Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret

In this documentary, Kip Andersen ventures out to research the sustainability of a meat and dairy industry. As he uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today, he also investigates why the world's leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it. This documentary reveals the negative environmental impact large-scale factory farming has on our planet, and offers a path to global sustainability for a growing population. While touching on pathos by discussing the treatment of animals, Andersen focuses on the logos aspect. By utilizing facts and statistics, all of which are backed by credible research, this leads viewers to not only question whether taste and convenience is worth the the mistreatment these animals

In addition to his solutions, Pollan’s modern narrative sheds light on the façade of our food industries; asking us to rethink what we know. Despite the mention of certain inhumane acts in All Animals are Equal, Pollan takes us one step further to uncover the reason for which we continue to purchase our corrupt food. We all know animal abuse exists, but the average consumer like myself is more worried about the best price and the fastest way to get a burger rather than how fairly the animals are treated in the process. Whether it be the confined living space of chickens or the mental and physical torture of pigs, we continue to blind ourselves from reality. Is it purely out of selfishness? Or are we too ignorant to come to terms with our wrong doings? Like Pollan explains, it takes seeing the abuse before the shame of our disrespect can be felt (pg.6). After seeing Pollan’s truth, I might now think twice before eating out and the choice to support organic produce can make a dramatic difference for those farmers who promote the ethical lifestyle.

Our nation’s industrial farming has become more than just feeding people; it has become a way for the food industry to make more money as human population continues to grow. Jonathan Safran Foer in his book Eating Animals, illustrates the effects factory farming has had on animals meant for human consumption. Furthermore, Foer asks many questions to the reader on what will it take for us to change our ways before we say enough is enough. The questions individuals need to be asking themselves are: how do we deal with the problem of factory farming, and what can people do to help solve these issues? Eric Schlosser in Fast Food Nation, also illustrates the animal abuse that goes unseen within the food industry as well as Bernard Rollin and Robert Desch in their article “Farm Factories”, both demonstrate what is wrong today with factory farming. Foer gives such examples of employees who work in slaughterhouses giving accounts of what goes on in the kill floors, and stories of employees who have witnessed thousands and thousands of cows going through the slaughter process alive (Animals 231). Namit Arora in the article “On Eating Animals”, as well as Michael Pollan in his book The Omnivore’s Dilemma, both address some of the issues that animals face once they hit the kill floor. The food industry has transformed not only how people eat, but also the negative effects our climate endures as a result of factory farming as illustrated by Anna Lappe in “The Climate Crisis at the End

Introduction (Attention Step): What do you think is the greatest cause of emission pollution? What do you believe is harming our planet? Well if you guessed that fossil fuel emissions are the biggest emission polluters, then you are completely wrong (attention getter). Animal Agriculture is actually the number one Greenhouse Gas emitter in the planet. Yes, cow farts are destroying the environment. It sounds crazy, but ever since the mid 60’s, agriculture associations have been spreading across the Americas and dominated the industry. The most destructive of all Ag corps are Livestock Corporation. These associations include IBP, Conagra, Perdue, Farmland National Beef, Cargill, etc … Animal Agriculture is effecting every single person in this room because we all breathe in the same air, drink the same water, and eat the same (credibility). The buildup of Animal Agriculture is a great destruction to our planet and our species because it is creating

All across america, cows are confined to crowded, almost prison-like cells, with little to no regard to their health. They are forced to eat food that includes such ingredients like manure, cement, or even cow brains. This is one side of farming, but there is another. This farming has cows and other animals living how they would in nature, across rolling hills and bright green grasses. This is the essence of Local Sustainable farming. As defined in Michael Pollan’s award-winning commentary about the food we eat, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, the Local Sustainable Food Chain, one of four possible food chains, is characterized by not using pesticides, treating animals humanely, and sustainably creating healthier organic food. Out of Michael Pollan’s food chains, the Local Sustainable Food Chain is the best for America as it is much less harmful to the environment and lets animals live in their natural states.

Every year, an average American will consume approximately one hundred-twenty six pounds of meat. This meat can be traced back to factory farms where the animals are kept to be tortured to turn into a product for the appetite of humans. The terrible treatment these animals are forced to endure is the outcome of the greed and want for a faster production of their product. The industry of factory farming works to maximize the output of the meat while maintaining low costs,but will sadly always comes at the animals’ expense.

