High-Flying Turkey Prices Have PETA Saying, ‘Have A Very Veggie Christmas’

For Immediate Release:
27 November 2008


Contact:
Anna Sargent 0207 357 9229, ext 228; 0792 187 1019 (mobile); [email protected]
Sam Glover 0207 357 9229, ext 229; [email protected]


London – At a time when the economy is sliding into recession and turkey prices are expected to be as much as 75 per cent higher this Christmas than last, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Europe has a proposal which will save shoppers money, reduce climate change, make Britons healthier and save turkeys’ necks – go vegetarian.


Simply omitting meat from your table can lead to a better life for people, animals and the planet. To spread the word, PETA is rolling out a completely revamped edition of its “Vegetarian Starter Kit” – which is free of charge. The new edition will make it a cinch for anyone to make the transition to a healthy, humane and money-saving vegetarian diet.


The new “Vegetarian Starter Kit” is packed with delicious and easy-to-follow recipes and offers tons of tips and information about why going vegetarian is one of the best choices to make and how to establish eating habits you can feel great about. But no one need take PETA’s word for it – the “Vegetarian Starter Kit” is filled with testimonials from celebrities such as Russell Brand and Pamela Anderson, who share their reasons for switching to a meat-free diet.


Pamela Anderson, one of PETA’s biggest supporters, credits her low-fat, high-fibre vegetarian diet with contributing to her stamina and figure. Other veggie boosters included in the “Vegetarian Starter Kit” are Leona Lewis, Sir Paul McCartney, Alec Baldwin, Academy Award-winning actor Forest Whittaker, Joaquin Phoenix, Sadie Frost and Joss Stone. The reasons they outline for kicking the meat habit include the following:



The Earth: In a UN report titled Livestock’s Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options, scientists conclude that raising animals for food generates more greenhouse-gas emissions than all the cars, trucks, ships and planes in the world combined. So, changing your diet is vastly greener than changing your car.

Health
: Consumption of meat and other animal products has been conclusively linked to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, obesity and several types of cancer.

Animals
: Animal welfare laws vary widely from country to country, and even under EU laws, horrific practices are common. Baby chickens’ sensitive beaks are cut off – with no pain relief. Chickens are shackled by their legs, which often break, and their throats are cut whilst the birds are still conscious. Cows, pigs and other animals similarly suffer in factory farms and abattoirs.


“As people tighten their belts in the face of job losses and the rising cost of living, there couldn’t be a better time to go vegetarian”, says PETA Director Robbie LeBlanc. “Our new ‘Vegetarian Starter Kit’ shows just how easy and simple it is to be meat-free and have a healthy, humane, Earth-friendly and affordable Christmas.”


For more information and to request a free copy of PETA’s “Vegetarian Starter Kit”, please visit PETA’s website GoVeg.co.uk.