VERDE @ FSU Vegetarians/Vegans Encouraging Responsible Dietary Ethics @ FSU

Please join VERDE and Peta2 for the Liberation exhibit. The exhibit will start Monday, Feb 15th and run through Thursday, Feb 18th. You can check it out @ Landis Green. Hope to see you there!

VERDE will be hosting the Liberation exhibit in two weeks, and we need volunteers to act as guides for the display. If you have time between classes during the days of Feb. 15 to Feb. 18, drop an e-mail to fsuverde@gmail.com or post to our discussion topic (on Facebook).

Liberation (by PETA2) aims to challenge the way people look at cruelty towards animals by examining the similarity of that treatment to past cruelty that has been inflicted on humans. The exhibit will be on Landis Green from Feb. 15 to Feb. 18.

If you didn’t get a chance to check out our site last week, here are pictures of the exhibit at several other schools:

http://blog.peta2.com/2009/10/liberation_comes_to_brown_univ.html
http://blog.peta2.com/2009/11/the_peta2_college_campaigns_di.html
http://blog.peta2.com/2009/11/college_update.html

Ringling Circus Protest
• This weekend, Tallahassee animal rights group, SAVE, will be protesting the Ringling Brothers Circus’ treatment of the animals used in their shows. The protests will take place at the Tallahassee Civic Center and will begin an hour before each show, the first one will start on Thursday, Jan. 28 at 6pm. E-mail Ashley at hello.kiddo@gmail.com for more info or visit the event page at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=277426467296&ref=mf

Due Process for Allegedly Dangerous Dogs
• FSU’s Animal Law Society will be bringing Animal Law adjunct professor, Marcy LaHart, to the FSU College of Law to speak about issues regarding Florida’s regulation and treatment of dogs deemed dangerous by the state. LaHart will be speaking on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 12:30pm in the FSU College of Law, Rm 103.

Radical Rush Tabling
• VERDE needs volunteers to table at the spring edition of Radical Rush (tabling fair for progressive groups at FSU/in Tallahassee). The progressive tabling fair will take place next Monday, Feb. 1 from 11am to 4pm on the Union Green, so if you have even a half hour to get the word out about the group it would be helpful. To volunteer e-mail fsuverde@gmail.com or respond to this message.

VERDE’s First Discussion Night
• VERDE wants your input on the schedule of our soon-to start discussion nights. At out first meeting of the semester, VERDE decided to begin holding nights dedicated to in-depth discussion of specific interests and concerns among local veg/vegans. Now, we need to decide when to have our first discussion (tentatively it’s planned for the week of Feb. 8), the following survey has been created for this purpose.
-See survey here (the survey will close on Friday night): http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HBFZ56V

Possible New Meeting Date
• We had several new faces at our meeting last week, so our meeting date will reevaluated through another survey.
-See survey here (this will close next Monday night): http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HPXX3XV

Liberation Exhibit
•It was announced that VERDE will host PETA2’s Liberation exhibit from Monday, Feb. 15-Thursday, Feb. 18. The exhibit highlights various types of cruelty inflicted on animals with 12 panels depicting these situations and frames the rationale given for this treatment in the terms given for past cruelty in human history.
-We will setup the panels as a walk through exhibit on Landis Green.
-To see pictures of the exhibit at other schools, visit our Facebook discussion board or fsuverde.com. Information about the exhibit was posted there on November 20th, under the title of “Updates”.
•Note: Links to pictures are also in announcement e-mails from November and December of 2009.
•A call for volunteers to act as guides for the exhibit was made
-We will need volunteers each day between 8am and 5pm to aid in setup/breakdown and addressing any of the viewer’s questions or concerns.
-If you are interested in volunteering please e-mail fsuverde@gmail.com with the title line, “Liberation”.

Vegan Cooking Classes
•It was announced that VERDE will be hosting a vegan cooking class with CPE and ESP in February. Further information will be given shortly.

