To informed choices and new beginnings!

I've been a lazy vegetarian for years. Most of the meals I cook for myself and my family have been meatless, or near-vegan and I've been toying with the idea of taking the plunge and going full-on vegan. For a long time I've been on the fence, I love the taste of cheese, the odd greasy burger successfully lured me in, but no longer.


While looking up vegan resources to help myself along, I came upon a documentary called Earthlings.

WARNING - Do not stream even the trailer with children around. I didn't bother watching the trailer, I'm a documentary junkie and just started streaming it for free from the website. I didn't know what I was getting into at all.

For the length of the film I couldn't look away. It was the most graphic, moving, honest, depiction of animal cruelty I've ever witnessed in my life - and what's worse is that the footage shown was not of isolated cases, but of the common, industry standard practices of slaughterhouses, factory operations, circuses, fur farms and research facilities.

I personally can participate no longer. I recommend everyone watch it, if only to educate yourselves about exactly what goes on behind the closed doors to bring meat to your table, leather to your shoes and jackets. In an age where we are so far removed from the sources of our food, I believe that films like this, that expose each industry and bring it around to be accountable to the public do us a great service, and I believe that we all owe it to ourselves to really know and understand completely what it is we are fueling our bodies with. I believe we should be aware of where our money is going, what we personally are funding and even condoning with our dollars. To be less than understanding of this is to do ourselves a great disservice, and is freely giving our power away as consumers to those who are more than willing to speak for us, those who do not have the world's best interests at heart.

This film has completely, irrevocably changed the way I view the world, animals, food and big business and for that I am grateful it exists.

To informed choices and new beginnings!