Umbra writes about one of the big ones, I think, for being vegetarian. Our food system is largely plagued by false advertising, profit-driven and is poorly regulated. False advertising lets large food manufacturers get away with way too much. They can practically put anything they want on packages to market them and make them sound more appealing. Being profit-driven forces them to make business decisions based solely on what’s good for the bottom line, not what’s good for consumers or for animals. It is horrendous to know that by the time most mass-produced chickens are ready for market, they can’t even stand on their own two legs. They’re freaks of nature! And the regulation? shah! These farms need to be checked up on so they don’t cheat. They don’t want regulation because don’t want to be caught doing things wrong.
Ask Umbra: On free-range chickens and eggs: “Dear Umbra, I just read your column on organic syrup, and you made a comment about the futileness of the phrase ‘free range.’ I always try to buy free-range eggs and, whenever possible, the same with chicken. Am I wasting my money? Jeff Pritts, St. Louis, Mo.”
(Via Grist Magazine.)
I’ve been proud to see exactly where most of the eggs I buy come from. When I visited Growing Things Farm, I saw the chickens running around. Everywhere. Not in just in a little pen. They were free-ranging everywhere I could see. I even helped them round up the chickens back into the roost at night when I was there. I saw where the eggs are lain. The same with Filaree Farm when I went there.
It’s just the right way to do it! These huge factory farms are not the way to go and I wish there was a quick and easy answer to changing the way things are.
Until then, I think the best answer is to go veggie! It is definitely a commitment, but it is a great thing to commit to! Your body? The environment? Is that not enough?