The “Hell of a Steak” commercial – which comes from non-profit organization Vegan Friendly UK – aired during the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel on Saturday night. It’s set to appear on UK screens this week, and it will likely be shown in the US in the coming months. 

The ad features a group of diners pondering what to order at a restaurant named “Meat Out,” with one of them enquiring about a dish called “Hell of a Steak.”

The waiter then tells him: “I’m glad you asked… You won’t believe what we go through just to bring it to your plate.” 

He then goes into detail about the environmental costs of raising just one cow, explaining that it takes a piece of land about the size of three football pitches, 800,000 gallons of water, and 18,000 pounds of feed.

Throughout his explanation, the diners are covered in water and hay, before a single cow enters the restaurant and approaches their table.

The waiter finishes by saying: “Can you believe it? So many resources… And don’t get me started on the greenhouse gases.”

The diner then tells the waiter: “I don’t want to know the price,” to which the waiter ominously responds: “I’m sure you don’t. It’s a heavy price to pay.”

Animal farming and the environment

Noga Bronsky, CEO of Vegan Friendly UK, told Plant Based News that the advert is a “comical and high-level production” that “focuses on the harmful impacts of the meat industry on the environment and its connections to climate change.”

Animal agriculture – particularly cattle farming – is catastrophic for the environment in a number of ways.

Farmed cows produce around a third of the world’s methane emissions when they burp and fart, which is one of the main greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. They are also a leading cause of deforestation and land and water use. 

The advert follows in the footsteps of another highlighting the animal cruelty inherent in meat consumption, which was also released by Vegan Friendly earlier this year. It encouraged viewers to “make the connection” between the food they eat and the animals who suffered and died for it. 

The post WATCH: Vegan Commercial Aired During Eurovision To Be Shown Around The World appeared first on Plant Based News.

Vegan strongman Patrik Baboumian is behind the concept of the game, called EARTHRAISER – GAIA’S WISH. It’s based on his 2021 comic book with a similar concept.

Both the comic book and the upcoming action game center on a vegan superhero, named EARTHRAISER, who aims to give a “voice to the voiceless” by defending and liberating animals of all species.

EARTHRAISER plot

The game’s story begins with Gaia, a 12-year-old animal-lover who lives in Berlin and volunteers at a farm sanctuary every day after school. When a fire ravages the farm, leaving many animals dead, the heartbroken Gaia makes a wish upon a falling star. The student asks for a guardian spirit to protect all animals from cruelty, and to punish those who harm them.

Elsewhere in the world, a fallen soldier named Wolf Winter resurrects in a secret military base, where animals are being kept for experiments.

Wolf transforms into a berserker (a fierce warrior often featured in medieval Germanic history), and in a rage, destroys the facility. He later wakes up in a forest – now back in his human form – and learns that the military are hunting him.

Wolf escapes to Berlin, where he meets Gaia and her mother, Minna. He learns that he has gained the ability to experience the pain felt by all life near him, including non-human animals, who he can now communicate with.

Gaia believes Wolf is the guardian she had wished for. But as the story unfolds, she comes to learn that she too, along with her generation as a whole, possesses the power to protect planet Earth and those who inhabit it.

And – spoiler alert – it is ultimately Gaia who saves Wolf from the chief villain, Dr. Z. Geist.

The player of the game controls Wolf as both a human and a berserker; each form comes with its own abilities and complications. EARTHRAISER – GAIA’S WISH also includes 20 animal and human rights activists as Non-Player Characters (NPCs) in the game. This, the gamemakers stress, is an effort to pay tribute to the “important work these unsung heroes do to help the most vulnerable in our world.”

An action game centered on empathy

Baboumian – a vegan of more than 10 years and one of the strongest people in the world – believes the game can open minds and hearts about animal suffering.

“The EARTHRAISER story should inspire us all to protect animals and nature, and increase our levels of empathy for other animals, both human and non-human,” he said in a statement sent to Plant Based News.

