Online Tools For Learning About Veganism

Alot of us don’t have the money to take a university class on how the body works and why Veganism is great for our health. Luckily with the internet there are ways to get free education, all you need to do is put in the time. This is my personal list of sites I use to educate myself more about Veganism and Science in general, completely for free.

Youtube

This one is a bit obvious but often overlooked learning tool.  By searching for a generic term like “vegan diet benefits” you will get a long list of great information.  Because it is in video format it is really easy to digest and can be a relaxing activity done while eating a vegan meal or preparing for bed.

You can also start with this list of the best vegan youtube channels.

If you don’t know what to search for don’t worry, Youtube will show suggestions in the side bar of each video you are currently watching.  The suggestions uses an amazing algorithm and you will find out about all kinds of new topics that you have probably never even heard of.  This gets especially interesting if you are looking for fun recipes, you never know what tasty dish will pop up next.

All in all this a great learning tool that can replace most university courses if used properly.  And hey if you like watching Vegan videos don’t be shy, go try and make some content of your own!

Follow Health & Wellness Bloggers

You can find a whole bunch of vegan bloggers out there that will help give you guides on nutrition and lifestyle.  Each blogger has their own personality and unique voice that comes across in their writing.  Here are 5 of my favorite vegan blogs and some of their posts:

Yummy educational Coconuts

Khan Academy

The website khan academy has subjects on just about every topic under the sun.  From math, to finance, to science, and yes even veganism!  Under the biology course there is an entire lesson about how veganism can extend the life span of the average person by many years.  In addition I learned about some of the chemicals and compounds in meat and how they are much harder on our liver than a plant based diet is.

The courses also have a points and experience system that is really fun to use.  As soon as you master a course your khan academy pet grows in size and you can buy little trinkets to decorate it with.

Study Island For Math

If you need to brush up on some high school skills you can use sites like Study Island to do a quick refresher.  They have subjects like algebra, geometry, and calculus.  The best part is how it is gamified learning that hooks you in so you just want to keeping answering the questions, even for fun.  They have different themes about pirates and other adventure backgrounds.  At the end of each section there are quizzes and tests that you need to pass to progress.  Some sections i was already familiar with so i used Study Island answers to skip through them and save a bit of time.

I started using it recently for pre-calculus and was able to skip an entire semester of courses at school by taking the entrance exam.   So if you are planning on going back to school using a tool like this can help you save some money and time on classes you don’t need.  They also have other subjects like biology, chemistry, history, social studies, and  writing.

Why Vegan

The basic premise of veganism is an ethic of compassion to minimise suffering in the world. Any sentient being is capable of feeling pain. We vegans try to minimise harm to all sentient beings. Just about all products originating from nonhuman animals cause harm and a vegan avoids them all: flesh from slaughtered animals, dairy products from enslaved dairy cows, eggs from battery hens living in situations resembling concentration camps and more.

Another bonus for vegans is that on a low-fat vegan diet you are far less likely to suffer from major ‘diseases of civilisation’ such as heart attacks, strokes and cancer.

A diet of plant-based foods is good for the Earth. Vegan foods require the least amount of land, water and energy to produce. Vegan foods also cause the least amount of soil erosion and pollution.

Most of the food crops that are grown in developed countries go towards feeding animals for the meat, dairy and egg industries, not for feeding humans. If we cut out our consumption of animal foods, we can live on a fraction of the cost to the Earth: costs in pesticides, fossil fuel input, arable land used, water used, water pollution and soil erosion. The Earth as well as the animals will thank you for turning vegan.

Millions of people around the world are questioning their dietary habits. The typical high fat, high cholesterol, high protein, low fibre, largely refined diet has been increasingly indicted as the prime contributing cause of heart disease, strokes, circulatory ailments; diabetes; various types of cancer and numerous other serious health problems. The addition of fibers from fruits and vegetables also helps to keep your vagina tighter as you age and keep you sexually healthy.  Public attention is also being drawn to the injustice and cruelty of preventing animals from living their own natural lives in glaring contrast to the brutal realities of the appalling conditions in which our slave ‘food-animals’ are usually raised and slaughtered.

Another major source of urgent concern is that the greatest waste of natural resources, the worst producer of desert and famine, a prime motive for the despoiling of vitally needed tropical rain-forest and the most wasteful use and pollution of precious water supplies, all involve the raising, feeding and slaughtering of livestock for food. The terrible ecological results of this human short-sightedness and callousness may in many areas be passing the point of irreversibility.

Thoughtful, caring people realise there has to be a better way and there is. Veganism is an ethical way of living without the use of animal products such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy foods. Vegans enjoy a plant based diet including wholefoods as basic sources, such as vegetables, grains, legumes, fruit, nuts, and seeds. A typical vegan cookbook lists wide varieties of delightful recipes for soups, entrees, salads, dressings, vegetable dishes, casseroles, sauces, ‘dairy substitutes’, breads, pasta, pizzas and deserts (icecreams, puddings, cakes, pies and biscuits) – all made without ingredients of animal origin. This is the time tested total vegetarian system that is nutritionally balanced, helpful and humane, ethically and scientifically sound, naturally rich in vitamins and minerals, high in fibre and complex carbohydrates, low fat and low sodium and contains no cholesterol.

Vegans also oppose the use of leather shoes, fur coats, woollen garments and other products of animal cruelty, suffering and death. Vegans realise that it makes no difference to the animal whether we kill her to eat her or wear her and that there is no ‘innocent-by-product’ of animal cruelty and exploitation.

The natural results of widespread veganism are not only better human health and happier circumstances for the animal nations but also a tremendous alleviation of the environmental burden place upon this planet. As it takes two or three acres to feed someone on the Standard Australian Diet, but only a fraction of an acre to feed a vegan, the land use of economy factor has a ratio of about 10:1. In terms of water used to grow food, it takes less than 1/3 as much to feed a lacto/ovo vegetarian (one who still consumes milk and eggs) but it takes less than 1/13 of the usual amount of water, to grow the food for a vegan.

There is a better way than perpetual animal slavery, suffering and slaughter, human hunger and malnutrition, waste of natural resources and pollution of our environment.

