Cowspiracy : The Sustainability Secret

Anna Lappé’s book, Diet for a Hot Planet, discusses the impact that meat consumption has on the planet and our environment. It discusses how the global food system is a major contributor to climate change, producing as much as one-third of greenhouse gas emissions. She writes about how the way we farm, what we eat, and how our food gets to our tables all

Major food corporations with the mantra of “feeding the world” have started a cycle of chemical abuse and sterilization of the earth. Frances Moore Lappé talks about this in his article, Diet Of The Small Planet, giving readers the harsh reality that our increasing meat centered diets are causing. The consumption of meat has been linked to the single-minded belief that beef/ham/chicken were the only source of “much needed protein.” According to the data that Lappé has gathered though, this “meat principle” could not be further from the truth. For instance, take the fact that a cow needs to ingest “21 pounds of [plant protein from grains] in order to produce 1 pound of protein for human consumption.” (Lappé) In fact, all the grains grown in the US that are supposedly suppose to “feed the world” at least “78%” (Lappé) is given to livestock as feed. This ridiculousness is further emphasized when Lappé mentions the stark contrast of livestock to the protein producing ability of plants per acre. The protein production of “cereals, legumes and leafy vegetables” easily produce up to “15 times more protein per acre” (Lappé) than the average piece of meat. The most startling example of the protein conversion inefficiency of meat through comes from the comparison to Spinach, which Lappé notes, is actually able to produces “26 times more protein per

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

Chicken, lamb, turkey, milk, pork, eggs, fish, etc., all contribute to the environmental problems facing the planet. The fossil-fuel energy consumption to protein output for these livestock are as follows: chicken has a 4:1 ration, lamb 50:1, turkey 13:1, milk protein 14:1, pork 17:1, and eggs at a 26:1 ratio. This averages out to almost eight-times more “fossil-fuel energy than production of plant protein” (Pimentel). In addition, each animal has its own benefits and downfalls. Pigs propose a lower carbon footprint but if raised in ideal free-range environments they can pollute the soil with nitrogen (Goffman 5). Chickens pose the threat of spreading bacteria through rivers and streams and spurring algal growth which create “dead zones”,

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.

Michael Pollan (2009) believes that the dependence on a fossil-fuel based food distribution system is toxic both to the environment and to the human body. Cows and other

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

To eat or not to eat, is that really the question? One devoted rancher/essayist, Linda Hasselstrom, confronts this very idea in her essay from the book, 80 Readings for Composition. The piece was written in 1991, titled “The Cow versus the Animal Rights Activist,” during a time when ranchers and the meat industry were under fire by both animal activists for the inhumane treatment of cattle and by environmentalists for the immense amounts of energy waste and pollution. Hasselstrom uses pertinent substance, though sometimes bias, to shed light on the misconceptions about ranchers and their place in the cattle industry. She aims to unite the concerns of the activists on the side of the ranchers so they can work together

Relevance: We all share the same planet, therefore, I believe it is vital to know the ways animal agriculture shapes our environment.

“If we’re serious about the climate crisis, say’s Lappe, we have to talk about food.” Food processes and consumptions are being overlooked. The only thing that we do know when we shop at our local food markets is that we do not know what is exactly in the food, where it came from, and what route it took to get on to the shelf in our towns. Lappe addresses these questions within her book that sets the scene for many different products, corporations, and the effects that are taking place because of these methods that are helping the global warming crisis. The corporations are not assessing the risk and rewards of food production; they are sucking up the rewards and looking the other way. Taking responsibility is the first step to solving a problem and as you can see in the movie Cowspirarcy no one is willing to admit that food and productions are apart of the global warming event. The long view of our existence means we must take care of our habitat and build today for our children tomorrow instead of thinking about only today. To do this Lappe provides a list of seven principals of a climate friendly diet; “Reach for real food, Put plants on your plate, Don’t panic, go organic, Lean towards local, Finish your peas…the ice caps are melting, Send packaging packing, and Do it yourself

For years vegetarian and vegan diets have been gaining popularity. This rise in popularity is due largely to the belief that a vegetarian diet has numerous health benefits and the animals being raised to be slaughtered are not being treated humanely. These are both good reasons for adopting a meat-free lifestyle, but there is an even more pressing reason. The current rate of meat consumptions, especially in developed nations, is consuming natural resources at a rate that is not sustainable. The amount of resources such as land, water, and crops consumed to support meat production is staggering. In addition to the resource consumption, meat production is also contributing to critical global environmental issues such as deforestation and ozone depletion.

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,