Some serious food for thought from PETA aims to drive residents of Gulfport—labeled the second “unhealthiest city” in the U.S.—to stop eating meat, which is chock-full of cholesterol and cruelty. The group’s new messaging blitz appears on buses throughout the city, giving riders a chance to take in the information along with the sights.

“Meat is loaded with fat and cholesterol, and raising animals just to kill and eat them is a disaster not only for them but also for human health and the planet,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk, a vegan for over 50 years. “PETA stands ready to help with free downloadable vegan starter kits full of recipes and tips.”

Pigs, cows, chickens, and other animals commonly killed for food are smart, sensitive individuals who feel pain and fear, just as humans do. Yet most of them are raised in filthy conditions and endure severe crowding and routine mutilations such as castration and tail-docking—often without any pain relief—and don’t see the sun or breathe fresh air until the day they’re forced onto trucks bound for the slaughterhouse.

Each person who goes vegan saves nearly 200 animals each year and improves their own health, since vegans are less prone to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and strokes. According to the United Nations, a global shift toward vegan eating is necessary to combat the worst effects of the climate catastrophe. PETA’s 3-Week Vegan Challenge can help anyone starting their vegan journey with recipes, shopping tips, meal plans, and other resources.

The ads are running on nine buses in Gulfport and Biloxi.

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.