Book Review: Eating Animals By Jonathan Safran Foer

By Sally Kneidel Ph.D.

As a biologist and co-author of two books about the meat industry, I was asked by Jonathan Safran Foer's publicist to review Foer's new non-fiction book Eating Animals (Little, Brown & Co/ Nov 2009).  I confess I didn't want to read it, because the topic can be distressing. But I'm glad I did. It's among the best books I've ever read on the topic--remarkably thorough and well-documented.  From the first page, the quality of Foer's writing impressed me. Foer is a novelist, and his talent for telling personal stories was evident throughout. He used his own uncertainty, and his need for answers, to pull me into his journey of discovery, an investigation motivated by the birth of his son.

Among the book's strengths were long quotes from his conversations with people who work with livestock, or work on behalf of livestock. He interviewed factory farmers and farmers who raise livestock more humanely, animal-welfare advocates and animal-rights activists, making clear distinctions between the different points of view, and letting all of them speak for themselves.  Foer quoted significant passages from the writings of Michael Pollan and Gail Eisnitz, and described the fascinating work of Temple Grandin. I thought he did a great job of getting at the essence of each person's perspective, and identifying contrasts.

Because I blog and write about diet and livestock myself, I can't say I was surprised at anything I read.  But I was yanked back into full awareness of all the issues, all the arguments, and the disturbing aspects of eating animals. My friend Beth, also a vegetarian, read Foer's book and pointed out that he helps us see how we all rationalize what we do. That's true - and he started with his own rationalizations, which made me as a reader more willing to examine my own.

After I finished Eating Animals, I let it sit for a couple of days, and what rose to the surface for me were his descriptions of animal abuse in the meat packing industry.  I've always felt that many controversial issues in our culture, even medical topics, can be resolved simply (for me) if I ask myself about any suffering involved. Which choice will cause the least suffering?

That query can be applied here too. Does raising livestock for consumption involve suffering? It does indeed, on a scale that rivals any other source of suffering on the planet. If you doubt it, read Foer's book. Raising livestock will eventually cause the suffering of every being born onto this planet, human and nonhuman, because raising livestock is responsible for 51% of annual worldwide greenhouse-gas emissions. (Foer's data on that are out-of-date, which is not his fault since the book went to press before the latest analysis from Worldwatch Institute.)  Greenhouse-gas emissions will eventually cause mass-extinctions of wildlife, widespread drought and starvation, inundation of coastal cities, climate refugees, etc.  As time goes on, the global community will become less and less tolerant of Americans' disproportionate consumption of resources (including meat) and our disproportionate generation of waste.  Who knows what lies in store, but change is a-coming, and the livestock sector is largely responsible.

To make one more point on the subject of suffering - where is the suffering in not eating animal products? There is none. As Foer wrote, quoting animal-rights activist Bruce Friedrich, "I certainly agree that if someone is going to eat animals, they should eat only grass-fed, pasture-raised animals - especially cattle. But here's the elephant in the room: Why eat animals at all?"  Indeed. Why?

I highly recommend this book and feel grateful to Foer for the time and effort he invested in covering so vast, so troubling, and so vital a topic. I think it should be part of every high-school science (or literature) curriculum. What a difference that might make. I can see how the birth of Foer's child could motivate his momentous undertaking; this important volume could impact the future of my children, your children, and our grandchildren from here to the end of our planet.

Jonathan Safran Foer is also the author of the novel Everything Is Illuminated.

Some of my previous blog posts on the meat industry:

Livestock Account For 51% Of Annual Worldwide Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Less Meat....Smaller Footprint

H1N1 Is Swine Flu: Roots In North Carolina

2010: U.S. Justice Dept. And USDA To Hold Agricultural Competition Workshop

Smithfield Blamed For Swine Flu By Mexican Press

Virtually All Cattle In Feed Lots Are Contaminated With E. coli 0157

More information on the subject:

• Sally Kneidel, PhD, and Sadie Kneidel. "Veggie Revolution: Smart Choices for a Healthy Body and Healthy Planet". 2005. Fulcrum Publishing.
• Sally Kneidel, PhD, and Sadie Kneidel. "Going Green: A Wise Consumer's Guide to a Shrinking Planet". 2008. Fulcrum Publishing.
• Gail Eisnitz. "Slaugherhouse". 2006. Prometheus Books.
• Meet your Meat  A 12-minute video narrated by Alec Baldwin.
• The Meatrix.  Three award-winning videos by Sustainable Table and  Free Range Studios.