“I sincerely believe that this video game can change millions of minds and hearts, and benefit those who can not speak for themselves. Of course, we want to create entertainment and immersion through this game, but we also want to inspire millions of people and help them see the world from a very different perspective, thus creating positive change within their own lives.”

“Ultimately, we can all be EARTHRAISER! It is up to our generation to work together and generate the change we need to protect animals, nature and the planet we live on.”

Kickstarter campaign

To help get the concept off the ground and onto screens sooner, Baboumian assembled a mission-driven team and launched a crowdfunding campaign.

The campaign, which is shooting for an initial goal of €250,000, would help fund a 30-minute playable demo. This would ultimately grow into a feature-length video game for PC and later, XBOX and PlayStation.

“Your actions define the future of all life on Earth,” the teaser trailer for the game states. “You are the EARTHRAISER … sent to protect all life on Earth.”

Those interested can view the EARTHRAISER – GAIA’S WISH Kickstarter campaign here.

The post Animal Rights Video Game Featuring Vegan Superhero Launches Kickstarter Campaign appeared first on Plant Based News.

MILKED – which will soon be available to watch via Plant Based News – takes a deep dive into the dairy sector of Aotearoa (the Māori name for New Zealand). The country is the largest exporter of dairy in the world.

Alongside the film’s premiere, the creators of MILKED have published four variations of a petition that aims to reduce global dairy herds by 25 percent in next three years. 

The petitions – aimed at the UK, the US, Europe, and New Zealand – are directed at each country’s leaders. MILKED hopes that global collective efforts can help create a more sustainable food system. And, one that protects the lives of millions of animals too.

The problem with dairy

MILKED acknowledges that the dairy industry is widely considered a “source of national pride.”

But behind the curtain, the industry is said to be damaging the country more than benefiting it.

The dairy sector is Aotearoa’s largest water polluter. And it doesn’t just pollute water, it uses excessive amounts of it too. According to MILKED, 1,000 liters of water is required to produce just one liter of cow’s milk.

Plant-based alternatives are often a different story. Oat milk, for example, uses 13 times less water and 11 times less land than cow’s milk, the organization says.

Further, oat milk generates 3.5 times fewer carbon emissions. New Zealand’s dairy industry is currently producing almost a quarter of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions on its own. Although MILKED calls this figure a “conservative estimate.”

Perhaps more conceringly, the country’s largest dairy company, Fonterra, is projected to exceed New Zealand’s total national emissions target in the coming decade.

Filmmakers discovered that Fonterra – which initially agreed to an interview but then pulled out – has been underreporting its environmental data. 

In one case, Fonterra reported 22 million tons of emission output, when the actual figure was double that. In total, the dairy company is to blame for more emissions than the whole of Sweden. 

MILKED stresses that despite industry efforts to sequester carbon, this does not address the expulsion of methane from cows. Notably, methane is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide. 

MILKED the documentary

The new film brings such statistics to light through interviews with high-profile figures like Dame Jane Goodall, environmentalist and actor Suzy Amis Cameron, and Cowspiracy co-director Keegan Kuhn. Academy Award-winning director James Cameron has labeled the film a “powerful wake-up call.”

During MILKED, filmmakers follow activist Chris Huriwai around the country as he speaks with experts in ecology, medicine, and economy, as well as local dairy farmers. 

Aside from sustainability concerns, Huriwai takes a closer look at the ethical, animal welfare, and health implications of dairy consumption. 

“We originally planned to investigate the environmental and health impacts of all animal agriculture in Aotearoa. But once we got further into researching, it was obvious that dairy was the story to tell,” MILKED director and producer Amy Taylor explained. 

Inviting the public to help bolster the documentary’s message, MILKED launched a crowdfunding campaign with a goal of $NZD100,000. Contributors helped the organization exceed the figure in just 12 days, motivating MILKED to extend the funding goal.

Those interested can sign MILKED’s petition to reduce global dairy herds here.

MILKED will be available to watch on Plant Based News‘ YouTube channel from March 25, 2022 at 7pm (GMT), or March 26 from 8am (NZDT).

To learn more about MILKED, check out its website.

