To celebrate "Make a Difference" Day—a national day of volunteering taking place on Saturday—we're offering you the chance to win a copy of the aptly named One Can Make a Difference: How Simple Actions Can Change the World autographed by PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk to help inspire you to make a difference for animals every day. 

One Can Make a Difference contains more than 50 original essays by "differencemakers," including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Sir Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Russell Simmons, Brigitte Bardot, and Oliver Stone. The book also makes the point that you do not need to be famous to impact the world—all you need is determination.

To enter to win a signed copy of One Can Make a Difference, leave a comment about what you are doing to make a difference for animals.

To pick up a copy of One Can Make a Difference right now for yourself or for a friend, visit the PETA catalog. Happy "Make a Difference" Day!

The contest ends on October 31, 2011, and the most inspiring animal-friendly comment will win. We'll contact the winner on November 1, 2011. Make sure that you read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting.

 

Written by Heather Faraid Drennan

There are two things I love about the new paperback version of PETA founder and president Ingrid Newkirk's book, One Can Make a Difference: How Simple Actions Can Change the World. First—and most importantly—it includes a brand-new essay written by none other than actor Mickey Rourke. In his contribution, which is exclusive to the new paperback version, the Golden Globe winner writes about his struggle to overcome his personal demons and about the six rescued dogs who helped him succeed.

"There isn't much worse than being a 'has been,' being used to sitting at the best table in the fanciest restaurant just by showing up, and then reaching a point where the restaurant won't even take my call," he writes. "It was a humbling experience for me, and the dogs were the biggest help in getting me through because I could see that the dogs from the pound are like me. Bad things have happened to them, too, and they bear the scars."

Second, the lighter version is easier to stick in my purse, so I can have it handy to read while commuting.

 

One Can Make a Difference now fits conveniently into vegan handbags across the country.

 

Other celebrity contributors to One Can Make a Difference include Sir Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Brigitte Bardot, and so many more. The new paperback version is available here, so check it out!

Written by Amanda Schinke

The following is a guest post from actor and animal rights advocate Brigitte Bardot. A dedicated activist, whose foundation to help animals has tackled issues such as fur, horse slaughter, and companion animal overpopulation, Brigitte was the first celebrity to stand up for Canadian seals. Here, once again, she speaks out against the sinister seal slaughter.

 

© Prestige/Getty Images

 

When, in 2003, some politicians and talk-show hosts called for a boycott of French products because of my country's politics against the war in Iraq, sales of French wine dropped by 26 percent in the United States in just a few days. This boycott may have cost French winemakers $112 million because of lost sales overseas.

There is little doubt that consumer boycotts hit where it hurts the most—in the wallet!

These massive ethical reactions from consumers can sometimes convince a government or a corporation to change the way that it does business. That is why I am supporting PETA's boycott of Canadian maple syrup until the Canadian government agrees to ban the slaughter of seals on the ice floes, the largest massacre of marine mammals on Earth, forever.

Canadian law authorizes seal pups to be legally killed as soon as they have lost their white baby fur, which happens about two weeks after birth. On the ice floes, the seals are bludgeoned, and some are skinned while still alive. Each spring, this vision of horror returns: The ice floes become an open-air slaughterhouse, where some pups are left in agony, their mothers trying desperately to revive their small bloody bodies.

This gruesome bloodshed has only one purpose: to fuel the fur trade!

Canadian officials are accomplices to these massacres and spend huge amounts of money to support this dying industry, which is a stain on their reputation in the eyes of the world.

This is why we must act and make Canada understand that it would be criminal, irresponsible, and economically suicidal to continue with the commercial seal slaughter.

The United States and the European Union have banned seal products, but Canada produces about 85 percent of the world's maple syrup―the maple leaf is even the symbol of this country.

As French wine was the ideal product designated by Americans to protest France's pacifist stance, maple syrup is the ideal product to boycott in order to protest Canada's aggressive stance.

Refusing to buy maple syrup so as to refuse to be an accomplice to the slaughter perpetrated on the ice floes can send a strong message to Canadian officials. That's why I am asking you to join PETA and boycott Canadian products to let the leaders of this country know that the seal slaughter is inhumane and disgraceful and that it represents a threat to Canada's economy.

I've been leading this fight for more than 33 years now, and I've already had some victories―with you today, we can win the final fight. I'm really counting on you!

Written by Brigitte Bardot

Here's what Jeff says about this week's masterpiece: "The strip is based on the sad measures that officials have to take in order to protect rhinos from poachers. And a little depravity thrown in for good measure."

He also let me know that, in honor of Earth Week, he sprayed this strip with 50 percent less pesticides. Which was very noble of him, I thought. Anyway, this one's a zinger—enjoy!

Click for a larger version

To check out the archives of past strips, click here.

askmen/Creative Commons

I got the following e-mail yesterday from PETA Director Michael McGraw, who was in Paris to accompany Pamela Anderson after she was asked to fill in at Brigitte Bardot’s annual press conference to protest the Canadian seal slaughter. Brigitte Bardot has been an advocate for animal rights since before most people had even heard of the concept, and she has some mighty big shoes to fill—but if there’s anyone in the world who can do it, it’s Pam. Here’s how it all went down, according to Michael:

If you want to know what all the fuss is about, you can watch the footage Pam screened for press (and sign a petition asking the Canadian government to stop the seal hunt) here, and there are a few pics from the event here. Thank you Pam and Brigitte!