Animals Are Earthlings Too!

This article is designed to help promote discussion and look at some of the issues surrounding animals and their environments and how they relate in the world's ecology as well as the impact that humans have on animals.

Animals as food
 
Throughout history many humans, as well as some animals, have eaten other animals as a source of their daily food intake.

When did humans start eating meat as part of their diet ? What animals did humans eat throughout history ? What animals eat meat only ? What animals eat plants only ? What are the characteristics of meat eating animals ? Do humans share any characteristics of meat eating animals ?

Where does meat come from
 
Some may be of the opinion that meat comes from local supermarket, others may be of the opinion that meat comes from a farmers farm in the countryside.

Where do the main meats that you might eat come from ? Why do supermarkets stock only certain kinds of meat ? Is red meat actually red ? Is seafood meat ? Is chicken meat ? Where does milk come from ? Where do eggs come from ? Do dairy products have any of the characteristics of meat ? Where does leather come from ?

Factory farming

Many mass-consumer outlets, such a supermarkets (and their suppliers of products) have a high demand for meat and animal products.

To meet this demand some farms had to become far more business oriented in supplying the huge demand. Let's ask some question about factory farming, also known as industrial farming..

What is a factory farm ? Where are these factory farms located ? Why do the keep so many livestock at once ? What are the main products in factory farming ? Do factory farmed animals ever see dirt or grass ? Is factory farming ethical ?

CAFO

As the demand for animals as food (and other products) increased even more, not only supermarkets, but fast food chains and other mass consumer needs put a considerable pressure on how farm animals are now raised and processed.

To meet the ever rising demand a new system of meat production was devised called CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations).

What is a CAFO ? Do these animals ever see light ? Do these animals ever walk on earth ? Do these animals have a normal life ? What do they feed CAFO animals ? How many animals or 'units' can u feed in a CAFO ? How many chickens are eaten every day in Australia ? ..the world? How many eggs are produced on a daily bases worldwide, to meet demand ? How else do they increase yield ? Do conditions favour production or welfare ? Are CAFOs ethical ? Are there CAFOs in Australia ?

Free Range

Some people seek Free Range alternatives when buying animal meat and products as the 'feel good' alternative, as the farm animals has a lived a free life on the farm.

What do you consider free range ? How is free range defined ? Is free range what you thought it was ? How do supermarkets get so many free range eggs ever day ? How long to free range chickens live for ? Where can you buy free range meat ? Why might free range products be less desirable than factory farmed alternatives ? Why do free range products cost more ? Who decides what free range means ? Should animals be allowed free range ?

What do they feed the animals

When you eat animals for food it becomes a chain, so you might want to consider what the meat you eat, ingested, consumed or has eaten itself during it's lifetime.

What do free range animals eat ? What do factory farmed animals eat ? What do CAFO animals eat ? Are the farmed animals fed hormones ? Are the farmed animals fed antibiotics ? Are the farmed animals fed medical supplements ? Do they eat raw foods such as grass or grains, or manufactured foods ? What happens to the waste from these animals ? Does an animals diet effect it methane emissions ? Are the animals free to eat anytime ? Do the animals eat in comfortable stress free conditions ?

What happens between farm to dinner table

Meat as a food doesn't just grow at the supermarket, so how does it get there, and what happens to those farm animals that live on those farms? Well.. a lot happens, so let's pose some questions to find out.

Where do farms get their animals ? Do farm animals ever die of old age ? Do animals on farms get sick ? How do they prevent farm animals from getting sick ? Do cows have to be pregnant to be milked ? Does the animal have to be killed in order to provide meat ? How are farm animals transported from farms to cities ? How are meat animals killed ? How does a dead animal become the meat you see in the supermarket ? Why are some meat packed as raw meat and others in soups, crumbed or microwave products ?

Why do we eat certain animals and use certain animal products

There are estimates that there could be anywhere from 5 million to 100 million species of animals on Earth, but science has only identified about 2 million of them.
So why is it that when we think of meat as food there are only a few that are used in our diet?

How many species exist on Earth ? How many animals are there on Earth ? Which animals are most used for human food ? Why are those animals chosen ? Have the characteristics of those animals changed over the years ? Where does leather come from ? Why do we use leather ? How are meat animals killed ? Why are chickens sometimes fed seafood ? What types of meat have the most nutritional value to humans ?

How do these animals for food businesses effect the environment
 
Food animal operations can take up vast areas of space, this area has to be cleared of trees (etc), have infrastructure built and operated and incorporate waste management systems.

