Virginians should soon be able to promote vegetarianism with a snazzy new license plate design. The only thing keeping this from becoming a reality is a few hundred people sending in applications for their own plates. The Veggie Plates campaign needs 350 license plate requests to make it official, and so far they only have 60 or so. Herbavores, what’s the hold up? Sure, there’s a whopping $10 application fee, but the group behind the effort will even front that to you until you get your plates, if that would help you pull the trigger (non-violently) and fill out an application.
Anything to do with the DMV is such an overwhelming endeavor. But, folks. This is simple. You just mail fill out an application and then sit and wait. You can even have fun with it by throwing in an extra $10 for your own personalized six character plate. How about SUPERB? BEERME? Or FOODIE? No, wait. CHKNBT? (as in, “what’s up? Chicken butt.”)
A handful of local Richmonders have made this plates possible. Noah Scalin at ALR Designs styled the lettering and festive looking veggies. Vegan Action is collecting the applications and funds. Del. Jennifer McClellan agreed to sponsor the bill that will surely sail through (once 350 vegetarians step up). And Leslie Sanford is spearheading the effort with a website and fliers. Despite this collective effort, the campaign has been extended another year.
“So far, we only have about 60 applications,” says Sanford. “That’s why we have extended the campaign a year. We need to get more publicity, and more people involved in spreading the word!! I’m offering a free application to anyone willing to distribute 50 fliers. We also have an ad on FaceBook, and a fan page on FaceBook.”
Reaching all the vegetarians needed to make this campaign successful takes a big promotional effort. Starting on April 1, 2010, the Veggie Plate campaign will be entered in the Pepsi Refresh Project to fund grass roots projects that improve health, education, community, etc. They’ve entered under “Health” in the $5,000 grant section. When April arrives, supporters are encouraged to vote each day in April at http://www.refresheverything.com.
If you’re even vaguely interested, click the link and read more. Got a suggestion to help kick the campaign into high gear? Add your two cents here.
Such vanity plates are an indicator of how far our society has fallen. Who cares?
Thanks for the wonderful words! We are working very hard to get these plates approved because we’re proud to be vegetarians and vegans, and would like the world to know about this healthy & humane lifestyle (and having a terrific Noah Scalin piece of art on your ride just makes it even sweeter!!) We have several programs where people can “earn” their plates (distribute 50 fliers in their area or volunteer to staff the veggie plates’ booth at the Richmond Vegetarian Festival), get them free (subsidized plates for those who can’t afford them), and of course, the “Deferred Payment Plan” where you don’t pay until you actually receive your plates (due to the year’s extension to gain enough signatures, and the wild and wonderful ways of the government, it will be April 2012 before we can hope to see them!) The last program is one aimed at those with other revenue-sharing plates, e.g. “Animal Friendly” – if you will take a one year “vacation” from your plates in order to help get the veggie plates approved, we will give you a free application AND contribute $5.00 to the organization that would have benefitted from their plates.
We also have the Pepsi Refresh project to look forward to, as you mentioned. Winning this grant will go a long way toward helping us gain more publicity and also replenishing those coffers now being depleted to push this plate now!
Thanks again for highlighting us, and be sure to visit us on FaceBook, on our web site http://www.veggieplates.org, or write to me at VeggiePlates@live.com.
Pepsi is sponsoring this? A megacorp? Don’t tell John Mackey?
You spelled “herbivores” wrong.
Benji: You’re damned right I ordered the code red!… I mean, wait. Wrong movie reference. Okay, trying to play it off. Doesn’t the hostility work better with the misspelling? Regardless, I shoulda seen the red line under that word.
Bosco: Cheer up. Maybe a colorful license plate would improve your mood.
Leslie: Keep up the good work. I recommend tabling outside Harrison St or Ipanema Cafes (with permission, of course). Get people to fill out the paper work and plunk down the money on the spot. Two extroverted veg-heads for one week oughta knock it out.