Our Hen House: Vegan & Animal Rights Movement | Stories from the Frontlines of Animal Liberation

This week Jasmin talks to Elizabeth Young from Palomacy about the differences between pigeons and doves, the pigeon advocacy and rescue work of Palomacy, the myths about pigeons she is trying to dispel, including that they are “dirty,” and how a life-long love of animals guided her from UC Berkley graduate to the work of rescuing pigeons. She also gives us an overview of what pigeons are like and why they are “trending up.” Elizabeth grew up in Las Vegas, graduated with a degree in English from UC Berkeley, worked 13 years on the front lines of the war on poverty as a nonprofit director to reduce poverty and develop self-reliance, spent 6 years making educational toys and in 2007 became an accidental pigeon rescuer. Elizabeth has always loved all animals and had no special interest in pigeons when she began volunteering at the San Francisco Animal Care & Control shelter except concern when she learned they were coming into shelters but not getting out. They were the only animals who had no one helping them. All the others, the dogs and cats, rabbits and rats, parrots and snakes, farmed animals and wildlife, all had at least one rescue to help them. Elizabeth hadn’t intended to start a rescue but she helped a pigeon named Gurumina and then another named Rocky and… now with Palomacy, has saved the lives of more than 1000 directly and helped countless others across the country and beyond. www.PigeonRescue.org & @PigeonDiplomacy In the intro to the show, Jasmin and Mariann discuss some recent Saturday Night Live sketches about eating animals and the foie gras ban, Jasmin’s trip to Denver for her new consulting gig, and the queen’s decision to ditch fur! Later in the episode, Mariann brings us Rising Anxieties. We are now in our end of year matching period, so every donation you make between now and December 31st is doubled! If you’ve been thinking of making a donation to Our Hen House, or renewing an annual donation, do so today. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This week’s episode is brought to you in part through a generous donation from OSEA Malibu: the original plant-based, results-driven skincare line. Go to oseamalibu.com/ourhenhouse to receive $10 off your first purchase of $50! Offer will automatically be applied to your cart at checkout. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! The Our Hen House theme song is written and sung by the incredible Michael Harren, who is also OHH’s Director of Communications! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast.

This week Jasmin talks to photographer Daniel Turbert from The Sentient Project about working to capture the full perspective of how society treats animals, why he chooses to focus on photographing farmed animals, his recent work documenting indigenous tribes in the Amazon, and his new documentary Cows Come Home. Daniel Turbert is an award winning filmmaker and photographer, and the founder of The Sentient Project. He has worked with animal sanctuaries around the world using his photography to help with campaigns, raising awareness, and fundraising efforts. The Sentient Project was started in 2017, to share compassionate perspectives through  photography to promote greater awareness for both human rights and for the animals. From civil rights demonstrations to showing the kindness and compassion of animal sanctuaries, the Project has focused on using photography to help remind the world that all beings are sentient and deserve the utmost respect. Photographs from the Project were chosen for use in a 2018 campaign raising awareness of the cruelty of the dairy industry.   The photographs were shown in New York’s Times Square and in the NYC Subway System. In 2019, Daniel’s short documentary about a cattle farm turned animal sanctuary, called Cows Come Home, received numerous awards, including Best Short Documentary by the Anaheim Film Festival and the Social Impact Award at A Show for Change Film Festival. In the intro to the show, Jasmin and Mariann talk about the recent success for legislation in New York banning foie gras and improving working conditions for carriage horses, and the work that has been done to get to this point. They also discuss Mariann’s new teaching position, and Jasmin’s birthday! Later in the episode, Mariann brings us Rising Anxieties about the labeling of plant-based foods, and VEGAPHOBIA! We are now in our end of year matching period, so every donation you make between now and December 31st is doubled! If you’ve been thinking of making a donation to Our Hen House, or renewing an annual donation, do so today. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This week’s episode is brought to you in part through a generous donation from OSEA Malibu: the original plant-based, results-driven skincare line. Go to oseamalibu.com/ourhenhouse to receive $10 off your first purchase of $50! Offer will automatically be applied to your cart at checkout. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! The Our Hen House theme song is written and sung by the incredible Michael Harren, who is also OHH’s Director of Communications! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast.