The post New Documentary ‘MILKED’ Launches Global Petitions To Dismantle Dairy Industry appeared first on Plant Based News.

Drawing inspiration from other reality cooking competitions, such as MasterChef and Beat Bobby Flay, Peeled aims to provide vegans more representation on mainstream TV.

“As a vegan and a foodie, I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with cooking shows,” said vKind founder and Peeled creator, Star Simmons, in a recent statement. 

“Peeled allows vegans and vegetarians to enjoy cooking shows again, and gives plant-based culinary arts a platform to be taken seriously.”

Panel of all-vegan judges

In the first series of this kind, each episode will feature hand-picked, classically-trained chefs competing against each other in front of a panel of all-vegan judges. 

In a bid to be named the “Hottest Vegan Chef” around, the chefs will be put through different culinary challenges to showcase their cooking skills and passion for plant-based cooking. 

Over each episode, the contestant with the lowest scores will be “peeled off”, or eliminated, leaving the remaining chefs to progress in the competition. The final winner will be awarded a large cash prize to be donated to a nonprofit charity of their choosing. 

The Peeled squad

An entire team of well renowned vegan professionals are confirmed for the first series, including Chef Josie Clemens, who was a contestant in Season 20 of the hit cooking show “Hell’s Kitchen.” Chef Josie will also be joined by Sophie’s Kitchen CEO Dr Miles Woodruff and celebrity chef Chris Tucker.

Clemens was so excited to learn about the show, that she even signed on as co-creator. 

“Competing in Hell’s Kitchen was a great experience, but not at all hospitable for a vegan chef like me, who would otherwise never opt to cook anything that wasn’t entirely plant-based,” she said.

“I was thrilled to learn that vKind would be producing an all-vegan cooking competition. Signing on as co-creator was a no-brainer for me.”

Viva Las Vegan

The show is currently being filmed in Las Vegas, at the Vegas Vegan Culinary School and Eatery – the nation’s first all-vegan cooking school.

The show will also provide a platform for vegan brands to showcase their products and promote their brands to new audiences.

“We’re especially excited to provide vegan brands a new platform to showcase their products in front of an audience hungry for vegan alternatives,” said Simmons. 

“We roll out the green carpet for businesses of all sizes that are contributing to the VegEconomy.” 

In preparation for the summer launch, cast members will be introduced in a series of video interviews in the coming weeks. To find out who will be joining the competition, keep your eyes peeled, as vKind will be releasing videos on their YouTube channel and their website.

The post First All-Vegan Cooking Competition ‘Peeled’ Coming To US Television appeared first on Plant Based News.

In the new Netflix show, Corlett portrays the famous explorer Leif Erikson, who is thought to be one of the first European to have entered the shores of North America.

As the show is set between 1002 and 1066, covering the final years of the Viking age, the characters can be seen wearing costumes made of leather, fur, and wool. 

In a recent interview, Corlett shared that he found it challenging to wear his leather costume at the start of the series. 

“I hadn’t worn leather in a long time. The costume at the start was all leather, and so that was quite overwhelming,” said Corlett.

However, the head of costume on the show, Susan O’Conner Cave, was quick to design a vegan-friendly armor made of cactus leather for the vegan star. 

“It’s a funny mix because you want to be as authentic as possible, which makes sense, but also, you know, the values come in sometimes.”

1 billion animals killed every year for leather

Leather is typically made from the hides of cows and calves, the furthest away from sustainable or ethical. According to PETA, the global leather industry kills more than a billion animals every year.  

Vegan leather, made from materials such as cactus leather, cork, and recycled rubber, offers sustainable alternatives to highly unethical and outdated animal leather.

Manufacturers across the globe are releasing more types of vegan leather as vegan leather becomes increasingly popular. In fact, the vegan leather industry is predicted to be worth almost $90 billion by 2025. 

The post ‘Vikings: Valhalla’ Star Sam Corlett Ditches Leather Costume appeared first on Plant Based News.

Produced and directed by late Canadian filmmaker and conservationist Rob Stewart, the trilogy features his three documentaries: Sharkwater (2006), Revolution (2012) and Sharkwater Extinction (2018). 

