Factory Farming

The true cost of our food system

Over the last century, as the human population has grown, so has our desire for and production of animal protein. We have crowded animals such as chickens, cows, pigs, and even fish from ocean and streams, into factory farms, genetically modified them, control all aspects of their movement and living conditions, all with the goal of maximizing meat/dairy/fish/egg production at a higher profit margin.

While we have succeeded in radically both lowering the cost and increasing the supply of animal-based products, this new and unnatural method of food production has come at a tremendously high and unsustainable cost.

There is now a mainstream movement to reduce meat/dairy/egg/fish consumption, not only for the obvious animal welfare and well-known health benefits, but for the urgent needs to reduce greenhouse gasses. Agriculture, and animal agriculture specifically, is a major contributor to global warming, and reducing consumption of animal products is the one things each person can do that can really make a difference.

Here is a fun video to help you think through the reasons to consider eating less animal products.