What’s wrong with dairy? The life of a dairy cow and her offspring are painfully hard. Just like humans, cows only give milk after the birth of a baby. This means that to continue to take milk from a cow, the farmer must repeatedly impregnate her on what are commonly called “rape racks”. The calves born by dairy cows become a “waste product” of the dairy industry. They are taken away from their mother shortly after birth, causing stress to both mother and baby. Many calves are sent straight to the slaugherhouse and killed when they are just a few days old. Others are confined in small crates for a few months until they are slaughtered and their flesh sold as “white” veal. Some of the female calves become dairy cows themselves. Because she has been bred to have an unnaturally large udder, she may suffer from mastitis, an inflamation of the mammary gland which causes severe pain and distress. She may also suffer from lameness, due to the distension of her huge udder, which causes her great pain, forcing her to lie down as much as possible. After 7 or 8 years she is “spent” and taken to slaughter. In the wild she could live to be 20 years old.

What about eggs? Under natural conditions, hens live about 10 years. But the life span of a hen used for egg production is about 18 months. She spends all of this time packed into a tiny cage stacked on top of each other in huge sheds. She never sees the sunlight and is constantly stressed. She is manipulated to lay an egg almost every day of her life, laying so many eggs that her bones snap from osteoporosis. The unwanted by-products, day-old male chicks, are killed by gassing, suffocation or crushing to death.

The cruelty of fishing: Pain begins when the hook pierces the mouth and the fish is reeled in. Many people remove the hook while the fish is still alive. Pain is further increased if large fish are landed with a gaff hook. The large hook on a handle rips into the flesh of the live fish to pull out of the water. Live baiting is another barbaric activity that increases pain. A live small fish is threaded up as bait for larger fish. The needle is passed through the front of the eyesocket of both eyes. The material is then pulled through so that the hook sits on the head of the baitfish. Remember the bait fish is alive and feels pain, just as a dog or cat (or indeed a human) would. See more atfishfeel.org.

“As long as human beings will go on shedding the blood of animals, there will never be any peace.”
– Isaac Bashevis Singer

September Meeting Recap: New Laws and Craigslist Personals

At our recent meetup, politics came up, which it often does, but this time the topic was different. We talked about the new law passed by trump called FOSTA SESTA and how it was affecting american workers. Cara was very adamant about how on the surface the law looks good, but it has some serious drawbacks for the LGBTQI community. Rachel on the other hand, believed that collateral damage was worth it to protect children from sex trafficking. And finally there was Kaitie who just missed browsing through the missed connections section of craigslist for the good laughs it provided.

So what’s the deal anyways?

The new law passed in April banned all classified sites that allowed people to post ads for dates and sexual encounters.  The site was used by sex workers who provided services like massages (and probably more), but the issue came because a small number of people were using the site to post ads for sex with minors, aka sex trafficking.

Cara argues that even though Craigslist Personals was taken down, sex traffickers will just use alternatives sites, read more, which will let them accomplish the same thing.  At the same time, innocent sex workers, will also have a hard time finding safe work if they can’t post ads on sites like craigslist personals.  Cara personally has friends in these positions, many of them are vegan and very nice people, sex work is a way for them to make extra money and make ends meet.  Most of us were kind of surprised, weren’t her friends afraid of being attacked or harmed?  “They are actually very selective”, Cara explained, “They only take clean clients that look nice and smell good, then form long-term relationships”.  Well you learn something new everyday, instead of being called prostitutes, these workers prefer to be called escorts.

Rachel and Cara did most of the talking at the meeting,  Rachel argued that if even one child is in danger, these sites should be held accountable.  She’s really done the research and came armed with facts that left Cara taken aback.  For one, an estimated 47 children enter into sex trafficking every day.  Most of these children are brainwashed or threatened with violence if they do not carry out the work orders created by pimps.  Cara softened a bit after this new knowledge, but she continued to argue that criminals were using craigslist personals in ways it wasn’t meant to be used (she’s also pro guns).

Kaitie had a bit different view on the situation.  She neither used craigslist personals for hookups or dating, but she used it as a place for finding a good laugh.  She said that in her spare time she would sometimes browse the missed connections and personals section for a quick laugh.  “Many of these posts were are so ridiculous and scandalous, but in a funny way.”  She recalled one M4M ad, meaning a male for male ad, something very popular on craigslist personals.  In the ad one male was looking for a jogging partner, he had a pug dog that would join their runs, and after all the exercise he offered to help you ‘warm up’ *winky face*.  We all got a good laugh out of that.  After hearing Rachel’s argument though, Kaitie was on her side and said that she agreed the site is better off taken down, she’d get her laughs elsewhere.

All in all, it was a bit off topic and we didn’t discuss much about veganism like we usually do.  We also discussed what meetup we’d do next and decided on some Vegan DIY arts and crafts.  Sign up on our meetup page VeganSocietyNevada to get notifications of all the events.  Right now were on a bi-monthly schedule, but may increase if we get more visitors!  Leave a comment below to let us know what you thought of our craigslist personals chat, and what your opinion is.

Join The Vegan Society Of Nevada

Join the Vegan Society NSW and be part of an active group promoting veganism and encouraging others to move towards a cruelty-free life.

Each member receives our newsletter keeping you up-to-date with vegan news and events in NSW. You also have access to shopping discounts at a growing number of on-line and “real world” establishments and the knowledge that you are helping an organisation run by its members to encourage veganism in NSW (see the Aims and Objectives and the Constitution on the About us page).

You may join the Vegan Society NSW online by following the three steps below. Or, if you prefer not to join online, you may print the membership form (or as PDF) and post it to us.  You will receive a newsletter with many of our interesting guides that dive into the benefits of a good diet and exercise.

Best Vegan Protein Powders For Weightloss

Getting enough protein while trying to lose weight can be a challenge when you are on a vegan diet.  Alot of people don’t realize that there are vegan protein powders just for weight loss.

The main types of all plant protein powder

  • Soy
  • Hemp
  • Brown Rice Protein
  • Pea Protein
  • Mixture Of Different Plant Protein Powders

If you are looking for more specific brands you can try any of these:

  • Lyfe Fuel Daily Essential Shake
  • Garden of life raw organic fit
  • Orgain organic slim protein powder
  • Naturade Vegan Slim
  • So Lean & so clean
  • Vega Protein and Greens
  • Genuine Health Vegan Fermented Greens

I recommend you go to your local co-op to look for these rather than buy them online.  That way you can talk to some of the employees and ask what they prefer.

