On the one hand, the RSPCA does great work in terms of pet and wildlife welfare. It states: “Everything we do is focused on achieving our vision to live in a world where all animals are respected and treated with compassion”. In 2020, the RSPCA investigated over 57,000 complaints of animal cruelty.

However, there is a major disconnect between its goals and its stance on meat and dairy. I often had to defend my involvement with the RSPCA (the branch did excellent work locally), particularly when talking to others who, like me, have adopted a plant-based diet. 

The criticisms typically centred on the RSPCA’s unwillingness to align its policies and actions with the climate crisis and the welfare of farmed animals. 

I was one of a three-person Animal Rebellion delegation to visit the RSPCA’s headquarters at the end of April. One of the others was Jane Tredgett, a former national trustee of the RSPCA, who had been trying to get the charity to reform for more than a decade, alongside our wonderful Animal Rebellion spokesperson, Harley McDonald-Eckersall.

The three of us were calling on the RSPCA on behalf of Animal Rebellion to publicly acknowledge that our food system cannot protect or respect animals and is a major contributor to the climate crisis, as a result of which millions of people and animals are already suffering. 

The RSPCA clearly knows there is a problem here. 

One of those to meet with us was the RSPCA’s director of advocacy and policy, Emma Slawinski. In a COP26 blog, Emma wrote: “Reducing the number of animals being farmed globally – and the amount of meat, eggs and dairy being consumed – should be a key focus of any discussion on climate change.”

She noted that the topic of livestock reduction was almost totally absent at COP26. She continued: “Animals are majorly impacted by the changes in the environment caused by human activity. Alongside the alarming figures around the extinction of species, we see individual suffering writ large in the destruction of habitats, water scarcity and extreme weather events.”

So where are the RSPCA policies that align with this?

Unlike the RSPCA, our position is clear.

From a moral and logistical perspective, meat, dairy and fishing are no longer justifiable. Meat and dairy are the third largest emitters of greenhouse gases and fishing (particularly industrial fishing) is largely unregulated and responsible for species extinction and enormous amounts of waste and pollution. 

And clearly the climate emergency is upon us – if we don’t make significant changes in the next few years then the level of warming we’re facing in this generation will be catastrophic, not to mention what comes after that. 

What We’re Asking

The RSPCA has a significant platform and trust from the public. It is also nearing a major milestone, its 200^th anniversary. When it was formed, it was on the cutting edge of animal protection, founded by brave people who put themselves on the line to do what was right and just. 

Somewhere during those 200 years, the RSPCA lost its boldness. Its culture became one of conservatism, not wanting to upset people, not willing to come out and do what is right, and reluctant to challenge the meat and dairy industry. 

Far from advocating a fair transition to a plant-based food system, it provides a cover of respectability to the meat, egg and dairy industries through its pretty woeful RSPCA Assured scheme. The RSPCA Assured scheme website even includes chicken, egg, pork, turkey and other recipes – https://www.rspcaassured.org.uk/recipes/ The RSPCA’s staff canteen isn’t even plant-based. 

The Assured logo – producers have to pay to be accredited – lulls consumers into thinking the food they are buying is farmed to high animal welfare standards. In fact, the bar set by the RSPCA is incredibly low (e.g indoors, farms can have 19 chickens/m2 of available floor space) and the accreditation criteria are peppered with worthless words, such as “encouraged to”. You can read the whole sorry lot of criteria here: https://science.rspca.org.uk/sciencegroup/farmanimals/standards The argument is that an Assured scheme is better than nothing. As ambitions go, that’s pretty lame.

If we made a fair transition to a plant-based food system then there would be no need for the Assured scheme. 

We believe that the RSPCA can recapture the bravery of its founders. The crises that we face mean large, influential entities such as this need to lead, be bold and speak the truth.

Unfortunately, after two weeks of waiting, all we had back from the RSPCA were woolly words, with absolutely no commitment to take action to shift its policies. We are now planning next steps in this campaign – watch this space.

At the heart of rebellion is a belief that change is possible. It’s time to stand up. And Animal Rebellion’s stance is clear: will take action until there is climate and animal justice and a transition to a fair, sustainable plant-based food system. The RSPCA must join this movement for a better world. 

The post The RSPCA: What’s not to like? first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

So what’s wrong? Well, where do you start? The need to transition to a plant-based system to counter the climate crisis applies to the oceans as it does to the land. For 20+ years, the MSC has been propping up and providing a sheen of respectability to the fishing industry. The MSC’s “blue tick” certification label now spans 400+ fisheries, representing around 15% of all global fish landings.

There is plenty of money sloshing around this scheme. Fisheries pay fees of $20,000 to $500,000 for an assessment from Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs). Indeed, the cost of certification ironically often excludes small-scale fisheries from applying. The MSC also charges retailers royalties of up to 0.5% of the net wholesale value of seafood sold, for using its label. Around 80% (£23.6m) of MSC’s funding comes from licensing income.

