Local PETA members push veggie burger alternative for Earth Day
PARIS – Two young people visited the local Burger King Tuesday hoping to get people to put aside the beef and try a veggie burger instead.
Lindsay Leavitt, 20, of Norway and Harley Maxim, 17, of Paris, are representatives of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals and said they felt it appropriate to mark Earth Day by raising environmental concerns.
Leavitt noted in her literature that producing a single hamburger patty uses enough fossil fuel to drive a small car 20 miles and enough water for 17 showers.
The pair went to Burger King and purchased 20 certificates for veggie burgers and passed them out for free, in hopes that customers would put down the beef burger for a meal.
Leavitt said most people were willing to try the vegetable product, but not all.
Restaurant manager Dave Thibodeau said his establishment was the only fast-food place that offered grilled veggie burgers.
After handing out some certificates at Burger King, Leavitt and Maxim went to Hannaford on Route 26 in Oxford to hand out the rest.
The two officially joined PETA last January and have been active at musical concerts and high school events.
They said they work as a PETA “street team,” trying to educate people about environmental and health hazards they say are associated with producing and eating meat.
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