This week Mariann talks to Stephen Wells of the Animal Legal Defense Fund about the early days of animal law and how the field is expanding with new classes at law schools, partnerships with law enforcement organizations and judges, and general interest from the public. We discuss some of the landmark cases for the field including cases establishing people can have standing in cases involving animals and allowing advocates to be able to intervene in Ag-Gag cases. Stephen also tells us about the challenges still being faced around legal reform for animals. Stephen Wells is the executive director of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. He has committed himself to animal and environmental protection and over the years, in addition to his full-time work, he has continued to volunteer his time for local organizations and projects. Steve joined the Animal Legal Defense Fund in 1999 and until 2006, Steve founded and served as the director of the successful Animal Law Program, which provides support and resources to law professionals and law student members and pro bono opportunities for attorneys and firms to assist the organization with its mission. He has created a highly efficient, passionate, and talented team at the Animal Legal Defense Fund and an environment where egos are out the door and everyone works together with one common goal: to end the exploitation and suffering of animals. He lives in the western woodlands of Sonoma County, California with his two cats. In the intro to the show, Jasmin and Mariann celebrate both Jasmin’s birthday and the California fur ban. They also address an email they received asking why podcasts need financial support. Later in the episode, Mariann brings us Rising Anxieties about the realities of climate change, the activism of young people, and the radical vegan agenda. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This week’s episode is brought to you in part through a generous donation from OSEA Malibu: the original plant-based, results-driven skincare line. Go to oseamalibu.com/ourhenhouse to receive $10 off your first purchase of $50! Offer will automatically be applied to your cart at checkout. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! The Our Hen House theme song is written and sung by the incredible Michael Harren, who is also OHH’s Director of Communications! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast.

This week Jasmin talks to Monica Klausner of Veestro about the reasons why she co-founded Veestro along with her brother and the benefits for plant-based eaters on the go, how the service is helping to combat climate change, and  The Wellness Ride — an 85-day plant powered bike across America challenge Vesstro is sponsoring with former athlete Richie Crowley to promote plant-based eating. For this challenge, supporters are asked along the way to donate a meal to help feed needy families, children and homeless individuals. The organizations that the donated meals go to have been pre-selected and events delivering the food have been organized across the country. The challenge started in Boston and will end in LA in October. Monica and Veestro have set up a 20% discount for Our Hen House listeners! Go to veestro.com and type in “ourhenhouse” (one word) for the exclusive discount. Monica Klausner is an entrepreneur and sales & marketing executive with a pioneering spirit, and years of experience scaling businesses from inception to record-breaking sales.  She launched her career in Sales at ADP, winning many top regional and national performance awards and accolades. Shortly thereafter, she found herself in the middle of the start-up world where she held lead sales positions with innovative media start-ups, including Bizrate/Shopzilla and LAUNCH Media, which was later acquired by Yahoo! Music. In 2013, Klausner and her brother founded Veestro, a gourmet, plant-based food company that has created major waves in the food technology space with annual sales more than doubling and at a current run rate of several million per year. In the intro to the show, Jasmin hands in the manuscript for her new book, Mariann has an arguably similar life experience, and Jasmin gets her flu shot. Later in the episode, Mariann brings us Rising Anxieties about the dairy industry banning vegan campaigns, fear of plant-based protein sources, and anti-meat “bullying”! As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This week’s episode is brought to you in part through a generous donation from BetterHelp. Use the promo code “henhouse” for a listener discount on BetterHelp’s services. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! The Our Hen House theme song is written and sung by the incredible Michael Harren, who is also OHH’s Director of Communications! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast.

This week Mariann talks to Grace Han from TACN (tacn.org) and  Plant Based News about the growth and development of veganism in China and across the Greater China region, her tips on being vegan in China, and what roles tech and design are playing in advancing the vegan movement. Grace Han is the Founder and Managing Director of UK charity TACN (tacn.org) and Regional Development Manager for Plant Based News. Grace got involved with charitable works for animals at a young age. Her dedication to the cause is driven by the vision of a compassionate society. Since 2012 Grace has helped, mentored and provided training to many local animal welfare groups and contributed to many campaigns that promote a cruelty-free and vegan lifestyle. In the intro to the show, Jasmin and Mariann talk about Jasmin’s recent trip to New York, their talk at Main Street Vegan Academy, Jasmin’s joy over how easy it is to find vegan food in New York, and the new vegan options at Disney World! Later in the episode, Mariann brings us Rising Anxieties about “McHypocrisy” from Extinction Rebellion, reducetarianism, and more! As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This week’s episode is brought to you in part through a generous donation from BetterHelp. Use the promo code “henhouse” for a listener discount on BetterHelp’s services. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! The Our Hen House theme song is written and sung by the incredible Michael Harren, who is also OHH’s Director of Communications! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast.

