One of the most biodiverse places on the planet, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is about to be sold off in pieces for oil drilling starting next month. In its 19.6 million acres, the refuge has coastal lands, boreal forests, and alpine tundra that inhabits gray wolves, musk oxen, caribou, polar bears, and hundreds of other species. These lands were granted with federal protections 60 years ago and play a huge part in the culture of indigenious Gwich’in people.
The Trump administration has enforced a plan to begin oil and gas lease sales in the refuge, and is currently moving seismic testing onto the plains. This type of testing has the potential to be detrimental to the landscape and the ecosystems that are built upon it. The refuge can not sustain human activity such as seismic testing or oil drilling, however, ever since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, it has been leased to oil and gas development. Oil development would bring roads, airstrips, heavy machinery, noise and pollution, which would damage the refuge’s fragile tundra ecosystem and disrupt age-old migration and denning patterns for certain species.
Additionally, with the climate crisis already causing catastrophic issues on its own, the animals that primarily survive in the Arctic will suffer immensely with further habitat loss.
There is currently a petition to save the refuge, but they need 1.5 million signatures by January 6th in order for it to be enacted. The NRDC has also provided an informative draft of a letter for people to send to President Trump and Interior Secretary Bernhardt.
Have you ever gotten a Christmas present that you didn’t really like but had to accept it anyways? Or were really excited for your present in the beginning but ended up not using it after a month? Unfortunately, this is the case for many people with their furry gifts. A dog or a cat should be viewed as a fifteen year commitment, not a one day present. If you wouldn’t consider getting a pet on any regular day, you shouldn’t treat Christmas any differently.
Why does this matter? Here are some pet ownership statistics:
Too often, a dog or a cat experiences a return to the animal shelter or has to live in an underserved home. People have even coined the recurring pattern as “the Christmas Dumpathon.” However, this pattern not only applies to Christmas, but to the pandemic this year as well. In the beginning of quarantine, animal shelters throughout the U.S. were emptied by those who wanted a companion during their lonely times. This was celebrated at first, however, what will happen to those pets when everyone is forced to go back to work? Constant abandonment and rehoming is disorienting for dogs and cats, so rashly adopting one of them can provide consequences for both you and your pet.
Now understanding the negatives that can come with a seemingly harmless Christmas present, here’s what you can do to ensure a happy adoption that will last a lifetime. The most important thing to do is research. The more information that you know about the pet and about pet ownership the better. The expenses of a lifelong pet is about the cost of a car, so you need to ask yourself if you can afford that. Since so many dogs are returned due to behavior issues, get the whole family to go on a trip to the animal shelter and see which one has the best temperament for your household. If you truly believe the person that you want to give a gift to wants a dog or a cat, it is best for you to buy a gift certificate for an adoption fee or pet supplies, then allow that person to choose the pet that they want the most. Finding a pet that specifically fits you and your home will be in the best interest for both parties.
However, these considerations should not only be taken for larger pets like dogs and cats. Hamsters, rabbits, turtles, snakes, fish, etc. all have their own needs that have to be tended to. Just because a child is not responsible enough to take care of a Golden Retriever doesn’t mean they should receive a hamster instead. For any animal, it is vital to do research and give it the space, diet, care, and shelter that it needs to be healthy and happy.
It is extremely dangerous to believe that climate change is a hoax, especially when the person believing this is sitting in a government position. On Friday, November 7th, the Trump administration removed Scientist Michael Kuperburg from the job that oversees National Climate Assessment and replaced him with David Legates. Legates is a deputy assistant secretary at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who has worked closely with climate change denial groups, according to the New York Times. Not only has Kuperburg been removed, but Neil Chatterjee, head of the agency that regulates the nation’s utility markets, was demoted after publicly supporting the use of renewable power. Given the current state of the environment, the government of the United States is in no position to question the legitimacy of climate change.
