Group Offers Money to Help 'Fourth Dirtiest City in America' Ditch Its Muddy Reputation
For Immediate Release:
June 20, 2011
Contact:
Kristin Richards 202-483-7382
Memphis, Tenn. -- Today, in response to the news that Memphis has been named the fourth dirtiest city in America by Travel + Leisure magazine, PETA sent a letter to Dwan L. Gilliom, the director of the City of Memphis Public Works Division, offering to donate money to the city for general sanitation work in exchange for permission to place an ad on Memphis' garbage trucks touting the environmental benefits of going vegan. The ad would feature a sexy, bikini-clad Lettuce Lady and read, "Meat Trashes the Planet. Go Vegan. Free Starter Recipes: PETA.org." PETA points out that in addition to causing immense animal suffering, raising animals for food is one of the top contributors to the most serious environmental problems, including greenhouse-gas emissions and air and water pollution.
"Our proposal is a win-win solution: Memphis will be better able to keep clean, and people will be encouraged to adopt a healthy and humane vegan diet that won't dirty the environment," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "The meat and dairy industries are among the leading causes of environmental devastation, so the easiest way for Memphis residents to go 'green' is to go vegan."
For more information, please visit PETA.org.
PETA's letter to Dwan L. Gilliom, director of the City of Memphis Public Works Division, follows.
Dwan L. Gilliom
Director
City of Memphis Public Works Division
Dear Mr. Gilliom,
I am writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 2 million members and supporters—including thousands in the Memphis area. Memphians must be singing the blues after the city's recent ranking as the fourth dirtiest city in America by Travel + Leisure magazine. We'd like to help by contracting with the City of Memphis Public Works Division to place an ad on your garbage trucks featuring a sexy "Lettuce Lady" and reading, "Meat Trashes the Planet. Go Vegan. Free Starter Recipes: PETA.org." The ad would not only help cover some of the costs of these public services but also let residents knowed that one of the best ways to protect the planet is to take personal responsibility and go vegan.
Interest in "going green" is high—millions of people are making a concerted effort to decrease their carbon footprint. But many people aren't aware of the meat and dairy industries' devastating impact on the environment. The U.N. has stated that a global shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change and that animal agriculture is "one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global."
In addition to trashing the planet, the meat industry causes untold amounts of animal suffering. Chickens, fish, cows, and pigs feel pain and fear, just as the animals we share our homes with do, yet they are abused in ways that would be illegal if dogs or cats were the victims. Chickens and turkeys have their throats cut while still conscious, piglets have their tails and testicles cut off without being given any painkillers, and fish are left to suffocate on the decks of fishing boats or are cut open while still alive.
Getting PETA's awareness-raising ad placed on Memphis' trash trucks is a win-win situation for the city, the planet, and animals. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Tracy Reiman
Executive Vice President