My Spring Break With peta2! April 5, 2009

Posted by Ryan at April 5, 2009 1:47 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 ) | TrackBack

Written by Kyler Hamilton, a student at Hofstra University

Over spring break I joined in alongside my veggie-eating and animal-loving comrades for part of peta2’s collaboration with the Taste of Chaos Tour, an expedition across the nation. Driven by the surfacing issues relevant to the time, peta2’s campaigns are dedicated to one central focus each year. Currently, the target is the inhumane acts being committed in the fur industry.

On Tuesday, I headed up to Portland, Maine from my home in Mass to meet up with the group. Once I arrived I met up with Cody, who gave me a run down of the event, and introduced me to the other peta2 Road Warriors. After chilling for a bit and getting to know everyone, we headed outside to begin petitioning the line that had formed in front of the Civic Center. Not thinking I headed outside in a T-shirt and a button-up. After gathering around a hundred signatures my extremities began to go numb. So, I grabbed my coat and returned to gather more. Most people were more than willing to sign after hearing the horrific details of the fur industry.

Once the doors opened we headed inside and returned to our table. The Taste of Chaos Tour was one of the most exciting places I have tabled thus far. People responded well to the cause and were shocked by the video. It was a long day, but as it came to the end we tallied up the signatures and found we surpassed our goal of 1,000 signatures ending up with over 1,300. My experience as a peta2 Road Warrior has been an awesome one so far, and I am looking forward to spending the rest of my spring break on the road!

Fur-Free Formal 2008! May 12, 2008

Posted by Ryan at May 12, 2008 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 4 ) | TrackBack

Yes, the end of the semester is upon us, and you know what that means... Spring dances!

Regardless of whether it's high school prom or a college formal, end-of-the-school-year dances are the place to see and be seen in your finest outfit.

So of course it doesn't make sense to allow a cruel and effin' ugly product like fur at one of these classy events, now does it? That's why the Zeta Xi chapter of the Alpha Phi sorority at Elmhurst College took a stand, by placing a "fur-free" policy on their spring formal!

As if that weren't enough, we also sent the sorority a "Compassionate Chapter" award from peta2, and enough anti-fur buttons for everyone in attendance! Being kind sure has its rewards, eh?


I think peta2's Dan Shannon said it best when he said "Every woman wants to look her best for the spring formal, but no one will come close to the sisters of Alpha Phi, whose compassion makes their beauty radiate even more. By declaring their biggest social affair of the year to be fur-free, these women are proving that you can have the 'look that kills' without killing animals."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

- Ryan!