HBD Sent One Reader to Farm Sanctuary's Conference to End Factory Farming. Here is Her Story...

In October, a group of professionals, activists and concerned people got fired up about animal abuse.

As someone who considers herself pretty savvy about the issues, I expected to simply be energized to do more and have the honor of meeting some of my heroes in the movement. Mission accomplished. What I didn’t expect was to cry like a baby and blow up my Twitter account with facts and figures I just couldn’t keep to myself.


Higher Education
 
So, where to begin?  Many people know that there are three basic reasons to boycott factory-farmed products: animal welfare, environmental impact and your own health.  What you may not know is how you could be supporting factory farms on a daily basis - without even knowing it.
 
Animal Welfare

Do you tout the virtues of buying organic meat and dairy? Animals are treated inhumanely, regardless of whether they are raised organically or not. And what does “cage free” even mean?  Only that there is access to outdoors.  Freedom awaits the hen that can use her deformed, detoed feet to climb over thousands of other birds. If she makes it out the tiny door, she could get a chance to peck at the ground with her amputated beak. Aaah, the life of a cage free hen – those lucky birds!

Environment

Okay, so you drive a hybrid, you have water savers on all your faucets and you have the sexiest set of recycling bins on the block. Big whoop. The biggest threat to our water, air quality and land is - you guessed it - factory farming. Where these torture communities move into town, all hell breaks loose.  If you really want to make a difference in keeping the planet clean, the best step you can take is to ditch the meat, dairy and eggs. No excuses.
 
Health

You already know the dirty deets on eating this crap. Animal protein is full of artery-clogging cholesterol and fats and is virtually devoid of minerals and vitamins. But what about protein? This battle cry is such old news, it's ridiculous.

First of all, Americans eat way more protein than is needed and we suffer from way more health problems as a result.  Second, there is plenty of protein in all the good stuff. For every 100-calorie portion size, there are 10 grams of protein in broccoli, 7 grams in romaine lettuce and 7 grams in kale - and those are just veggies. If you are eating enough calories, you’re getting enough protein.
 
The Bottom Line

In the name of money, factory farms hurt our planet, abuse our animals and disease our bodies.  And don’t let the price fool you. When you factor in the cost of healthcare in this country directly associated with food-related illnesses like obesity, diabetes and heart disease, this ain’t cheap meat.


Change is Possible
 
No matter which health issue you feel most connected to, we should all have a common goal to rid our world of this kind of devastation and abuse. We are in a time now where big agriculture is nervous, and they are working hard against legal actions and activist work to change their atrocious ways.

As you learn more, share what you know - and take action. Our world depends on it.
 
What will you do to help end factory farming? Tell us in the comments section below!


Samantha Robinson, Guest Blogger
An animal lover since childhood, Samantha’s path to veganism grew from a concern for the treatment of farm animals - whom she believes are individuals and every bit as sentient as our dogs and cats.  She and her family visit Farm Sanctuary as often as they can to visit their adopted farm friends – a sheep, pig, cow, duck and turkeys!  Samantha and her veggie husband and two veggie children live in Tampa.





Related Stories:

They Slaughter The Horses, Don't They?
Green Workout Gear That Goes The Distance
Hung Out to Dry
Feng Yourself This Winter

Haven't You Heard? Horse Meat is Making its Way to a Table Near You


Did your mother ever serve horse casserole when you were growing up?

Yeah, mine didn’t either.

But soon enough it may not be that far from our dinner tables.


Not My Pony!

Americans have historically rejected horse meat as food. And while you may think everyone else in the world is on board with us, they’re not. Horse meat is regularly eaten in France and Italy. In Japan, the ears are even considered a delicacy!  (Barf). Sadly, those countries may not be on their own for long. On November 18, Obama signed a law that allows Americans to kill and eat horses.

We wish we were kidding.

The Real Deal

Since 2006, the U.S. has said that no taxpayer money can be spent to regulate or inspect horses being transported for slaughter. That little law goes hand-in-hand with the 1996 law that requires inspection for any meat intended for human consumption. (“Inspection” must be a loose term for them though, considering all the nasty salmonella outbreaks that have come from factory-farmed animals living in grievous conditions).

Explanation, Please

So what does that mean? It means in the U.S. horse slaughter was not illegal, but that horse slaughter for human consumption was. But now, that ban on slaughter for human consumption has been lifted.

