Factory farming and the entire meat industry in general have long been regarded as such which is reeking with unethical practices and injustices for both the animals and humans directly and indirectly involved. Organizations such as Mercy for Animals which is an activist group that speak out against such poor treatment of the animals used for our consumption (SOURCE) while people such as Upton Sinclair became part of a catalyst for an industry wide revolution for the workers through his 1906 novel, The Jungle. There is without a doubt, a problem with this industry still to this day; however, to acknowledge the problems of the industry and then subsequently continuing to support the meat industry is unethical in light of the practical and viable options which are available to individuals in developed countries.
Throughout human history, conservation of the earth has been an active issue. There seems to be a cycle of an industry beginning, expansion, then misuse/abuse and finally, after environmental consequences begin to have an impact on our existence, conservation or change occurs. A prominent example of conservation is with the deforestation of the rainforest in South America, which has had a large impact on our ecosystem due to the loss of habitat and decrease of trees.(SOURCE) Conservation and becoming eco-friendly is especially important due to the toll the earth has taken through pollution, radiation, loss of wildlife, etc. The better we treat this earth now the longer our future generations can thrive on the planet without having major issues such as air pollution seen in Beijing currently (SOURCE) or radiation poisoning in Fukushima which will impact humans and animals for an unforeseen amount of time at this point (SOURCE...
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http://science.time.com/2013/12/16/the-triple-whopper-environmental-impact-of-global-meat-production/ http://www.ewg.org/meateatersguide/a-meat-eaters-guide-to-climate-change-health-what-you-eat-matters/climate-and-environmental-impacts/ http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/panel-advises-epa-to-overhaul-risk-assessments http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/vegetables-contain-antibiotics/ http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/the-growing-antibiotic-crisis-subtherapeutic-use-on-factory-farms-is-creating-drug-resistant-superbugs-20131201 http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/our-failing-food-system/industrial-agriculture/prescription-for-trouble.html http://www.ahi.org/issues-advocacy/animal-antibiotics/ http://www.nrdc.org/food/saving-antibiotics.asp http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2672.1997.00280.x/full
Meatpacking pertains to the raising, slaughtering, packaging and processing of livestock such as pigs, cows, and chickens. Prior to slaughter, animals are grown and fed. Food borne illness and pathogens still plague the meatpacking industry since the creation of meatpacking. The government plays a huge role in providing legislation and ensuring the safety of meat products and business. Although the government is meant to inspect and guarantee safety, many unlawful practices appear overlooked pertaining to the safety of meat for consumers. Meatpacking commenced thousands of years ago, and the safety of the meatpacking industry has been evaluated greatly since the industrial revolution in America. The history of the meatpacking industry in America, the impact of literature such as the novel of the jungle written by Upton Sinclair, the rendering and irradiation of meat, and current worker issues contribute to the horrible safety precautions as well as the awful environment involving the meatpacking industry.
In the early parts of the 20th century “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair shed some light on the terrifying conditions being held in the meat industry. With the help of Teddy Roosevelt, Strict government laws came into play to regulate the meat packing industry.
At the turn of the twentieth century “Muckraking” had become a very popular practice. This was where “muckrakers” would bring major problems to the publics attention. One of the most powerful pieces done by a muckraker was the book “The Jungle”, by Upton Sinclair. The book was written to show the horrible working and living conditions in the packing towns of Chicago, but what caused a major controversy was the filth that was going into Americas meat. As Sinclair later said in an interview about the book “I aimed at the publics heart and by accident hit them in the stomach.”# The meat packing industry took no responsibility for producing safe and sanitary meat.
In the novel The Jungle written by Upton Sinclair, the unimaginable horrors behind the food industry and fundamental support by capitalism are exposed. Sinclair illustrates the foul unsanitary procedures carried out in the meat packing industry and creates a grotesque image for readers. He quotes, “This is no fairy story and no joke; the meat would be shoveled into carts, and the man who did the shoveling would not trouble to lift out a rat even when he saw one—there were things that went into sausage in comparison with which a poisoned rat was a tidbit” (163). In The Jungle, capitalism is what drove the meat processing industries to comply with health hazards and continue the distribution of unsafe products.The food industry in present day
In the article, “On Eating Animals,” Namit Arora explains that for much of our settled history--and even today in parts of the world--most people lived in close proximity to farm animals. Animals fertilized our crops, shared our labors, and nourished our bodies, helping us enlarge our settled communities.” (Arora). Animals were once like a family member. People would tend to their animal’s needs and make sure they were well taken care of just like any other member of the family. We would give them names, show them at county fairs and make sure their living conditions were comfortable and as sanitary as possible. Further on in “on Eating Animals,” Arora explains that “In the twentieth century, the inexorable logic of modern economics and the assembly line turned farm animals into number-tagged bodies to be fattened, disinfected, and processed as quickly and cheaply as possible.” (Arora) This led to the factory farming of animal products that we still use today. The ASPCA defines factory farming as, “…a large, industrial operation that raises large numbers of animals for food.” They co...
Years ago it would have been unheard of for anyone to not eat meat on a daily basis, since during one period of time it was considered a staple for some. However, meat eaters started to pay attention to what they were consuming once Upton Sinclair’s famous novel The Jungle was published in the early 1930’s. It drew so much attention that the Pure Food and Drug Act passed to prevent the unsanitary and hazardous practices mentioned in The Jungle from happening. However, before Upton Sinclair’s novel was published few were already recognizing the ethical and nutritional (in this time period) hazards that happened because of the commercial meat industry. The International Vegetarian Union was established in 1908 and was one of the first notable movements and the organization that brought the most publicity towards vegetarianism in the western world. This organization stood against the ethical, environmental, and economic effects the commercial meat industry had on our nation. Even with the founding of this organization many do not understand vegetarianism or veganism in Europe or the United States and thus discuss it negatively, but this is an event that should cease to happen. The negative discussion of vegetarianism has negative effects that should be avoided and will be discussed.