Newly appointed executive director of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, David Legates
Legates was appointed just weeks before the climate assessment is meant to take place in the U.S., on December 5, 2020. The climate assessment reports all of the climate changes that are affecting human life and the economy. It shows multiple accounts of a direct correlation between humans and the declining health of the environment.
There are multiple consequences that may result from a climate assessment that doesn’t accurately represent our current reality. For example, it can counter congressional efforts to reduce carbon emissions. It can also weaken “endangerment funding”, which was founded by the Environmental Protection Agency, stating that since greenhouse gas emissions pose a threat to human health, they are therefore subject to government regulation. The deadline for the next National Climate Assessment is coming up, and by having a climate change skeptic like David Legates at the forefront, the U.S. is in a terrible position. Along with David Legates’ influence is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). The White House has replaced the people running the association in an effort to use the NOAA’s power to undercut the climate assessment.
The Trump administration has taken many steps towards increasing pollution such as allowing states to set their own vehicle tailpipe rules, reducing federal restrictions on coal-burning plants, and vowing to pull the U.S. out of Paris Climate Agreement. As a country, we need to look into the future rather than selfishly take what we want now. There is too much on the line, and having a supporter of climate change denial groups is problematic for the U.S.
At a first glance, it may be confusing to see how being vegan can possibly save a life. However, there are many factors that come with veganism that correlate to a safer lifestyle. For example, take a look at COVID-19. The pandemic has completely turned over the world for the past year, causing many deaths, stunting the economy, and stopping many big events. When looking at the origins of coronavirus, it is highly speculated that the virus came from a “wet-market”, or a place where animals are slaughtered for food. Many diseases that humans have suffered from come from animals, the swine flu and the bubonic plague being prime examples. Therefore, wet-markets act as a breeding ground for diseases such as these, and with the constant human contact, it is clear to see how we can catch those diseases from animals.
Another issue with animal agriculture as a whole is that humans can build antibiotic resistance. With medical problems such as intestinal infections, antibiotics are needed to treat any serious complications. However, the foods that people consume may cause them to build a resistance to the medication and prevent their bodies from fighting the infection. Certain animals have antibiotic-resistant bacteria in their bodies for their survival against diseases. When they defecate, those bacteria are released from their bodies and can contaminate anything that it touches. The soil or bodies of water that the feces comes in contact with can be used to get resources from, which means that when people con meat, vegetables, or even water that has been contaminated by animal waste, they are consuming those antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Additionally, since the animals in wet markets are packed together, it is not uncommon for their feces to get on them and contaminate the slaughtering process.
To push for a plant-based diet is to push for a safer lifestyle. We have seen the drastic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we must do everything in our power to prevent something like that from happening again. With a decrease in meat consumption, there will be less of a demand for meat from wet markets. For the sake of the environment and for human lives, consider looking for plant-based alternatives for meat and dairy in your local grocery store!
“Coyotes roaming the streets of Chicago…Sea turtles nesting in beaches for the first time in years…The majestic snowcap peaks of the Himalayas were revealed to the people of Jalandhar more than 120 miles away,” this video by NBC reports.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed not only the lives of people, but of animals as well. Since quarantine has started, there have been many positive effects for the environment. With factories temporarily shutting down and fewer people transporting via cars or buses, fewer greenhouse gases have been released into the air. According to NBC news, Los Angeles, a city usually teeming with vehicle activity, was reported to have the cleanest air in the planet since quarantine began. In addition to the improved air quality and reduced energy consumption, there has been less foot traffic and litter on the ground with many staying home during the pandemic.
Although these are all positive changes to the environment, climatologists say this is only temporary. The gas emissions are predicted to decrease by 5% this year, but in order for there to be permanent improvements, they need to be going down by 8% annually. Scientists are now looking for methods to make these changes permanent, and are exploring ideas such as switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy. However, there have been even more negative effects that tag along with the pandemic. As the government focuses all of its attention on stabilizing the economy, its resources have diverted from the global fight to save endangered species. Additionally, lockdowns in certain areas have temporarily stopped eco-tourism (a form of tourism that practices sustainable travelling) that funds environmental projects.
