Species Unite

What's allowed the Beyonds and Impossibles and JUSTs of the world to do what they're doing was not subsidies, it was investment that they put into science and technology that allowed them to create things that weren't creatable before, because they just hadn't been tried before. - Michael Pellman Rowland Michael Pellman Rowland is back. He was on the podcast in the early days of the pandemic to talk about the happenings in the alternative protein space and to explain the Beyond Meat IPO – the most successful IPO since 2001. Since then, I have heard from a lot of you, asking who is next? So, I asked Michael to come back and talk about the next five plant-based companies that will most likely go public in the near and not as near future. He graciously gave me an in depth look at the companies that are on the verge of exploding as well as a couple that you might not have ever heard of. Michael knows and loves this space. He has been writing about it for years, primarily for Forbes. His articles are about the future of food, sustainable food startups and technologies, and all of the happenings in the plant-based food.

"We kept going through this logical exercise of how do we help more and more animals. And every single time the logical end point was - it's not dogs and cats, it's animals in the food system. It’s not a matter of tens of millions of animals. It's a matter of tens of billions of animals and hundreds of billions of fish." - Nate Salpeter What do you get when two tech geniuses start an animal sanctuary? The first non-profit sanctuary in the world to address the global impacts of factory farming across animals, the plants and the planet. Nate Salpeter and Anna Sweet are the founders of Sweet Farm, an animal sanctuary in Half Moon Bay, California, that links veganic agriculture, farm-animal rescue, and technology that is revolutionizing food and agriculture production. The technology initiatives that are happening at Sweet Farm are going to change the way that we eat forever. It’s the future of food. Everything that is going on at Sweet Farm is pretty astounding, but not terribly surprising when you learn that by day, Nate is a nuclear engineer and Anna is a computer scientist and the CEO of Bad Robot, JJ Abrams gaming company. Sweet Farm is also the home of Goat-2-Meeting, which Nate and Anna started when the sanctuary had to close to visitors because of the pandemic. Instead of going in person, people can invite the farm animals into their video conferences. Llamas, goats, cows, and others are still making appearances at meetings all over the planet.

The only way to help animals is to help people. Its humans that need to change, not animals. And I think it's the same way when we're talking about other issues in our society. It's about healing those who are causing violence, and it oftentimes can be easy to judge and persecute and sort of push aside people that are causing harm. It's more challenging to love them and to lead by example and to believe that everyone is doing the best that they can with what they have and what they know in that moment. - Milo Runkle . Some humans come out of the womb with a mission imprinted into their very being. Not often, but it happens. Milo Runkle is one of those humans. He was born in rural Ohio, delivered by his veterinarian father, and from the very earliest of his days, he knew he would change the word for animals. He was one of those kids who had a deep empathy for any creature that he encountered, an empathy that I think most of us have as children, but sadly are talked out of by well meaning (and very well conditioned) adults. Instead of being talked out of anything, Milo held on tightly, and rather than experiencing the slow, albeit unconscious, leak of animal-connected compassion that too many humans experience, his only grew. He became vegetarian at 11, and vegan at 15, which was the same year that he founded Mercy for Animals; which would later become the world’s largest farm animal and vegan advocacy organization, an international powerhouse that has indeed changed the world for millions of cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, and fish. It all started because of an animal abuse case at his local high school. He saw abuse and injustice and did something. Milo ran Mercy for Animals for nearly two decades, and is still involved - he is the Board Chair, but since he left his role as President, he’s started a new chapter, one that involves deep exploration – of the planet, of himself, and of what it means to live a life of service – one that is deep rooted in joy, love, and compassion. He is also the cofounder of the Good Food Institute, an organization that works to build a sustainable food system by supporting the development and adoption of plant and cell based proteins. And, he is the author of Mercy for Animals. One Man's Quest to Inspire Compassion and Improve the Lives of Farm Animals. Milo and I spoke a few weeks ago about what it was like to sustain decades of activism on the frontlines and what his life has looked like since - the expansion, exploration, and his ever widening circle of compassion. Milo’s love for the world and ALL who inhabit it radiates through his entire being, so much so that it’s contagious.

