Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2010

Abstract

Given the impact of America’s food choices, particularly animal-based foods, on life-sustaining systems, to what extent is the environmental movement making meat-based diets an issue? This research analyzes websites of 15 U.S. environmental advocacy organizations (EOs) to examine how they negotiate the question of animal versus plant-based diets and propose solutions for food producers and consumers. EOs proposed that industrial agriculture and commercial fishing/aquaculture severely limit destructive practices to more sustainably meet consumer demand for animal products. EOs offered consumers choices, including: 1) replacement of much industrial food with local, organic, and/or sustainable animal or plant foods, 2) reduction of animal products, and, to a lesser degree, 3) vegetarianism. To consistently promote justice for all animals, the author recommends environmental discourse more explicitly critique animal agriculture/fishing as a primary source of environmental problems, consider food needs not just preferences, and promote fundamental changes toward a plant-based, largely organic diet.

Comments

This is an electronic version of an article published in Environmental Communication: A Journal of Nature and Culture, Vol. 4 Iss. 3, 2010, pp. 255-276. Environmental Communication: A Journal of Nature and Culture is available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/openurl?genre=article&issn=1752-4032&volume=4&issue=3&spage=255

DOI:10.1080/17524032.2010.501998

The preprint, or the author's version before peer-review, is available below in "Additional Files."

Additional Files
Pre-print Meat's Place on the Campaign Menu.pdf (167 kB)
This is a preprint of an article submitted for consideration in the Environmental Communication: A Journal of Nature and Culture © 2010 Taylor & Francis; Environmental Communication: A Journal of Nature and Culture is available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/openurl?genre=article&issn=1752-4032&volume=4&issue=3&spage=255