Explainer

Explainer

The Downsides of Drinking Milk: Understand the Risks

There are several health issues to consider when consuming milk. Milk contains large amounts of fat, causes acne, and can trigger allergic reactions.

Diet•8 min read

Explainer

Is Fish Farming Bad for the Environment?

For years, fish farming was championed as a sustainable alternative to overfishing. But many advocates worry it has unseen consequences.

Big Meat•9 min read

Explainer

What You Should Know About the World’s Top Dairy Companies

In the U.S., dairy farms generate $628 billion annually. And while they add to the GDP of many countries, they also cause harm that cannot be undone.

Food•8 min read

Explainer

What Happens to Dairy Cows When They Get Old?

In the dairy industry, a cow’s life is segmented into predictable, routine steps to help farms make the most profit. We took a closer look at what happens next.

Food•8 min read

Explainer

How Eating Less Meat Could Help Save the Planet

Animal agriculture is responsible for a large portion of global emissions. If you’re trying to lower your carbon footprint, going vegan may be the answer.

Climate•8 min read

Explainer

Does Veganism Really Make People Sick?

Many people believe it is impossible to lead a healthy life while only eating plants. We spoke with an award-winning dietician to set the record straight.

Diet•7 min read

Explainer

Russo-Ukrainian War: Resources and Groups to Support

The war impacts millions of lives, including the animals and advocates in Ukraine committed to protecting them. Here's what you can do to help.

Policy•3 min read

Explainer

The Key Differences Between Cage-Free and Free-Range Eggs

The terms cage-free and free-range may seem very similar but in reality, there are some key differences between the two. Here’s what you need to know.

Food•7 min read

Explainer

Environmental Impact of Dairy Farming: What You Didn’t Know

From an early age, we’re taught that milk is essential to our growth and development. What we’re not taught is where that milk comes from.

Big Meat•2 min read

Explainer

The State of Mink Farming: What Changed During the Pandemic

Advocates have worked for decades to educate the public about the danger of mink farms. During the pandemic, their work became hyper-relevant.

Food•9 min read

Explainer

What Happens Behind Closed Doors in the Egg Industry

The egg industry is a dark, complicated place. We took a closer look at the mistreatment of birds on egg farms and what you can do to help.

Food•7 min read

Explainer

Just Transition: Protecting and Empowering Frontline Workers

Just transition is a framework that aims to protect frontline workers by prioritizing their needs during the transition away from an exploitative economy.

Policy•8 min read

Explainer

20 Best Plant-Based Proteins for Vegans and Vegetarians

A lot of people might be surprised by the vast array of plant-based foods that contain protein. Here's a list of some of the most delicious options out there.

Health•8 min read

Explainer

Is This the Beginning of the End for Foie Gras?

Foie gras directly translates to “fat liver,” which is exactly what it is. Learn more about the birds who suffer so that people can eat this so-called delicacy.

Food•7 min read

Explainer

Antibiotic Resistance and Animal Farming: What You Need to Know

Experts believe that drug-resistant bacteria, many of which are born on factory farms, could be the cause of the next pandemic. We took a closer look.

Food•2 min read

Explainer

The Truth About Duck Farming: What Happens Behind Closed Doors

On large-scale duck farms, thousands of ducks are crammed together with no access to water. The rest of their lives is increasingly unnatural.

Food•11 min read

Explainer

Animal Rescue: What You Need to Know to Start Rescuing Animals Today

Animal rescue is a social service that helps protect animals from dangerous situations that often involve cruelty and abuse. Find out how you can get involved.

Policy•11 min read

Explainer

How Power and Influence Corrupts Big Food Companies

Big Food is characterized by the domination of major food markets by a few large companies. In the food industry, the lack of competition leads to a host of problems.

Food•12 min read

Explainer

What Life Is Like for America’s 10 Million Dairy Cows

Dairy cows are kind, emotional, and social creatures. However, the dairy industry sees them as nothing more than sources of milk.

Food•12 min read

Explainer

What Are the Best Sources of Vegetarian Protein?

Learn about what protein is, how it works, and how to get enough of it while maintaining a vegetarian diet.

Health•10 min read

Explainer

Animal Rights Activists: Who They Are and What They Do

An animal rights activist is a person who seeks to reduce non-human animal suffering. Want to learn more about animal rights activism? We've got you covered.

Farms•9 min read

Explainer

Puppy Mills: What Are They and Why Are They Still Legal?

Puppy mills breed dogs that are twice as likely to be fearful of other people. This is one of the many reasons why advocates are calling for their closure.

Culture•8 min read

Explainer

Wool Production Is Accelerating the Biodiversity Crisis

A new report from Collective Fashion Justice and the Center for Biological Diversity explores the wool industry’s "shear destruction" of indigenous plant and animal life.

Big Meat•5 min read

Explainer

7 Reasons Why Seafood Might Be Bad for You

Seafood has long been hailed by dietitians as a quality source of healthy fats and protein. But there is a darker side to seafood that is often not discussed.

Health•7 min read

Explainer

Is Animal Agriculture Sustainable?

Animal agriculture generates massive amounts of greenhouse gases, despite the industry's recent efforts to clean up its act.