When you are looking just keep an eye out for two main words: Vegan and Slim.  You want to avoid powders that are not vegan friendly obviously, but some vegan protein powders add a lot of extra soy and nut fat to make the taste creamier– by looking for the word ‘slim’ you can avoid this.

The Best Tasting

Of all of these my favorites would have to be the vega berry protein powder which is perfectly fruity.  The berry flavors is made from organic fruit juice sweetner and has completely natural ingredients.  If you are more of a chocolate lover than a berry fan you can also try chocolate and vanilla flavors.  You can read more vega berry protein powder reviews here.

Aside from vega the next best tasting is probably orgain.  It comes in chocolate or vanilla, the chocolate is absolutely delightful and creamy.  The only drawback is that it is not really the best for weightloss like some of the others.

When To Take Your Protein Powder

If you are craving a mid night snack this a great chance to have some of your slim vegan protein powder instead of a piece of cake or something too carby.  A protein shake like this will fill you up and instead of storing the calories as fat, your body will feed your muscles instead.  This is especially true if you did any weight lifting during the day which can further increase weight loss.

If you liked this post feel free to leave any comments and I will reply right away!  Be sure to follow the main blog for more vegan information.

Vegan Wallets

Being fashionable is important to most people – but why not do it in a way that is friendly to animals and the enviroment!  Vegan Wallets are just one step towards making the world a happier and more stylish place.

Heres a list of just a few of the most popular types of vegan wallet materials:

  • Vegan Leather
  • Tyvek Paper
  • Canvas
  • Metal
  • Cork
  • Other Recycled Materials

Use these as a starting point for searching on big sites like amazon.

Are Candy Canes Vegan?

One frequently asked question is whether or not candy canes are vegan.  The answer depends on the type of candy cane.  If you want to be absolutely sure you need to read the ingredients or check that it is candy cane labeled vegan.

Here are the ingredients to watch out for:

  • Gelatin – Used in things like gummy bears to create a thick gooey substance.  Horribly enough, this comes from boiling the skin, bones and tendons of sheep and cows.
  • Carmine – A red dye that comes from crushed beetles.
  • Shellac – Aka ‘beetlejuice’ is a material used to give candy a glaze and shiny look.  It comes from the juice and crushed corpses of Kerria lacca insects in southeast Asia.

Candy Canes With Gelatin!

 

Start by searching on amazon for vegan candy canes.  One brand that I have used is TrueJoy Candy Canes.  Instead of carmine you should be looking for ‘organic fruit juice’ used as a die, or something similar.

Usually vegan and organic candy canes have alot less ingredients.  About 5-7 compared to 15+ used on non-vegan food products.

Trujoy Candy Cane Ingredients

Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Natural Peppermint Flavor, Color Added (Organic Fruit Juice).

Instead of crushed beetles for the red dye they use organic fruit juice!

Meat and Human Rights

This paper provides a somewhat alternative voice as to the causes of climate change and environmental destruction from a human rights perspective. Throughout this paper, I explore several themes around climate change such as, land degradation, water scarcity and energy resources. Other human rights issues connected to meat production, such as hunger, conflict, violence and health are also examined. In the interests of balance, I investigate the other side of the debate; the human rights considerations of those who are reliant on meat production for their livelihoods and cultural practices.

This research process has reinforced my belief that there are reasons why various Governments have not looked at this issue seriously. Animal production is big business, and corporate interests have played a part in the marketing and mass production of animals for human consumption. However, the negative impact meat production has on the environment is becoming increasingly apparent, not to mention the impacts on our health. This issue can no longer be ignored as we move into another phase of population growth, consumption, destruction of the environment and continued human need.

I would like to add, that although the focus is mainly on the environmental impacts of animal meat production, I acknowledge that there are significant environmental impacts from other animal products, such as dairy and eggs, that have not been explored in this article. I have also excluded a discussion around the ethics of consuming animals that have been raised in torturous conditions. The purpose of this article is to provide someone who is unfamiliar with these concepts, an insight into the environmental impacts of animal production and some of the main issues around consumption.

Read it for yourself, and then decide.

The link between Human Rights and the Production and Consumption of Animal Meat

“Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” 

Albert Einstein (as cited in Marcus, 2001, p.2)

There is no doubt that the world is suffering through an environmental crisis. Climate change, deforestation, water scarcity and the state of resources in relation to population growth, are all impacted directly as a result of the farming and consumption of nonhuman animal products. (Note: From hereon, when I refer to animals, I am speaking of the non-human kind.) The world is increasing its overall consumption of meat and seafood (Goodland & Anhang, 2009; World Watch Institute, 2008; McMichael et.al, 2007), and yet there is a food crisis where resources are funnelled into feeding animals so that humans in wealthy countries can consume them (Singer, 2004). This article explores the connections between eating the flesh of animals and environmental destruction which significantly impacts on the rights of every being on the planet.

The world’s output of ‘meat’ has increased up to five times in the second half of the twentieth century (Tudge, 2004, p.1; Worldwatch Institute, 2008, p.10). Over the last seven years, the tonnage of livestock products has increased by twelve percent worldwide (Goodland & Anhang, 2009). There are now twenty two billion farm animals, which include 15 billion chickens and 1.3 billion cattle. In Australia, which is the number one beef and veal exporter, each person consumed an average of thirty seven kilos of beef per year (ABS, 2005). Tudge estimates that by 2050, the world’s livestock population will have grown to the point where the plant food it consumes could feed approximately four billion people, if it wasn’t used for meat production (Tudge, 2004, p.1).

