Gov. Murphy: Go Vegan to Slash Emissions, PETA Suggests, and We’ll Feed You for 21 Days

For Immediate Release:
November 15, 2021

Contact:
Brooke Rossi 202-483-7382

After Gov. Phil Murphy announced that he would sign an executive order that would accelerate the state’s greenhouse-gas reduction goal to 50% by 2030, PETA sent him a letter today, encouraging him to slash emissions further by taking a three-week vegan challenge. The letter also noted that the group would provide the vegan vittles, from soup (butternut squash) to nuts (mixed) as well as “taste-alikes” such as faux fish, “chicken” nuggets, bean burritos, chocolate almond milk puddings, and drinks from the best eateries in town. In the letter, PETA points out that animal agriculture is responsible for approximately a fifth of human-induced greenhouse-gas emissions.

“The United Nations reports that a global shift to vegan eating would mitigate the worst effects of climate change, so it only makes sense for Gov. Murphy to give it a go—and we’re on standby to cater to him,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “With this challenge, PETA is giving the governor a chance to demonstrate his commitment to the planet and set a positive example for eco-minded constituents.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

Note: PETA supports animal rights, opposes all forms of animal exploitation, and provides the public with information about those issues. The group does not directly or indirectly participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office or any political party.

PETA’s letter to Murphy follows.

November 15, 2021

The Honorable Phil Murphy
Governor of New Jersey

Dear Gov. Murphy:

Greetings from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). We applaud you for accelerating New Jersey’s greenhouse-gas reduction goal to 50% by 2030. To make a genuine mark, one more bold action is needed. The United Nations says that raising animals for food is “one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global.” Calling for greenhouse-gas reductions while still eating meat, eggs, and dairy is like calling the fire department while you throw gasoline on your burning house. That’s why we’re asking that you take another step: Go vegan and you will not only set a fine example for others but also eliminate reliance on animal agriculture, which is one of the top causes of the climate crisis. Please allow me to elaborate.

According to the U.N., a global shift to vegan eating is required to combat the worst effects of the climate crisis, as animal agriculture alone is responsible for approximately one-fifth of all human-induced greenhouse-gas emissions.

As your first initiative shows, you know it’s not too late to try hard to turn back the clock on the climate crisis. Shifting from raising animals to growing plants for food could remove more than a decade of carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere, one recent study indicates. Another study found that a global switch away from meat and dairy could reduce our food-related carbon footprint by two-thirds.

Going vegan means taking personal responsibility and having an immediate impact: You could save 1,100 gallons of water, nearly 40 pounds of grain (which is fed mostly to farmed animals), and 30 square feet of forested land each day. You could also prevent 200 animals every year from being treated like meat, egg, and milk machines before they’re hung upside down, cut up, and sometimes even scalded to death in slaughterhouses. Just like you and me, animals have families and feelings—and they want to live.

We must do all that we can to stop people from eating meat, eggs, and dairy while the world burns. I hope you will take the lead on this crucial issue. Please encourage Garden State residents to take bold—and effective—action right now to fight the climate crisis. It’s simple, delicious, and the right thing to do. PETA’s 3-Week Vegan Challenge could show you how, and we’d be delighted to provide you with 21 days’ worth of vegan meals from the best eateries in town if you agree. Can we count you in?

Very truly yours,

Ingrid Newkirk

President