Navi Mumbai: With Coldplay set to make a much-anticipated return to India after nine long years, People for Ethical treatment of Animals (PETA) India is calling on the band to go all green by ensuring that its concerts in the country as part of the Music of the Spheres world tour, which is focused on sustainability, serve only vegan meals and set a leather-free, cow-friendly example.
An open letter signed by Dr. Kiran Ahuja, PETA India’s Manager of Vegan Projects, has been issued in the name of Chris, Guy, Jonny, Will, and Phil. The letter says- We hope you will also consider that each vegan can save up to 200 animals a year simply by not eating them and University of Oxford researchers have found eating vegan can reduce an individual’s carbon footprint from food by up to 73%. As you likely know, vegan dishes are a staple in Indian cuisine and eco-friendly vegan clothing and footwear is widely available. (sic)
Ahuja has also written about cows being considered sacred in the country by many and bovine leather being environmentally damaging material in fashion. The letter highlights that India is facing effects of climate change, including severe heatwaves, a decline in monsoon rainfall, droughts, and other extreme and often deadly events.
It also mentions that India is one of the world’s most water-stressed nations. ‘And hence, PETA hopes that the coldplay team would agree to serving only vegan meals and would announce wearing leather-free clothing and footwear at the shows’- the letter concluded with the request.
