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Human Health, Animal Rights, and Ecology Volume IV, No. 1, Mar. 1993 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
One important activity for us this quarter is the Adopt-A-McDonald's Campaign organized by Beyond Beef. On April 17, teams of four people will descend on McDonald's restaurants all over the country, distributing leaflets, talking to the public, and collecting names on petitions. Beyond Beef plans to educate over a million McDonald's customers about the health, environmental, and social hazards of beef production and consumption. The timing of this campaign is appropriate considering the recent mass E. coli food poisonings in the western U.S. by fast food hamburgers. The campaign goal is to induce McDonald's to put a vegetarian burger on the menu in every USA restaurant on a permanent basis. Limited "test marketing" will not be acceptable. Furthermore, McDonald's must aggressively market this vegiburger for up to twelve months, spending 25% of their ad budget on its promotion. If the April 17 blitz is not sufficient to produce these results, further activities will be considered. Jerry Smith is coordinating the campaign in Honolulu; we plan to cover as many of the Oahu McDonald's outlets as possible. Call Jerry at 395-1499 if you can join us on Saturday, April 17 between 11:00 A.M. and 6:30 P.M. Speaking of fast food chains, I recently read a thought-provoking article by author Carol Adams entitled "Bunny Burgers and the Absent Referent". In eating meat, animals become absent referents; animals in name and body are made absent so that we may comfortably eat meat. In other words, we remove the idea of the (formerly) live animal from our mind and pretend that meat has no past. Adams described a Spy magazine gag testing public relations firms to see just what they would do for money. Spy solicited bids for marketing an imaginary "Bunny Burger" chain. As they explained, a restaurant chain like McDonald's is "deflective" because it seeks to steer the consumer's thoughts away from the creature being eaten (by using a clown rather than a cow for its mascot). They proposed that they would be a "reflective" chain, celebrating "the creature it plans to slaughter and serve on a bun." As part of this reflective stance, they said they were going to keep live rabbits displayed in the restaurant. Patrons could even select their own bunny for broiling one day a week. When a taste test was devised (secretly using turkey burgers), customers were horrified and could not swallow a bite. There was no habitual structure of the absent referent to make it possible for them to eat a bunny. The image of the cute, furry, living animal was too powerful in their minds. Vegetarians are always aware of the animal "before" the meat. Whereas meat eaters see vegetarians as puritans trying to restrict other people's pleasures, vegetarians see meat eaters as resisting awareness, indulging in fantasy about where meat comes from. Perhaps this is why the presence of a vegetarian at a meal with meat eaters can make the meat eaters uncomfortable. Maybe they don't want to let go of their fantasy? Bon appetite! Best wishes, - Elaine French
Spring 1993 Tuesday, March 2: Informal dinner at 6:00 P.M. at Crepe Fever, 1200 Ala Moana Blvd. (Ward Center). New all-vegetarian menu, largely vegan. No reservations necessary. Tuesday, March 9: Monthly meeting of the Society. 7:00 P.M. at St. Clement's Episcopal Church, 1515 Wilder Avenue at Makiki Street. Paul Quistgard, VSH Board member, speaks on the topic "Life as a Vegetarian". Sunday, March 14: Adopt-A-Highway cleanup from Koko Marina to Sandy Beach. Meet at 9:00 A.M. in front of Foodland at Koko Marina Shopping Center, 7192 Kalanianaole Hwy (at Lunalilo Home Rd). For more information call Ted Booth at 373-4294. Monday, March 15: Informal dinner at 6:00 P.M. at new Buddhist Vegetarian Restaurant, 100 North Beretania Street (Chinese Cultural Plaza). No reservations necessary. Saturday, March 20: Celebrate the Great American Meatout (see page 5) with a potluck dinner at 6:00 P.M. at St. Clement's Episcopal Church, 1515 Wilder Ave at Makiki Street. Bring a hot dish serving 4-6 people and containing no meat, fish, or fowl. Also bring your own utensils and a list of ingredients for your dish, as many members eat no eggs, dairy, or honey. Wednesday, March 24: Informal dinner at Taj Mahal Restaurant, 1309 Kalakaua (near Beretania) at 6:00 P.M. No reservations necessary. Sunday, March 28: Group hike along the ridgeline above St. Louis Heights. Meet at Kennedy Theater on East-West Rd at the University of Hawaii at 9:00 A.M. Return between noon and 1:00 P.M. To sign up, call 531-0044. Thursday, April 1: Informal dinner at 6:00 P.M. at Crepe Fever, 1200 Ala Moana Blvd. (Ward Center). New all vegetarian menu, largely vegan. No reservations necessary. Wednesday, April 7: Meet at Thai Taste Restaurant for an informal dinner at 6:00 P.M., 1246 S. King (mauka side between Piikoi and Keeaumoku). No reservations necessary. Tuesday, April 13: Monthly meeting of the Society. 