Biologist Carlos Ruiz shared his experience with saving golden lion tamarins, explaining that his team members have been quarantined and the parks where the tamarins reside have been closed by the government. These setbacks are preventing him from reaching the tamarins’ habitat and continuing his efforts to protect their species.
There are questions arising about whether or not we have missed the “window of opportunity” in the fight to save these animals. I believe that it is impossible to tell right now, but there is definitely a silver lining that can be found within the pandemic. For example, if the news is spread about the incredible environmental changes that have come from quarantine, people will actually see and not just imagine how their actions can make a large impact. We have learned how to adjust to this style of living, so there is a chance that we can keep up with some of these adjustments even after the pandemic is over. Continue making food, exercising, or working at home (if your job allows it) to save the trip there and back! As for the golden lion tamarins, donate here to help the efforts to conserve the species. Teams like George Ruiz’s could definitely use the donations to get back into action once parks are open again!
Slow Food’s predictions for global meat consumption
To answer this, let’s go back to our origins. Humans did not always consume so much meat. Our ancestors—called hominids—mainly survived on fruits, leaves, seeds, and other plants. However, about 2.5 million years ago, the earth began heating up, and forests began to shrink away. This left humans to search for another food source that would give them energy. Thus, around 2 million years ago is the time when we began incorporating meat into our daily diets. Scientists now consider meat our “brain food.” According to Marta Zaraska, author of Meathooked: The History and Science of Our 2.5-Million-Years Obsession With Meat, “Some scientists argue that meat is what made us human.” Considering that our brains take up 20% of our total energy, there is no doubt that a food source with lots of calories and protein would be essential for our evolving bodies.
However, meat is not irreplaceable. Any food with the same nutrients would have been able to sustain humans. Meat was simply what was available. Now, we know that there are many negative impacts of excessive meat on our health and an uncountable number of animals are being abused. With this understanding, people should be leaning away from meat, right? Wrong. Meat is now a bigger part of our lives than ever. It is a symbol for luxurious eating and holds cultural significance for many ethnicities.
Since 1960, our total red meat and poultry consumption per capita has gone up from 167.2 to 223.5 lbs. Most Americans are consuming nearly double of the protein that they need, which may seem like a positive thing due to myths surrounding high-protein diets and the weight loss and disease prevention that they offer. However, studies show that the healthiest diets are the ones that are high in carbohydrates, low in fat, and adequate in protein. Animal meat proteins are packed with saturated fats and cholesterol. As a result, people who consume excessive amounts of meat face a higher risk of death from diabetes or cancer. This is evident if you look at countries from around the world and compare them to America. The top 50 countries with the lowest diabetes rates include South Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. These countries had a per capita meat consumption of 54, 87, 80, and 84 respectively. Compare this to America, which has a value of 120 kg/person and currently has diabetes as a major public health concern.
Fortunately, veganism and vegetarianism is more popular in American today than ever. Meat products are now being swapped out for plant-based proteins such as tofu, tempeh, chickpeas, quinoa, and more. These plants are also being used by brands such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods to replicate both the taste and texture of meat. I encourage you to try one of these brands in an effort to reduce the amount of red meat that people are consuming globally!
Cured pork—such as ham, sausage, or bacon—are packed with cholesterol and saturated fats. This leads to weight gain and clogged arteries, and can cause more serious health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, asthma, and impotence. Four strips of bacon contain around 880 mg of sodium, which is, according to Time, 40% of the government-recommended daily value. Processed meats and high levels of sodium are also linked to multiple chronic health conditions. Additionally, pig farms are usually filthy, meaning that the pigs catch diseases and are forced to live off of antibiotics. The overuse of antibiotics leads to “super bacteria”, which humans then consume. By consuming these anti-resistant bacterial strains, people will then be immune to the antibiotics that doctors prescribe to them for their own illnesses.