Does that mean what you think it means? Afraid so, sister. If Congress decides to fund inspection for horse slaughter, you could be seeing an equine burger at your next dinner party. Um, gross.

Whoa, Nellie

Oh, and just because horses aren’t killed for food now doesn’t mean they’re treated any better. Did you know that trucks transporting horses in the United States are allowed to leave them in the dark without food or water for up to 28 hours at a time? And this happens way more than you think – since horses can’t be slaughtered here, they’re often carted in these trucks to Mexico and Canada (where it’s legal), hunched together, for days at a time.

Bad to Worse

Even worse to think about is that opening horse slaughterhouses in the States means we’ll be getting all the problems that come along with factory farming – waste runoff, stench, land devastation and nearly 200,000 horses slaughtered each year. All made possible by your tax dollars.

Curious as to why Congress would lift such a ban? We are too. After all, polls have consistently shown that Americans highly oppose horse slaughter – often by 70 percent or more.

Old News

So, the average American knows that horses aren’t food – and they’re pretty up in arms about this. Join the club. We’ve been pissed for a while about the murder of our furry friends. Factory farming is inhumane and nasty in every form. We can only hope that Congress will rethink this decision and spare our horse friends – and all our animal friends – as soon as possible.

Do Something

Want to do more? Get off your ass and write to Congress to oppose horse slaughter now.

What are your thoughts on lifting the horse slaughter ban in the U.S.? Let us know in the comments section below!


Jennifer St. Germain, Contributing Writer
A long-time health and fitness writer, Jennifer recently moved back to Los Angeles after spending two years writing and teaching English in Japan.  She now writes for several publications on a variety of topics, but veganism and animal rights are her favorite subjects.  When she isn't writing, you can find her drinking a little too much organic coffee, playing with her dogs or photographing her third favorite subject - jellyfish.








Related Stories:

Hung Out to Dry
Feng Yourself This Winter
Made To Stick: New Year's Resolutions for the Eco-Slacker
No Laughing Matter

Join Ellen DeGeneres This Thanksgiving in Sponsoring a Turkey


Save a turkey. Eat your tofu.

That’s what Ellen DeGeneres is pleading millions of Americans to do this Thanksgiving.

Once again, the talk show-host-slash-vegan-poster-gal has teamed up with Farm Sanctuary to ask people to stuff their faces with something more compassionate this holiday season—and put their money toward a better collective effort than Black Friday.

For the Love of Bird

For just $30 bucks, you can sponsor a turkey and brag about it to your friends with a special-edition Adopt-A-Turkey certificate that features a color photo and stats about your new bird. (For $180, you can sponsor an entire flock and have adoption letters sent to family and friends). Apart from rescuing Antoinette, Elizabeth, Skip, Payton, Amelinda and Raphael—just a few of the turkeys up for adoption this T-Day—from becoming somebody’s dinner, your donation also makes it possible for the “birds of honor” to enjoy a feast of squash, cranberries and pumpkin pie during Celebrations FOR the Turkeys at Farm Sanctuary’s New York and California shelters.

Straight Stats

Since 1986, Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt-A-Turkey Project has saved more than 1,000 turkeys, placing approximately 600 into loving homes throughout the country. Awww.

Every year, about 250 to 300 million turkeys are slaughtered in the U.S.—more than 46 million alone during Thanksgiving.  The treatment of turkeys is a classic tale of factory farming cruelty—birds are packed by the thousands into dark warehouses where they are given about three square feet of space to move. They are debeaked and detoed without any anesthesia and sent off to be slaughtered after just 14 to 18 weeks of age. To top it off, turkeys and other birds are excluded from the Humane Slaughter Act (why?!), which lawfully states that animals be stunned prior to slaughter.

Cruelty-Free Table Toppings

Hesitant to swear off turkey? (After all, Thanksgiving is the one time of year when you feel comfortable shoving anything down your throat). Check out Farm Sanctuary’s Thanksgiving Recipe section, for a library of dee-lish appetizers, main dishes, sides, gravies, dressings and desserts. (Also, stay tuned for this Friday's Thanksgiving Recipe guide on HBD. You can check out some of last year's recipes we ran here).

Turkey Wars

Got awesome culinary skills? Submit your own vegan recipes for the opportunity to be featured on Farm Sanctuary’s website and Healthy Bitch Daily. Just leave us a comment with the recipe (no measurements necessary―we'll email you if we want the whole shebang). Deadline is Friday, November 18.

Bitchworthy: Turkeys know their geography. They can learn the specific details of an area of more than 1,000 acres.

