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Chomp Down on Some Good Vegetarian/Vegan Food at Your School! The lunch room isn’t just for those who choose to eat meat. And veggies shouldn’t have to eat the same food everyday because there aren’t enough options. Make sure your school offers vegetarian and vegan alternatives for those who choose an animal free menu. Start a petition to have more animal friendly options in the lunch room like soy milk, veggie dogs, and free range eggs. After getting signatures for your petition, set up a meeting with your school administrator to talk with them about making your cafeteria a more vegetarian and vegan friendly place. Helpful Hint: Talk about health and nutrition as much as you talk about animal welfare issues. Childhood obesity is a growing problem and healthier options means healthier students
Animal Dissection No student should have to dissect an animal if they feel it is ethically wrong. However, their education should not suffer because they do not agree with a classroom activity. There are many computer programs and alternatives to dissection a student can do that don’t hurt a single living creature. Ask your science teacher if the school owns dissection alternative software and if they don’t, talk to them about making options available to students. Show your teacher these alternatives and help make them available at your school. On our resources page we have links to a few places that provide free software to schools that want to give their students humane alternatives.
Write an Article for Your Local or School Newspaper Many students don’t have any idea about the suffering animals experience around the world. Write an article for your local or school newspaper that talks about animal welfare and cruelty. The only way people are going to learn is by getting the facts, and you can help provide those to your community.
Have a Bake Sale Most people don’t know that vegetarian and vegan food is really yummy. There is an incorrect assumption that to eat vegetarian or vegan, one has to give up great taste. Have a bake sale in your cafeteria using all animal friendly ingredients and show the other students that being a vegetarian or vegan does not mean you have sacrifice tasty treats. Go to our resources page to find links for tasty vegan recipes.
Donate to your Local Rescue Shelter Organize a drive within your school to collect food and products for companion animals at your local rescue shelter. Most shelters rely on the support they receive from their communities. Contact the shelter and ask them what supplies they need. Have students and faculty bring in extra food, leashes, collars, blankets or any other items your shelter asks for. Set up a date to present these items to the shelter and notify your local paper or school paper in case they want to take pictures and write an article about your efforts. Make sure the shelter you choose has a <no kill> policy.
Set Up an Information Booth Education is the most effective method of gaining more animal welfare advocates. Set up an information booth in a busy area like outside your local market, shopping center, or town square and let people know about some of the issues animals face in the world today. Let your community know what they can do to help. You can also have some vegetarian or vegan goodies for sale and donate the proceeds to the animal welfare charity of your choice. Visit our resources page to find places that provide information pamphlets to hand out at your booth. Note: Before setting up your booth, contact your local town hall to make sure you know where you are and are not allowed to set up an information booth or bake sale.
Invite a Guest Speaker Contact your local rescue shelter or other animal welfare group and request a speaker to visit your school and speak with your club. Although this is a club activity, hang posters in your school and notify students and faculty that they are welcome to come and listen to your speaker. The more people the better!
Animal Welfare Website The web is an exciting way to educate the public. Create your own animal welfare website and link it to friends through email or your personal website. Choose a topic you feel particularly strongly about (example: Factory Farming, Vegetarianism/Veganism, Animal Testing etc.) and create a site that talks about the issues involved. Then please send us a link to your website so we can see your creation!
Write a Letter to Your State Representative Write letters to your state politicians and let them know how you feel about animal welfare issues. Find out what exact problems occur in your state. For example: Pennsylvania, Ohio and Missouri have large numbers of puppy mills. If you lived in one of those states you may want to write about puppy mills. Let them know how you feel about the specific issues that affect your state and community. Make sure when you write to them that you are professional, clear, polite, and that your facts are accurate. Click here for sites that provide addresses and information for your local representatives. http://therightcall.org/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=29
Volunteer at Your Local Rescue Shelter Rescue shelters depend on their communities to help them care for homeless companion animals. Contact your local rescue shelter and set up a day your club can help by volunteering either as individuals or a group. Make sure the shelter has a <no kill> policy.
Animal Welfare Day Talk to your school administration about setting up an Animal Welfare/Earth Day to educate students and faculty on issues that affect our planet and its inhabitants. Invite guest speakers from your local rescue or animal welfare group, have student presentations, and have an animal friendly bake sale with vegetarian/vegan goodies.
Beautify your Local Park Spend a day picking up litter at your local park. Show others that you take pride in your community and earth by respecting cleanliness and a safe environment for humans and animals.
Collaborate with Other Clubs Does your school have an environmental club? Or some other club that has similar interests to your own? If so, you may want to collaborate on a project that meets both your needs. For example, if you have an Earth Day, you can plan it with the environmental club. Both clubs will learn about the other clubs issues and you’ll have more people to plan with and more people who attend.
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