The Website The Meat Industry Doesn't Want You To See

Considering going vegetarian or vegan?  Just want to see where your meat truly comes from?  Then you should check out http://www.meat.org/, the website the meat industry doesn't want you to see.  The idea of the website is simple, meaning it's easy to use...spread the word about the meat industry...the TRUTH about the meat industry, that is.  For those who are skeptical, or think this was just started by some supremist group, you should watch any of the many videos provided on the site as proof of how the meat industry treats animals, or check out the one below.


Find out more at Meat.org.

So...that's pretty much the gist of it.  In addition to the videos it has to watch, the site is specifically designed to spread word of what you find out on social networking sites, such as facebook and myspace, or email, if that's your preferred method of delivery.

If you find yourself disturbed by the truth you see in the videos on this site, but you're not quite sure you can make the transition to the vegetarian lifestyle, then why not try out their 30 day vegetarian pledge, featured below, like I did?  And to help with your transition, they offer a free vegetarian starter kit on the site, or you can find it here:  http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/free-vegetarian-starter-kit.aspx

<3 and peace, Helena

McCruelty

Did you know....in the slaughterhouses of McDonald's (http://www.mcdonalds.com/) U.S. and Canadian chicken suppliers, birds are dumped out of their transport crates and hung upside down in metal shackles, which can result in broken bones, extreme bruising, and hemorrhaging. Workers have the opportunity to abuse live birds, and birds have their throats cut while they are still conscious. Many birds are immersed in tanks of scalding-hot water while they are still alive and able to feel pain.  This is why PETA's McCruelty campaign is one of my favorites.  Don't believe me?  Watch the video below for proof (warning: not for weak stomachs)....


McCruelty: I'm Hatin' It--Learn More.

Many think People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA (http://www.peta.org/) is an extremist group who villainizes anyone who doesn't conform to their standards of living (going vegan or vegetarian), but as long as I've been a member, I've never been pushed into a direction I didn't believe in, even when I wasn't ready to make the vegan switch yet.  For the purposes of their McCruelty campaign (http://www.mccruelty.com/), they aren't trying to eliminate McDonald's altogether (for those of you who are absolutely unwilling to change their meat-eating ways), they're just trying to provide more humane alternatives to how they kill the animals, which as one of the largest sellers of chicken meat, I'd say that's their corporate responsibility.

To sign up for McCruelty updates: http://www.mccruelty.com/signUp.aspx
To make your own McCruelty sign: http://www.mccruelty.com/generator.aspx
To take the McCruelty Facebook challenge: http://www.mccruelty.com/facebook.aspx
Ways to share the McCruelty campaign: http://www.mccruelty.com/share.aspx
To play PETA's new Super Chick Sisters game: http://www.mccruelty.com/SuperChickSisters.aspx
What you can do to help: http://www.mccruelty.com/whatYouCanDo.aspx
Take action: https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1696
Part of PETA's street team?  Want more points?  Check out what more you can do for the McCruelty campaign here: http://www.peta2.com/TAKECHARGE/t-McCrueltyActions.asp

<3 and peace, Helena

PETA Advertisements

I love the simplicity of these ads for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

<3 and peace, Helena

PETA2

Another group whose work I'm passionate about is PETA's (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) Street Team Program (http://www.peta2.com/), aimed at teens and college students.  By joining the street team, every action you take for animals, earns you points which can be exchanged for cool merchandise...sweatshirts, notebooks, DVDs, books, stickers, etc. can all be found in both their store and on the Street Team prize list (http://streetteam.peta2.com/public/team_view.cfm?option=redeem&actionid=531).

Some more reasons I love working on PETA2's website:
-  they give you all the tools you need to be a DIY activist  (http://www.peta2.com/TAKECHARGE/t-diyact.asp)
-  you can chat with others on the boards (http://streetteam.peta2.com/public/folder_view.cfm?pageid=341&option=view_topics&actionid=531)
-  they have an area specifically for college activism (http://www.peta2.com/COLLEGE/index.asp)
-  they have their own cool games (http://www.peta2.com/OUTTHERE/index.asp)
-  they are backed by TONS of celebrities (http://www.peta2.com/OUTTHERE/index.asp)
-  they have a section for those with only a little time to spare for activism (http://blog.peta2.com/minute_mission/)
-  they have a section for those who live online (http://www.peta2.com/TAKECHARGE/t-onlineact.asp)

Some common misconceptions about PETA:
-  members throw pies (or fake blood) at people in fur...actually, PETA as an organization always preaches politeness and legal means of switching people off to the idea of meat/ fur/ etc.
-  all members are vegan (no meat, eggs, or dairy)...actually, PETA understands that there are different paths to the same place, which is the ETHICAL treatment of animals.  Maybe you like eating out, but you want to know that your meat was killed humanely...you could help sign a petition to get McDonald's or KFC to kill their animals using Controlled Atmospere Killings (CAK), which is WAY more humane, and still enables you to eat meat.
-  PETA members are out to shut everything down...actually, PETA only strives to make conditions for animals more ethical.
-  members are irrational and close-minded...for this one, I would invite you to check out the PETA2 Street Team boards and see for yourself that members are as diverse as any other organization.  You get people from all genders/ walks of life/ countries who are passionate about helping animals.
-  we all push hot button issues...if you call wanting humane conditions for animals a "hot button" issue, then yes!  We do and I'm proud of it!

So, come and check out PETA's site, and if you decide to join the Street Team, use me (Jessica Hopkinson at monalisa8664@yahoo.com) as your referral, and we'll both win!!!  :)

<3 and peace, Helena

GET YOUR FREE PETA GOODS AT:  http://www.peta2.com/livevegpak.asp
see my PETA2 profile at:  http://streetteam.peta2.com/public/folder_view.cfm?option=view_profile&pageid=341&folderid=5140&postid=3319556&personalid=612790