Sally Kneidel, PhD, is the author of eleven books on nature, conservation, and science topics. Two books from Fulcrum co-authored by Sally and Sadie Kneidel are Going Green: A Wise Consumer's Guide to a Shrinking Planet (May, 2008) and Veggie Revolution: Smart Choices for a Healthy Body and A Healthy Planet (Nov, 2005). Sally Kneidel can be found online at www.veggierevolution.blogspot.com and at SallyKneidel.com

 

Copyright © 2006-2010, Basil & Spice. All rights reserved

Greenpeace: Lobbyists Spend $300K A Day Blocking Clean Energy Jobs

Greenpeace Protests Climate Lies of Tom Donahue’s US Chamber of Commerce

Activists deploy floating banner inside Chamber’s San Francisco Regional Convention -“Donahue’s Climate Lies: Bad for Business, Bad for America”

San Francisco — Greenpeace activists in San Francisco today sent a message to Tom Donahue’s Chamber of Commerce by releasing a floating banner inside the Chamber of Commerce Regional Government Affairs convention. Unveiled immediately prior to an energy forum featuring polluters like the American Petroleum Institute, the banner read “Donahue’s Climate Lies: Bad for Business, Bad for America.”

“The lobbying wing of Big Business has sunk to new lows: spending a record $300,000 a day lobbying to block efforts to address global warming and create clean energy jobs; health care reform and workers' rights; and attempts to reign in corporate greed on Wall Street," said Lauren Thorpe, Greenpeace Organizer in San Francisco.
Greenpeace deploys a floating banner inside the lobby of the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco Thursday, November 19, 2009, during the Chamber of Commerce Regional Convention to send a message "Donahue's Climate Lies: Bad for Business, Bad for America."
In addition to representatives of major polluters like the American Petroleum Institute, Chevron, and Edison Electric, the energy forum featured the US Chamber’s William Kovacs, who this summer called for the Environmental Protection Agency to hold a new “Scopes monkey trial” on the science of global warming.  Kovacs comments and the Chamber’s efforts to block progress on climate change and clean energy have led to the departure of companies like Apple, Exelon, PG&E, and other major companies to quit the group.

Yesterday, outside of the U.S. Chamber’s convention in San Francisco, small business owners and organizations held a press conference and rally calling on U.S. Chamber President Tom Donohue to end his campaign against health care and clean energy reform.  The large crowd gathered in front of the Fairmont Hotel and called out Tom Donohue for pushing an agenda that favors corporate CEO profits at the expense of people and the planet. Tom Donohue's Chamber of Commerce has been met with protests at other recent regional conventions in Chicago and Philadelphia.

2020 Greenpeace Calls For End Of Deforestation--1 Million Hectares Destroyed Monthly

2020 Greenpeace Calls For End Of Deforestation--1 Million Hectares Destroyed Monthly

Jakarta, Indonesia — Greenpeace welcomed today’s decision by Indonesia’s Forest Minister, Zulkifli Hasan, to temporarily stop paper giant Asia Pacific Resources International Holding Limited (APRIL) from destroying the carbon-rich forest peatlands of Indonesia’s Kampar Peninsula, Sumatra, pending a review of the company’s permits.

