

The good news? Being vegan really helps keep carbon emissions low, and we could literally lower the global temperature if everyone became vegan. Every vegan reduces carbon emissions by 1.5 tons per year. Even stopping eating animals one day a week would make significant impacts. Being

vegan does more to reduce climate impact than not driving a car. 51% of greenhouse gas emissions are due to animal agriculture!Greenpeace vegan activist starving

Sini is a vegan activist from Finland, and she is starving, as Russian prisons do not cater for vegans. I have read accounts of the food… poor, poor fish or meat and potato gruel and a hunk of bread. I don’t know what help the Russian Office is able to provide for her, to make sure she gets proper food. Greenpeace has so far not commented about her status.Supporting imprisoned activists

When authorities imprison peaceful activists, all of our rights are in danger. What can you do to help these activists?

Email the Russian Embassy, phone them, talk to your local MP and do write to the activists themselves. It must be terrible being incarcerated in a Russian prison in winter! Especially when your own government seems completely indifferent to your case.

It is the British Consulate who are helping out the Kiwis currently locked up. John Key has basically said he cannot do anything, they are in the Russian system now and he cannot intervene. The Australian, British and Dutch governments do not agree and are doing all they can to release the activists.

Send a vegan food parcel to Sini. You can even write to the rest of the crew c/o the Greenpeace International Office, OtthoHeldringstraat 5, 1066 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands

General messages of support would be gratefully received.

© Nick Cobbing/Greenpeace

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About Farmwatch

Farmwatch started in March of 2013 to promote veganism through advocacy specifically for farmed animals. While we acknowledge there are many issues affecting animals that need our attention, we thought that because New Zealand is currently a farming nation, this would be the best place to focus our attention.

Our main work involves animal rescue and farm investigations, but we also use our unique skills to assist other animal advocacy groups to obtain documentation needed to inform their campaigns. Earlier this year, we helped SAFE with their Chicken Vigil by collecting the dead chickens from factory farms for the vigil and supplying footage to accompany SAFE’s media release. Why a Farmwatch Feast?

The reason for the Feast was twofold. Firstly, we are an entirely volunteer organisation and generally we are self-funded, which can limit the amount of work we can do. It is very important to expose the reality of animal production, but it does cost quite a lot of money in petrol, equipment, flights, etc. So fundraisers, like the Feast, are a good opportunity to raise money to help Farmwatch continue our work for the animals.

Secondly, as a new group, we were interested in growing our support base and exposing more people to the work that we

do and why we think it is important for the animals. Feast organisation

Since its inception, Farmwatch has been lucky to have a lot of support from people all over the country wanting to help in any way they can. We have a Facebook group called Farmwatchers for our supporters, and we call on them when we need help with things like proofreading our newsletter or fundraising.

We were lucky to get help from about 13 of our Auckland-based Farmwatchers. They cooked, cleaned, promoted, emceed, provided equipment and waited tables. Each one of them was an amazing help, and we were very lucky to have them. We could not have made it happen without their support.

As usual these days, we mostly relied on Facebook for attracting attendees, but we also put posters up around Auckland in vegetarian- and vegan-friendly food establishments.Feast Night!

About 50 people attended our Feast for Farmwatch. We started with a presentation about Farmwatch and the work we have done so far this year, including previewing our latest video about the work we did for the SAFE Chicken Vigil. You can see that video at http://vimeo.com/75844314.

Then we served the food. We had three vegan courses: soup, curry and salad, and

dessert. To keep the mood light, we had entertainment throughout the night from musicians and New Zealand improv group Reverend Jellie. We also had inspiring young activist Jayden Jameson talk to the Feast about the work he has been doing for animals, including running his own animal advocacy classes at his high school. From the feedback we got, everyone enjoyed the food and the entertainment, which is always good to hear.Results

I think the night was a success. We raised money to help us with the work we have planned over the summer, but perhaps more importantly, we were able to share the work we have done so far this year and impress upon our attendees the importance of the work that we do. In that regard I think we were quite successful, especially as people who already knew about us brought along new people whom we had not been able reach yet. Our message reached a broader audience, which was good for Farmwatch and the animals.

I was glad that we did the Feast, and everything ran really smoothly. Naturally, in hindsight, we would change a few things, but we will definitely be doing some sort of fundraising again in the future. It is a necessity for volunteer organisations like ours.

FarmWatch Feast

Jasmine Gray

On 29 September, 2013, FarmWatch hosted a three-course vegan dinner to help raise funds for their further efforts to help animals.

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The Animal Sanctuary celebrated a major milestone in October 2013: we rescued and rehomed our 2000th hen! We’ve come a long way from the 12 battery hens that we first adopted 10 years ago.

When we originally established The Animal Sanctuary, I knew we’d provide a safe home for some rescued commercial hens, simply because we hated factory farming. But I had no idea that I’d come to love chickens so much! I’d heard terms like “bird-brain” and thought chickens weren’t very bright. It’s absolutely not true. They’re much smarter

It’s Hen 2000!Shawn Bishop, Animal Sanctuary

than people realise. Those first hens escaped as they were

being unloaded, and it took us days to catch them all. We set up several different kinds of traps, but they outwitted us at every turn. That was my first lesson that these animals were intelligent. Quickly I learned that they were also affectionate, interactive, curious, and have unique personalities. From that point on, we wanted to do more to help save hens that were commercially farmed for egg production. Why do so many need rescuing?

It’s such a sad situation. The hens are allowed to lay for just one season, and then are killed. The reason? All hens go off lay twice a year. They stop laying for 4 – 6 weeks while they moult and grow new feathers. Then they start laying again. But the farmers don’t want to feed barns full of hens for several weeks while they’re not producing eggs, so they kill them all and replace them with new hens who are just beginning to lay for the first time.

