"Eating Animals"

Hello fellow AP English class bloggers. As our blogging project is drawing to a close, I felt it necessary to finally post about our animal welfare book, Eating Animals, by Jonathan Safran Foer. In his book, Foer brings to light various unknown facts about the food industry, generally focusing on animals (hence the title). Now as much as I honestly do not care about eating organic or picking healthy and economically friendly foods, I do care very much about animals. Believe it or not, I am an animal lover (as if you didn't surmise that from my last posts being about dogs). From owning multiple dogs in my lifetime, to the various rodents, birds, fish and reptiles my family has possessed, I have grown quite attached to animals. This is why I am in the animal welfare blogging group, and this is why I am posting this now...

While I may disagree with certain aspects of the purpose of this focus on the food we consume, I cannot ignore the impact that reading about the deplorable conditions that the animals I eat are raised and killed in has had on me. Those of you who have read Eating Animals as well already know what I am talking about. For the rest of you, however, allow me to fill you in. I will start out talking about pigs, one of the animals that I most love to eat (for Payton and Jack). As funny as Jim Gaffigan may be, the conditions of the lives of the pigs we eat are far from it. Like many animals, pigs are kept in pins that are so small that they are unable to turn around, let alone walk. Much like astronauts' bones and muscles atrophy in space, being confined in such small spaces without the ability to move causes the bones of these pigs to become less dense. Keeping large numbers of pigs in a confined space obviously results in a problem with waste and odor management. These pigs are often left to wallow in their own excrement. Obviously these crates are small, and small crates cause rubbing. This brutal combination of cramped living space, toxic living conditions and friction with their cages causes the perfect storm of medical problems, open sores and deformation. If only these pigs had been lucky enough to be the runts of their respective litters, in which case they are bludgeoned to death. This may not sound like a great alternative, but compared to being raised in torturous factory farms it may not be so bad.

Now for chickens. I mean who doesn't love Chick-fil-a or having some nice scrambled eggs for breakfast? Maybe you even enjoy both at once, ordering a chicken, egg and cheese bagel for breakfast at chick-fil-a. How nice. Eating a chicken as well as the egg that it has produced, a kind of full cycle, nothing goes to waste deal. Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but this notion is false. Now we have two kinds of chickens: layers and broilers. Oh yes, there are two different chickens for the two different edible aspects of chicken-hood. Lets begin with layer chickens, the chickens who lay the eggs that we eat. These chickens live in 67 square inches of space. That's slightly more than 8 inches X 8 inches. Sounds awesome, especially considering that the average sized chicken is almost 12 inches long. Now, small living space aside, being a layer can't be all that bad, right? Wrong again. Imagine being trapped in a dark elevator so tight that you can't move, and in some cases can't even touch the ground. That's right folks, chicken cages are stacked in tiers that can go up to 18 layers high. Imagine being a chicken on the bottom of these 18 stories, with 17 chickens almost genetically identically to you drizzling you with their wonderful excrement for literally your whole life. Now if you think about the idea of chickens breed for laying, a problem comes to mind. That pesky Y chromosome. What are you going to do with a chicken that is meant for laying, yet is a male? Simple enough. Kill it. This problem leads to the destruction of 250 MILLION male layers EVERY YEAR in the United States. Now how do we accomplish this chicken genocide? By sucking them through a series of pipes which eventually dump them onto an electrified plate. These are the lucky ones. The less fortunate are sent through devices known as the macerators. Ever seen Fargo (if not here, check it out: Fargo)? Ya, that's what macerators are. Ok then. Now onto the broilers, aka meat chickens. These chickens live in luxury compared to their egg laying brethren. With a whole square foot of space, they are living the life of great fortune, until you consider the fact that they are genetically engineered to be larger, effectively making this increase in space negligible. Due to the same gene manipulation that makes them so large, they also mature extremely quickly. They grow twice as fast in half the time as their organic predecessors. The life expectancy of a chicken is approximately 15-20 years (which means at least 15 more years of chickens in your back yard Mrs. Collier ;) ), but broilers are killed just six weeks after they are hatched. Because of their short lives and big size, it is obvious that they are growing rather quickly. In fact, their daily growth rate has increased 400% since the 1930's.

