Uncaged: Top Activists Share Their Wisdom on Effective Farm Animal Advocacy

Citation preview

UNCAGED Top Activists Share Their Wisdom on Effective Farm Animal Advocacy

Ben Davidow

Table of Contents

Introduction Part I: Contributors Matt Ball Tosephine Bellaccomo Mark Hawthorne Java Bhumitra Bruce Friedrich Nikki Benoit Marc Bekoff lauren Ornelas Kristie Middleton Tosh Balk

Erik Marcus Che Green Vandhana Bala Paul Shapiro Nick Coonev Carvn Ginsberg Karen Davis Victoria Moran Nathan Runkle Ton Camp David Coman-Hidv Charlotte Laws Nora Kramer Dawn Moncrief Mark Middleton Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Robert Grillo Lisa Shapiro lohn Oberg Peter Singer Part II: Essays From the Editor Bowling Without Blindfolds The Stat Trap Pigs in the Bahamas Experimental Activism The Case for Cultured Meat

Confession of an Animal Activist Conclusion Acknowledgements Appendix A Appendix B Endnotes

Introduction

Ifyou want others to be happy, practice compassion. Ifyou want to be happy, practice compassion. The Dalai Lama

Uncaged is an e-book for those determined to reduce suffering in this world. Factory farming is one of our world's greatest sources of preventable suffering. By swaying others to change their consumption choices and by winning policy change for farm animals, we protect defenseless individuals from confinement and terror. Uncaged is your guide to effective farm animal advocacy. Whether you're an aspiring or veteran activist, Uncaged offers an abundance of

insight and inspiration from leaders of the farm animal movement. I reached out to the best activists I know and asked them to share their top advice for fellow advocates on how to be effective. In the following pages, you'll hear from 30 individuals like Paul Shapiro, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, and Peter Singer, who share their hardwon insights on rhetoric, mindset, and strategy. In the final part of this e-book, I share my own thoughts on effective advocacy. In a handful of essays, I will take you on a journey through an imaginary dining room, a tropical beach, and a comedian's email inbox, looking at what each of these places can teach us about maximizing our impact. The great thing about e-books is that they can be regularly updated to incorporate readers' feedback and remain current. As you read Uncaged, I welcome your input and ideas, so feel free to contact me at bendvw(a) gmail.com.

Together, we can and we will drastically reduce suffering and make this world a freer place. Happy reading and best of luck in your advocacy! Ben Davidow March 23, 2013 San Francisco, California

300 Years of Wisdom

Imagine meeting a 310-year-old woman. I know, there aren't really 310-year-olds (yet), but just let your imagination run free for a moment. Suppose this triple centenarian had been doing activism since she was 10 years old. She would have 300 years worth of insight and perspective on what works and what doesn't. By talking to her and learning about her experiences, you'd become a wiser and more effective activist. In the following pages, you'll hear from 30 individuals who, put together, share more than 300 collective years of activism experience. You will learn from their three centuries of combined wisdom. While this may not be quite as awesome as meeting a 300year-old, I think it's pretty close.

I gave contributors the option of either sharing their top three insights on effective advocacy or sharing a personal story or experience that taught them something about activism. Most contributors chose to share their top insights, some chose to teil stories, and a few came up with original formats. You'll notice that multiple contributors repeat certain points. I left in this repetition, since such points tend to be the most critical, and they are often stated in different ways. I'd like to note that I don't share every opinion expressed in the following pages. Likewise, some contributors disagree on certain points. Nevertheless, each has valuable insights to share, and I'm hopeful you will take something away from each contributor, even if you don't agree with everything he or she says. One final note: some contributors use the phrase "farmed animals" and others use the phrase "farm animals." I think that both terms work equally well, so in order to honor the contributors' wishes, I've left their wording choices intact.

I hope you enjoy the following pages of wisdom and come out a stronger activist!

Matt Ball

Matt Ball is Co-founder and Executive Director of Vegan Outreach. He is also the co-author, along with Bruce Friedrich, of The Animal

Activist's

Handbook:

Maximizing

Our Positive

Impact

in

Today's World. You can connect with Vegan Outreach on T witter at @veganoutreach.

Those successful at making the world a better place know that almost everyone cares most about those closest to them. Even those who look beyond humans spend a majority of resources on cats and dogs, endangered species, or high-profile animals. However, if we want to have the biggest impact in the world, we need to focus on the bottom line: reducing as much suffering as possible. Two guiding principles maximize the amount of good we accomplish: 1. Rather than focusing on what personally moves us, strive solely to alleviate as much suffering as possible. 2. Recognize that when we choose to do one thing, we are choosing not to do another. Instead of choosing to "do something, do anything," we must pursue what will likely lead to the greatest reduction in suffering. Promoting ethical eating follows directly from these guiding principles. No particular philosophy or lifestyle has any value in and

of itself. Rather, promoting cruelty-free eating allows us to alleviate as much suffering as possible for three reasons: 1. Around 99 out of every 100 animals we kill in the United States are slaughtered for human consumption. 2. These animals endure horrible cruelties. Indeed, every year, hundreds of millions of farmed animals — many times more than the number killed for für, in shelters, and in laboratories combined — don't even make it to slaughter. They actually suffer to death. 3. Everyone eats, making decisions daily that affect farmed animals. Informing and inspiring new people to open their hearts and minds to making compassionate choices leads to many fewer animals suffering. Everyone we meet is a potential victory. We don't need to form a group or change a law; we can each make a huge difference every day! To be optimally effective, we must seek to open hearts and minds, not to show how much we know. Honest advocacy focused entirely

on the animals is far more effective than a laundry llst of pro-veg Claims. Similarly, we must focus on getting people to consider their first step toward compassion, rather than arguing for our current philosophy or diet. Most non-vegetarians tune out when told to go vegan but may consider starting to make changes like adopting Meatless Mondays or eating fewer chickens. If we are to alleviate as much suffering as possible, we need to maximize our impact. Thoughtful individual advocacy allows us to have an immediate and profound influence every Single day! Motivating Words for Fellow Activists Because of the number of individuals suffering and the reason for this brutality, animal liberation is the moral imperative of our time. If we commit to optimal advocacy, we can bring about fundamental change. With our efforts, this Century can be the one in which society stops torturing and slaughtering our fellow earthlings. We have no

excuse for waiting — we have the knowledge, the tools, and the truth. We will change the world! A Quote That Inspires My Activism We want a vegan world, not a vegan club. Jack Norris

Josephine Bellaccomo

Josephine Bellaccomo is a pitch Consultant and communications coach. She is the author of Move The Message: Your Guide to Making a Difference and Changing the World. You can learn about Josephine's services here or connect with her on Twitter at @iobellaccomo.

Here are three strategies to help you communicate effectively: Clarify the Action In planning a Strategie message, Start by completing this outcomeoriented sentence stem: "As a result of this message, my audience will

" Some examples:

-Adjust this policy, procedure, or protoeol -Introduce (or oppose) this piece of legislation -Go vegan -Invest $ 1,500 in this advertising campaign If you complete the sentence stem with "learn about..." then add "so that they will (eventually) verb.

" and fill in a clear, powerful action

Then add to the sentence stem what you want your audience to feel (e.g., compassion, urgency, hope, anger) and think (e.g., 'this is unjust/ 'this needs to change,' 'this is a great investment,' 'this is easy'). Give your audience no doubt about what it needs to do by using a powerful action verb as close to the beginning of your communication as possible. Keep those sentences top of mind and top of page to drive every decision about what to include or not include in your communication. Don't Think The circus is cruel to animals, the Republican Party doesn't care about the lower class, immigration policies are unjust — opinions are dismissible. We get "That's your opinion" or "You're emotional." Train yourself to avoid using phrases like "It's my opinion," "I think," or "I feel." Instead, support your argument with facts. Even when you're asked, "What do you think about..." reply "Opinions are irrelevant. We're here because of the facts," and launch into the facts

that are relevant to your audience. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize Those vested in keeping you from creating change want you to believe that change is futile. They are counting on your discouragement and pessimism to lead to apathy and for you to abandon hope that you can make a difference. You know what's at risk if we do nothing. Anticipate their resistance, and be your best seif, focused on the change you want to see in the world. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists We'll never know exactly how many people we have moved, how many paths we have redirected, and how much of a difference we have made. Even in the absence of direct positive feedback, trust that being the best we can be in terms of strategy and clear communication is profoundly transformative and world-changing.

A Quote That Inspires My Activism We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Elie Wiesel

Mark Hawthorne

Mark Hawthorne is the author of Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism. Mark is a frequent contributor to VegNews magazine, and his writing has appeared in a ränge of publications, including Vegan Voice, Herbivore, Hinduism Today, and Utne.com. You can connect with Mark on Twitter at @markhawthorne.

The ACTIVE Approach to Avoiding Burnout

At some point, nearly every activist feels anger, guilt, grief, or frustration. That's perfectly normal, considering the atrocities we're struggling against. But pushing yourself too hard in the face of these emotions can lead to burnout. To combat this, I've created an easy tactic I call the ACTIVE Approach to Avoiding Burnout. A-Allow yourself to be human. Hard as we try, we are not superheroes, and we are not going to win every battle. So take a real vacation. Enjoy time with friends. Try to have fun and not feel guilty. C-Create something to remind you of your victories. This could be a scrapbook covering successful campaigns you've worked on, a Website, a folder — anything that you can refer to that reminds you that you're fighting the good fight.

T-Talk to someone you trust: boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, BFF, whoever. Animal activism is an emotionally loaded endeavor, and as activists, it's important that we're able to unburden ourselves. If you don't have someone you trust, speak to a therapist. I-Ignore upsetting text and images. When you feel angry or guilty or frustrated or depressed, that's probably not the best time to be watching Earthlings with Uncle Fred. Give yourself some time away from it, at least until you're feeling stronger. I know there are activists who say, "We owe it to the animals." Well, I disagree. Yes, we should be educated about the issues, but that doesn't mean we need to torture ourselves in order to feel empathy for those who are tortured. V-Visit an animal sanctuary. "V" could also stand for Volunteer at an animal sanctuary. I have spent a lot of time at sanctuaries, and I am constantly amazed by how many activists have never rubbed a pig's belly, whistled to a turkey to hear him gobble back, or watched a hen take a dust bath. Get some face time with the faces you're working so

hard to protect. An animal sanctuary is also a great place to work up a sweat, which leads me to my final point: E-Exercise. Walk, run, swim, bike, hike, do yoga, go to the gym — whatever you can do, do it. I cannot overstate how important regulär exercise is in reducing stress and maintaining a positive outlook. If we plan to fight for animals long-term, it is critical that we consider ourselves as well. Remember: activists are animals too! Motivating Words for Fellow Activists It's important to remember that just as there are countless forms of animal exploitation, there are many methods for fighting it. Not everyone enjoys corporate campaigning or protesting, for example, but you might like leafleting or writing letters to editors. Even making a vegan meal for your family can Start a dialog and result in change. So find a good fit, be open to trying new strategies, and don't forget to make time for yourself!

