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The first week and a half of action for Earth Month has gone pretty well.  The first week I used my social media to spread awareness about slaughterhouses.  I posted a photo of my some facts I had written down including things like “the beaks of chicken are often removed to reduce the excessive feather pecking and cannibalism seen among stressed, overcrowded birds” and “hogs, chicken, and cattle waste has polluted 35,000 miles of rivers in 22 states and contaminated groundwater in 17 states.”  I also included my Earth Month Action Plan as well as other small ways for people to make a difference.  Finally, I posted a video of some undercover footage of slaughterhouses.  I was a little nervous to do this because it is unlike me to post about controversial or political things.  I know that a lot of people get annoyed with vegans who post about their lifestyle.  The only problem that I faced with this was that my friend’s dad replied back with some negative words including “#disappointed.” ):  I realize now why nothing political is getting down about our environmental issues- a lot of people are still against these ideas.

This week I am eating vegetarian dinners and it has gone well so far.  I am usually just eating quick microwaveable meals so it is easy to stay away from meat, especially when I can still eat some for lunch if I need.  I have realized that I really am capable of going vegetarian or vegan, if I take it slow.  For the final two weeks I will be doing vegan lunches, and no meat all week.  I am more nervous for this because it will be more challenging to find vegan options.  It will also be important for me to make sure I am getting protein in other ways.  I think it will be a really good thing for me to see what it would be like to be a vegan, though.  Also, even a week without meat will save so many animals.  I think it is important for me to talk the talk AND walk the walk.

Now that I have done some research on my issue, I am excited that Earth Month is almost here.  During April, I will take one action each week for Earth Month.

The first action I am going to do is post a video on my twitter that reveals the horrible conditions of slaughterhouses.  This will spread awareness of the issue.  I will also share my weekly challenges with my followers in case anyone else wants to participate.  What may be difficult about this action is that a lot of people get annoyed with vegans on social media because they do not care or want to hear about the very real issues.  Hopefully, they actually watch the video and judge for themselves.

The second week of April I am going to strive to eat only vegetarian dinners.  I usually have chicken in my lunches, this will save a lot of animals and fight against these companies that are treating their animals so poorly.  It may be difficult to change my routine this way, but I will take advantage of OSU’s vegetarian options.

For the third Earth Month action, I will strive to eat only vegan lunches.  This will be a great way for me to see what it would be like to be vegan, without the transition being super dramatic and unrealistic.  It will also be for such a good cause, as vegans save a lot of animals and resources.  Plus, I will now be walking the walk instead of just talking the talk.  It may be difficult to find a lot of vegan options on campus, but I can ask my vegan friends what their favorite choices are!

As my final, and most challenging, action, I am going to try and not eat any meat for the week.  This will save a lot of animals and prevent more money to go to these inhumane slaughterhouses.  Also, maybe I will get in the habit of eating this way and stick with it.  It will be difficult for my body to get used to this change, but I will find protein in other forms.  I am excited to take on this Earth Month challenge!

This class session really cleared up for me the difference between effective social enterprise and just putting a bandaid over a social issue.  For example, just donating things to a cause will not fix the problem at the root.  However, investing in causes that will not only provide for people who need it, but also teach skills and help the economy, will be much more effective.  The guest speaker impacted my initial thoughts by making me realize how much time goes into creating a social enterprise.  As I explore my issue, I should look into causes that are already doing things to impact the inhumane treatment of animals in slaughterhouses as Justice-Orientated citizens.  This way, I will know which organizations to give my time, money, and effort towards.

My biggest takeaway from this class session was that you really must have passion for your cause in order to be successful.  Both the founder of The Roosevelt Coffeehouse, and the founder of Hot Chicken Takeover are very passionate about their causes- and they have made some real change.  Creating a difference starts with passion and a lot of determination.

Personally, I think it would be really cool to start a business that sold food from local farms that are environmentally sustainable.  I would also try to hire people who have been incarcerated or in poverty, like the founded of Hot Chicken Takeover.  Then, like The Roosevelt Coffeehouse, I could donate the profit to organizations that are working to create an economy where companies do not have to treat animals the way they have been.