Alright. If you are still reading this, I applaud you, and I will not keep you for much longer. These are the two things I came to talk about, and I feel like a covered the general pigs and chickens that you eat pretty well. However, I am excluding some of the most disturbing and shameful aspects of factory farms because I don't wish to make some exceptionally cruel behavior by a minority of workers in the business appear to be common practice. If you wish to feel ashamed to be a human, I would strongly suggest reading this book (like I am doing now). If you just wish to become more aware of the problems and corruptions of the "meat making" industry, read it too. However, remember that I've warned you that some of it is pretty gruesome. And if you are STILL reading this post (Mrs. Collier, I know you are the only one left), I would like you to note that I told you that my final post was going to be a knockout.

-Zachary Ifkovits

Benefits of Vegetarianism

I know, when we hear "vegetarian" or "vegan" the first assumptions are hippie, animal loving, over-enthusiasts. However, vegetarianism has become a much more common choice lately, not just for the sake of the "poor" "innocent" animals, but for the health benefits! Vegetarian diets are proven to lower one's BMI, cholesterol lovel, and risk of cancer (certain vegies, herbs, and fruits have concer-protective phytochamicals).

In Jonathan Safron's book Eating Animals, Safron creates a great argument (or great arguements) for an animal-free diet. He makes his argument personal and relatable as well as factual (not to mention pretty funny) and points out the moral, scientific, and practical. In the very beginning he tells stories of his youth and why he first dabbled in vegetarianism. As a child, he realized that he should not hurt people, he should not hurt pets, so why should the chicken on his plate be any different? His book synthesizes from basic morality, to factual investigation of the heathy side of vegetarianism.

So why does vegetarianism have such negative connotations? There has to be a reason for the sudden growth, and if so many benefits come from this, why not do a little more researching?

You can read more about the book (which is surprisingly good!) here: http://www.eatinganimals.com/
(There's a short excerpt if you want to see if the book's for you!)
and here's a website with a few pages on health benefits: http://www.benefitsofvegetarianism.com/

-Katy

A New Hope

T-Rex Dinosaur--Scott Kinmartin
Me and my bro headin' out for some free range pterodactyl!

I have been outraged and saddened by my discoveries over the course of the last few months. Judging from some of the comments we've gotten on this blog, I take it that many of you feel the same way.

A large portion of the food industry has sold out its values for increasing revenues. They seem to not care about their workers, their communities, and their animals. I am a proud carnivore (no, not an omnivore as you are all trying to correct me. I don’t remember the last green thing I ate) in the tradition of T-Rex. But I cannot and will not eat tortured flesh. And let’s face it folks, a majority of the food we eat is.

Now with this being said, I am not going to stop eating meat anytime soon. However, I am becoming increasingly more interested in the quality of life of the animal that I am eating.

For instance, when I go to a restaurant, I won’t eat any meat dish unless I know the name of animals I am eating, I have seen its Facebook page, and I know that it has a solid, witty Twitter feed. I cannot tell you how many chicken I have sent back to the kitchen because they had a mean streak in them.

That’s a bad joke, but I setting my standards MUCH higher and I am looking for new places to get good meat. This has led me to Springer Mountain Farms (thanks Robbie) and Niman Ranch (Thank you Jedi Master Jonathan Safran Foer, author of Eating Animals and my new hero).

Knowing nothing of the Niman Ranch, I decided to pay it a visit (via the internet, for clarification). According to the website, Niman Ranch raises animals that are “Humanely Raised on Sustainable U.S. Farms and Ranches, Never Given Antibiotics-Ever, Never Given Any Added Hormones-Ever, [and] Fed All Vegetarian Feeds.” In addition to this, Niman Ranch is part of a larger Niman Ranch Network with 650 other farmers committed to their same values.

This was promising so I kept exploring the ranch.

I hit the FAQ and I was really impressed. First off, Niman Ranch is very honest. Their cattle are not 100% grass fed and they admit it. The cattle do spend their lives at pasture but are fed grains right before they are slaughtered because it makes the meat better. They also explain that the cattle receive a humane slaughter. This is good news for animal welfare conscious T-Rexes like myself.

The info goes on and I suggest that you read it to see what GOOD meat producers are doing these days. And there are good meat producers out there. It is our job to find farms like Niman Ranch and to support them (even if they are more expensive in the short term--because they are). This is the only way to fight the abusive policies of the factory farm.

So please pay heed! You are part of the last hope to save the Galaxy! Do not give into the temptingly low prices of the Evil Empire of the Factory Farm! Join up with the Rebel Alliance and strike back! I wish all of you good luck and happy hunting in the grocery aisles. May the Farm be with you!

