In response to your Tuesday column "Meatless Mondays Are Vital for Creating a Healthier Campus," I would like to compliment Jared Misner for his incredible work toward bettering this planet for all the creatures on it.
Misner's and the Gator Dining Service's efforts are paying off, and with Meatless Mondays now at UF and sweeping college campuses across the country, thousands of students are being introduced to a greener way of eating through vegetarian cuisine.
A recent study by Aramark, a leading food service provider, concluded that one in four college students seek out vegan options when they sit down to eat.
UF is now in the unique position to lead the way for schools nationwide by continuing to expand their Meatless Mondays program and removing meat from campus menus.
United Nations scientists have determined that raising chickens, pigs and other animals for slaughter generates about 40 percent more greenhouse gasses than all the cars, SUVs, trucks and planes in the world combined.
Most students are also horrified to discover that chickens have their beaks cut off when they're only days old, that male piglets are castrated, and that cows are branded and de-horned - all without any painkillers.
These terrified animals are often skinned and dismembered while still conscious as well. If these kinds of abuses were inflicted upon cats or dogs, it would result in felony animal cruelty charges.
Yet these practices are standard in an industry that refuses to make even the most basic improvements in the way animals are treated.
Luckily, not only is going vegetarian the single greatest action that you can take for animals and the environment, it's also the best choice that you can make for your health.
With UF actively promoting vegetarian and vegan foods, cutting out the cruelty on campus has never been easier! For more information, visit peta2.com to request a free vegetarian/vegan starter kit.
Amelia Jensen
College Campaigns Assistant
peta2.com
