On November 4 of this year, California voters will get to make their voices heard for those who can't speak for themselves: farm animals. Proposition 2 "stops cruel and inhumane treatment of animals, ending the practice of
cramming farm animals into cages so small the animals can't even turn
around, lie down or extend their limbs."
As Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society brought up on a recent Oprah Winfrey show addressing this issue: each chicken has 67 square inches of space—which is about two-thirds
the size of a standard sheet of paper. "That's their living space,
Oprah, for two years."
You might not live in California, but there are some simple things you can do to help fight animal cruelty at its most basic level:
Go Veggie (even if it's just one more day a week) - eat pasta tonight, or get a pizza (without pepperoni, of course!) Make eggplant, or a vegetable stir fry, or try our a new recipe from another country's cuisine you're not familiar with. You might just have a new favorite, and you'll be helping animals. (Read my post about this on my other site here.)
Vote with your wallet. I read labels. And because I do, my family only eats chicken that's been fed an all-vegetarian diet (that's a WHOLE other post besides) and eggs that are certified Humane. We've also been fortunate enough to find a local family to get our eggs from where I know they are free to roam and live normal lives and not be stuffed into a cage. Sometimes these items cost a little more, but you know what? We don't eat very much meat in our house, and I'd rather have a clearer conscience. I'm also trying to help create a demand - when the twins were small, I had discussions with the head of the dairy department about how we could get more organic milk on the shelf. Now our store has a whole organic section. One person's choices can make a difference.
Educate yourself. I can't recommend the book Food Revolution enough, but if you don't have time to read a whole book, check out:
Recap from the Oprah show - "Conscious Choices"
Lisa Ling Reports - "How We Treat the Animals We Eat" (2nd link if the first doesn't load)
The Meatrix - learn where the food you eat comes from.
HSUS Factory Farming Page - Working to reduce the suffering of animals raised for meat, eggs, and milk.