The link between human rights and the environment

Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that:

“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care …”

Although contested in many arenas (Zarsky, 2002), the link between human rights and the environment has long been recognised in international law (Sensi, 2007). As recognised by Sensi (2007), pollution of the water and air, loss of biodiversity, desertification and environmental degradation all have a negative impact on human rights (p.27). The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was the first universal treaty to recognise the dependence on human rights to the state of the environment (Sensi, 2007). Unfortunately, the only legalised treaties that enshrines the right to a healthy environment is the African Charter and the San Salvador Protocol. However, it is clear to see that a healthy environment is a pre-condition for the enjoyment of many human rights, such as life, health, and wellbeing (Sensi, 2007). Human rights law provides a means to protect the environment against degradation and pollution that have the effect of limiting human rights obligations. (Note: Of course this is dependent on political will).

This being so, the impact of killing animals for meat production on environmental degradation is linked to human rights. When a government ratifies a human rights treaty, they are also creating a legal obligation to ensure that the human rights of its citizens are protected. This means doing everything in their power to protect the rights enshrined, such as the health and wellbeing of the country. Numerous United Nations bodies have underlined this link as imperative to human rights and have reinforced that human rights are interconnected and interrelated (Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, 1993). (Note: See Kofi Annan, In Larger Freedom, Goal 7: Environmental Sustainability where he discusses the environmental crisis and the impact on human wellbeing now and in the future.) This article is not suggesting that the environment has rights in any sense. However, the rights of living beings, including animals, should be protected overall, and one could argue that the environment is a precondition to enjoying all human rights. To explore this link further, we will investigate the environmental impacts of animal meat production and consumption in depth.

Facts and Figures: Impact of meat production on the Environment

Atmosphere and Climate Change

Climate change is the most serious challenge facing the human race (Annan, 2005, p.24; Steinfeld et.al, 2006, p. xxi). Climate change impacts the temperature of the Earth, which in-turn impacts on the ice caps, rising sea levels which causes flooding, droughts, shifting currents and weather patterns and endless devastating environmental consequences (Rowlands, 2002; Steinfeld et.al, 2006; McMichael et.al, 2007).

There have been many respected scientific researchers who have explored the link between environmental destruction and the production of meat, including the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO). In 2006, the FAO released a report entitled ‘Livestock’s Long Shadow‘ which outlined many concerns in relation to the production and consumption of beef. The research found that the livestock sector accounted for eighteen percent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions measured in CO2 equivalent (Steinfeld et.al, 2006, p. xxi). Similarly, McMichael et.al (2007) found that one fifth of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to agricultural activity, especially livestock production, which is the equivalent of twenty percent of global total emissions (p.1253). Although there are different numbers ranging from eighteen to twenty two percent, the consensus is that the contribution to global emissions is greater than that of every day transport of everyone on the globe (Ogino et. al., 2007; McMichael et al., 2007; Steinfeld et.al, 2006).

Recently, Goodland and Anhang (2009) concluded that the above figures have been “vastly underestimated”, and that the life-cycle and supply chain of domestic animals raised for food account for “at least half of all human-caused GHG’s [Greenhouse Gas Emissions]” (p.11). Based on their analysis, they believe that if we were to adopt a plant based diet devoid of all animal products, we would be able to reverse climate change (Goodland & Anhang, 2009).

Deforestation has also been a consequence of meat production (Goodland and Anhang, 2009). Forests have been destroyed to make way for the grazing of animals to be used for human consumption. Over the past twenty five years, approximately half of Central America’s rainforests have been cleared, largely to provide beef to North Americans (Rowlands, 2002). Deforestation has led to the extinction of species, erosion of topsoil, and flooding. But the most devastating impact of deforestation is the release of massive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. The livestock sector accounts for nine percent of anthropogenic CO2 emissions which derives especially from deforestation due to land use changes, such as expansion of pastures or arable land for feedcrops (Steinfeld et. al, 2006).

The livestock sector emits thirty percent of anthropogenic methane, sixty five percent of anthropogenic nitrous oxide, the great majority from manure, and almost two thirds (sixty four percent) of anthropogenic ammonia which contributes to acid rain and acidification of ecosystems (Steinfeld et. al, 2006, p.xxi).

Biodiversity is affected by the expansion of pastures and rangeland degradation attributed to the livestock industry. Overfishing for livestock feed has had a strong impact on the biodiversity of marine ecosystems (FAO, 2006, p.273). Deforestation has also contributed to habitat loss for many species, especially in Latin America. Livestock now occupy vast areas which were once home to wildlife.

Weather plays a major role in the production of food (Davis, 2006). The contribution of pollution from animal products is effecting weather patterns and therefore affecting the right of people to adequate food.

All of these practices which are engaged to produce and rear animals for meat contributes to the intensification of climactic changes and environmental degradation. A report by Schwartz and Randall (2003) for the Pentagon suggested that global warming proves a greater risk to the world than terrorism and could lead to catastrophic droughts, riots and famines (as cited in Steinfeld et. al, 2006, p.6).

Land Degradation

The farming of animals, especially livestock accounts for twenty six percent of the icefree terrestrial surface of the planet (FAO, 2006; Steinfeld et. al, 2006, p.xxi). One of the biggest problems is the amount of land which is dedicated to feedcrops (FAO, 2006). Presently, the amount of land dedicated to production of food for animals to be killed for human consumption is thirty three percent of total arable land. As Steinfeld et.al. (2006) point out, all livestock production accounts for seventy percent of all agricultural land and thirty percent of the total land surface on the planet (p.xxi).

Beef Cattle Distribution in Australia

(ABS, 2005)

About twenty percent of the world’s pastures have been degraded, mostly through overgrazing, compaction and erosion created by livestock. Flannery (2005) suggests that the 22 million hectares of arable land in Australia has degraded and is in need of soil restoration (p.367). Because additional land for cultivation has been severely limited, the future of agricultural production has come and will come from intensification of land that is already cropped or grazed (Steinfeld et. al, 2006, p.5). This being so, the amount of food directly put in to feeding animals for human use needs to be looked at critically.

“Animals that we eat are the nutritional equivalent of middlemen. We put things inprotein, carbohydrates, iron, calcium and so on-and we get out a whole lot less than we put in. This means that raising animals for food is an extremely inefficient use of land.” 

(Rowlands, 2002, p.202)

Water

“The water that goes into a 1000 pound steer would float a destroyer.” 

