Destroy The TV!

I got a phone call a couple days ago and it was the guy from the television saying he wants to interview me about the awesome HELD Vegan Belts. I haven't watched tv in a long time but I guess other people still do so tune in Saturday morning between 9 and 11 to see my fabulous superstar face on channel 12 (Portland). Sure hope I didn't pick the wrong time to quit drinking coffee again.

If you aren't going to tivo this historic event here is what I'll likely say: "Look TV guy, if you buy any other belt you totally suck giant ass because these are the most sustainable ever! They are made from reclaimed material locally, and this material will outlast any other belt material so you wind up reducing overall embodied energy. We have a zero-carbon footprint and all the others are shit. You've taken up alot of my time TV Guy now I think you better buy a belt or Courtney here is going to cut you- got it?!"

I'll say something like that I'm sure, it'll be early and I quit coffee again so I'll be my usual grumpy self. I'm sure I'll be plastering it all over the interwebs too.

Come down to the market sometime to check out the new goodies from the HELD HELL line of functioning sm wear.

The Stories We'll Have...

After a horrendous application, review, and orientation process you can now find HELD Vegan Belts down at the Saturday Market. We started the last weekend of March and it's been rather fun and interesting. Courtney has been helping out volunteering part time and I can't begin to express how much she is helping. Facing all the anti-vegans at the market alone would have me sobbing on the floor. From the first day word spread quickly and we are known as "The Vegans." We have had some support but could use more.

I am really excited about having the word "vegan" so prominently displayed among the SAD crowd. The labels still have the blurb about 'Why Vegan' but I would like to re-make them with more snaz. We made a huge sign that is just asking for trouble but the SAD consumers are more timid than I thought they would be. It's a tough balance trying to just put the word out there and not scare people off. Courtney was saying they were scared of us cause of how we look; I suppose facial tattoos and piercings aren't as mainstream as I thought, let alone the all black clad with the Herbivore "Praise Seitan" hoodie. I wound up wearing my Food Fight! shirt over the hoodie but still scared the Standard American Dieter's.

Next month we move to a new and improved sparkly environ right on the waterfront. I'm looking forward to my riparian summer answering dumb ass questions about protein and honey bees. Please come down and lend some support- by support I don't mean money, I mean stop by and say you are glad we are there- it would be so much easier to not be there. Until a vegan food cart rolls in bring us a snack too! We do trades.

Saturday Market

HELD Vegan Belts will now be available at the Portland Saturday Market at waterfront park in old town. This means you will be able to buy our already inexpensive and totally fabulous goodies for less! Prices will be set but haggling is encouraged, trading too. We will try to start this weekend if we can be ready in time. Hope to see you there, its going to be a fun summer!

If we have made any money it has already been donated back into animal rights causes. $10.00 here $50.00 there it ads up pretty quickly. I haven't tabulated specifics yet but we have given more than we've earned mostly to animal sanctuaries. We'll have a table at the Let Live event and its going to be awesome.

Behind The Mask

We went to latest installment of the Let Live Series (previous post) and Shannon Keith presented information about the fur industry. She made the film "Behind the Mask" in 2006 and is now making a film called SKIN TRADE. We saw some clippage from the new film and looks even more compelling than her earlier movie. With her permission I posted Behind the Mask on Blip TV you can see it HERE. Its a 72 minute film so get comfy.

Northwest IDA Director Matt Rossell let loose some verbage on the matter as well. These events have been fabulous and we should see more people at the next one with Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

SKIN TRADE: Trailer

Let Live Series

Let Live activism series kicked off with Volume 1: Monkey Business. October 26th
From the website:

The first event is "Monkey Business: The Truth About Animal Testing and the ONPRC." If you have ever had trouble discussing the difficult topic of vivisection and animal testing, or need to brush up on your knowledge, this event is for you. Elaine Close (Coatlition to Abolish Animal Testing) and Matt Rossell (In Defense of Animals) will be discussing the bad science, bad treatment, and useless studies that surround the bulk of animal testing, focusing on the ONPRC (Oregon National Primate Research Center.) We will talk about what goes on at the primate lab, what you can do about it, and ways you can more effectively discuss this topic with others.

Matt presented an excerpt from the documentary Chattel, about 20 minutes and very informative:

Chattel (excerpt) from Food Fight! Grocery on Vimeo.

Melinda and I came away with a fabulous book for cost, Sacred Cows and Golden Geese and more useful information than you can shake a stick at. I highly recommend attending the next event- bookmark the site http://letlivear.blogspot.com/ and sign up for the email list not a spam thing at all.

http://letlivear.blogspot.com/

New sparkly belt

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade HELD.etsy.com

The wallet is worked out and looks fabulous. Herbivore will have them next week and Atomic Daylight the following week. I don't have pictures of the wallet yet, made from bike tubes like the belt- and discarded fabric and vinyl.
Here is that sweet new belt:

Welcome Home

HELD Vegan Belts is a tiny little workshop in St Johns on the Northernmost tip of Portland, Oregon right on the end of the peninsula where it is quiet & woodsy. We are supportive of our local self sufficiency community where gardening and craftsmanship are of greater value than one's ability to hoard wealth. We are a community of healers, food providers, teachers, & students.

HELD is a tiny little project where handmade items are produced using discarded materials that were on the way to the landfill but are now having a second go at life. The Life of various critters are extended or saved because when someone selects a leather alternative that lasts no one needs to die for their skin. Animal agriculture is a leading contributor to Global Warming and we don't want that. Besides, it hurts terribly to live & die in those conditions, right?

Because we are representing a larger group, just by caring for animals, we must ensure a high degree of craftsmanship. When we do turn a profit all proceeds go into Animal Sanctuary and Sustainability Workshops. It is clear why we must maintain high standards.

Our principles are firmly rooted in Ecological Sustainability, Feminism, Human and Animal Rights, Buddhist Philosophy, and Anarchism. We meditate on and practice concepts including; Honesty, Humility, Integrity, & Openness.

We welcome all forms of participation and dialogue, find us at the M3house.org