PETA Wants the Lincoln, Holland Tunnels to ‘Swallow’ Commuters

For Immediate Release:
January 25, 2021

Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382

With the New York–bound tube of the Holland Tunnel facing periodic closures because of repairs related to Superstorm Sandy, PETA sent the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey a letter this morning offering to help offset a bit of the costs by paying to run a pro-vegan ad above the Holland and Lincoln tunnels.

PETA points out that, in addition to causing animal suffering on a massive scale, eating animals is linked to numerous deadly health conditions, including cancer, heart disease, strokes, and diabetes. Such underlying conditions are a factor in deaths from COVID-19, which stemmed from confining and killing animals for food—just like the 1918 influenza pandemic, avian flu, swine flu, and SARS.

“Artery-clogging meat and dairy take a major toll on our health,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “If the Port Authority gives us the green light, we’ll hit the gas on putting up our tunnel ads to encourage commuters to shift to animal-friendly, heart-healthy vegan meals.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat” and which opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview—offers a free vegan starter kit (available here) full of recipes, tips, and more. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

PETA’s letter to Port Authority Manager Joann Spirito follows.

January 25, 2021

Joann Spirito

Manager, Procurement—Construction & Federal Procurement & Compliance

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Dear Ms. Spirito:

I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 6.5 million members and supporters worldwide, including tens of thousands in New Jersey and New York. We have an offer to help lighten your financial load: PETA will pay to place “Meat and Dairy Take a Toll on Your Health” ads near the entrances to the Holland and Lincoln tunnels. They would look like this—featuring a message that would not only save animals but also save the state and residents money on health care, as commuters shift toward a vegan diet.

The message on the ads is something that everyone can benefit from absorbing. Eating meat is unnecessary and unhealthy for humans, and abusing and killing animals for food is needless violence. Animal-derived foods, including chicken and cow’s milk, contain no fiber or complex carbohydrates and are laden with saturated fat and cholesterol, which have been linked to heart disease, strokes, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. The World Health Organization states that processed meats such as sausages and bacon are just as carcinogenic as asbestos and cigarettes. Consuming dairy is also linked to heart disease as well as prostate, breast, and ovarian cancer. While social distancing and washing our hands are important factors in preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus, underlying health conditions related to a diet heavy in meat and dairy are a factor in deaths from COVID-19.

Healthy vegan foods supply all the protein, calcium, and vitamins that humans need to be strong and healthy. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegans have lower rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity than meat-eaters do. And every person who goes vegan prevents nearly 200 animals a year from being abused and slaughtered for food.

We hope you will approve our advertising proposal. Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you.

Very truly yours,

Ingrid E. Newkirk

President