It’s not difficult to see a glaring conflict of interest. And there have been plenty of people who have pointed out the flaws in the MSC model. If the nets of MSC-certified fisheries had as many gaping holes as the MSC scheme itself, then no fish would be caught in them at all.

Scores of organisations have highlighted that the MSC’s certification process does not properly account for by-catch, particularly of sharks and cetaceans.

For a long while, MSC allowed vessels to catch both certified and non- certified fish in the same fishing trip, with this only dropped after intense pressure from advocacy group, On the Hook. The 2021 documentary, Seaspiracy, particularly had MSC in its sights and the response by the charity was woeful. The film’s director, Ali Tabrizi, questioned the NGO’s independence owing to its funding and is shown repeatedly failing to secure an interview with MSC to answer the criticisms.

There was a backlash to the documentary from the MSC and other industry interests after it was aired. But Seaspiracy wasn’t making up the criticisms. One contributor to the documentary was Callum Roberts, professor of marine conservation at the University of Exeter. He accused MSC of certifying fisheries that had “astounding levels of by-catch” and said the MSC label was not “worth a damn in some cases”.

The fishing industry hides behind the certification, as do the supermarkets, with consumers duped into thinking there is such a thing as sustainable fishing and that the certification means they are doing the right thing.

The MSC needs to actually take the word in its title – “Stewardship” – seriously. It needs to extract itself from the hopelessly flawed symbiotic relationship with the industry. It must accept that sustainable fishing is a contradiction in terms. And it needs to pivot to supporting a fair and just end to fishing as a vital component of a plant-based food system. Until then, Animal Rebellion will expose its hypocrisy at every opportunity.

The post The Marine Stewardship Council: A flawed sheen of respectability for an industry in denial first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

Veganuary is more than a challenge. It is a direct catalyst for food system change.

Around the world we face grave climate catastrophes and huge animal injustices. Data has shown time and time again that a plant-based food system is the best way to reduce our impact on the climate (Poore and Nemecek, 2018). Food can hold a lot of cultural value. However, culture is dynamic and as a society we are already showing that we are ready to align ourselves with the planet. We have been actively creating a shift in culture! 

In 2014, Veganuary began as the first annual challenge for people to take a one-month pledge to go plant-based. The aim being to educate and promote veganism. Only eight years later and the global pledge to try plant-based for 31 days has risen to 2 million. In the UK, over 75 companies signed the Veganuary 2022 pledge. The rise in pledges is a true reflection of how we collectively wish to move forward. It is a powerful and active protest against our current system which unapologetically contributes to environmental degradation and animal injustices.

Veganuary is Depicting Food System Change

A core principle of Animal Rebellion is to focus on system change and not individual change.

The staggering uptake in the pledge to go plant-based around the world shows how Veganuary is enacting and facilitating system change. It is acting as a catalyst to change attitudes, behaviours and even the global relationship with food and its connection to the environment. Public behaviours and demands shape what companies create and sell to us. The popularity of Veganuary has led every supermarket to create their own plant-based line of food and fast-food restaurants to increase or add plant-based meals to their menu.

This is definitely a food system change heading in the right direction. However, it is not enough. Large food corporations like McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway and Papa Johns hold the economic resources to make impactful and substantial change in the way that we need to see. Their current changes are hopeful but these companies need to see entire food menus change to plant-based. 

NO to “Less But Better“

Big corporations have felt the tide of scientific evidence piling up against meat, fishing and dairy. And some try to fight back to save this obsolete and injust meat and dairy system. 

We can mitigate this climate crisis if we listen to the science and adapt. We ask for a just transition to a 100% plant-based food system, because no meat or dairy products are sustainable or just. Since 2020 we have seen an increase in the sales for plant-based products and as a direct retaliation we have also seen environmental organisation such as “A Greener World” promote meat and dairy consumption as environmentally friendly and just to animals.

The absurdity in this lies in the fact that countless studies have shown that meat and dairy is not sustainable for our planet (Mason and Lang, 2017) – so why are “green” organisations diluting the matter by redirecting our energy towards meat again? Plant-based is not only a simple solution, but a necessary one to build a positive future for everyone on this planet.
In addition to the environmental destruction caused by meat and dairy farming, we can not ignore that animals are sentient (Kumar et al., 2019). There is no humane way to kill a non-human animal just as much as there is no humane way to kill a human animal. All animals exploited can feel pain and joy. They want to live with their families and be free, just like us. It is unjust to separate a mother from a baby as is inherent to the dairy industry. To kill one individual is not justified when abundant nutritious food that can feed the world is available.

What are companies and organisations doing NOW?

