Street Teamer Miho's peta2 Sticker Tote! November 3, 2009

Posted by Marta at November 3, 2009 5:33 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 6 ) | TrackBack

We always love sharing awesome things that Street Teamers are doing with you, and Miho Stanberry is no exception! Check out what the crafty 17-year-old from Seattle made with her stickers:

Super cute tote, right? Here's what she had to say to me:

How long have you been vegetarian? Do you have a favorite recipe?
I became a vegetarian on April 27th of this year. Right now, I'm making a transition into going vegan. My favorite vegan recipe is "Simply Fried Tofu" (It's on my blog).

What's your favorite peta2 campaign?
My favorite peta2 campaign is pretty much everything, but if I had to choose one, it would be McCruelty.

What's your favorite part about being involved with the peta2 Street Team?
My favorite part of being involved in the peta2 Street Team is that I get to talk to a lot of people, influence them, get influenced, and have ideas bounce back and forth with the people who are just like me!

Thanks, Miho! Feeling inspired? Check out some of the other awesome DIY stuff Street Teamers have done.

Are any of you crafty? If so, do you incorporate animal rights into your crafts?

Nugget Speaks Out Against McCruelty! November 2, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi at November 2, 2009 8:58 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 9 ) | 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!

We Heart Jacob George October 27, 2009

Posted by Marta at October 27, 2009 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

By now, you probably know how much we absolutely adore our Street Teamers. Jacob George, a 15-year-old from Virginia Beach, VA, is pretty awesome. Since he lives so close to the PETA office, he's always here volunteering with his brother Joseph, and everyone loves them! Jacob was kind enough to answer some questions for me recently, so check out what he's got to say!

Why did you get involved with peta2/PETA?
I decided to get involved with PETA because I see animal rights as the most important issue in the nation right now. Not only is eating meat inhumane and wrong, especially factory farm meat, but there's also glue traps, animal testing, frog dissection, the use of animals in military training, fur, and many other issues that fall under the animal rights umbrella.

How long have you been a vegetarian? Do you have a favorite food?
I've been a vegetarian for pretty much my entire life. There was one time when I was eight, when I ate bacon because I was trying to be more normal, but that was only once. I like black bean burgers. They are amazing and taste good with anything.

You recently participated in your first demonstration. How was it? (Note: That's Jacob at his first McCruelty protest in the photo above!)
My first demonstration was amazing. It always feels good to be active and to make a statement that is meant to be heard. I think that peaceful activism, like a PETA demo, is the most beneficial thing one can do for his or her society. Protests like this, along with media recognition, which PETA often receives, puts pressure on the men of power to do what is right. This makes them more likely to sacrifice their fatass paychecks for the greater good.

You come in to volunteer at PETA's weekly work party. What do you do there, and what's your favorite part about it?
Work party is really fun. It's a good opportunity to meet new individuals with similar ideological opinions as you. Every work party, we stuff envelopes with letters, stickers, and flyers to go out to those who order them. It feels good to do things that you know will save the lives of others.

Have any advice for students like you who want to help animals but aren't sure how to start?
I think it's important to understand that a lot of the time, simply quitting meat just doesn't work. I recommend taking it slowly and giving up what is easiest first. That's what I'm trying to do with dairy.

Thanks, Jacob! Have any of you participated in a protest yet? If not, are you excited to?

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!

Who Likes To Smile? October 19, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi at October 19, 2009 9:32 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

Remember when a giant "chicken" hit "Ronald McDonald" in the face with a tofu pie? Yea, here's a video of that!

We don't want you to do that, but we do want you to visit McCruelty.com to get more involved! Remember to join the Street Team, too!

McCruelty Call-In Day. Take Action Now! October 16, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi at October 16, 2009 9:54 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 4 ) | TrackBack

Today is World Anti-McCruelty Day, and we need your help! Please politely call McDonald's at (630) 623-3000 and tell them to listen to PETA and adopt a less cruel form of slaughter.

You'll get 1,000 Street Team points for e-mailing us at StreetTeam@peta2.com to let us know what time you called and what the response was to your phone call!

If you need any more information about why we're specifically asking McDonald's to take these steps, check this out. The basic idea is that as the biggest seller of chicken meat in the U.S., McDonald's has the responsibility and the ability to reduce suffering by demanding that its suppliers use a less cruel method of slaughter. Pretty simple, right?

Really, what kind of company would allow suppliers to break birds' wings and legs and scald animals to death? Imagine if we were talking about the dogs and cats in our homes (who suffer and feel pain just the same as the chickens slaughtered for McDonald's), and I'm sure you can see how crazy it is that there aren't better standards for a corporation as huge as McDonald's. You should ask why they refuse to make these demands! Call them at (630) 623-3000.

Stuck on what to say? The following are some ideas to get you started:

• I refuse to spend money at McDonald's until your company demands that its chicken suppliers adopt controlled-atmosphere killing (CAK).
• Please stop supporting practices that allow chickens to suffer broken limbs, endure abuse by workers, have their throats cut while they are still conscious, and be scalded to death.
• I just watched the video on McCruelty.com, and I was shocked to learn that McDonald's is refusing to ask its suppliers to switch to a less cruel slaughter method even though it wouldn't cost your company any money to do so.