Beings who've succeeded on earth for millions of years, don’t seek, and should not require, our approval. They belong as well as we do. We do ourselves no favors by asking whether their existence is worth our while. We are hardly in a position to judge, hurdling and lurching along as we are with no goal, no plan except: bigger, faster, more.  If we had the courage to be honest about it, we would have to admit that whales and birds and apes and all the rest live fully up to everything of which they are capable. And we, regrettably, fall short of doing that. For them, to be is enough. For us in the isolating alienation of our title retreat from Life, nothing is enough. It is strange how dissatisfied we insist on being, when there is so much of the world to know and love.  Carl Safina, Becoming Wild    Carl Safina grew up raising pigeons on a rooftop in Brooklyn and hasn’t stopped interacting with the wild since. He is an ecologist and author who writes extensively about our human relationship with the natural world and what we can do to make it better. First step: we need to care. Carl’s books make us care. He advocates for every living creature out there, and is always graciously pointing out why animals matter, not only why they matter to us, but why they matter to themselves - something I’m pretty certain that most humans don’t think about often enough. In his most recent book Becoming Wild, How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty and Achieve Peace, Carl travels around the planet, exploring the cultures of chimpanzees in Uganda, sperm whales in the Caribbean, and Scarlet macaws in Peru. He shows us how other species teach and learn, and what life looks like in their animal societies, which is often as astonishing as it is spectacularly beautiful. His writing has won several awards, including a MacArthur Genius Prize, Pew and Guggenheim fellowships, and the John Burrows, James Beard, and George Rabb metals. He is the first Endowed Professor for Nature and Humanity at Stony Brook University and the founding president of the not for profit, Safina Center. He also hosted the PBS series, Saving the Ocean.

The COVID-19 pandemic’s ripple effects are broad; leaving virtually no industry, economy, or continent immune. As travel and tourism has been brought to a standstill, many wilderness areas are left vacant and workers left with the uncertainty of personal income. This “perfect storm” of conditions is leaving many endangered animals highly vulnerable to wildlife crime. – Beverly and Derek Joubert, Project Ranger   In the last 50 years, Africa has lost 90 to 95 percent of its large predators. We could very well witness the end of many iconic species in the next decade or two. It’s that urgent and we are in that much trouble. If we want to live in a world with lions and leopards and elephants and rhinos, then we’ve got to get behind those who are out there on the front lines. Beverly and Derek Joubert have spent their lives on the front lines. They are award-winning filmmakers, National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence, and wildlife conservationists who have made over 30 films while researching, exploring, and doing vital conservation work throughout Africa for nearly four decades. They've been on Species Unite before, and if you haven't heard their episode, go back and listen. Their lives sound like something from an epic film - romance, wild adventures, extreme danger, all fueled by a deep love for the wilderness and one another, and the stories that they tell are absolutely astonishing. But, today's episode is different. There is an urgent situation happening across Africa. Since the pandemic started and tourism shut down, there's been a funding crisis for wildlife rangers across the continent, and without the rangers, there will be no one there to protect the wilderness and the animals who live there. It’s already bad and on the verge of getting much, much worse. To prevent a full on poaching pandemic, Beverly and Derek have started an emergency intervention called, Project Ranger, an emergency fund supporting those on the front lines of conservation. The situation is dire and it's something that we all can behind in one way or another, before it’s too late. So, please listen and share this episode, share the powerful PSAs that the Jouberts have created, and if you are able, donate to Project Ranger.  