It might have seemed unbelievable 10 years ago, but here we are: full organisations and companies are paving the way to a food system revolution. Where plant-based businesses led and innovated, big companies are learning from their mistakes and becoming part of the solution to the problems they are causing. Here are some food-system change highlights: 

1. Veganuary saw a jump from 57 major companies in 2021 to 75 in 2022: encouraging employees to go plant-based and displaying the benefits for the planet, health and animals.
2. Supermarkets go plant-based: a supermarket commits to increase by 300% sales of meat alternatives by 2025
3. Fast-food and restaurant chains are cooking and baking more plant-based food: Two major restaurant chains have decided to make half their menu plant-based by the end of 2022 to battle the climate crisis. 

We disagree with the exploitation of animals (humans included) that these organisations continue to take part in with meat and dairy still on their agenda; however, we want to recognise these first positive steps being taken towards a fully plant-based food system. Whilst making plant-based more accessible and affordable, we can’t wait for them to transition to zero meat, fish and dairy!

Reasons to be hopeful

These days, the media is filled with this overarching sense of doom: that we have no hope because these industries have gone too far. However, if we zoom out and take into account all the above, we are already making an incredible impact. 

Firstly, over 2 millions animals were not exploited and killed in January 2021, Veganuary estimated. This number is based on the Vegan Society’s Veganalyser calculator and Veganuary participant data including geographical location and pre-pledge diet.

Second, we estimated the environmental impact of the 580,000 participants in Veganuary in 2021. We based our calculations on the lowest quantity of resources saved from switching from a UK meat-eating diet to a plant-based one (scientific papers and organisations in sources). In 2021, Veganuary may have cut emissions by 15,777 CO2 tons, saved 48,000 metre square of forest and 72,442,000 cubic metres of water. Besides, eating plant-based food directly saved 31,552 tons of grains, which can feed people.

Thirdly, our movement is growing and a cultural shift is taking place before our eyes. Whereas before the media consciously kept meat and dairy out of the news, they are now increasingly joining the dots between meat, dairy, fishing and the environmental crisis. Their change in approach is a no-brainer when scientific studies show that a plant-based food system would use 4 times less land cover. Any plant milk emits at least 3 times less carbon emissions than dairy milk. 

Lastly, as a consequence of the above companies recognise the role they can play by offering nutritious, plant-based food. They are taking steps towards increasing plant based options, but we have to keep the pressure on to ensure this only goes further. 

Energy Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, said plant-based food is helping to cut UK’s emissions. “I think that there is a lot of societal change that will actually help us and drive the progress to 2035, where hopefully we will hit the 78 per cent reduction target.”

Our demands ?

1. Food retailers and restaurants should keep their delicious plant-based products all year long. 
2. Corporations continue to fully transition their food production to 100% plant-based.

A JUST, PLANT-BASED WORLD IS NOT ONLY POSSIBLE,

IT IS ALREADY WITHIN OUR GRASP.

References:

BBC (20/10/2021) Climate plan urging plant-based diet shift deleted https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58981505

These estimations are based on research provided by the following organisations and articles:

1. Hamerschlag, K., & Venkat, K. (2011). Meat Eater’s Guide to Climate Change & Health.

2. Peter Scarborough, Paul N. Appleby, Anja Mizdrak, Adam D. M. Briggs, Ruth C. Travis, Kathryn E. Bradbury, Timothy J. Key. (2011, June 11). Dietary greenhouse gas emissions of meat-eaters, fish-eaters, vegetarians and vegans in the UK.

3. Earth Talk. (n.d.). Measuring the Daily Destruction of the World’s Rainforests.

4. Fair & smart use of the world’s fresh water. (n.d.). 

5. The true impact of animal agriculture.(2018, October 4).

Kumar, S., Choudhary, S., Kumar, R., Kumar, A., Pal, P. and Mahajan, K., 2019. Animal Sentience and Welfare: An Overview. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 8(08), pp.635-646.
Mason, P. and Lang, T., 2017. Sustainable Diets: How Ecological Nutrition Can Transform Consumption and the Food System. Taylor and Francis.

Poore, J., & Nemecek, T., 2018. Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science, 360(6392), 987-992.

The post Veganuary, Food System Change and the Responsibility of Corporations first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

It’s a pretty obvious no, and yet this is almost exactly what is happening right now. But it’s not just one community that is being affected, it’s the whole world and the system that’s causing this destruction hasn’t had just one year to prove that it works. It’s had centuries. Meat and dairy have been the dominant part of a Western diet for a long time now, with increasing industrialisation following WW2 giving us the food system we are used to today. Right now, animal farming contributes at least 18% of global emissions, 70% of agricultural emissions and up to 80% of global deforestation. Even with all this, these industries fail to be profitable, with £1.5 billion of government subsidies coming straight out of taxpayers pockets and into those of livestock farmers. This industry was entrusted with the job of feeding the world. It’s failing. So why is there so much resistance to building something new?