7:00 P.M. at St. Clement's Episcopal Church, 1515 Wilder Ave at Makiki Street. VSH President Elaine French speaks on the topic "Losing Weight with a Vegetarian Diet". Saturday, April 17: Adopt-A-McDonalds. See President's Message page 1. Monday, April 19: Informal dinner at 6:00 P.M. at Cafe Athena, 500 Ala Moana Boulevard (Restaurant Row). Parking free after 5:00 P.M. off Pohukaina Street. No reservations necessary. Saturday, April 24: Potluck dinner at 6:00 P.M. at St. Clement's Episcopal Church, 1515 Wilder Ave at Makiki Street. Bring a hot dish serving 4-6 people and containing no meat, fish, or fowl. Also bring your own utensils and a list of ingredients for your dish, as many members eat no eggs, dairy, or honey. Sunday, April 25: Group hike to Makapuu Lighthouse. Meet at 9:00 A.M. at Makapuu Point Lookout near Sea Life Park. Munchies suggested. Return to Lookout by 1:00 p.m. To sign up, call 531-0044. Tuesday, April 27: Informal dinner at 6:00 P.M. at new Buddhist Vegetarian Restaurant, 100 North Beretania Street (Chinese Cultural Plaza). No reservations necessary. Tuesday, May 4: Meet at Taj Mahal Restaurant, 1309 Kalakaua (near Beretania) at 6:00 P.M. for an informal dinner. No reservations necessary. Tuesday, May 11: Annual membership meeting. 7:00 P.M. at St. Clement's Episcopal Church, 1515 Wilder Ave at Makiki Street. Officers will report on major decisions and activities of the past year. Monday, May 17: Informal dinner at 6:00 P.M. at Crepe Fever, 1200 Ala Moana Blvd. (Ward Center). New all vegetarian menu, largely vegan. No reservations necessary. Saturday, May 22: Potluck dinner at 6:00 P.M. at St. Clement's Episcopal Church, 1515 Wilder Ave at Makiki Street. Bring a hot dish serving 4-6 people and containing no meat, fish, or fowl. Also bring your own utensils and a list of ingredients for your dish, as many members eat no eggs, dairy, or honey. Sunday, May 23: Group Hike along Tantalus/Nuuanu ridge. Meet at 9:00 A.M. at Makiki Park Library. Return to Library by 12:30 P.M. To sign up, call 531-0044. Wednesday, May 26: Informal dinner at Diem Restaurant, 2633 S. King at 6:00 P.M. Free parking at University and King. 10% discount with VSH membership card. No reservations necessary. Related Events: *************** Every Sunday from 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M., K108 AM radio presents "Nutrition and You", with Terry Shintani M.D., and triathlete Ruth Heidrich. Call in to show at 522-5108. Events of the Vegetarian Society will be announced on the program. On the KITV-4 5:00 news, Dick Allgire's Health Report presents vegetarian ideas and on Wednesdays, Dick's vegetarian recipes. Fan letters will help keep Dick on the air: KITV-4 1290 Ala Moana Blvd. Honolulu, HI 96814. HAWAII GOES INTO THE MEAT BIZ HB 915, introduced by Reps. Marshall Ige (586-6240) and Avery Chumbley (586-6030) suggests "the expenditures proposed in this Act are in the public interest of the people of the State," and authorizes general obligation bonds in the sum of $5,000,000 for the design and construction of a cattle slaughterhouse on the island of Oahu. HB 2897, a bill to appropriate $30,000 for the planning of this slaughterhouse died in Joe Souki's House Finance Committee last year. HB 422, authorizes undisclosed public funds for a facility in Campbell Industrial Park at Barbers Point to accommodate the entire cattle production industry on the island of Oahu. HB 1209 proposes a marshalling and processing facility (slaughterhouse) on remnants of the Big Island's Hamakua Sugar Co. for the convenience of ranchers who presently ship many of their cattle to the mainland for slaughter. VSH will monitor these bills as they progress through the legislature. If the bills survive the House Finance Committee, we will ask VSH members to call their state representatives and senators to vote against them on the floor. If your pet project is facing financial death, why should a slaughterhouse be brought to life? If you don't know your legislator's phone number, call 587-0690.