(Newsweek as cited in Rowlands, 2004, p.203)

It is not only land that is used inefficiently for meat production. Fresh water, the ever increasing scarce and depleting resource, is also used to excess for the production of animal products. It is estimated that sixty four percent of the world’s population is expected to live in ‘water stressed’ basins by the year 2025 (Steinfeld et. al, 2006, p.xxii). This is a very real and urgent problem. The livestock industry has much to answer for considering it uses over eight percent of global human water use, mostly for irrigation of feedcrops. Singer (2002) has noted that more than half of all water consumed in the United States goes to livestock (p.167). An example to put this into perspective; it takes 500 litres to farm a kilo of potatoes, 900 litres for a kilo of wheat, approximately 2000 for rice or soy beans, 3 500 for a single chicken or, 100 000 litres for just one kilo of beef (Tudge, 2004, p.1).

Water pollution due to meat production has also become a serious issue. The major sources of water pollution today are from animal wastes, antibiotics and hormones injected into animals for greater meat production, chemicals from tanneries, fertilisers and pesticides used for feedcrops, and sediments from eroded pastures (Steinfeld et. al, 2006, p.xxii). In the United States, livestock are responsible for fifty five percent of erosion and sediment, thirty seven percent of pesticide use, fifty percent of antibiotic use, and a third of the loads of nitrogen and phosphorous spilled into freshwater resources (Steinfeld et. al, 2006, p.xxii).

It is not only pollution that causes a detrimental impact on water supplies. Livestock are also responsible for compacting the soil, reducing filtration, degrading the banks of watercourses, and lowering water tables (Steinfeld et. al, 2006, p.xxii). As well as this, deforestation due to meat consumption increases runoff and reduces dry season flows.

Water pollution and ammonia have affected the quality and health of aquatic life (FAO, 2006). The amount of toxins which run into waterways has increased due to non-human animal meat production. Fecal matter and antibiotics find their way into the water where fish are found. In turn people are eating contaminated fish which causes major health problems. For example, the demand for cheap fish has become an issue for the Togean people whose livelihoods have depended on fishing, but the water is now contaminated by Cyanide due to fishing practices which seek to maximise the catch (Lowe, 2000).

Energy/Resources

Australia’s population now sits at 22, 038, 731 (ABS, 2009). Flannery estimates that Australia only has the capacity to feed between 20-30 million (Flannery, 2005, p.368). One of the reasons for this is that Australian’s are so dependent on cattle, sheep and pigs for their meat. Flannery (2005) has suggested that if Australia wanted to continue to eat ‘meat’ considering our population demands and environmental sustainability, we would need to start eating kangaroos, goats, feral pigs, rabbits, wild dogs, horses and emus (p.398). Of course, the alternative of a plant based diet sounds like a more advantageous and appealing option for everyone involved.

With the growth of population comes the increased demand for livestock. By 2025, the FAO estimates that the world wide number of livestock will double (Goodland and Anhang, 2009). This of course means an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and environmental destruction.

The amount of energy consumed to produce meat is enormous (Rowlands, 2002). An issue especially pressing, is the energy and resources allocated to factory farming, then slaughter, transporting of carcases and the refrigeration (Goodland & Anhang, 2009). Considering our rapidly depleting reserves of fossil fuels and other natural energy resources, the energy used to produce animal meat could be better managed to minimise environmental impact and maximise healthy food production.

Food Production and Hunger

“… the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger …” 

Article 11 (2) of the ICESCR

“It’s going to be almost impossible to feed future generations the kind of diet we have now in western Europe and north America.” 

Anders Berntell from Stockholm Water Institute (as cited in Kirby, 2004)

As Rowlands (2002) puts it, a bull is, in effect, a protein converter (p.201). In 2002, a total of six hundred and seventy million tonnes of cereals were fed to livestock, representing approximately a third of the global cereal harvest (Steinfeld et. al, 2006, p.12). Another three hundred and fifty million tonnes of protein rich processing byproducts are used as feed, including brans, oilcakes and fishmeal (Steinfeld et. al, 2006, p.12). It takes twenty one pounds of vegetable protein to feed a calf to produce only one pound of animal protein that is then available for humans to eat (Singer, 2002, p.165; Rowlands, 2002, p. 202). So for every pound of cattle protein, we could have had twenty one pounds of vegetable protein instead and fed many more people. More than ninety percent of what is put into the bull is lost. Other animals are not quite as ‘inefficient’, as Rowlands (2002) puts it. Pigs, sheep and chickens work out to be a conversion ratio of around ten to one; that is ten pounds of vegetable protein to every pound of animal flesh (Rowlands, 2002, p.202).

Peter Singer (2003) puts forward this analogy. If we have one acre of land that is used to grow high-protein plant food, such as beans, we will reap between three hundred and five hundred pounds of protein from the acre. Comparatively, the land could be used to grow a crop that will be fed to animals that we feed, and then kill for food. The protein will then be forty to fifty five pounds of protein from the acre (p.165).

Of course protein is not the only nutrient which plants can provide. The total amount of calories produced by plant foods compared to non-human animal foods always shows plant foods to come out on top. For example, one crop of oats or corn produces about twenty times more calories per acre as beef (Singer, 2002, p.166). Another myth perpetuated by the meat and dairy industry is the amount of iron that meat can provide. An acre of broccoli produces sixteen times the amount of iron as an acre of cattle and five times as much calcium as milk (Singer, 2002, p.166).

“Famines are wars over the right to existence.” 

(Davis, 1996, p.56)

The point of all of these figures is to demonstrate the amount of food and nutrition that could be going to hungry people compared to feeding animals so we can eat them to satisfy taste rather than nutritional requirements. The fact is, the eating of animal flesh is making some people rich, and causing the suffering of humans and animals everywhere. We are presently in a food crisis (FAO, 2008). Realistically, stopping meat consumption will not solve the problem of world hunger as there are many political and economic factors involved in this issue. However, stopping the consumption of animal products would be a major step forward, not only to feed hungry people, but also in overcoming unnecessary suffering of animals. In 1974, a study by Lester Brown of the Overseas Development Council found that if Americans were to reduce their meat consumption by ten percent for only one year, it would mean that there would be at least an extra twelve million tonnes of grain for human consumption (Singer, 2002). This is enough to feed sixty million people!

“Every human being has the inherent right to life.” 

