South Shields MP Emma Lewell-Buck goes vegan for Earth Day 2021

A South Tyneside MP has gone vegan for 24 hours to help mark Earth Day 2021.
South Shields MP Emma Lewell-Buck.South Shields MP Emma Lewell-Buck.
South Shields MP Emma Lewell-Buck.

South Shields MP Emma Lewell-Buck is one of a number of MPs across party lines who have pledged to ditch meat, dairy, and other animal-derived foods for the day.

She is joining in efforts coordinated by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and Kerry McCarthy MP, a full-time vegan politician who represents Bristol East, to highlight the environmental impact of eating animal products.

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Ms Lewell-Buck encouraged others to join her in the plant-based challenge, adding: “Even this small act can help make a difference and will help raise awareness of how much animals suffer and how much producing animal-derived foods – even milk and cheese – contributes to climate change.”

PETA said animal agriculture is a leading cause of ‘ocean dead zones’, species extinction, and habitat destruction, with some estimates suggesting it creates more greenhouse-gas emissions than all the world’s transportation systems combined.

The organisation said a study in the journal Nature found that greenhouse-gas emissions from animal agriculture would reduce by half if the world turned to a mainly plant-based diet.

Kate Werner, PETA senior campaigns manager, thanked the politicians taking part in the plant-based pledge.

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“These lawmakers didn’t hesitate to step up and show people that we can spare animals’ lives, save water, and slash greenhouse-gas emissions simply by going vegan,” she said.

“PETA encourages everyone to follow their lead and be a vegan force of nature against climate change on Earth Day and every day.”

The other participating MPs are Henry Smith, Tracey Crouch, Dr Lisa Cameron, Luke Pollard, Helen Hayes, Sarah Champion, Tommy Sheppard, Caroline Lucas, Rachael Maskell, Caroline Dinenage, and Matthew Pennycook.

PETA said it is is sending each of them a vegan snack basket – provided by The Vegan Kind online supermarket – a #VeganForEarthDay selfie sign, a vegan starter kit, and a PETA pin.

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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.uk or follow the group on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

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