It’s all carefully timed, and it’s a massive waste of life. Battery hens are killed at 18 months of age. Ironically, because free-range hens are allowed to display some natural behaviours, they go off lay earlier and so are killed earlier, between 15 – 17 months of age. All of those hens would have started laying again in a few weeks, and will actually continue to produce eggs for years. Animal rescue history

In our early days, other animal welfare groups rescued the hens and brought them to us for rehabilitation and rehoming. Eventually, we began conducting the rescues ourselves. A lot of people ask us how we rescue; they imagine that we sneak into farms in the middle of the night in balaclavas! In reality, we pick up “end of lay hens” with the full agreement of the farmers involved. It’s completely legal and above board. When the farmer is about to kill all the hens in a barn (between 1200 – 7000 depending on the farm), they let us know and allow us to come take as many as we can.

Most farmers don’t allow rescues, and some companies even have contracts saying that the hens must be killed at the end of their first lay. It’s taken us a long time to find a couple of farmers (one battery and one free-range), who will let us take some of the hens they are about to have killed.Animal rescue grows

When we first started doing rescues, we took 12 hens at a time. Now we have expanded our facilities, and also have some wonderful rescue colleagues who work with us to rescue and foster these hens. This means we can

rescue more hens at a time. In our last rescue, we took 140 lucky hens. The hard part was leaving the other 3260 behind, knowing they were about to die. That part can be extremely depressing, so we have to concentrate on the ones we’re able to save.

I know that what we do is just a small drop in a huge bucket – but it’s our personal drop, and we’re proud of it. I certainly know it makes a huge difference to every single one of the lovely hens that we’ve been able to rescue. Hens’ new homes

A big change since we first began is that we used to rescue a group of hens and then desperately look for good homes for them. Now, we actually have a waiting list! Backyard chickens are the ‘new black’. It’s become really popular to have your own hens. I think this is because enlightened people want to know that their eggs are truly cruelty-free. There’s been so much media about the horrors of intensive egg farming, and misleading “welfare ticks” on egg boxes that don’t mean anything, that people realise the only guarantee is to have their own well-cared-for hens.

Some people who adopt from us say, “I don’t even care if I get eggs. I just want to provide some rescued hens with a good life. They deserve it.” As a vegan, I love it when I hear that kind of thing! Meet the hens

The hens we rescue are usually brown shavers, and they have amazing personalities. I don’t know if it’s the breed, or if they understand they’ve been rescued and are grateful, but they are wonderfully affectionate little animals. They make great companions, no different from a cat or dog. People constantly send me photos of the hens they’ve adopted, all with names and descriptions of their personalities. It really warms my heart to see these girls living safe, long, happy lives.

When the hens first arrive, they’re often in terrible shape, both physically and psychologically. This is true for both battery AND free range hens. Visitors sometimes see newly arrived hens in awful condition and say “That’s why I buy free range instead of caged eggs.” When I reply “Umm, actually, those ARE free range hens!” they’re shocked and even burst into tears. “What do I do now??” they cry. My suggestions:1. Stop using eggs. They’re actually not necessary, and there are zillions of recipes online to make perfectly beautiful food without them. Once you learn a new way to bake, for example, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is.2. If you do choose to use eggs, think about adopting rescued hens. Commit to keeping them for their full life, the same as you would

a puppy or kitten. Then not only will you have done something wonderful, but you’ll be guaranteed that the eggs they produce will be cruelty-free. Even in Auckland suburbs, you’re allowed up to six hens. (No roosters!) Hens are easy to care for, don’t take up much room, and will give you lots of affection and entertainment. 3. If you really can’t have hens, find someone else who does. They’ll probably be glad to sell you some excess eggs to help pay for their chook chow. Just make sure that they intend to keep their hens for life, and it isn’t a business where they kill them when they go off lay.Warm fuzzies

Recently our animal sanctuary has had support in an unexpected way: some lovely people have formed a group to knit or sew jumpers for our rescued hens. I know that sounds fluffy, but these jumpers aren’t just for show. When the hens arrive they’re usually defeathered, with red raw skin and often with sores. So especially in winter, the jumpers are

life savers. They keep the hens warm, and at the same

time prevent other hens from pecking at their wounds while they heal. The fact that the hens look adorable in their high fashion is just a bonus. We really appreciate the love and care these kind and talented people have put into their hen creations.The future

Our dream for the future? That everyone has their own beloved hens in their backyard, and there is no longer a need for commercial egg farms. To that end, we’d love to see other battery hen rescue/rehab/rehoming centres set up right across the country, doing the same thing we’re doing.

Our sanctuary is north of Auckland, but we get adoption requests from Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. That’s too far for our hens to travel, but it shows that there’s a need for more rescuers throughout New Zealand. I promise you’ll find it very satisfying and rewarding work – and that you’ll fall in love with chickens the same way we did!

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Michael Moss brings us face to face with the gargantuan tentacles of the processed food corporate octopus that currently has a stranglehold on our hearts, minds and GI tracts.

According to Moss, starting after WWII, food processors and tobacco companies slowly fused to undermine nutrition. Convenience foods swim in sugar, salt and fat, plus enough food residue to stick it together. These companies employ skilled professionals who engineer processed food into highly sophisticated, legal (and often vegan), addictive substances.

The 446-page book is readable and informative. Moss’s journalism background and four years of research busts the myth that food corporates are simply making tasty prepared foods that we are too gutless to avoid overeating. The evolving history of processed convenience foods is a calculated plan to hook ever-busier consumers with food that has sacrificed good nutrition for convenience and taste.

Even the most committed junk food vegan might be disturbed at these targeted developments.Addictive properties of salt, sugar, and fat

Neurological research shows that “Our brain lights up for sugar and fat the same way it does for cocaine.”

Sugar has a peak bliss point in a food beyond which people reject the sweetness. And sugar in a liquid form like fizzy drinks or fruit juice in some way confounds our body’s sensory apparatus. Children can consume sugared drinks all day without feeling full.

Fats have no peak bliss point. We sense fats through our trigeminal nerve. Fat is all about texture and mouthfeel. We will eat large quantities of fats if the food does not drip with grease. Fats and sugars combine to enhance the basic addictive qualities of both.