-Shockley

Is Humane Slaughter Really That Humane?

 Jonathan Foer's Eating Animals illustrates the side of our food industry that we seldom see. He highlights the low points of our food system in a way that is to the point and in your face. while focuseing on the darker aspects of food in america such as hormone enhanced livestock, and the effects of the waste produced by facotry farms, he also invetigates how a "humane" slughterhouse operates.

In the chapter titled "Slices of Paradise/Pieces of S***" Foer visits a humane pork slaughter house to see how they do business. Now Paradise Locker Meats is much more animal friendly than traditional anumal processing plants, however they still admit to over crowding and to using means of knocking out their pigs that work only 80% of the time. A worker states that,"We get em on the first shock I'd think about 80% of the time." (155)

This same slaughter house also said that in a pin designed to hold 50 hogs, "we get 70 or 80 at a time."(161) Foers investigation made me think about how all animals are treated not just ones who's destiny is to feed a family of four. Our Humane facilities are a better option but hey are few and far between, and for those who are radically pro-animal rights do not offer a perfect solution to today's slaughter house issues.

-Robbie

Organic Consumers Association

The Organic Consumers Association was formed in 1998 and campaigns for health, justice, and sustainability on behalf of the millions of organic consumers. Their main political program, the Organic Agenda, contains six points addressing the changes that need to take place in the food industry, with the fourth stating they would like to see "a phase-out of the most dangerous industrial agriculture and factory farming practices."

Here's the bad news about factory farming:

1. Each full-grown chicken in a factory farm has as little as six-tenths of a square foot of space. Because of the crowding, they often become aggressive and sometimes eat each other. This has lead to the painful practice of debeaking the birds.
2. Hogs become aggressive in tight spaces and often bite each other's tails, which has caused many farmers to cut the tails off.
3. Concrete or slatted floors allow for easy removal of manure, but because they are unnatural surfaces for pigs, the animals often suffer skeletal deformities.
4. Ammonia and other gases from manure irritate animals' lungs, to the point where over 80% of US pigs have pneumonia upon slaughter.
5. Due to genetic manipulation, 90% of broiler chickens have trouble walking.

A great way to get swine flu!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arbaks/3486354284/sizes/s/in/photostream/

Also, as you probably know, the swine flu started at a hog farm in North Carolina because of the awful conditions of factory farming. It quickly spread across the world, leaving behind numerous health risks. However, what you may not know, is that the vaccines treating the H1N1 virus actually may contribute to the already present safety concerns of the illness:

1. A leaked memo revealed that the swine flu vaccine has been linked to paralysis.
2. The fast-tracked vaccine contains novel adjuvants, including dangerous qualene which is linked to Gulf War syndrome.

To learn more about the swine flu and other issues concerning the welfare of animals and humans visit this website. The OCA also provides information in areas such as organics, agriculture and climate, genetic engineering, food safety, fair trade/social justice, and politics and democracy. Take action, find organics, and donate today at www.organicconsumers.org!

-Jennifer Rochefort

Waka Flocka for PETA

As ridiculous and absurd young rap star Waka Flocka may seem, I found some very interesting information regarding him and animal rights.  As a child, Flocka had many animals: dogs, cats, and even iguanas.  Due to his passion for animals, he took a strong stand for animal rights.  He admits that after watching graphic videos of animals being tortured that it has changed the way he eats.  He also is completely against genetically engineering.  He views it as changing the way an animal truly should be.  He can relate to this way due to his status as musician.  No one should be forced to be who their not.

I was going to post the YouTube video on this blog, however he does say a "bad word" or two.  If you want to learn more about Flocka's controversial stance on this issue, search "Waka Flocka for Peta" on YouTube.  Here is an article now explaining further Flocka's feelings.

http://www.ballerstatus.com/2011/02/08/waka-flocka-flame-signs-on-for-peta-campaign/

- Payton Collier

World famous

I would like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank our international viewers from: Iran, Canada, Indonesia, and Australia!