A Deceptively Simple Solution

In recent years it has felt like there has been a shift, with campaigns for reducing the amount of meat and dairy we consume becoming more common. With reports like the 2019 EAT Lancet report which called for a 90% reduction in meat and dairy consumption as well as documentaries such as Cowspiracy and Seaspiracy, the recognition that what we eat impacts the planet has gained mainstream acceptance. A 2021 poll of 2,095 UK adults run by the ‘Eating Better Alliance’ found that 21% of respondents were eating less meat than a year ago, with 38% doing so because of carbon emissions and 37% because of other environmental concerns. In the face of a changing industry, however, we have seen a new story being told by the meat industry,  that we can keep our current food system and focus on eating less meat, but better quality.

For many people, this was the ideal answer. The idea that they didn’t have to drastically change our lifestyle or eating habits but could also have a neutral, or even positive effect on the planet while doing so. Yet, when you dig a little bit deeper into what the industries are telling us, some holes start to form.

Is Less But Better Enough?

Before we answer this question, it helps to look at a completely different industry and investigate how it dealt with rising information that was saying their product may be causing harm: the tobacco industry. In the book Merchants of Doubt, Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway show how the big businesses behind cigarettes developed a playbook for dodging the science that showed that the product they were selling was killing people. This formula has gone on to be used to talk about everything from global warming to pesticides and, more recently, animal agriculture. The basic tactic is, cast doubt on the science through paid ‘experts’ and false claims and spark controversy to derail the conversation from what the harm that is being caused.  

It can be hard to believe but by looking at the industries’ own messaging we can quickly find examples of where meat, dairy and fishing are already doing this. And they all tell one story: that we can fix the problems of the industry by eating less and ‘better’ animal products.

They bring up food miles and promote buying locally sourced meat and dairy whenever questions around the climate impact of animal products are raised. While the idea of buying local in and of itself is a positive one, the reality is that transport is an extremely small part of food emissions, making up less than 10% and as low as 0.5% of GHG emissions when it comes to animal products’ contribution to emissions. So essentially, even if all animal products consumed were locally sourced, they would still be contributing far higher emissions than plant-based products. 

They say that switching to grass-fed systems for cows and sheep will be better for the environment than intensive farming and even plant-based options. If we look into this though, we find that the opposite is the case. Research shows grass-fed systems produce more emissions than intensive farming, while also using more land! On top of that, it would take a rainforest three-quarters of the size of South America to sequester the carbon produced by livestock.

Let’s not forget that every year in the UK approximately 2.6 million cattle, 10 million pigs, 14.5 million sheep and lambs, 80 million fish and 950 million birds are slaughtered for human consumption. It’s pretty clear that a food system where no one has to die is a better one. 

They say that there is no other option and that this food system is the only one that works. But we know that isn’t true.

A Plant-Based Food System

With more and more evidence showing us that we need to change what we eat to help the planet heal, it seems obvious that we need a big change and that it’s a change that can’t just be achieved through individuals making small shifts to their diet. The whole system is set up in a way that harms the planet. Luckily though, we have an alternative which would take destruction off the menu.

A study from Oxford University that looked into the viability of a plant-based food system showed that if we were to convert all the land currently used to graze animals to natural vegetation it would remove the equivalent of 15% of the world’s total GHG emissions. Only a small fraction of pasture land would be needed to grow food crops to replace the lost beef. Another report showed that if we were to shift to a plant-based food system, food-related emissions would drop by 70% by 2050, saving £440 billion in the process.

But it wouldn’t just mean less carbon and more wild spaces. A plant-based food system is a system of abundant and affordable food as plant-based food is not only better for the planet, it also takes far less land to produce and is rich in variety, culture and flavour. Although this world may feel far away, it is already happening. Organisations such as the UK-based Refarm’d are working with farmers to transition from a struggling dairy industry into sustainable and profitable oat milk farming while the Good Food Institute is supporting transitions to pulse farming.

Conclusion – Meat and Dairy is Bankrupt

With a plant-based food system we can feed the world, provide much needed green jobs and build a world where humans and animals alike are treated with respect and dignity and have access to an abundance of food and choice. Urgent change is needed but we have an alternative that is just and fair for everyone. All we need to do is work together and achieve it.

The post Doubt and Lies: the tactics of a struggling meat and dairy industry and why we won’t fall for them first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

This is the system that drives Amazon deforestation¹, contributes a staggering amount of greenhouse gas emissions², leaves 805 million of the world’s most vulnerable people hungry³, whilst simultaneously slaughtering trillions of animals needlessly each year⁴.