Salt is more mysterious. It enhances flavours and is desired in ever-increasing amounts, yet we can retrain our palates to enjoy much lower salt levels.Overview

Chapters One to Seven are especially of interest to vegans. These chapters deal with:

• Research on physiological sugar and fat addiction;

• The deliberate marketing to children of addictive foods using tobacco company data and strategies;

• Hooking kids on fizzy and so-called fruit

drinks and sweetened breakfast cereals;• The psychology and science of modern

food engineering;• The expenditure on research centres

devoted to supporting food companies’ understanding of the neurology of human craving; and

• The role of food convenience.This book might help you say ‘no’ to your kids and grandkids when they plead for more and more of this addictive food. It isn’t just their health at risk. Their brains and gustatory approval levels are being reprogrammed. Ultimately, for children and adults, normal unprocessed food won’t taste good unless it is loaded with salt, sugar and fat.

The book confirms that nutrition simply doesn’t figure into the corporate equation. Corporates aim for a physiological bliss point of taste that keeps people craving more. Most of the convenience foods that fill the supermarket are not meant to be nutritious. They are simply fast food on a shelf, and they are physiologically and psychologically designed to addict you, to keep corporate profits high and shareholders happy.Inside Salt, Sugar, Fat

First, Moss lays out the strategy of the global food corporate battles, with the overarching objectives of convenience and bliss point and the advertising spears aimed precisely at tired, guilty, hard-working parents and

their psychologically vulnerable children. The ultimate stealth weapons of salt, sugar and fat, which we crave, are cunningly formulated with the help of psychologists, sensory analysts, food scientists, neurologists, and chemists as well as the advertising and marketing agencies who serve these addicting empires.

Then in Chapter Two, meet Howard Moskowitz, the King of Crave and the saviour of Dr Pepper during the 2002-2004 Coke-Pepsi wars. This brilliant polymath almost singlehandedly turned food processing into food engineering by uniting sensory research, psychological research, brain research and statistics. It is now a given that processed foods are engineered for taste, shelf-life, manufacturability and crave-ability. You’ll also learn that hunger is related to actual body needs but craving is emotional and linked to taste. This distinction gave food processors a roadmap to precisely manipulate salt, sugar and fat for maximum craving.

Chapter Three introduces chemist Al Clausi, who worked 40 years for General Foods and won great repute doing product reformulations. Read about “convenience foods that weren’t so healthy, and healthy foods that weren’t so convenient” and the siege and downfall of home economics education in the USA, a kind of ‘death by Betty Crocker.’ The food industry also invaded home economists’ organisations, placing their own corporate employees who transformed the message of independence, health and money savings into a promotional programme for processed convenience foods.

Chapter 4 is about sweetened cereals. It starts with the Kellogg story of how John Harvey Kellogg and his brother Will created a simple corn flake in 1896. John, a doctor, was concerned about dyspeptic Americans – “who started the day with sausage, bacon, beefsteaks and fried ham and later went on to salt pork and whisky.” By 1975, after these plain cereal products had morphed into 40 to 70 per cent sugar monsters, Harvard nutrition professor Jean Mayer (who discovered how our appetite is controlled by blood sugar) asked ‘are these cereals or candy?’

Many were between 10-25% sugar; some were up to 50%. Super Orange Crisp was more than 70% sugar! Ads for the most sugary cereals bombarded young children during Saturday morning cartoons. After 1975, when sugar became a public concern, some of the cereal names changed but not the sugar content.

Chapter 5 is about the Coke and Pepsi wars, and Jeffrey Dunn, who ultimately left Coca Cola to become a whistleblower because of the marketing to kids and the link to obesity.

Chapter 6 presents the sequential atrocities committed on fruit juice. Vitamin C is often added to so-called ‘fruit drinks’, but all the fruit phytochemicals, fibre, natural colours and flavours are stripped out. Although ‘fruit concentrates’ are simply sugar water, they can be marketed as if a real fruit component is included. Such concentrates were used by Philip Morris/General Foods to entice mothers to buy resuscitated versions of powdered fruit drinks like Kool Aid, Kool Bursts, and Capri Sun. Many of these pouch product drinks may be vegan. But these products entice children and parents with fruit-shaped packaging, artificial flavours and aromas, and the unmet promise of health benefits from fresh fruit. Cheap, attractive and sweet, they are a cruel hoax to parents on a limited budget.

Our kids don’t have a chance. They are carefully targeted by ads, co-opted onto sensory panels and are enticed by concoctions of sweet, fatty and salty foods daily at supermarkets and corner dairies strategically located next to schools. Kids are naturally uncritical about ads and believe them, especially when the foods taste so good and are so entertainingly and colourfully packaged.

In the rest of the book, we learn even more about salt. As more evidence arose over the decades on the health impact of salt, sugar, and fat, there is some fascinating history on various failed attempts to regulate the amount of these ingredients in processed foods.Myth of cheap food

Are we really hooked on inexpensive foods?In the epilog of Salt, Sugar, Fat, the author fails to challenge one crucial myth: on page 340 he quotes James Behnke, former Pillsbury executive. “We’re hooked on inexpensive food. it costs more to eat fresher healthier foods.”

Highly processed food can only be regarded as inexpensive if personal health, nutrition stripping and medical costs for lifestyle diseases are ignored. “Cheap” seems to refer to dollars per energy cost (Kcal).

Are processed foods really cheaper in strict dollar terms? Food companies provide nutritional panels on products, but it’s not easy to compare costs per Kcal and fat per serve between different products in the supermarket aisles. Small serving sizes are often used to mask unhealthy content, and the food companies know that that people may eat a whole bag of chips or biscuits at a sitting, not just one serving.

It was interesting to untangle the cost per Kcal, which is minimised in processed food by adding fat to a basic food. This adds little cost but lots of Kcal. The tables show one of my example calculations: for some common

New Zealand brands of potato and potato products.There is actually no reduction in cost for these processed potato products, and the extremely processed products are much more expensive.

This does not support the idea that we can only meet our budgets by skipping fresh food; rather, as shown in the rest of the book, we are addicted to convenience and enhanced taste.

The fattiest foods here had smaller labelled serving sizes. In any case, with New Zealand’s rate of overweight + obesity at around 63 per cent, the two graphs show that processed potato products are not better for health or cost.

Salt, Sugar, Fat:How the Food Giants Hooked us

By Michael Moss – Reviewed by Pam Parsons, BSc in Human Nutrition

Only in the US?

