This week Paul and Andy kick off their winter break interview series with the one and only Mr. Hip! Mr. Hip is a vegan hip hop artist whose latest release, Vegan Paradise, is a fully vegan hip hop album. They talk about his transition to veganism, the recording and creative process, finding a way to use his talents to help animals, engaging in self care and much more.

The Food:

 Fox & Fig Cafe (Savannah, GA)

Arles & Bogs (Wallingford, CT)

The Links:

Mr Hip – Website– Bandcamp– iTunes– Instagram– Facebook

This week The Bearded Vegans are so pleased to bring you their final live episode of the year. This time, they set up shop at the Atlanta Vegfest and bring on the incomparable JL Fields to help answer a number of listener emails and audience questions. Most notably they ask whether veganism should be intrinsically linked to the plastic-free movement and whether the passing of Prop 12 is something to celebrate. The proposition potentially creates a cage-free California, but at what cost? Would the beautiful bearded boys personally vote for it? Would they spend time advocating for it? Stay tuned to find out!

The Food:

The Grit(Athens, GA)

JL Fields: Website– Instagram– Facebook

This week The Bearded Vegans are pleased to bring you an interview with Mark Hawthorne, author of Striking At The Roots: A Practical Guide To Animal Activism. The formative text for many activists that explores the vast array of grassroots activism at our disposal was released 10 years ago and is receiving an update to reflect the changing methods and technology that have evolved since its initial release. We ask what even is activism, is it okay to criticize other activists, does one need to be an activist in order to be vegan, the importance of self care and much much more.

Plus Paul and Andy discuss the news, including the greyhound racing ban in Florida and the drop in people willing to take jobs in slaughterhouses.

The Food:

Reggae Shack(Gainesville, FL)

Buttafly Kisses(Atlanta, GA)

The Links:

Thousands Of Ex-Racing Greyhounds Will Need Homes Soon. Here’s How To Help. (Huffington Post)

What will happen to greyhounds if voters ban racing in Florida?(News 4 Jax)

Abattoir staff shortages threaten Christmas sales(Farmer’s Weekly)

Interview:

Mark Hawthorne – WEBSITE– INSTAGRAM– FACEBOOK– TWITTER

This week we are so pleased to finally bring you the much requested, and long awaited, BUG EPISODE! That’s right, we are asking if insects should be included in our sphere of moral concern and if so, what are the implications for our daily actions and our activism?

The Food:

Doe Donuts(Portland, OR)

The Links:

Atlanta Vegfest

Atlanta Vegfest Promo Video

What’s in a Name? Survey Explores Consumers’ Comprehension of Milk and Non-Dairy Alternatives (Food Insight)

Get Rid Of Ants Without Killing(Bug Offf)

Do Insects Feel Pain(Jeff Lockwood)

This week The Bearded Vegans are so pleased to bring you their recent podcast collaboration with Vegan Warrior Princesses Attack! recorded live at Chicago Veganmania.This time, they took the opportunity to engage with their live audience for an extensive Question and Answer session. Two main discussion topics include how to deal with non-vegan holiday gatherings, whether or not we are obligated to shop up and be the vegan in the room, and a new video that asserts avocados, and most other crops pollinated by bees, are not suitable for vegans. They had a lot of fun with this one, enjoy!

THE FOOD:

Banh Mi So #1(St Louis, MO)

THE LINK:

Avocados Aren’t Vegan?(BBC)

This week bring you part two of a conversation that could fall under the category of “should  take advantage of platforms offered up by those with which we are at fundamental ethical odds?” to ask the question, should vegans advocate to conservatives? Yes, we know that there are many conservative vegans. Yes, we want a vegan world, which means that many people we disagree with must become vegan. What we aim to get at in this conversation is whether, as a movement, targeting conservatives specifically is a worthwhile use of our time and effort.

THE LINKS:

DOVE COMMITS TO BANNING ANIMAL TESTING WORLDWIDE (VegNews)

Tons of Your Favorite Drugstore Products Are Officially Cruelty-Free Now(Glamour)

Gene Bauer On Fox News(Plant Based News)

Conservatism predicts lapses from vegetarian/vegan diets to meat consumption: through lower social justice concerns and social support(Science Direct)

This week Paul and Andy sink their teeth into some cheesy vegan business. After a potentially misleading and inflammatory headlined stated that beloved vegan brand Miyoko’s was set to “partner” with Nestle, one of the most notoriously vile and corrupt corporations, the internet erupted! They’ll try to get to the bottom of what this partnership actually means, if it matters, and what implications it has for vegan businesses in the future.

The Food:

Hartbreakers(Brooklyn, NY)

Bona Bona Ice Cream (Port Chester, NY)

The Links:

Animal-Rights Group Sues to Spring Happy the Elephant From Bronx Zoo (Wall Street Journal)

VEGAN CHEESE BRAND MIYOKO’S PARTNERS WITH NESTLÉ TO MEET GROWING DEMAND FOR PLANT-BASED FOOD(Live Kindly)