I've been vegetarian for about 4 years now, due to the way hundreds of millions of animals in our country alone are treated in factory farms. That, in combination with the fact that this sector is destroying a lot of the world. Now, this is not an attempt to force my views upon you or whatever, but I have a question to you Americans.
I recently saw the film ''Earthlings'' about the atrocities committed by humans to their fellow beings. Milk and egg production were, according to this film, almost or just as cruel as the way animals for slaughter are treated. If these stories would be the case in my country, I'd be vegan. But, there're many alternatives.
We have cows and pigs who go outside every day (these products, such as milk or meat have a seperate logo), chickens who have a meadow and as ideal as possible circumstances. There're many optons for the consumer to choose from regarding the way the animals are treated. Even better, supermarkets are starting to ban and avoid products coming from abused animals. By far most big food companies only use ''good'' ingredients. For instance, yoghurt with milk from cows who go outside and don't have their calf taken from them right after birth. Animal-unfriendly products are actually becoming more rare very fast.
Animal welfare organizations, the government and the companies often seek new ways to improve the lives of animals and seek to optimalize the way they are being kept.
I can imagine such initiatives exist in the US as well. So, here I ask: Is ''Earthlings'' entirely honest and fair about the food industry? We see severely mistreated animals, but aren't there many alternatives such as here?