TOP NEWS THIS WEEK
Savor Develops Animal-Free Butter from CO2 and Hydrogen: California startup Savor has created a revolutionary butter prototype made from CO2 and hydrogen. This innovation offers the taste and functionality of dairy butter without involving agriculture or animals. Savor’s thermochemical process pulls CO2 from the air and hydrogen from water, then heats and oxidizes them to create fats. This agriculture-free method releases very few greenhouse gases and uses less than a thousandth of the water needed for crops. Savor plans to expand into animal-free alternatives for milk, ice cream, cheese, meat, and tropical oils. Read more on Vegconomist.
U.S. Plans to Kill 450K Barred Owls to Benefit Native Owls: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed killing about 450,000 barred owls over three decades to “protect” spotted owls (actually, to increase their numbers) in the Pacific Northwest. Barred owls have been outcompeting spotted owls for food and shelter, leading to a 75% decline in the spotted owl population. Spotted owls are valued more by the human policy makers, so the “solution” of killing other animals is in the works. We should note that increasing the spotted owl population wouldn’t even necessarily benefit the individual members of that species. It would only satisfy a human preference to have certain population numbers of spotted owls in a particular region.
As antispeciesists, we value all sentient beings as individuals. We don’t view animals labeled as “invasive species” as something to eradicate. Just as we wouldn’t endorse killing one group of humans to benefit another, we believe we should do what we can to benefit animals as individuals, rather than proposing mass killings. Read more in The Washington Post.
Preventing Factory Farming in Africa: A new report offers strategies to prevent the rise of factory farming in Nigeria, Ghana, and Ethiopia. The report highlights the recent growth of intensive livestock farming in Sub-Saharan Africa, driven by economic and political factors. It notes that animal meat consumption is projected to grow substantially in Africa by 2050. The researchers conducted research and interviews with experts in veterinary science, epidemiology, sociology, economics, and alternative proteins.
Key recommendations of the report include introducing strict standards, restricting foreign agribusiness ownership, supporting animal advocacy NGOs, investing in plant-based and cultivated proteins, and providing scalable education on the moral consideration of farmed animals. Swift action is needed to avoid the immense suffering seen in factory farms elsewhere. Read the full report.
SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT
Singapore Approves 16 Insect Species for Food: The Singapore Food Agency has approved farming 16 insect species, including crickets, grasshoppers, locusts, mealworms and silkworms, for human consumption. Companies are marketing insect-based products to young people as sustainable and adventurous. However, there is a strong possibility that many insects are sentient and can suffer. Given their small size, insect farming would cause suffering on an even more vast scale than current animal agriculture. Promoting insect consumption as “sustainable” ignores the harm to quintillions of beings. We should focus on plant-based and cellular agriculture solutions that don’t exploit sentient beings. Read more from The Star.
QUICK BITES
Oil-Free Vegan Mayo: This homemade vegan mayo recipe uses cashews instead of oil for a creamy, nutritious spread. Blend soaked cashews with non-dairy milk, tahini, mustard, vinegar, and seasonings for a tangy, versatile condiment that keeps in the fridge for a week. Get the recipe from Plant Based News.
No-Bake Yogurt Fruit Cups: These simple, customizable dessert cups are perfect for summer. Blend dates, oats, walnuts, vanilla and salt, then press into muffin cups. Fill with your favorite plant-based yogurt and seasonal fruits just before serving. Visit Nourished by Caroline for the recipe.
DID YOU KNOW?
Precision Fermentation Explained
Precision fermentation is a new way to make specific nutrients and proteins without using animals or plants. Scientists take DNA with instructions to make a particular protein and insert it into a microbe, usually yeast or bacteria. The microbes are then placed in a fermentation tank with sugar and other nutrients. They grow and multiply, producing the desired protein as they grow.
In the food industry, precision fermentation is being used to create animal-free versions of dairy proteins, egg proteins, collagen, and more. These proteins are molecularly identical to their animal-derived counterparts. This process requires far less land, water and energy than traditional agriculture. NASA is exploring precision fermentation to produce food for long space missions. While still an emerging field, precision fermentation holds the potential to revolutionize our food system.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
Is Insect Farming the Next Ethical Catastrophe?
As the insect farming industry grows, we urgently need a global discussion about the ethics of mass insect exploitation. We must consider the realistic possibility that insects are sentient and can suffer. Is it right to subject quintillions of these feeling creatures to a lifetime of confinement and death for food? How can we justify “sustainability” that depends on extreme animal suffering? Share your thoughts on how we can build a truly just food system for all.
Stay informed and keep advocating for a more vegan world. See you next week with more updates!
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