Nutrition experts in New Zealand are already looking at many of the same issues as in Moss’s book. This includes looking carefully at food and drink marketing to children (http://bit.ly/18UqmrT) and seeking to prevent nutrition-related diseases by reformulating processed foods with less salt and fat (http://bit.ly/16n8G7y).

Recommendation

Salt, Sugar, Fat is a portrait of Temptation: the calculated science of craving enrobed in a fatty sweet salty burst of flavour that overpowers our hunger for nourishment and supplants it with an ever present craving for addictive but fully legal food-like drugs. One message of hope is that the more fresh foods you eat, the more your tastebuds will be set to enjoy them. This book can help both consumers and professionals in New Zealand, providing vital information to choose healthy food.

14 15

[Ed Note: This is Part 1 of a two-part music interview series. Testament, of Test their Logik, is a vegan Canadian hiphop artist who toured New Zealand early in 2013. Mengzhu, a vegan artist from the Melting Pot Massacre punk band (from Aotearoa), helped organise a house show and some activist events for Testament in Auckland. In this issue, we hear from Menghzu, and in the next issue, you can read Menghzu’s interview of Testament! ]

Here in the studio is Mengzhu from the band Melting Pot Massacre, who describe themselves as “Hardcore. Feminist. Punk…We’re a People Of Colour band, committed to decolonise, destabilise and revolutionise music, one show at a time.”Colin: Tell me about your band.

Mengzhu: We started about two years ago now. It was my friend Shasha’s idea – she’s the vocalist of the band. She really wanted to scream, so we decided to start a screamo band. It was so taboo for particularly women to engage in that genre of music. Punk and hardcore are quite male-dominated, so we wanted to do something that challenged that. It was also challenging to her, because she didn’t know how to scream then.

We’d been involved in a lot of feminist activism together that year, and there wasn’t that much awesome feminist anti-racist punk out there in New Zealand. So we wanted to fill in that space. Colin: You use a lot of political terms like

radical and feminist; would you say that

you have become radicalised by the music

scene, or is music just a vehicle for your

radicalism?

Mengzhu: I see it as a way of expressing and communicating political messages that I want

Mengzhu

Melting Pot MassacreInterviewed by Colin Woods

to get out there. Since I was about 14, I got into punk music and hiphop, and that was part of my politicisation process at the time. It’s good to be surrounded by other people saying things you agree with, and it’s kind of mutually constitutive. Colin: Have you found it hard to find any

traction in the Auckland music scene,

because the band is all girls?

Mengzhu: Our band isn’t all girls anymore; some of us identify as genderqueer and trans. But I guess we’re commonly misgendered

and often read as an all-girl band, and in the punk scene most of our friends have been really supportive. It seems that our being people of colour who name whiteness has the most backlash, along with refusing to play shows with casually homophobic bands. Some white male punks don’t understand this. Colin: You say you’re driven by the punk,

do-it-yourself ethic. How does veganism fit

into this in terms of your approach to music

and politics?

Mengzhu: Veganism/ animal rights was one of the first movements where I got involved in an organising role. It was really empowering for me to be involved in one of the key issues that I was passionate about. We have some songs that are related to animal rights, like Behind Closed Doors, written about vivisection. It’s got classic animal rights chants, like “No more torture, no more lies, we will never compromise.”Colin: Do you think that being a vegan and

using artistic performance as a vehicle is

effective in promoting veganism?

Mengzhu: It’s hard to measure. I don’t know how you can see the impact of music on people. I think what’s been more effective for me has been relationships with people and talking with them about animal rights and veganism. We’re still a band that’s just starting up, without much of a fan base.Colin: As your fan base grows, it will be

harder to talk to people one-on-one; do

you see that as a problem?

Mengzhu: Potentially, but if people will listen to our lyrics, or read them if they’re hard to make out, then they will get the crux of our politics of animal rights and veganism, as well as many other issues that intersect with that.

Colin: How long have you been vegan?

Mengzhu: I’m 23 now and I went vegan when I was 15, so 8 years. Colin: Was there one catalyst that helped

you go vegan, or was it a gradual process?

Mengzhu: I was vegetarian for a year before going vegan. That year, I was doing a lot of AR activism and it didn’t make any sense to still consume animal products after that time. The event that made me go vegetarian was at school, in a philosophy class where the moot point of the debate was “is eating animals justified?” All the reasons people gave didn’t seem to justify eating animals, so I decided to go vegetarian after that. It was a more intellectual response to it.Colin: What were some of those reasons

they gave?

Mengzhu: Like “people have been doing it for thousands of years,” but people have also done other things for thousands of years that I think are wrong. For example, patriarchy existed for thousands of years, but that doesn’t mean it’s justified. And “meat tastes good.” That’s not a proper justification; people could enjoy harming other people, but that isn’t a justification for doing that either.Colin: Are the rest of the band members

vegan?

Mengzhu: Our vocalist Shasha and our old bassist Supii are vegan, the other members are open to veganism but aren’t. Colin: Is it particularly difficult being of

Chinese origin and being vegan? Has there

been family pressure on you to eat meat? There’s a long tradition of Buddhism and

being compassionate and measuring life in

Asian communities, but there’s also a very

strong element of cultural conservatism in

many Asian communities.

Does that make it difficult to be vegan in

an Asian context?

Mengzhu: I’ve been asked this sort of question before, and I’d challenge the view of Asian culture as this homogenous culture that is either more conservative than western culture or is romanticised by hippies as this awesome culture that has affiliations with Buddhism. Asia is a huge continent with so much cultural difference that it’s ridiculous to generalise.I’ve never felt that much pressure from my family to eat meat; my mother has always been really accommodating. They’ve heard other people talk about veganism as a good option to avoid contributing to climate change and polluting the planet. They see my point now and are more supportive. They are also trying to work toward being vegan as well. Although my sister’s different. When I go back to my hometown in China, it’s not at all hard for me to be vegan. There are plenty of veges, beans, fake meat, tofu products, and my relatives are really accommodating.Colin: When is your next show?