Big Meat•2 min read

Explainer

How Factory Farms in America Drive Deforestation in Brazil

The fires in Brazil are part of a global problem, one which highlights the direct link between deforestation and loss of ecosystems with dietary choices made thousands of miles away.

Big Meat•10 min read

Explainer

A Closer Look at Factory Farming’s Environmental Impact

Factory farming is part of a global food system that prioritizes cheap food at the expense of animal welfare, society, and the environment.

Big Meat•9 min read

Explainer

What Is COP26 and Why Does It Matter? The Complete Guide

Everything you need to know about the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference seeking to forge a global response to the climate emergency.

Climate•13 min read

Explainer

13 Misleading Food Label Claims and How Not to Be Tricked

Food labels frequently use carefully crafted language that misleads consumers to believe the products are healthier or more sustainable than they actually are.

Food•9 min read

Explainer

How Does Cattle Farming Impact the Environment?

The conditions in which cows are farmed are detrimental to the air, water, habitat, and soil. Experts say the industry has been slow to adapt.

Big Meat•8 min read

Explainer

Animals Have Some Legal Protections. Here’s Where They Fall Short.

Animal protection refers to the set of laws, belief systems, and activist networks dedicated to protecting animals from needless suffering.

Factory Farms•9 min read

Explainer

What’s the Difference Between Vegan and Vegetarian?

While vegans omit all animal products from their diets, vegetarians still consume honey, milk, eggs, and other animal products.

Diet•9 min read

Explainer

What’s Really in a Chicken Nugget?

Chicken nuggets are a staple of fast food chains and grocery store freezers, but there's more to the simple nuggets than meets the eye.

Food•10 min read

Explainer

Why the Business Lunch of the Future Should Be Animal-Free

It's not your imagination: More people than ever are changing the way they eat. Shouldn't the meals we share with others change, too?

Health•9 min read

Explainer

The Future of Food: Can We Build a Sustainable Food System?

To feed the world, food production simply has to change, and the growing climate crisis is making this change far more urgent.

Farms•1 min read

Explainer

How Fish Farmers Became the Backbone of the Seafood Industry

More fish are now raised on farms than are caught in the wild, making fish farmers an integral part of the seafood industry. However, they face a number of environmental…

Fisheries & Aquaculture•10 min read

Explainer

Pig Farmers Know Best: Even Cheap Meat Comes With a Price

Over the past 50 years, mega-corporations have placed a firm hold on the pork industry, leaving many pig farmers in financial ruin.

Food•1 min read

Explainer

What Is a Sentient Being? Here’s Why the Definition Is So Important

There are a number of different definitions for sentient beings. Here's how to navigate the complicated conversation around which animals are sentient and which are not.

Science•9 min read

Explainer

Why Egg Farming Practices Spread Avian Flu

And will continue to do so.

Food•17 min read

Explainer

Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet: How to Start Eating Cleaner

Choosing to eat a whole-food, plant-based diet is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your personal health, the environment, and animal welfare.

Diet•8 min read

Explainer

Meat, Money, and Politics: Inside Big Ag’s Struggle to Feed the World

The meat industry is controlled by a few deeply connected corporations that wreak havoc on the planet and exploit workers and marginalized communities without consequence.

Farms•2 min read

Explainer

Dairy Farmers Find Themselves at the Center of a Troubled Industry

Dairy farmers work long hours in dangerous conditions, while animals are constantly impregnated and then separated from their young.

Food•10 min read

Explainer

The Problems With Meat Consumption: Here’s What You Need to Know

There are more problems with meat consumption than you might think. Choosing to eat meat places your own health, the public’s health, and the environment at risk.

Diet•10 min read

Explainer

Is Going Vegan Healthy? 6 Benefits of Going Vegan in 2021

While it isn’t necessary to go vegan in order to be healthy, vegan diets can certainly help. Find out the benefits of cutting animal products out of your diet.

Diet•11 min read

Explainer

Is Industrial Agriculture Really Making the World a Better Place?

Given the many negative impacts that industrial agriculture has on the environment, health, and animal welfare, its place in society is coming into question.

Farms•10 min read

Explainer

Plant-Based Chicken: What Is It Made of and Is It Healthy?

With interest in meat alternatives growing, so is curiosity about what alternatives like plant-based chicken are exactly, and why consumers should consider eating them.

Health•9 min read

Explainer

Inside the Dark World of Rabbit Farming

Rabbit is often celebrated as the "most sustainable" meat, but it emits more carbon per kilogram than both chicken and pork and causes millions of animals to suffer.

Food•6 min read

Explainer

How Animal Agriculture Is Accelerating the Climate Crisis

Move over, fossil fuels. The meat and dairy industries have a much bigger part to play in the climate crisis than most people are willing to admit.

Big Meat•2 min read

Explainer

Plant-Based Foods: Better for You and the Environment

The numerous environmental benefits of eating plant-based foods have been well-documented. Animal agriculture is a primary driver behind climate change.

Climate•9 min read

Explainer

Can Permaculture Help Us Build More Resilient Communities?

Permaculture is a way of farming that seeks to work with nature instead of against it. But the use of the term is widely contested as a form of cultural…

Climate•13 min read