PETA, which owns 100 shares of meatpacking giant Hormel Foods as part of its corporate responsibility project, has submitted a shareholder resolution calling on the Austin, Minn.-based company to include information on all of its meat packages about the greenhouse-gas "footprint" that the meat passes on to consumers.
The group points out that shoppers are increasingly concerned about global warming and that meat production is the leading cause of greenhouse-gas emissions. They are turning to Hormel's packaging for the inclusion of disclosure information on the greenhouse-gas impact their products have.
According to PETA, some food companies have already begun printing greenhouse-gas emissions levels per serving on product labels--but Hormel is not among them.
The animal rights group's focus on packaging indicates the importance packaging plays in consumers buying decisions as well as the increase in the importance consumers place on greener more eco-friendly product options.
The resolution represents a new tactic in PETA's international campaign against factory farming.
The group cites the following as evidence about meat's devastating impact on the environment:
U.N. scientists have determined that raising animals for food generates more greenhouse-gas emissions than all the cars, SUVs, trucks, and planes in the world combined.
Researchers at the University of Chicago have determined that switching to a vegan diet is more effective in countering global warming than switching from a standard car to a Toyota Prius.
PETA will file an identical resolution with meat giant Tyson Foods later this week.
The two resolutions mark an interesting new approach in providing consumer additional information on product packaging.
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very interesting post. this was certainly an interesting, and unappetizing read.
Posted by: antiques | August 25, 2008 at 11:53 AM