The oldest university in the English-speaking world, Oxford, has published several papers exploring and explaining the environmental benefits of transitioning to plant-based foods⁵. Besides this, dozens of British universities have declared a climate emergency, evidently these institutions are recognising the need for drastic change⁶. This gives them the responsibility to act on the emergency that they recognise.

Therefore it should come as no surprise that students from several universities including KCL, UCL, and Warwick are now pushing for change. With the demand for their university transition to serving a 100% plant-based menu throughout their cafes and restaurants by the start of the 2023/24 academic year.

Students are listening to the science that, very often, their own universities publish. They are holding their institutions accountable to their sustainability promises and commitments. By transitioning to just and sustainable plant-based food systems, universities will be securing a future, not only for their students, but for the rest of humanity, animals, and the planet.

Universities are already showing the transition is possible! KCL now has a fully plant-based Cafe whilst UCL’s daily hot food is at least 25% plant-based too⁷. The time has now come  to expand this to include the entirety of university’s menus. The answer is staring these powerful institutions in the face! By transitioning to 100% plant-based catering, universities will be helping break down an archaic and damaging food system and simultaneously be investing in one that is just and sustainable.

Plant-based universities are an unavoidable step on the road to human, animal, and climate justice. This is a fact that is evident to the ever-growing group of students pushing for the transition. Animal Rebellion is only too happy to empower and support groups of students on this mission.

If you’re a student and are excited or driven to make this change at your university, please contact us using the details, or fill out this form now!

1. De Sy. V, et al,”Land use patterns and related carbon losses following deforestation in South America,” Environmental Research Letters, vol. 10, no. 12 (2015.)
2. Jia. G, Shevliakova. E et al, “Chapter 2: Land-Climate Interactions” in UN Special Report: Climate Change and Land (2019.) https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/
3.  Cassidy. E.S, Foley. J. A, Gerber. J.S and West. P.C, “Redefining agricultural yields: from tonnes to people nourished per hectare,” Environmental Research Letters, vol. 8, no. 3 (2013.)
4. Zampa. M, “How Many Animals Are Killed For Food Every Day” (2018,) https://sentientmedia.org/how-many-animals-are-killed-for-food-every-day/
5.  Clark. M.A, Hill. J, Springmann. M, Tilman. D, “Multiple health and environmental impacts of foods,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 116, no. 46 (2019.)
6.  Latter.  Briony, “Climate Emergency Declarations: What Do They Tell Us About Universities’ Response To Climate Change?,” https://pcancities.org.uk/climate-emergency-declarations-what-do-they-tell-us-about-universities-response-climate-change
7.  https://www.peta.org.uk/living/vegan-universities-uk/

The post Introducing Plant-Based Universities first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

She innovates. When you first encountered her, she was so shy she hid herself beneath an improvised shield. Discreet, she scrutinised you with one of her keen eyes. Always eager to learn, perhaps she wondered: are you a threat?

Plunging in clear water to clear your mind from the chaos of the world, and here you are – meeting her. Entering her world of mesmerizing colours and diverse communities. Slowly, you build trust with her. Day by day, you both become closer. You let her hold your hand… 

She becomes your teacher.

As she is an octopus and you are a human, she teaches you how to relate to other creatures. You slow down to notice the traces of each and every animal1, the diversity of the environment. In the three dimensions of the South African ocean, you learn to reconnect with your own inner animal as the rift between the animal and you narrows. You discover that you too belong to the natural world.

She was striking, a tiny creature full of wonderful arms, and you became enthralled. Because she was the only one of her species, she stood out and you saw her as one of a kind. You saw schools of fish since you conceptualised them as a group, not individuals. You perceived the individuality of this octopus.

You spent time with her, got to know her and her temperament. Through your daily encounters you created a cross-species bond like you had never encountered before. She was living in such a different world, she had neurons in her arms, no bones, and still she was witty. How strange is it that you had to dive so far away from your comfort zone to connect with another animal to such a deep extent?

A surprising relationship.

From over 20 years of filming documentaries, and living in a divide between most humans and other animals, between our civilisation and what we distantly call « nature », Craig Foster became depressed. The documentary maker was scuba diving into the eerie forests of kelp to heal his soul. Deep under the sea, the octopus taught him he was part of the natural world. For she has purpose, can fear and love, she is an actress in her environment. My octopus teacher, a 2021 Oscar winner documentary, tells their story.

« A lot of people say an octopus is like an alien. But the strange thing is, as you get closer to them, you realize that we’re very similar in a lot of ways. » Craig Foster

Octopuses have an exquisite ability to camouflage and communicate through their skin coloration and changes in texture and shape. After she disappeared for several days, Foster acted like a detective and investigated where she could live, looking for traces of her movements. When finally he spotted her, it is as if he had metaphorically rejoined « nature » and the animal kingdom; he was embedded in the environment. He was not a visitor anymore when she chose to develop a bond with him.