A Quote That Inspires My Activism There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to orte who is strikingat the root. Henry David Thoreau

Jaya Bhumitra

Jaya Bhumitra is Campaigns Director at Compassion Over Killing (COK), a nonprofit Organization that exposes cruelty to animals in agriculture and promotes vegetarian eating as a way to build a kinder world for all. You can connect with Jaya on Twitter at (SDjbhumitra

Speak to People's Interests When people ask me why I'm vegan, instead of answering with a litany of reasons important to me ("It's ethical! More green!"), I kindly reply with "Thanks for asking — are you vegetarian or vegan? Why not?" so I learn what's important to them. By listening to how they answer, 1*11 discover what they know already and if they have any misconceptions, and determine the best approach to further the conversation. After all, while there are many good reasons to choose vegetarian foods, not every reason is equally important to everyone. 1*11 have the most success if I can speak to their particular motivations. "I eat meat but love animals" indicates that I should use the ethical argument. "It's bad for my health" indicates that I should explain the health benefits of plant foods. "I want to support America's farming heritage" indicates that I should discuss how big agribusiness is squashing small family farms. "We need to feed the hungry" indicates that I should describe how eating animals is inefficient...

and so on. This strategy ensures that I have the right conversations with the right people. Engage in Everyday Activism Being vegan is great — you'll save hundreds of animals in your lifetime by simply leaving them off your plate — but by being a vegan advocate, you can save thousands more. Activism need not be difficult. Adding a bumper sticker to your car, laptop or water bottle; putting animal rights literature and vegan cookbooks at eye level on the shelves in your living room or kitchen where guests can easily see them; or bringing a delicious vegan dish to a potluck are all easy ways to integrate activism into your everyday life. The gestures are small, but the impact is profound. Lead By Example It's funny how friends will teil you they admire your convictions

but could never be vegan — but they read your Facebook posts and tweets and curiously examine your order whenever you dine together. Then, six months later, they suddenly blurt out "Did I teil you I'm doing Meatless Mondays?" Or, even better: "I'm vegetarian now!" By exercising patience and setting a positive example, you'll see your friends, family, and coworkers make increasingly compassionate choices. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists Advocating for animals is an opportunity to contribute to the greatest social justice movement of our time. In the future, vegetarians will no longer be a minority, and farmed animals won't suffer in extreme confinement or other terrible conditions. And you'll be able to look back and say: "It's because I was there. I was a part of that. I was a voice for the voiceless." A Quote That Inspires My Activism

It always seems impossible, until it is done. Nelson Mandela

Bruce Friedrich

Bruce Friedrich is Senior Director for Strategie Initiatives at Farm Sanctuary. He is also the co-author, along with Matt Ball, of The Animal Activist's Handbook: Mcocimizing Our Positive Impact in Today's World. You can connect with Bruce on Twitter at (a)brucegfriedrich.

Remember the Multiplier If you are a vegetarian or vegan, you're saving dozens of land animals and even more sea animals every Single year. That's something to be proud of, and it's a deeply powerful Statement in support of compassion and merey and against cruelty and misery. Amazingly, if you convince one more person to adopt a vegetarian diet, in that moment, you've doubled your lifetime effect as a vegetarian. So we should all be doing what we can to influence others to adopt a vegetarian diet, including little things like wearing vegetarian Tshirts and putting a "Happy Vegetarian" bumper sticker on our cars and laptops, but also bigger things like getting active through Vegan Outreach's Adopt a College campaign or Farm Sanctuary's Compassionate Communities Campaign. Pretend You're Socrates

Socrates' method of argumentation was to ask questions so that those with whom he was engaging would see that their current moral paradigms support his position. We should do precisely that. No one wants to support cruelty to animals, and yet anyone who is eating meat is supporting egregious abuse. So our best way of engaging with people is to help them understand that if they're eating meat, their values and actions are not in alignment. All other arguments are a diversion from this central and winning argument, which should be framed as a discussion, not a diatribe. Don't Get Discouraged As Dr. King said, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." It's remarkable to think that for most of human history, people have considered it acceptable for some humans to hold others as slaves, and for women to be — for all intents and purposes — the property of their husbands. Think for a moment about how quickly that understanding has completely changed in

the developed world — just a few generations. There's so much animal suffering that it's easy to get discouraged, but we shouldn't: we have science, logic, and morality on our side. It's only a matter of time before we win. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists The best thing any of us can do with our lives is to dedicate them to making the world a better place. We want our lives to be our message, but doing only that is not enough: we need to make an impact. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win. Attributed to Gandhi

Nikki Benoit

Nikki Benoit is Southern California Outreach Coordinator at Vegan Outreach. Nikki has handed out over 520,000 leaflets at over 190 schools encouraging veganism and reduced meat consumption.

Find and Maintain Inner Peace

Most activists I've met (myself included) went through an angry phase. It's natural, but it's no place to set up camp. Our anger — if left unchecked — is like a chemtrail of negative energy that follows our every move. Oftentimes, this angry vibe is picked up by other angry people, sparking confrontations. The world has plenty of darkness to recover firom; solutions require light. Find the space of inner peace (it's in everyone), come to accept the way our world is right now, and step back and say "Okay, now what can I do to help?" By "accepting" it, I don't mean to be "Okay" with the madness. I just mean that you understand it's happening and don't resist it but seek to fix it. Our efficacy depends on progress from new understandings and strategies, not fear-based reactivity. Diversify Your Life's Portfolio Building off the aforementioned need for "inner peace," if we don't have a life outside of activism, we'll overlook important steps for cultivating sanity — starting with ourselves. Burning the candle at

both ends is old school; self-destructive activism results in burnout. We don't need to suffer to alleviate suffering. It's imperative to have balance. Take up new hobbies that don't involve social justice issues. It's easy to get sucked into full-time outreach and lose yourself in the "role" of activist. We are not activists; activism is what we do. Big difference. Be Compassion At the core of our world's crises is a sense of being disconnected, from one another and all life. In reality, we are all connected. Until we bridge the gap of "us versus them" and "right versus wrong," we'll continue to weave the dysfunctional tapestry that we see isn't working. Right now we tend to ration compassion for those who we feel are worthy. How is this different from the imbalance we seek to eure? Until we treat our social ills with the same concern as if they were our own, we can't move forward. Condemnation will not promote a compassionate awakening. It seems like a lofty goal but

gets easier with practice. We have to be compassion if we want to see compassion. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists What an amazing time to be human! Explosive changes toward justice for animals are in the works. We are co-creating a more heart-centered, inclusive world. Do not underestimate the power of positive vibrations. If you believe it, you will see it. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

It's easy to be compassionate towards like-minded people. The challenge is choosing to have compassion toward those with whom I disagree. Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Marc Bekoff

Marc Bekoff is Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He has published over

500

papers

Lives of Animals

and

23

books,

including

and Ignoring Nature No More:

Compassionate Conservation.

The

Emotional

The Case For

You can learn more about Marc's

work on his homepage or his joint Website with Jane Goodall, ethologicalethics.org.

Expanding Our Compassion Footprint and Rewilding Our Hearts

In a physiology class in graduate school, I assumed everyone would side with me when I objected to a professor calmly strolling into the lecture room carrying a rabbit who was struggling in his hands and telling the class he was going to kill the rabbit using a punch named after this poor being — namely, a rabbit punch. I left the room and expected everyone to leave with me, but only three people did. I learned from talking to some people in the class that they thought it was okay to do this because the rabbit didn't really feel pain, and I also learned that some people were afraid to jeopardize their grades. I told them, as I feel now, that there are simply principles on which you never ever compromise and killing innocent beings using horrific and demeaning methods is one of them. When I nicely asked the professor about what he did, he simply shrugged it off. However, I was truly shocked when, a year later, I met him and he told me he

would never do what he did again. I simply thanked him and let it go because there was no reason to do anything more. Related to my professor's reaction and my simply saying "thank you," is my deep feeling that we should celebrate victories in kind ways. There was no reason to say anything but "thanks" and move on. So among my pieces of advice are: 1) Be nice to people even if you disagree with them. There's no reason to be "in their face" and mean — State your case and move on. 2) Pick your battles. There are some people who are never going to change and it takes precious time and energy to fight with them rather than to move on and work with people who might indeed change. 3) Be positive and proactive and keep your dreams and hope alive. When you see something wrong, try to understand why it's happening and take every measure to call attention to it and prevent it from happening again.

Everyone who wants to make the world a better place for nonhuman animals needs to work for the animals and not against people, especially not against people who work tirelessly to help animals who sorely need all the support they can get. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists Always be positive and kind; compassion begets compassion. Know that you may never personally see the fruits of your labor but others will surely benefit from your deep concern and actions. Keep your dreams and hopes alive because, in the end, compassion, peace, respect, dignity, and love will prevail. Lead by example; don't bicker and waste the finite time and energy you have to make the world a better place for all beings. We cannot continue wantonly and heartlessly redecorating nature and harming animals and their families, friends, and homes. We must expand our compassion footprint and rewild our hearts as if our own well-being and that of

future generations depend 011 our doing so now, which indeed they do. A Quote That Inspires My Activism I have decided to stick with love. Hate is toogreat a bürden to bear. Martin Luther King, Jr.

lauren Ornelas

lauren Ornelas is Founder and Director of Food Empowerment Project, a nonprofit Organization that seeks to create a more just and sustainable world by recognizing the power of one's food choices. You can connect with lauren and Food Empowerment Project on Twitter at (a>foodispower.

Educate Yourself I went vegan when I was in high school, and all I knew was that I didn't want an animal to die for me to eat. When discussing my choice with others, however, all I could do was speak from my heart. While that is valid, I was not educated about the facts of how animals are raised and killed for food, and that made me a little reluctant to debate the issue. I hear from new vegans and vegetarians about this all the time. Once they are armed with information on the dairy industry, for example, and how it is also harmful to the workers and the environment, activists are empowered with a certain strength. We might have morality on our side, and we know that, but knowledge helps us feel comfortable Walking into any Situation. Use Your Voice...

and always remember that it might be different for various occasions. It really is important for others to understand that many people stop eating animals because they don't want to take a life and contribute to more suffering, so the next time you come across someone who truly doesn't get it, speak up - gently and kindly, of course! It reminds me of the song by The Smiths that says, "It takes strength to be gentle and kind." For Organizer Activists I cannot overemphasize the importance of strategy and thoughtfully thinking through any action you take for animals. Perhaps you're considering a protest, for example. First, ask yourself if you even need a protest to attain your goal. (If you want the opportunity to have conversations with customers patronizing your campaign target, protesting might make that difficult.) If so, determine the goal of the protest. Or, perhaps you want to Start a corporate campaign. Ask yourself if you have the time it takes to initiate and maintain

such a campaign until the goal is accomplished and if the goal is realistic. Learn about campaign organizing before you Start one - for the sake of your group and the animals. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists The joy you get every day knowing you're working to have a positive impact on the world and lessen the suffering of animals should never be taken for granted. Wanting to stop suffering should not be considered a political act but one of sheer justice and compassion. Although it might intimidate some, it is the part of kindness that everyone wants to see in themselves, and you are just strong enough to live it. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

Walk the street with us into history. Get off the sidewalk. Dolores Huerta

Kristie Middleton

Kristie Middleton is Outreach Manager for The Humane Society of the United States' Farm Animal Protection campaign. She has worked with dozens of corporations, universities, hospitals, and other institutions to adopt more humane purchasing policies. You can connect with Kristie on Twitter at @kristimiddleton.