Mother pigs spend most of their time in gestation crates, which are extremely small. PETA shares that these pigs are repeatedly impregnated until the point of their slaughter. Then, the piglets are taken away from their mothers at an early stage to have their tails chopped off and their teeth are pulled out with pliers without painkillers. This is due to the fact that the farms are extremely crowded, causing the pigs to gnaw on each other’s tails as the only way to stimulate their brains. Additionally, transport trucks to the slaughterhouse are just as bad as the farms. Pigs are crammed together with no food or water, and many lay in pain for hours. In some cases, trucks flip over, throwing over injured pigs and leaving them to die on the road. Considering the intelligence of these animals, these are very traumatizing situations to endure.
To rescue the millions of pigs that are suffering on these farms, you can stop supporting them by eliminating pork from your diet. There are faux pork products that you can find at your local grocery store, and there are also alternatives that are made from fruit and other vegetables! For example, jackfruit, watermelon, and tempeh can serve as replacements for pork. If completely getting rid of pork is something that does not seem possible, another option is buying from a local farm. Local farms give you the opportunity to talk to the farmer and discuss how the pigs are raised. If the pigs are given ample space to graze and are not stuck in filthy cages, then buying from them would be much better compared to buying from large industries.
According to Humane Society International, about 2 million dogs are raised in South Korean dog farms each year and about 1 million are killed and eaten. The consumption of dog meat has been a part of many traditions across Asia, but fortunately, the number of people are starting to dwindle due to animal activism and modern ideas among younger generations. Based on a survey by Korean Animal Rights Advocates, 39% of South Koreans have tried dog meat, while 13% continue to consume it. The main problem with this (aside from the fact that it is inhumane) is that dogs are not even classified as livestock under South Korea’s 1962 Livestock Processing Act, which means their slaughter is not regulated. This gray area can cause even more harm towards dogs compared to other livestock, especially considering that tortured dog meat is believed to have medicinal benefits. This dog meat trade has been going on for years, but luckily some organizations are striving to put an end to it.
One organization that has truly helped the cause is Korean K9 Rescue. They are a non-profit organization that gathers volunteers in New York City to partner with South Korean dog rescuers. The dogs are brought back to the U.S., where the likelihood of them being adopted are much higher. With 50,600 followers on Instagram, Korean K9 Rescue is able to spread awareness to a large audience through their posts, and captions them with the hashtag #BanDogMeat movement. They also make it possible for anyone to help out the dog meat trade by asking for volunteers who can foster, accompany a dog on a plane, or even join their organization. You can also adopt the rescued dogs!
Supporting organizations such as the Korean K9 Rescue gives hope that one day there will be an end to the dog meat trade. If you are 24 or older and looking to adopt a dog, consider getting one from this organization as you will be contributing to the rescue of helpless dogs. Donating is also something that can really help out, especially during this pandemic where cargo flights have to be bought for triple the cost whereas flight volunteers would usually help for free. If you are interested, you can also become a patreon for Korean K9 Rescue and receive exclusive videos and photos of the rescue dogs at their Bundang, Korea facility for a membership of $5 or $10 a month. If you join the $25 membership, you can also receive early preview access to photos/videos of adoptable dogs that are scheduled to arrive in NYC!
COVID-19 has drastically changed the meat industry. What was supposed to be a year of record setting red meat and poultry production quickly turned into one filled with paused operations of meat companies. There were a number of plants that contained sick workers, so multiple meat companies were forced to shut down amid the crisis. To combat this, President Trump signed an executive order on April 28 aiming to keep meat processing plants in operation, and meat processing companies are finding ways to screen their workers for the virus. However, even with all of these measures, trying to keep a production going with workers packed together in close quarters will be extremely difficult. Labor union United Food and Commercial Workers states that at least 20 meatpackers have already died from COVID-19, and more than 5,000 have been hospitalized or are showing symptoms. Therefore it is very unlikely that closed meat processing companies will be reopening anytime soon.