We are a social species where trust is deeply important. Cephalopods live very different lives from ours, swimming, alone, dying at one year old, before their babies hatch. Yet we share with them this curiosity for another being, a capacity to learn and be playful. What is more beautiful than the trust and curiosity of another being that experiences the world through a strikingly different nervous system?

His deepest joy is feeling the trust of the octopus, this tiny wild mollusc, towards him.

Sentient animals are individuals.

This film shows that if humans can relate to a mollusc, then surely we could relate to pigs, chickens and fishes who have far more similar nervous systems to us and who, like us, can feel emotions.

From a distance, we only see a school of fish, a flock of sheep or a factory farm full of chickens. Yet far from being a mass of indistinguishable creatures, animals are individuals. This intuition has often become lost by the human domination of other animal species, the disconnect from the natural world and consistent exploitation of animals for money. Yet, we can rekindle it. We all share emotions, the possibility to move and make decisions, and the desire to live. Each animal wants to be free of suffering. Should we kill animals who want to live when we can thrive on plant-based food ? Absolutely not.

Let’s switch the narrative from resources to conscious beings.

Increasingly, movies portray animals as relatable characters with goals and aspirations, while keeping them different from humans. “Babe” pioneered the representation of farm animals with a piglet making decisions and, crucially, making friends. In “Finding Nemo”, we root for a father clown fish as he embarks on a quest to rescue his son. In “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron”, a horse refuses to let go of his hope to find back his freedom and loved ones. These movies depict animals as creatures who differ from one another, who forge relationships and memories through painful and happy moments.

We need more trust, compassion and empathy. We can learn so much by simply slowing down and observing closely. The octopus taught us friendship extends across the frontiers of species. If we can relate to a mollusk, surely we can relate to animals who have a spinal cord, such as pigs or salmon. We need to reconnect with other animals and see them as individuals rather than concepts. Let’s learn from individuals from other species.

Anti-speciesism challenges the prevailing status of non-human animals, where speciesism is the belief that humans are superior to non-human animals and therefore can be exploited. You can watch our talk about anti-speciesism and the fight for global climate justice. Together, let’s build a world fair for all animals.

What’s coming next?

On the 31st of October, the COP26 started, the UN Climate Change Conference which aims to speed up changes we must implement to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Despite causing at least 18% of global greenhouse gas emission, animal agriculture and fishing are rarely challenged,  or even mentioned in the COP26 goals. The governments can choose to transition away from a system that kills billions of animals and destroys the planet and build a just and sustainable plant-based system. You can join on the ground or remotely. We need everyone to rise as massive waves to create a kinder, more sustainable world!

Volunteer to help build the rebellion.

1: Here « animal » to refer to non-human animals that feel emotions (scientific evidence are compelling for birds, fish, mammals, reptiles and cephalopods) to make it more accessible and easy to read.

The post How does one octopus teach us to reconnect with animals? first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

Animal Rebellion Press Release

31st 08 2021

CLIMATE ACTIVISTS BLOCKADE UK’S BIGGEST MILK FACTORY CALLING FOR AN END TO DAIRY

LINK TO PICTURE FILE

• 50 climate activists from Animal Rebellion have blockaded the largest dairy factory in the UK

• Arla supplies 10% of UK milk and 2.7 million litres a day

In the early hours of this morning, protestors occupied the distribution centre of Arla Foods, the multinational company who are one of the largest manufacturers of dairy in the world. 30 activists are locked onto bamboo structures and concrete barricades. The factory provides 10% of the milk supply for the UK with 150 vehicles delivering raw milk each day and 1.1 billion litres being produced every year. 

Animal Rebellion is a non-violent movement which has previously gained attention for using civil disobedience to demand that companies transition to a plant-based food system. They are calling on Arla to transition to plant-based production by 2025 to address the catastrophic impacts dairy production has on the climate and animals. Protestors have stated they plan to continue blockading the factory until Arla makes a commitment to end dairy production and fund a just transition for its workers. 

James Ozden, a spokesperson for Animal Rebellion, said about the blockade: “The recent IPCC report issued a code red warning on the impacts of the climate crisis. It spoke of a need for urgent action from our government to address carbon emissions, including methane which is in large part a byproduct of animal farming. Companies like Arla claim to be leading the way in tackling the climate crisis, yet until these big multinationals start to talk seriously about the inevitable need to transition our food system to one that is plant-based, their words are empty.” 

Thirteen of the world’s largest dairy corporations, including Arla, together emitted more greenhouse gases in 2017 than major polluters BHP and ConocoPhillips, mining and oil giants respectively. In the next decade, extreme weather is expected to lead to unstable crop supplies for the 2.65 million dairy cows in the UK while higher temperatures will mean that dairy cows are expected to be exposed to heat stress for two extra months in the year. The climate crisis means that supplying the demand for cows’ milk will soon be simply unviable.