Meatout Day
•There was a discussion about forming a committee for the Meatout Day dinner party event that VERDE will be hosting (with ESP) on March 20.
-So far, several people from VERDE and ESP have expressed interest in helping to plan the event but the first committee meeting has yet to be decided upon.
-Anyone who is interested in being part of the Meatout Day committee should e-mail fsuverde@gmail.com to be put in contact with appropriate people.

Discussion Nights
•It was decided that VERDE would begin holding monthly night get-togethers specifically for discussing issues of importance to vegetarian and vegan students.
-These discussions will replace the former second meeting of the month (we will no longer have biweekly general meetings).
-These discussion would serve as support and education forum for VERDE’s members, they will also introduce other interested parties to our group and help them better understand veg/vegan lifestyles.
-The first discussion night will likely take place in mid- Feb
-These discussion will be advertised similarly to general meetings, there will be Facebook event pages
•Suggested topics for our first discussion night were:
-Veg/vegan nutrition
-Environmental impact of being veg/vegan
-Relationship between sustainability and a veg/vegan lifestyle

Go to the movies with VERDE
•It was decided that VERDE would begin organizing group outings to attend local screenings of films that are of veg/vegan interest.
-These movie trips will be to screenings that are being hosted by other local organizations.
-These trips will serve as a way to support local groups that share our values while also getting to know other members in a social environment.
-These trips will be announced mainly on our Facebook and website
-We will try to head over to the screening together (walk, bike, carpool)
•Suggested nights for “Go to the Movies with VERDE”:
-Feb. 24, ESP’s (potluck and) screening of “The Botany of Desire”
-Sometime in Feb., Free Radicals’ screening of “King Corn”

Volunteering at the Animal Service Center
•There was a discussion about joining the Animal Law Society in volunteering at the Tallahassee Animal Service Center.
-The Animal Law Society usually goes to the Animal Service Center on the first Saturday of each month to help out with the animals (cleaning up, taking dogs for walks, etc)
-They have invited VERDE to join them on their next trip to the Animal Service Center, which is tentatively Feb. 13 at 9am.
-If anyone is interested in going to volunteer on Feb. 13, please e-mail fsuverde@gmail.com with the title line “Animal Center”.
•Also, if you are interested in Animal Law (protection and due process for animals) and you would like to find out more about the Animal Law Society, visit this page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=156422203962&ref=search&sid=630418410.1840903579..1

Recipe Collection
•There was a discussion about starting an online veg/vegan recipe collection for our potluck and general reference (also possibly for a future zine)
-A discussion topic for these recipes will be opened on our Facebook but recipes can also be e-mailed to fsuverde@gmail.com

Promotion Help
•It was announced that VERDE needs help advertising our activities
-A few people volunteered to help with flyering and chalking
-It would be ideal to split up areas (on and off-campus) and have people have were advertising VERDE activities in specific areas.
-If there’s a certain area that you can cover advertising for or you want to help with flyering and chalking, please e-mail fsuverde@gmail.com with the title line “Promos”

T-shirts
•There was a discussion about silk screening our own VERDE t-shirts
-More information on this coming soon

FSU Dining Options
•There was a discussion about possibly trying to resume campaigning for better veg/vegan options on campus
-We discussed drafting a new petition to show student support for these options.
-We discussed possibly working with the Heritage Party (they are currently trying to set up a meeting with FSU’s Aramark representative) on a campaign for better veg/vegan options.

The first meeting date for this semester will be announced shortly but in the meantime, here’s something you might be interested in:

The Women’s Center is hosting a lecture on food and nutrients. Professor Carla Reed, teacher of Religious Ethics and Food, will be speaking about the role of food and diet in our society. This lecture will take place next Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 7pm in SSB 214

Check out the event page here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=431870615053&index=1

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Food, Inc. screening on Wednesday, hopefully it was a good experience for you.

Also, while the semester is coming to a close we still have one meeting left, our November 30th meeting. At that meeting, it would probably be good idea to do some brainstorming for Spring 2009.
Some things we are definitely doing next semester include:
- A vegan cooking class (we will be teaming up with ESP for this)
- More volunteer projects (hopefully, at some animal shelters)
- Several fundraisers

We have also been presented with several other activity/event opportunities, such as:
- “Liberation,”  a peta2 exhibit that is visiting universities around the country. The exhibit challenges social norms by presenting cruelty inflicted on animals alongside cruelty inflicted upon humans in the past. Several panels illustrate how formerly acceptable practices towards oppressed populations relate to currently accepted practices towards animals.

