Congratulations are in Order! November 19, 2009

Posted by Megan Rondeau at November 19, 2009 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

Last night's star-studded MTVU Woodie Awards proved to be quite the event yet again. Appearances from Pete Wentz, Zooey Deschanel, Leighton Meester, and David Cross made the Roseland Ballroom in NYC the place to be last night. Perhaps the most memorable moment of the evening came from Christofer Drew (a.k.a. Never Shout Never). His acceptance speech for the coveted Breaking Woodie award consisted of just four words—"power to the people!" Well said Christopher!

Christofer Drew repping the peta2 Free For All T-shirt

Another friend of peta2 won an award last night: Tech N9ne (who our tour crew has been traveling the country with). Taking home the Left Field Woodie, he beat out stiff competition like Janelle Monae and Major Lazer.

Congrats to all the winners! I think we should get MTV to introduce a new category next year—Best Nugget in a peta2 Video Woodie. They'd totally go for that, right?

Win a Skate Deck from Pep Williams November 18, 2009

Posted by Megan Rondeau at November 18, 2009 12:44 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 16 ) | TrackBack

Over the years peta2 has brought you interviews, contests, and PSAs from a number of different extreme sports athletes. Everyone from X Games gold medalist Paul Rodriguez to MTV prankster turned movie producer Rob Dyrdek to world renowned motocross star Carey Hart. Today I'm psyched to introduce Pep Williams. Pep is truly old school, holding it down as a Third Generation Dog Town skater. Check out our Q&A with Pep Williams, and enter to win a limited edition skate deck!

1. Tell us a little bit about where you're from and what you do.
I was born and raised in Los Angeles, and I'm a professional skateboarder and photographer.

2. What made you want to get involved with PETA?
I went to the pound with my friend looking for a dog. She picked a cool lil dog and she was happy. I was talking to one of the staff and I asked what happens if they aren't adopted. He said they are put to sleep. I felt sick to my stomach; couldn't believe it. The cats and dogs were so healthy. So I decided to try and help in some way, so I reached out to PETA to learn more.

3. Of all of the major animal rights issues what issues are particularly close to your heart?
It all hits close to home, but you will never see me in fur. When I see people in them (fur coats) I just get a cringe in my stomach.

4. As someone who lives on the coast of California and is exposed to lots of marine life, what are your thoughts on the Canadian seal hunt and the fact that every year hundreds of thousands of seals are legally killed for their skins?
I see seals every day. I live by the beach and hear them every morning. I watch them fish. It's a very calming thing to see. Dolphins show up sometimes as well. I think it sucks they are hunted legally. They are such peaceful and playful animals. Anything I can do to help them or any animal I'll be first in line!

5. What advice would you give to young people who might just be getting into skateboarding?
The best advice I can give someone about getting into skateboarding is to just hop on and roll. Just enjoy the flow and cruise.

6. What advice can you give fans of yours who want to be more involved in animal rights?
If you have ever cared about a pet or any animal please find time to somehow find a way to help the ones that don't have homes and are being killed by the thousands daily. Go to PETA and you will learn a lot. I did.

7. What are you working on and what projects do you have coming up that we can check out?
I'm working with my sponsors on putting out new products. I have a new Pro Model on Miramar Longboards that just came out and also a new line of skateboard wheels on Sublime Wheels. Also on the photography side of things, I'm working on a photography book and doing gallery shows. You can see my work on my website and MySpace.

For your chance to win the limited edition, custom designed, Pep Williams skate deck pictured above, leave a comment with why you first wanted to get involved with peta2! The person with the most convincing answer will be chosen and notified on November 25.

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Also by commenting, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions.

Win the New FOB CD! November 17, 2009

Posted by Megan Rondeau at November 17, 2009 1:16 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 24 ) | TrackBack

Today is a bittersweet record release day. On the one hand, one of my all time favorite bands is releasing a new record, but ... it's a "greatest hits" album and their last before they go on what some have speculated to be quite a long break. If you haven't guessed yet, I'm talking about Fall Out Boy. Only a few years ago they were just 4 dudes from the suburbs of Chicago playing crappy pop punk in nearly empty VFW halls. Today it's no stretch of the imagination to say that they're one of the biggest bands in the world. And they've been supportive of peta2 from the get go! With long-time vegan Andy Hurley behind the kit, it's not surprising that he's spoken out about the cruelty of KFC and the benefits of a vegan diet.