I became involved in animal protection in College after some choice words from a marketing professor about meat led me to vegetarianism. I soon became vegan and knew my life's work would be to protect animals. My intentions have always been good, but as the saying goes, "good intentions aren't good enough." It's been fifteen years and I'd like to think I've learned a lot along the way, though I'm certain I still have much to learn. As many people do, when I first became involved in animal activism, I wanted to tackle everything. I was outraged that so much cruelty was being inflicted on animals and feit that I should work to end it all. I attended circus protests and demonstrations at rodeos. I wrote letters to the editor about the exploitation of animals killed for für and organized film Screenings to encourage people to adopt a vegan lifestyle. I volunteered at animal shelters and gave presentations on the abuse of animals used for entertainment. My approach was scattershot. I worked hard and I have no doubt that I changed some hearts and minds, turned families away from

attending the circus, and persuaded people to become vegetarian or vegan. Looking back, though, I could have made a much bigger difference for animals had I chosen an area that I was passionate about, strategized on how to be most effective, and focused my energy on that area, as I now do with farm animal activism. The idea of narrowing our focus is embraced by some of the most effective animal advocates and organizations. Mercy For Animals, for example, once held anti-fur and anti-circus protests and now focuses on ending farm animal cruelty. Christine Dorchak, a longtime Boston activist who was passionate about many issues, decided she could best use her time by pursuing one area. She formed Grey2K, an Organization dedicated to ending greyhound racing. Among other victories, her Organization passed a ballot initiative in Massachusetts to ban dog racing. In his essay, "A Meaningful Life," Vegan Outreach co-founder Matt Ball eloquently discourages the "do something, do anything" philosophy. He suggests focusing our efforts on those things that

will be most effective. I wish I'd read it many years ago. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists Sometimes, the scope of suffering in our word can make it difficult to be hopeful. Take heart: our movement is making progress. When thoughtful people learn how animals are abused in our food supply, they agree it is wrong. We are the animals' hope to expose and end these cruelties. There is no more important work in life than that. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

It is an inescapablefact: when we choose to do one thing, we are choosing not to do another. There is no way around it. Instead of choosing to "do something, do anything," we challenge ourselves to pursue actions that will likely lead to the greatest reduction in suffering. Matt Ball

Josh Balk

Josh Balk is Director of Corporate Policy at the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Josh has worked with some of the largest U.S. restaurant and grocery chains, food manufacturers, and universities to help them adopt more humane policies for farm animals. You can connect with Josh on Twitter at Oioshbalk.

Be Relentless. Be Friendly. To achieve most major victories for animals, whether passing a law, changing a corporation's animal welfare policy, or getting a school to do Meatless Mondays or switch to cage-free eggs, you must be relentless. Of course, being Strategie by choosing the right target or utilizing the most effective tactics is important, but if the advocate isn't relentless in his or her efforts, there's often little hope for victory. Relentlessness is the number one predictor of success when it comes to winning campaigns for animals. Most victories for animals require getting others to change their behavior. This can be tough, but it's far easier if you ask them in a friendly manner. When we look back on the people who convinced us to change, were those people rude, angry, and intolerant, or friendly, professional, and understanding? Get Involved

If you're an aspiring advocate, the best way to get involved as quickly as possible is to Start volunteering for an Organization. No matter what the issue, there are wonderful organizations that would be thrilled to have new volunteers and are tremendous at helping rookies grow into effective advocates. One Organization that immediately comes to mind is Vegan Outreach, which specializes in teaming up with volunteers to pass out pro-farm animal literature to students at high school and College campuses. Volunteering is also a wonderful way to help build your resume in hopes of being hired to work for animals full-time. When applying for a job at an animal Organization, the first thing you're going to be asked about is what you've done for animals. An Organization would be significantly more likely to hire someone who received straight D's throughout College but led successful animal campaigns on campus or was an effective volunteer than someone who was on the Dean's

List but had no advocacy experience. Read Dale Carnegie I highly recommend reading Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. While this book doesn't deal with animal issues, there has perhaps never been a more important read for individuals who are striving to make change in the world. Parting words... Remember that success equals relentless obsession. The animals don't have a voice. They need us and we can't let them down. It's up to us.

Erik Marcus

Erik Marcus is a writer and Speaker who publishes Vegan.com, a Website that discusses vegan news, factory farming, and activism strategy. He is the author of several books, including Meat Market: Animals, Ethics, and Money and The Ultimate Vegan Guide: Compassionate Living Without Sacrifice. You can connect with Erik on Twitter at @vegan.

Like most new vegans doing advocacy, I probably did as much harm as good when I first got started. I didn't know my material as well as I should have, and I didn't know when to stop talking. I've since realized that vegan advocacy is more about listening than it is about talking. It's about knowing your subject cold, so you can offer well-informed thinking on any topic. The best animal advocates let the other person do most of the talking, and are constantly focused on figuring out the particular values a person has that might inspire them to take new steps toward animal protection. It's not about winning arguments; it's about winning people over. This is especially true when you can break out of polarized disagreements and find common values and broad agreement. You'll seldom find people Willing to make big moves overnight. But you'll often speak to people Willing to take a small step, and then another, and then another. When in doubt, find out if the person you're talking to knows about Meatless Mondays. Unless you're talking to Mayor McCheese, chances are good that you can inspire your listener

to cut out meat at least one day a week. And once you establish that foot in the door (as Nick Cooney demonstrates in Change of Heart: What Psychology Can Teach Us About Spreading Social Change), you've set the stage for even bigger things. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists There are very few activists thinking in big terms, but that's exactly

what's needed in a country that kills nine billion animals a year. A Quote That Inspires My Activism Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. The Dalai Lama

Che Green

Che Green is Founder and Director of the Humane Research Council (HRC). HRC empowers animal advocates with access to the research, analysis, and strategies that maximize their effectiveness in reducing animal suffering. You can connect with The Humane Research Council on Twitter at (ä)humaneresearch.

You Are Not Your Target Audience By definition, an animal advocate has attitudes and/or behavior that are different from the person he or she is trying to change. We cannot assume that we know what our target audience is thinking or how it will react to our message. To create effective campaigns, we must think about our audience's needs and aspirations, not our own. As Fenton Communications says, "Go with what is most effective in reaching your key audience, not what most appeals to those within your Organization." The "general public" is not your target audience, either. If we try to appeal to everybody with our campaigns, then we will end up appealing to nobody. To reach people effectively, advocates must design messages that appeal to specific groups of people and then target those messages effectively. Your Materials Are Too Hard to Read

In 2011, HRC conducted a study of the readability of a dozen leaflets designed to promote veganism and vegetarianism. In summary, we found that most of the leaflets were written at 3-4 grade levels higher than the average reading level of U.S. adults. This is clearly a missed opportunity; advocates have work to do to make our materials more accessible to the average person. Remember the "KISS" principle: keep it short and simple. Unless one's target audience is rocket scientists (hint: it isn't), advocates need to keep the concepts and language of our materials as simple and comprehensible as possible. It's not about "dumbing down" the message; it's about finding the simplest possible way to convey it. Question Assumptions and Test Yourself Reaching people with an effective message about animals that leads to lasting behavior change is hard to do. We must be Willing to constantly question our own assumptions and ensure that our messages are designed with the target audience in mind. If a given

approach doesn't get results, then be Willing to toss it out and try something new and innovative. Evaluating our advocacy efforts is also hard to do, but it is essential if advocates are going to make real progress for animals. It is not enough to assume that our programs are working when they could be wasting time and money. This means making a commitment to evaluation. Advocates owe it to animals to be smart about how we prioritize our limited resources. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists Creating meaningful change for animals will be a long and sometimes difficult road, but the evidence of progress is all around us. As participants in the most important social justice cause of modern times, animal advocates are laying the groundwork for a truly compassionate society, even if that society takes decades or centuries to become reality. As Tom Regan once said, "The seed never sees the flower."

Vandhana Bala

Vandhana Bala is Director of Legal Advocacy and General Counsel at Mercy For Animals (MFA). At MFA, Vandhana oversees legal initiatives, which include advising on undercover investigation efForts, handling corporate governance issues, supervising a legal intern program, and responding to issues involving animal agribusiness.

Take Advantage of Your Strengths There is a place for every Single one of us in the animal advocacy movement, and we all have different skills, strengths, and talents. It is important to keep an open mind and creatively explore different activities to find out what is the best fit for you and your unique skill sets. In this way, you can maximize your effectiveness and make the greatest difference for the animals. Do Your Homework Get to know the issues you are advocating, and arm yourself with as much information as possible. Whether you are engaged in friendly conversation or a heated debate, being well-informed can make all the difference in the world in persuading others of your point of view. The more knowledgeable you are, the more credibility and success you will have.

A Quote That Inspires My Activism If environmentalists hope to become more than a special interest we must Start framing our proposals around core American values. Wemust Start seeing our own values as central to what motivates and guides our politics. Michael Shellenberger arid Ted Nordhaus, authors of "The Death of Environmentalism"

Stay Positive It can often feel like there is so much work to do and we are facing so much resistance. It's easy to get overwhelmed. Above all, we must never give up. Change is gradual and progress can be slow. But every day we are making strides, thanks to each of our efforts. We should not lose sight of the fact that the animals depend on us to advocate on their behalf. We owe it to them and to ourselves to stay focused and work tirelessly to build a society where all animals are treated with the respect and compassion they deserve. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists

Every living being deserves to be treated with kindness and respect. Until we reach that goal, we must continue to advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. The animals are counting on us. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

I learned that courage was not the absence offear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers thatfear. Nelson Mandela

Paul Shapiro

Paul Shapiro is Vice President of Farm Animal Protection at the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Paul has spearheaded a number of high-impact legislative and corporate campaigns to reduce the suffering of farm animals. You can connect with Paul on Twitter at (a)pshapiro.

Pick tangible goals. Having visible, incremental progress helps inspire us to continue campaigning. Stay in touch with where society is at. Associating solely with likeminded animal advocates can lead people to stop understanding the mindset of those we need to reach. Be smart in what campaigns you wage. We can choose our campaigns based on how many animals stand to be positively affected, how much suffering would be reduced, and how likely we are to succeed. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists For years, the animal movement has been right about the factory farming issue. Now, we find ourselves not just on the right side but also on the winning side. There's still a painfully long way to go, but we've taken some impressively important steps for animals in recent

years, and we should celebrate that progress, while at the same time using the momentum to gain even more ground. A Quote That Inspires My Activism Nothing will work unlessyou do. Maya Angelou

Nick Cooney

Nick Cooney is Compassionate Communities Manager at Farm Sanctuary and Founder of The Humane League. He is also the author of Change of Heart: What Psychology Can Teach Us About Spreading Social Change. You can connect with Nick on Twitter at @nickcoonev2.

Think Like a Businessperson It's nice that we care about animals. But if we really, truly care about them, then we need to be very intelligent with our advocacy. We need to work on the outreach programs and use the approaches that will help as many animals as possible. So, think like a businessperson. Companies have a financial bottom line, and every decision they make is based on whether it's good or bad for that bottom line. We need to be just as calculating. We need to look at the different advocacy programs out there and decide what uses of our time and money will let us help the greatest number of animals possible and reduce the greatest amount of suffering. Ask, "How Many Animals Did I Help?" An easy way to see how effective we've been is to ask ourselves, "How many animals did I help this month?" You might not know an exact number, but you can get a decent sense based on what you've done.

