Eating Our Way to Extinction

Fun facts from this documentary: Nestlé said in a 2009 report that the world will run out of fresh water by 2050. An estimated 18 million acres of forest are lost each year. By 2030 only 10% of all forests will remain. Since 1970 we have wiped out over 60% of animal populations on the planet. Over 26,000 species are currently being threatened with extinction. By 2045 the species loss will be so great the Earth will suffer ecological collapse. Over 75% of antibiotics produced around the world are being given to livestock. 30% of all fresh water use in the world is used for producing animal products. A well-made, informative, important and eye-opening documentary that covers it all: burning rainforests, animal agriculture, microplastics in our ocean, extreme weather events, food shortages, and how we are currently in the sixth mass extinction event. Makes some very strong arguments that we should all be working towards plant based diets as soon as possible.

There is never a single solution to a complex problem and the bigger picture is far more complicated than shown during this documentary. These documentaries frequently concentrate too much on surface issues rather than looking at root causes of the issues we face today. Our economy, economic norms of growth and over consumption and over population are the root causes, yet these aren't really addressed. It also oversimplifies the switch to a vegan diet as many switching still rely on processed food. Many meat substitutes have high quantities of fat and salt - what impact will that have on health and well-being? How about other ingredients such as palm oil? We also have intensively farmed fruit and vegetables, as well as rising numbers of GM crops, linked to biodiversity loss due to increasing use fertilisers and pesticides - yes, some of this is also associated with the meat industry but what are we going to do about our current vegetable and fruit growing practices alongside decreasing meat consumption? What impact is the alternative milk industry having e.g. Almond growing in California? It all needs to be thought through properly. Plus, a minor point, deforestation is also more complicated. For example, in Scotland there are numerous factors over thousands of years including climate induced deforestation, agriculture clearance, deliberate destruction to reduce resources of competing communities, housing, the industrial revolution and war. It's an opportunity lost, as it could have delved deeper, given there are already numerous documentaries saying exactly the same things this one does.

Wow, what a documentary! It is powerful, emotional and entertaining and hits the nail on the head with all its facts. It has opened my eyes greatly to the effects of humanity upon our natural world, and has given me the drive to make the small changes in my life, making a big positive impact. Well done to the creators! I'm a hard person to change, but you've done it!

And preaching to the converted, this documentary adds nothing new to those that have preceded it. It makes the fatal mistake of inviting famous faces such as Tony Robbins and Richard Branson add their two cents worth; people generally do not enjoy being lectured about how to live by those in their ivory towers. The romanticism of native tribes in the Amazon, Mongolia and Taiwan is cringeworthy and exploitative; these people are not a plot device. The makers are seemingly out of touch with the average person at which this documentary is pitched; they do not grasp how some recoil at idea of veganism due to the holier-than-thou attitude of its adherents. They also fail to ask the single most important question: how much cheaper must plant-based options be compared to their meat versions for people to make the switch? Personally, it would be around 20%. Meat eaters are attached to the ritual and symbolism of eating meat; there has to be an monetary incentive to entice them to give that up.

Ignorance is not bliss. This documentary is a film that all of humanity needs to see, and TODAY! It is brilliantly put together. The visuals and stats are so impactful. If this film can not persuade you to make a small change in your life to help the fight against biodiversity loss and climate change, I don't know what will. Please watch today. You won't regret it!

This is a nice propaganda piece and, except for using the same schmucks that burn tons and tons of resources to whine about everybody's diet. The hypocrisy is so thick you that Al Gore could walk across the Mississippi river on it. Where ARE those rising water levels that were supposed to drown Miami? At least half the people in this whinge-fest are now finishing off a cheese-burger and fries (grilled by their meat-eating staff) in the kitchen of their massive under-used mansions or on their personal Lear-Jet.

Who is the "perfect" messenger of bad news? Unfortunately, this is the main conundrum with films that are attempting to alter the path of human culture. When everyone has blood on their hands who are the messengers that have any credibility. Surely you don't pick the worst offenders.... the "one percent" and movie stars because we all know that those who have generated the most capital are the ones contributing the most to the problem. Capital = resources. The truth is our eating habits ( and everything else we do) have only become an issue because of global population. It's the exponential increase, the shear scale of destructive habits that is endangering us. No one wants to talk about that. It's not a glamorous, entertaining or easy to solve problem... aside from ensuring everyone on Earth has reproductive rights. However, just because there is no perfect messenger and this issue isn't the root of the problem doesn't mean the message or issue isn't valid and shouldn't be spoken of. Getting information to people and nudging them to consider the issues and their habits remains important... but Richard Branson?

Eating meat every day is not healthy, but we do need some. Don't let these types of movies blind your I don't know how many times this documentary mentions soybeans as food for the animals, but forget to mention that vegans consume a huge amount of it too. There's 8 billion people on this planet, even if we all go vegan we would destroy the planet the same way. The enemy is 1. Overconsumption therefore 2. INDUSTRIAL farming 3. OVERPOPULATION! As a nutritionist I am getting tired of these food fear mongering.movies and shows. We are already struggling to educate our clients and the public.

Difficult subject taken from different angles to give the hope to people who are afraid of the lack of progress in tackling the climate disaster. With all possible explanations it gives the simples way to turn things around from every day choices. Absolutely a must to watch and share.