By exploiting a president’s promise and several specific facts and comparing the emissions between car and animal cultivation, Freston raises her claim that calls for people should be worrying about their diet rather than their car. First, the author adopts an honest report from the United Nations: “The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global” (800). In this way, Freston makes her audiences believe that raising

Animal rights is a revolutionary idea that has been rising ever recently, since African-Americans and women both have rights now. This topic is argued in both Michael Pollan’s “An Animal’s Place,” where the modern hippy suggests that animals are mistreated and that organic farming is the best method of farming, as well as Blake Hurst’s “An Omnivore’s Delusion: Against the Agri-Intellectuals,” where the sass-mouth, Midwestern, pissy-pants farmer who assures the reader that there is nothing wrong with the way that farming is being handled in America. While these points are very contrasting, both authors strive to prove that their way is the “right” way.

This, in fact, was something I liked about the video because it revealed to me exactly how much I have learned over the course of this class. An example of this is when Don Francis was discussed in the film. Don Francis is a CDC member I recognized from the Randy Shilt’s book, And the Band Played On, and in other additional readings from class. One thing Francis was known for was his public speaking about blunt attitude. In the film, it even mentions Francis talking to potential donors trying to receive funding for research, so they could find a cure to the epidemic. In the documentary Francis says “I pounded the table and yelled at them asking them how many people they wanted to kill. And I just said [unintelligible] "Just tell us the number. You want 10 dead? Do you want 20 dead? Do you want 100 dead?" That didn't go down very well,” (Cran). This quote is significant because it shows how despite the clear need that funding was needed, high ranking government agencies were still being languid in their decision. Most of the time this was due to them just not wanting to to lose money if they did not have to. Unfortunately, this also reveals that their motives for health care is to make money solely. Knowing all of this is also significant to me because just a couple months ago, I knew nothing about Don Francis. Now I know way

The author uses firsthand knowledge and personal experiences to find common ground with the opposition and turn the finger at the cattle industry instead. Furthermore, her down to earth style and descriptive language establishes her ethos and makes her argument more persuadable. Hasselstrom was successful, in spite of her bias, because she defined her principles, educated the uninformed, and unified the involved parties so solutions ways of thinking could

Central Idea: Animal agriculture has been shown to directly have an impact to our environment by a number of environmental experts, national organizations, and committees.

Ultimately, these particular articles hit a spot that I hold very dear to my heart and that is my undeniable love of animals. Therefore, by reading Pollan’s “An Animal’s Place” I finished it wide eyed and horrified by the burger I had the night before for dinner. I was given a reason to question an industry that before I hadn’t batted an eye at, yet now I was filled with questions. However, upon reading “The Omnivore’s Delusion: Against the Agri-Intellectuals” by Blake Hurst and I realized that in some instances the industry necessarily a terrifying thing. In the end there is a continuous theme of the welfare of animals, human needs and the environment. I learned a lot about the personal perspectives of Pollan and Hurst when it comes to the

The cattle industry produces vast amounts of strain in the environment. It is energy inefficient, pollutes water, occupies many acres of land, and deteriorates the health of the people who abuse its consumption. The government subsidizes this industry. Therefore, the price paid for meat doesn’t reflect the environmental hazards involved in the process. In order to protect our health and the health of the environment we should pay close attention to our food choices and make sure we don’t support industries that degrade it.

“The UN along with other agencies reported that not only did livestock play a major role in global warming, it is also the leading cause of resource consumption and environmental degradation destroying the planet today.” (Andersen & Kuhn, 2014). It is important, then, to consider the effects of animal agriculture on the environment. This essay will argue that animal agriculture is harmful to the environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, water- and land use, and that policies in the form of subsidizing plant foods, altering the Canada Food Guide, and creating plant based nutrition coaching and support groups should be enacted to solve these problems. The first section of this paper will outline scholarly literature on the effects of animal agriculture on the environment. This paper will then discuss why a plant based diet is also suitable for optimal health. Finally, this essay will conclude with an overview of the various social policies that must be executed to solve these environmental issues.

“You can change the world. You must change the world” –PERSON. Our earth is suffering due to our own actions. If you were educated to use your power to help better the world, would you? Cowspiracy is an inspiring educational documentary that demonstrates the devastating effects that the meat and dairy industry and animal agriculture causes our world. Working with a remarkable budget of $117,000 that was completely crowdfunded, the film follows the journey of director Kip Anderson with cinematographer Keegan Kuhn as they expose the truth of how to live sustainably on our planet. Cowspiracy was awarded 4.3/5 on Rotten Tomatoes which accurately demonstrates how powerful Anderson and Kuhn’s work is. The film elements of mise-en-scene, dramatization,