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RAGNHILD SOLLUND: The categorical divisions humans make of non-human animals largely determine how we treat them—for example, ‘production animals’ are eaten, ‘fur animals’ are killed and skinned, ‘racehorses’ and ‘race dogs’ are forced to compete, and ‘animal research models’ are used in experiments. The different categories also offer moral guidance regarding the legitimacy of the treatment to which humans subject them. Our ‘pets’ have a special position; they are our companions, our ‘children’. Many ‘pet’ keepers will refer to themselves as mum or dad when speaking to their pets, and…

AGNIESZKA DE SOUZA: The world’s most-developed nations will be told to curb their excessive appetite for meat as part of the first comprehensive plan to bring the global agrifood industry into line with the Paris climate agreement... The global food systems’ road map to 1.5C is expected to be published by the United Nations’ Food & Agriculture Organization during the COP28 summit next month. Nations that over-consume meat will be advised to limit their intake, while developing countries — where under-consumption of meat adds to a prevalent nutrition challenge — will need to improve…

CARTER DILLARD: Here’s a disturbing fact: Prosecutors in the United States charge more penalties for the activists who reveal animal cruelty crimes than they do for the factory farms that commit them. This trend is a glaring miscarriage of justice, and it must be reversed. And here’s the latest miscarriage, involving a high-profile activist: On November 2, 2023, Wayne Hsiung, an attorney, animal rights activist, and founder of the animal rights nonprofit Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), was found guilty of felony conspiracy and two misdemeanor charges for rescuing mistreated animals from…

SARX: Laura Wright is Professor of English at Western Carolina University and author of the book The Vegan Studies Project, which explores veganism as an identity and ideology, and considers its depiction in literature, the arts, popular culture, and the media... Tell us about your book The Vegan Studies Project. I have been vegan since 2001, and I was vegetarian before that; I became vegetarian when I started college in 1988. I have written about my journey to veganism (by way of an eating disorder) in Defiant Daughters. The Vegan Studies Project was my third monograph study, and it was…

ANAY MRIDUL: The cultivated meat sector is seeing a flurry of activity from startups announcing new production facilities across the globe, as teams work to accelerate the scaling and commercialisation of cell-cultured alternatives to conventional meat. A handful of cultivated meat startups have made headlines with news of production plants and facilities across countries like Australia, China, Israel, Singapore, the US and Malaysia, despite recent reporting detailing scaling and funding challenges. A growing number of companies are advancing in their scaling plans with larger-scale…

FRANK METIVIER: The award-winning short film 'The Disconnect' highlights the disconnect between our fellow earthlings, the animal and the shocking reality of our choices today. Directed by Frank Metivier, the film calls into awareness the way we view and treat animals as a defining characteristic of our own species. The Disconnection will take you on an extraordinary journey of discovery, combining earth’s beauty and one of our greatest needs as human beings. Amongst the beauty and the pain, the film inspires hope, a way to come into reconnection with the earth and its inhabitants, which is…

ANAY MRIDUL: It has been in the making for a while, but Italy has officially passed the law that bans the production and sale of cultivated meat within the country, with the far-right government citing health reasons, a risk to the country’s tradition, and a need to safeguard the livestock industry. The move also bans the use of meat-related terms such as ‘steak’ and ‘salami’ on plant-based meat product labelling. Italy’s lower house of parliament has approved a bill by its agriculture minister to ban the sale and production of cultivated meat in the country, making it the first to do so.…

PATRIK BABOUMIAN: UNCAGE – Total Liberation is a video game project based on an original idea by Patrik Baboumian. Baboumian, renowned for his activism and advocacy, has long championed the causes of veganism, animal rights, and anti-speciesism. Since 2011, he has harnessed his visibility as an athlete, leveraged appearances in traditional and social media, delivered compelling speeches worldwide, and has drawn upon his expertise as a media psychologist to amplify awareness for animal rights... UNCAGE represents the continuation of Patrik Baboumian’s enduring commitment to kindle a…

PCRM: A low-fat vegan diet that includes soy fosters changes in the gut microbiome that decrease postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms, or hot flashes, overall by 95%, according to a new study by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. A vegan diet also eliminated severe hot flashes, led to a 96% decrease in moderate-to-severe hot flashes, and reduced daytime and nighttime hot flashes by 96% and 94%, respectively. Participants also lost 6.4 pounds on average. "Women who want to fight hot flashes should feed the bacteria in their gut a vegan diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains,…

LEE HALL: Environmental laws codify our right to kill. They sanctify our mechanical and chemical warfare against systems that sustain life. They enable the undoing of the formation of a unique and irreplaceable living world. Hundreds of millions of years of evolution can be spoiled in the time it takes to print a pile of paper. Enabled by laws, businesses impose cattle ranching on public lands. They stamp out savannahs and woodlands for feed crops... The Endangered Species Act nods begrudgingly to nonprofits that scrimp and save up for their last-minute flurries of activity, usually to save…