Social Enterprise is an organization or company that sells goods or services in the market and then takes that profit and puts it towards combatting a social issue- like protecting the environment or improving areas of poverty.  I could not find very many social enterprise organizations that address slaughterhouses.  However, there are a lot of food companies and restaurants that sell food that is “free range,” bought from small local farms, or completely vegetarian or vegan.  These companies are addressing the issue through social enterprise because the money that people spend on these better alternatives, they are not giving to companies that treat their animals poorly.  I could definitely get more involved with my issue by starting to buy my food from companies like this rather than big companies that are getting away with abusing their animals in horrible slaughterhouse conditions. I could also eat more vegan options.  On a bigger scope, if The Ohio State University started buying their food from companies that prove to take better care of their animals, this could have a huge impact on this social issue.  It is challenging because smaller companies that are treating their animals better, are usually not making as much product.  The Ohio State University has a lot of students to provide food for, and this can create an issue when picking who to buy from.  Another challenge, is that a lot of restaurants and companies that sell vegetarian, vegan, or environmentally better products are selling them for a higher price than the companies who make more product in a faster time.

A personally responsible citizen would be someone who opts for vegan options, or buys free range eggs at the store.  Participatory citizens are the people who are leading or working for social enterprise organizations that are putting their profit into combatting slaughterhouse conditions.  Finally, a social-justice oriented citizen would be someone who finds out the reason why the horrible conditions in slaughterhouses exist, and puts out awareness and money towards ways to combat the issue at the root.

I watched a TEDx video on how to create a successful social enterprise that was presented by a man who created a social enterprise for foster care.  He explains that social enterprise is all about using entrepreneurship to solve big social, environment, and justice issues.  He then discusses his B.I.B. methodology, which stands for business, impact, brand.  “Business” regards what you want to do and why you want to do it.  In this case, I want to solve issues with slaughterhouses and their terrible conditions because it is something that I am passionate about.  He makes it clear that I need to do research on my topic before diving in.  It is important to know what is already being done for my issue so I can be efficient and not take resources away from a existing sources.  Next is “impact”, which asks what value am I creating and who am I doing it for.  He then goes on to explain that it is essential to find successful strategies, and to collect quantitative data that can show that your company is solving problems for the better.  The last letter stands for “brand,” which is all about who champions you and are they credible.  The speaker explains how important networking and gaining supporters for your social enterprise is.  All of these are important things to remember when looking at my social issue through a social enterprise lens.

Community organizing plays a big role in the issue of inhumane treatment of animals in slaughterhouses.  Without people caring about the issue, knowing about the issue, or having the motivation to participate in combating the issue- no action will take place to change the problem at hand.  This is the challenge that is being faced right now with people who are trying to make change on behalf of the animals being treated unethically, not enough people are aware of what is going on.  Most people would rather not know how the meat on their plate got there.  But without enough passionate people, it will be hard to make change.

There are a few national organizations I found that take initiative against the unethical treatment of animals in factory farms.  To name a few of the top ones there is Mercy for Animals, The Humane Society of the United States, United Poultry Concerns, Farm Animal Rights Movement, Vegan Outreach, Farm Sanctuary, and Compassion Over Killing.  These organizations, on behalf of animals rights, raise awareness, fight for better conditions for animals, and attempt to end this injustice.  They also promote solutions, fight for legislation, rescue animals, and make investigations.

Some problems that come to mind when thinking of community organizing for advocacy against slaughterhouses are that most people are unaware of the problem, or too busy to participate in actively fighting the issue.  Without passionate people, there is no change.  If we can raise awareness and educate people on what is happening, we have a better chance of persuading people to fight for the cause.  The more people taking a stance, the better chance we have of combating injustice.

