Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret, reviewed

We look at this movie, Cowspiracy, from 2014 directed by Kip Andersen (co-director) and Keegan Kuhn (co-director), which is still relevant, or perhaps has become even more so in 2021.

Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret, reviewed

There is a lot to like about this film, but a few disclaimers first. This review has not been written by someone who is a vegan (not yet at least). The title doesn’t quite work for us, lots of people have been raising awareness around the issues of rainforest deforestation for cattle ranching. And, to show my age, at Earth Day 1990, many of the speakers were very clearly identifying that not eating meat was a massive step that people could take to help the planet and reduce deforestation and CO2 issues. Therefore in many ways this film was not revealing hugely surprising ‘secrets’.

These caveats to one side, we watched it, because one of our  younger influencers asked if they could watch it, because it had been listed in ‘Bosh! How to live Vegan’ as a film worth watching. The directors of this film also made this film because they were inspired by the earlier ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ by Al Gore, so this is very much part of a wider and ongoing conversation. At the same time, perhaps for each new generation, they need their own entry point and moment of inspiration. In this way, this film, in a more recent context, delivers in spades.

As more and more vegan alternatives to meat, emerge so it becomes easier to eat in a more vegan, and less environmentally damaging way. It also becomes conceivable, as we learn more and more about the negative aspects of what eating intensively farmed meat can do to us, that, for health reasons alone, in five years time, we may look back at these current meat eating practices, and wonder, like smoking, why we ever did it. Therefore, on many levels this film works well, has a powerful impact, and may well help inspire a whole new generation to do the right thing for both our own health and that of the planet too. Check it out.

There’s no getting around it: The foods we eat have a huge environmental impact and they contribute to global warming.
Each time you sit down for a meal, you’re making a choice for the environment.#cowspiracy #animalagriculture #goplantbased #vegan #environment #environmentalist pic.twitter.com/eSEOaESI6Y

— Cowspiracy (@Cowspiracy) May 20, 2019

About the film

Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret is a groundbreaking feature-length environmental documentary following intrepid filmmaker Kip Andersen as he uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today – and investigates why the world’s leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it.

Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption and pollution, is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the transportation industry, and is a primary driver of rainforest destruction, species extinction, habitat loss, topsoil erosion, ocean “dead zones,” and virtually every other environmental ill. Yet it goes on, almost entirely unchallenged.

As Andersen approaches leaders in the environmental movement, he increasingly uncovers what appears to be an intentional refusal to discuss the issue of animal agriculture, while industry whistleblowers and watchdogs warn him of the risks to his freedom and even his life if he dares to persist.

An important read #Cowspiracy #AnimalAgriculture #ClimateChange https://t.co/p3yd4KzfG1

— KipAndersen (@Kip_Andersen) October 7, 2016

As eye-opening as Blackfish and as inspiring as An Inconvenient Truth, this shocking yet humorous documentary reveals the absolutely devastating environmental impact large-scale factory farming has on our planet, and offers a path to global sustainability for a growing population.

About the film makers

Kip Andersen’s environmental awakening came as a result of An Inconvenient Truth. After seeing the film, he began to recycle religiously, turn off lights constantly, shower infrequently, and ride a bike instead of driving. Andersen believed he was doing everything he could to help the planet by following the guidelines of national and international environmental organizations, but his life took a different direction when he found out animal agriculture is the leading cause of environmental destruction.

He is the founder of AUM Films and Media, a 501c3 non-profit focused on creating films and media that promote thrivability, compassion, and harmony for all life. He is also an entrepreneur, as well as a certified Jivamukti and Kundalini yoga teacher. He is a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo school of business and has called San Francisco home for more than a decade.

This week's guest on #UnderTheSkin is @Kip_Andersen!
Listen to it this Sat 15th June on @hearluminary.
Have any of you seen @Cowspiracy or @wthfilm on Netflix? pic.twitter.com/hpMnNI3SGs

— Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) June 11, 2019

Keegan Kuhn is a videographer, award-winning documentary filmmaker, and professional musician living in the east bay of San Francisco. He has worked with nonprofit organizations and been involved in social justice movements for virtually his entire life. As a filmmaker, he helps organizations reach an ever-greater community of supporters with the highest possible quality films and videos.

His film career has taken him as far as the remote interior of Alaska to document modern homesteaders, to the high deserts of the American west filming the nation’s remaining wild horses, to rural agricultural communities and dirty urban streets. He is motivated by a deep desire to shed light on untold stories of the most downtrodden in our society, and to raise to awareness through greater visibility of social justice issues.

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