This week Jasmin talks to Amy Jean Davis of L.A. Animal Save about the origins the Save Movement and how anyone can start a chapter of it in their community, how bearing witness can inspire people to become activists, and the difficult but necessary experience of participating in vigils for animals on the way to slaughter. Amy Jean Davis is an animal rights advocate and the Founder of LA Animal Save, the Los Angeles chapter of the global Save Movement. Davis graduated Purdue University in 2004. After having become vegan in 2002, she started the Love Always Animal Sanctuary in the Los Angeles, California area. In 2015, she completed her certificate in Plant Based Nutrition from eCornell, and in 2016, Amy founded LA Animal Save, which is now the largest chapter of more than 600 Save groups worldwide. Amy also works with her partner, filmmaker Shaun Monson (EARTHLINGS, UNITY), creating films and other media for the animal rights movement. Originally from a small town in Indiana, she came to Los Angeles in 2008 as a top 24 Finalist on season 7 of American Idol.  Amy is vegan and raising her daughter vegan, as well. In the intro to the show, Jasmin and Mariann talk about the urgency of animal activism in the face of climate crisis, and our dear friend Jo-Anne MacArthur‘s new Masterclass! Later in the episode, Mariann brings us Rising Anxieties about an Adopt-A-Cow program, and Taylor Swift! As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This week’s episode is brought to you in part through a generous donation from BetterHelp. Use the promo code “henhouse” for a listener discount on BetterHelp’s services. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! The Our Hen House theme song is written and sung by the incredible Michael Harren, who is also OHH’s Director of Communications! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast.

This week Mariann talks to “Pete Paxton,” which is not his real name but the alias he goes by due to the undercover nature of his incredible investigative work. He talks about his new book Rescue Dogs, the heartbreaking story of Daisy the rescued dog, his history of undercover investigations, how adopting a dog in New York City can save a puppy mill dog’s life in Missouri, and the cultural, government, and legal connections between puppy mills and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Pete has done undercover investigations in the animal protection movement since 2001, investigating factory farms, slaughterhouses, puppy mills, pet stores, and commercial fishing. His work has been in the HBO documentaries Dealing Dogs, Death on a Factory Farm, and the Nat Geo documentary Animal Undercover. Throughout his life and over the course of his career he’s done organized and impromptu rescue of stray animals, abused animals, puppy mill dogs, animals abandoned at shelters, and animals in a disaster area.  His work related to dog rescue and dog cruelty investigations, as well as information on how to rescue and advocate for dogs, are detailed in the book Rescue Dogs, written with authors Gene Stone and Nick Bromley. In the intro to the show, Jasmin and Mariann talk about Jasmin’s recent NYC fundraiser, Jasmin’s vegan adventures in the British Isles, and Mariann and Jasmin at their area climate strikes. Later in the episode, Mariann brings us more Rising Anxieties. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This week’s episode is brought to you in part through a generous donation from BetterHelp. Use the promo code “henhouse” for a listener discount on BetterHelp’s services. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! The Our Hen House theme song is written and sung by the incredible Michael Harren, who is also OHH’s Director of Communications! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast.

This week we are featuring two interviews about investing that we hope you’ll find informative. First, Jasmin talks to Brenda Morris of Humane Investing about the differences between financial planning and asset management, how ethically-conscious investors can utilize their ethics when choosing where to invest, and the ways that people can use their money to impact the decisions of corporations. Brenda A. Morris is the founder and CEO of Humane Investing, LLC (www.humaneinvesting.com ), a fee-only financial firm dedicated to helping activists make money while making a difference.  She has volunteered with the Vegetarian Society of Richmond for two decades and has been a coordinator of the Richmond VegFest since 2003.  One of her favorite hobbies is giving out samples of amazing vegan food at non-veg events and watching people who have never considered going vegan consider it for the first time.   While she encourages anyone who cares about animals to invest in companies that do not support, cause, or contribute to animal exploitation and suffering, she hopes this “specialization” isn’t needed much longer as more and more companies move towards incorporating cruelty-free practices into their business models. Then, Mariann talks to Claire Smith of Beyond Investing about the U.S. Vegan Climate Index and how it helps identify ethically-friendly investment opportunities, how this work impacts climate change, and the challenges around getting people to invest in vegan companies. Claire is the founder of humane investment platform Beyond Investing. She is a vegan and environmentalist with 34 years’ experience in finance and investment at top-tier banks and investment houses, including UBS and Albourne Partners. Beyond Investing creates investment programs designed for animal advocates and climate-conscious investors in both public listed equity markets and venture capital. Beyond Investing is the architect of the US Vegan Climate Index, a stock index which screens out all animal exploitation and fossil fuel from a US market benchmark, and the sponsor of the US Vegan Climate Exchange Traded Fund (ETF). Beyond Investing focuses on early stage and growth companies that provide vegan, plant-based and cruelty-free products and services. Based in Switzerland, Claire is the founder of Beyond Cruelty Foundation, formed to campaign for zero animal exploitation and to fund safe havens for animals, which will also receive a portion of profits of companies under the Beyond Investing umbrella. Together with IT strategist Dhanesh Kothar, Claire co-founded the Beyond Animal integrated digital platform, which aims to accelerate the growth of the global vegan economy. Later in the episode, Mariann brings us more Rising Anxieties. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This week’s episode is brought to you in part through a generous donation from BetterHelp. Use the promo code “henhouse” for a listener discount on BetterHelp’s services. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! The Our Hen House theme song is written and sung by the incredible Michael Harren, who is also OHH’s Director of Communications! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast.

