Go vegetarian, Says Bryan Adams

Ahead of his India tour this week, Canadian rockstar Bryan Adams has a message for Indian fans: go vegetarian. Adams joins a long list of celebrities - including Lara Dutta, R Madhavan, Sir Paul McCartney and Shahid Kapoor -- who have teamed up with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India to promote vegetarian lifestyle.

"If you love animals, don't eat them," Bryan told PETA India in an interview, PETA said today.

As part of 'Bryan Adams Live Full Band Show World Tour', the international singer-cum-songwriter will deliver four live performances in four cities in India - Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad between February 12 to 16.

Bryan said in the interview that he has been a "vegetarian since 1988 but stopped eating dairy food long before I became vegetarian."

Vidya Balan, Shashi Tharoor are hottest vegetarians!

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan and former union minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor have been voted as the hottest celebrity vegetarians in an online poll by animal rights organisation PETA.

Vidya and Tharoor beat out actors R. Madhavan and Lara Dutta to claim the title. They faced competition from Mallika Sherawat, Kareena Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Shahid Kapoor, and even international names like Natalie Portman and Bryan Adams.

"Vidya Balan and Shashi Tharoor embody many admirable qualities, but their commitment to a vegetarian diet that's as kind to animals and the earth as it is to their own health makes them true royalty in our book," Poorva Joshipura, chief of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, said in a statement.

"All our nominees are winners because there's nothing more beautiful than a caring heart to go along with an attractive appearance," she added.

Sodexo Earns 'Most Vegan-Friendly College in America' at Northwestern University

Northwestern University is named top pick by PETA2 for the second time in the category of small colleges

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Dec. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --

With thousands of votes cast for the country's Most Vegan-Friendly College in America, Sodexo helped client Northwestern University emerge as the top pick for 2010 in the small college category by PETA2, the world's largest youth animal rights organization.

The university's dining services, managed and operated by Sodexo, beat out 31 other schools from across the country. Serving a range of entrees such vegan seitan tacos, pumpkin chowder, vegetarian barbeque riblet sandwiches and Thai green curry with tofu helped clinch the top position, which Northwestern also held in 2007.

"Offering clients, student customers and the campus population at-large menu options that are varied and balanced -- to include vegan options -- is a natural outgrowth of our corporate health and wellness and sustainability objectives," said Tom Post, president, campus dining services, Sodexo. "It is exciting to see how our contributions work in concert with those of our clients to meet their needs in such a rewarding way."
In addition to offering vegetarian and vegan options Sodexo promotes choices with reduced sugar, salt, fats, and wherever possible, it sources local, seasonal and sustainably grown products.

John Ferraro, Sodexo menu manager at Northwestern believes that it is important for young adults to understand that today's vegetarian and vegan alternatives are nothing like the tasteless faux-meat concoctions of the past. He adds that tomorrow's parents should be especially cognizant of the appetizing, healthier options given current statistics on childhood obesity and related health issues. His popular recipe Vegan Burritos (www.sodexousa.com/usen/newsroom/resources/resources.asp) frequently drives that point home.
The voting process for the Most Vegan-Friendly College in America was held on the PETA2 web site in a March Madness-style bracketed competition. Visitors to the site cast their votes to help PETA2 select a winner.

Sodexo is a business partner to clients in various industries, offering strategic counsel and solutions that make it possible for them to meet any number of objectives, including sustainability goals. Guided by the Better Tomorrow Plan, its roadmap to sustainability, Sodexo has identified 14 specific commitments in the areas of health and wellness, the environment, and support for local communities.

About Sodexo
Sodexo in North America
Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), leading Quality of Daily Life Solutions company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, delivers On Site Service Solutions in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government, and Remote Site segments, as well as Motivation Solutions such as Esteem Pass. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $13 million in grants to fight hunger in America.

Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions
Quality of Life plays an important role in the progress of individuals and the performance of organizations.  Based on this conviction, Sodexo is the strategic partner for companies and institutions that place a premium on performance and well-being, as it has since Pierre Bellon founded the company in 1966. Sharing the same passion for service, Sodexo's 380,000 employees, in 80 countries design, manage and deliver an unrivaled range of On-site Service Solutions and Motivation Solutions. Sodexo has created a new form of service business that contributes to the economic, social and environmental development of the communities, regions and countries in which it operates and to the fulfillment of its employees.

PETA Urges Oklahoma City Mayor to Shed Pounds by Dumping Meat

Contact:Bruce Friedrich 757-622-7382

Oklahoma City - After learning that Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett is encouraging residents to lose weight by setting up a Web site where people can sign up to track their weight loss, PETA has sent the mayor a letter with some dieting advice: Go vegetarian.

"Overwhelming scientific evidence shows that vegetarians are far less likely to be overweight than meat-eaters and far more likely to be in better overall health," writes PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich, an Oklahoma native, in his letter to Cornett. "The American Dietetic Association--the nation's largest group of nutrition professionals--reviewed hundreds of studies and concluded that vegetarians have lower rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer than people who eat meat."

To help the mayor achieve his goal of encouraging Oklahoma City residents shed a total of 1 million pounds, PETA is offering to send its sexy Lettuce Ladies to cohost a "Ditch the Meat, Lose the Fat" Oklahoma-style cookout--complete with meatless Boca Chik'n Patties, Gardenburger Riblets, and all the fixins--for everyone who signs up for the mayor's "This City Is Going on a Diet" program.

PETA's letter to Mayor Cornett follows.

January 10, 2008
The Honorable Mick Cornett Oklahoma City Mayor

Dear Mayor Cornett:

On behalf of PETA and our more than 1.8 million members and supporters and as an Oklahoma native (I grew up in Oklahoma, and my father taught at Oklahoma University for more than 20 years), I am writing to thank you for your efforts to help Oklahoma City's residents lose weight. I'm also writing to offer our assistance—specifically, PETA would like to cohost a "Ditch the Meat, Lose the Fat" Oklahoma-style cookout with you for all residents who sign up for your "This City Is Going on a Diet" program.

Overwhelming scientific evidence shows that vegetarians are far less likely to be overweight than meat-eaters and far more likely to be in better overall health. The American Dietetic Association--the nation's largest group of nutrition professionals--reviewed hundreds of studies and concluded that vegetarians have lower rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer than people who eat meat. A healthy vegetarian diet provides all the nutrients a person needs to thrive--without the saturated animal fats and cholesterol found in meat that cause weight gain and clogged arteries.

As you may know, a government review of all the studies on weight loss found that two-thirds of dieters gain all the weight back within a year, and a whopping 97 percent gain it all back within five years. This yo-yo weight fluctuation is worse than being overweight; 97 percent of dieters would have been better off if they hadn't even bothered. The only weight-loss plan that has been scientifically proved to take weight off and keep it off for more than a year is a vegetarian diet. Many delicious vegan foods are naturally low in fat, so quantity and calorie restrictions are unnecessary. The introduction to Dr. Dean Ornish's book Eat More, Weigh Less is an excellent introduction to this topic.

At the cookout, our beautiful Lettuce Ladies (clad only in bikinis made of lettuce leaves) would serve a wide range of delicious low-fat vegetarian meals, such as Boca Chik'n Patties (a vegetarian version of chicken but with half the fat and none of the cholesterol) and Gardenburger Riblets (a healthier alternative to pig flesh). Of course, we'd also have all the fixings, such as vegetarian baked beans, corn-on-the-cob, and low-fat vegan apple pie. We would also provide each participant with a complimentary copy of PETA's "Vegetarian Starter Kit" (which can be ordered for free at GoVeg.com) that's full of delicious recipes to make at home.

Please contact me for more information or to work out details and to set a date for the cookout. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Bruce FriedrichVice President