THE GREAT AMERICAN MEATOUT 1993 Katalina Lambert will be the Hawaii coordinator for this annual national event, sponsored by Alex Hershaft's Farm Animal Reform Movement. We will contact the general public, grocery stores, media, public officials, restaurants, and schools. You're invited to help by telling friends and family about it; contact Katalina to volunteer for tabling activities at malls, information, contest rules, and pledge sheets. 624-3434. This Ninth Annual Meatout on Saturday, March 20th coincidentally will occur during National Health Month. If the 24 hour ban is observed by everyone, it could save the lives of 1,200,000 cattle, pigs, chicken, and fish. SCHOOL LUNCH Last year Eliot Rosen and The Committee to Improve School Lunches, backed SB 3195, a bill specifying an optional plant-based school lunch. This year, three similar bills will be introduced by these Hawaii legislators:
Review: THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF VEGETARIANISM (VHS tape)
This brand-new video, hot off the press, is a joy to watch and re-watch. Dr. Harris begins with the origins of nutrients (the stars), looks at the dietary patterns of humanity's remote ancestors, and explains how we get all the nutrients we need while avoiding the fat, cholesterol, and animal protein which damage the human body. He wraps up the argument with an exposé of the economic forces that drive American agriculture and its nutritional teachings. All the bases are covered on this video; philosophical, medical, and forty-three years of personal vegetarian experience. It is available through The Vegetarian Society of Honolulu for $19.95, a gem worth a fortune. -Ruth Heidrich RECIPES Poi Stew ********
Place onions, celery, carrots and potatoes in a large pot with the water and the seasonings. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are about half done, about 30 minutes. Add poi to thicken stew, stirring well. Add peas and mix in. Cook until all vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes longer. (Recipe created by Castle Medical Center Dietary Department.) Ann's Super Curry *****************
Saute onions and garlic in a small amount of water until transparent. Add carrots, green pepper, celery and curry powder. Saute for a few more minutes. Add the rest of the seasonings and simmer for 15 minutes. Add taro (or potatoes) and enough water to cover. Continue cooking until taro is tender, about 40 minutes. Add mushrooms and peas. Cook 10 minutes longer. Serve with brown rice, in a pita bread, or with chapati. Freezes well. (Recipe by Ann Tang in McDougall Recipes II. Sweet and Sour Taro *******************
Boil the taro chunks until tender. Drain and set aside. In a large pot, saute the onion in 1/2 cup of water about 5 minutes. Add the green pepper and cook 5 more minutes. Drain the pineapple juice into the pan and add the ginger and soy sauce. Simmer for a few minutes. Add the pineapple, cooked taro and water chestnuts and heat through. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1 cup water and add to mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring until thickened. Serve over brown rice.