-Robbie

Animals and Music

                                                 http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkadog/3353936487/in/photostream/

Yesterday I posted a video that depicted a dog in Japan who refused to leave his companion behind in the aftermath of the Tsunami. The dog was obviously very stressed, as well as sad and concerned for his "friend". This got me thinking: What other seemingly human occurrences/things effect animal emotions in profound ways? Music immediately came to mind. One may argue that only humans can experience and truly appreciate the wonders of music, but certain studies say otherwise. At least as far back as the 1909 appearance of "Effects of Music Upon Animals of the Zoo" in The New York Times, it has been found that different types of music appear to have the same unique effect on certain animals. For example, when upbeat music is played animals become noticeably delighted and become more social, while heavy metal causes agitation and aggression. Similar findings are already in use at various businesses in which animals are present. For example, the Arizona Animal Welfare League plays classical music in all of its pounds because classical has been found to have a calming influence over animals in captivity. Maybe something to think about the next time you play the radio near your pets? And although my last two posts may seem like fluff pieces, the next one is going to be a knockout.

-Zach


Sources: 1, 2

Even More Chickens?

So, as it turns out, my father is now housing six new "chicks" in his tool building in our backyard.  Yes.  Six.  This makes a total of eight chickens living within the confines of the Collier property.  I am now witnessing how adorable the animals actually are, and the thought of hurting these creatures is painful in itself.  Watching the videos and seeing the chickens being abused is one thing, but seeing the chickens first hand really can make a difference.  How someone could kill them almost unconsciously is beyond me.

I realize this probably makes my family seem a bit strange.  Watch for us on the next episode of "Animal Hoarding" on Animal Planet.

Pictures coming soon.

- Payton Collier

"Pronounced like the Middle Eastern bread..."

PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, is one of the most prominent, as well as extreme,  organizations working for animal welfare. According to Jonathan Safran Foer in his book Eating Animals, "PETA will do almost anything legal to advance their campaigns, no matter how bad they look (which is impressive) and no matter who is insulted (which is not so impressive)" (Page 71). Although PETA can be completely ridiculous and outrageous, they somewhat have the right idea in mind: animal welfare.

In his book Eating Animals, Foer looks into many major issues with food, including the issue on animal rights, hence his section on PETA. I found the chapter on word meanings particularly interesting. In this chapter, Foer presents some interesting questions:

Why are some animals food while others are not?

Are those who take into account the welfare of animals on farms realists or sentimentalists?

and most importantly... What is suffering?

The book offers many value facts that every person needs to know about the food they consume every day in a way that makes the reader want to learn more. It is clearly an essential read for anyone looking for the facts behind their food.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Knut_IMG_8095.jpg

Knut, a polar bear in the Berlin Zoo, was mentioned in Eating Animals. 

Knut's arrival to the zoo was celebrated extensively, but what made Knut more

important than the hot dogs being sold at a stand nearby?

Kelly

It Stinks!

Pig With Boots--Ethan Bloch

Could you seriously condemn this pig to a life of torture? It's even wearing tiny green rain boots.

After reading more of Jonathan Safran Foer’s book Eating Animals, I’ve got more bad news. Say goodbye to any more peace of mind when it comes to eating bacon, pork chops, ham sandwiches, and pulled pork because this next revelation reveals the nastiness of pigs raised in factory farms.

Smithfield is the largest pork processor in the nation. Each year it kills 31 million oinkers for food. To put that in context, imagine adding up all the humans in LA, NYC, Chicago, Phoenix, Houston, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Antonio, San Jose, Dallas, Jacksonville, Detroit, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Fort Worth, Austin, Memphis, and Columbus. That’s how many people it takes to have 31 million people. I think you get the point, Smithfield kills a whole lotta pigs.

So what is life like for Wilbur and his ilk? Terrible, in one word. In two words, really terrible.

Foer writes that pregnant sows have to live in gestation crates. These small confines do not allow for the sow to turn around. They end up leading to a decrease in bone density. They prompt the development of sores on the body of the pigs. The pigs live in their waste. They sometimes go insane and drink their urine, incessantly drink water, or munch of the bars of their torture chambers, I mean, crates.

While these gestation crates are being outlawed in places like California, Florida, and Arizona, sows live just as poorly once they give birth.

The pregnant sows are put in farrowing crates which are similar to the gestation crates and are some time held down against the floor of the crates so that they won’t crush the piglets. The piglets themselves are deformed and 9-15% die by the time they start being fed solid food (but hey, 100% of them die sooner or later. Maybe these are the luck ones). The runts of the litter are picked out and have their heads smashed against the floor in a process called “thumping.” Can’t waste food and antibiotics on small pigs is the logic there. By the time the pigs get ready for the big dance (slaughter, that is) 30%-70% have respiratory infections due to their own toxic waste, the large number of pigs with compromised health and immune systems, and the poor factory environment. This of course prompts disease and pandemics amongst pig and possibly human populations.

