PETA made sure that grocery shoppers didn't wind up in a pickle when the eco-friendly ban on plastic bags went into effect in Oakland, California. A convivial carrot and personable pickle offered shoppers at one grocery store free tote bags that were greener than a cucumber salad.

That's because not only did the bags help shoppers stop contributing to plastic-bag pollution, they also illustrated how much the meat industry pollutes the air, water, and soil. Inside their new bags, shoppers found a DVD of Paul McCartney's meat industry exposé "Glass Walls" and a vegetarian/vegan starter kit.

Many shoppers told the pair of produce that they were trying to be greener or were thinking about going vegan. And the green goodies were such a hit that employees came out of the store to ask if they could take some inside because customers were asking for them.

If you didn't get one of the totes, don't go out of your gourd. Pick up a vegetarian/vegan starter kit, a "Glass Walls" DVD, and a PETA bunny tote to help you be healthier and more Earth-friendly, and make your friends go green with envy. 

Mobilized by PETA's Action Team, more than 200 people descended on the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, last night to let Ringling Bros. know that its elephant-abusing act isn't welcome.

The highlight of the evening came when protestors chanted, "There's no excuse for animal abuse—boycott Ringling circus," so loudly that they drowned out a Ringling promoter. At the time, the promoter was talking about Baby Barack—probably in a shameless attempt to hawk show tickets. Even after turning up the volume on his amplified microphone, the promoter was still overpowered and had no choice but to pack up his gear and leave!

PETA isn't alone in opposing Ringling, which allows its trainers to beat elephants with sharp, metal-tipped bullhooks to force the animals to perform; tears baby elephants away from their mothers; and keeps these smart, social animals in chains. In a historic partnership, four Northern California animal protection groups—the Marin Humane Society, East Bay SPCA, Humane Society Silicon Valley, and the Sacramento SPCA—have joined forces to ask everyone to boycott Ringling in response to its cruelty. We can take action, too, by asking officials to seize Ringling's abused elephants and by urging everyone we know to attend only animal-free circuses.

Written by Lindsay Pollard-Post

In high school, P.E. was my worst nightmare. Flickerball, pickle ball, capture the flag: I hated them all and tried my hardest to come up with excuses to sit on the bleachers. The worst periods by far were on fitness-test days—the dreaded mile run. Those were the days when I got really creative with my excuses. One year I faked a bee sting; another year I "got hives" when I tried to run.

Now, despite my phobia of physical exertion and my love of the couch, there are a few things that will get me to do just about anything involving lacing up sneakers and strapping on a pedometer. One of those motivators: animals. Driven by the incentive to save lives, I'm gearing up for an uncharacteristically active winter, undoing all those years of glorious unhealthy inertia by joining the second annual PETA Pack. A group of runners who train together and raise money for PETA, the Pack is the perfect synthesis of fitness and kindness. With the help of professional coach Darren Middlesworth, we'll train together for the Oakland Marathon/Half Marathon/5K on March 28, 2010.

Last year's Oakland Pack.

But you don't have to live in the San Francisco Bay area to participate. Last year, 77 runners from across the U.S. and Canada trained remotely, and those who couldn't make it to Oakland for the big race found a race to run in their hometowns. Together they raised $57,000 for PETA's Investigations and Rescue Fund, and this year we expect to double that figure.

Training begins January 3—the perfect time to make a New Year's resolution a reality. Join today and check the PETA Pack blog for updates.

Written by Logan Scherer

If there is anything I learned from Saved by the Bell that could help save an animal, it's that oil can equal death for waterfowl.

This knowledge was recently put to quick use by some PETA Foundation staff members. They were walking by the San Francisco Bay when they noticed a seagull struggling to say afloat. The bird had become covered in grease while foraging for food at a nearby rendering plant.

The bird's feathers were matted by the grease, and his natural ability to float had been destroyed, so time was not on this guy's side. So PETA Foundation staffer Jaci Kassmeier didn't think twice before stripping to her skivvies and plunging into the freezing water to save him from drowning.

All cleaned up, the gull is now resting at a local wildlife rehabilitation facility where his other rescuer, PETA Foundation staffer Kelle Kacmarcik, is a volunteer.

Dogs and cats are not the only ones who need us to take action when we see them in danger. When wild animals' natural environments are turned into urban areas, the animals are forced to adapt—and it's often to their detriment. All too often, animals are hit by cars, are caught in traps, or fall victim to human carelessness.

Of course, knowing what to do when you encounter a wild animal who needs help is vital to ensuring that the animal receives necessary care and that you are kept out of harm's way. Please read our tips on what to do if you think a wild animal needs your help, and always take injured wild animals to an animal shelter, veterinarian, or wildlife rehabilitator who knows how to deal with their injuries. Never attempt to care for a wild animal yourself.

Written by Shawna Flavell