Meatless Monday: Morrissey, who once sang Meat is Murder, wants GM to have non-leather car seats

Morrissey, the former Smiths lead singer, has written to GM’s CEO requesting the car company switch to a vegan-only model for two of its vehicles.

Morrissey was in Detroit earlier this month and the famous vegan, wrote the letter saying an animal-friendly option would “only broaden appeal’ of Chevy Volt and Bolt models.”

PETA is taking credit for the singer’s stance. Morrissey who sang about turkeys and cows in the song Meat is Murder has had a long relationship with the animal rights organization. In August, he backed a new online video game from PETA in which people had to save critters.

This game is the biggest social crusade of all, as we safeguard the weak and helpless from violent human aggression. You don’t get that from Pokémon Go.”

The game called This Beautiful Creature Must Die is available on desktops and mobiles and requires requires the player to click on animals before they fall upon meat grinders. An 8-bit audio version of Meat is Murder plays in the background.The call for non-leather car follows an investigation from PETA in what it calls “gruesome cruelty to animals on ranches that supply leather for GM.”

Morrissey’s letter to GM CEO Mary T. Barra cites the investigation from PETA which found animals were branded on the face, electro-shocked and beaten before they’re slaughtered to become leather interiors for car companies.

More and more people are opting for vegan leather for the sake of both cows and the environment. A staggering 51 per cent of global greenhouse-gas emissions are caused by animal agriculture. Animal skins also have to be treated with a toxic soup of chemicals in order to keep them from decomposing, and runoff from leather tanneries poisons vital waterways.

Given that the Volt and Bolt are being marketed to eco-conscious buyers, entirely vegan options would only broaden their appeal. I look forward to your reply.

Photo credit: Michael Muller/via PETA