Green growth is the bigger picture

661:

How can environmentalists and conservationists be sensitive in one way, wanting to end whaling and deforestation, but be insensitive to the plight of farm animals? They do such great work for endangered species but let themselves down by holding a sausage sizzle at their rallies; they show their sensitivity in one way and their insensitivity in another way - to the food they eat and the animals exploited. What a mixed message they’re sending.

If more greens could widen their awareness and alter their eating habits accordingly, we would have a much more united lobby group against the violation and violence in our modern day society.

Temptation is the problem. Anything useful or good to eat we are drawn towards, and there’s always someone out there ready to persuade us, and make a dollar from us. Surely, the first step of protest is to withdraw personal support from the ‘careless-industries’, to deliberately NOT acquire anything which is produced by violation or violence. The next step is to let others know why there is a boycott and to encourage them to follow suit. And I don’t believe they will be hostile if we simply tell them the story of forest despoliation or the goings-on at abattoirs, as long as we don’t preach or get aggressive when telling the story. If we can open up broader ways of seeing things, act as an information resource and speak from the heart, we’ll be able to communicate. And that’s all that really matters.

As certain energy-intensive commodities become scarcer and more expensive, so circumstances will force these items off the shelves and shopping will become more of a conscious, responsible act that aligns with our overall philosophy. Eventually that lets environmental and animal consciousness make more sense, when people better appreciate the value of the things they buy.

When we start to take more notice of things that we hadn’t noticed before and put our money where our mouth is, then we’ll see the market change; producers will offer more sustainable products to keep pace with the ‘new demographic’. Then the customer will begin to regard wasteful products with distaste and begin to find once-delicious smells of animal foods unbearable. As each sensory experience changes so will our attitudes, and our political stand will then better fit the ‘bigger picture’.