Mengzhu: I’m not sure yet, but you can search Melting Pot Massacre on Facebook for updates on gigs and events. We have a Band Camp page as well, with some tracks you can listen to (http://meltingpotmassacre.bandcamp.com/). You can listen to our EP which we released in July this year.

[Ed Note: Don’t miss Part 2 of this two-part

music interview series, where we hear from

Testament, a vegan Canadian hiphop artist

who toured New Zealand early in 2013.]

Opposite page top photo © Soleil Launiere

16 17

Earlier this year, I hosted a public screening of Debbie Matthews’ fantastic 30-minute documentary, Hens’ Night: Ruffling the Feathers of the Egg Industry. After the movie, I spoke about ‘What we can all do to help the Animals’.

I know this movie very well, because I’m in it! The documentary is about the June 2012 nonviolent effective blockade of NZ’s largest battery farm; Mainland Poultry Ltd., in Waikouaiti, Otago. I was involved in the protest; I did most of the reconnaissance work and some of the organising in Dunedin. I was also the designated ‘media wrangler’ and one of the media spokespeople on the day.My background

My background includes all sorts of hideous things, such as being a freezing worker for 4 years, as well as some hunting, fishing, and possum trapping. I grew up in rural NZ, and that stuff was all considered totally normal. I feel guilt about my past occasionally, but I find it useful in Vegan/AR discussions now to be able to say with credibility, “I’ve seen both sides of the equation personally, and I know which side I prefer.”

I was also in the Army for a few years as a medic and attained the rank of Corporal. Although I am a student of nonviolent philosophy now, I think that the Army training

and experience has helped me a lot in some of the more ‘hardcore’ AR work I’ve undertaken. Swords into ploughshares and all that. Needless to say, I am a very different man today than I was in my twenties!The Cage

I made my debut into the NZAR movement in March and April 2011, when I sat in a small metal cage for a month on the side of State Highway 1, in Waikouaiti, a small town with a giant Mainland farm. I was protesting the then proposed introduction of the new

colony battery cages for egg laying hens. It got a lot of positive media coverage. [Ed note: Carl’s protest was covered in V magazine in the summer of 2011.]

I think I must have impressed a few people doing the cage vigil, because since then I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of meeting many of the leading people in

the movement, working with them, and now call some of them my personal friends. I have worked with SAFE, NZ Open Rescue, Farmwatch, and some other fine people doing amazing and important work.And more

I am a member of SAFE, have been their media spokesperson in Dunedin a few times, and was coordinator of the Dunedin SAFE volunteers for about a year. I was also

recently invited to join the Farmwatch team and have worked on a couple of projects with them. I have also formed my own group in Dunedin, simply called Dunedin Animal Rights Collective (DARC).

I can’t even remember all the things I’ve done over the last 2.5 years. I’ve been invited to speak at conferences and expos. I’ve been on TV, the radio, and in the newspapers several times. I’ve done battery hen rescues and other factory farm investigations. I’ve seen footage we’ve obtained shown on national TV. I’ve participated in protests and campaigns.

It has been an intense journey, and I don’t mind admitting it’s been hard at times. I’ve seen some seriously messed up stuff in the 12 factory farms I’ve been inside of. I have even recently been experiencing a bit of the dreaded ‘activist burnout.’ But I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s been the most empowering, inspiring, and fascinating period of my life; full of both challenges and personal growth.Why show Hens’ Night?

Hens’ Night deserved a showing just because it’s such a cool movie! But I also wanted to screen it because the battery farming issue is my main AR focus. I thought the documentary would provide a draw card to get bums in seats so I could also share some of my own thoughts with the audience.

To get those bums in the seats, I just did

Hosting Hens’ Night

Carl Scott

I’ve seen some seriously messed up stuff in the 12 factory farms I’ve been inside of...

the usual advertising and networking. I put posters all over the notice boards and shop windows of Dunedin and surrounds. I put out a press release and as a result, I got two radio interviews. I posted the Facebook event page all over the Dunedin animal-related Facebook groups.On the Night

The showing was in an Otago University lecture theatre. The Dunedin SAFE volunteers and DARC members’ help was much appreciated - they collected donations and operated a stall inside the theatre. I also invited representatives from the local SPCA, Dog Rescue Dunedin, Dunedin Cat Rescue, Pet Fix, and the Otago Student Animal Legal Defence Fund.

I briefly introduced myself and the issue and then showed the movie. After the movie, I asked my friends in the theatre who had participated in the protest to stand up, and the audience applauded them.

My talk afterwards was in two parts: first, about building empathy for animals and promoting veganism, and second, about getting involved as an activist or advocate for animals.

Near the end of the talk, Leo LaDell, the current Dunedin SAFE volunteer coordinator, spoke about volunteer opportunities for SAFE. Michelle Hagar from Dog Rescue Dunedin also talked about the then upcoming Legal Highs march. And finally, I identified the representatives of each of the various animal groups so the audience could speak to them at the end, if they wanted to.

There were also activist materials available: a handout I prepared listing all of the vegan and vegetarian groups and resources in Dunedin, plus the various animal-related groups; Go Veg material from the SAFE stall; the fabulous new Go Vegan material; and pamphlets from the various animal groups and the local vegan group. I don’t know if SAFE sold much merchandise, or got many donations, but lots of people took the Go Vegan pamphlets which was awesome!About the movie

Hens’ Night really is an excellent movie in my opinion (which admittedly might be slightly biased, since I’m in it). Debbie is tremendously talented, and it is not only a solid documentary, but also actually really exciting at times!

It tells the tale of the 2012 Mainland blockade and also uses the story as a vehicle to explore the issue of battery farming and animal exploitation in general. It gives a great insight into the personal thoughts of the activists. This really shows that we are not superhuman but totally ordinary people who have decided to ‘do something.’

And that’s something I really want people to understand. Almost anyone can be an

activist. You don’t have to sit in a cage or chain yourself to a tripod to make a difference. We can all do our bit in our own way. And over time, if we want to, we can all work up to doing the bigger, bolder stuff.Success!