. 

“The dairy industry abuses animals, the planet and workers, who are increasingly squeezed by big business”, said Ozden, “Arla say they’re pro-worker but lobby for supermarket contracts that sell milk for less than water. We’re not just demanding that Arla go plant-based by 2025, we’re demanding that the government supports companies like Arla by funding a just transition for workers in meat and dairy industries to just and sustainable alternatives.”

What’s NEXT

Animal Rebellion is demanding that Arla go plant-based by 2025 and support a just transition for its workers.

Animal Rebellion is a mass movement using nonviolent civil disobedience to call for a just, sustainable plant-based food system. Today’s events are part of the ‘Rebellion’ – two weeks of direct action demanding urgent action from the government on the climate and ecological emergency. 

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The post Climate Activists Blockade UK’s Biggest Milk Factory Calling For An End To Dairy first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

Press Release: Animal Rebellion

Date: 28/08/21

ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUPS UNITE FOR MARCH THROUGH CENTRAL LONDON THIS SATURDAY AMIDST ‘AUGUST REBELLION’ 

• The march will depart from Smithfield Market and will have a circular route making symbolic stops at Unilever, Cargill and the Marine Stewardship Council
• Animal Rights marches in previous years have mobilised thousands of people 
• This demonstration was organised by the group Animal Rebellion who will be joined by many other animal rights groups and activists

Animal Rights Activists will today come together for the National Animal Rights March, in London.The demonstration – which takes place during the ‘August Rebellion’ – brings together animal rights groups and activists across the UK to unite for animal justice and call for urgent action from corporations and the government to completely terminate human use and abuse of animals. 

The march is expected to be joined by thousands of people with a message of animal liberation, unity and hope for the future. 

“Animal Rights Marches have historically served as a space to celebrate and remember the trillions of animals killed and exploited by humans in the name of progress, tradition or entertainment, and we expect today to be no different,” said Claudia Penna Rojas, one of the speakers at the march. “By coming together we can vision the world we want to see, provide space for grief and despair as well as a catalyst to commit to further action and change.”

Speeches will be delivered by respected figures from the animal liberation movements and experts in various fields relevant to animal rights.  These include: Mel Broughton, founder of SPEAK campaign against vivisection; Dr Alice Brough, renowned pig veterinarian and activist; Tim Bailey, environmental scientist and one of the UK’s most prominent farm regulatory pollution experts, and Dr Laila Kassam, ​​co-founder of Animal Think Tank, a grassroots organisation building a social movement for Animal Freedom in the UK.

Stops along the circular route will include Smithfield Market, Unilever, Cargill and the Marine Stewardship Council, which are corporations and institutions historically related to animal exploitation and abuse. The reasons behind why these locations were chosen are explained here:

• Smithfield Market has been previously occupied by Animal Rebellion in October 2019, making the choice of location symbolic for the group
• Why we are we marching to Unilever

• Why we are marching to Cargill
• Why we don’t believe in the Marine Stewardship Council’s ‘mission’,  ‘sustainable fishing’

Harley McDonald-Eckersall, a spokesperson from Animal Rebellion, the organisers of this year’s march, said: “Humans kill over 70 billion land mammals every single year. We drain the oceans of trillions of fish, all in the name of profit and a meal for us to consume. After decades of deception and lies from massive corporations, there is almost no facet of our life that does not profit from the exploitation of animals in some way. We must come together and unite for animal justice to say no more to testing, no more to the fur trade and no more to slaughter. We need to imagine and create a world based on freedom and justice for all animals.” 

Animal Rebellion have previously gained attention for their actions and campaigns drawing attention to the environmental impacts of animal agriculture, but say that, for this day, they are focusing on the need to unite for animal justice.

The March starts at 12:30 at Smithfield Meat Market, which will also serve as the end point of the march. 

The National Animal Rights Facebook event can be found here: https://fb.me/e/Ql759ESC

The post Animal Rights Groups Unite For March Through Central London Amidst “August Rebellion” first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

With a history of selling animals (dead or alive) for a millenia, Smithfield Market is at the heart of British animal exploitation. It is the biggest wholesale meat market in the UK. Yet, 10,000 people transformed it into a place of hope and optimism in October 2019, during Animal Rebellion’s first non-violent direct action. Read more about why we did this. We occupied it and turned the cruel and gruesome meat market into a joyful and abundant beet market. We showed how a future free of animal exploitation would look like.

This year we must unite during the march. Together we are stronger. We can make our voices heard better and act more powerfully as allies of other sentient animals. Individuals are not commodities. We need to stand up to show the government and big corporations that enough is enough. Beyond our differences, we all share a vision that animal exploitation can become a memory. Let the march be a starting point of more unity among the groups and individuals, for animal justice.

