DJ, Musician Moby Tells Drought-Shamed Californians To Skip Showers So They Can Eat Beef 'Responsibly'
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- California's drought is serious and the state's uber-thirsty beef industry is taking a huge hit.
Now, the Grammy Award-winning DJ, musician and very vegan artist Moby is the face of a new campaign that let's folks 'have their steak and eat it, too,' even in these drought-shaming times.
Just skip showers.
Skip Showers For Beef is a grassroots movement borne from the premise that every four ounces of beef takes about 450 gallons to produce, the equivalent of 26 showers.
The organization reached out to eco-conscious Moby to help get their message across: stop showering.
In a new black and white video, Moby tells human carnivores with a note of hipsteresque honesty, "It is possible to enjoy your meat responsibly."
He says skipping your shower might sound ridiculous, "but in face of this historic drought we all need to think outside the box."
Co-Founder Tom Bransford's family has been a part of California's cattle ranching business for 3 generations. He's sensitive to all the criticism his industry is getting because of its heavy water footprint. After all, agriculture accounts for 80% of the water consumption in the state, and cattle soak up about 80 billion gallons in just one month.
"These numbers are frightening people," he told Think Progress.org. "What we wanted to do was counter that sort of statistic and say, if you want to keep eating beef, there's an alternative."
Organizers for Skip Showers for Beef dressed up in cow costumes and handed out pamphlets in Los Angeles last weekend to spread the word.
You can download their 'Waterless Hygiene Guide' on the website for tips on how to stay clean while you enjoy "guilt-free beef."
For example, baby powder can be used for dry showers and to freshen clothes. Wash hair with dry shampoo. Pop your your jeans into the freezer for 12 hours to kill bacteria and eliminate odors. To minimize the body funk that can accumulate over time, avoid spicy foods.
All beef aside, the notion of not showering is nothing new. The French have eschewed bathing for centuries. According to the Daily Mail, one in 29 French people say they don't even take a shower once a week.
So, will Moby be skipping his showers à la française?
No.
"I won't," he says with a wink. "I don't eat meat, but you can. Go for it. Change happens one shower at a time."
