R.E.M.'s
first info-ad, "Tainted" to
appear in the LA Weekly on
February 4
Click on above ad for larger view
The
United States Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug and
Administration allow processed beef in the U.S. to be gassed
with ammonia in an attempt to kill E. coli and salmonella.
Yet, in recent studies not only does the meat reek of ammonia,
the deadly E. coli and salmonella bacteria have still been
found in the ammonia-tainted beef. This meat is widely provided
to the public in grocery stores, chains such as McDonald's
and Burger King, and millions of pounds per year end up in
the federal school lunch program where it is fed to our children.
Outraged? So are we.
Let's
do something about it.
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A few suggestions on how you can make a difference:
1. Stop
eating meat and go vegetarian or vegan. This is just the latest example of yet another
problem caused
by the consumption of animals. Not only are you putting your
health at risk by eating meat that has been tainted with
ammonia but it has still been found to contain dangerous
levels of the deadly E. coli and salmonella bacteria. Eating
meat has also been directly linked to an increased risk of
heart disease, high cholesterol, cancer, strokes, impotence,
obesity and other health problems. The meat industry has
also been shown to be one of the top contributors to global
warming – from fossil-fuel use in manufacturing fertilizer
and in feed production, on-farm fuel use, forests harvested
or burned to make pasture, methane emissions from ruminant
digestion and from manure, transportation of products and
supplies, and processing. Care about your own health, the
health of your children and family, and the threat of climate
change? Make the right choice, and stop eating meat.
2.
Oppose Subsidies to the Meat Industry. The
U.S. government provides significant corn and other agricultural
subsidies
allowing meat to be sold in enormous quantities for relatively
inexpensive prices. These subsidies have resulted in the
promotion of an unhealthy diet in the United States, leading
to numerous health problems, high healthcare costs, and
environmental degradation. Government subsidies need
to be removed from
the meat and large chemical farm industries and provided
to growers of organic produce and further placed in preventive
medicine. Congress, the U.S.D.A. and FDA should be supporting
and promoting
a healthy
diet
in
the U.S. and not merely responding to the lobby power of
the meat, dairy, and large chemical farm corporations.
Contact your representatives in Congress to express
your support
for a reallocation of subsidies in the United States.
3.
Vote with your dollar. Whenever possible, try to purchase
local organic produce, fair trade products and other
consumer items from ethical companies – those
who have a concern for human health, worker safety
and justice, environmental
sustainability, and animal protection.
4.
Educate others. Help educate the public on the reasons
to forgo a meat diet in favor of a vegetarian and vegan
lifestyle.
Download
this fact sheet here and distribute to the public outside
grocery stores, fast-food restaurants and other locations.
For
more information, please contact us.
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