Sonoma County VegFest

There is no peer-reviewed science that show that regenerative grazing / rotational grazing, whatever you want to call it, is better for greenhouse gas emissions than conventional grazing systems. They also cause wildlife disruption with excessive fencing.

According to numerous studies from Oxford, Harvard, Washington State University, etc., grass-fed beef can produce 50 to 60 percent MORE greenhouse gas emissions than conventional farming. "Grass-fed" products required more land, more water, more fossil fuels and produced the most greenhouse gasses. This is a situation where the label is not just neutral greenwashing, its worse!

Regenerative grazing is the equivalent of "clean coal." Free-range, grass-fed, rotational grazing is something consumers want to believe is better, but it just doesn't hold water scientifically.

SAVE THE DATE for this years' Sonoma County VegFest! Saturday, September 26 brings this celebration of compassion back to the Santa Rosa Veterans Building. We're looking for vendors, volunteers, supporters and sponsors! Help make this year bigger and better and join the fun!

Learn more here: www.SoCoVegFest.org

Our vendor applications are now OPEN for the Sonoma County VegFest 2026! This year the big day is Saturday, September 26 and we are excited for another awesome annual event. Let your favorite vegan business or nonprofit know this is a unique opportunity to connect with people aligned with vendors values of sustainable, healthy, and ethical living. We hope you will join us for a fantastic year!

VENDOR APP: https://socovegfest.org/vendor-application-form/

Sonoma County VegFest organizer Hope Bohanec examines cage-free eggs in her latest podcast....

Cage-free eggs are now available at most grocery stores, a muffin lists cage-free eggs in the ingredients, and a restaurant touts cage-free omelettes on their menu. Is this a win for hens? We crack into this question with Amber Canavan examining PETA’s new white paper on cage-free egg systems.

Amber shared why PETA released this white paper, how cage-free facilities can actually create new and worse conditions for hens, and how humanewashing eases consumers concerns about the treatment of farmed animals. Amber and Hope both share first hand experience of witnessing cage-free facilities and the reality of cage-free egg farming.

Listen here: https://hopefortheanimalspodcast.org/episode-135-cage-free-cracked-open-with-amber-canavan/

If you can get to Eugene, Oregon, we hope you will join us for our sister event, the Eugene VeganFest THIS SUNDAY, May 3! This celebration of compassionate and sustainable living has fantastic food, innovative vendors, and inspiring speakers.

Large-scale vegan events are a glimpse of what could be. A world where the earth and her animals are respected and protected, where products and people strive for zero-waste and non-harming. Where we live in peace with all our fellow earthlings. Hope you can join us!

Info and tickets here: https://eugeneveganfest.org/

This episode of the Hope for the Animals Podcast tackles the cultural and political backslide to meat, saturated fat, high-protein diets and the connection to hyper-masculinity. We are seeing a resurgence of meat-eating as a symbol of masculinity and meat connected to identity politics and the “culture wars”. Our guest, Jan Liband, will explore the social factors driving this backlash and explore how social media, economic uncertainties, and fear are motivating this trend.

Jan and Hope talk about toxic masculinity, a toxic subsidized meat economy, and a response to progressive advancements as components propelling the meat-heavy movement. They also talk about the pervasive myths are around meat, protein, and muscle building, and how these affect men in particular. There are strong phycological factors at play that are embedded in our culture and are resurfacing in our current political climate.

Listen here: https://hopefortheanimalspodcast.org/episode-132-men-and-meat-culture-identity-and-politics-with-jan-liband/

What are all the "humane" labels on animal products telling consumers? Is cage-free and free-range telling shoppers the truth about animal farming? This year's Humane Hoax Online Conference, 3/17, will uncover the problematic narrative and story that humanewashing tells the public about animal farming. Does the humane hoax delay justice for animals by making exploitation more socially acceptable?

Hear from our expert presenters on this important topic and register today: https://www.humanehoax.org/the-humane-hoax-online-conference

This episode is a replay of a fantastic conversation on humanewashing in journalism. Lisa Barca is a contributing author to our host Hope’s anthology, The Humane Hoax: Essays Exposing the Myth of Happy Meat, Humane Dairy and Ethical Eggs. They had an insightful conversation that we wanted to share again.

Lisa has fascinating insights into the portrayal of farmers, farmed animals, and our relationship to animals in the media and discusses them with Hope in this conversation. She explains the “absent referent,” or the erasing or hiding of animal’s identities and how it relates to the humane hoax. She also talks about how the new “humane” do-it-yourself slaughter normalizes violence toward animals. She also offers advice to journalists, and to us all, on language that helps the animals to be seen and heard in media stories about them.

Listen here: https://hopefortheanimalspodcast.org/episode-131-replay-the-humane-hoax-in-media-with-lisa-barca-phd

Have a sweet and compassionate Valentine's Day!

Fish are amazing! We are finding out so much about their complex cognitive abilities and emotional capacity. Fish form friendships, become caretakers, have empathy for others, and so much more. Please don't support the cruel fishing industry and eat fish-free.