The showing was definitely a success. I didn’t get as many attendees as I hoped, but probably my expectations were unrealistic. This was my first time, so I didn’t really know what to expect. Hans and Eliot of SAFE thought that my 40 - 50 people was an awesome number. But if I’d known that, I would have saved a lot of money by booking a smaller lecture theatre.

I’m so glad I did this, and I may actually do it again (or something similar). Mandy Carter from SAFE suggested I could do a speaking tour of the country, like Gary Yourofsky does in the USA, and I may consider doing exactly that at some stage. I could possibly use the movie as part of that project.DYI movie hosting tips

If you are interested in helping animals this way, you should do it! A movie can serve as a great draw card to get people along to a talk. Or it can just be an event in its own right.

The key is promotion, promotion, promotion. If you are going work hard to organise an event, then you want as many attendees as possible, to ‘maximise the returns.’ Creating a Facebook event and spreading the word through vegan and animal rights groups will mainly reach the people who are already converted. It’s important for all of us already in ‘the choir’ to be inspired regularly, but it won’t change the world. I’d be trying to get the converted

along and others who are potential converts.Outreach for the futureI have come to believe the key to Vegan/

AR outreach is to appeal to those who are most reachable. Tons of people really do care about animals but haven’t made the connection regarding veganism, and/or they want to help animals, but they don’t know where to start. I wanted those people in the theatre. The movie was to inspire and motivate them. My talk was to help guide them into the next steps in their journey to helping animals. I think I achieved that aim.

One great result from that night was that one of the Dunedin SPCA animal inspectors decided to go vegan. I was stoked to have helped someone who already cared about animals so much to take that extra step in her journey. She has the potential to be such a major influence within her organisation and her circle of friends!

And I think that’s how to win the battle for the animals; by focusing on those who are most open to change, rather fighting those who are most resistant. Certainly, we still need to raise awareness of the problems, but I feel the emphasis in our work needs to shift.

If we seriously want to achieve a Vegan/Abolition world for the animals, then first we are going to need many, many more vegans in this world. The politicians won’t move unless they have popular support from the public. I believe that vegan advocacy is essential to build up a support base, and I can see that much more of the AR work I do in future will be centred around doing exactly that. I hope others start spreading the vegan word more too!

18

GIVEAWAY!

Beauty Spot

Karen Murrell LipsticksReviewed by Eve Stewart

We’ve all read that in times of crisis and hardship, lipstick sales skyrocket. I found this interesting the first time I heard it but dismissed it thereafter. So... guess some women do lipstick, others probably do shoes, but a good portion of us console ourselves with a tub of Nice Cream.

This statistic is probably coming from brands that sell in department stores. We’re talking about expensive branded lipsticks, none of which I’d buy because they’re either animal-tested, contain animal-derived products or the brand is now available in China (so while previously the lipsticks may not have been tested on animals, they are now).

Me, I’m a lip balm girl. Tinted lip balm, nothing too full on. I own lipsticks for special occasions. They’re natural, not animal tested, and most have been produced in Europe. It was only days ago that I was lamenting my natural lipsticks, as I was forever needing to reapply them. Mainstream lipsticks have come a long way in the last couple of years, and their staying power has been heavily improved and much touted. So when I was offered the chance to try a Karen

Murrell lipstick, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.

2013, it’s been kind of tough, huh? I don’t know anyone whose year hasn’t been a complete rollercoaster. And we all have days where it feels like nothing is working out. But before you hit the freezer for another tub, here’s another option...

Karen Murrell lipsticks are created here in NZ and packaged in totally recyclable materials – even the lipstick case will start to break down in your compost. Impressive! And this was only the start.

Creamy, soothing, smoothing, saturated colour - this beautiful lipstick is a dream. It felt incredible to wear (like a lipbalm!), made my lips appear smoother than they were, the colour didn’t feather one tiny bit and taking a mirror out into daylight, it looked even better. It stayed this way for hours. My tea cup wore a little, and it didn’t last 100% through lunch, but I didn’t mind that at all.

All this time, knowing about the “lipstick in crisis” statistic, I suddenly realised I hadn’t really understood. I actually tried this lipstick out on a day when I didn’t even care to be putting on makeup. It made me give myself

a double take. Then I promptly sat down and wrote a list of all the tasks I’d been postponing and started ticking them off.

Buying a lipstick when all is going wrong – these women aren’t treating or consoling themselves, splashing out on luxuries - they’re arming themselves. They’re digging deeper and drawing on their inner resolve – and wearing a shade of lipstick to match.

You may laugh when I recommend buying yourself the brightest red Karen Murrell lipstick you can pull off. Those who mock my frivolity – well, I’m wearing Karen’s “Rymba Rhythm” right at this moment and you can rest assured I don’t really care.

Enter to win a Karen Murrell Rymba Rhythm lipstick by emailing Amanda@vegansociety.

co.nz with the subject line Karen Murrell by 31 December (or today, before you forget). Open to Vegan Society members only.

21

Birth of the AR Group

When I started university at the beginning of 2013, I had heard the University of Auckland had the largest number of clubs, so naturally I planned to join an animal-related club. Astonishingly, while there was a Pokemon, Origami, Dessert, and (most infuriatingly) a Meat Club, there was no animal club. So I and another student, Svetlana Feign, co-founded the Auckland University Animal Rights Group.

After an arduous and bureaucratic creation, we were finally established. Already we have held monthly vegan sausage sizzles with a generous sponsorship from Frys Vegetarian. We have also had meetings with documentaries, group discussions, guest speakers, and fun AR-related outings.To the Animal Sanctuary

On the first day of the mid semester break, ten of us set off to Matakana, with Eliot from SAFE kindly in the driver’s seat. It was an amazing day for everyone, with the opportunity to make a small but real difference and do a hard day’s graft. I spent about two hours picking up pig poo, which surprisingly was not as bad as it sounds.

When taking people around the sanctuary for a tour, Shawn Bishop (one of the cofounders) explains how to stroke the animals from underneath their head rather than approaching from above to avoid upsetting them due to their abusive past. The attention to these small details show the blindingly obvious love Shawn has for animals. Shawn is an utterly amazing person; the way she turned her home into an animal sanctuary and spends every single day caring for them is truly inspiring.

