5 Easy New Year’s Resolutions
Happy New Year, everyone! As we all recover from the festive season, now is the perfect time to think about new ways to eliminate animal exploitation from every aspect of our lives—from changing what we eat and wear to speaking out against abuse and cruelty.
Here are five simple ideas for making 2019 your most compassionate year yet:
1. Cut animal products out of your diet.
Going vegan is a great way to burn off those Christmas calories while also saving hundreds of animals’ lives a year. There are countless reasons why we should leave meat off our plates. Need a bit of help getting started? Check out our How to Go Vegan page and pledge to do so!
2. Avoid buying animal skins, such as leather, fur, and wool.
The leather industry, as uncovered in a recent Bangladesh leather exposé, affects animals, humans, and the environment. Animals used for fur are often electrocuted or skinned alive. And no amount of fluff can hide the fact that anyone who buys wool supports a cruel and bloody industry. An immeasurable amount of suffering goes into every bit of clothing that uses animal skins.
There are plenty of great animal-free alternatives available, meaning that you don’t have to choose between compassion and fashion during your next shopping trip. Check out PETA U.S.’ compassionate clothing guide.
3. Say ‘no’ to circuses, zoos, and other institutions that exploit animals for entertainment.
Animals used in circuses are forced to perform silly, confusing tricks under the threat of physical punishment. During training practices, trainers use whips, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods, bullhooks, and other painful tools to force animals to conform. Animals in zoos are left to spend their entire lives in barren cages and are denied everything that is natural and important to them. Read all about the sad truth here, and encourage everyone you know to show their compassion towards animals by boycotting places that use animals for the sake of human “entertainment”.
4. Make a monthly donation to PETA.
We need your help to keep on helping animals. Any amount you can afford will make a difference in our ongoing efforts to expose and oppose the abuse of animals wherever we find it, from circuses to laboratories and from the catwalk to companion animals.
5. Help us spread the word—animals are not ours to exploit or abuse.
Talk to your friends and family members about animal rights issues, and share PETA content on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. You can even join our Activist Network.