Tentatively, they would be looking to visit FSU between March 15 – March 19 (2010).

To see what the exhibit looks like check the following article from Brown University: http://www.facebook.com/l/8c8d8;www.browndailyherald.com/animal-rights-activists-take-to-the-main-green-1.1931547 as well as this one from peta2’s blog: http://www.facebook.com/l/8c8d8;blog.peta2.com/2009/10/liberation_comes_to_brown_univ.html

- “Seeing Through the Fence”, a documentary by Eleni Vlachos that explores the role of food in modern society and our (lack of) connection with the sources (and animals) from which our food originates. The films looks at global concerns such as the environment and sustainability of modern agriculture while also asking the question: ‘What prevents ethical principles from being advanced into action?’

Vlachos is also interested in doing a Q&A after screening.

Tentatively, Vlachos is looking to visit FSU during February 4 – 5 (2010).

You can visit the website for the documentary here: http://www.facebook.com/l/8c8d8;www.porchlifeproductions.com

Share your thoughts on these works and whether or not you would like to see them presented at FSU/in Tallahassee. Try to send a response before Thanksgiving because the two opportunities are time sensitive.

If you have any other suggestions about events or activities that VERDE should hold next semester, send those in as well. We will include all of those suggestions in our discussion at the November 30th meeting.

Come check out a flick with us!

On Wednesday, November 18th, VERDE along with the Environmental Service Program and the Free Radicals Infoshop is hosting a screening of Food, Inc. The critically acclaimed documentary examines the environmental and economical cost of America’s food production through industrialized farms.

The screening will be preceded by a vegetarian/vegan potluck (at 6:30pm), so bring your favorite dish and some dining ware. The movie will start at 7pm.

You can RSVP on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=170090291073 .

Post-Meeting Announcements

Railroad Square Grower’s Market
There will be a grower’s market in front of Bread and Roses in Railroad Square this Friday, November 6, starting at 3:00 pm. Local farmers will be selling an assortment of produce.

Thursday Vegan Lunches
It was announced that the Infoshop holds delicious vegan lunches every Thursday from 11:30am-3:00pm. Anybody is welcome to stop by for some great vegan food.

Meeting Minutes
November 2, 2009

Vegan Cooking Class
The cooking class that a few people from VERDE and ESP are planning was discussed. The date of the class will be November 19. It was asked that anybody interested in helping out with the class, mostly in advertising, contact VERDE at fsuverde@gmail.com.

Movie Screening with ESP
Unfortunately, the screening of “King Corn” that was discussed in previous meetings will not be able to take place. Instead, it was announced that ESP wants to screen Food, Inc. at the Infoshop on November 18. Food, Inc. examines the large-scale food systems and agricultural production in the US. It was decided that VERDE would be interested in co-sponsoring this event.

Bake Sale Fundraiser
It was decided that we will do a bake sale fundraiser at:
•       The grower’s market in front of Bread and Roses this Friday. Kait will email them to confirm.
•       Market Wednesdays, starting next Wednesday, November 11.
•       The next football game day (November 21). Juliet will sit outside of her apartment selling baked goods.
Everybody is welcome to contribute to the bake sale. If you would like to help out by baking or selling, please contact VERDE at fsuverde@gmail.com with your name and times you are available.