So in honor of these princes of pop punk who I still adore despite the glitz and glamour and absurdity of it all, we're giving away 2 copies of their new album, Believers Never Die. For your chance to win, leave a comment with the best Fall Out Boy show you've been to. And if you haven't seen them live, make something up! Two winners will be chosen at random and notified on November 24.

I'll kick things off! Of the ridiculous amount of FOB shows I've been to, I don't know if I have a solid favorite, but I'd have to say that the show with The Reunion Show in Atlanta in 2003 is definitely memorable!

Just so you know ... by commenting here, you're acknowledging that you've read and agreed to our privacy policy.

Also by commenting, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions.

Nugget Speaks Out Against McCruelty! November 2, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi at November 2, 2009 8:58 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 24 ) | TrackBack

Here's the latest way for you to take action against McCruelty!

Step 1. Print out this cute Nugget and letter to McDonald's.

Step 2. Since chickens can't speak in their own defense (at least not in a way we can understand), write your own message in the speech bubble for them! Some suggestions include, "I Am Not A Nugget," "McCruelty Sucks," and "Help Me!" But be as creative (just keep it polite!) as you'd like!

Step 3. Sign your name to the bottom of this letter!

Step 4. Take a picture of you with Nugget speaking up for animals and e-mail it to us at StreetTeam@peta2.com to get 2,500 Street Team points!

Step 5. Mail your Nugget and letter to McDonald's! The address is on the file you printed out!

We'll feature some of our favorite photos on upcoming blogs, too, so make sure you send those in as soon as possible!

It's Almost Halloween!! October 30, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi at October 30, 2009 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 9 ) | TrackBack

Are you excited? What are you going to be for Halloween?

Here are some pictures I thought you'd enjoy ...

Zoe dressed like a turtle.


A McCruelty protest in Virginia!


A protest in Arizona!

Did you have a party at school? Any cool photos of your costume? Let us know!

Remember there's still time to carve a pumpkin or make some amazing vegan treats for Halloween. Yes!!!

Travis Barker is Veg Again October 28, 2009

Posted by Megan Rondeau at October 28, 2009 2:58 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 5 ) | TrackBack
hollywoodismyhood / CC

We try to stay on our toes with the all the latest Blink 182 news, and today I'm happy to report that in a recent interview Travis Barker stated that he's back to being vegetarian and is "almost full blown vegan"! A longtime vegetarian, Travis fell off the proverbial wagon after sustaining serious injuries in a plane crash last year.

Fresh off Blink 182's sold out reunion tour, he's healthy as can be and back to being meat-free! He's even kicking it up a notch by ditching the dairy, saying that "once you find out all the crazy stuff with dairy, you'd probably second-guess it too." I'd say so!

Glad to have you back on the team Travis!

Do You Need A Job? October 27, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi at October 27, 2009 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 15 ) | TrackBack

If you're looking for a job in animal rights, you're in luck. PETA and the PETA Foundation have lots of jobs open right now! Do you really want to pass up an opportunity to get paid to help animals, work in an office with some of the cutest dogs on the planet, and enjoy an all-vegan vending machine?

Want to work in peta2? We've got openings for Youth Outreach Operations Assistant, peta2 Blog Coordinator, and so many more! PETA is also on the look out for investigators, veterinarians, and cruelty caseworkers.

Is your thing more along the lines of being an expert with graphic design, computers, or fundraising? If so, the PETA Foundation has a lot of openings, too!

All the details are posted here.

If you're not quite ready for a job, don't forget that we do have internships!

Take a look at the list of jobs and you'll be amazed at all the ways you can start a career in animal rights. Who knows, you just might find yourself on our list of staff sometime soon!

"Cut Out Dissection" Action of the Week: Get Creative! October 26, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi at October 26, 2009 1:24 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack

If you love animals and hate dissection, this action of the week should be easy for you.