“In 1906, Upton Sinclair's novel "The Jungle" uncovered harrowing conditions inside America's meat packing plants and initiated a period of transformation in the nation's meat industry. The Pure Food and Drug Act and the Federal Meat Inspection Act were both passed later that year, and labor organizations slowly began to improve the conditions under which the country's meat packers toiled. But some critics say America's meat business has been in decline for decades and that the poor conditions found in slaughterhouses and packing facilities today are often little better than those described by Sinclair a century ago.” (PBS, 2006) From the 1930’s to the 1980’s trade unions such as the United Packinghouse Workers of America organized workers and improved working conditions and pay. Meat packing employees earned an average of almost $20 and hour in the 60’s and 70’s. In the 80’s and 90’s new competition came on line and tried to undercut other union based companies. Iowa Beef Processors (IBP) sought to work on slim profit margins, increase worker speed and productivity and cut l...
...oss’ paper. Therefore, this objection is not sound because the number of naïve people are rapidly dwindling. The second objection stated that one person has no effect on the factory farming industry, so giving up meat is pointless because the industry is too large to feel the effects of someone converting to vegetarianism. I refuted this objection by saying that, yes, one person alone will not make a difference, but when more and more people become vegetarians, the industry will be forced to respond by producing less animals, therefore, preventing more animal suffering. Although these two objections were strong and valid, I believe I was able to successfully defend Norcross’ argument that factory farming is wrong and cruel.
In the book Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, the author talks about, not only vegetarianism, but reveals to us what actually occurs in the factory farming system. The issue circulating in this book is whether to eat meat or not to eat meat. Foer, however, never tries to convert his reader to become vegetarians but rather to inform them with information so they can respond with better judgment. Eating meat has been a thing that majority of us engage in without question. Which is why among other reasons Foer feels compelled to share his findings about where our meat come from. Throughout the book, he gives vivid accounts of the dreadful conditions factory farmed animals endure on a daily basis. For this reason Foer urges us to take a stand against factory farming, and if we must eat meat then we must adapt humane agricultural methods for meat production.
Like many other industries, the farming industry has evolved into big business, “Animals on factory farms are regarded as commodities to be exploited for profit.” In each industry from clothing to instruments, the bosses want to make a profit. The more they can supply with the least amount of waste, the more profit they make. The same goes for factory farming. However instead of humans being the ones directly affected by big bosses, the animals are. They don’t have a voice, and can’t stand up for what is right or wrong. These animals are manipulated in every way to make a better profit. Factory farms mass produce animals for ...
...such as recycling and reducing waste has significantly helped our environment and will continue to if future generations practice these same habits. For deforestation, many organizations have strived to plant more trees and add more oxygen to the atmosphere as well as nutrients for the soil. Seeing that although humans create many negative impacts in our global environment, there are many positive arrangements in correcting these issues.
The issue of meat consumption has been a controversial topic on whether to allow the practice or discontinue it, non-meat eaters argue it’s unethical because it is abusive to animals. On the other hand, meat consumers argue that eating meat is ethical as long as meat eaters are conscious of how their meat is collected and the treatment of livestock is fair. The consumption of meat is an act that an individual decides whether to partake in or not. Therefore, the option of eating meat should not be completely taken away, but it should be limited. Eating meat ties in with vegetarian and vegan diets, in the sense that both have to follow guidelines to create an ethical approach to eating any grown foods. The consumption of food is ethical when
Factory farms have portrayed cruelty to animals in a way that is horrific; unfortunately the public often does not see what really goes on inside these “farms.” In order to understand the conditions present in these factory farms, it must first be examined what the animals in these factory farms are eating. Some of the ingredients commonly used in feeding the animals inside factory farms include the following: animal byproducts, plastic, drugs and chemicals, excessive grains, and meat from members of the same species. (Adams, 2007) These animals are tortured and used for purely slaughter in order to be fed on. Typically large numbers of animals are kept in closed and tight confinements, having only little room to move around, if even that. These confinements can lead to suffocation and death and is not rare. Evidence fr...
...as human we need to take care of it by following all the correct measurement. Maybe, the smallest action can bring huge difference to the world and help to save the ecosystem. Any extinction species can be preserved and make a plantation to help the world green. Cut off any unnecessary activities that bring damage to the surrounding. Besides, generate of energy also can be changed with alternative ways like renewable energy that must be more clean and safe. The fossil fuel source also will not remain exists and will run out someday. Take a good action and care for our world as we live on it. This because the world content all the sources we need to survive like food, water, shelter and etc. The most important thing is to start activities and usage that are environmentally friendly, for example, organic foods and materials, natural gases, less electrical use and etc.
The environment today is not in a good condition, Climate change is evident, and oceans are getting polluted. Rainforrest's are decreasing in size due to deforestation and illegal logging. Animals are getting extinct due to the destruction of their habitats. Natural resources are being consumed at very large amounts, and get wasted. There are different ways these problems can be addressed, one option is environmental management. Environmental management focuses on conservation of natural resources, protection of habitats, and impact of humans on the environment. Conservation of natural resources is the smart use of the world's resources by humans, through this waste production is limited, and there will be less garbage in the world. By conserving