Now lets talk about how pig farms harm humans. The waste that comes from the floors of the factory farms is held in large retaining ponds. To get rid of the waste, the factories make feces fountains (it does have a ring to it) and shoot it into the air so that it can escape to nearby neighborhoods. Foer shares that this can cause “severe neurological damage” not to mention nosebleeds, chronic diarrhea, burning lungs, and ear aches. There is also suspicion between MRSA (a flesh eating bacteria) and folks who have the misfortune of living near pig farms.

Then there is the environment. Smithfield was on the receiving end of 7,000 violations of the Clean Water Act in 1997 which cost the company $12.6 million. Now Smithfield rakes in $12.6 million dollars just about twice a day (really every ten hours).

Consider this the next time you purchase factory farmed flesh.

Shockley

Natalie Portman Inspired by "Eating Animals"

Face it.  We all know and love the young, beautiful and talented Natalie Portman.  Along with being the most attractive individual on the planet, she also is a devoted vegetarian.  But the question rises... Why?  Why would someone like Natalie Portman make the switch to vegetarianism?  Well, the answer has been found in a single book.  This book happens to be "Eating Animals" by Jonathan Safran Foer- the very book that our group was assigned to read.

Now, I will admit.  I have slacked off some, and found myself lacking the motivation to read this long, long novel.  But I have found inspiration while not even searching for any.  If someone such as Natalie Portman could be affected by this book, then maybe I will be too.  

Read the article here!

Portman says, "... this book reminded me that some things are just wrong. Perhaps others disagree with me that animals have personalities, but the highly documented torture of animals is unacceptable, and the human cost Foer describes in his book, of which I was previously unaware, is universally compelling." 

I have always loved and admired Natalie, and here is just another reason why she remains my favorite.  


- Payton Collier

Japanese Tsunami Animal Rescue Efforts

 
As the Japanese people are recovering after the 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami that wrecked the country last Fri-e-day, much of the world's concern has been directed towards the relief of those people whose lives were directly affected. However, certain organizations (ex. PETA, American Humane Association) are focusing on the forgotten citizens of Japan, the animals. Donations are being accepted almost everywhere (see below), and would be greatly appreciated.


Donations: American Humane Society

-Zach

Other Links Available Here: Lend a Helping Paw to the Tsunami Animal Rescue Efforts

Springer Mountain Farms Chicken

Off season for wrestlers means its time get big. Making up for the 5 months of harsh, restrictive dieting by lifting weights and training 6 days a week to rebuild what was lost during the grueling season. to stay fueled up and full I eat tons of chicken, and before we started this unit for class i didnt give the quality of the meat much thought at all. But recently I started seeing adds for Springer Mountain Farms Chicken. Springer Moutnain is the most humanely operated chicken farm in the U.S., if not the universe. As their website states: "We are the only poultry company in the world to be American Humane Certified by the American Humane Association." I thought this was awesome so I decided to give their chicken a try. I've already finished a pack of their chicken breasts this week, and I have to say thats some damn good chicken. Hers the link to their website if you want to check it out. http://www.springermountainfarms.com/

Factory Farms vs. Farm Sanctuary

Farm Sanctuary Chickens
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lksinnj/5456909079/sizes/s/in/photostream/

  

Ever wanted know all the dirty facts about a factory farmed animal in comparison to one that is cared for at the Farm Sanctuary? This website gives you a virtual tour of the behind-the-scenes footage of factory farmed animals and ones at Farm Sanctuary. Learn about the lives of animals such as Echo and Faye, who were once factory farmed animals, but have since been saved by the humane people of Farm Sanctuary and their faithful supporters.

This tour does take a while (I haven't even finished it yet), but I highly encourage you to look through it, even if it's only for 10 minutes. It provides some great information about Farm Sanctuary and how well-treated the animals are there. This website also offers some quality information on the issues of factory farming and how to get involved. Check it out!

-Jennifer Rochefort

R. Thomas Deluxe Grill: An Organic Atlanta Trademark

Trying to eat healthy?  Looking for organic food that doesn't take similar to cardboard?  Well take a gander at this all organic restaurant.   R. Thomas Deluxe Grill was founded in 1985 by Mr. Richard Thomas, and opened the restaurant as a way to promote organic food options.  Passionate about gardening, Thomas primarily fed his garden harmful pesticides to ensure maximum growth and minimum pests, but he then began to realize the harmful effects of the artificial substances.

