Earth Day
Posted on Apr 21, 2015
By Ellie Laks, Founder of The Gentle Barn
What Will You Do This Earth Day To Support The Planet?
Ellie Laks Explains Why A Plant-based Diet Is So Important To The Environment
Santa Clarita, CA (April 2015) - Ellie Laks, leading Animal Welfare advocate and Founder of The Gentle Barn (www.gentlebarn.org), wants to remind everyone to celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd and make a difference by learning about the importance of adopting a plant-based diet, not only for the health of people and animals, but the longevity and repair of our planet. Earth Day first started in 1970 in an effort to bring environmental issues into the national discourse and establish the awareness of protecting the planet’s natural resources. Over 22 million Americans celebrated the initial Earth Day back in 1970 which paved the way for what has become a worldwide movement.
The significance of Earth Day’s original message is more relevant today than ever, and Ellie would like to remind everyone of the issues at stake. Our mission is to: "Inspiring Kindness and Compassion towards Animals, Our Planet and Each Other". Adopting a plant-based diet is easy, healthy and smart,” explains Ellie, “In addition to saving animals from the inhumane treatment found in most animal processing factories and dairies, there are significant reasons why everyone should take Earth Day to evaluate what they eat.”
- Climate Change: Adopting a plant-based diet would lessen the amount of greenhouse gases produced by the meat industry[1].
- Saving Water: Eating plants and grains instead of turning them into feed for beef cattle, chicken and other livestock would save vast amounts of water in a time when most of the country is in a historic drought[2].
- Resource Management: The plants and grains used to feed cattle could instead be reallocated for human consumption and help to eradicate hunger[3].
- Deforestation: Switching to a plant-based diet would help to decrease deforestation[4].
- Energy Conservation: Producing protein from a plant-based diet is more energy efficient and cuts the use of fossil fuels significantly[5].
- Pollution: Replacing the demand and consumption of animal products with organic vegetables and sustainable farming would reduce the impact of dangerous pollutants in the air produced by the meat industry and factory farms on the environment[6].
- Water Quality: Organic farming and sustainable agriculture would help protect the quality of water by removing the contamination produced by the meat industry and factory farms[7].
Every decision has an impact on the quality of life on our planet. The mission and message of The Gentle Barn is to teach people to live compassionately towards animals, each other and the planet. It’s important to not only celebrate Earth Day with family and friends, but consider the purpose and meaning of such a global event. Help spread the word by joining the Earth Day campaign by One Green Planet and tweet or post your favorite vegan dish using #EatForThePlanet. Share as many pictures as you can!
To learn more about adopting a plant-based diet, please visit: http://www.gentlebarn.org/plant-based-diet/
The Gentle Barn
The Gentle Barn (www.gentlebarn.org) is a nonprofit organization located just north of Los Angeles in Santa Clarita, California that was founded in 1999 as a safe haven and place of recovery for abused farm animals. The Gentle Barn’s unique philosophy rehabilitates animals and connects their stories of survival and healing to the personal experiences of inner city, at-risk and special needs children who have suffered physical, mental or emotional trauma. By interacting with The Gentle Barn’s one hundred and seventy-five animals and taking a hands-on role in their welfare, those who participate in the programs at The Gentle Barn learn empathy, trust, forgiveness and leadership. The mission statement at The Gentle Barn is simple: “Inspiring Kindness and Compassion towards Animals, Our Planet and Each Other.” The Gentle Barn is run by founder Ellie Laks and her husband/co-founder Jay Weiner, both of whom were healed and supported by animals as children. The Gentle Barn is open to the public on Sundays from 10:00am until 2:00pm. Celebrity supporters of the organization include Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi, Rondi Reed, Mark Wahlberg, Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Hilary Swank, Rose McGowan, Tiffani Thiessen, Sierra McCormick and Laura Vandervoort to name a few. More information is available at www.gentlebarn.org.
Find The Gentle Barn on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheGentleBarn and Twitter @GentleBarn and Instagram (instagram.com/thegentlebarn).
If you would like additional information, images or to schedule an interview with Ellie Laks and the Gentle Barn please contact Kevin Oaks at koaks@christiecomm.com or (805) 969-3744.
[1] http://www.unep.org/pdf/unep-geas_oct_2012.pdf
[2] http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/ag101/printbeef.html
[3] http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jul/21/giving-up-beef-reduce-carbon-footprint-more-than-cars
[4] http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/jul/18/vegetarianism-save-planet-environment
[5] http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jul/21/giving-up-beef-reduce-carbon-footprint-more-than-cars
[6] http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/ag101/printbeef.html
[7]http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/ag101/printbeef.html