If you've passed out a couple hundred leaflets to College students, you've likely gotten one or two people to go veg and spared 60 or more animals a life of misery — every year. If you've showed a video on animal cruelty to a couple hundred people, one or two have likely gone veg, and you've spared another 60 or more animals. Both of these estimates are based on actual survey research. At any rate, it's clear that you will help exponentially more animals doing one of these things (or similarly effective veg advocacy work) than by, say, signing a petition or protesting outside the circus. The likelihood that your presence or signature saved even a Single animal at those events is low; carrying out effective veg advocacy is more or less a Statistical guarantee that you are helping many, many animals. So ask yourself, "How can I help a greater number of animals next month?" Be Normal

People are more likely to listen to you and be persuaded by you to care about farm animals if you look, talk, act, and interact like them. No matter how you may be in your regulär life, the more you look and act like your audience when doing veg advocacy, the more effective you will be and the more animals you will spare. Consider it like wearing a uniform to work: uncomfortable, but important for success. And doubly important because lives are on the line. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists Is there anything better that you can do with your time tonight or this weekend than doing effective veg advocacy work to spare intelligent, unique individuals from a lifetime of misery? You have an incredible amount of power — please use it to the füllest! A Quote That Inspires My Activism

I don't try to jump over 7-foot bars: I look aroundfor 1-foot bars that I can step over. Warren Buffett, on taking on winnable battles

Caryn Ginsberg

Caryn Ginsberg is a strategy Consultant, Speaker, and writer. She is the author of Animal Impact: Secrets Proven to Achieve Results and Move the World. VegNews named this guide to effective animal advocacy an "Editors' Pick." You can connect with Caryn on Twitter at (a)animalimpact.

Do you eat only organic food, buy all your clothing secondhand, rely solely on public transportation, and compost appropriate food wastes? You may care about the environment, but find some aspects of these actions unpleasant, difficult, or isolating. Who wants to sign up for that? People want to do things that are fun, easy, and populär. When we ask them to take animal-friendly actions, such as going veg, getting them to care isn't necessarily enough. We'll get better results by making the actions fun, easy, and populär. Girls - and Guys - Just Want to Have Fun You needn't make light of animal suffering in food production. Make it positive, however, for people to be part of the Solution. When it comes to food, taste rules. Inspire the uninitiated with potluck dishes, dinner in your home, restaurant visits, recipes, and other memorable meals that show how delicious veg food can be. Let them see you reveling in plant-based cuisine.

Easy Does It As an experienced veg eater, you're probably a kitchen whiz and restaurant connoisseur. For the newbie, though, veggies, grains, beans, and soy may be unfamiliar and even intimidating. Helping people understand how to go veg is as important as explaining why. Have a great Website or cookbook to share. Give an upbeat, informed answer to "where do you get your protein?" Yes, you've heard it a hundred times, but it's the first time that person has asked. Win the Popularity Contest People delight in their individuality, but the herd mentality often prevails. Think fashion, TV shows, meet-ups, etc. A veg wannabe may worry about becoming an outcast. You can point to the explosion of plant-based foods as evidence of the increasing number of people choosing alternatives. Also, try to link up the newbie with social support in town or online.

You are an ambassador for veg eating and for animals. People look to you to see if dietary change is divine or dismal. Quizzing the waiter, complaining about the menu, and criticizing the meal detract from your advocacy. Calling in advance, offering practical ideas, relishing the results, and expressing your appreciation make veg eating look fun, easy, and populär to your dining companions and the restaurant staff. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists Did you know that people may need to hear something eight times before they really get the message? When you give people a positive experience with plant-based foods and with vegetarians and vegans — even if they don't change how they eat right away — you may have a greater impact than you realize! A Quote That Inspires My Activism

Let us ask what is best, not what is customary. Seneca, said in regards to vegetarianism and equally applicable to advocacy.

Let us ask what is best, not what is customary. Seneca, said in regards to vegetarianism and equally applicable to advocacy.

Karen Davis

Karen Davis is Founder and President of United Poultry Concerns, a nonprofit Organization that addresses the treatment of domestic fowl in factory farming. She has also written several books on farm animal advocacy including Prisoned Chickens, Poisoned Eggs: An Inside Look at the Modern Poultry Industry.

Be Affirmative and Do Not Apologize for Caring About Animals The apologetic mode of discourse in animal rights is epitomized by the "I know I sound crazy, b u t . . a p p r o a c h to the public. Advocates can mistakenly adopt a deprecatory rhetoric of "advocacy," hoping thereby to curry favor with a public they fear does not really care about animals and their suffering. They don't want to appear "radical" or be subject to the Charge that they "care more about animals than people." Advocates must resist the temptation to succumb to these intimidations. We must speak and act for animals as we would for ourselves, affirmatively with confidence. Know Your Subject Since we have little time to spend with each person, we must make as much of our time as possible. We must project a positive image of ourselves and of our cause, engage in effective verbal communication, and demonstrate knowledge of our subject.

Advocates should never distribute literature that they themselves have not first read and vetted. Advocates should know and agree with the message of every handout they distribute. We are personally responsible for every word and every idea that we transmit to others on behalf of animals. Expand Your Personal Ethic to a Public Outreach Effort The word "advocate" means taking a public stand for what one cares about and wants to accomplish. Understandably, many advocates are shy about confronting the public. Learning to talk comfortably and confidently takes practice. One thing to keep in mind is that people love personal stories. By framing your message in the form of a story about how you became aware of animal suffering and what led you to change, you engage people's interest without threatening them. You show them that it's possible and liberating to change their ways into something new and better.

Motivating Words for Fellow Activists As individuals and groups, we cannot give equal time to every category of abuse and injustice. Go where your heartstrings pull you the most, and do the best you can with the confidence needed to change the world. Rage against the dying of the light in every animal's eyes that results from human cruelty and abuse. Transform that pity and rage into your case for animal rights. Don't worry about being "successful." Be faithful. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

Fair pleading requires that one'sfacts and figures should be right, that one should not distort or quote out ofcontext; it does not exclude having one's heart and spieen in it. Arthur Koestler

Victoria Moran

Victoria Moran

is

an author, public

Speaker, and certified

holistic health counselor. Her most recent book is Main Street Vegan: Everything You Need to Know to Eat Healthfully and Live Compassionately in the Real World, which she co-authored with her daughter Adair Moran. You can connect with Victoria on Twitter at (a)victoria moran.

The first time I was interviewed by the press as an animal activist — it was the Kansas City Star, and I was in my early twenties — the reporter asked me the same kinds of questions we hear today: Where do you get your protein? Where do you get your calcium? Where do get your iron? Why do you care more about animals than people? What about the welfare of the farmers? And his piece de resistance: "But if we didn't eat them, wouldn't animals overtake the world?" I was so patient about the protein and the farmers, but by the time he got to world domination, I'd had it and blurted out: "We don't eat alligators and they haven't taken over the world!" (Although I was thinking what a better job they might have done with it than humans had to date). The next day the article appeared — a picture, the whole kahuna — and to my horror, the first sentence read: "Victoria Moran, a vegetarian who does eat alligator meat. . . . " I cried. Nothing eise I said, all accurately quoted, could make up for the fact that everybody in my hometown would now believe I was a reptil-ivore.

Lessons learned: keep your cool; focus on being clear, not clever; give up sarcasm in a kind of ongoing verbal Lent; remember that nothing is off the record and any comment can be misconstrued; understand that when people ask questions, they're almost never baiting you, challenging you, or trying to get under your skin: they usually just want to know the answer. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists There was a time when I believed that we would win this fight in my lifetime. I see now that that was naive, but we've come so far that instead of being discouraged by how much is left to do, I relate to the abolitionists of the 1700s. They didn't see the end of slavery, but

without them, the end might not have come. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

At the center ofpeace I stand, and nothing can harm me here. This is from Paramahansa Yogananda. I learned it when I was 18, and I use it almost every day, especially when I have to hold my own with somebody intimidating or enter a Situation that's scarier than I'd have chosen. When I remember that I can know myself to be at the center of peace, free from harm, I can act courageously, even when the courage is not my own.

Nathan Runkle

Nathan Runkle is Founder and Director of Mercy For Animals (MFA). Mercy For Animals is dedicated to preventing cruelty to farm animals and promoting compassionate food choices and policies. Nathan has overseen the organization's growth into a leading national force for the respectful treatment of farm animals. You can connect Nathan on Twitter at @nathanrunkle.

I used to be angry at and frustrated by anyone who wasn't a vegan or an animal activist. I thought it was us versus them. Now I know that the compassion and empathy that lives within animal advocates is shared by almost everyone. Our job is to inspire compassion and provide guidance, support, and encouragement. We should celebrate our successes and strive for progress over perfection. Focus. Determine how you can best prevent the greatest amount of suffering given your limited time and resources. Be honest. Be kind. Be dedicated. Take care of yourself. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists Your voice, thoughts, actions, and ideas have the power to change the world, prevent cruelty, and save lives. Use them wisely. Use them now. Use them often. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

It's a matter oftaking the side ofthe weak against the strong, something the best people have always done. Harriet Beecher Stowe

Jon Camp

Photo by Sylvia Elzafon

Jon Camp is Director of Outreach at Vegan Outreach. Jon has inspired countless people to get involved in farm animal advocacy and has personally handed out over 890,000 leaflets at over 500 schools encouraging veganism or reduced meat consumption. You can connect with Jon on Twitter at @jonrcamp.

Maximize Your Impact Most investors buy stocks that are likely to yield the highest profit. As animal activists, it's vital that we focus our time and resources on activities that reduce the greatest amount of animal suffering per hour expended and dollar spent. It is this focus on maximizing impact that leads so many of today's most effective advocates to work for farm animals, since they make up over 98% of the animals raised and killed by humans in the United States. Be a Likable Person We're always going to win more people over to our cause when we're friendly, welcoming, and non-judgmental. Most of us don't see someone who's abrasive and self-righteous and think, "How can I be more like that person?" We tend to be influenced by those who are kind and positive and those who take an interest in us.

Don't Worry About Personal Purity None of us are 100% pure and we all take part in at least some activity that harms animals. But this shouldn't prevent us from doing what we can to bring about the change that we can. And when we admit to not being perfect, we eliminate the bürden for those we're trying to influence of having to live up to some unrealistic Standard, thus making it easier for them to take practical steps that help animals. Remember, This Is a Marathon, Not a Short Sprint When first confronted with the suffering of today's farm animals, it's easy for us to feel that working to combat this is all that we should do. And while we should definitely utilize our sense of urgency and compassion, it's important that we do so at a pace that is sustainable. Along these lines, it's important to take part in activities outside of our activism that we find rewarding. As a result, we'll be happier,

and we'll be more well-rounded individuals, which will help us when relating to those we're trying to influence. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists Keep your eyes on the prize! We all have the potential to reduce a great amount of suffering and push the ball forward for animals. When we're looking back on our lives, imagine how nice it will be to say that the world is truly a better place because of the actions we took. Two Quotes That Inspire My Activism

The arc ofthe moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Talk is cheap. It's how we organize and live our lives every day that teils what we believe in. Cesar Chavez

David Coman-Hidy

David Coman-Hidy is Director of Campaigns at The Humane League. David oversees outreach efforts and campaigns for the Organization in Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. You can connect with The Humane League on Twitter at @thehumaneleague.

