Problems

An overview of the ways in which we participate in ecocide, and ways we can champion life instead.

The brutal truth is that the way we live is only possible because other living things, including fellow humans, are being enslaved, tortured, poisoned, displaced, destroyed and generally disregarded. All this takes place conveniently out of sight, but it is no longer possible to keep it hidden, and likewise no longer possible for anyone to claim they had no way of knowing.
The ways in which we are participating in the destruction of life are sadly too many to cover thoroughly here. As this website is focused on solutions, the problems are described concisely, with referrals to specialized websites for more depth.
It is important to really understand both the issues and the proposed solutions before launching into a lifestyle change. A surface understanding, or unquestioning acceptance of “common wisdom” can lead us to make disastrous choices. Two examples of this:
  • Taking recycling for granted has led people to increase their waste while abdicating all responsibility for it, leaving it all to the recycling – not realizing that only a fraction of waste is ever recycled and this issue has grown exponentially.
  • Well-meaning folks turning away from the dairy industry embrace instead alternatives such as soy milk or almond milk – not realizing these crops are enormously destructive, especially when demand is so high. Almonds in particular, which are largely grown in California, require vast amounts of water, an unreasonable pressure on a drought-stricken region. And they are invariably packaged in an unrecyclable blend of paper and plastic.

Perfect options are rarely available and we all have to choose from a selection of lesser evils, but for the above reasons it is important to ensure our choices are based on real understanding, not on dubious claims that float around unchallenged.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Did you know recycling is meant to be a last resort?  Instead, it has made us more wasteful! A closer look at the three Rs (or five, in this case) in their right order.

Factory Farming

  Also known as industrial livestock production (!) or intensive animal farming, this is today the source of 98% of the meat or other animal products we eat, and accompanied by intensive pollution and unbelievable cruelty out of sight of the public. Most horrifying is the mindset by which living sentient beings are seen and … Continue reading Factory Farming

The Black List

The existence of these items is having such devastating consequences, we need to ban them from our lives immediately. The Shopping Bag The very first item of discussion here is of course the shopping bag. We can be grateful at least that plastic bags are increasingly frowned upon, and subject to a deterring surcharge or … Continue reading The Black List

Mining

Mining is not just for precious metals and stones: all metal that is not recycled, is extracted from the Earth. So are minerals such as cobalt, key element of lithium batteries that power our smartphone and laptop batteries, and extracted at the cost of human lives. The damage caused by mines is mostly out of … Continue reading Mining