To sponsor a turkey, visit adoptaturkey.org or call the Turkey Adoption Hotline at 1-888-SPONSOR.

Also, Farm Sanctuary is giving away three (3) free Tofurkeys to our HBD readers! For your chance to win, tell us how you make your Thanksgiving table cruelty-free in the comments section below!

*UPDATE: We've chosen our winners! Congrats Jenny, Ashley, & Kat!


Carly Harrill, Co-Founder of HealthyBitchDaily.com


A writer with a big mouth, Carly taps into mainstream media and the entertainment community to educate the everyday woman on making small changes that are better for her body and the earth—both on and off the plate. Carly is also the head of strategic partnerships for Healthy Child Healthy World, the nation's leading environmental health non-profit designed to protect children from environmental toxins.

Related Stories:

Turkey Day Trades: Eat This, Not That
Somebody's Watching You
Sponsor a Pig
No Laughing Matter

From Our Friends at Eco Stiletto: The Ultimate List of Cruelty-Free and Eco-Conscious Workout Duds. Shopping Spree, Anyone?

We work out to feel good.

For some of us, it’s the bells and whistles of the gym. For others, it’s accessing the exuberance of dance. Swimmers meditate through movement; runners through the heart-racing rush of the sprint. And, of course, there’s always the deep calm of muscle- melting yoga to get you to an all-day high.

But we also work out to look good and—let’s be honest—we want to look good while we’re doing it. Because there’s nothing worse than showing up for class in your grubby old leggings and realizing your regular instructor has been replaced with the sub who’s a dead ringer for Colin Farrell.

These clothes and accessories are all crafted from eco-friendly fabrics—some embracing fair trade, upcycling or other sustainable initiatives—with designs that perform as good as they look. Because the last thing you want is your gear distracting you from your practice.

Earth Creations

Here’s something you don’t learn every day: Though it tastes great on your pasta, the immense quantities of salt used in the commercial fabric-dyeing process can cause irreversible harm to our ecosystems. That’s why Earth Creations’ clay-dyeing process is so cool: All components used in the process are natural, biodegradable and meet the strict guidelines of the Organic Trade Association Fiber standards. Roll up or fold down the waistband of their Dharma Pants and you can practice anywhere. Like, say, a deserted meadow surrounded with vibrant leaves and just a cameraman for company.

Omnitom

Europe may be best known for couture, but with omnitom—available exclusively from online etailer Luxual.ca—we can add yoga wear to the mix. Ultra feminine—think delicate flower-printed tunics and tanks inspired by Chinese cheongsam dresses—the line is also super practical, fabricated from organic cotton with an inner support bra built into every top and an armpit shape designed for maximum freedom of movement. Che bella.

Kigo

Beloved by “barefoot” runners and water sports enthusiasts who need their feet wet but still protected, kigos weigh less than five ounces and feature a flexible midsole, which allows the shoes to fold closed—a bonus for travelers. Featuring a high-density, non-slip grooved outsole made from recycled plastic and a recycled-nylon lining, and they’re packaged in biodegradable and compostable materials. Rope swing not included.

Samtosa

There’s nothing worse than working out in a sucky sports bra. Too loose and you—forgive our crassness—flop all over the place; too tight and you bind up shoulder muscles you didn’t even know you had. But Samtosa’s Sports Bra is just plain perfect. Crafted in organic cotton, veggie-dyed in solid colors or our favorite tie-dye, with a sexy little ballerina-esque gather in the front, the construction is solid enough to keep you in place, and cute enough to show off even after shavasana.

Horny Toad

Walk much? Serious trekkers look for the perfect pants: Not so short that they ride up and chafe; not so long that they flap around your ankles. With a perfect, calf-skinning length and wide, smooth waistband, Horny Toad’s Trudy Cropped Pants—made from high-performance, low-environmental-impact Tencel—might just be the answer.

Ocean Minded

Since 1996, Ocean Minded has been organizing community beach clean-ups around the world—in 2009, they hosted 47 beach clean-ups, collecting more than 20,000 pounds of trash. OM’s odor-resistant Meilani sandals—made from recycled plastic bottles, with water-based glue—are perfect for a walk on the beach or your stinky hot yoga class.

Hyde

Hyde is the brainchild of Anne-Kerr Kennedy, a runner-turned-yogi who quit her corporate job to pursue a career in design. Her genius shows in the clothes—au courant colors, organic cotton, no annoying seams or tags, and styles cute enough to wear off the mat.

