Your Daily Dose of Synthetics

Your Daily Dose of Synthetics

(Farm Factories)

By Michelle Orgel

Hydrogen Sulfide, ammonia, growth hormones chemical gases; these are all examples of toxins that you could be consuming from buying and eating meats from animals raised in harsh factory farms. As Gene Bauer puts it, “anti-biotic pathogens that are sickening people and in some cases people are dying because the antibiotics that used to be able to treat these people are no longer able to do so.” Thus, meaning that people living in rural areas near farm factories are in danger of catching these chemicals second-hand, and people who buy these products without knowing the health risks are most definitely at risk of these severe injuries.

“When you have animals confined in these warehouses, there are toxic fumes that come from them and anti-biotic-resisten pathogens found in groundwater downstream from these farms because animals are kept in these filfthy, stressful conditions and continually fed enormous quantities of drugs to be kept alive resulting in products of anti-biotic pathogens that are sickening people and in some cases people are dying because the antibiotics that used to be able to treat these people are no longer able to do so.”

Another indirect way to catch these such diseases is through the underground water system. Here is Bauer himself to explain more in depth:

“Many streams across the US, I think the EPA estimated a majority of them have been impaired and animal agriculture has been a reason for that, not only in terms of animal manure leaching into groundwater and surface water and spilling out of lagoons. In terms of crops being grown, 70% of the corn and 90% of soybeans grown in the US  are fed to farm animals and those crops are grown with enormous amounts of pesticides which get into the groundwater and the environment which affects our health with consequences, as well as the effects of those with factory farm animals.”

The things that belong in streams are what have been there for millions of years, those of which are used by organisms to their benefits, including small bugs and plants and low concentrated chemicals. When animals are crammed tight next to each other in farms, their waste funnels into massive lagoons which are prone to breakage, ultimately sending the contaminated liquids to pollute bigger water supplies. If these chemicals and manure enter into the human body, the threats are dire.

As well as human risks, there are environmental risks, no doubt. Wrecks can range from lagoon leaks killing massive numbers of fish, to as destructive as a nutrient pollution in waterways. Water quality throughout the whole country is threatened from the chemicals associated with these spills. These chemicals are known to cause algae explosions, depriving water of oxygen, killing much sea-life.

These are only some of the examples of harm that factory farming can stress on the environment, but there is hope yet. Regulation of factory farms is key, accountability is crucial, and knowledge is strength. Know where your local CAFO’s is located, know your rights of participation, and start helping today. For more information, visit http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/nspills.asp