“…I checked into rehab and within 72 hours I was diagnosed with type two diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, erectile dysfunction, bipolar disorder, suicidal depression, anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive personality disorders, sleep disorder and ADHD.” – Adam Sud There was a point when Adam Sud’s life was completely out of control with food and drug addiction; so much so that he found himself cycling between amphetamine benders and fast food binges until things got so bad that he attempted suicide by drug overdose. Fortunately, he failed and immediately reached out for help. He got sober and transformed everything single thing about his life. He credits a huge amount of his recovery to a plant based diet and the connection he feels with all living things through veganism. Since then, Adam has dedicated his life to helping others transform their lives. He is a diabetes and food addiction coach for Mastering Diabetes, a program that focuses on reversing insulin resistance to master diabetes using low fat, whole food, plant-based nutrition. He is also an international speaker for the plant-based movement and addiction recovery movement. He has worked in recovery centers using plant-based nutrition as a tool for strengthening recovery and relapse prevention. And, he is also the founder of the non-profit, Plant-Based for Positive Change, a program that is dedicated to advancing the research of diet and mental health and addiction and is running the very first research study to investigate the effects of a plant based diet intervention on early addiction recovery outcomes. Adam firmly believes that the simplest change on your fork make the most profound change of your life and that self-love is the root of all recovery. His story is as extraordinary as it is inspiring. I hope that you learn as much as I did. Links – Plant Based for Positive Change https://www.plantbasedforpositivechange.org/ The Infinite Study https://www.plantbasedforpositivechange.org/programs-1 Adam’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/plantbasedaddict/?hl=en Adam's Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/plantbasedaddict/ Plant strong - https://plantstrong.com/adam-sud

"What's sad about it is… a lot of people think it's the norm… that's what I thought. Diabetes was something my grandmother had and my mom was pre-diabetic so I thought, oh diabetes and clogged arteries and high cholesterol, they’re just my destiny - that's a normal part of life because that's what I saw happening to everyone around me.” -Jasmine Leyva Heart disease, diabetes, and obesity have been rising at alarming rates all across the country, but the numbers are disproportionately higher in African American communities. There are many reasons that factor into why that is, but the fact that we have an unjust food system is a big one. Food desserts, regions in urban areas where it is difficult to obtain affordable and fresh foods, make it impossible for the people living in those areas to eat healthy and prevent diseases like those mentioned above.   Jasmine Leyva is an actress, a filmmaker, and the creator and director of The Invisible Vegan, a full-length independent documentary that delves into the complex issues surrounding the unhealthy dietary patterns in the African American community. The film shows how increased dependence on meat and fast food is rooted in the history of slavery, 20th century socioeconomic inequalities, and the rise of big food. And it explores on the health and wellness possibilities that can be achieved through a plant based diet.  The film is packed with information, history, stories of transformation, and interviews with African American vegans ranging from NBA legend, John Salley to Cedric the Entertainer to Stic of Dead Prez. If you haven’t already seen it, watch it. Jasmine is a force of a human being – she’s inspiring, wise, and incredibly thoughtful. I learned a ton from her film and from our conversation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Jasmine’s website https://jasmineleyva.com/ Jasmine's instagram https://www.instagram.com/jasmine_c_leyva/?hl=es Jasmine's Twitter https://twitter.com/jasmine_c_leyva The Invisible Vegan https://www.theinvisiblevegan.com/ The Invisible Vegan on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Vegan-Cedric-Entertainer/dp/B07WF9L1JM

When the pandemic first hit and tourism all over the world shut down, thousands of captive elephants across Asia went from being very much in demand to being out of work, meaning they are struggling and many of them are in dire situations. Whether these elephants are from places where their lives are really good, like certain sanctuaries, or from places where their lives are incredibly difficult, where they are forced to give rides, perform tricks and spend they rest of the day on horribly small chains, they have all been affected by the pandemic. Jemma Bullock runs a project called ELIE at Elephant Valley Project (EVP) in Eastern Cambodia. EVP is one of the very good places to be an elephant. These elephants live in the forest, eat whatever they want, aren’t ridden or bathed or used as selfie props, they don't have to do anything except be elephants. In normal times, tourist visit EVP but they don’t interfere with the lives of the residents. They go out into the forest and hike with the elephants and watch them in their natural habitat. It's a pretty incredible place. But, like everyone else, EVP shut down to visitors in March and until then, ecotourism was 90 percent of their income. To survive the crisis, they had to shut down their second sanctuary in Thailand, and have been relying on grants and donations. The fact that they can receive grants and donations makes them much more fortunate than most. I spoke with Jemma about life at EVP and what it's been like since the pandemic started. So far, 2020 at EVP has been a lot like many people’s year– unpredictable, difficult, and absolutely insane. Not only have they been navigating the loss of income, tourism, and an entire sanctuary, but they’ve also had some days (and weeks) that they barely survived – including a three-week stint with a wild elephant on the loose, stealing one of their females and sending the humans up into the trees.

