Pamela Anderson has traveled a long way from acting on Baywatch to watching out for plants and the planet.
As she says, “Since my days on Baywatch, I have focused much of my international advocacy work on animal protection and the environment.”
She sure has: She’s an Honorary Director of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), and she takes the job very seriously, indeed.
Born in Ladysmith, British Columbia, and now back living in Canada, Anderson has come up with a suggestion involving veganism that she says would “save Canadian taxpayers money and improve the health of tens of thousands of people.”
Her idea? Switching the diets of Canada’s 40,000 or so inmates in correctional facilities from the customary meat-based foods to plant-based foods.
What’s more, she’s gone right to the top with it, writing to Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. And she makes an impressive case, starting with favorable economics:
“Beans, rice, lentils, pasta, and potatoes and other vegetables as well as fruits supply all the nutrients that anyone needs but at a fraction of the cost of meats and cheeses. There would also be enormous savings on freezer costs and spoilage, since most vegan ingredients can be shipped and stored without refrigeration.”
Anderson also took care to relate her suggestion directly to Canada and its citizens by reminding Trudeau that:
“Earlier this year, Health Canada published a new food guide that de-emphasizes the consumption of meat and dairy and recommends instead that Canadians focus on fruit, vegetables, and vegan sources of protein.”
She also wants to make sure he understands the rationale for Canada’s new food guide. As readers of VEGWORLD know well and Anderson reiterates in her letter:
“Vegan eating has been proved to reduce the risk of suffering from obesity and cancer significantly and can even reverse heart disease and diabetes, so vegan meals would improve inmates’ health and decrease their healthcare costs over the long term — a win-win situation.”
How does she know a vegan diet can help improve incarcerated prisoners’ health?
Nothing like first-hand knowledge:
“Other prison systems have seen the benefits of serving inmates meat-free meals. The Maricopa County Jail in Arizona, for example, reported that it reduced costs by $273,000 when it switched to all-vegetarian food for its 8,000 inmates. I traveled to Phoenix to make lunch for inmates in order to promote that policy.” (No question they enjoyed that meal!)
Approaching the end of her letter, she tells Trudeau that:
“A vegan meal plan can help the planet, too, since raising animals for food damages the environment more than just about anything else that we do. According to the United Nations, we must all shift toward a vegan diet to combat the worst effects of climate change.”
The letter isn’t a one-off, either. Anderson’s prepared to do more if Trudeau likes her idea. She closes by saying:
“I hope you’ll embrace this idea as a simple but effective way to reduce costs and improve lives. My friends at PETA and I would be happy to work with your team to create a low-cost meal plan for your correctional facilities. Thank you for your time and consideration.”
How did Trudeau respond, if he did? We’re waiting to find out — and when we do, you’ll be among the first to know!
