PETA’s bipartisan mascot Chris P. Carrot is on the campaign trail in South Carolina, where he’ll give attendees and presidential hopefuls some food for thought as he holds an “EAT ME!” sign and urges them to go vegan for three good reasons: to stop harming animals, to bolster human health, and to protect the environment. Chris P. Carrot’s first stop will be at Nikki Haley’s bus tour stop in Beaufort this evening, followed by other events throughout the week.

“Animal agriculture is a killer, spewing methane that’s destroying the planet, hardening humans’ arteries with cholesterol, and sending billions of animals to their deaths,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA’s Chris P. Carrot is urging candidates and voters to go vegan before it’s too late—and we have free downloadable vegan starter kits for all.”

According to the United Nations, about a third of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are linked to food production and the largest percentage of these emissions come from the meat and dairy industries. PETA notes that growing water-intensive crops just to feed animals raised for food consumes more than half the water used in the U.S. and that up to 80% of deforestation in the Amazon is linked to meat production, either for grazing or for growing food for cows. Vegan foods—such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, peas, nuts, and lentils—require less energy, land, and water.

Chris P. Carrot will make appearances at Haley’s bus tour stops in Georgetown and Myrtle Beach tomorrow and in Rock Hill on Friday.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, or Instagram.