PETA Celebrates Founding Father's Advocacy of Healthy and Humane Soy
For Immediate Release:
April 10, 2012
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
Philadelphia -- Dressed from head to toe in typical Benjamin Franklin attire and holding a sign that reads, "Be Like Ben: Discover Tofu," a professional Benjamin Franklin impersonator hired by PETA will hand out free tofu sandwiches to the lunchtime crowd at a busy Center City intersection on Wednesday. PETA's point? That Philadelphia's most esteemed resident was the first American to promote heart-healthy tofu—or "Tau-fu," as he spelled it in a letter to friend John Bartram—way back in 1770.
When: Wednesday, April 11, 12 noon
Where: Intersection of Market and N. Sixth streets, Philadelphia
"Benjamin Franklin was all about promoting good health, but cheese steaks and scrapple are now making Philadelphians fat and sick," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "Going vegan and switching to foods like tofu can save you a trip to the hospital, save an animal's life, and even help save the planet."
On average, vegetarians are significantly leaner than meat-eaters are. Also, the consumption of meat and other animal-derived products has been conclusively linked to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer, and, of course, obesity. The meat industry is responsible for the daily suffering and terrifying deaths of billions of animals and is also a leading cause of water pollution, land degradation, and the greenhouse-gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
For more information, please visit PETA.org.