Besides the overall advice that I would give — taking a data-based, utilitarian approach to advocacy — I would teil any aspiring activist these three insights: Cultivate a Sense of Humor Nothing is more important to sustaining activism than this. We're working with dark issues and often doing thankless work. It is critical to find time to laugh (especially at ourselves). You'll be healthier and more effective and keep yourself from burning out. Have Other Interests We all know people who only have one interest or one subject that they like to talk about. These people are not pleasant. An activist can be more effective when she can relate to others, and it's important to show that one can be compassionate toward animals while still maintaining a füll life.

Spend Time With Effective Activists I have learned 90% of what I know about effective activism by spending time with more experienced Organizers. The best way to improve your own advocacy is to practice alongside the best in the business. We are lucky to be in a movement where our leaders are accessible and, for the most part, humble people. Reach out to them, use them as a resource, and get involved with their work. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists Working to help animals is an area where each activist can change

thousands of lives in a matter of hours. If you are interested in making the world a better place, it is hard to imagine where you could do more good. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

/ wish to do somethinggreat and wonderful, but I must Start by doing the little things like they weregreat and wonderful. Albert Einstein

Charlotte Laws

Charlotte Laws is a TV host, political analyst, and weekly contributor on NBC. She is the founder and president of the Directors of Animal Weifare (DAW) and the League for Earth and Animal Protection (LEAP). She previously served as Greater Valley Glen Councilmember and Los Angeles City Commissioner. You can connect with Charlotte on Twitter at (ä)charlottelaws.

Omniocracy There can never be true consideration for nonhuman animals under a democracy, which is, of course, a government of, by, and for the people. Animal advocates would be better served promoting an omniocracy or government with representation for all living beings. Within an omniocracy, nonhuman animals are constituents in much the same way as are human infants in a democracy. Their interests are considered within the decision-making process. Nonhuman animals are part of the Community. They should be treated as such. Run for Elected Office Animal Advocates can make a tremendous impact in even the humblest political positions on local councils, on city commissions, or in neighborhood associations. There is a difference between standing on the sidewalk with signs and having a seat at the decision-making table. Decision-makers are more receptive to those

at that hallowed table; they tend to lend support to colleagues' ideas, unless those ideas seriously conflict with their own agendas. Politics is where the power is. Animals need that power. Dress and Act Like Respected Members of the Community In my view, animal advocates should wear business suits and present themselves as esteemed leaders of the Community. They should refrain from attacking each other (infighting within the animal Community is notorious), show interest in multiple issues (not just those related to nonhumans), and befriend high-profile individuals who can assist with nonprofit fundraising. Those who use and abuse nonhumans often marginalize animal advocates, describing them as weird or scary. It is part of a massive publicity campaign. The campaigners hope to justify their own institutional violence in research labs, on factory farms, in puppy mills, and so forth. They hope to brainwash people into

believing, for example, that grocery störe prices will skyrocket if factory-farmed animals are given enough room to stand. Fear is an essential component in their public relations Crusade. When animal advocates present themselves as respected and well-rounded members of society, it becomes harder for false labels to take hold. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists Be the cause that produces a positive effect in the world. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

Do notgo where the path may lead;go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nora Kramer

Nora Kramer is Youth Outreach Coordinator at Mercy For Animals and the Founder and Director of Youth Empowered Action (YEA) Camp, a vegan summer camp for youth interested in activism and social change.

Channel Your Emotions Into Positive Action Compassionate people cannot help but feel strong emotions upon learning how animals are mistreated. While these emotions can motivate us to get active, becoming overwhelmed by sadness or anger can significantly hamper our effectiveness, whether through alienating others, not being Strategie, or just giving up. Nobody wants to feel judged, told what to do, or be made to feel guilty. Research shows that these are not effective strategies for motivating social change. So if you find yourself becoming selfrighteous or resentful, limit your exposure to horrific cruelty and take the time to look inward and do some work on yourself: maybe journal, do yoga, take a Workshop, try therapy, or whatever feels right for you. Any marketing expert can teil you that it takes multiple positive exposures to persuade people to buy a new cereal, let alone change their entire diet for the rest of their lives.

So don't get discouraged, point fingers, or burn bridges. We are making huge progress! Be a positive source of information and inspiration. Enjoy being an activist and vegan! Become someone others enjoy being around: Surround yourself (even online) with positive people, do activism you find inspiring and non-activism things you love, emulate activists you admire, and - maybe most importantly - commit to your own personal growth and development to become the most effective activist and happiest person you can be. Assume the Best of People Instead of seeing meat eaters as "part of the problem," Carol Adams suggests we consider everyone "pre-vegans" who for some reason(s) haven't yet gone vegan. There was a time before you chose to be vegan, and most people don't go vegan overnight. So gracefully answer "dumb" questions, and instead of demanding vegan purity, which many will reject, appreciate and celebrate people's steps

toward veganism. And don't criticize other activists. Go for Low-hanging Fruit Take advantage of simple, effective, though sometimes overlooked forms of activism. Some examples are bringing leaflets wherever you go and stocking them at veg restaurants, politely requesting vegan options at restaurants and on their Facebook and Yelp pages, and baking vegan Cookies for coworkers. We can also strategically target those most likely to be open to our message. Better to leaflet at a College, say, than nag friends who aren't interested. Find your niche: apply the things you love to do, the things you're good at, or the resources you have to make a difference. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists Thanks to activists' efforts, our movement has made enormous progress in an incredibly short amount of time. Just 15 years ago,

most people had never even heard of veganism. Soy milk had to be ordered as a powder from a catalog, to be mixed with water. Now, it seems a new celebrity goes vegan each week, and vegan options abound. Our efforts are paying off, and each of us has a valuable role to play. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

It always seems impossible until it is done. Nelson Mandela

Dawn Moncrief

Dawn Moncrief is Founder and Executive Director of A WellFed World (AWFW). AWFW is a hunger relief and animal protection Organization working with U.S. and international groups to strengthen vegan feeding programs, farm animal care, and pro-veg advocacy. You can connect with AFAW on Twitter at @awellfedworld.

Maintain Strong Physical and Emotional Health In airplanes, they instruct us to secure our own oxygen masks before helping others. The point? We can't help others if we're not well. The better our physical and emotional health, the more time, energy, and focus we have in the long term to support our mission. In other words, it's an endurance run, not a Sprint. Stress and unhealthy choices hurt us and make us sick. They can take a decade or more off our lives and muddle our current work. That's a loss of good advocacy. Healthy habits are a form of activism. It's not about perfection. It's about being gentle with ourselves (and others) while creating a longer, healthier, and more productive life. Improve Community Morale The enormity and intensity of our mission can be overwhelming. When feeling burned out, because we don't seem to make a "big enough" impact on the issues directly, we can shift our focus on ways

to improve the morale of other activists. We can help heal ourselves by strengthening our friendships and creating a warmer and more supportive Community at large. This gives us a break from our dayto-day and allows us time to refuel while still being part of the Solution. Choose Your Target Audience Strategically Many times, family and friends are not good audiences for our efforts. In the big picture, it doesn't matter if it's three people you know well who change or three random strangers. Friends and family are a relatively small group, and it takes more emotional energy to "persuade" them. Plus, such efforts are generally less effective and make relationships difficult and draining. Focus instead on people who show interest or openness to the ideas. This not only produces higher success rates, it increases our energy and morale instead of depleting them. That said, as activists, there are many times when we won't

be "speaking to the choir." When addressing other social justice advocates or resistant audiences, it's best to speak to their interests, use their language, prepare for their counters (intellectually and emotionally), and remain calm and constructive. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists We'll do best when our approach is guided by our personal strengths (natural and/or learned). By understanding the types of stresses we can handle and the situations in which we thrive, we can better understand which audiences and actions we can most inspire. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

The perfect is the enemy of the good. This is attributed to Voltaire. We can't fix all the Problems or do it all right, but that shouldn't that stop us from doing the good that we can.

Mark Middleton

Mark Middleton is an artist and web developer. He is the creator of Animalvisuals.com, a Website that features visual resources for animal advocates. You can connect with Mark on Twitter at (Smarklmiddleton.

As an animal advocate, part of what you're trying to do is get people

to change their behavior with respect to animals, and sometimes this means changing their beliefs about animals as well. You can't force someone to change their behavior; it's something they need to do for themselves. In our attempts to influence, we should strive to set a great example to make our choices as attractive as possible to those around us. This can be difhcult sometimes, because on the inside, we hold the knowledge that millions of animals are being harmed and killed every day, and bringing them relief is urgent. When we express outrage, it can be unpleasant, and we can risk pushing people away. You can guide those whom you hope to influence by providing them with information, listening to their thoughts, and discussing your own insights with them. An important part of being an effective animal advocate is getting connected with other activists. Through communicating with other activists, you may get information or ideas that help you with your individual or local efforts, and you can learn what is working for them and what isn't. They also serve as a source of inspiration and encouragement. Knowing and caring about all of the animal misery

in the world can be a difficult bürden to carry around, and it helps to know that you aren't carrying it by yourself. This goes both ways: sometimes your fellow activists will need your support as well. Being connected will also help you learn of opportunities where your skills are in need. Animal activism can take many forms, so be careful not to take a particular activity for granted as the best way for you to contribute. Think carefully about what your unique strengths and talents are, and how they can be used to make meaningful progress. If you can get a high-paying job, just making money and donating it might be the most effective thing you can do. If you have connections to a particular Organization or industry, think about how you could use your influence to make that industry more humane. It can help to read different perspectives on how to best help animals and then put thought into how you can contribute. You might come up with something no one has thought of yet.

Motivating Words for Fellow Activists If you become discouraged, remember that, even though we are in the dark ages for animals, we're moving toward a better time. In recent years, we have seen rising public awareness of animal abuse and an increasing firequency of important victories for animals. Also remember that you're not alone. You're in the Company of many dedicated individuals, and your voice makes a difference. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act. The Dalai Lama

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is a Speaker, author, and vegan educator. She is the author of five books, including The Joy of Vegan Baking and The Vegan Table. You can connect with Colleen on Twitter at @patrickgoudreau.

Remember Your Story

Whether we like it or not, if we're the vegan someone comes to, we represent all vegans. Although it may feel like a lot of pressure, it is also a great honor to be a voice for this abundant way of life, to be the "vegan in the room" that people come to with their questions, with their stories, with their fears, and with their hopes. What an honor to guide them to their own truth, to their own compassion. After all, we were once in their shoes. As effective activists — as "ambassadors of compassion" — we remember our own stories. We remember that we were once unaware. In forgetting our own stories, we lose our humility and we risk becoming arrogant and self-righteous — not a great formula for remaining joyful or for attracting people to a compassionate way of life. Raise the Bar I've seen too many vegans write non-vegans off as cruel or insensitive, but I don't think that's the whole truth about people. I don't believe people wake up in the morning wondering how they

can contribute to violence that day. I think people are so sensitive that they don't want to believe that they're contributing to harm or violence against animals. It's a lot easier to ritualize, rationalize, and romanticize the consumption of animals than it is to experience self-reflection and be open to shift your worldview and change your habits. I think effective activists — ambassadors of compassion — choose to see people as asleep rather than evil. When we expect the best in people, they rise to that expectation. Find Common Ground Effective activists realize that this issue isn't "me against you," "vegan against non-vegan," or "my moral superiority over your moral superiority." It's about all of us being against violence and cruelty. Effective activists find common ground and build from that common ground, choosing to stand together against violence rather than standing against one another. Effective activists are more Willing to find resolution than they are Willing to be right or win the

argument. They also keep a sense of humor! Motivating Words for Fellow Activists I think what changes hearts and minds is planting seeds of compassion, being a model of compassion, and keeping that intention whenever we encounter someone. If I'm in a space of openness and compassion, there is greater potential for change than if I'm in a space of judgment and anger. The question we have to ask ourselves as advocates is, "Do I want to be right or do I want to be effective?" Parting Words... My hope is that we can all navigate through this world with the grace and integrity of those who most need our protection. May we have the sense of humor and liveliness of the goats; may we have the maternal instincts and protective nature of the hens and the

sassiness of the roosters. May we have the gentleness and strength of the cattle, the wisdom, serenity, and humility of the donkeys. May we appreciate the need for Community as do the sheep and choose our companions as carefully as do the rabbits. May we have the faithfulness and commitment to family of the geese, the adaptability

and affability of the ducks. May we have the intelligence, loyalty, and affection of the pigs, the inquisitiveness, sensitivity, and playfulness of the turkeys. My hope is that we learn from the animals what it is we need to become better people.