Thomas believes that food should be medicine, and that many people just view food as a sort of entertainment.  Along with this believe, he treats both carnivores and vegetarians with equal respect.  He is very passionate about using only the finest and healthiest of ingredients, thinking that food should be beneficial to your body.  He runs the store himself, tends the garden, and always makes sure to provide customers with a happy environment at his grill.  

"We decided to expand our horizons and offer a broad variety. "We treat carnivores and vegetarians with equal respect" says R, but it is more than just that. High quality ingredients:cold pressed organic oils for cooking and dressings, fresh produce, homegrown herbs from our garden, organic grains, ocean vegetables, free range chicken, natural range beef &organic salmon, powerful super foods like kefir and raw cultured vegetables are the corner stones of a menu that honors everyones food choices."

- R. Thomas

Want to learn more about R. Thomas Deluxe Grill?  Check out the website!  The grill is located on Peach Street in the heart of Atlanta.  It is a genuine place run by genuine people.  

- Payton Collier

Animal Welfare Institute

Known as the AWI, the Animal Welfare Institute was founded in 1951 to decrease the cruelty of animals by people. At first, the AWI mainly focused their attention on animals used for experimentation. Today, however, the AWI has widened its boundaries and deals with other aspects of animal welfare, such as factory farming, the pollution of oceans, and the cutting down of forests.

To learn more about all the aspects of the AWI (even their blog), visit this website.

-Jennifer Rochefort

Time to...PANIC!!!

barbbarbbarb-"chicken heart"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/barbbarbbarb/4998859859/
A Happy Chicken

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, step right up and take a wild gander at how many animals the average American will consume over the course of their life.

1,000? Not even close. 5,000? Think bigger. 10,000? Double it up and you will be just about there.

According to Jonathan Safran Foer, “Americans eat the equivalent of 21,000 entire animals in a lifetime” (pg. 121)  Usually, these animals are chickens. Across the globe, 50 billion chickens are raised in factory farms a year. To put this in perspective, there are close to 7 billion humans on earth (according to the US Census Bureau). Foer points out that Americans are some of the largest consumers and our intake has increased 150x since the 1920s when factory farming was first introduced (by accident).

Although these numbers are really big (and numbers of all types tend to give me the heeby-geebies), Foer points out the real threat behind these obscene figures..

In 1918, the world suffered from a pandemic that killed 100 million people. That pandemic was called the Spanish Flu and its origins have been traced to farm animals (whether it was birds or pigs is still debated).

Farm animals live in disgusting conditions for their short, brutal lives on earth. Because the environment is so toxic, farm animals are fed antibiotics even when they are not sick. The Union for Concerned Scientists reports that the factory farming industry offloads 24.6 million pounds of antibiotics into animals each year. Humans, on the other hand, only receive 3 million pounds of antibiotics a year. Foer points out the dichotomy that we limit our own intake of antibiotics to prevent the development of drug resistant diseases but inundate our animals (whose factory farm lives are the equivalent of living in a Petri dish with just about everything that makes us sick) with these same medications.

Foer argues that this will bring about more zoonotic diseases, or diseases that jump from the animal population to our own human population, in the future. The possibility for a pandemic is far greater not only because we average a pandemic every 27.5 years and we haven’t had one in awhile but also because we have created a biological time bomb out of our mass consumption of animals and our cavalier attitude in regards to how they are raised.

So what should we do for our world that it is about to catch a cold? Pay more attention to how animals are being raised. Urge stronger regulation of factory farms. Think before you eat. And STOP EATING SO MANY CHICKENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Shockley Nunnery

 david_shankbone (photographer)
Not a Happy Chicken

Some Facts about rBGH...

Most people probably have no idea what rBGH means, but it is time that they find out. It stands for recombinant bovine somatotropin and it is a growth hormone that is injected in cows in order to make them produce more milk. It was approved by the FDA 18 years ago and said to be a safe drug. However, it was later discovered that it is not very safe at all and that it can in fact can cause many negative effects for cattle and humans, including the possibility of an increased chance of cancer.

Another interesting fact is that up until August 2008 it was a product made and distributed by none other than Monsanto. This comes as no surprise. It is also a bit odd that rBGH has been banned by the European Union, Canada, Japan, and Australia, but not the United States. What else are we willing to do to produce more? We are already risking our health and the health of animals; what comes next?

