Vegan bake sale and benefit show for Peaceful Prairie.

A show and bake sale to benefit Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary. Friday September 2 at Blast-O-Mat (2935 W. 7th Ave.) in Denver. 7:30pm, $10, All ages.

Featuring Perspective, Burials, Sense of Porpoise, Royal Talons, and Abdicate.

Vegan bake sale hosted by Plants & Animals Denver.

Come support our favorite local sanctuary with a rad show and tasty vegan baked goods from P&A volunteers!

If you’d like to help by baking some vegan treats, get in touch with us at info(at)plantsanimals(dot)org. Otherwise, just come to the show! Thanks for getting us in on this, Alvino.

The Denver Post Underground Music Showcase was over the weekend. Over 300 local and national bands played venues along Broadway from July 21st-24th. Plants & Animals were there on Friday doing a feed-in.

We posted up in the little entryway nook of Fancy Tiger on Broadway + Ellsworth, right next to the heavy foot traffic at the Hi-Dive. One of our goals was to show off how good homemade vegan food can be, so our diligent volunteers made an awesome array of treats to give out. We gave away around 300 free vegan samples, each one with a piece of literature from Vegan Outreach or Mercy For Animals. There were savory tempeh sausage puff pastries, cinnamon rolls, chocolate peanut butter cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes with peach buttercream frosting, and zucchini bread. And when the cupcakes ran out, we bought a bunch of Tofutti Cuties ice cream sandwiches for a cool treat on a hot night. Everybody who stopped by the table was really nice, and seemed happy we were there. The best part was how everybody was happy to take some literature with them.

Feed-ins are a really fun and positive way to connect with people on the street, and talk to them about veganism. It gives volunteers a chance to show that vegans eat really well,  and that transitioning into plant-based eating is really easy. Any chance to hand somebody a pamphlet that shows the truth about eating animals is a victory, so we felt that this was a very successful outing. We’ll do it again soon, so let us know if you’d like to cook for a feed-in or work the table. Write us at info(at)plantsanimals(dot)org to be added to our volunteer e-mail list, and find out about future volunteer opportunities.

More pictures of Donald and Kellie after the jump. Read the rest of this entry →

VegFest Colorado will be Saturday, July 2nd at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. Plants & Animals Denver will have a booth there, so be sure to stop by and say hi. But you really want to be there for all the amazing food samples and guest speakers (including Colleen Patrick Goudreau and Howard Lyman). It’s only 10 bucks. And you can even help out with the fest if you want- they need volunteers and there is a meeting this weekend… Read the rest of this entry →

I’m sitting on my break at work as I write this, and I’ve got that antsy feeling. That urge to do more- to do good. As frustrating as it is to have this feeling while trapped at my day job, it is one my favorite feelings to have. It feels good to have that fight in you. And it also feels good because I have an outlet to express my desire to create change: this group we have here, Plants & Animals Denver. P&A was born from these types of mid-day inspirations. Maybe you have similar moments at your job- times when a news story or coworker pisses you off, and you just wish there was something you could do to make things better- for the environment, for animals, for our own misguided culture. I get it. It can be tough sitting at a desk grinding out a living while wishing there was something more you could do. Lucky for you, P&A is your outlet too. We want you to channel that passion into action. If you’ve got a good idea to promote veganism, help animals, or protest injustice, we’ve got your back. Want to help, but don’t know how? We have stuff planned for you to volunteer for: carrotmobs, bake sales, feed-ins, leafleting, demos, Chomp… Step by step, bit by bit, we can make things happen in Denver, if we get together. I’ve seen the power we can have when just a few of us fight for a cause or team up for an an event, It’s exciting, empowering, inspiring, satisfying, and fucking addictive.

Read the rest of this entry →

When we think about the senseless pain and suffering that animals still face every day in the factory farms, puppy mills, etc. of the world, it can be hard to realize that progress is being made. That’s why I think it’s so important to remember that the momentum is on our side.

As recently as a decade ago, the only relevant law on the books regarding farm animal treatment was a 50 year old federal law requiring that some (but not all) types of farm animals be “humanely” killed before slaughter. Pushing better animal laws through congress can be incredibly difficult, so we’re fortunate that states have begun taking control of the issue. VegNews magazine recently posted a great roundup of laws banning veal crates, gestation crates and battery cages. It’s a quick and easy read, so check it out and get yourself in the know.

Another issue that drifted along for a few years but finally seems to be picking up steam is the Animal Abuser Registry movement. The idea is simple, animal abusers pose a significant threat to the animals and people within a community. For similar reasons to those behind sex offender registries, communities would be safer if convicted animal abusers’ whereabouts were made public.  The Animal Legal Defense Fund has created an easy to sign petition that allows you to e-mail your local state representatives and let them know how important this issue is.

Sending an e-mail couldn’t be easier, and for those who have never done any direct political advocacy, it would be a nice warm up for the upcoming Humane Lobby Day. Remember, HLD is Tuesday, February 22^nd at 9:30am (Plants & Animals meetup at City ‘o City at 8:45).

For more info on HLD and other opportunities to get involved with our group, come to tonight’s P&A open volunteer meeting. I promise I’ll buy you a hot chocolate…maybe.