Robert Grillo

Robert Grillo is Executive Director of Free from Harm, a nonprofit Organization that empowers vegans and aspiring vegans with the resources they need to confidently embrace a vegan diet and lifestyle. Robert also oversees the Chicken Rescue Fund, which provides rehoming and fostering for chickens as well as educational programs about these birds.

How do you get people to care about a cause that they are indifferent to? Find a creative way to connect your cause with something they really care about. My neighbor, so concerned about the trapped sparrow in my chicken enclosure, was grilling chicken at the same time. This became the basis of a story I wrote about how witnessing is the basis of empathy. When animals are invisible to us, we remain apathetic to them. But when they become a visible part of our reality, most of us have a natural desire to care and to protect them. What "angle" do you take to get people to care about your cause? Well, if your passion is animals, trying to sound like an authority on the environment, food economics, or nutrition may do more harm than good. Stick to what you know and what you're passionate about! If people engage you on other issues, refer them to experts in those areas whom you respect. Don't assume that because someone or some Organization avoids addressing animal suffering, speciesism, or animal issues in general, that they don't care about them. Remember that you will confront

silence and denial as the norm, even in causes related to or vaguely sympathetic to our own. And yet, when open to and faced with the truth, only about 4% of our population is sociopathic and unable to empathize. Take a gentle approach when discussing highly charged ethical subjects, but do not compromise your values in the hopes of luring someone in with a more "moderate" approach. This won't help you, them, or your cause. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists Setting realistic expectations for yourself and others is very important. Some people become too easily discouraged and this leads them to a State of cynicism or even paralysis. Dramatic shifts in how animals in society are viewed and protected will most likely take generations to accomplish. So it's critical now to plant the seeds for a more evolved future. We must never ever give up. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

If we no longer feel entitled to kill and consume animals, our identity as human beings comes into question. Witnessing compels us to view ourselves as strands in the web of life, rather than as Standing at the apex of the so-called food chain.

Witnessing challenges our sense of

human superiority; itforces us to acknowledge our interconnectedness with the rest ofthe natural world, an interconnectedness our species has made every effort to deny for thousands of years. And yet witnessing is ultimately liberating. When we recognize that we aren't isolated fragments in a disconnected world, but rather are a part ofa vast, living collective, we connect with a power much greater than our individual selves. We no longer support a system that is based on domination and subjugation, a system thatfollows Hitler's credo that "he who does not possess power loses the right to life." We learn, as author Matthew Scully says, not to measure our lives in things appropriated, crushed and killed. Melanie Joy

Lisa Shapiro

Lisa Shapiro is Founder and Owner of All Things Vegan, a Consulting firm that helps vegan products and services thrive by providing expertise on branding, marketing, manufacturing, financials, and public relations. You can connect with All Things Vegan on Twitter at @allthingsvegan.

Be Kind This can be challenging when you feel so deeply about animals and are aware of all the products of suffering around you. But kindness and authenticity are key to getting others to be open and receptive to our message. We need to remind ourselves that we were once prevegans and did those very same acts that we now look upon with horror and deep regret. Purge the Judgment This is another challenge, but no one wants to feel judged. In my pre-vegan days I would think people like me (vegans) were nuts. I try to remind myself of this every day. People can usually sense the judgment and will immediately shut down or get defensive. We need to keep the focus on the animals and ditch the "we are better than you" attitude and come from a place of compassion in our messaging.

Know the Issues Have "elevator speeches" memorized for common questions and myths and always carry literature with you (e.g., veg Starter kits, "Compassionate Choices," etc.). That way, even after your face-toface is over, your literature recipient can look at the material at his or her leisure. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists It has never been easier, more delicious, or more urgent to make vegan choices. Living vegan, and then educating and encouraging

others to make vegan choices, is the Single most important thing we can do as planetary Citizens. Figure out what your passions and skills are, and then get to work contributing to the most significant social justice issue of our time. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

One of the greatest opportunities to live our values — or betray them — lies in the food we put on our plates. Jonathan Safran Foer

John Oberg

John Oberg is an outreach coordinator at Vegan Outreach. John has personally handed out over 315,000 leaflets at over 200 schools encouraging veganism and reduced meat consumption. You can connect with John on Twitter at @iohnoberg.

Finding a balance is something that I've found to be very important as an animal activist. Sustainability is important for activists to keep in mind. Burnout is a real and serious threat to our potential. Each of us has limited time on this planet to create a better world for animals and that is not something we should take for granted. Our impact can be enormous, but if we continue at a pace that is unsustainable, the difference we make will be minimal compared to what it could be. In our limited time, we need to allocate our resources (time, money, effort) in a way that allows us to make the biggest impact possible over an extended period of time. Finding an ideal balance between our professional, social, and activist lives lets us maximize our impact in the long run. There are many ways to create a better world for animals. Because of the scale of suffering that animals are currently enduring across the globe, we need to be frank with ourselves. We need to ask ourselves if the work that we're engaging in to create a better world for animals is work that is making the biggest impact possible. This is the most important question we can ask ourselves.

The "biggest bang for my buck" philosophy is one that every responsible animal activist should not take lightly. There are many different animal protection organizations with many different goals and many avenues in which they try to create change. But with our limited time and resources, it is our duty to consider where our efforts can make the greatest impact. We owe it to ourselves and to the many animals that are suffering far and wide to go where our impact is greatest. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists There are so many things in this world that we can't change — but

instead of focusing on those, focus on the things that we can. Our impact can be great if we choose to make it great. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

If we are to alleviate as much suffering as possible, we need to maximize our impact.

Thoughtful individual advocacy allows us to have an

immediate and profound influence every Single day! Matt Ball

Peter Singer

Photo taken by Derek Goodwin and used with his kind permission

Peter Singer is Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University and Laureate Professor at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics at the University of Melbourne. Peter wrote Animal Liberation in 1975, igniting the modern animal movement. He has written on a ränge of moral issues, including poverty, globalization, and euthanasia. You can connect with Peter

on Twitter at (äpetersinger.

The greatest strategist among 20 t h Century U.S. animal activists was undoubtedly Henry Spira, the first person to successfully stop a series of experiments on animals. In my book Ethics into Action: Henry Spira and the Animal Rights Movement, the last chapter has a section called "Ten Ways to Make a Difference" based on Henry's insights. Here are three of them: 1. Try to understand the public's thinking and where it could go tomorrow. Don't lose touch with reality. 2. Set a target based on the amount of suffering involved and the probability of success.

3. Don't divide the world into saints and sinners. Ask yourself: if I were that person, what would make me want to change my behavior? Telling people they are sadists, evil, monsters, etc, isn't likely to be it. If you're interested in learning more about Henry's tactics, get a hold of Ethics Into Action or watch this documentarv I made on Youtube called Henry: One Maris Way. Motivating Words for Fellow Activists There is a lot of unnecessary suffering in the world. By working to reduce it, you can make a difference. But don't be too hard on

yourself. You're probably not a saint. Pace yourself, so you can be in it for the long haul. A Quote That Inspires My Activism

When I go, I want to look back and say: 'I made this a better place for others.'But it's not a sense ofduty, rather, this is what I want to do. Ifeel best when I'm doing it well. Henry Spira

Essays From the Editor

Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won't come in. Alan Alda

As activists, one of our most daunting tasks is to challenge beliefs and assumptions that others take for granted. But sometimes questioning others' assumptions is not the hardest part of being an activist; the hardest part is questioning our own. It's important to do so, however, because the only way we can become more effective is to question the way we currently do things. In the following pieces, I look at some common ways we approach farm animal advocacy and explore how me might do things more

effectively. Where possible, I cite empirical data or research to support the ideas I share. While the following six pieces are broad in focus, some may apply more than others to the particular sort of efforts you're involved in or interested in pursuing. So, of course, feel free to skim or skip through a piece if it applies less to your type of involvement. I hope you enjoy the following pieces and find them useful and thought-provoking. Note: I co-wrote the first essay with Nick Cooney, Compassionate Communities Manager at Farm Sanctuary and author of Change of Heart: What Psychology Can Teach Us About Spreading Social Change. Nick will describe this idea as well in his upcoming book on outreach, due out in fall, 2013.

Bowling Without Blindfolds

By Nick Cooney and Ben Davidow

Imagine you're Standing in a dining room before a massive table set with 100 plates. Spread among the plates is all the beef, chicken, and pork an average American consumes in one year. Since Americans eat so much meat, the plates are piled high with animal flesh. If you tally up the plates, you'll find that 44 plates contain chicken, 30 contain beef, and 26 contain pork, since Americans eat slightly more chicken than beef or pork.ü. Given this table, it makes sense that our movement places roughly equal focus on cows, pigs, and chickens. Right? Wrong. That table represents the weight of the meat Americans eat,

but it doesn't reflect the number of animals they eat. In place of the table, picture all the actual, live animals who were farmed and slaughtered to produce the meat you visualized on the plates. Looking upon this crowd of animals, you notice something stränge: there's a sea of chickens a n d . . . that's it. Where are all the pigs? Where are all the cows? Because chickens are so much smaller than cows and pigs, many more of them must be slaughtered to get an equivalent amount of meat. To produce the same amount of meat that can be obtained from a Single cow (or four pigs), over 200 chickens must be küled.iuj That's why, despite the fact that people eat almost as much pork and beef as they do chicken, they eat many more chickens than they do cows or pigs. Each year, the average American eats 28 chickens but only one half of a pig and one eighth of a cow.lkl This explains the absence of cows and pigs in the thought experiment above: all the

pork and beef a typical American eats in a year doesn't add up to a Single cow or pig. For farm animal activists, what truly matters is not the amount of meat that people consume but the number of animals that are harmed and the amount of suffering that is caused. Our movement's outreach efforts, however, are based largely on the illusory dining table: we tend to direct our resources based on how often animals are consumed, not how many are consumed. A Question of Focus Farm animal advocates sometimes point out how problematic it is that the majority of resources devoted to helping animals go toward cats and dogs. Farm animals, we argue, deserve the focus, since they make up nearly 99% of the animals exploited and mistreated by humans. Yet we farm animal advocates seem to have a similarly problematic bias. We tend to give no more focus to chickens than we do to cows

and pigs, despite the fact that cows make up less than one third of 1 % and pigs make up just over 1% of the land animals farmed for food. Chickens make up a whopping 95%.üvj And it's not just that a higher number of chickens are farmed and slaughtered. The same trend holds true when we look at the number of days of animal suffering caused by an average meat-eater. We get this amount by multiplying the number of animals consumed by how long each one lives and suffers on a factory farm. Chickens (both meat and egg-laying) endure roughly 86% of the total number of days of suffering that all farm animals endure (we're excluding farmed fish here; please see the postscript for an explanation why). Pigs represent just 5% of the number of days of suffering, and cows (dairy and beef combined) represent only 3%.bj And to top it all off, veterinary evidence suggests that factory farmed meat and egg-laying chickens suffer at least as acutely as — and probably much more so than — beef cows, dairy cows, and pigs. vl

