Feminism and Ecology

A chicken factory

Water pollution

Local California chicken farm

	A picture is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes. The first photo is an industrial animal factory in Michigan where chickens are raised as mere commodities and being slaughtered for ‘cheap meat.’ On these farms, not only are animals crowded and subjected to branding, debeaking, and other atrocities, they are fed hormones and steroids to keep them hungry and growing at a faster rate (Rudy). These overcrowded factory farms are polluting the waters as large amounts of toxic waste are being dumped into the rivers. According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), the waste generated by chickens, hogs, and cattle from industrial farming has polluted over 35,000 miles of river and contaminated groundwater in 17 states at an annual cost of environment damage in the U.S. of $34.7 billion (Global).  However, the California ‘free range’ farm allows chickens to roam outdoors with plenty of fresh vegetation and sunshine.  These local farmers are committed to care for the animals and for them, raising ‘free-range’ chickens is more than just a job; it is a way of life (Pritchard).   Today, feminists such as Kath Rudy, Val Plumwood, and Donna Haraway are speaking out about the relationship between humans, nature, and culture advocating their support for small, local farms. Locavores, as they are called, “argue for the value of eating local, sustainably grown food as a better model for both human health and the environment” (Rudy).  In reality, locavores are not mainly concerned about the actual location of the farms, but they care about a balanced relationship between nature and choices of the food we eat. Rudy states, “In American today, being a locavore is not just a matter of buying food grown nearby; it is also a question of understanding how it was raised, what chemicals (if any) were involved, what kind of impact the farms has on the environment” (Rudy). As feminists, it is important women education themselves about nutrition as well as the how the food is produced and what this production is doing to the world we live in. References: http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2011/03/appeals_court_upholds_decision.html          Pritchard, Forrest. (2012). “What is ‘Free-Range Chicken?’’ Smith Meadows. Retrieved from   http://smithmeadows.com/farm/what-is-free-range-chicken/ Rudy, Kathy. (2012). “Locavores, Feminism, and the Question of Meat.” The Journal of American Culture. Volume 35, number 1. How Factory Farming Pollutes Water and Soil. Global Action Network. Retrieved from http://www.gan.ca/lifestyle/vegetarian+guide/vegetarians+and+the+environment/how+factory+farming+pollutes+water+and+soil.en.html