Will Boston Airport’s New Eco-Friendly Plan Mean No More Meat?
PETA Says Animal Agriculture Is Responsible for 51 Percent of Human-Caused Greenhouse-Gas Emissions and Wants Logan International to Kick Meat and Dairy Products Out of the Airport
For Immediate Release:
May 8, 2015
Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382
A new plan from Logan International Airport to curb the facility’s carbon emissions already has a ringing endorsement from PETA—as long as airport officials take the most effective step toward their goal: switching airport menus to all-vegan fare. PETA’s letter, sent today to Massachusetts Port Authority CEO Thomas Glynn, points out that according to the United Nations, a global shift toward a vegan diet is vital if we are to combat the worst effects of climate change.
“Airport officials are taking an important step for the future of the planet, so PETA is asking them to consider serving only those foods that require a fraction of the resources that animal agriculture uses,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA is standing by with chefs, nutritionists, and restaurateurs to help Logan set the stage for other airports by becoming the first to make this vital, lifesaving change.”
In its letter, PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—points out that the Worldwatch Institute estimates that animal agriculture is responsible for 51 percent of human-caused greenhouse-gas emissions and the University of Chicago determined that switching to a vegan diet is more effective in countering climate change than switching from a standard American car to a hybrid.
For more information, please visit PETA.org.
PETA’s letter to Thomas Glynn, chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Port Authority, follows.
May 8, 2015
Thomas P. Glynn
Chief Executive Officer
Massachusetts Port Authority
Dear Mr. Glynn,
I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 3 million members and supporters, including thousands across Massachusetts, regarding Logan International Airport’s proposal to address climate change through significant cuts in carbon emissions and energy consumption. We applaud your efforts to call attention to this critical issue. The United Nations recommends a global shift toward a vegan diet in order to combat the worst effects of climate change. We hope you’ll do something vital and set the stage for other airports by making Logan the first all-vegan airport in the United States. Logan already has a tofu bowl at UFood Grill, veggie sushi at Ryo Asian Fusion, and vegan hummus sandwiches at Così, and I’m sure there are more vegan offerings on site. This is a great start, and we also have chefs, restaurateurs, and nutritionists standing by to help you.
The link between climate change and animal agriculture has been extensively documented and is inarguable. Indeed, the Worldwatch Institute estimates that animal agriculture is responsible for 51 percent of all human-caused greenhouse-gas emissions. A senior climate and environment research fellow at the Overseas Development Institute says, “Forget coal. Forget cars. The fastest way to address climate change would be to dramatically reduce the amount of meat people eat.” We can all do something tangible by switching to plant-based foods. In fact, by going vegan, we can reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses that our diet contributes to climate change by up to 60 percent. Researchers at the University of Chicago have determined that switching to a vegan diet is more effective for countering climate change than switching from a standard American car to a hybrid is.
I’ve attached our “High Environmental Costs of Animal Agriculture” report, which highlights the latest available research on the environmental impact of the meat and dairy industries. It’ll provide you with helpful information on the environmental benefits of going vegan. Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing that Logan will be a leader on this issue!
Very truly yours,
Ingrid E. Newkirk President
