Food Chain Ethics

In the midst of our planet’s evolutionary mayhem, humans just happened to place themselves on a pedestal. This act can be described as speciesism, similar to racism or sexism, in which one group exudes superiority over another. Humans seem to believe that they have the right to govern over all other living things, plant or animal. Lumber companies bulldoze through our rainforests and beautiful landscapes with no regard for the biodiversity or the destruction left behind. Corporations simply expand residential areas, section off resorts, and maintain the land’s precious resources at their disposal. When it comes down to it, animals just equal food or material for clothing, and plants just equal food or material for furniture or paper. We seem to believe that we that we have the right to harness all the life that lays before us, and globalization only feeds that relentless hunger. What can the planet do to fight? If we look at movies like “The Day After Tomorrow” or “The Happening”, we can see how climate change and pollution effects the environment and what could two very extreme possibilities for consequences. Either we enter another ice age, or the plants seek revenge! No, really, what can we do to fight? Many have protested and organizations have risen from these needs to come together to save the world and its inhabitants. Fighting for the animals, we have the ever so eccentric PETA. Their mission is to certify the ethical and compassionate treatment of wildlife, whether they be pets, live stock, or found in shelters. They argue against fur and animal testing by passing out educational literature, streaming graphic videos on their official website , and through nonviolent protest in cages or in the nude. They are also notorious for throwing paint on fur wearers, and preaching about vegetarianism to the extent that they have even suggested switching our main calcium intake from cow’s milk to human breast milk. Ben and Jerry’s graciously declined. Although, their methods may seem a bet farfetched for some at times, there message always rings clear. They do make an impact on those who they come across, whether you willingly find yourself on their site or happen to be the one on the other side of their rants. The members of PETA simply want to fight for life forms that otherwise could not fight for themselves, and I commend them for that. Now, in terms of plants, they need a bit more help, being that they are relatively stationary. There have been many attempts to save forest land in the last century, especially because of the increase of deforestation. This slow process of forest removal , for example, is greatly affected by the great demand for paper and lumber, making the logging industry one of the leading factors in South America’s deforestation. The trees are sawed down, towed away, until a bulldozer dislodges the remaining stumps. The lumber, later, makes its way to distributors in Europe and the United States. The forest cannot replenish itself as fast as it is being destroyed. Leaving the soil exposed, there is erosion and further depletion of nutrients. Of course we may think we don’t see that here in North America, but that is because we barely have any true woodlands left, except for those reserved for parks or nature reserves. Most of our trees take decades to grow and become as strong as they are, so cutting them down for supplies or square footage is not only furthering an unsustainable market but detrimental to the environment. This is where tree-sitters come in. This longstanding, or should I say “sitting”, form of protest involves attuning oneself with the cause, literally. The protester climbs a tree that is to be cut down, secure him/herself to a branch or build a platform, and remains there until the tree can be saved or the police come up after them. This form of protest involves a lot of organization, and loads of teamwork, even tough it may seem like an individual venture. Food and supplies need to be delivered daily and slop buckets need to be lowered and dumped. Its sound messy and somewhat unhygienic, but from what I can gather it tends to bring people closer together and make their motivations stronger. Power is in numbers and no matter how bad the experience may seem, it may indeed make the group bond through it. These activists truly hold the power of life to its highest regard and are willing to fight for their beliefs in the faces of others. We may not always agree with all the points a specific group is trying to make, but it doesn’t to listen, for they just want their message to be heard.