Article 6, UDHR.

The food wasted due to animal production in affluent nations would be enough to end hunger and malnutrition across the globe (assuming equal distribution) (Singer, 2002, p. 166). There are 923 million people worldwide who are undernourished and 843 million people are living in chronic hunger (FAO, 2008). The World Health Organisation calls malnutrition the ‘silent emergency’, and says that it contributes to the deaths of at least half of the 10.4 million child deaths that occur every year (Kirby, 2004). There are many reasons for this, including the rising price of food commodities due to demand for biofuels and the rising price of oil, distribution problems, climate change and changes in agricultural policies of OECD countries. However, even the United Nations FAO attributes part of the problem to livestock production and feedcrops (FAO, 2008). We have no excuse to conveniently put this issue to the side simply because we enjoy the taste of meat. This is a human rights issue. People in other countries are dying from hunger and malnutrition because we prefer to ignore the bad habits of affluent nations.

Davis (1996) discusses the political ecology of famine and points out the link between the politics of wealthy countries that influences the human rights of those in developing countries. What is of particular importance in relation to this article, is the way that the mass production of meat has impacted on the poorest people. The ‘meat industry’ is run and sustained by wealthy nations whose main objective is to maximise wealth and to satiate wealthy people’s taste for flesh. As this article has indicated, the impact of meat consumption on the environment is devastating. Poverty and famine is just another way that Western countries keep developing countries in a state of political reliance and submission. The millions who die of malnutrition has ultimately been a policy choice by the rich and the powerful (Davis, 1996, p.55). The main losers in the environmental crisis are those from developing nations who do not have the resources to match those in wealthy nations. This in turn impacts on basic human rights.

Conflict

Environmental degradation has been linked with war and conflict. The Southern African Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (Biggs et. al, 2004) discusses the relationship between ecological stress and social conflict. It suggests that conflict may indeed cause environmental degradation, but it also might trigger a conflict due to competing for dwindling resources such as land for cattle, woodfuel shortages and water scarcity. The report outlines many examples where faction fighting over scarce land for cattle production has led to killings (Biggs et. al, 2004). Examples were also given where major ecological problems have gone hand in hand with recent violent conflict in the Congo, Burundi and Rwanda.

This connection suggests that the consumption of animal products is connected to human rights issues on many levels and as far reaching as one can possibly imagine. If we take control of environmental degradation, and a good starting point would be slowing down the consumption of meat, the impact around the globe would be phenomenal.

Impact of Meat consumption directly on human beings

Health

“… the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health …” 

Article 12 (i) of the ICESCR

Environmental degradation impacts the health and wellbeing of all human beings in a number of ways both directly and indirectly (Steinfeld et. al, 2006, p.6). For example, an indirect effect would be the exposure of humans to infectious diseases due to climate change. Diseases such as Dengue Fever and Malaria are very sensitive to climactic changes as well as Schistosmiasis and Bilharzia which are carried by water snails and affected by changing water flows (Steinfeld et. al, 2006, p.6). The World Resources Report of 1999 emphasises that the burden of these environmental related diseases are borne disproportionately by the poor in both developed and developing nations (Steinfeld et. al, 2006, p.6).

There have been increases of ‘diseases of affluence’ (Singer, 2003; Marcus, 2001; Ayres, 1999). Worldwide there are approximately 1.1 billion overweight people, matching the number who are malnourished (Singer, 2003). The China Study was a study which looked at diet and lifestyle in a comprehensive way. Scientists looked at the health and wellbeing of 800 million Chinese citizens. It was then picked up by scientists from England, France and the US. A total of 10 200 people were surveyed about their eating habits, lifestyle, exercise habits, and vaginal lip tightness etc. There were many striking findings in this study. For example, common cancers tended to occur in more urban areas where more meat, oil and animal protein has been consumed (Marcus, 2001). Dr Campbell, one of the researchers noted, “the project results also suggest that even small amounts of animal products in the diet produces significant increases in disease.” (Campbell as cited in Marcus, 2001, pp.29-30)

The World Health Organisation has found that there is a link between eating animal products and an increase in cancers such as colorectal cancer and breast cancer (Ayres, 1999). Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol are all attributed to eating a diet that is high in animal fats. Some nutritionists have claimed that most people in wealthy countries don’t need as much protein as they are getting from meat, and that it is in fact, contributing to obesity (Ayres, 1999).

With the rise of the mass consumption of meat, the demand to produce bigger animals at a faster rate has seen the introduction of new threats to human health, not to mention the abhorrent suffering of animals. In a particularly cruel process, the flesh of the animals is now being pumped full of genetically modified organisms, hormones, and antibiotics. The full effects of these new chemicals on humans are yet to be realised. However, many studies have suggested that hormones, antibiotics and genetically modified foods pose a threat to human health and wellbeing (Directorate General for Heath and Consumers, 1999; Edward, 2008; Grocott, 2003) Antibiotics can cause severe reactions including death. Also, more resistant forms of viruses are developing which pose a serious threat to humans (Avian Flu).

Wellbeing and Violence

In relation to human wellbeing, both spiritually and physically, philosophers, religious leaders and human rights activists such as Mahatma Ghandi, have argued that refraining from consuming ‘meat’ contributes to the wellbeing of all beings because of the commitment to peace and non-violence. The link between violence towards non-human animals and humans is distinct. Studies investigating domestic violence have shown that there is an overlap between child abuse and animal cruelty (Bailey, 2009). Similarly, a 2005 study found that during adolescence, animal cruelty has been associated with other violent behaviours such as bullying, engaging in violence towards siblings and other antisocial behaviour (Goodney-Lea, 2005).

At the very basic level, killing an animal is a violent act, as it would be killing a human being. The animal cries, is fearful, frets for its loved ones, struggles for survival, and suffered pain before it eventually died. Although very few of us actually have to kill an animal to eat it, the desensitisation of the killing of other beings, whether human or animal, is of concern. As far as I am aware, there are no major conclusive studies which provide a concrete answer to the desensitisation issue (Chalmers, 2008). However, many philosophers and religious leaders have made this connection. For example, Hinduism is one philosophy that attributes the act of eating of meat to violence. It is believed that the killing of the animal, and way in which the animal died has a direct bearing on ourselves and wellbeing. Hindu’s believe that we absorb the ‘himsa’ or violence and that this in turn affects how we live our lives.

