America’s consciousness about environmental issues has gained tremendous momentum over the past several years. Evidence of global warming and scientific discoveries about the impact of greenhouses gasses on everything from the melting of the polar icecaps to the extinction of animal and plant species has spurred the U.S. and countries around the world to take action. The importance of research into lessening our dependence on fossil fuels and moving to alternative energy sources has been front-page news and is the subject of contentious political debates. In the meantime, many consumers have taken matters into their own hands by taking steps to reduce their carbon footprints and generally increasing their awareness of the impact humans have on our environment.
Animal Rights
Long before environmental issues became popular with the mainstream, however, animal rights activists sounded the alarm about routine practices that harm wildlife and farmed animals. The rise in popularity of faux fur, for example, was a direct result of efforts to educate the public about the cruelty of harvesting animals for their pelts. Similarly, animal rights groups shone the light...