Is this a positive or negative thing for animal activists?
It is difficult to tell whether meat shortages are in favor or against animal rights. On one hand, there is an obvious lesser production of meat, meaning less butchering of animals. Also, people are already being limited to the amount of meat products that they can purchase. This means that they will be adjusting their diets to be consuming less meat and may find that they are getting used to meat-reduced meals. It is also likely that meat products are going to spike in price even after the pandemic, especially the ones with extra processing steps such as ground beef or bacon. This will cause people to search for cheaper protein alternatives like tofu or beans, considering that many are losing jobs and are looking to save money.
On the other hand, although meat production is decreasing, the number of animals kept in farms are increasing. These animals are currently packed together, simply waiting for the time to come around to be butchered. This is extremely unethical as their living conditions are uncomfortable and unsanitary. The more animals there are living on the farms, the more money farm owners need to spend to feed all of them. If they can’t budget for this, many animals will starve. At this point, forcing these animals to stay in factory farms for a prolonged amount of time may be even worse than just putting them out of their misery. Additionally, just as ground beef and bacon will increase in price, so will more ethical meats, like grass-fed and organic beef, as they require more care.
What should you do?
During a time of crisis such as this, when meat production is dropping and lines are difficult to draw, it is in the best interest of animal activists to simply avoid meat. Looking for alternatives may even be cheaper, and will be a step towards permanently damaging the meat industry. If enough money is not going into a meat processing company after this pandemic, they can be shut down forever and tightly packed animal farms will become a thing of the past.
COVID-19 has drastically changed the meat industry. What was supposed to be a year of record setting red meat and poultry production quickly turned into one filled with paused operations of meat companies. There were a number of plants that contained sick workers, so multiple meat companies were forced to shut down amid the crisis. To combat this, President Trump signed an executive order on April 28 aiming to keep meat processing plants in operation, and meat processing companies are finding ways to screen their workers for the virus. However, even with all of these measures, trying to keep a production going with workers packed together in close quarters will be extremely difficult. Labor union United Food and Commercial Workers states that at least 20 meatpackers have already died from COVID-19, and more than 5,000 have been hospitalized or are showing symptoms. Therefore it is very unlikely that closed meat processing companies will be reopening anytime soon.
Is this a positive or negative thing for animal activists?
It is difficult to tell whether meat shortages are in favor or against animal rights. On one hand, there is an obvious lesser production of meat, meaning less butchering of animals. Also, people are already being limited to the amount of meat products that they can purchase. This means that they will be adjusting their diets to be consuming less meat and may find that they are getting used to meat-reduced meals. It is also likely that meat products are going to spike in price even after the pandemic, especially the ones with extra processing steps such as ground beef or bacon. This will cause people to search for cheaper protein alternatives like tofu or beans, considering that many are losing jobs and are looking to save money.
On the other hand, although meat production is decreasing, the number of animals kept in farms are increasing. These animals are currently packed together, simply waiting for the time to come around to be butchered. This is extremely unethical as their living conditions are uncomfortable and unsanitary. The more animals there are living on the farms, the more money farm owners need to spend to feed all of them. If they can’t budget for this, many animals will starve. At this point, forcing these animals to stay in factory farms for a prolonged amount of time may be even worse than just putting them out of their misery. Additionally, just as ground beef and bacon will increase in price, so will more ethical meats, like grass-fed and organic beef, as they require more care.
What should you do?
During a time of crisis such as this, when meat production is dropping and lines are difficult to draw, it is in the best interest of animal activists to simply avoid meat. Looking for alternatives may even be cheaper, and will be a step towards permanently damaging the meat industry. If enough money is not going into a meat processing company after this pandemic, they can be shut down forever and tightly packed animal farms will become a thing of the past.