Nau

Early morning running is a funny thing. For the first fifteen minutes, everything from your ears to your fingertips is freezing, but once you warm up, all you want to do is strip down. That’s where the Lightbeam jacket comes in. Designed by legendary eco-clothier Nau—each and every piece of clothing they make is recyclable—the Lightbeam is a windshell with purpose. Crafted from water resistant, breathable, quick-dry recycled post-industrial polyester with a stashable hood and elastic cuffs long enough to tuck frigid fingers inside, the Lightbeam keeps out the cold when you need it, but is light enough to wrap around your waist when you don’t.

Ecostay

It’s hard to work out with hair in your eyes—it’s also hard to look cute with a ratty old headband wrapped around your bangs. That’s where Ecostasy headbands come in. Fair-trade made in a Brazilian Amazon nature preserve by the indigenous Kaxinawá tribe, they’re made from naturally dyed cotton, hand woven with patterns that symbolize qualities such as courage, power and wisdom. Excellent qualities to draw on when you’re standing on your head.

Revenge Is

No comment? Use your body as a billboard with a shirt from Revenge Is. Crafted from recycled plastic bottles and organic cotton, Revenge Is creates a full line of shirts that put your money where your mouth is. With alliances like the Help Haiti t-shirt—it donates 50% of each sale to the William J. Clinton Foundation Haiti Fund—there’s something for everyone. But our favorite is universal: Revenge Is Peace. Now that’s a message we can get behind.

I/O Bio Merino

Think wool, and typically you’re thinking of sweaters and bundling up to stay warm. But the never-chemically-treated, renewable, biodegradable, recyclable wool I/O Bio Merino Contact Rib Tank does exactly the opposite—it’s super soft and lightweight, with flat seams and a next-to-skin ribbed fit, and it’s strangely temperature regulating: Cool when it’s hot outside, and warm when it’s cold. Miraculous.

Be Present

Think hemp’s rough and tumble? Think again. Be Present’s new Hemp line is ridiculously soft, sheer and sexy. The peek-a-boo Cross Back Tee is the perfect cover up for yoga—flip it around and you can even wear it to the beach. Plus, hemp is a naturally insect-resistant, anti-microbial crop that requires no herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers to produce. If the 1.4 billion cotton t-shirts sold in American each year were replaced with hemp tees, the energy savings would equal 3.5 billion gigajoules and the water savings would equal 1.3 trillion gallons—enough water for half the U.S. population for an entire year. That’s a lottawatta.

Restore Clothing

Pilates junkies will appreciate the muffin-top minimizing contoured waist of Restore Clothing’s best-selling Active pants, made with fabric sourced from recycled coconut shells that clings in all the right places—and none of the wrong. Restore takes their commitment to sustainability seriously: Their clothing is all made from recycled materials, packaging is compostable and they donate 1% to For The Planet.

Curawear

Does Canada have the edge on eco-fashion? Designers are popping up everywhere from Vancouver to Toronto, but Cura is the first made-in-Canada, sustainable workout wear we’ve seen.  We’re huge fans of the waist-worshipping gathered-side organic cotton top pictured here, which is available exclusively at Luxual, an online boutique—“where luxe meets casual”—that sells everything from work-worthy cardies to cute yoga gear like Cura.

PKD Spa

We love soymilk in our lattes, but on our bodies? Indeed. Designer Patricia King-Davies’ PKD Spa line captures protein from the discarded non-GMO soy “cakes” left once the oil is extracted from soybeans, then spins it into fiber for yarns without any toxic chemicals or bleach. The resulting fabric is so soft and supple, it begs for shavasana.

Do you have a favorite eco-friendly workout gear brand? Let us know in the comments section below!

To read the full article on EcoStiletto.com, go here!

Chic and Trendy Footwear Doesn't Have to Go Moo (Or Break the Bank)


When it comes to scoring this season’s hottest boots, don’t have a cow, babe.

If you missed Fashion Week this year, here’s the roundup: back in are 70’s-inspired flared jeans, chunky gold jewelry, high-waisted skirts and bold prints.

Another trend we saw over and over? Chic and sexy boots that make us yearn for old man winter. 

Fashion Dilemma

When it comes to our favorite fall footwear staple, we want the newest looks without dropping a ton of cash. And most of all, we don’t want anything killed in the name of our struts.

