People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) was set up in the HUB on Friday, April 12th, to educate students on factory farming and going vegan. The campus tour was supposed to include a giant exhibit outside of the HUB, but due to an unexpected snowstorm, PETA interns were forced to be indoors and downgrade their exhibit.
It was the first time the PETA college tour was in Plymouth. PETA representatives had been seen on campus before, handing out pamphlets with sad animals, but Friday’s presentation gave much more information. The exhibit was originally going to include more graphic pictures, a cage for students to see how animals feel in cages at factory farms, and a screening of the movie “Glass Walls.”
The tour reaches campuses of all levels all around the world, and according to media representative for PETA, Ken Montville, “the response of students has been overwhelmingly positive. They see for the first time what life is like for these innocent animals and we’re glad we can teach them more.”
Mathematics major and Ending Genocide Around the World (EGAW) member, Sarah Brennan, was responsible for bringing the organization to Plymouth State. “I was hoping that it would bring some awareness to vegan and vegetarian diets and how they are better for your health, the environment, and animals. I also thought that it tied in nicely to water week, since producing meat wastes so much water,” Brennan said.
The environmental impact of going vegan is phenomenal, but even just the effects of this diet on water alone is astounding. According to peta2.com it takes 2,400 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef.
The hope of EGAW members and PETA is that students are more educated about the issues and maybe even consider going vegan. “The ways to go vegan are insurmountable these days,” tour administrator for PETA, Joanna Drzaszc said.
PETA’s campaigns are successful, but some students aren’t affected by the sad pictures and harsh facts. Zachary Brown, senior Biology major said, “I support animal rights but I think PETA takes it a little too far. There are definitely better ways that they can get their point across.”
Although the exhibit presented by EGAW did not have as much visible impact on students as they would have liked, they hope to continue to educate Plymouth students on animal cruelty year round.