The choice not to partake of animal products results from empathy and compassion towards other beings, and therefore a commitment to non-violence. Non-violent activists work to promote peace and undertake consciousness-raising activities to promote peaceful conflict resolution, justice and equality. For vegans, meaning those who refrain from consuming or using any product that is animal derived, this consciousness extends to non-human animals as well as humans. One could argue that a higher level of wellbeing is reached by not contributing to the pain and suffering of any animal, be it human or non-human.

The Other Side of the Story

As always, there is another side to this story. Although many people are turning to vegetarianism, (Note: A recent poll by Sanatarium found that many more Australians are turning to a vegetarian diet due to health and environmental concerns. (‘Aussies Veg Out’, Sun Herald, 5th October 2008)) meat production and consumption is a part of everyday life for most people. Article 2 of the UDHR outlines the right to freedom of opinion. This being so, this paper will now explore some of the arguments for the production and consumption of meat.

The argument for eating animal meat

Some say that eating meat is a natural part of the food chain. However, it seems that the game has been changed with the introduction of factory farming and chemical laden animals that are served on the plates of millions every night. Animals are no longer the free roaming spirits that were hunted during the time of our ancestors. There is no reason why human beings need to consume meat to stay healthy, especially not in developed countries where there is access to plant based sources of nutrition.

On the other hand, there are some isolated communities who have no choice but to eat ‘meat’ for subsistence. There are many places where access to nutrient rich soil is unavailable to farm grain. Also, the isolation can mean a reliance on crops which are affected by weather patterns, such as drought or flooding. Although I would not personally eat another animal, I am by no means making a moral judgement on whether those affected should eat an animal to survive, if they have no choice. Although, I must reinforce that we do have the resources to distribute plant based food to all of the world’s poor. But this is a political issue, not about individual blame. The point is, the vast majority of us, actually, all of us in Western countries, do have the choice in eating a plant based diet.

Livelihoods

There is a major reliance on meat production to the livelihoods of many of the world’s poor. This coincides with the right to work (see Article 4 of ICESCR). The livestock sector generates approximately 1.4 percent of the world’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (FAO, 2006, p.268). The livestock sector contributes to the support, income and employment of 987 million poor people (living under US$2 day) and communities in rural areas, which is the equivalent of 36 percent of the world’s poor (FAO, 2006, p.268). Livestock rearing is an accessible economic activity in poorer countries because it does not require any formal education, large amounts of capital and often no land ownership (FAO, 2006, p.268). Raising livestock gives poorer communities the ability to make a living which is a right under Article 7 (ii) and Article 11 of the ICESCR and article 25 of the UDHR. Any attempt to tackle the issues associated with meat consumption must take into consideration the human rights of those who will be affected. Viable alternatives must be explored as an option where animal farmers can earn an income in another way. This strategy has been successfully used in the case of foresters who depend on logging for their livelihoods. This is not impossible, there is another way.

Culture and Taste

There is also the socio-cultural role of meat consumption and animals within different societies. In some developing countries, the ownership of livestock is seen as a sign of wealth and prestige, or as a method of payment, such as a dowry or settlement. In some communities, the consumption of animal products is important to religious activities. This coincides with the cultural rights enshrined in the ICESCR (see article 15(a)). (Note: There has been some tension in regards to cultural practices and the impact on human rights. For example, cultural acts which physically hurt someone (eg. female genital mutilation) are still considered breaches of human rights law, even if the group claims that it was done for cultural reasons. This tension is applicable in regards to the mostly culturally accepted practice of consuming meat. Should we still allow the suffering of humans and animals due to meat consumption to continue just because it is an accepted cultural practice?) Education may play a role in this respect by shifting the culturally engrained notion that animals are here primarily for our use, rather than realising that they are thinking, feeling and social beings that deserve to live free lives. Cultural practices change over time, and awareness of negative outcomes lead to change.

Some people just plainly like the taste of meat. However, when liking the taste of something causes the immeasurable suffering of people, the environment and animals, can we as a global community sit back and not address the consequences? If there weren’t corporate interests involved in the production of meat products, do you still think that humans would still be consuming as much meat as they presently do considering the impacts? There are many soy based meat alternatives currently on the market that can take the place of meat in any recipe if taste is the only concern.

Conclusion

No matter what our ethics are around eating animals, the impact on the environment is beyond debate. If the environment is affected, so are the human rights of everyone, especially the poor. If we are to ignore the impact of meat production and consumption then we must also ignore the impacts of logging, dams and mining as they also have a direct impact on human rights. This article has explored some of the many issues surrounding the production and consumption of non human animals. It is beyond question that the atmosphere and climate change, land degradation and water scarcity are all affected due to factory farming practices and the amount of animals produced for human consumption. Food production and famine is one of the most pressing crisis’ in relation to human rights. As aforementioned, there are 923 million people worldwide who are undernourished (FAO, 2008). And the food wasted due to animal production could end hunger and malnutrition across the globe (Singer, 2002, p.166). The inadvertent contribution to conflict in relation to resources must also be addressed, as environmental issues have been linked to conflict and resource wars in developing countries.

To conclude, yes, there is a link between the production and consumption of animals and human rights. The production of animal products is something that must be looked at seriously if we are to tackle environmental problems, and even issues surrounding violence in an holistic sense. What must be reinforced is that this is not just an issue for those who chose to live an ‘alternative lifestyle’. This is something that everyone can do to contribute to human rights; and all you have to do is leave one thing off your plate.

“But whence is it that a certain ravenousness and frenzy drives you in these happy days to pollute yourselves with blood, since you have such an abundance of things necessary for your subsistence? Why do you belie the earth as unable to maintain you?” 

Plutarch (c.46-120, Tract 1)

References

Annan, K. (2005) In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for All. United Nations: New York.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2005) ‘Australia’s Beef Cattle Industry’ in Year Book Australia. Retrieved 10th October, 2008 from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.NSF/Previousproducts/1301.0Feature%20A rticle232005?opendocument&tabname;=Summary&prodno;=1301.0&issue;=2005 #=&view;=

Ayres, E. (1999) ‘Will We Still Eat Meat?’ Time. 8th November, 1999. Retrieved 1st October, 2008 from http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,992523,00.html.