Here is what some of the other members had to say about the trip:Jaydon Cheng

The visit to the Animal Sanctuary was quite an experience. A connection towards animals at a more intimate level could be felt. It was an eye opener to come in contact with these lovely beings. It is not every day (if at all) that there’s a chance to see live chickens, let

University of Auckland AR GroupAnimal Sanctuary Trip

Avril McIntyre

alone those with injuries sustained from their previous abusive lives. I was amused by the interactive behaviour of the pig, who enjoyed having his belly massaged and would lean over and close his eyes, while we gave his body a good rub.

This trip has inspired me to bring more awareness to the public, and I would love to bring my friends to this sanctuary for a visit. Then they too could have a glance at what liveliness these animals, whom we normally ignore, possess, and I hope that they will be motivated to help too. I consider The Animal Rights club a form of charity and will do my part to promote its popularity, hoping to raise more awareness among the public.Katja Mirković

The trip to the Animal Sanctuary was great! It was a chance for us to roll up our sleeves and help out the people who have helped so many animals. It was great to help build

the new aviary, which will be used to house sick and injured native birds. It will be quite a sight when it is finished. I particularly loved meeting the animals rescued from commercial farms, like the ex-battery and free-range hens and broiler chickens. It was awesome to see the hens running around free, after such a horrible start to life.

Meeting a huge Black Angus bull for the first time was quite an intimidating experience! Of course, Sparky turned out to be a big softie who loved having his back scratched. He very much enjoyed all the attention we gave him that day and mooed in protest when we left his pen. That was my first experience meeting a bull, and it just confirmed my belief that these animals do not exist simply to feed us. They have a purpose on this earth completely separate from our own. They have evolved as we have evolved. Avril and Felis of the University of

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Letters to the Editor

We want to hear from you! From the next issue, we will be publishing Letters to the Editor.

If you have some thoughts to share on what you read in Vegan New Zealand or some other vegan topic, please send a letter to editor@vegansociety.co.nz.

Letter RulesLetters should be 300 words or less (or consider submitting an article). Letters may be edited for sense, style, brevity, or suitability. The Vegan Society reserves the right to abridge or withhold correspondence.

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22 23

Auckland Animal Rights Group did a great job in organising our trip to the sanctuary. I’m so glad we finally have an animal rights group!Want to help or get involved?

If you would like to help The Animal Sanctuary you can make a monthly or one off donation, or even become a volunteer. http://www.animalsanctuary.co.nz/

Our group is open to non-university members; the only requirement being a desire to help animals. Membership is free, although if it weren’t, we would be rich with over 200 members on Facebook. If you are interested, you can join us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/438241649589792/ or email us at auanimalrights@live.com.

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NZAVS OPPOSES VIVISECTION ON THE GROUNDS OF MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC FRAUD

Vivisection is inhumane and scientifically flawed. NZAVS is the only organisation in New Zealand fighting solely for the total abolition of vivisection. The ethical objections are obvious;

therefore we concentrate on scientific anti-vivisectionism. That is, due to the physical and other differences between species, no

species can be an accurate model for another.GOVERNMENT PLANS FOR LEGAL HIGH TESTING ON ANIMALSLATEST EVIDENCE OF THE FAILURE OF VIVISECTIONNZ COMPANY FUNDED PRIMATE TESTINGNEWS AND UPDATES

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ISSN: 1175-1703

ISSUE 68 JULY 2013

National Shame!

About the cookbook

I found this cookbook after I followed Mouthwatering Vegan on Facebook forsome time.

I decided to buy it because there are few recipes I was really interested in – especially the cheese ones! These recipes are not on Miriam Sorrell’s site or Facebook page.

The cookbook is fabulous! I love it. It has lots of pictures and easy instructions.

Even though it’s from the USA, the ingredients are easily found or readily available in New Zealand.

This cookbook is aimed at anyone who is interested in plant based cooking. There are lots of recipes for foodies and families alike.About the Food

The recipes in this cookbook are all vegan!The meals in this cookbook are brilliant,

with an amazing array of dishes. There are starters (Pecan & Cognac Pate), mains (Stroganoff Supreme and Mediterranean Quinoa Burgers) and Desserts (insanely delicious!) There are also lots of extras like the cheese – including ‘Beta Feta’ (next on my list to try. And many extras like Boozy Christmas Pudding and Late After Dinner mints for the upcoming festive season.

With the recipes, I had to start with the cheese. The mature cheddar recipe is super easy and super tasty. And I love the chocolate cheesecake. Her muffin recipe is fantastic; a winner for everyone in my family. The Mediterranean Quinoa Burgers are a standby favourite in my house.

I even made the chocolate cheesecake from this book for the recent Vegan 101 event in Auckland. That recipe is even online (http://mouthwateringvegan.com/2011/12/10/the-best-ever-chocoholics-cheesecake/)

There are lots of gluten-free options in the book, as well as the opportunity to tweak the recipes to be gluten-free. For example, in the burgers you can put in gluten-free oats and bread to make it a gluten-free experience.

Recipes are easy to follow compared to other cookbooks, especially American ones. There are lots of ingredients in some of the recipes – i.e. the cheese – but they are easy to source.Recommendation

I am very happy I purchased Mouthwatering Vegan. I consider it brilliant value for the price. It cost me around $US28 from Amazon.

I have read other vegan cookbooks from the library and own a couple of others. Mouthwatering Vegan is far superior in picture quality, and the recipes have the “yum factor” so you want to make them.

I definitely recommend this cookbook. I think the author is extremely talented. It appears she can ‘veganise’ anything! You will fall in love with this book as I have.

Mouthwatering VeganCarla Beardshaw

Cookbook Review

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What is chalk activism?

Chalk activism is a form of creative, peaceful, nonviolent advocacy. Because nonviolence is at the core of my advocacy work, I find this to be the perfect medium.

I’m 33, a student at University of Auckland majoring in anthropology and sociology. My mother is from Rarotonga, Cook Islands, and my father is of Rotuman descent. I was born and raised in Rarotonga, but now reside with family in Mangere East. In my free time, I’m usually in my vegetable garden, creating vegan dishes in the kitchen, or playing music.