We'll give you 1,000 Street Team points just for sending us an example of something creative you've done to raise awareness about the dissection industry. You might bake some vegan cookies shaped like frogs, make your own "Cut Class, Not Frogs" shirt or bag with this stencil (we can also send you one for free if you earn enough Street Team points), write a poem about why the dissection industry sucks, record yourself freestyle rapping on behalf of the animals, or paint something related to dissection.

Honestly, do whatever is fun, legal, and makes sense to you. Then e-mail us at StreetTeam@peta2.com with what you've done and we'll give you 1,000 Street Team points!

Here are some pictures to inspire you ...

Photobooths are more fun when you're wearing peta2 stickers!


A+ for nice use of a prop!


DIY bag.

What's that? You don't believe that anyone would write a creative poem about dissection? Well, what do you call this?

Cutting up animals in school is dumb.
I don't see how anyone
could take a scalpel to a cat.
Or to a pig, frog, or rat.

It's really sad that animals die.
I wish schools would just try
alternatives since they teach so much better.
And you won't be spilling animals' blood on your sweater!

OK, let's see what you've got! Oh, and don't forget our new leaflets!

5 Questions with Sleeping at the End of the World October 26, 2009

Posted by Megan Rondeau at October 26, 2009 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 ) | TrackBack

I'm a little tired this Monday morning, but I have just the thing to get my day going—the newest installment of our beloved "5 Questions" blog! This week I'm stoked to introduce you guys to Sleeping at the End of the World. These upstate New Yorkers have gained an avid following through their energetic live shows and DIY ethos. After being tipped off to them by a good friend, I caught up with singer Peter Bruno for a quick chat. Here he is in his own words ...

1. What prompted you to become vegetarian? Were there any bands or books that influenced your decision?
I think that when you're a child you don't really think about how the food that is in front of you is getting there. However, as I started to get older and the internet became available, I saw videos of animals being brutally slaughtered and that was the turning point for me. I also think that the Twilight Zone episode "To Serve Man" helps put it into perspective for people, as far as what if the tables were turned?

2. What are some of your favorite vegetarian foods?
Lately I've been eating tons of Spanish food like rice and beans as well as vegetable quesadillas and burritos. I always tend to keep a good amount of Italian foods in my diet, as well as salads.

3. Of all of the major animal rights issues are there any issues that are particularly close to your heart?
Any animal getting injured or killed definitely upsets me. But I would have to say that factory farming is the number one for me though. Any living creature that is simply born to be slaughtered will never sit right with me.

4. If a fan were to approach you with questions about how to get involved with animal rights, what advice would you give him or her?
I would actually tell them to take a visit to your site. Do some research to make sure if you're going to do anything that you do it right.

5. What does Sleeping at the End of the World have coming up that we can be looking forward to?
We just put up two new songs and you can check them out here!

Thanks Peter! Be sure to check these guys out and spread the word!

Stencils For Your Pumpkin! October 21, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi at October 21, 2009 4:50 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 12 ) | TrackBack

Since Halloween is coming up, we decided to make some easy to use stencils to help you decorate pumpkins! You can go all out carving a jack-o'-lantern, shave the design in, or do a combo and throw in some paint or markers, too!

We want to see how creative you can get and are offering up 2,000 Street Team points. E-mail StreetTeam@peta2.com with a photo of your animal rights pumpkin, and we'll hook you up!

Download the 'I Am Not A Nugget' stencil!


Download the 'No Fur' stencil!


Download the 'I Love peta2' stencil!

There are a lot of ways you can do this. One of the easiest seems to be to either use a toothpick or pin to poke holes throughout the outlines of the stencil to trace out a pattern on the pumpkin. From there, just cut it out or do what you like in terms of design with paint or markers or shave out the pattern from the outer layer of the pumpkin. Please be careful when using knives and any other tool with a sharp blade! Ask a parent or teacher for help if needed!

Need some more inspiration other than helping animals, being creative, and getting thousands of Street Team points? Check out some handy work from our Assistant Street Team Coordinators Jason and Jackie!



Pretty awesome, right? Now get to work, and show us what you've got! Don't forget to e-mail us a picture!