Advertising of Meetings
The distribution of meeting fliers and further advertising for VERDE was discussed. It was decided that fliers will be distributed at:
•       Bread and Roses, All Saints Café, and the Infoshop by Kait
•       The flier office in the Union by Ralph
•       The International Center by Kai

Remainder of Semester
Any other ideas for the remainder of the spring semester, aside from the previously mentioned activities, were asked to be brought forth. It was decided that the bake sale, cooking class, and movie screening are enough to get us through the rest of the semester

Vegetarians/Vegan Encouraging Responsible Dietary Ethics (VERDE)

Post-Meeting Announcements

Market Wednesday Tabling
——————–
+ VERDE is now regularly tabling at Market Wednesday in the Oglesby Union Courtyard to get the word out about our meetings. Market Wednesday runs from 9:30am – 5pm, VERDE is usually only there until noon but we can stay longer if more people want to volunteer. We have fliers, VERDE created literature, veg literature from other sources, stickers as well as some new additions to the table (veg lifestyle magazines, Bread and Roses pamphlets). If you have some spare time on Wednesday come check the table or come volunteer.
-If you would like to table at Market Wednesday with VERDE, there are a couple of different ways you can sign up:
1. You can sign-up at a VERDE meeting, there will be sign up sheets at the rest of the meetings this semester
2. You can e-mail VERDE’s Outreach Organizer, Tricia (plg07@fsu.edu) with your name and time that you can table.
3. You can sign up on our Facebook page. Under our discussion tab there is a thread named “Market Wednesday Sign-up/Schedule”, just post your times of availability and you will be contacted about tabling.

Meeting Minutes
October 19, 2009

Guest Speaker from Bread and Roses
—————————-
Ryler from Bread and Roses gave a small presentation on the soon-to open, local veg/vegan friendly co-op.
Information about Bread and Roses can be obtained by visiting their site at http://www.facebook.com/l/6a1a9;www.breadandrosesfoodcoop.com/
- Note: VERDE has pamphlets on Bread and Roses and membership forms, please contact us (at fsuverde@gmail.com) or drop by our Market Wednesday table (where we be distributing them), if you would like some of these items.

Damayan Garden Volunteering
———————–
+ An update was given on VERDE’s volunteering at the Damayan Garden Project (on Litchgate) on Saturday, October 17. It was announced that VERDE and ESP (the Environmental Service Program) installed baby plants (there were hot peppers, bell peppers, lettuce, strawberries growing at Damayan among other fruits/veggies). The volunteering was further described as mulching, weeding and fertilizer sprinkling.

+ Further volunteering at Damayan was discussed. We are currently waiting on further detailed information on their volunteering opportunities. The following volunteering opportunities were announced:
- Wednesday afternoon gardening: Volunteers are welcome to come help out in the garden every Wednesday from 10:30am-2pm.
- Working on community garden in Frenchtown: Damayan regularly works a community garden in Frenchtown every Thursday.
- Cooking class with young Tallahassee students: Coming soon, Damayan will be holding cooking classes with children from the Boys and Girls Club.

VERDE-made Literature
——————
+ VERDE members interested in continuing VERDE’s veg literature campaigns shared their ideas and research for a pamphlet about health benefits and facts regarding vegetarianism/veganism.
- It is requested that all people interested in seeing, giving input on or helping with the VERDE health pamphlet, e-mail fsuverde@gmail.com. Through that e-mail you will be put in contact with organizing party.

Past and Future Fundraisers
———————
+ It was announced that 21 people participated in VERDE’s fundraiser at Rita’s Ice (on Thursday, Oct.15).
- Ideas for future fundraisers were discussed. There was a wide support the idea of having a bake sale.

Distribution of Meeting Minutes
————————
+ There was a brief discussion regarding the distribution of meeting minutes.
- The idea of only posting meeting minutes to VERDE’s Facebook and website was put forth.
- It was decided that VERDE should continue sending the minutes out to its Facebook members and mailing list subscribers.
——————–

We are having our last October meeting/potluck along with our first guest speaker on Monday, October 19 at 7pm.

Ryler from Bread and Roses (the soon-to-open local, veg/vegan friendly co-op) will be giving a presentation on the coming addition to the Tallahassee community.

We will also be discussing some of VERDE’s recent events (fundraising, Damayan Garden volunteering) and future activities (more volunteering opportunities, Veg Fest plans).

As always, bring your own dining ware for the veg/vegan potluck, cleaning supplies will be provided.

All VERDE meetings are in the International Center (where Krishna Lunch takes place) at 7pm.