Commentary/advocacy
Burns Foster Use your fork to protect the planet, animals This year marks the 45th routine abuses we perpetrate against the anianniversary of Earth Day, mals are so cruel, they would result in criminal the worldwide celebration of prosecution if those same abuses were inflicted environmental protection held upon the dogs and cats with whom we share on April 22. While Earth Day our homes. events often focus on pressurEgg-laying hens, for example, spend their ing lawmakers to stop global warming, the lives crammed inside barren wire cages so origins of the event were rooted in something restrictive they cannot even spread their wings, quite different. In 1970, Earth Day was, first let alone nest or perch. Female pigs on breedand foremost, about empowering individuals ing factory farms are typically immobilized in to take meaningful actions in their everyday narrow metal gestation crate stalls that prevent lives that collectively would contribute to the these smart and highly social animals from preservation of our planet. even turning around. So what are some simple steps we can take Without a doubt, what we eat matters. That’s to make a difference? Sure, we can use enerwhy, this April 22 is not just Earth Day — it gy-efficient light bulbs, install low-flow toilets also falls during U.S. VegWeek, April 20-26, a or switch to a hybrid car. But perhaps the nationwide campaign empowering people to single most important action each create a kinder, greener and healthier of us can take to protect the planet world by taking a 7-Day VegPledge. is to switch from a meat-based to a U.S. VegWeek was inspired by more plant-based diet. Maryland State Sen. Jamie Raskin The scientific consensus is clear, who was the first lawmaker to sign and it is time we consumers face up for a weeklong VegPledge in the facts: raising animals for food 2009. That pledge continued past Take the 7-day is a leading cause of pollution and the first week, and he now refers to VegPledge resource depletion. his vegetarian diet as “aligning my Learn more at According to the United Nations, morals with my menu.” usvegweek.com animal agriculture is responsible for Following Sen. Raskin’s lead, 65 nearly one fifth (18 percent) of all elected officials — including U.S. global human-induced greenhouse Sen. Cory Booker and 14 U.S. Representatives — have signed up for the pledge gas emissions, and “livestock are one of the in past years in an effort to promote sustainmost significant contributors to today’s most ability, community health and animal welfare. serious environmental problems.” The U.N. also reported that a “substantial reduction of Moreover, 16 jurisdictions have officially impacts (from agriculture) would only be posdeclared U.S. VegWeek in their communities sible with a substantial worldwide diet change with proclamations or resolutions. In the words of late Wisconsin Sen. Gayaway from animal products.” lord Nelson who founded Earth Day, “Our Similar conclusions have been made by researchers at the University of Chicago, who goal is not just an environment of clean air reported that the average American can do more and water and scenic beauty. The objective to reduce global warming emissions by reducing is an environment of decency, quality and their animal product intake than by switching to mutual respect for all other human beings a hybrid car. And according to the Environmenand all other living creatures.” Using our forks, each one of us has the power tal Defense Fund, “If every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted to help protect the planet and animals simply vegetables and grains … the carbon dioxide by shifting toward a more plant-based diet. savings would be the same as taking more than There are 52 weeks in a year. Why not make half a million cars off the road.” one of them meat-free? In addition to wreaking havoc on the Burns Foster is communications manager at environment, raising animals for food causes Compassion Over Killing. Promoting conscious immense animal suffering. Each year in the plant-based food choices through her position at COK United States, 9 billion chickens, pigs and fulfills what she considers to be her life’s purpose: to cows are killed for us to eat. Without adequate serve on behalf of those without voices. A vegan for laws to protect them, most are tormented for five years, Burns shares her home with her dog, Yoshi. months prior to slaughter. In fact, many of the Planted | 13
By the
numbers
7
Number of days people give up meat when they take the VegPledge.
9
Number in billions of chickens, pigs and cows killed each year for human consumption.
65
Number of elected officials who have signed up for the VegPledge in past years.
18
Percentage of all global human-induced greenhouse gas emissions caused by animal agriculture, according to the U.N.
16
Number of jurisdictions that have officially declared U.S. VegWeek in their communities with proclamations or resolutions. — Compassion Over Killing
ABOUT COK Compassion Over Killing is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that works to end the abuse of animals in agriculture and promotes plantbased eating. It was founded in 1995.