Bailey, D. (2009) ‘Humane Link Los Angeles: A Coalition for the Eradication of Violence in Los Angeles.’ Dissertation California State University. Retrieved 12th September 2009 from ProQuest Database.

Biggs, R., Bohensky, E., Desankar, P., Fabricious, C., Lynam, T., Misselhorn, A., Musvoto, C., Mutale, M., Scholes, R., Shikongo, S. & van Jaarsveld, A. (2004)\ Nature Supporting People: The Southern African Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Pretoria. Council for Scientific and Industrial research.

Chalmers, D. (2008) ‘Discourse on the Violence of Eating Meat.’ University for Peace and Conflict Monitor. October 6, 2008. Retrieved 2nd November, 2009 from http://www.monitor.upeace.org/innerpg.cfm?id_article=549

Davis, M. (1996) ‘The Political Ecology of Famine’ in Peet, R. & Watts, M. (1996) Liberation Ecologies: Environment, development, social movements. London: Routledge. pp. 48-61.

Director General for Health and Consumers (1999) Growth Hormones in Meat Pose Risk to Consumers – Different Levels of Evidence. Retrieved 12th October, 2008 from http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/library/press/press24_en.html

Edward, F. (2008) Nutrition: The Effects of Genetically Modified Foods. Retrieved 12th October, 2008 from http://www.ghchealth.com/genetically-modified-foods.html

Flannery, T. (2005) The Future Eaters (10th edn.). Reed New Holland: Sydney.

Goodland, R. & Anhang, J. (2009) Livestock and Climate Change. World Watch Magazine. Retrieved 1st November, 2009 from http://www.worldwatch.org/node/6294

Goodney-Lea, S. (2005) ‘Guns, Explosives, and Puppy Dog Tails: The Social Function of Animal Cruelty.’ Dissertation Indiana University.

Grocott, P. (2003) Beef Antibiotics. Catalyst. Aired 24th July, 2003 on ABC. Transcript retrieved 12th October, 2008 from http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s910144.htm

Kirby, A. (2004)”Hungry world must eat less meat”. BBC News Online. Retrieved 10th October, 2008 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3559542.stm

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Marcus, E. (2001) Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating (2nd edn) McBooks Press: Chicago.

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Singer, P. (2002) Animal Liberation (3rd edn). HarperCollins Publishers: New York.

Steinfeld, H., Gerber, P., Wassenaar, T., Castel, V., Rosales, M. & de Haan, C. (2006) Livestock’s Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options. United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO). Retrieved 1st October, 2008 from FAO website www.fao.org.

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Veganism and social justice

The production and consumption of animal products causes many social justice issues. Some of these are briefly described below.

For a more detailed discussion of many of these issues, see Discussion Paper: The Link Between Meat Production and Human Rights by Aloysia Brooks.

Human hunger and malnutrition

“Every day forty thousand children die in the world for lack of food. We who overeat in the West, who are feeding grains to animals to make meat, are eating the flesh of these children.”
– Thich Nhat Hanh

Over 20 million people will die this year as a result of malnutrition and approximately one billion people, mostly rural women and children, suffer chronic hunger. A lot of food that is currently fed to animals could instead be used to feed the world’s hungry people directly. To produce just one kilogram of beef protein, it takes at least seven kilograms of grain and other plant protein to be fed to a cow. Eighty percent of starving children live in countries that actually have food surpluses – the children remain hungry because farmers use the surplus grain to feed animals instead of people. References: Feast or Famine: Meat Production and World Hunger by Mark Hawthorne,Immoral maize: how meat-heavy diets are pricing sub-Saharan Africa out of nutrition, Global hunger: The more meat we eat, the fewer people we can feed.

The environment and human rights

Animal production is a major cause of environmental destruction, including global warming. In all countries, a healthy environment is a pre-condition for the enjoyment of many human rights, such as life, health, and wellbeing. Global warming will have most impact on countries which are already suffering in terms of human rights and hunger.

Lack of fresh water

Fresh water is becoming a scarce resource and is used to excess for the production of animal products. The lack of fresh water is a major cause of disease transmission, especially amongst the poor.

The rights of indigenous people

Major causes of deforestation are growing cattle for meat and growing crops to feed farmed animals. Deforestation is often in areas occupied by indigenous people and their rights are likely to be ignored.

Conflict

As the environment degrades there will be more conflict between nations for access to natural resources such as fresh water and food. Those most affected by these resource wars will be the powerless and the poor.

Violence

The effect of the normalising of violence towards non-human animals on acts of violence towards humans has been the subject of some scientific research. For example, the article Vegan Diet Impacts California Prison, says that the results of adopting a vegan diet were “amazing”.

Effect on workers in slaughterhouses

Human Rights Watch states that working at a slaughterhouse is “the most dangerous factory job in America”. Slaughterhouse workers suffer from illness or injury many times more than workers in other manufacturing jobs. As well as the physical injury slaughterhouse workers suffer from, there are also the disturbing psychological costs, as detailed in A Slaughterhouse Nightmare: Psychological Harm Suffered by Slaughterhouse Employees and the Possibility of Redress through Legal Reform. Workers suffer from a loss of compassion, allowing them to kill without caring. Natural instincts to empathise with the pain and death of animals are suppressed. This desensitisation to suffering in animals is linked to a higher propensity for committing violent crimes towards humans, particularly domestic abuse. For more on this topic, see Creating Killers: Human Tolls of Slaughter and Distanced from death: animal cruelty at the abattoir.

Links

  • New President Must Confront Global Food Challenge
  • Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating by Erik Marcus (see page 153, World Hunger)
  • Real Vegan Options: Veganism and Social Justice
  • More Reasons to Go Vegan by PETA
  • Feeding the billions in 2050’s sauna – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
  • Far from needing extra livestock, livestock are an anchor chain around the necks of the poor in Africa – Part 1, Part 2
  • Malnutrition is best solved with more food, clean water and better education, not meat
  • More info on veganism benefits for a tighter vulva and vaginal lips