Why Plants-Only Eating Is Necessary
and
How Political Vegetarians Can Make It Happen

A free educational brochure from

Responsible Policies for Animals

www.RPAforAll.org

The U.S. flesh, milk & egg industries kill about 10 billion chickens, pigs, turkeys, cattle, and others each year. The vast majority of animals used by the industries live short, miserable lives in horrifically cruel factory farms designed by our land-grant universities and rapidly spreading overseas. But no animal use is humane, and the industries cause big human-health and environment problems as well, some of them linked to poverty and war.

A plants-only ("vegetarian") diet - consistent with human beings' biological nature - is the solution. But a small number of caring people making the right choices won't suffice: We must change our society and its institutions.

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There is no humane, healthful, or ecologically sound way for people to consume flesh, milk or eggs or to provide flesh, milk or eggs to people.

Early members of our species didn't start doing those things because they were humane, healthful, or ecologically sound. And the problems keep worsening.

That doesn't mean people who consume or provide flesh, milk or eggs are "bad." It does mean as a society we need to work together to end those practices.

RPA takes a unique approach to halting the inhumane and destructive flesh, milk, egg & feed-crop industries.

Since 2003, Responsible Policies for Animals (RPA) has worked to ensure that our land-grant universities (LGUs - state universities with colleges of agriculture) will stop serving the flesh, milk, egg & feed-crop industries.

By providing massive amounts of training and research for those industries and by spreading confusion about food choices, our LGUs give the industries inestimable billions of dollars' worth of taxpayer and tuition-payer support each year.

Some experts agree ending our LGUs' support of the flesh, milk, egg & feed-crop industries will put them out of business since it will mean (1) much higher prices for flesh, milk & eggs, the industries having to pay their own way; (2) loss of official support for the industries, our colleges of agriculture no longer teaching flesh, milk & egg consumption; and (3) more public awareness that flesh, milk & egg consumption is a mistake.

The root problem isn't consumer choices but our institutions.

Industry, government, schools, media, and other institutions have long failed to serve the public interest when it comes to food choices, spreading confusion rather than humane, healthful, or ecologically sound practices.

People typically choose to eat what they grew up eating and what people around them eat - despite known harm - because our institutions put popular and special interests above the public interest. Many people - but still a very small percentage of Americans- have awoken to long-obscured facts about the flesh, milk, egg & feed-crop industries, their far-reaching destructive impacts, and the advantages of plants-only eating.

The percentage of people living great lives on delicious, healthful, less-destructive plants-only diets isn't small because most people are stupid or because the information isn't available. It's because lower-risk, publicly subsidized industries that accumulate massive wealth for the few at the expense of the many - flesh, milk, egg, feed crops - wield more power and influence than higher-risk, unsubsidized industries that provide crucial nutrition for the many: non-toxically and locally grown broccoli, grapes, spinach, carrots, squash, onions, and hundreds more.

We and the other animals need new approaches.

Many organizations have tried for many years to show people how the flesh, milk & egg industries abuse animals. Many offer plants-only recipes and important health and environment information. Many books and websites tell about these crucial matters, too.

In response, many people become ethical vegetarians because of the flesh, milk & egg industries' abuse of animals and ecosystems, or become health vegetarians for better health.

But the flesh, milk, egg & feed-crop industries far outpace vegetarianism. So we and the animals need new approaches.

To meet that need, RPA urges people to become political vegetarians.

Political vegetarians work for meaningful change.

While teaching ethical and health benefits of plants-only eating, political vegetarians also work to change our institutions.

That means supporting RPA's 10,000 Years Is Enough campaign to end our LGUs' unconscionable support of the flesh, milk, egg & feed-crop industries. It also means working to change other policies since our governments …
… subsidize the industries through the Farm Bill;
… order large quantities of flesh, milk & eggs for the military, school lunches & breakfasts, prisons, and other programs;
… buy flesh, milk & eggs for employees;
… ignore or downplay the industries' impacts on animals, health and environment.

Let RPA recommend ways for you to serve the public interest and help end animal suffering by dedicating yourself to political vegetarianism.

Help our institutions tell the truth about what is humane.

"Humane" describes practices that show the best of human kindness - not practices that are merely less cruel or inhumane than some other practices.

Human beings are natural herbivores - plant-eating animals - not omnivores or carnivores. Consuming flesh, milk & eggs, owning animals, controlling their reproduction and way of life, trucking them around, killing them young - all of this is exploitation, not kindness. Therefore, it is never humane.

But the news industry, government, and other institutions continually promote the flesh, milk & egg industries by speaking of "humane slaughter," "more humane" ways of destroying animals, and the like.

Words are powerful. The "humane" refrain surely keeps many people believing they can consume flesh, milk & eggs humanely. It simply is not true.

To help create a humane future, join RPA in correcting wrong usage of "humane" and other important language.

What we're here for.

Responsible Policies for Animals shows people how to establish responsible policies for nonhuman animals that are also responsible policies for people and ecosystems.

The road to global climate change, AIDS, influenza & other pandemics, widespread heart disease, war, and many other injustices was paved with systems that disrespect nonhuman animals. The road to human wellbeing will have to be paved with systems that respect nonhuman animals.

Most inhumane treatment isn't cruelty but everyday practices taken for granted. That's why humane treatment will require informed policies, not just compassion. Our personal choices will only go so far without fundamental policy changes.

Learn more - find out what you can do - tell us your ideas - contact Responsible Policies for Animals at rpa@rpa1.org / 215-886-RPA1 / P.O. Box 891, Glenside, PA 19038, USA, and visit www.RPAforAll.org.

We look forward to hearing from you
- that's what we're here for!

Note: RPA bases its work on research. Countless sources support this brochure's assertions. RPA is glad to provide sources or otherwise support its assertions on request.

Revised July 2007