271 - Should You Care About Farmed Animals? with Lewis Bollard

Episode • Feb 28, 2024 • 48m

Around the world, there are tens of billions of non-human animals trapped in the barbaric system of industrial animal agriculture. And unfortunately, that number is increasing. It’s a severe problem, not just for the suffering animals, but for human health and the health of our planet.

Fortunately, there are people dedicating their lives to tackling this issue. And today, we’re joined by one of these remarkable individuals.

Lewis Bollard is a dedicated animal advocate making meaningful change on a global scale. He is the Farm Animal Welfare Director at Open Philanthropy, which is a philanthropic funder addressing important and often neglected causes. Prior to working there, Lewis was the Policy Advisor and International Liaison to the CEO of The Humane Society of the United States.

Join us to hear our illuminating discussion with Lewis as we shine a spotlight on his quest for a more ethical world and his efforts to end factory farming once and for all!

“We chose farm animals just because of the sheer numbers. I mean the sheer scale of factory farming globally in terms of tens of billions of animals suffering. And as you say, I mean it is definitely especially neglected because people don’t pay attention to them. I think that’s partly, I mean, people will say yes because they’re not smart, but I’m skeptical that’s what’s really going on. I think it’s just convenient to not care about them, and it would be really inconvenient to take seriously their interests. I mean, as with you, I think that what ultimately matters is whether they can suffer. You know, I think across all these species, I suspect there’s a lot more going on. I suspect they’re smarter than we give them credit for. But I ultimately think that debate doesn’t even really matter to our moral obligations. We just, shouldn’t torture them. We shouldn’t cause suffering to a being who can suffer.” - Lewis Bollard

What we discuss in this episode:

- The eye-opening family trip that changed Lewis’s life.

- Why do people fall off the vegan wagon?

- Lewis’s thoughts on alternative proteins and plant-based meats.

- How the animal rights movement has evolved.

- The most abused farm animals in the world.

- Positive changes in the animal rights movement and the potential threat AI poses.

- How governments around the world are promoting plant-based diets.

- The work Lewis is doing to effect positive change.

- Lewis’s advice to those who want to make a positive impact but don’t know where to start.

Resources:

- Open Philanthropy: Lewis Bollard | Open Philanthropy - https://www.openphilanthropy.org/about/team/lewis-bollard/