We urge the government to defund meat and animal products. The government needs to fund a just transition to a sustainable plant-based food system.

Read more about why we are marching to Unilever too.

Click going to the National Animal Rights March and get more information on the Facebook event here.

Learn more about the Rebellion. To get ready for the Rebellion (from 23rd August), you can do trainings with Extinction Rebellion, a movement with whom we act in solidarity. You can check out our events and trainings here.

Useful links:

Volunteer

Join a local group

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Donate to support our movement

The post Why We Are Marching From Smithfield Market first appeared on Animal Rebellion.

The Animal Rights March is passing near the headquarters of Unilever on the 28th of August 2021, to ask the corporate giant to make changes towards a just and sustainable plant-based food system. The mega-company branches over 190 countries and possesses brands of food items, home and personal care products. We are surrounded by Unilever products. In 2018 Unilever’s annual revenue was 20.62 billion euros.

Unilever contributes to animal agriculture and animal abuse through several means. That’s why we gather at its headquarters to show unity for animal justice and propose solutions.

For cows and their babies

Almost all major ice-cream brands that use dairy are owned by Unilever. A few brands, such as Magnum and Ben’n’Jerry, have introduced plant-based flavours – it is the first step. But it is not sufficient, as dairy uses more water, landcover and has a worse carbon footprint than plant-based milk. Worse, mother cows are forcefully impregnated so that they can produce milk for humans. Only twelve weeks after their calves are born, they are taken away from their mothers so that milk can be used to produce dairy ice cream. Delicious, cruelty-free and more sustainable plant-based milk alternatives already exist; there is no excuse for not doing better. Calves and cows are individuals who want to live with their families. Unilever must choose plant-based for all animals and the environment.

For cruelty-free products

No Unilever cosmetic brand is cruelty-free, because they sell their products in China. Even if Unilever is now making its Dove products in China to avoid the required animal testing of imported products, it is not enough because it does not rule out the possibility that experiments on animals occur after the cosmetic have been launched. Alternatives to animal experimentation are validated and diverse. The mega company can use its power as a strong corporate group to further negotiate with China to change its legislation to stop all animal testing on cosmetics and stop selling products in China in the meantime. Besides, Unilever has experimented on animals for food products, out of… cosmetic reasons (certifying specific health benefits). All Unilever brands must step away from animal experimentation. As the UK government is considering reintroducing animal testing for the chemical ingredients of cosmetics made in the EU/UK, we need more than ever to show solidarity with the animals used in labs. United, we are stronger, and we ask giants such as Unilever to only use effective alternatives and go cruelty-free – for good.

For a just and sustainable plant-based food system

Unilever positions itself as a champion of sustainability, but there is no evidence that its products are more environmentally friendly than that of other brands. Nor that the guidelines are better than the current agricultural legislations and guidelines. A detailed investigation revealed a greenwashing campaign. On the ground, not all farmers even know of these guidelines. To reward themselves with sustainability awards, Unilever has created its own « sustainability logos ». In truth, this means that nothing distinguishes the « sustainable vegetables » in a Unilever soup from other vegetables. We demand Unilever to tell the truth.

For healthy water and environments

Unilever contributes to water and plastic pollution which degrades the habitats and damages the health of people and other animals. « Unilever’s pollution footprint amounts to 70,000 tonnes per year – covering more than 11 football pitches a day. ». Detergent from Unilever’s brand pollutes water. As of 2009, we needed thousands of litres of waters to dilute its petrochemicals before it can return to the environment. Plastic is hazardous for sea animals, but also land creatures: plastic rubbish gets eaten by cows in India. Burning the plastic causes respiratory and eye issues. We ask Unilever to act now and move towards sustainable plant-based food systems and house care products.

To preserve forest habitats

Another area where Unilever could improve? Deforestation. Rainforests are still being destroyed to grow plants to feed the cows, for you remember, the dairy ice-creams. The mega-company also cuts down trees to produce palm oil, which has been a key ingredient historically for its soaps and margarines. Deforestation destroys the habitat of millions of insects, birds, mammals and reptiles. Unilever directly contributes to species extinction. They must stop all of this.

Together, let’s unite for animal justice, because none are free until all are free. We can imagine and create a world based on justice and freedom rather than greed and domination. Join the Animal Rights March on the 28th and the Animal Rebellion from the 23rd of August.

Click going to the National Animal Rights March and get more information on the Facebook event here.

You can check out our events and trainings here. To get ready for the Rebellion, you can do trainings with Extinction Rebellion, a movement with whom we act in solidarity.

Useful links:

Volunteer

Join a local group

Newsletter

Donate to support our movement

The post Why We Are Marching To Unilever first appeared on Animal Rebellion.