by Beth Doane
Many people have asked me why I have personally stopped buying and wearing leather products and I really think the reasoning is so simple once the facts are known. So, to help us all get up to speed on the issues we have laid out the basics here.
Saying no to leather products is not just a statement against animal cruelty, its a statement about our need to be conscious of what we consume for the sake of our planet. Here are eight reasons why:
1. The process of leather production has devastating results. Not only does it inflict unnecessary and often cruel suffering upon millions of innocent animals but the chemicals used to treat leather are often toxic and can leach into our water-systems and even onto our skin.
2. Most animals slaughtered for their skins endure the horrors of factory farming. Factory farms are mass production facilities for animal products, and like any product it’s all about how much, how fast and how cheap. These facilities are notorious for animal overcrowding, un-anaesthetised castration, branding and tail-docking as well as dehorning. Ironically many of these animals are used solely for their skin, wasting the rest of the animal.
3. Not only does the leather process cause intense animal suffering, it also causes mass damage to the environment. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), factory farms are the biggest sources of river, lake and stream pollution. The farms are also the biggest users of water and almost half of the water consumed in the U.S. is used to raise livestock for food and leather.
4. Another major concern with leather production is the output of waste and chemicals that result from the process. A report by the U.S. Senate Agricultural Committee, released in 1997, revealed that livestock raised for food and leather produce 130 times as much excrement waste as the entire human population in the U.S. That’s a lot of crap!
5. Unlike the human population, there are no waste-treatment systems used for our nations livestock. This means that because of the concentration of this “poo” we get ridiculous cases of pollution, human illness and even death in areas where livestock operations are concentrated.
6. Tanneries (leather making factories) treat animal skins with a number of minerals and chemicals that can have dangerous and even carcinogenic results. For example, the EPA has stated that all waste containing chromium is hazardous. Chromium is just one of many mineral salts used on leather to keep them from biodegrading. So, when we buy a pair of leather shoes or a handbag, these chemicals are in contact with our skin and we have no way of knowing just what levels of chromium were used.
7. It’s obvious that livestock production within the U.S. poses an array of complicated issues but the cattle industry abroad is just as terrifying. Overseas there is often less regulation of animal safety or humane treatment than here in the USA and a report recently released by Greenpeace explores how the cattle industry in Brazil is slaughtering not just cows but also the Amazon in order to meet the high demands for leather and livestock.
8. As the demand for leather continues to rise, more of our world’s most delicate ecosystems will be cleared to create grazing space for the cattle. (See “How Cows kill Rain Forests.”) Brazil has also become the fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gasses as a result of the deforestation process-and of course cows. Coincidence? We don’t think so.
To make matters worse, the Brazilian government is financing further expansion of the cattle industry, which will likely result in the continued deforestation of the Amazon.
These are just some of the reasons it is vital for consumers to be aware of what we are really supporting when we purchase leather. If consumers continue to accept the status quo, the destruction of our Earth’s most important source of climate control, the Amazon, will continue; the inhumane and heavily under regulated treatment of animals will continue; and the massive consumption of vital resources by livestock farms will continue.
What Can We Do?
As we always want to stay focus on the positive and be pro-active, there is plenty we can each do to help.
Take action now!
1. Remember to purchase the faux leather and vegan products that are available because true fashion should never be cruel.
2. Visit the Greenpeace Web site and demand change from the companies using leather from the Amazon to create their products.
Here in the U.S., four states – Arizona, Oregon, California, and Colorado – have already enacted farm animal cruelty legislation. Write to your legislators and demand action in your state!
Without the support of us as consumers, companies will never be inspired or forced to change their practices. The power is truly in the hands of the people–so wear what you believe in!
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About the author: Beth Doane is a fashion designer and consultant focusing on eco-conscious product development and marketing. She founded and designed the internationally acclaimed Rain Tee collection and Andira International.
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