From debunking historical stereotypes and exposing the massive illegal shark finning industry, to challenging the media-driven vilification of sharks, the documentaries aim to highlight the threats the shark population faces on a daily basis. 

Driven by passion fed by a lifelong fascination with sharks, Stewart dedicated his career to raising awareness about the receding population of sharks. 

His films have gained more than 70 international awards and have been viewed by over 125 million people worldwide. His work has also helped trigger changes in law and government policy – more than 90 countries have now banned shark finning or the trade of shark products. 

Alarming statistics

However, many countries continue to kill the animals – over 100 million sharks are killed around the world every year. Though researchers estimate the true number could be as high as 273 million.

Global shark populations have already declined by 71 percent over the last 50 years. Considering this, researchers believe there is an unprecedented rise in the risk of extinction.

Siren call for action

The Sharkwater trilogy serves as a siren call for action. It’s a stark reminder that sharks are in danger of extinction, and they could easily be wiped out within a few years due to human interference.

In his third documentary, Sharkwater Extinction, Stewart said, “I thought that if I could change the public’s view of sharks, if I could make them love these animals like I did… see that they’re beautiful and amazing and magnificent and important, people would then also want to fight for their protection.”

In a statement, Josh Blau, head of acquisitions at WaterBear, said: “Rob Stewart is an inspiration, and we want to honor his legacy and work by shining a spotlight on this devastating issue and encourage our members to take action.”

In collaboration with Sea Shepherd and Parley for the Oceans, WaterBear is encouraging those who watch the documentary to support the “Nets out Now” petition. The petition calls for the removal of nets and drum lines to help put an end to Australia’s 84-year-old shark culls.

To watch the Sharkwater trilogy, as well as other award-winning documentaries that focus on shaping a better future for our fragile planet, head over to WaterBear’s website where you can stream the videos at any time and on any device, all for free.

The post Streaming Platform WaterBear Helps Honor And Protect Sharks With New Campaign appeared first on Plant Based News.

It comes just two days after the BBC aired undercover footage from a dairy farm, which sparked outrage due to animal welfare violations and raised questions surrounding ethical meat production. The broadcaster itself, said to be the largest broadcast news operation in the world, named the videos “disturbing” and “shocking.”

But its newly released program, Crisis on the Farm, takes a different approach. The segment chiefly focuses on a pork operation run by farmers Kate and Vicky Morgan, and looks at the hardships the sisters have faced in the industry as meat producers. 

The effects of the pandemic and Brexit are still weighing heavily on the meat sector, the BBC reports, as the industry struggles with a shortage of abattoir workers. 

As a result, British farms are experiencing a “backlog” of an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 pigs who are waiting for slaughter. 

Amid dwindling resources and insufficient space to house the “overweight” animals, many farmers “had no option but to cull their pigs, meaning they wouldn’t enter the food chain,” the BBC said. 

The Morgan sisters’ farm is one of the many navigating the issue; 5,000 of their pigs are waiting to be sent to an abattoir.

They said they know of around 35,000 to 40,000 pigs who have already been culled and “wasted” in the UK.

‘This is not our fault’

The circumstances have placed “huge emotional and financial pressure” on the Morgan sisters, the broadcaster added. They told the BBC that British farmers are losing between £30 to £40 for every pig they sell.

The sisters have begun to look at the sector differently now, they said. “It makes us more cynical about the industry that we’re in – we’re probably not as enthused about it,” Vicky explained, per the Yorkshire Post.

During the program, Vicky’s sister and business partner Kate elaborated: “It’s just so out of our control. If it was something that we’d done, if we’d made a bad decision for the business then, yeah, it would be difficult, but you know it would be our fault. This is not our fault. This is not the farmers’ fault.”

Earlier this month, the Morgans partook in a campaign aimed at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). Up to 30 farmers rallied, some wearing “Save Our Bacon” t-shirts, to urge the government to take action and help protect the pork industry.

