Today’s Queen’s Speech announced welcome legislation on energy efficiency and low carbon energy production in the form of an Energy Security and Green Economy Bill. David Nussbaum, CEO of WWF-UK, said:

“The UK needs a revolution in the way we think about and source our energy, and we strongly support the Bill announced in today’s Queen’s Speech.”

“The proposed implementation of an emissions performance standard, provided it is set at the right level, could prevent saddling us to a new generation of polluting coal fired power plants. Furthermore, the delivery of a smart grid will be crucial for the UK’s low carbon future.”

On the Green Bank:

“The promised legislation on the Green Investment bank is urgent. At a time of public spending cuts, it is essential that we get as much private funding as possible into renewables and improving the energy efficiency of our housing stock.”

On climate change and the global deal:

“The non-legislative commitment to seek effective global collaboration to combat climate change will be vital if the Prime Minister is truly to deliver on his ambition for this to be the ‘greenest ever’ government. The UK must demonstrate leadership in Europe and globally if we are to get a binding, equitable deal and funding to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.”

On homes:

“To ensure the UK meets its climate change targets, WWF and the Great British Refurb have long been calling for the UK’s 26 million homes to be retrofitted quickly and to the highest possible standards. A government commitment to improve the energy efficiency of our existing housing stock is therefore extremely welcome.”

“At a time when the government must create jobs and grow industry, home efficiency presents a huge opportunity to kick-start growth in a low carbon economy. However, as the detail of the Bill develops, we need to see mechanisms to ensure this happens quickly, at scale and with financial incentives that will motivate the public to take part.”

For any enquiries, or further specialist comment, please contact:

Benjamin Ward
Head of Press and Media Relations
WWF-UK

+44 (0) 1483 412 378
+44 (0) 7837 134 193
bward@wwf.org.uk

Animal abusers, be warned: You do not want to mess with PETA cruelty caseworker Kristin DeJournett. Not only is she relentless in pursuing justice against people who hurt and kill animals, she’s also a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

After a rigorous series of tryouts that tested competitors’ stamina, technique, and expertise, Kristin was recently chosen from among thousands of black belts across the country to participate in a prestigious international Tae Kwon Do tournament in England.

To prepare for the competition, Kristin and her teammates met twice weekly for grueling practice sessions that lasted up to four hours. Kristin also trained daily for at least an hour with jogging, sprinting, and calisthenics—all fueled by a vegan diet, of course.

“I was able to build lean muscle and shed fat by eating lots of vegetable protein (tofu, beans, and faux meat), whole grains, and a ton of leafy green vegetables and fruits,” says Kristin. “I’ve noticed that a vegan diet helps me feel quicker and lighter on my feet.”

Kristin reports that Team USA cleaned up—all the teams earned gold medals in their age groups—and Kristin captured the bronze in an individual event!

Are you a vegan athlete? Post a comment below to tell us how you fuel your workouts.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

At PETA, we sometimes embrace things that others might call “bizarre,” like Andy Dick’s interview as Ronald McDonald with Jiminy Glick.

So when people started ringing our phones wanting our reaction to the recent news that Mike Myers is “kind of obsessed” with painting KFC’s Colonel Sanders, we might have puzzled some callers who assumed we’d be alarmed or offended to learn about his muse. We’re not. Monet may have had his water lilies but, hey, not all artists are inspired by foliage.

Besides, at the recent premiere of Shrek Forever After, the actor/funnyman/artist told our own Senior Vice President Dan Mathews that after watching a PETA video, he doesn’t eat chicken anymore.

That’s no surprise, really—after all, like art, many individual’s attitudes are ever-evolving—and countless caring people have kicked KFC’s unhealthy buckets from their diets.

So we’re thankful that one more person has chosen not to support the appalling cruelty that’s imposed upon billions of chickens, and we’ll daydream that Mike Myers might one day honor us with a gift of one of his renderings of the Colonel. If we paired it with our crippled KFC chicken statue from artist Harry Bliss, we could add immeasurable artistic flair to our Kentucky Fried Cruelty campaign.

Calling all connoisseurs of cuteness: We need your help deciding which of the following pics from recent PETA demonstrations is the most aww-inspiring.

© Michael Croland

Personally, I’m rooting for my boy Chris P. Carrot and his sweet pea Penelo, who recently attended the Veggie Pride Parade in New York City. Then again, I really ♥ the picture of the little dude in diapers sharing his disgust over the abuse of dairy cows at a Land O’Lakes supplier. But how can you not love Ellie the Elephant, who travels around the country educating elementary school kids about Ringling’s abuse of baby elephants? Dang, I can’t decide. You decide for me:

Which PETA moment most makes you stop and say, “Aww”?online survey

Posted by Amy Skylark Elizabeth

Wisconsin State Journal – A new committee would be tasked with the job of recommending whether the Dane County Board should officially “endorse” or “oppose” scientific experiments on monkeys in the county. http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt_and_politics/article_0b2d5326-652b-11df-8a68-001cc4c03286.html

@TheHorse – The Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine, a part of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, will partner with the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) to create new opportunities to help veterinary students who seek research-oriented careers focused on laboratory investigations and animal disease surveillance. http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=16399

NBC Washington – A new high tech genetics lab will open at the National Zoo Tuesday with a mission to help protect endangered species in the wild and in zoos … http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/New-DNA-Lab-to-Open-at-National-Zoo-94742469.html

Tokyo, Japan ? March 31, 2008
Japanese Society for Alternatives to Animal Experiments (JSAAE)
http://altweb.jhsph.edu/wc6/

NationalJournal.com – How animal rightists are bringing new meaning to the pledge “with liberty and justice for all.” Washington, watch out. http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/cs_20100522_1200.php

KDVR.com – Authorities in Colorado’s San Luis Valley are trying to solve a series of bizarre, gruesome slaying: cows, mutilated, carved up, left to die in the fields. http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-alien-cows-txt,0,5016258.story