This week, Mariann talks to Leif Cocks about the foundation of The Orangutan Project, what it means to create a survivable environment for orangutans, the link between feminine empowerment and conservation, and why hope is over-rated. The Orangutan Project was established in 1998 by world-renowned orangutan expert, Leif Cocks. Leif is a passionate campaigner for orangutans and has been a key player in developing conservation plans for their protection and survival, including the first ever successful reintroduction of a zoo-born orangutan into the wild. A small population biologist and curator by trade; Leif has a Masters of Science studying orangutans and has worked for over 30 years to improve the welfare of orangutans in captivity and secure their survival in the wild. He lectures at universities, is a seasoned public speaker and has published three books, and several papers on orangutans in peer-reviewed journals. Leif is President and Founder of The Orangutan Project, President of International Elephant Project, President of International Tiger Project and Vice President of Orang Utan Republik Foundation. In his latest book, ‘Finding Our Humanity’, Leif delves deeper into what the great apes, our tribal past, conservation and a more philosophical approach to life can teach us about our humanity and presents an alternative perspective and deeper understanding of our place in the world. Available on Amazon. In the intro to this episode Mariann talks about the goings on at the recent Good Food Institute‘s conference in San Francisco; all the plant-based meat substitutes on display and their questionable names; the surprising innovations of John Harvey Kellogg; and the incredible story of vegan chef Omari McQueen who also happens to be eleven years old. Later in the episode, Mariann brings us more Rising Anxieties. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This week’s episode is brought to you in part through a generous donation from BetterHelp. Use the promo code “henhouse” for a listener discount on BetterHelp’s services. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! The Our Hen House theme song is written and sung by the incredible Michael Harren, who is also OHH’s Director of Communications! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast.

This week, Jasmin speaks with ultra-athlete Josh LaJaunie about becoming a vegan after years of being surrounded by hunting and a diet full of animals, how his desire to change his health inspired a change in attitude about food, and how he hopes to inspire others with his new book, Sick to Fit. A passionate advocate for eating plants and running, Josh LaJaunie has been featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America, People magazine, Runner’s World magazine, and the Rich Roll Podcast. Josh grew up in Thibodaux, LA, and proudly embraced all aspects of his culture: hunting, fishing, playing high school football, rooting for the Saints, and eating and drinking to excess. In his early 30s, Josh tipped the scales at well over 400 pounds. As more and more friends and family members suffered and died too young from chronic diseases caused by their diet and lifestyle, Josh woke up and decided to turn his life around. Through pragmatic experiments, Josh explored weightlifting, Atkins, paleo, and many other approaches to weight loss. When he began running, the first hundred pounds melted away like magic. When he adopted a whole food, plant-based diet, the second hundred disappeared. At under 200 pounds, Josh discovered a passion and talent for running, one that led him to appear on the cover of Runner’s World magazine in December, 2016. As his family, friends, and wider community observed the stunning changes in Josh, he became an accidental guide and mentor to others who wanted to emulate his success. At WellStart Health, Josh spends most of his waking moments pounding the drum of plants and running as a way to achieve a natural, non-diseased, authentic human existence; and swinging a giant sledge hammer at the current health paradigm that ignores lifestyle and simply manages disease once it arises. In the intro to this episode Mariann talks about climate anxiety, how it relates to animal suffering, and why the coping strategies around it are similar to the anti-nuclear movement.She also talks about how you can apply for the 2019 Siskiyou Prize for New Environmental Literature, sponsored by Ashland Creek Press and the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology. Later in the episode, Mariann brings us more Rising Anxieties. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This week’s episode is brought to you in part through a generous donation from BetterHelp. Use the promo code “henhouse” for a listener discount on BetterHelp’s services. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! The Our Hen House theme song is written and sung by the incredible Michael Harren, who is also OHH’s Director of Communications! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast.