Written by- Sheila Allan
Kudos to Irene Kaye and the rest of the Adult Education Team for a memorable evening of lively conversation and sampling yummy plant-based food! That’s what happened in the Sanctuary on the evening of December 3, after we spent 90 minutes transfixed by the film, Cowspiracy The Sustainability Secret.
Cowspiracy is a powerful documentary about the devastating effects of animal agriculture on our planet. It pulls some hard punches but, as Irene assured, is not the “shock and awe” variety of enviro-doc. It does tug a bit at the animal lover’s heartstrings, so Irene was careful to give us a moment to avert our eyes before showing one of the more poignant scenes.
The film’s narrator is Kip Andersen, a San Francisco-based filmmaker. The story begins when Kip is inspired to take action upon discovering that standard conservation measures are not enough to fight climate change. His energetic research and dogged questions to government officials and environmental organizations uncover an unpalatable truth: livestock farming is the main culprit in global warming. He shares these not-so-fun facts:
•Livestock and their by-products are the largest contributors to the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
•Even if we were to stop burning fossil fuels today, emissions from livestock farming will exceed the planet’s greenhouse gas tolerance by the year 2030.
Kip dodges the bumps on the moral high road by delivering his solemn messages with humour and humility. His evolving awareness of the issue compels him to examine his lifestyle choices and relationship to animals. He shows genuine disappointment when hearing from one expert that a person cannot be both a meat-eater and an environmentalist. And endearing compassion while rescuing a little red hen doomed to be slaughtered for no longer being able to lay eggs.
You can learn more about Cowspiracy and Kip Andersen at cowspiracy.com.