The following is a cross post from the PETA Prime website.

The following is a guest blog by Anna Ware, one of PETA's stellar volunteer activists. In June, Ware pulled together a great protest against Carson & Barnes Circus that she not only organized and participated in but also paid for! When PETA's youth arm, peta2, sailed into Atlanta along with the Vans Warped Tour, Ware again rose to the occasion and rounded up a group of volunteers to help staff peta2's information table and get the animal rights message out to thousands of attendees. We thought that what Ware did for animals and young people was truly inspiring, and so we asked her to share her experience with Prime readers:

My most powerful experience at the Vans Warped Tour came as we were walking into the arena with our PETA T-shirts on and two teenage girls ran up to us, screaming, "Where is the peta2 booth? We have been looking for peta2!" You would have thought we had on Justin Bieber T-shirts and were working his booth.

I had ordered thousands of silicone bracelets that say "Elephants Never Forget" as well as tons of "I'm an Ele-Friend" temporary tattoos. The kids loved 'em! We were so touched by the kids who were proud to be spending "their own money" to buy PETA T-shirts and other merchandise.

I cannot think of any other reason in the world to stand in 95-degree heat with 10,000 teenagers and music loud enough to make me turn into my mother ("Turn that down!") except to get the word out to these amazing kids about the ways that they can help animals. I am extremely impressed that peta2 has collected more than 100,000 e-mail addresses and signatures on its "Elephants Never Forget" anti-circus petition at the Vans Warped Tour this summer.

I was so lucky to have the help of a wonderful group of people who readily agreed to spend a weekday at an outdoor festival in the sweltering Atlanta heat. Thanks to Pam Host, Julie Robertson, Sarita Raturi, Elaine Phillips, Jane Berry, and Tiffany Cantrell! Especially Julie—rockin' the elephant costume in that heat is not for the faint of heart. Afterwards, we sat back and enjoyed some southern sweet tea while reflecting on our accomplishments. We are truly helping to create a kinder generation!

The following is a guest post from PETA Prime's Steve Martindale.

Cats, dogs, raccoon dogs, rabbits, and other animals are skinned alive in China for their fur. This fur is exported to consumers in the U.S. and abroad and often dyed to look like the fur of other animals. It's sometimes even deliberately mislabeled as synthetic! More than half the fur garments sold in the U.S. are imported from China, where more than 2 million cats and hundreds of thousands of dogs each year suffer through a miserable life and an excruciatingly painful death as victims of the fur trade. While other sources of fur are unconscionably cruel as well, few do as much as the slaughter of dogs and cats to shake consumers out of complacency.

The cultural and economic inertia driving the Chinese fur trade is daunting—but with your help, we can slow down this juggernaut through dedicated efforts to educate consumers about the true price of fur. We do see glimmers of hope, and you and I can take action right now in many ways. Our new Web site is helping to raise awareness about the cruelty involved in the bloody fur industry.

If you find yourself in fabulous Las Vegas this weekend and want to win big, be sure to roll by table number 459 at the Sands Expo Center.

There you'll find PETA Prime at the "Vegas@50+" conference, organized by American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Our booth features the many reasons to be "Veg@50+," including the following:

• We'll have three $50 Whole Foods gift certificates that we'll give away to eligible participants in our "Pledge to Be Veg" contest.
• We'll be snapping photos of visitors with our gorgeous Lettuce Ladies and Chris P. Carrot to post on PETA Prime.
• Free goodies! We'll have Primal Vegan Jerky, PETA pens, and comic books for kids.
• Oh, and PETA Prime blogger Lisa Towell, the picture of vegan vitality, will be there to discuss how her cruelty-free lifestyle keeps her fit, healthy, and happy.

Whether you're a baby boomer or part of Generation Y, the odds for healthier living are in your favor when you go vegan. It's a winning gamble!

Written by Karin Bennett