To learn more about rBGH and its history, visit this website

-Kelly

Something Fishy?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreagp/1122613434/sizes/m/
"Salmon"--Andrea Pokrzywinski

My family eats fish. Just about every week during the summer my family will tucker into a nice big dish of swimming critters. Sometimes it’s a tuna steak (no not the red thing that everyone is picturing in their mind), or grouper, or trout, or some other gilled creature. But more often than not, we’re munching on salmon.

So when I read about the development of genetically modified salmon that is being marketed for human consumption, my interest was more than piqued. According to the Lyndsey Layton of the Washington Post, the company AquAdvantage Salmon is having its new genetically modified salmon evaluated by the FDA to determine whether or not it is fit for human consumption.

The whole genetically modified part relates to the time it takes for these salmon to grow. Using the genes of the pout fish (which the Washington Post describes as “eel-like”) and the Chinook salmon, this new type of salmon develops at twice the rate as a regular Atlantic salmon.

This will prove to be a watershed moment in the history of food as many other food-engineering companies are watching the FDA’s decision. Other genetically modified animals in the works include the “Enviropig” whose waste is eco-friendly and a cow that is impervious to mad cow disease. In competition with the Enviropig is Apple’s iPig which will have 4G capabilities, the ability to engage in “Facetime” with other cool, hip pigs, and 3 earthy flesh tones to pick from.

That’s a joke (and a bad one while we’re at it) but it underscores objections to the introduction of genetically modified animals. Scientists fear what will occur if these fish escape into the ocean and spread their Dr. Frankenstein’s biology project genes with other fish. Others object because a large portion of the FDA evaluation is occurring in private.

On the flips side, these animals have the capability of increasing the food supply and (this is purely supposition) won’t we be using less growth hormone to make these animals grow faster? Wouldn’t this be the more, and I hate to use the word, natural solution?

Weigh in with what you think

Shockley

Bobby Calves Journey: Part 2

Here is part two:

-Jennifer

Bobby Calves Journey: Part 1

Remember the article on the bobby calves we posted a while back? If not, I encourage you to check it out. Here is a heartbreaking video I found on Youtube of part one of the journey of the bobby calves in Australia.

-Jennifer

White Oak Pastures

This family owned, grass fed, humane, and environment friendly cattle ranch is only three hours and twenty five minutes from our very own highschool! The Harris family is commited to raising healthy cattle for the sake of the consumer as well as the environment. Not only is the beef better for you, but it tastes better too!

Grass-fed beef is healthier than the average product in a myriad of ways: higher in beta carotene, vitamin E, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), omega 3 fatty acids, and not to mention the lesser chance of E.coli O157:H7 contamination. Most of these benefits come from healthier cattle. White Oak Pastures also takes a stance against antibiotics and hormones, and deliver directly to the markets (cutting out about eight middle men) including Publix and Whole Foods.

White Oak Pastures is living proof of the possibilies available to the average American, now we just need to spread the word.

If you are interested in learning more visit http://www.whiteoakpastures.com/index.html
Katy

Let's Talk Food-Eating Animals review

Let me ask you a question, "Would you eat a dog?" How about if the dog was in the pound and was going to be euthanized anyway, as twice as many dogs are euthanized than are adopted. You may say that this is wrong but consider this as well, the euthanized dogs are used for feed for other animals. With the consumption dogs, we would have a low energy cost, cheap, local, abundant food source that could drastically increase the amount of available food.

Thought provoking arguments like this abound in Jonathan Safran Foer's bestselling Eating Animals.

Simply put, the subject of Eating Animals is the consumption of food, and more specifically, the consumption of animals. Before Foer launches into his book, he establishes the fact that he does not intend to write the Vegan Manifesto. Foer began researching the food industry before the birth of his son because he wanted his child to eat right (whatever that would turn out to be).

At the core of the book is a discussion about food, why we eat it, why it such a fundamental part of our identity (Foer shares the stories of Holocaust surviving grandmother-- "Greatest Chef in the World"-- and her signature chicken dish), why it is such an important part of our culture (Foer draws upon his Jewish faith and cultural background for anecdotes), and why we must reevaluate our outlook on food.

A lot of the book focuses on education. For example, did you know that a single commercial fishing boat can haul 50 tons of seafood aboard in a matter of minutes with nets that 30 miles wide or that the fishing for tuna causes the death of 145 other fish species? Or did you know that "free range" simply means that chickens must have access to outdoors and that can mean a small door leading to a enclosed 5 by 5 dirt pen? Or did you know that "bird brains" are actually quite sophisticated with the function to process information like the human cerebral cortex?