The most important things to consider when thinking about community organizing and changing the treatment of animals in slaughterhouses are that the issue is at a national level, that people need to be made aware of what is going on, and solutions need to be made quick and easy for busy people to be able to participate in.  Activists have to work on making investigations that reveal to the people the unethical things that are going on behind the walls of slaughterhouses.  Then we must work to pass legislation that will support the animals who are being tortured.  It is also important to educate people on the issue and then give off solutions that are at a smaller level and are easier for anyone to participate in.

As a personally responsible citizen, some people are participating in “meatless mondays” or something similar to this idea.  As participatory citizens, other people are organizing local groups, like colleges student organizations, that participate in buying food from companies that are known to treat their animals humanely.  Social-Justice oriented citizens are trying to figure out ways for companies to be efficient and profitable while still treating their animals more ethically.  The last example is what we must strive to do.  Without getting to the root of the problem, it will never get fixed.  The long-term solution lies in how companies will still make efficient profit while providing their animals with ethical conditions.

I found a TedX video presented by some passionate middle schoolers.  They brought up some good points including that the animals in slaughterhouses are obviously treated terribly, but the employees are also enduring psychologically unhealthy circumstances.  Constantly killing animals can create a mind that learns to not care or make attachments and can create a violent mindset.  The speakers also brought up the point that besides choosing the obvious but tougher solution and becoming a vegetarian, there are other smaller ways to combat this issue like buying from local and small farms.

For the remainder of the project, Sophie and I ventured to The Roosevelt Coffeehouse, Kafe Kerouac, and Cup O’ Joe.  The Roosevelt Coffeehouse was a little farther from campus, but it was worth the bus ride and the walk in the cold.  Owned by a local Columbus family, The Roosevelt’s mission is to fight the injustices of hunger, unclean water, and human trafficking locally and around the globe.  Busy with costumers that the staff treats like family, Sophie and I found a seat and studied away while sipping our delicious fall drinks.  I tried the tempting “smortado” that came along with mini marshmallows- my tastebuds danced with joy at the taste of this drink!  With appetizing coffee, friendly employees, and such a great cause- I recommend everyone who finds themselves in Columbus to give The Roosevelt Coffeehouse a try.

Kafe Keroauc was our next stop on our Columbus Coffee to do list.  Feeling a little intimidated by the hipsters that surrounded the coffee shop, we anxiously gave this place a try.  The coolest part about Kafe Keoauc were the mounds of books and records that lined every wall.  Lucky for us, we got to go to this unique coffeehouse on one of their poetry nights that they host every Wednesday night, and one of our own friends was reading a poem.  It was such a great place to let Columbus’s talented residents express themselves.  I would definitely recommend putting on your best hipster impression and grabbing your favorite book, album, or poem and a cup of coffee and find a spot at the welcoming Kafe Keroauc.

Our final destination was none other than the infamous Cup O’ Joe.  Even if you’ve never been inside this coffeehouse, I know all of you coffee lovers out there have dreamed of the giant coffee cup that sits on the top of the building.  This coffeehouse offers a calm and homey feel with a fireplace all while being a perfect location to catch up with old friends, mingle with new ones, or finally go on that first date with the guy from your calculus class that is the distraction to blame for your last two C’s.  I felt extra joyful during this trip as they were playing Christmas music.  Feeling daring, I decided to try the “Mojoe Cool” which is cold brewed iced coffee, with vanilla cream and chocolate milk.  It was absolutely delicious!  They also had some tempting desserts that I had to work up the strength to resist.  Not too far from campus, I will definitely come back to Cup O’ Joe whenever I need to get away and relax, study, or hang out with friends.

I cannot pin one coffeeshop as my favorite experience.  I would have to say as a whole, I have enjoyed getting off campus to explore Columbus, try delicious coffee drinks with my roommate, and find new study spots.  This project has let me get to know my way around Columbus a little better, and showed me how lucky I am to live in a city that offers so many different opportunities.  I will definitely continue to try new coffeeshops all around Columbus during my time here at Ohio State.  I would definitely recommend to anyone trying the Columbus Coffee to do list, to go with a friend, try new drinks, and bring your books to study!