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Fur: Mean, Not "Green"
 Fur
has fallen so far from grace that furriers are now trying to convince
consumers that pelts are “eco-friendly.” But nothing could
be further from the truth! Furs are loaded with chemicals to keep
them from decomposing in the buyer’s closet, and fur production
pollutes the environment and gobbles up precious resources. And don’t
forget: Unlike faux fur, the “real thing” causes millions
of animals to suffer every single year.
Fur Is Eco-Unfriendly
Did you know that producing a fur coat from ranch-raised animals takes more than 15 times as much energy as it does to produce a faux-fur coat? And that’s just the beginning.
The waste produced on fur farms—where animals spend their entire
lives in cramped, filthy cages, constantly pacing back and forth from
stress and boredom—is poisoning our waterways. In December 1999,
for example, the Washington Department of Ecology fined one mink farmer
$24,000 for polluting ditches that drain into a local creek.
The Environmental Protection Agency has also filed complaints against
companies involved in fur production and transportation for illegally
generating and disposing of hazardous waste from processing pelts.
Improper handling of waste can cause water contamination. The fur
industry has even lobbied governments in the Great Lakes area to maintain
low water-quality standards—so that fur farms won’t be
identified as major polluters.
Furriers claim that the carcasses from animals skinned for their
pelts are used for animal feed (even though many animals on fur farms
are killed by being injected with poisons), but often they end up
dumped in landfills. A fur farm in Great Britain was accused of violating
waste-disposal laws after a local resident found skinned mink carcasses
in a landfill there. Although wasteful, this method of disposal would
not be illegal in the United States.
Trapping—and “Trashing”—Wildlife
Approximately 30 percent of the fur sold in the U.S. comes from animals
trapped in the wild. As anyone who stops to think about it will quickly
realize, traps are indiscriminate: They catch any animal unfortunate
enough to stumble upon them. Every year, hundreds of thousands of
dogs, cats, birds, and other animals—including endangered species—are
“accidentally” crippled or killed by traps. Trappers call
these animals “trash kills” because they have no economic
value, and most are simply discarded like garbage. Animals who survive
and are released often die later from their injuries.
Don’t believe the fur industry’s lies: Fur hurts—animals
and the environment. To learn what you can do to help, click here.
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Fur
has fallen so far from grace that furriers are now trying to convince
consumers that pelts are “eco-friendly.” But nothing could
be further from the truth! Furs are loaded with chemicals to keep
them from decomposing in the buyer’s closet, and fur production
pollutes the environment and gobbles up precious resources. And don’t
forget: Unlike faux fur, the “real thing” causes millions
of animals to suffer every single year. 
Did you know that producing a fur coat from ranch-raised animals takes more than 15 times as much energy as it does to produce a faux-fur coat? And that’s just the beginning. 
The Environmental Protection Agency has also filed complaints against
companies involved in fur production and transportation for illegally
generating and disposing of hazardous waste from processing pelts.
Improper handling of waste can cause water contamination. The fur
industry has even lobbied governments in the Great Lakes area to maintain
low water-quality standards—so that fur farms won’t be
identified as major polluters. 
Furriers claim that the carcasses from animals skinned for their
pelts are used for animal feed (even though many animals on fur farms
are killed by being injected with poisons), but often they end up
dumped in landfills. A fur farm in Great Britain was accused of violating
waste-disposal laws after a local resident found skinned mink carcasses
in a landfill there. Although wasteful, this method of disposal would
not be illegal in the United States. 
PETA Unveils Bear Investigation
PETA Announces 'Worst-Dressed' Celebrities of 2008
Miami Ink's Ami James' New Anti-Fur Ad
Eva Mendes Poses Nude to Speak Out Against Fur
Meet the Trollsen Twins
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