Whilst the damage to cephalopod lives and all other creatures is a systemic issue, if you are able to reduce and eliminate animal product consumption you will lessen your contribution to the abuse and exploitation of animals and their homes. It is important to understand that discomfort is normal when facing these issues as it can be difficult to accept that our actions are actively harming our environment. Any major social change causes discomfort as people must confront how their morals align with their actions. The difficult truth is that you can believe you are against exploitation and still partake in it with financial contribution.
This post will touch on the role of animal industry in climate change, living conditions of industry animals and how this links to cephalopods.
Plant-based diets have origins in ancient Greece with Pythagoreans and in India with ahimsā in Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism [1]. Ahimsā is a principle of non-violence and peaceful living acknowledging that all animals and their homes should be treated with respect. There isn’t a respectful or ethical way to kill or abuse an animal that doesn’t want to be killed or abused. There isn’t a respectful or ethical way to destroy an animal’s home. Veganism is an ethical principle built from ahimsā and other concepts over time to minimise harm to animals and their habitats by not viewing animals as a commodity.
The animal industry clear land by deforestation to use for livestock or their feed which usually happens through burning, trapping native animals in fire and also releasing years of CO2 storage from plants. Mature plants and trees, whilst alive, act as carbon sinks to mitigate some of our impact from greenhouse gas emissions. Although the greenhouse effect is a natural process, humans are rapidly accelerating it with industries like animal agriculture, oil and gas [2].
A digestible method of describing how CO2 impacts climate change can be found here.
As you can see in the data above, ocean temperature and CO2 concentration is correlated. A study found heat stress in octopuses could result in impaired eyesight and increased deaths of pregnant mothers and their unborn young [3]. Additionally, sustained rise in temperature can lead to circulatory, respiratory and reproduction issues in female Octopus maya [4].
Increased CO2 concentration in the atmosphere leads to acidification of the ocean, too. CO2 dissolves into oceans causing carbonic acid production. It may be leading to increased hatching time of squid which lengthens the time they are vulnerable to prey. On top of this, changes in shape and structure of aragonite statoliths (a part of cephalopods that help balance and movement) were noticed and predicted to effect survival [5].
When discussing the impact of the animal industry on our loved marine creatures, trawling must be mentioned. Large nets are dragged through the ocean usually for tuna and salmon. Nets are indiscriminate. Seabirds, turtles, seals and more are caught in nets and murdered through crushing under the weight of the catch, infections from lacerations after becoming entangled, hypothermia after the catch are submerged in ice and hypoxia that can take up to half an hour to kill.
Fish farms are not a better alternative. Firstly, many farmed fish such as salmon require feed from trawling (e.g. anchovies). Second, fish are so densely packed into sea cages that they swim in their own excrement leading to disease and death.
This is not an extensive list of the harms that animal agriculture cause to animals and their habitats. If you are able to lead a more plant-based life style, then you have to ask why that is not being done. A full range of nutrients on a plant-based diet are now available to many people, with increasing accessibility to supermarkets and many animal product alternatives.
For example, a tofu-based mince meat alternative costs only £1 from Asda. Vegetables, beans, rice and lentils packed with protein and fibre are cheaper than meat products. Many foods are already ‘accidentally’ vegan. Nutritional yeast with B12 can supplement the B12 from bacteria on meat. Algae supplements can replace Omega 3s from fish (which have these due to eating algae). There are many ways a plant-based lifestyle can be healthy and cost effective but you must do your own research and consult a doctor if necessary.