Finally, Foer makes his informative book come to life with his erudite storytelling ability and biting wit. Foer shares his own adventures breaking into a turkey farm as well as the opinions of animal activists and "factory farmers" to add a human element to his research and to reveal that the issue of eating food is not so black and white.

Eating Animals has been a great, easy read thus far and it certainly provides A LOT of food for thought. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and funny book.

Shockley

Meet the Super Cow

Slaughterhouse Investigation: Cruel and Unhealthy Practices

Is Cage Free Better?

Moving hens from crowded, dirty cages into a more open pen sounds like a good idea, right? Well according to researchers, it has been found that the hens that lay most of our eggs become more protective when placed in a bigger space with less birds. This leads to fights among the chickens, which ultimately results in more deaths. So what is the better plan here: crowded cages or a new genetic breed of friendlier birds?

Read more here.

Did You Know?

As you probably know, we are reading Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. Do you know all of the horrible things animals have to go through in their lives? If you don't, here are some interesting facts I've learned from reading Eating Animals:

• "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others" (Animal Farm by George Orwell). In other words, we consider dogs more equal than cows because we don't eat dogs.
• Almost twice as many dogs and cats are euthanized as are adopted.
• In the Philippines, there is a recipe for stewed dog.
• There are two types of chickens - layers and broilers. The layers are the ones who lay eggs, whereas the boilers are the chickens that become meat.
• Because of Common Farming Exemptions (CFEs), corporations can define thier own level of cruelty in the industry.
• A downer is an animal that collapses and is unable to get back up due to little rest and water. The number of downed cows is abou 200,000 a year.

Wanna know more? Pick up your copy of Eating Animals at your local bookstore today!

-Jennifer

Got Milk?

Milk may be seen as a "safe" beverage. No cows died in the making right? Actually, those cows are impregated yearly and the male calves are seen as worthless, and many bobby calves find themselves crowded into a slaughterhouse within only a few days of their birth.

Once disunited from their mothers, they are taken to slaughterhouses miles away, generally in overloaded trucks where there is little to no room to lie down. To get them up, they are often dragged by their tails or legs, and sometimes are even electrically prodded. After arriving at the abattoir, many bobby calves have to survive the night with no nourishment before they are slaughtered. In Australia, for example, bobby calves are permitted to go without food for up to 30 hours! How barbaric is that? There is currently an unenforcable Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals that states: "Calves should be fed within six hours of transportation and must not be left without appropriate liquid food for more than 10 hours."

 So, what are you waiting for?!? Get off your butts and see what you can do to help at http://www.animalconcerns.org/external.html?www=http%3A//www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/brutal-secret-behind-the-dairy-industry-20110128-1a7tb.html&itemid=201101280021220.338953!

-Jennifer, Kelly, and Katy

Family Chickens

Low and behold! Our family does in fact own two chickens.  They produce roughly 2 eggs per day, and are very friendly.  Their delicious eggs are often used for breakfast, opposed to the low quality, mass production, factory farm eggs.

According to sustainable table, the quality difference between free-range chicken and factory farm chickens is significant. This difference is often due to lower quality in the food of these factory farm chickens.

"A natural chicken diet can include corn, oats, soybeans and dried alfalfa.  The pasture provides grasses fertilized by the chickens themselves, as well as worms and bugs, many of which are abundant on the manure left behind by cows.
Feed for factory farmed chickens is significantly less fresh, natural and appetizing. Millions of tons of meat and bone meal from post-slaughter animal waste are recycled back into animal feed each year, and poultry and hog producers are the main purchasers of these products."
Sustainable Table

They are adorable, and make funny noises.  I suggest all families jump on the chicken bandwagon! 
Here's a good website if you're interested in purchasing chickens. 

-Payton, Zach and Shockley

Burnt Fork BBQ Store Front

Burnt Fork BBQ Menu

Burnt Fork BBQ

This past sunday i ate dinner at a Decatur barbeque resturant called Burnt Fork BBQ. Burnt Fork specializes in organic food as well as serving only humanely raised meat from Moonshine farms in Athens, GA. The menu also has vegetarian options with tofu taking the place of the meat. Located at 614 Church Street, Burnt Fork Barbecue is still working on perfecting its recipes and overall quality is still behind other local BBQ joints. However its worth the trip for anyone concerned with animal welfare in our food system.