Spread the word!

Bridge 9 + peta2 = Awesome! October 6, 2009

Posted by Shannon Phillips at October 6, 2009 4:20 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 0 ) | TrackBack

We started with a DIY approach, our names are followed by numbers, and we both have longtime vegetarians, vegans, hardcore kids, and animal activists as employees. So what the heck am I talking about? Bridge 9 Records and peta2, of course!

Victoria Morse / CC

Aside from being a friend to peta2, Bridge 9 is also home to legendary hardcore bands like Strike Anywhere, Death Before Dishonor, H2O—and newcomers like Defeater and Dead Swans. Aside from great music, Bridge 9 can also promise you several things:

• No neon (Check out B9's Warped Tour shirt here. It won Absolute Punk's best shirt of 2009!)
• No auto-tune.
• Higher stage dives (... or so I hear).
• Excellent customer service.
• The most ridiculous/addictive messageboard ever, the B9.
• No animals were harmed in the making of their products.

AND ... a sheet of peta2 stickers with your order. Yep, you heard me right! When you place an order from Bridge 9 Records, you'll find a peta2 sticker sheet among your hardcore goodies. On the flipside, when you put in an order for peta2 Street Team goods after getting active for animals, you'll find a Bridge 9 sampler CD in your package. This sampler has 14 tracks from bands like Crime in Stereo, Have Heart, Paint it Black, and Ruiner. Trust me, it rules. So if you want a copy, make sure you join our street team and get active for animals!

Bridge 9 and peta2—together, we are an unstoppable force.



P.S. Support DIY labels, record stores, venues, and bands—and continue getting active for animals!

Cruelty To People And Animals October 6, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi at October 6, 2009 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

I just happened to come across a Newsweek feature of some of the nation's most infamous killers. And what do they all have in common? Each has a very clear history of torturing and killing animals before committing atrocities against human beings.

The next time someone tries to give you a hard time for speaking out against cruelty to animals, remind them that it's never ok to make excuses for any form of injustice in our society. It's really eye opening to read through this quick slideshow, so I definitely encourage you to do so, and share it with others!

It's also a good time to remind you about Inglourious Basterds star and acclaimed director Eli Roth's video highlighting this important issue in a slightly ... umm ... different way!

Special thanks to everyone on the peta2 Street Team for your amazing work to speak out for animals so far this school year!

One-Minute Mission: Brookstone Call-In! October 1, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi at October 1, 2009 9:07 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 4 ) | TrackBack

Got one minute? Take part in our latest one-minute mission by making a polite phone call in behalf of animals by 4:30pm on Friday, October 2. Frogs dying for Brookstone's greed need your voice!

Call Brookstone at 603-577-8010 and ask to speak with CEO Philip Roizin. Politely tell him that you won't support a store that makes money off the suffering of animals by selling 'Frog-O-Spheres.' Imagine how you'd feel living your whole life crammed into a small container!

Despite stories and videos that shed light on Brookstone's shameful decision to sell frogs in tiny containers, the company's CEO keeps on hiding from the truth. Brookstone is profiting off cruelty, and that's just not acceptable. It's really that simple.


Call Brookstone at 603-577-8010 and make your voice heard. Better yet, get some of your friends and family to call too!

E-mail StreetTeam@peta2.com with a report on how your call went, and we'll give you 1,000 Street Team points!

Also, don't forget to get in touch if you're interested in handing out leaflets to put some pressure on Brookstone!

Thanks!

peta2's Sandwich of the Week: Round 2! September 24, 2009

Posted by Cody Ammerman at September 24, 2009 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

Howdy ladies and gents! Last week Rachel introduced you to one of her favorite sandwiches, and this week it's my turn. Since I grew in a small town in Indiana I like to keep things pretty simple, and this sandwich is pretty much the definition of simple. I want to introduce you to my BLATMmm!

What does BLATMmm stand for you ask? Well, it's faux bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomato, and vegan mozzarella. It's pretty easy to find all of the necessary ingredients for this masterpiece, and it's pretty affordable! Last night I went to my local health food store to pick up some of Lightlife's Smart Bacon and Tofutti's soy mozzarella, but I've noticed that these products are starting to appear in larger super markets if you don't have a health food store near you. Here are some steps of how to prepare such a simple meal:

-Wash the tomato, and cut into slices. I personally like them not too thick, but not too thin.
-Cut the avocado in half.
-Warm up the stove to medium-high heat (or follow the heating instructions on the faux bacon package), and when ready toss the strips onto a skillet for a couple of minutes.
-Toast your favorite kind of bread. I'm a fan of wheat bread and I like it lightly toasted.
-Once the bread is toasted, I like to place a slice of vegan cheese on both pieces of bread. On the bottom piece I put down the avocado on top of the soy cheese, lettuce, and tomato. When the faux bacon is ready, toss the strips on top of the tomato(es)!

That's pretty much it! Since Wednesday nights are usually my movie nights, I invited my friend chocolate soy milk to the party and we enjoyed a flick. Y'all keep up the great work, and keep getting those petitions signed for more veg options at your schools (don't forget to sign up and join the Street Team to get the points)! Let us know if you make this, and shoot any ideas you have for another sandwich to peta2@peta2.com!