The move follows a Greenpeace protest on November 12 to prevent the company destroying the forest and peatland in the area, in order to grow acacia plantations for the pulp and paper it supplies to the global market. Containing 2 billion tonnes of carbon, the endangered Kampar Peninsula is one of the planet’s larges t natural carbon stores. (1) It is under threat of destruction by APRIL and Asia Pulp & Paper (APP). (2)Greenpeace activists say emotional goodbyes ahead of eviction from Climate Defender's Camp.“By suspending this company’s licence to destroy the forest, the Indonesian authorities are giving the climate some breathing space. Deforestation is one of the roots of the climate crisis. We will only avert this crisis if President Yudhoyono and other world leaders permanently stop all companies like APRIL and APP from destroying the planet’s forests,” said Shailendra Yashwant, Campaign Director, Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

Deforestation causes about a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. (3) Over a million hectares of forest, mostly tropical rainforest, are destroyed every month – that is an area of forest the size of a football pitch every two seconds. Rainforest and peatland destruction in Indonesia emits such huge quantities of CO2 that is has driven the country to become the world's third largest climate polluter after China and the US. (4) 

“To pull the world back from the brink of a climate crisis, we need Obama, Merkel, Sarkozy, Brown and other world leaders to commit to much deeper cuts in emissions from fossil fuels and to provide the critical funds needed so that countries like Indonesia can end deforestation.(5) If they fail, we will face mass species extinction, floods, droughts and famine before the end of the century,” added Yashwant.

Greenpeace set up a ‘Climate Defenders Camp’ on the Kampar Peninsula over three weeks ago to bring urgent attention to the role that rainforest and peatland destruction play in driving dangerous climate change in the run-up to the critical UN Copenhagen Climate Summit this December. Since then, the camp has been visited by ‘Inglourious Basterds’ film star Melanie Laurent, the US Ambassador to Indonesia and supported by Indonesian folk-rock star Iwan Fals.

Over the last week, 13 international Greenpeace activists have been deported from Indonesia, even though they all held valid business visas. 

Furthermore, two independent journalists have also been detained, questioned and subsequently deported - whilst holding valid permits and visas. This has prompted criticism and condemnation from parliamentarians, civil society and journalist associations both nationally and internationally.


“We hope the Indonesian authorities stop intimidating peaceful protestors who are trying to help President Yudhoyono fulfill the commitment he has made to cut Indonesia’s massive CO2 emissions,” said Bustar Maitar of Greenpeace Southeast Asia. “Instead, they must continue to investigate companies like APRIL that are destroying the forest and driving global climate change.” 

Greenpeace is calling for an end to deforestation globally by 2020 as a key part of the UN climate negotiations this December.

otes to Editor

(1) Greenpeace calculation based on Wahyunto, S. Ritung dan H. Subagjo (2003). Maps of Area of Peatland Distribution and Carbon Content in Sumatera, 1990 – 2002. Wetlands International - Indonesia Programme & Wildlife Habitat Canada (WHC).

(2) Combined, APRIL and APP control 73% of Indonesia’s total pulp capacity and own two of the world’s largest pulp mills

(3) WRI 2008. Climate Analysis Indicators Tool (CAIT) Version 6.0 (Washington, DC: World Resources Institute) http://cait.wri.org

(4) Greenpeace estimates that ending global deforestation requires industrialised countries to invest $42 billion (€30 billion) annually in forest protection.

(5) Calculated from: IPCC (2007). IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, Working Group III, Final Chapter 1. Page 104. Figure 1.2: Sources of global CO2 emissions, 1970-2004 (only direct emissions by sector). http://www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/ar4-wg3.htm

For further information please see: http://www.greenpeace.org/climatedefenders

Greenpeace: Pres Obama Must Cut Pollution By 2020

99% Of Pets Are Unlikely To Benefit From A Flu Vaccine

Shawn Messonnier, DVM--

I believe that decisions on whether or not to vaccinate a family member or a pet should be made by you rather than your doctor or a medical board’s recommendation. This means you must get all the facts about the vaccine in question in order to make an informed decision.

In this regard, there are two types of statistics you must investigate even though your doctor and veterinarian are unlikely to share these with you.

The first is population statistics. This concept relates to how the disease acts in a population. For example, for both dog and people flu, most people and pets exposed to the flu will not contract it and get sick (interestingly, neither the dog nor people flu vaccines are designed to prevent people or pets from getting the flu, but only minimize the severity of the flu if the patient contracts it.)