Luckily, the hippest vegan designers are well ahead of you, crafting fashion-forward boots from materials like synthetic (animal-free) leather, bamboo, luxe plastics and specially-designed cloth that feels so much like suede that the bitchy fashion snob at your office won’t even know the difference.

Salivating yet? We rounded up a few options to tickle your footwear fancy:

For the Financially Well-Endowed


Feeling the urge to splurge?

If you've got the extra cash, these black Burberry boots are completely animal-free and totally gorgeous. Not just for rainy days, these sleek kickers can be dressed down with jeans or spruced up with leggings and a cute skirt. And they say high-fashion can't be cruelty-conscious. Psh.

They ring up at $275, but you can't really put a price on being fabulous, now can you?

For the Slightly-Splurge Inclined

If you want a similar look for less, try these black riding boots (pictured left) by GC Shoes. They have the lush feel of a more expensive shoe, complete with lace-up detailing in the back and a fold-over cuff that can give you an entirely different look. For $81, you're not breaking the bank but still getting great quality.

If you like flat boots but want a bit more of a heel, try these Chinese Laundry boots for $99.95.


For the Savvy Spender

Steal of the day? Vegan Chic makes a pair of riding boots (left) for under fifty bucks, and they’re pretty darn cute if we do say so ourselves.

And if saving animals from becoming your footwear wasn’t good enough, check out these wrap boots by TOMS for under $100. They might look a little different from what we saw on the runway this year, but your do-gooder heart will get a major ego-boost with this purchase.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, for every pair of shoes TOMS sells, one gets delivered to a child in need. Totally awesome, no?

The Bottom Line

We're convinced that animal-free footwear doesn't require a fashion compromise. Since even faux sheepskin boots come in tons of colors and styles these days, you can totally keep up with the trends without having to skin anything.

Have you found a kickin' pair of cruelty-free boots? Leave a comment in the comments section below and we may give you a call out on Facebook. 
 

Jennifer St. Germain, Contributing Writer
A long-time health and fitness writer, Jennifer recently moved back to Los Angeles after spending two years writing and teaching English in Japan.  She now writes for several publications on a variety of topics, but veganism and animal rights are her favorite subjects.  When she isn't writing, you can find her drinking a little too much organic coffee, playing with her dogs or photographing her third favorite subject - jellyfish.

Farm Sanctuary Hosts the First-Ever National Conference to End Factory Farming (PLUS: Win the Chance to be an HBD Correspondent!)


It’s not tough to figure out why factory farming scores high on our Shit List.

Actually, the only thing that pisses us off more is sitting around and not doing a darn thing to stop it.

On October 27, the nation’s leading farm animal protection organization, Farm Sanctuary, is bringing together more than 30 world-renowned experts from the environmental and animal welfare movements for the two-day National Conference to End Factory Farming in Arlington, Va. — yes, the first one ever.

Can we get an Amen?

The conference will explore factory farming’s effects on our health, animal welfare and the environment with the help of leading voices from these movements. The end goal? To inspire collaboration between advocacy groups and empower people to get off their butts and build solutions for change. [Insert cheers here].

Power Players

After taking a gander at the line-up of speakers, change seems written in the cards. Featured experts include U.S. Congressman James P. Moran (D-VA); John Mackey, co-founder and co-CEO of Whole Foods Market; Dr. T. Colin Campbell, bestselling author of "The China Study"; Elizabeth Kucinich, director of government affairs for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine; Lester Friedlander, former USDA slaughterhouse inspector; Bryan Walsh, TIME magazine senior writer and columnist; Gene Baur, president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary and more.

But here’s the dairy-free icing on the cake: you are invited to attend. The conference is open to professionals, experts and any chick that wants to stand up for animals.

We’ll be there. Will you?

Get Involved!

Conference tickets are $150 per person. For more information or to sign yourself up, visit Factoryfarmingconference.org.

Do you want to be an HBD correspondent? We're giving away ONE (1) FREE ticket to attend the first annual National Conference to End Factory Farming from October 27 to 29 (Total Value: $150). Tell us why you're interested in attending in the comments section below and you could win the chance to attend and report back to our lovely readers. (Travel and accommodations not included).

Bitchworthy: Can’t attend the conference? Farm Sanctuary’s Walk for Animals is coming to Los Angeles on November 5! And you don’t even have to live in the City of Stars and Boulevards to help. Click here to register as a “Virtual Walker” and raise necessary funds for animals in need.

*UPDATE: We've choosen our winner! Congrats Samantha!