When we carry out farm animal outreach without considering the relative suffering caused by different animal foods, we are bowling with blindfolds: we can't know where to aim, and our success will be limited.[äijIt's time to remove the blindfolds and knock down as much animal cruelty as we can. If we see farm animals as individuals, and we want as many individuals as possible to be protected from cruelty, then our focus needs to be on getting the public to give up chicken (and eggs). Having that focus will enable us to save more lives and prevent more suffering. Consider, for example, that getting someone to give up red meat helps less than one animal per year. On the other hand, getting someone to simply cut their chicken consumption in half — even if they continue to eat all other types of meat — spares 14 animals per year a lifetime of misery. If someone were to give up chicken and replace all the chicken they used to eat with beef and pork, they would still be sparing a net of about 27 animals per year from a lifetime of

misery. That is almost the same number of animals who would have been spared had the person become vegetarian. At the very least, our outreach efforts should place greater focus on chicken and eggs. We should teil people that the first and most important thing they can do to help farm animals is to cut out or cut back on chicken. An Intriguing Possibility But there's a much larger implication for animal advocates: we may be able to spare more animals by encouraging the public to 'avoid chicken' (or possibly 'avoid chicken and eggs') than by doing what we do now, which is encouraging them to adopt vegetarian or vegan diets. Why might this be the case? Try this scenario on for size. Imagine it's 10 years in the future. Climate change is still a major issue, and the time has come for you to buy a new car. An environmentalist friend of yours encourages you to just stop driving entirely. Another friend encourages you to

buy a solar-powered car, which generates 90% lower greenhouse gas emissions and is equally convenient and almost as cheap as conventional cars. What would you do? While a few people may quit driving, chances are you'd go for the solar car, right? And in making the switch, you'd be doing 90% as much good for the environment as if you had stopped driving entirely. The same Situation holds true when it comes to what meat Americans eat. Simply by leaving chicken off the plate — even if they replace it with beef and pork — Americans can reduce the number of animals they harm by about 90%. And, in all likelihood, the public would be much more Willing to give up one type of meat (chicken) than they would be to give up all meat. In fact, polls show that there are far more chicken-avoiders than vegetarians. One national poll found that while only 2.3% of Americans were vegetarian, 6.3% never ate chicken.^

So, what impact could focusing on chicken have for farm animal advocates? Let's say that 4% of Americans would be Willing to give up eating chicken alone if you encouraged them to do so, but only 3% would be Willing to give up all meat. At least in the short term, encouraging people to just give up chicken would help many more animals. If you encouraged 100 Americans to ditch meat, you'd spare 90 animals per year. If you encouraged 100 other Americans to just ditch chicken, you'd spare 112 farm animals per year. And if, say, 8% of the public were Willing to give up chicken alone, the number of farm animals spared would skyrocket to 224 per year. Focusing on chicken could prove more beneficial in the long run as well. People who eliminate one food become more open to other changes down the line, and they've already taken the most important step by ditching chicken. To the extent they spread this dietary change to friends and family members, they'11 be spreading the change that spares the most animals.

Only research will teil us whether a broad message like "go veg" or a focused message like "cut out chicken" helps the most animals. In the meantime, though, you might try focusing your personal outreach efforts on chicken and see how it goes. There's a good chance that by doing so you will spare the lives of many more individuals - individuals like Wendy who are suffering right now on factory farms.

Wendy is a resident of Farm Sanctuary's animal refuge in Orland, California But What About... Before we wrap up, let's take a minute to look at some possible

concerns about this approach. 1. Current Outreach is Effective Absolutely. Many outreach efforts get strong results. We are simply encouraging the exploration of an alternative approach that may get even better — perhaps far better — results. 2. People Empathize More with Pigs and Cows It's true that mammals like pigs and cows generate more empathy than chickens. Studies suggest, though, that the empathy gap between pigs, cows, and chickens is not as big as we may expect. So it's quite possible that, even though people do care about chickens less, the difference is not large enough to offset the benefits of focused outreach. And there are ways to generate more affinity for chickens: for example, showing cute, baby chicks or displaying chickens interacting with cats and dogs.

Also, empathy does not function in a vacuum. People tend to shut down their empathy when asked to make difficult lifestyle changes. Since giving up chicken is easier than going vegetarian, people asked to do so are more able to put their empathy into action. 3. We Won't Be Able to Use Health and Environmental Arguments Health and environmental arguments can still be used. Farm Sanctuary's "Something Better" leaflet, for instance, focuses specifically on chicken and fish when discussing health, mentioning that chicken and fish contain high levels of carcinogenic chemicals like arsenic and mercury, and that chicken is a major source of saturated fat intake.^ 4.

Focused Outreach Would Result in Fewer Vegans and

Vegetarians What matters for animals is not the number of vegans and vegetarians. What matters is how many animals are being raised and killed for food. Focusing on chicken may lead to fewer animals being

raised and killed than focusing on vegetarianism. That said, focusing on chicken wouldn't necessarily result in fewer vegetarians and vegans in the long run; it might actually result in more. The well-documented psychological phenomenon called footin-the-door shows that people who make a small change become even more likely to make a similar, larger change down the line if later encouraged to do so.^. And research suggests that people who make a gradual transition to vegetarianism are more likely to stick with it.Lxii 5. Veg Diets Are More Contagious It's possible that, because being vegetarian or vegan shapes one's selfidentity, vegetarians will be more motivated to convert others than those who simply cut out chicken. That is certainly possible, though the reverse could also be true. It may be the case that giving up chicken spreads faster because it's an easier change to make. In Closing...

Just as the moon and the sun may appear to be the same size from our vantage point, from a distance, chicken, beef, and pork seem to be equally large and relevant targets. But when we take a closer look, this illusion falls apart. Chicken consumption and egg consumption are responsible for the vast majority of farm animal suffering. Focusing on chicken and eggs could mean the difference between helping hundreds of animals and helping tens of thousands of animals in our individual lifetimes. Postscript Farmed fish consumption accounts for fewer animals harmed but even more hours of suffering than chicken consumption. We focus on land animals though, since fish draw significantly less empathyixüj to an extent that we suspect a dietary change message including fish would be less effective than a message focused purely on chicken and eggs. We do think it's a good idea to test a message that includes fish, but we think the priority should be testing a message focused on chicken and possibly eggs as well since it has the most promise. In

Appendix B, we discuss how to formally test the efficacy of a focused message. The two following Charts visualize the disparity of suffering caused by the consumption of different animal foods.

Relative Number of Farm Animals Harmed by Average American Consumption of Different Foods

Startingjust short of 12 o'clock and moving clockwise, beef duck, and dairy are barely perceptible slivers ofthe pie. "Harmed" is defined here as animals that are killed for food production or die from unnatural conditions onfarms (e.g., animals who don't make it to slaughter due to fatal complications from unnatural breeding). This chart includes

male chicks in the egg industry who are killed upon hatching as part ofthe eggcategory and veal calves as part ofthe dairy category, since consuming dairy may support veal production. (If you're reading this on a black and white device, chicken is the largest piece ofthe pie and then clockwise from around 10:30,follow eggs, turkey, pork, beef, duck, and finally dairy).

The above chart looks at the number ofhours of su ffering caused by different animal foods rather than the number of animals harmed. Unlike the first chart, this one does not accountfor male chicks in the egg industry and veal calves.

The Stat Trap

I f l look at the mass I will never act. I f l look at the one, I will. Mother Teresa

Suppose I handed you 20 dollars, presented you with a description of a famine in Africa, and asked you how much of the money you'd like to donate to aid the Situation. Which of the following descriptions do you think would motivate you to give more? A) Food shortages in Malawi are affecting more than 3 million children and more than 11 million people in Ethiopia need immediate food assistance. Your donation will help victims of the famine. B) Rokia is a desperately poor seven-year-old girl in Mali who faces a

threat of severe hunger and starvation. Any money that you donate will go to Rokia. If you're like most people, the second prompt would motivate you to give more. In the classic study that tested this, Rokia's story inspired significantly more generosity than the first prompt.!™. Why? According to numerous psychology studies, stories with identifiable victims are more powerful than large, impersonal statistics in motivating concern and action.^vj And yet our movement frequently cites statistics and rarely teils stories. Leading organizations such as Compassion Over Killing, Mercy For Animals, The Humane Society of the United States, and Vegan Outreach, all cite on their Websites the number of animals factory farmed and slaughtered.^ And many of us share these statistics in our personal outreach efforts. We may assume that

citing the number of animals exploited by the meat industry will convey the enormity of the problem and thus get people to care. In reality, large, impersonal statistics make people less responsive. Mentioning the enormous number of farm animals that are exploited can actually diminish concern about the issue. Why do statistics fail and how can we replace them? The first reason is that statistics lack an identifiable victim. Stalin reputedly said, "The death of one man is a tragedy, the death of millions is a statistic.'Wj As the Rokia study demonstrates, the human brain is poorly designed to grasp large, systemic problems with nameless victims. The participants who read the first prompt, which stresses the enormity of the problem and cites staggering statistics, gave significantly less than the ones who read the personalized story.ixvn Large statistics trigger analytical thinking, which has been shown to diminish empathy and generositv. ,vmi Citing identifiable victims, on the other hand, triggers empathy,

which often spurs action. There's also evidence that the size of statistics matters little in motivating action. In one study, subjects were asked how much of a tax increase they would accept in order to save X number of wild birds from drowning in local oil ponds (X was either 2,000, 20,000, or 200,000 birds depending on the subject group). The number of birds made little difference. In fact, people accepted a greater tax increase to help 2,000 birds than they did to help 20,000 birds. LXLX] This phenomenon is called scope insensitivity and has been found in numerous studies.^ The second reason large statistics fail is that they create a sense of futility. When people encounter large statistics, the common reaction is "Anything I do is just a drop in the bücket, so what's the point?" The most fascinating thing about the Rokia study is what happened when a third group was presented with both prompts put together, the statistics and the story. These subjects gave more than

those who only read the statistics-heavy prompt but less than those who only read the story-focused prompt.^ Why? Because the statistics were so overwhelming that the subjects questioned whether anything they donated would have a meaningful impact. Another study found that people feit more compelled to contribute to a cause that would help 1,500 out of 3,000 people than one that would help 1,500 out of 10,000 people, despite the same level of i m p a c t . ^ The consistent finding in psychology research is that proportion matters more than magnitude in inspiring action. People are more likely to support a cause when they can help a higher proportion of victims, not a higher number of victims. The third reason statistics fail is diffusion of responsibility, also called the bystander effect. People feel less obliged to address an issue when others could help out or when others are equally responsible for the problem.!x*:i: If your consumption choices contribute to a problem, but most people you know make the same choices, it's hard

to feel personally responsible for the problem. Statistics on factory farming epitomize these three barriers. They lack an identifiable victim and they create futility, because the number of exploited farm animals is so large. And finally, they diffuse responsibility because one thinks, "Almost everyone I know eats meat, so why am I responsible for this?" Not all statistics are ineffectual or harmful, just the commonly used sort that cites staggering numbers of victims. Telling people the number of animals they can spare from suffering by cutting their meat consumption, for instance, can be highly effective. This statistic empowers people rather than making them feel futile. Specifically, the average American can spare 31 farm animals a year by going vegetarian.^xiv. We can also teil people that they can spare 28 animals a year simply by giving up chicken. xv i While empowering statistics can help, stories are likely the most effective device we can use to replace ineffectual statistics. A

poignant story of an individual farm animal can, like the story of Rokia, convey an identifiable victim and rid the sense of futility and the diffusion of responsibility that plague large statistics. For inspiration on how to effectively teil farm animal stories, check out Farm Sanctuary's video on factory farming entitled "What Came Before." The Script, written by Nick Cooney, features the stories of several farm animals and avoids large statistics. If you'd rather not view graphic footage, you can read the Script, which I've notated with comments about how various psychology insights are used to powerfully convey the message. Since

the

modern

animal

movement

is

largely

rooted

in

utilitarianism, which hinges on calculating suffering, and since the extent of exploitation is so staggering, it's enticing to use statistics.