Taro six feet tall Nodding in the wind Brings peace to my soul -George Kahumoku Jr. 1978. Early European visitors found the native Hawaiians to be: "...above the middle size and well made; they walk very gracefully, run nimbly, and are capable of bearing great fatigue." - King, 1779. "...of a thin rather than full habit." - Stewart 1825. "...above the middle stature, well formed with fine muscular limbs; their gait graceful and sometimes stately." - Ellis 1832. Native Hawaiians now have the worst health in the nation, and the state's highest rates of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke (1.). "The Feds come out and study it," says Terry Shintani, M.D. "and then they say 'you've got a problem' and split." Not all the money in the U.S. Treasury could solve this problem, but it could likely be solved at no cost at all if the Hawaiians returned to their native food...kalo (taro). We recently submitted some lu'au (taro) leaves to the UH Agricultural Diagnostic Service Center for a zinc assay. Adding the results to previous USDA data on taro leaf we found that if one fulfilled the day's Calorie requirements (2200 Calories) by eating equal weights of boiled taro root and steamed taro leaves (total: about 5 #), all the day's nutrient requirements, save vitamin B12, would be exceeded. Then we compared the taro meal with 2.6 # (2200 Calories ) of hamburger, French fries, and a shake. The fast food meal is deficient in vitamins A, C, B2 (riboflavin), B6, iron, magnesium, and zinc. It has excess sodium, fat, and cholesterol (assuming an RDA of 10 mg, what a vegan gets from plant sources.)
Taro (both root and leaf) contains oxalate which may reduce the absorbability of calcium and cause an itch in the throat in some individuals. Others find the delicious leaf, if steamed 5-20 minutes, to be the equal of spinach and chard. The leaf is vastly more nutritious than the corm (root). In 1991 there were 180 taro farms in the state, 600 acres planted, and taro sales of $3,010,000. In the words of one taro grower, "Keeping the taro alive and strong, keeps mankind healthy and strong." -Bill Harris, M.D. 1. Shintani T. The Wai'anae Book of Hawaiian Health. Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, 1991.
Steve and Veronica Winsett became vegetarians in 1988 after reading John Robbins' Diet for a New America. Veronica's father ran a slaughterhouse and she shared his interest in deer hunting. "I never watched the slaughter; neither did Father. He wouldn't sell veal or lamb, either." Veronica went to auctions, learned to evaluate cattle for their meat, but also realized the jumpy, quick, bolting animals were frightened. After Robbins she decided, "we couldn't live our lives that way anymore." That was lucky for VSH, because in 1991 the couple moved out from New Albany, Indiana to become pastor and secretary of St. Clement's Episcopal Church at 1515 Wilder Ave. That was about the time VSH ran out of meeting rooms, and when Veronica offered, we jumped at the chance to use their Parish Hall. "Father Steve" graduated from Seabury-Western Seminary in 1964. When he read Robbins he was, "still too much of a Texas carnivore to give up my T-bone," but he'd already quit on chicken because of the contamination. When he finally went veggie, he noted an improvement in digestion and sense of well-being. "I've never enjoyed eating more than I do today. I don't miss being a carnivore but I still like the smell of barbecue smoke." Veronica thinks ecology is secondary to the cruelty issue. "It would be like eating my cat. How come this animal suffers, and this one rides around in a pink sweater?" She recalls a church lady in the next pew with a stole that stared back at her. Genesis 1:29..."Then God said,'I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit. They will be yours for food.'" This obvious injunction to vegetarianism has been ignored by mainstream religion for three millennia. Is there a change in the works? "I don't know another vegetarian priest," says Steve, although many of the younger parishioners are veggies. He thinks Christians will eventually lean toward vegetarianism because of the cruelty, ecological, and health issues but that,"vegetarianism is better spread by attraction than promotion." The couple lives in Kuliouou valley out by Hawaii Kai. On their yearly one month vacation they do a lot of travelling and have found the best way to handle breakfast and lunch is a grocery store. Religious conferences and retreats usually accommodate vegetarians, but Italian restaurants are a good bet for dinner. "The Seventh-Day Adventists also have marvelous restaurants," says Steve. There's always a vegetarian alternative at St. Clement's functions. The older of the 500 parishioners seem to find it odd, but the younger generation is catching on. VSH is very grateful to Steve and Veronica. We hope they'll find a way to join us in our activities, but Rector's classes for new parishioners presently fall on our monthly Tuesday night meetings. -Bill Harris, M.D. Animal Rights Hawaii