Does removing trees effect the environment ? Does the animal food operation provide a more beneficial return than the trees ? What happens to those trees that are cut down or burned ? Where three animals living in those areas previously ? What are the costs in terms of money and energy of animal food agri-business ? Where does the animals waste go to ? How much water is required for animal farming operations ? Is the atmospheric air effected by these animals farms ? When you eat meat, where do the bones go ? Do big farming operations effect smaller ones ? Does transporting animals effect the environment ? What happens to diseased or pre-slaughter dead animals ?

Transporting animals
 
Many times animals and animal products have to be transported over vast distances, either within your local area, your country or even over seas.

How much oil (fuel) is required to transport food (locally, nationally, overseas, to your house) ? Does food and animal product transport effect the environment ? What modes of transport are required ? What are 'food miles' ? Could animal transport effect the animals ? Is live transport of animals ethical ? Do animals perish in transport ? What can a consumer do to minimise transport in meat buying ? What other transportation is required in animal farming operations ?

Do you own pets
 
Do you own pets. Pets can me amazing friends and indeed feel a part of your family. People, over the years, have come to own many varied varieties of animals as pets.

What makes an animal a pet ? What are the most common pets, and why ? What is your pets natural diet ? Does you pet have a personality ? Has your pet ever felt pain ? Does your pet ever feel happy ? Does your pet have a family ? How does your pet differ from farmed for food animals ? Do you think pet ownership is right ?

Hunting
 
For much of history animals have been hunted, primarily for food or extermination. Hunting still exists today. Hunting comes in many forms; shooting, trapping, drift netting, harpooning and more depending on the species being hunted.

What is the definition of hunting ? What methods are used in the main forms of hunting ? Why do people hunt ? What happens to region when it is over hunted ? Is hunting ethical ? What is the most ethical way of hunting ? Should hunting be outlawed ? Why is it that humans hunt animals considerably less today?

Animals for testing
 
In recent modern history testing of new chemicals and products on animals has been standard practice as opposed to immediate human testing. Examples include testing the effects of shampoo in eyes on rabbits or vaccines in laboratory mice.

Is it better to test products on animals rather than humans ? Could these tests potentially injure or harm the laboratory animals ? Is animal testing ethical ? Which animals have comparable characteristics to humans ? What happens to lab testing animals once the test is complete ? Should a certain number of animals be expendable for science ? Why do some people have a preference for 'not tested on animals' products ?

Animals for entertainment

In recent history animals have been used, more and more, for human entertainment. 

Some examples of this include; horse racing, circuses, rodeos, bull fighting, water world type aquariums, zoos, cat and dog shows and more including underground / outlawed betting on certain animal activities.

Do zoo animals suffer in less than ideal climates and conditions for their species? Do circus animals have a happy existence ? What happens when a race horse breaks a leg ? How far can a dolphin swim on 30 minutes ? In a bull fight, why is the bull always angry ? Why is dog fighting outlawed in most countries ? Is it possible to have animals in entertainment ethically ?

Animals as earthlings

All living creature that exist on our planet are equally Earthlings.

Are all species on Earth treated equally ? How many species of Earthlings are there ? How did humans make it to the top of the food chain ? What are some of the smartest species on Earth ? Do all animal species of the Earth have families ? What does extinct mean ?

Does consuming animal products effect my health

There is great debate as to whether eating meat has adverse effects on human health and its the digestive system. Other considerations are the toxicity of the animal when it was alive and the resulting meat product.

Which proteins are better for the human body; animal or vegetable ? What are good cholesterols and what are bad cholesterols ? Do predominately herbivore regions citizens live longer that omnivore ones ? What is casein and how does it effect humans ? What are the benefits of eating eggs ? Where does vitamin B12 come from ? Do medical supplements stay in the meat of medicated farm animals ? How does mercury get into seafood ?

What is vegetarian

At the moment there are an estimated 7-10% of vegetarian humans on planet Earth.

What don't vegetarians eat ? What do vegetarians eat ? Why would someone be vegetarian ? Do vegetarians live longer ? Are vegetarians healthier than omnivorous humans ? How do you become vegetarian ? How many vegetarians do you know ?

What is vegan

At the moment there are an estimated 4-5% of vegans humans on planet Earth.

Why do vegans not eat meat, dairy or eggs ? Why do vegans not buy any animal products at all ? Is vegetarian a diet or a lifestyle ? Do vegans live longer ? Are vegans healthier than omnivorous humans ? Who can become vegan ? Is it OK to take honey from bees ? Is it OK to turn animal hide into to leather for human products ? Do vegans just eat leaves ?

Use these questions to get some discussion going with your family or friends.  Do you agree or disagree with each other in most ways?  Does having thought about these issues change your opinions on some things... and if so, how might you implement changes to reflect your new beliefs?