The Ethics of What We Eat

I just finished The Ethics of What We Eat by Peter Singer and Jim Mason. Warning: They are a bit elitist and biased. But this information is on point. It was a fantastic read, probably my favorite book we have covered in the class thus far. I sincerely recommend it for anyone who is concerned about the ethics involved in our food choices. If you are suspicious or curious, delve in.

I want to share two quotes from the book.

This comes from the World Watch Magazine:
"As environmental science has advanced, it has become apparent that the human appetite for animal flesh is a driving force behind virtually every major category of environmental damage now threatening the human future- deforestation, erosion, fresh water scarcity, air and water pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, social injustice, the destabilization of communities and the spread of disease."

Also, they discuss Michael Pollan's beliefs in regards to ethical meat consumption, taking note of the following comment:
"If the walls of both factory farms and slaughterhouses were made of glass, industrial agriculture might be redeemed. Some people would become vegetarians, but others, forced to raise and kill animals in a place where they can be watched, would do it with more consideration for the animal, as well as for the eater. We would have poultry farms where chickens still go outside and hog farms where pigs live as they did 50 years ago- in contact with the sun, the earth and the gaze of the farmer."

To conclude, here is a picture of Paul and Linda McCartney, as well as a link to an awesome interview with Paul some time ago in regards to his vegetarianism.

Interview with Paul McCartney