****************************************************************************** We talked to Jay Kirkpatrick Ph.D, at Eastern Montana College in Billings, Montana and he's probably got the humane answer to the control of animal populations: a dart delivery system which injects a vaccine derived from pig zona pellucida (PZP). During 80 mare-years in a population of wild horses on Assateague Barrier Island off Maryland, there have been only two foals born, and both of these to the same mother. The only known side effect is a slight decrease in urinary estrogen output, but the darted animals appear in better health than their sisters, since they're relieved of the annual stress of pregnancy. The vaccine is successful with white tailed deer in New York, wild horses in Nevada, and rabbits. Zonagen Corporation in Houston is working on a one-shot vaccine which may be effective in cats and dogs. Unlike sterol contraceptives, which have side effects in all somatic cells, the vaccine is target-organ specific. Furthermore, if the injected animal dies, and is eaten by a predator, the vaccine does not move up the food chain, since it's digested before absorption. There are some snags. The zona pellucida is a thin layer of sugar-protein surrounding the ovum in mammals. Darted females form antibodies against this glycoprotein, and the antibodies block sperm receptor sites on their own ova, preventing conception. PZP won't generate antibodies in pigs, since their immune systems recognize it as "pig". Rabbit zona will work against pigs, so Hawaii's wild pigs could likely be controlled with a vaccine made from rabbits. The problem here is that both pigs and rabbits pay a mortal price for the vaccine production. Could recombinant DNA technology be used to harvest a vaccine from bacteria? Eventually perhaps, but DNA only codes for proteins, so a way must be found to add the sugar molecules to form the final glycoprotein. We predict that people will still be eating pigs (and rabbits) by the time this method is worked out; in the interim it can be rationalized that vaccine development may finally solve all the animal abuse problems ARH and VSH currently face. That's a slippery slope argument, but the alternative is wild pigs in snares, lethal injections for cats and dogs, wild horses in slaughterhouses, and legions of altruistic New York hunters pontificating on the need for rifle bullets to save the white tails from themselves. -Bill Harris, M.D. THE THREE DOT VEGETARIAN VSH dining activities coordinator Karl seff got an extensive write-up in the Jan. 31 Sunday Star-Bulletin. Dr. Seff, a UH professor, and a specialist in physical chemistry, has developed a new class of material, a zeolite with absorbed metallic cesium filling the interior. The report appeared first in Science, Jan. 22...member Mary Delasantos has published a cookbook, She's Vegetarian, He's Not (And Living to Tell About It) containing both veggie and non-veggie recipes. Call 395-9290 for details... RESTAURANT REVIEW VEGGIES IN CENTRAL YUPPIEVILLE
Prices are inexpensive, ranging from about $5 to $8 for the main course. There's plenty of free parking in the parking structure and, though we didn't make special inquiries, it looks handicapped accessible. Well, you might ask, is this spot a perfect addition to paradise? Well, not quite, but they're sure trying. Smoke from the adjoining eatery (Mocha Java) wafted into our respiratory zone. The lunch menu is quite limited for us, but still provides some possibilities for the shopping vegetarian. Dinner offers many more menu options, but, by the nature of the location, this is a quick-eats spot, not designed for quiet, smokeless conversation, but, hey, how many vegetarian places are there in Ward Warehouse or Center anyway? This enterprise deserves our support; let's hope it prospers and begets a more formal restaurant in the near future. Happy Dining, Eva and Freeman Wright Membership Discounts ******************** Attorney David L. Bourgoin offers our members a 25% discount on all legal services. Phone 523-7779. Hawaiian Eye-Land, 1901 Kapiolani Blvd. Suite 195, offers our members a 20% discount for contact lenses and eye wear. Phone 947-3121. Hana Plantation Houses resort on Maui offers our members discounts of up to 25% off regular rates. For more information write to: P.O. Box 489-V; Hana, HI 96713. Phone: 1-800-657-7723 or (808) 248-7248. Diem Vietnamese Restaurant, 2633 S. King St., offers our members a 10% discount. Huckleberry Farms, 1613 Nuuanu Ave., offers us a 10% discount on vitamins only. National Institute of Fitness (NIF) in