Morrissey pens green missive to car manufacturer

British rock star Morrissey has written an open letter to Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors (GM), in which he politely called for the company to begin offering "vegan leather" as an option for the seats in the 2017 Chevrolet Volt and Bolt. 

Addressed on behalf of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Morrissey wrote on Monday: “A staggering 51 percent 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.”

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The letter refers to PETA’s latest investigation into a leather supplier in Brazil, which delivers hides to automakers like GM, Toyota and Volkswagen, for alledgedly treating its cattle on ranches inhumanely. 

Morrissey concludes in his letter that since GM has marketed Bolt and Volt as eco-friendly, having the vegan leather option would help broaden their appeal. 

Steven Patrick Morrissey, who is a vegan, has been known for using his concerts to campaign against animal cruelty. During his early October performance in Jakarta, in which food vendors were not allowed to sell animal products, uncensored video footage of animal cruelty accompanied his performance of his "Meat is Murder" song. (mra/kes)