Lauren Ornelas is the founder and the executive director of the Food Empowerment Project, a nonprofit food justice organization that spotlights the abuse of animals on farms, unfair working conditions for produce workers, and the unavailability of healthy foods in communities of color and low-income areas. She and I spoke earlier in the pandemic. She had just written an article on Medium called, We Are All Connected. It was written back in April, but it could not be more relevant now, with the demonstrations in our streets calling out systemic racism. “As many of us know, COVID-19 has just proven what we know: that racism and inequalities that exist for Black, Indigenous, and Brown people in this country are a barrier to success and living healthy lives. Our communities have been losing lives due to police violence, lack of health care, lack of healthy food, lack of clean drinking water, environmental racism, lack of living wages, and the list goes on; however, what makes COVID-19 even more dangerous is that these problems still exist and in some ways are exacerbated.”  – Lauren Ornelas, We Are All Connected Lauren has spent her entire life on the front lines fighting for human and animal rights. She went vegan and became an activist in the 80s, later she founded and ran the animal right’s organization, Viva USA, and in 2007, she started The Food Empowerment Project, an organization that operates from the understanding that we are indeed all connected, humans, animals, and the planet and thus, it only makes sense to fight for the whole package. Later, in that same Medium piece, she writes, “…but I am more determined than ever that we must truly fight the systems that have a role in how we got here.” And that is exactly what Lauren and the Food Empowerment Project are doing.

“There’s no question that Beyond Meat IPO was a watershed event. You cannot overstate enough how big of a deal that was, because before then you had a relatively small group of folks, including myself, leading the parade, cheering as loudly as we could, and largely falling on deaf ears outside of small pockets here and there. When that [IPO] happened, everybody on Wall Street started to take notice, not just because it went public, but it was the most successful IPOs since I think 2001 or something like that. And so, Wall Street, for better or worse, looks for where the money is being made and once they started to really look into the growth percent, the numbers in the plant based meat aisle - the success of the IPO, everybody started looking for the next one.” - Michael Pellman Rowland One silver lining that has come from the devastating Coronavirus pandemic has been the rise of the plant based meat industry. Business is booming. Sales of alternatives to animal flesh proteins have soared since the pandemic started and are now outpacing meat sales. This has been in part because of the meat shortage and in part because many more people have now been made aware of just how bad the meat industry is (extremely bad). They are looking for alternatives and, fortunately there are many. So, I asked my friend, Michael Pellman Rowland to explain the latest goings on in the alternative meat space, a space he knows well. He is a financial advisor whose specialty is around sustainability and impact. And, he’s been writing about it for years, primarily for Forbes. His articles are about the future of food, sustainable food startups and technologies, and all of the happenings in the plant based food world from Memphis Meats leading the way to being the first cell-based meat company to bring its product to market to Beyond Meat being offered at Starbucks (although sadly, not in the US (yet)). Michael is particularly excited about companies that offer innovative solutions to reduce the impact that agriculture has on human health, climate change, water scarcity, and the welfare of billions of animals, companies like: Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, JUST, Ocean Hugger, Califia Farms, and Good Catch. I learned a lot from Michael about many of these world-changing companies. He’s a wealth of knowledge, information, and advice; and, a really good human being.