This milkshake is good for you and gives back too

Milkshake is a daily free email full of ogle-worthy items that can be ordered or simply coveted.

We know, this isn’t the first e-tailer you’ve seen in your inbox, but Milkshake is no flavor of the week. They’re putting a new spin on eco trendspotting – namely by giving back to cool causes and emerging artisans all over the world.
 
What’s In It For You

Milkshake features new products made by compelling people, along with important causes and destinations with meaning.

Think fun bracelets made by Kenyan women, trips to Vietnam to build organic farms, amazing orgs like Invisible Children, plus food from all over the world that is delicious and sustainable.
 
Win A Trendy Eco Accessory

Want to get your hands on these eco sunglasses (right) and that cool weekend bag made in Tanzania (above left)?

Just sign up for Milkshake here to be entered to win both.

This post is proudly sponsored by Milkshake

Celebrate sustainability with Pure Citizen

With Earth Day just two days away, your weekend excursion to the mall is looking less than enthralling.

Why kill your credit buying chemical-laden, sweatshop-produced duds, when you can get your fashion fix, save a bundle, and support fair trade and eco-living with Pure Citizen?

Pure-ify Your Wardrobe

Pure Citizen offers deals up to 90% off on your favorite ethical brands like Matt & Nat, Blue Canoe, Stewart + Brown, and Sigg, just to name a few. Each sale lasts three days and products do sell out, so you've gotta be quick on the uptake.  


Get Good Karma

Just by shopping from these ethical companies that are featured, you are giving back by supporting fair wages, organic farming, and other sustainable practices. Yet, if you want to give back even more, every sale features a non-profit organization. You can choose which percentage of your savings, if any, you donate to that day’s non-profit. Donate none, save a lot, or donate a lot and save a little – it is all in your hands. Plus, Pure Citizen is a member of 1% for the Planet!

Win a $50 Gift Card

Pure Citizen is giving away one $50 gift card to one healthy bitch! To enter to win, just leave a comment below telling us about your favorite ethical company. 
Contest closes at 8am PT tomorrow, April 21, so get to commenting!

Bitchworthy: If you refer a friend, you get a $10 credit after your friend’s first purchase! Win for you, win for your friend, win for the Earth! Refer friends after you sign up.

Now, considering it’s free to join, we’re not sure why you’re still reading and haven’t signed up already!

*UPDATE: We've chosen our winner! Congrats Healthy Bitch Emily! *

This post is proudly sponsored by Pure Citizen

Cool Rain Tees Save Trees

Remember the Baby T's craze of 1994?

Back then, it didn’t matter where your tiny tee came from as long as it made your boobs look like Jenny McCarthy’s and advertised the trendiest brand.

But like the rest of us, tee shirts have evolved into more interesting, educated beings with supply chain resumes and professional bios that match our conscientious values.  

A little Rain Tee goes a long way…

Made from 100 percent organic cotton, Rain Tees for women and children feature designs created by young kids living in villages throughout the endangered rain forests. Founder Beth Doane started the company in 2007 as a natural extension to her grade-school self.

“When I was eight years old, I convinced my entire class to give me their lunch money to save the Amazon rainforest. While this only got me to the principal’s office, my passion to inspire people to create change has never faded.”  

Beth started Rain Tees as a reaction to fashion’s toxic impact on the environment and as a way to enlist, educate and contribute to the preservation of the rainforests of the Brazilian Amazon. “We donate school supplies to the children and ask them to illustrate what they see happening in their world every day. Each Rain Tee features their thoughts, illustrations and names."

For every item sold, a child involved in the nonprofit Kids Saving the Rain Forest  receives a plantable tree to replace one that has been destroyed. Rain Tees also sponsors the education of their “designers” and creates ethical manufacturing jobs for the people of the Amazon.

Bitchworthy: Beth’s parent company, Andira, offers design, distribution and marketing consultation to companies looking to launch products as eco-consciously as possible. Every collection Andira designs, imports or helps to produce is made using fair labor practices and contains no animal parts or products.

Thatta girl.

Rain Tees are available online at RainTees.com.

Julie Foreman Hayes, SELF Feature Editor
Julie is the co-author of Green My Parents, a sustainability manual for kids, a team member for green business giant Opportunity Green  and a writer and marketing consultant for all things healthy, wealthy and sustainable at Funnygreen.com.  She is a Los  Angeles native and is working daily on becoming a better vegetarian.