Making Hay

Tell Us Your New Year’s Resolutions (And Win a Hoodie!)

By Jasmin

 
 
In 2010, I resolve to ramp up the number of letters to the editor pertaining to animal issues I write. There are so many ways to bring animal issues to the forefront in response to an article. For example, if you encounter a piece about children’s health, you have an opportunity to shed light on the Child Nutrition Act, suggesting that children participating in the National School Lunch Program have access to more plant-based foods.

In 2009, approximately 10 billion land animals were killed for food in this country alone. Though we’re gaining traction in many ways, we cannot lose sight of the multitudes who continue to suffer, nor can we forget that they are relying on us to speak up for them.

With the new year approaching, what will you do to speak up for farm animals? Check out our Tools & Resources for some ideas, including everything from tabling or leafleting to organizing a benefit rock concert for our feathered and furry friends.

Then, enter our contest by letting us know what your New Year’s resolutions for the animals will be. We will randomly select a winner, who will become the proud owner of a snazzy Farm Sanctuary hoodie. The contest ends on January 4, and the winner will be notified by January 20.

To enter our contest, ACT now. (Get it? If not, learn about our Advocacy Campaign Team.) ’Tis the season to make hay!

Letters Needed: Write Away for Turkeys

By Jasmin

 
Remember the old days, before the Internet, when people used to write letters? Nowadays, it seems that long-hand has been overtaken by short, hurried e-mails – often full of codes and abbreviations (which, truth be told, I can rarely decipher). One way of bridging the retro thoughtfulness of the letter-writing of yesteryear with today’s information craze is by submitting a letter to the editor (LTE). The impact that an LTE carries with it can be Herculean; remember, the letter section of your paper is the most-read section aside from the front page.

With Thanksgiving just a gobble away, there’s no time like the present for writing a letter for a turkey (or for the more than 46 million turkeys who are killed each year for Thanksgiving alone). If you see an article featuring turkey recipes, why not send an LTE suggesting that people include some compassionate vegan items on their menu this year? Be sure to include some facts about turkey production. If there are news stories covering the Thanksgiving sale at that huge department store in your area, why not send a letter suggesting that people instead spend their money on sponsoring rescued turkeys as gifts for friends and family, since the true point of Thanksgiving is intended to be all about “giving” and “spreading thanks.” With such a staggering amount of turkeys exploited and killed for Thanksgiving each year, that’s a sad irony. But by offering a compassionate alternative, we can exemplify the spirit of the holiday in a positive way.

Our Letters for the Turkeys page provides you with clear guidelines and tips for writing your LTE, as well as outlining some talking points for turkeys.

Even if your letter doesn’t get published, you’ve still succeeded in making hay. The more letters a paper receives on a particular subject, the more likely the editor is to publish one in the future. Plus, you’re also giving the editors ideas for possible stories, so write away right away!