I have been vegan for nearly two years and consider myself an abolitionist vegan. I have recently joined forces with fellow abolitionist vegan Elizabeth Collins, and we are in the early stages of establishing a chapter of The Abolitionist Vegan Society (TAVS) here in Auckland. Why chalk activism?

As a university student, I see chalking everywhere on campus; this is where I got the idea from.

I am new to chalk activism so wouldn’t consider myself just a chalk activist, but more of a creative activist. I love colours whether it be chalk, paint, textiles, or in cooking. The chalk murals I did in Albert Park were just me letting out those creative juices.

So far, I have not had any problems while doing my chalking. Someone did ask whether street chalking was considered graffiti, but I’m not sure what the council rules on this are.

Chalk activism can be very successful because, like any form of artistic expression, it carries a theme, a message. It starts conversations and hopefully vegan education for those who stopped to view the murals on the day. I usually hand out brochures from The Abolitionist Vegan Society (TAVS) while

Vegan Chalk ActivismBubs Peters

street chalking and answer any questions people might have.

I am very happy that I started chalking vegan images, and the next chance I get I’ll do it again. In fact, my chalk bag is always close by ready for the next mural. Can anyone be a chalk activist?

We are all artists in some form or another; I say, go for it, it’s part of who we (humans) are. Whether you are a singer, a chef, a painter, a sewing, or chalk artist, just do it. And because every expression carries a message, ours (veganism) is of great importance and needs to be shared in this nonviolent form of activism.

You can contact The Abolitionist Vegan Society at tavs.auckland.nz@gmail.comPhotos: Jaydon Cheng.

Join The Vegan Society Today!

MEMBERSHIP FORM

The Vegan Society offers business outlets and retailers the opportunity to display Vegan New Zealand magazine in-store for their customers at an affordable rate. We offer two magazines for the price of one as a special offer to business members.

The Vegan Society of New Zealand aims to raise the profile of veganism, as well as support new and existing vegans We facilitate a vegan lifestyle and plant-based eating by creating vibrant, visible, and influential community, and by providing information and resources.

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Payment can be made by direct credit to:Vegan Society, ASB Wairau Park, 12-3119-0103086-00.

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26 27

Hawkes Bay generally has great weather and a laidback lifestyle. We have some excellent beaches, good hiking locations and tasty fresh produce available direct from growers. We are also home to Moana Park, one of the few Vegetarian Society-approved wines in New Zealand.

So when a local vegan (John Miles) contacted me to see if we would be interested in helping organize a vegetarian/vegan friendly event at Moana Park, I was very excited. One thing Hawkes Bay does lack is veggie-friendly events, and despite having lots of thoughts over the years, nothing has ever eventuated. Organising

Luckily, John had the connections with Moana Park to get the ball rolling, and they were very happy to host an event targeted at the local vegetarian and vegan community. The event was promoted as family-friendly and suitable for all ages and budgets. Basic entry tickets were available (for bring-your-own picnic lunch), or tickets could include a vegan platter for two or a bottle of Moana Park’s wine (at a discount).

The date was set for 10th November, a Sunday. We all watched the weather forecast with some trepidation in the week leading up to the inaugural picnic. The event was outdoors, and while a large tree in the yard

would provide some natural protection from light showers, the picnic would need to be cancelled if the weather turned nasty. Luckily, the day was sunny and clear with a perfect temperature in the early 20s. Food and entertainment

The picnic officially started at 12pm with local musician Daniel Munro entertaining us with live music. Free vegan samples were provided by Fry’s, Angel Food and Cherub Dairy Free. While many people attending knew the Fry’s range, the Smokonut and Bellissimo products were new to most people and a big hit!

At 12.30pm, we saw a presentation from winemaker James Wilkie. Moana Park wine is not only Vegetarian Society-approved but also low-allergen, made with sustainable practices, has limited additives and zero spray residue. They sell award-winning wine that is vegan-friendly as well as tasty, as we soon found out. During the presentation, there were free wine tastings for everyone.

Most attendees had purchased the vegan platter for two as part of their tickets. The platters were provided by Chantal Organics Wholefood Kitchen – Hawkes Bay’s only vegetarian café. The platters were a bit late, but they were worth waiting for. The presentation was excellent and the food was better! We enjoyed fresh mango chutney

albeit most were eaten before the platters arrived (not surprisingly as people needed something after all that wine tasting!). At the end of the event, spot prizes (donated by Fry’s, Angel Food, Cherub Dairy Free and the Vegan Society) were awarded, followed by a lucky last draw for a couple of bottles of wine donated by Moana Park. It was a great finish to an excellent afternoon. Results

Despite some concerns, we reached our goal of having around 50 people attend, with around 35-40 people from the vegetarian/vegan community (including many non-veggie friends and family) and around 10-15 people who simply decided to visit Moana Park that day. What a good opportunity to show them some yummy vegan food! We had local as well as out-of-town guests, and the feedback has been excellent. The general consensus is that people would like a repeat event – and they want more! More food options, more stalls, more information. Moana Park are more than happy to host another event in the future, and we have the beginnings of something that could really make its mark in Hawkes Bay.

We were also excited to discover afterwards from the Chantal’s chef that they are looking at adjusting their menu to cater more to the vegan community. While it is currently a vegetarian café with a few vegan

options, they are looking at making the majority of their menu vegan, including raw vegan options. They were pleased to have the opportunity to provide the vegan platters and see what people thought. We’ve been invited to a tasting in a few weeks to trial their new vegan menu options. Could this be the start of more vegan friendly eateries in Hawkes Bay? Watch this space!Photos: Todd Hossack

Veg, Vino & VinesDonna Hossack

with sweet potato and ginger samosas, garlic ciabatta croutes, mushroom and herb pâté, cashew ‘cheese’, ume and balsamic marinated seasonal vegetables, tomato and basic bruschetta, green olive tapenade, vegetable crudités, avocado/pinenut/tomato salad, pumpkin and tofu kebabs, spiced chickpeas/pumpkin seeds/pecans, and fresh fruit. Yum! Prizes!

The Vegan Society provided cupcakes and cookies to top off the afternoon …

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