ix*y;iBut enticing does not equal effective. To change consumption choices, we need to reach people on an emotional level and statistics fail to do that.ixxvüj Hl leave you with a mantra I composed as a reminder on what makes for effective rhetoric: Stories over Stats, Faces over Facts, Names over Numbers, Proximity over Pervasiveness. Note: The core ideas in "The Stat Trap" are based on Peter Singer's book, The Life You Can Save: Acting Now to End World Poverty and Nick Cooney's book, Change ofHeart: What Psychology Can Teach Us About Spreading Social Change.

Pigs in the Bahamas

I recently stumbled upon some stunning pictures of pigs lounging on the tropical beaches of the Bahamas. The conditions that these animals live in appall me. I mean, here I am, holed up in a reading tube in a dusty, sunless library in fog-laden San Francisco, while these guys are bathing in the warm waters of the Caribbean. What injustice! Poor humor aside, this glimpse of swine utopia got me thinking

about pain and pleasure in our movement's rhetoric (by rhetoric, I mean anything used to communicate our message, including speech, leaflets, and videos). The farm animal movement's rhetoric is filled to the brim with suffering, while animal joyxx .:. is painfully absent. I think that leaving joy out of our rhetoric is a missed opportunity to individualize farm animals and, oddly enough, to better convey their suffering. When people see footage of farm animals confined in tiny crates or mutilated without pain relief, they tend to be less disturbed than they would be if the victims were cats or dogs. I think this is largely because they don't see farm animals as individuals. Individuals have Personalities and preferences and needs. Farm animals simply eat and move around — in many people's eyes. In my experience, an effective way to individualize animals is to show them being happy and being themselves. When we convey

farm animal suffering, the focus is on what's being done to them. When we convey farm animal joy, the focus shifts to what they are doing or what they like to do, changing them from objects to agents, from somethings to somebodies. Another effective way to individualize farm animals is to convey their intelligence. «axi A 2012 study by psychologists at The University of British Columbia measured which perceived characteristics of different animal species deter people from eating them. The researchers found that perceived intelligence more strongly predicted disgust at eating a given animal species than any other measured characteristic, including the capacity to suffer. ^i This was true for all the regions of the world included in the study. Since people generally aren't aware that most farm animals are just as smart as cats and dogs, intelligence deserves greater focus in our rhetoric. Most of the suffering that factory farm animals endure is a result of what they can't do. Farm animals are routinely deprived of basic

needs that bring contentment, if fulfilled, and distress, if denied. The problem is that most people are unaware of these needs, so it doesn't bother them when they see farm animals being deprived of them. Consider hens in battery cages: they can't perch, preen, nest, walk around, or even Stretch their wings. Yet their natural drives endure. A battery-caged hen, for instance, will sometimes attempt to dust bathe by rubbing her abdomen against the sharp wire mesh of her cage to the point of becoming wounded. A few years ago, The United Egg Producers (UEP), an industry trade group, responded to undercover investigations of egg farms by releasing their own footage. Their videos depict impeccably clean battery cages with no hens entangled in the wire mesh or drowning in the manure p i t . ^ For such a video to be effective, viewers must be blind to the most basic needs of chickens. Only then, can the inherent cruelty — confining hens in cages so small that they can't even flap their wings — go unnoticed.

Imagine a video of humans crammed in tiny crates so small that they couldn't stand or turn around. Meanwhile, an enthusiastic narrator praised their luxurious lifestyle: "The crates are pristinely hygienic and the humans are provided an unlimited food supply." If people were aware of the basic needs of farm animals, PR videos of battery cages or gestation crates would strike viewers as equally absurd. Blindness to animal needs not only lets people be fooled by industry PR videos; it can also let them dismiss videos issued by activists. These videos often show workers physically tormenting animals and show animals with extreme injuries from unnatural conditions. Viewers sometimes assume that the footage was cherry picked and that such events are rare. If, however, the inherent cruelty of confinement were understood, viewers would recognize factory farm conditions as appalling regardless of how often animals were tormented or physically injured (though routine and deliberate forms of injury such as mutilating sensitive body parts without pain relief deserve focus in our rhetoric).

Our collective silence on animal joy gives the industry a monopoly on shaping the public's perception of what farm animals want and need. Their pleasure is often reduced to eating, and purely in a quantitative sense, as if eating a ton of food were the sole ingredient for a good life.ixxxüj Many people seem to think that the only thing farm animals, particularly pigs, need to be happy, is an unlimited food supply. If it were known, however, that pigs are exploratory creatures that in the wild span a daily ränge of several miles, people would see the crime in confining a sow in a two foot wide crate, so small she cannot even turn around. If it were known that pigs naturally feast on a variety of foods and enjoy as many as 50 species of fruits, people would grimace at the idea of feeding them acidic, hormone-ridden pelleted com — and nothing eise. If it were known that wild pigs roam in small, tight-knit groups and build communal nests at night, people would be appalled by the confinement of pigs in solitary crates or pens packed with hundreds of other pigs.

Experimental Activism

In April, 2012, Jon Stewart noticed some stränge emails in his inbox. The Daily Show host was receiving messages from President Obama with subject lines like "Hey" or "Dinner?" On the air, the TV host commented: Every time I open these super casual bro-mails the message is always the same: "Give me Money" . . . Now when anyone emails me just to say "hey," I've been trained Pavlov dog style to assume they're really just asking mefor $75 .. .Td mind it less ifyour subject lines were "Give Me Money." Then I would know the parameters of our relationship. ixxxvj Jon wasn't the only one getting these emails. Leading up the 2012 U.S. presidential election, millions of Americans were guinea pigs in a stränge series of experiments run by Obama's campaign team. The

various subject lines were part of a testing strategy used to optimize donation requests. mi The campaign would send as many as 18 variants of a fundraising email at a time — identical except for their subject lines — to different supporters. It then measured which subject lines were most effective at obtaining donations and used them for future emails until a better one was discovered. Campaigners found, for instance, that the subject line "I will be outspent" generated twice the donations of "If you believe in what we're doing" and quadruple the donations of "Deadline: Join Michelle and Me . lxxicviil Obama's campaign ran similar tests for emails' body text, sender, and use of images. It also measured the impact of television ads, message scripts for phone calls, and the efficacy of text messaging versus email solicitations. The campaign's constant testing gave it a secret edge that helped win the election or at least widen its margin of victory.

Until the natural ways and joys of farm animals receive more prominence in our rhetoric, it will be difficult to individualize farm animals and truly convey their suffering. x: • I f you're creating a presentation, a leaflet, or video on factory farming, try including images of farm animals thriving in their natural environment and discuss their level of intelligence.^v: This will individualize the animals and by way of contrast, highlight the extent of their suffering.

I also recommend spending some time with farm animals, particularly at a farm sanctuary, to gain an appreciation of what they're like in a free setting. Citing personal experiences around farm animals will give you more credibility in talking about who they are and what they need.

Just like a presidential campaign, consumer-focused activism can thrive from an experimental approach. To become more effective every day, we must try out different approaches and different versions of outreach materials and track the results. Even Obama's campaign insiders consistently failed at predicting which subject lines would get results and only found the answers through testing.^xxviuj Relying on testing doesn't mean we dismiss our intuitions but that we treat them as starting point assumptions that must be put to the test. Then, based on the results, we refine our intuitions and repeat the process. Many of The Obama Campaign's email versions drew few donations but they were invaluable, because they established the relative success of other versions. In the same way, many versions of our emails or online ads may have little impact, but if we measure them, we can make them better..,^ In this sense, there are no final drafts in activism; everything we do can be learned from and improved.^

Thanks to the speedy evolution of online analytics tools, we can conduct testing far more powerfully than we could 10, or even 5 years ago. I'd like to show you some exciting ways we can apply one simple and powerful method: the A/B test, also called the split test. In A/B testing you try two or more versions of something (e.g., an email, online ad, web page, or leaflet) simultaneously, and measure which one is most effective. Then you go with that version and test it against yet other versions. You continually tweak and test as you arrive at more and more effective versions. Here are a few ways we can apply A/B testing to our efforts. 1. Killer Emails Have you ever, in the midst of authoring a mass email, mulled over how to best phrase a sentence or which image to use? Well, fear not my friend: With A/B testing you'll never lose sleep again pondering whether you used a sub-par subject line.

Many activist efforts involve sending mass emails that include calls to action like donating, signing a petition, ordering a veg Starter kit, watching (or sharing) an investigation video, or signing up to volunteer. With A/B testing, you can measure how effectively different email variants spur people into action. The three primary behaviors to measure are open rate, click-through rate (how many people click on the link(s) in the email), and action rate (e.g., how many of the people who click on the link perform the desired behavior (e.g., share an investigation video, donate, etc.).^ Factors that can be tested in an email include subject line, from line (e.g., name of nonprofit Organization or individual Organizer sending the email), delivery time (time of day and day of week), and use of images. The subject line is a good place to Start since it's critical and easily measurable. Slight tweaks in the subject line can result in many more recipients opening your email and going on to perform the intended action.

If you already use email campaign Software, it likely has builtin testing tools. If not, some platforms with great analytics are MailChimp, AWeber, and Moosend. MailChimp offers automated A/ B testing. This means that you could specify, for instance, that 10% of your listserv will receive X subject line and 10% will receive Y subject line, and then the remaining 80% will automatically receive whichever version proved more effective. For a free, though limited approach to email testing, you can use Google Analytics' URL Builder in conjunction with your emails.^ 2. Amazing Ads Activist and data cruncher Brian Tomasik estimates that a dollar spent on effective Facebook ads encouraging vegetarianism prevents an estimated 123 days of farm animal suffering.xk, Nick Cooney, founder of The Humane League, stated, "As a full-time animal advocate whose job is promoting veg eating, I simply do not see anything eise that gives us as much bang for our buck right now

in creating new vegetarians and meat-reducers as well-executed Facebook a d s . " ^ Nick and The Humane League ran a variety of ads all linking to a URL with a video on factory farming that gave viewers the option of ordering a veg Starter kit. He found that some ads were 10 times more effective as others, as measured by the amount of money spent on an ad per veg kit ordered.^ How can we create effective ads? There are three ways to do so: test, test, and...test some more.