Mass culling in the chicken industry

Similar problems are rife in the chicken sector as of late. Last month, a viral video showed Canadian slaughterhouse workers throwing out tens of thousands of dead birds. 

It was reported that 52,000 chickens lost their lives at the facility, and did not go on to be used for food. Non-profit Animal Justice said that instead, they were “discarded like trash.”

“Canadian farmers have repeatedly killed animals on farms during the pandemic when they couldn’t send animals to slaughter in their usual precisely timed manner,” Animal Justice said about the issue.

“When there are delays, the system completely falls apart,” the charity added.

The post BBC Airs Segment On Pork Industry’s ‘Struggles’ After Farmers Culled 40,000 Pigs appeared first on Plant Based News.

Vegan and professional athlete Alex Lenghel joined the latest season of MasterChef, as the show’s first-ever vegan contestant.

Cooking challenge

In the latest episode, the contests were teamed up in pairs to create a dish for the judges for the first challenge. Lenghel, along with fellow contestant Andrei Klabacs, worked together on a dish using a recipe that Klabacs put forward.

However, once the food was presented to the judges for the final taste test, the judges decided to send Lenghel and Klabacs to the elimination round, along with several other contestants for a final cook-off.

At the start of the elimination round, the contestants were presented with beef, and the judges explained that they needed to recreate a meat dish following the cooking instructions provided by guest chef David Contant.

Refusal to cook meat

The challenge began with tying a piece of string around the meat and it’s visibly clear that Lenghel wasn’t going to follow. 

One of the judges goes on to say “come on Alex,” as a way of urging him to begin the challenge. However, Lenghel explains that he doesn’t wish to cook meat and that he has no intentions of compromising on his ethical principles. 

In response, the chef goes on to say that he doesn’t have to eat the meat, he only needs to cook it for the judges. Lenghel explains that he doesn’t want to cook the meat, reminding the judges that he didn’t join the competition to cook meat as a vegan contestant.

After being questioned by the judges at his cooking counter, one judge probes, “I’d like to ask you again Alex, are you going to cook the meat, or are you going to go home?”, without offering Alex any other meat-free alternatives for the challenge.

Having been vegan for over three years, Langhel decided to remove his chef apron and leave the show.

Wrong to kill animals for pleasure

Speaking to Plant Based News, Lenghel explained that cooking meat went against his ethical beliefs. 

“I can’t cook meat when I believe that it is not normal to kill animals just for our pleasure,” he explained. 

He hopes that food shows, such as MasterChef, will see the need to adapt to the increasing plant-based demand. The show has been criticized in the past for its high meat content.

“They need to be more flexible with ingredients offered in the show, as there are lots of vegan substitutes for everything,” Lenghel noted.

To read more on this story, go here for our exclusive interview with Alex Lenghel.

The post Vegan Chef Quits Romanian MasterChef After Being Ordered To Cook Meat appeared first on Plant Based News.

In response, the team behind the movie have increased their goal by $20,000 to help amplify the message further. Additionally, an anonymous donor has committed to matching funds up to $100,000. So, every dollar donated so far will be doubled.

James Cameron: a ‘wake-up call’

MILKED pulls back the curtain on Aotearoa’s (the Māori name for New Zealand) dairy industry. The country is the largest exporter of dairy in the world. 

The film includes interviews from the likes of renowned ethologist Dame Jane Goodall and Cowspiracy co-director Keegan Kuhn. Environmentalist and actor Suzy Amis Cameron also features in the movie.

Cameron’s partner, Academy Award-winning director James Cameron, has placed his support behind the project too. He said the film is a “powerful wake-up call that the world is getting MILKED.”

MILKED documentary

The movie follows activist Chris Huriwai as he travels the country to learn more about the industry. There, Huriwai speaks directly to dairy farmers as well as experts in the fields of medicine, economy, ecology, and politics. 

“We originally planned to investigate the environmental and health impacts of all animal agriculture in Aotearoa. But once we got further into researching, it was obvious that dairy was the story to tell,” MILKED director and producer Amy Taylor said. 

