Eggs, cafes to cafeterias
As a follow-up to yesterday’s post, I wanted to write a little bit more about easy ways we can make a HUGE difference when it comes to eggs. For those of you who are still wondering what the big deal is about keeping hens in cages, consider:
- Average space provided for a caged hen: 67 squared inches (less than a piece of loose-leaf paper)
- Space need to stand up straight: 75 sq. inches
- Space needed to flap wings: 303 sq. inches.
- Caged hens never have access to sunlight during their entire lives
The happy news is that more and more establishments are switching to cage-free eggs, and this is going to reduce the suffering of the 300+ million hens that are still living in cages in the U.S. alone. “Cage-free” does not mean 100% cruelty-free; but the cage-free step is a step in the right direction, and the proof is mounting that it’s completely do-able.
Going beyond what each of us is using at home, by supporting the efforts of large-scale organizations – from corporations to cafes to campuses — we’ll be supporting the hens.
- Restaurants & Markets
Many restaurants and cafes — not just the “organic” or vegetarian havens — have made the switch to using cage-free eggs (in addition to offering more dairy-free options). Even fast-food chains are catching on, including Denny’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Quizno’s, Sonic, IHOP, Carl’s, Jr., Hardee’s, and Red Robin. The next time you’re at one of these places, let them know you appreciate their efforts. Also, food markets such as Trader Joe’s have joined the team (TJ’s store brand is cage-free).Finally, don’t be afraid to ask some of your favorite dining destinations if they’re using cage-free, or mention cage-free options to your local market. If they’re not already on board, your asking might be just the nudge they need.
- Schools
A campus is a little universe. Whether you attend a large school like University of Texas with 50,000+ undergraduates, or a smaller school like Georgetown, with some 7000 undergrads, just think of all the eggs that are consumed on a day-to-day basis. Having gone to both of these schools (law school, the first time around; grad school), I’m proud to say both of these campuses have made the switch to cage-free. For the last year and a half, I’ve been working with the head of dining at Rice University (undergrad) to support their efforts to join the hundreds of other colleges and universities that have gone cage-free. This year, Rice made the switch to using cage-free for its shelled eggs on campus, which is a terrific first step. Yay! Yes, cage-free eggs cost more… but in light of animal welfare as well as environmental and health concerns, more and more schools are recognizing they need to make room for cage-free in the budget. Kudos to all the campuses who have made this change! Is your alma mater cage-free? If not, check out the web site Alumni For A Cage-Free Campus. When I was starting to gather support for the initiative at Rice, I created this simple web site (with the help of my computer-wizard husband Seth) so that I could have alums show their support. At the time, it seemed worthwhile to build the site so that alums at other schools could create a page of their own and do the same. There’s a home page that gives basic information about caged hens; and I’ve also provided the contact information for Josh Balk, outreach director for the Humane Society of the United States’ factory-farming campaign, which includes the HSUS’s Cage-Free Campus campaign. Josh is an amazing resource and an all-around great guy. Email or give him a call with any questions! If you’re currently a college student, it will be even easier for you to gather support on campus among your friends. Sometimes, just a phone call to Dining Services will be all it takes to make that change!
- Progress in Legislation
This past summer there have been a couple of major milestones. California already passed its Prevention of Cruelty to Farm Animals Act (“Prop 2”) in 2008; last month, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed bill 1437, which requires that starting in 2015 all shell eggs sold in California must come from hens who were able to stand up, lie down, turn around, etc. Combined with the effects of Prop 2, the bill means that California essentially is going to become a cage-free state. Makes this New Yorker almost wish I were a California Girl! Also this summer, the state of Ohio — the nation’s second largest egg production state — agreed to impose a moratorium on new battery cages. I encourage everyone to check out the laws in your own state, and look into how you can offer support to any local legislative efforts.
By the way, if you’re an alum of Rice and haven’t signed in support of cage-free eggs yet, feel free to visit the Rice University supporters page and add your name to the list supporters now. Thanks!
Related posts:
Leave a Reply
Cruelty-Free Faves in your Inbox
Subscription Options:
Sharon Discorfano
Facebook Like Box
@shadisco on Twitter
History
I’d recommend that people suggest not just cage free, but Certified Humane® (http://www.certifiedhumane.org). I’ve been involved with this organization on strategy and marketing since its inception. They have extensive standards beyond just cage-free and conduct independent inspections. Humane Farm Animal Care, the nonprofit behind the label is backed by both the ASPCA and HSUS.
Thanks for the suggestion and providing the link!