PETA Asks Amtrak to 'Offset' Beef-Based Fuel by Placing Pro-Vegan Ads on Train

Animal Agriculture Harms Environment, Says Group

For Immediate Release:
April 30, 2010

Contact: 
Michael Lyubinsky  757-622-7382      

Oklahoma City -- After learning that Amtrak is conducting tests of a beef tallow-based biodiesel fuel on its Heartland Flyer route between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, PETA has dispatched a letter to Joseph Boardman, Amtrak's president, CEO, and director, offering to pay to wrap the train with an ad touting the environmental benefits of a vegan diet. The ad would read, "Go vegan. Get on track to save the planet! PETA." In the letter, PETA points out that in addition to causing immense animal suffering, animal agriculture is a leading cause of greenhouse-gas emissions, so a fuel made from cows is anything but ecologically sound.

"There aren't enough carbon offsets to undo the environmental damage that factory farms cause, but Amtrak can help 'offset' its ill-advised decision to use beef-based biodiesel by sending a message about the benefits of going vegan," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "No industry threatens the planet more than factory farming, so if you really want to go green, you should go vegan."

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA's letter to Joseph Boardman, Amtrak's CEO, president, and director, follows.

April 29, 2010

Joseph Boardman
President, CEO, and Director
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)

Dear Mr. Boardman:

I'm writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 2 million members and supporters regarding the train in Oklahoma that is being test run using biodiesel made from beef tallow. While we appreciate the intent, burning a product that comes from the environmentally destructive meat industry sidesteps the bigger problem: raising farmed animals is a leading cause of climate change and other environmental problems. To make that point, we'd like to pay for an ad (attached) that would wrap around the Heartland Flyer train and read, "Go vegan. Get on track to save the planet! PETA."

Meat and dairy production are major contributors to many environmental problems. Cattle produce methane, a greenhouse gas with 21 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide; a single animal can produce 25 to 130 gallons of methane per day. Millions of people are making a concerted effort to decrease their carbon footprint by using energy-efficient light bulbs or converting their cars to biodiesel. But many people simply aren't aware that the most effective change that they can make is ditching meat and dairy products in favor of vegan meals. Researchers at the University of Chicago concluded that switching from a standard American diet to a vegan diet is more effective in the fight against climate change than switching from a standard American car to a hybrid.

In addition to harming the planet, the meat and dairy industries cause massive animal suffering. Cattle, for example, are castrated, branded, and dehorned without being given any painkillers, and they are often dismembered in slaughterhouses while they're still conscious because poorly functioning bolt guns fail to stun them.

Placing PETA's sexy ad on the Heartland Flyer would get Amtrak passengers on board with protecting the environment, animals, and their own health by going vegan. Please contact me to discuss our proposal. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Tracy Reiman
Executive Vice President