“And with dairy giant Fonterra inviting Chris to meet with them and then backing out, we became even more curious about what was going on.”

Funding goals

The funds already raised by MILKED will go towards final edits, paying contractors and producers, and legal counsel. It will also help fund marketing, including media stunts like the recently erected billboards that “congratulate” the dairy industry on being Aotearoa’s largest polluter.

The crowdfunding earnings will also help create an educational version of the film. This copy will be distributed to various schools and universities.

Further, the money will help develop impact campaigns, including those supporting farmers who are transitioning out of the dairy industry. And, lobbying for the government to remove dairy from schools and nutritional guidelines in favor of a plant-based focus.

The stretch goal of $20,000 will be used to produce new content from the more than 100 hours of interviews conducted for MILKED. It will also go towards the production of a short film about a dairy farmer moving out of animal agriculture.

“We’re so grateful for the incredible support we’ve already received from around the world having only just launched our crowdfunding campaign,” said director Taylor. “It shows how many people are passionate about exposing the truth about the dairy industry, and looking at a better way forward.”

The film drops on March 18 via WaterBear, the first free streaming network “dedicated to the future of our planet,” and will be hosted for free on Plant Based News from March 26.

Those interested in contributing to the crowdfunding campaign can do so here. To visit MILKED’s website, see here.

The post New Documentary MILKED To Expose Dairy Industry After Eclipsing $100k Fundraising Goal appeared first on Plant Based News.

It comes just two days after the BBC aired undercover footage from a dairy farm, which sparked outrage due to animal welfare violations and raised questions surrounding ethical meat production. The broadcaster itself, said to be the largest broadcast news operation in the world, named the videos “disturbing” and “shocking.”

But its newly released program, Crisis on the Farm, takes a different approach. The segment chiefly focuses on a pork operation run by farmers Kate and Vicky Morgan, and looks at the hardships the sisters have faced in the industry as meat producers. 

The effects of the pandemic and Brexit are still weighing heavily on the meat sector, the BBC reports, as the industry struggles with a shortage of abattoir workers. 

As a result, British farms are experiencing a “backlog” of an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 pigs who are waiting for slaughter. 

Amid dwindling resources and insufficient space to house the “overweight” animals, many farmers “had no option but to cull their pigs, meaning they wouldn’t enter the food chain,” the BBC said. 

The Morgan sisters’ farm is one of the many navigating the issue; 5,000 of their pigs are waiting to be sent to an abattoir.

They said they know of around 35,000 to 40,000 pigs who have already been culled and “wasted” in the UK.

‘This is not our fault’

The circumstances have placed “huge emotional and financial pressure” on the Morgan sisters, the broadcaster added. They told the BBC that British farmers are losing between £30 to £40 for every pig they sell.

The sisters have begun to look at the sector differently now, they said. “It makes us more cynical about the industry that we’re in – we’re probably not as enthused about it,” Vicky explained, per the Yorkshire Post.

During the program, Vicky’s sister and business partner Kate elaborated: “It’s just so out of our control. If it was something that we’d done, if we’d made a bad decision for the business then, yeah, it would be difficult, but you know it would be our fault. This is not our fault. This is not the farmers’ fault.”

Earlier this month, the Morgans partook in a campaign aimed at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). Up to 30 farmers rallied, some wearing “Save Our Bacon” t-shirts, to urge the government to take action and help protect the pork industry.

Mass culling in the chicken industry

Similar problems are rife in the chicken sector as of late. Last month, a viral video showed Canadian slaughterhouse workers throwing out tens of thousands of dead birds. 

It was reported that 52,000 chickens lost their lives at the facility, and did not go on to be used for food. Non-profit Animal Justice said that instead, they were “discarded like trash.”

“Canadian farmers have repeatedly killed animals on farms during the pandemic when they couldn’t send animals to slaughter in their usual precisely timed manner,” Animal Justice said about the issue.

“When there are delays, the system completely falls apart,” the charity added.

The post BBC Airs Segment On Pork Industry’s ‘Struggles’ After Farmers Culled 40,000 Pigs appeared first on Plant Based News.