St. George, Utah offers members a 10% discount, upon presentation of current VSH membership card at registration. For a brochure with information on NIF, send a SASE to us. Plantation Spa, 51-550 Kam Hwy, Kaaawa, offers us a 10% discount on all package visits. Down to Earth (both store and deli), 2525 S. King St., offers our members a 5% discount. The Buddhist Vegetarian Restaurant, 100 N. Beretania offers our members a 5% discount. Miscellaneous ************* Members who want to have more involvement in VSH plans and activities are invited to attend our Board of Directors meetings. This quarter's meetings will be held Sunday, March 7 and Sunday, May 9 at 3:00 P.M. at St. Clement's Church. Meetings start on time and can last as long as three hours. Please bring your valid membership card for identification. Castle Hospital will be celebrating National Nutrition Month on Wednesday, March 10 with an International Vegetarian Food Fest at their Pali Gardens cafeteria. There will be food samples from many ethnic groups, recipes, games, videos and live demonstrations, and all for only a $5.00 registration fee. Don't miss it! Open 11:00 to 1:30 and 4:30 to 6:30. Call 235-8737 for more information or to pre-register. Join us this summer August 4-8 at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon for the Vegetarian Conference of North America. VSH Board members Bill Harris MD, Elaine French, and Ruth Heidrich will all be giving presentations at the conference. Send us a SASE for an application. The American Anti-Vivisection Society is soliciting nominations for its 1993 Student Animal Advocate Award. $100 will be awarded to each of two secondary school students who have demonstrated their commitment to animals. Contact Zoe Weil at AAVS; 801 Old York Road #204; Jenkintown, PA 19046-1685 for application or nomination forms. "The theme of today's message is reverence for the earth, the plants and animals, for people and for oneself...With the population explosion and the industrial revolution, we have been exhausting the natural resources at an alarming rate...I have chosen vegetarianism for my lifestyle, partly for health reasons but mainly out of respect for the animal kingdom." - John Strickland, Pastor at Unity Church, 11/29/92.
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Aloha friends,
VSH CALENDAR
Have you ever wondered if a vegetarian diet is really the "perfect" diet for humans? If you're already convinced that it is, have you ever tried to explain, in scientific terms, how and why it works?
THE LIFE OF THE LAND WAS PERPETUATED IN KALO
MEET THE MEMBERS
The Nature Conservancy backs the snaring of wild pigs, currently doing environmental damage on all the islands. Pig hunters, Hawaiian activists such as Walter Ritte, and ARH oppose snaring, since the pigs die slowly in unattended snares. Sen. Dennis Nakasato (586-6960), has resolved that the various factions should work out a solution by next year. The Hawaiian Humane Society (946-2187) will spearhead opposition to aerial hunting, leghold traps, and the snares. Encourage them.
Right in the middle of upper crust Ward Center sits Crepe Fever, a semi take-out style spot with some picnic and bar stool tables in the central corridor, with shoppers passing by and in plain view of a gourmet chocolate shop, giving the eating area somewhat of an outdoor feel. You go up to the counter to order your food from a friendly and knowledgeable employee, and your food is delivered to your table promptly, not fancy but serviceable. The permanent menu items are supplemented by daily specials written on a chalk board at the ordering counter, and, for lunch, includes some vegetarian items to choose from in addition to the varied Americanized multi-ethnic offerings; most are ovo-lacto, but they will delete any undesired ingredients. That option is kind of half hearted to me: I'd prefer a few more vegan lunch selections. The dinner menu is fleshless, with six vegan items and several more that can be ordered sans bovine products. We tried out a blackboard special burger made of garbanzo and potato for lunch, served with salad. It was tasty and had a better than average bun. The salad was well prepared of fresh produce. Our dinner fare consisted of the Vegetable Burrito, a hearty bean and potato concoction encased by a whole wheat tortilla. The Indonesian Sateh was a stir fry with a mild peanut sauce, replete with good quality fresh snow peas; its accompanying chapati bore a remarkable resemblance to the burrito's tortilla. Its Sateh sauce was quite oily; it was my comment on that condition to the waitress that led us to the information that they will steam the vegetables or stir fry them with much less oil on request. We'll have to remember that next time. We tried the apple crepe for dessert, a worthy ending for a light meal.
