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De La Cruz

Gloria De La Cruz
Professor Dinsmore
English 6A
November 11, 2015
Ethically eating
People choose to eat healthy or unhealthy depending on their environment. Nowadays,
there are a variety of food options to choose from and different recipes to replace other foods.
Frozen food, fresh food, meats, dairy, sea food and process foods all are used throughout todays
society and are easier to get now than before. The process to the slaughterhouse is quick due to
the advanced technology and all the chemicals used on animals to produce more food. With the
advance technology a lot more food is produced in a shorter amount of time in which we do not
realize what is put into our food. The consumption of meat in the United States is high as well as
the number of farms. Animal rights groups have advocated for animals rights, specific laws on
farm animal treatment, and the usage of chemicals. Animal movements have occurred all around
the world and undercover investigations have taken place to share the reality of a farm animal.
The process to slaughterhouse needs to revised and changed with strict regulations for animals
rights, animals suffrage and for the health of the people.
As the world population increases and with high food demands, the strategies farmers use
now interfere with animals rights. Farmers came up with an idea to use chemicals while they are
in the process of producing more meat. Chemicals such as antibiotics, hormones, pesticides,
fungal toxins, plant toxins all enter an animal system to promote growth. Cows, pigs, and
chickens all are in similar situations but go through different treatment. These animals are
reduced to limited space, food and freedom. The basic things are taken away from farm animals

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leaving them with no option then to follow through. Films have been developed with undercover
investigations like in Meet your meat, a documentary on factory farming created by people for
the ethical treatment of Animals (PETA) (Baldwin). In this documentary, the reality of the
modern animal agriculture is film and documents the cruelty to animals. The industrial
agriculture is made up of hens, cattle, cows, chickens, pigs, and turkeys. Battery cage is one of
the methods used in animal farming. This method consist of a typical cage for egg-laying hens
allows each sixty-seven square inches of floor space somewhere between the size of this page
and a sheet of printer paper (Foer, 47). Consequences of these methods are interfering with an
animals ability to move. All of the farm animals are in crowded areas and are awfully mistreated
while still alive or unconscious. The cruelty of animals include crowded cages, horn removed
and branding without anesthetic, drugged to grow quickly, restricted to movement after giving
birth, and beaks being burned or cut without anesthetic.
Advocates such as writers and activist have advocated for animals rights all throughout
the nation. Movements, groups, and parties have also contributed to draw out the picture of the
lives of farm animals and the industrial agriculture. A demand of a different system of production
is being asked for to reduce the suffrage of farm animals. Demands like a sanitary place for these
animals to be placed in to reduce the amount of disease and infection. A permanent veterinarian
is demand to check on the farm animals incase they are ill or injured. Freedom to move around,
go outside, and the freedom for baby animals to be with their mother until they are able to eat
and be on their own. Other alternatives for a less painful and quick way to kill an animal if they
are not in conditions to go to the slaughterhouse. The transition from an animal farm to the
slaughterhouse should be less of a hassle and traumatization for animals.

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The relationship between an animal and a human has developed throughout the time;
being used as pets, food, clothing, entertainment and for scientific research. Humanitys use of
animals has increased and being misused for other things. Just like a farmer they have basically
two options. One keeping the animal as an animal and letting it live a normal life. Two using the
animal as a business, in this case food. The ethical relationship of farmers to farm animals is
unique. The farmer must raise a living creature that is destined to an endpoint of slaughter for
food, or culling and death after a lifetime of production, without becoming emotionally attached
or, conversely, without becoming cynical about the animals need for a decent life while the
animal is alive. The farmer must somehow raise an animal as a commercial endeavor without
regarding the animal as a mere commodity (Foer, 242).
Animal proteins are considered to be an important part of the human diet but other foods
can also give you the same protein animal meat will give. But meat can also have consequences
to peoples health such as the swine flu that was wide known worldwide around the mid-20th
century. The transmission from swine flu to humans is believed to occur mainly in swine farms,
where farmers are in close contact with live pigs. Although, the chances in getting the swine flu
are not as high unless you work with pigs but other alternatives can be used to prevent this
illness. Reducing the amount of intake in meat consumption not only decreases the demand on
animal but also helps better your health. Fruits and vegetables are part of nature as well and
cause less harm to the environment. Not only does it cause less harm to the environment but also
helps reduce the possibilities of obesity, heart attacks, strokes or any illness. The positive
outcomes include a better health, more energized and feeling younger than ever.
You are what you eat. If you eat cheap processed food you do not just have a bad
digestive system but you also support the animal industrial agriculture. So next time when you

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have options of food to chose from chose wisely. Think about all the animals that are stuck in
farms and not know what will become of them the following day. Take into consideration all the
suffering and mistreatment they go through.
Now that I am an adult Ive realized that humanity has become selfish with their food
decisions deciding whether they prefer to eat meat from an animal that was put through a
difficult hurtful process or just eat other alternatives. Its not about your morals but to eat
ethically. By eating ethically I dont refer to not eating any meat or just organic food but being
educated by your food choices and your food choices that will affect animals, the environment
and mainly yourself. People need to explore their options, know their options, and know how to
choose their options when it comes to eating ethically. Selfishness is not a choice, so explore
your option and pick what is best.
It may seem impossible to change the way someone eats at first until some actually tries
it. It is understandable that someone will not change there eating habits from a carnivore to a
vegan or vegetarian. This transition will also not occur from the evening to the morning as it
takes times to develop this process and be mentality prepared. By reducing the amount of intake
of animal product is a good sign of eating ethically. Instead of having a big piece of steak for
dinner, a salad can be a better alternative. Not only is it better for your health but also be a less of
a demand for farmers to produce meat. Changing eating habits can reduce the impact of climate
change, rainforest destruction, and pollution. While still saving water and reducing other
resources that can be used for other things.

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Work cited
Baldwin, Alec. "Meet Your Meat." PETA Meet Your Meat Comments. 2002. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
Foer, Jonathan Safran. "Words/ Meaning." Eating Animals. New York: Little, Brown, 2009.
Print.
Foer, Jonathan Safran. "I Do." Eating Animals. New York: Little, Brown, 2009. Print.
"Poultry Science." Facing Pandemic Influenza Threats: The Importance of including Poultry
and

Swine Workers in Preparedness Plans. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.


<http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/content/88/4/880>.

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