Those few patients exposed to the flu who actually contract the flu will experience a mild illness for just a few days. Very, very few patients actually die from the flu or from a complication of the flu such as pneumonia. Therefore, when looking at population statistics, it is unlikely that the average person or pet will contract the flu regardless of whether or not the vaccine is administered.

Individual statistics deal with the individual person or pet. Using myself as an example, I have never received a flu vaccine and do not intend to receive one. There is very little chance I will catch the flu based upon several facts--I eat well, try to get enough sleep, exercise, minimize my exposure to known cases of the flu, and take a number of nutritional supplements designed to strengthen my immune system to help it fight off the flu and other microorganisms. Additionally, I’ve only had the flu 3 or 4 times in my entire life even though I have never had a flu vaccine. For me, not getting the flu vaccine has kept me healthy. The same rationale applies to my dog who will never get a dog flu vaccine.

I’m not saying some people or pets would not benefit from a vaccine, only that the decision needs to be made in light of population and individual statistics. This is a much better approach than simply following the medical profession’s advice that everyone and every dog should get vaccinated against the flu even though 99% of people and pets are unlikely to benefit from the vaccine, and some patients will experience serious side effects from the vaccine. There is no need to waste your money if you or your pets are unlikely to benefit from the medical procedure. In my opinion, vaccinating all people and pets against the flu would be a big waste of money, only benefiting those who receive payment for this unnecessary service.

Dr. Shawn Messonnier, DVM the host of the weekly award-winning radio show, "Dr. Shawn-The Natural Vet" on Martha Stewart Radio (Sirius 112 Tues 8-10 PM EST and Sat 9-11AM EST) sits on the advisory board of the Journal Veterinary Forum, and is a holistic pet columnist for Animal Wellness, Body + Soul, and Veterinary Forum. In addition to serving clients in his Paws & Claws Animal Hospital, he has written several books on the natural care of pets, including The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats, The Allergy Solution for Dogs, 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog, Preventing and Treating Cancer In Dogs and most recently Unexpected Miracles (Forge Books/ Aug 2009). He is also the creator of a new line of organic pet products, Dr. Shawn's Pet Organics (www.Dr.Shawnspetorganics.com)  You'll find him online at www.petcarenaturally.com

Influenza A H3N8: Dog Flu, Not All Dogs Need The Vaccine

H1N1 And Your Cat: When Flu Transmission Occurs

Copyright © 2006-2010, Basil & Spice. All rights reserved.

5* Review: Kokokahn's Chocolate Peppermint Sugar Scrub

By Lynette Fleming

This product gave me a visit to the spa at a fraction of the cost.  Contained in a clear glass jar with a seashell nestled on the seal, and a cute little Christmas decoration dangling from the clasp, the contents smelled good enough to eat and exfoliated as well as and even better than most I’ve tried. 

Winter seems to do a number on my skin, drying it out, eventually causing painful cracks that bleed no matter how often I moisturizer, especially on the edges of the heels of my feet.  My heels can get so sore in the winter that it hurts to walk.  Amazingly, immediately after scrubbing my feet with this all-natural sugar scrub, my skin felt as soft as velvet, and the crusty edges of my heels were much softer, even after just one application.

The ingredients in all the products offered by Kokokahn are organic, natural, and some even contain antioxidants and possess healing and anti-aging properties.  At www.kokokahn.com, you can order a variety of pampering products including peppermint foot soak, dark chocolate body balm, coconut lime sugar scrub, lip balms and other delights.  Like to be pampered?  Can’t afford a weekly trip to the spa?  Try these products, if not for yourself then for someone you love.  My opinion?  You won’t find any better. 5 Stars

Lynette Fleming Is Coauthor of Lunch Buddies: Buddy Up for a Better Diet

Book Review: Lunch Buddies by Lynette Fleming and Susan Dudra

Copyright © 2006-2010, Basil & Spice. All rights reserved.