"...When these birds are slaughtered, they are first stunned electrically. After their throats are cut (by hand) and the birds are bled, they are scalded to facilitate removal of large feathers. To remove fine pinfeathers, the birds are dipped in paraffin wax. Down and feathers, a very valuable by-product of the duck and goose industry, are sorted at another facility." - USDA

 

 

"Felted fabric is produced from matted and compressed fibers such as wool or sometimes even fur. Beaver fur was a popular choice for the making of felt hats until around the mid 1800s whereby they were gradually replaced by the silk hat, followed by fur felt hats and wool felt hats. Rabbit skin is often the source of fur for felt hats. The use of felt is used in a number of other areas such as arts, crafts and musical instruments."

 

 

 

 

"...Created when an animal’s skin/hide is treated with chemicals to prevent it from rotting/degrading...Very few farm animals ever reach the natural end of their lifespan, most are killed when they are little more than adolescents and around 40 billion farmed animals are reared intensively. Remaining animals go for slaughter because they are worn out by continuous breeding and/or lactation. About ten percent of the value of the animal at the abattoir is from its skin, so by buying leather this is helping to support the meat industry...The leather industry is a major source of pollution. Tanneries are often sited near rivers as the process needs a plentiful supply of water and the waste - including hair, salt, lime, sludge, acids and chrome - is discharged into the river. It takes 8,000 litres of water to produce a pair of leather shoes, this is the amount of water required to grow feed, support a cow and process its skin into the finished product. Domesticated animals aren't the only ones to be used for leather production, species includes deer, alligators, crocodile, toads, ostriches, kangaroos, lizards, snakes and seals. Many of these are already endangered species but the high prices commanded by their skins encourages poaching. Wild species killed for leather have no protection at all, they may be clubbed to death or caught in cruel traps.

 

 

"...Pearl farming (mollusc acquaculture) occurs throughout Australasia, the Middle East and South America, and is achieved by inserting a foreign object into the tissue of an oyster or other mollusc in order to induce the creation of a pearl. The pearl is then harvested by opening the oyster (which kills it) and the shell and meat either discarded or used..."

 

 

"...Silkworms produce silk by churning out thread from tiny holes in their jaws, which in turn is used to spin into their protective egg-bearing cocoons. Complete production takes around 3 days (72 hours), during which time they produce between 500-1200 silken threads. When metamorphosis is complete and the moth is ready to leave its cocoon, it secretes an alkali which eats its way through the thread. This spoils the thread for spinning as it is no longer continuous. So, in order to get good quality silk, the moths must be killed before they leave the cocoon, this is done by suffocation with steam or heating them in an oven. Only a small number necessary for breeding the next generation are allowed to complete their lifecycle..."

 

 

"...Around 1/3 of British wool is from slaughtered sheep, this is referred to as skin wool. Wool accounts for 3% of world fibre production. Australia and New Zealand produce the most raw wool, whilst Belgium and Denmark export the most ‘greasy’ wool, including skin wool and re-exports. Mulesing of sheep (this involves slicing away the folds of skin from beneath the sheep's tail which forms a wool-free scar) occurs commonly in Australia. They have a national flock of an estimated 135 million sheep and mulesing is done at a recommended age between 2 -12 weeks old. The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries states in the Standard Operating Procedures that, "While the operation causes some pain, no pre or post operative pain relief measures are used". Antiseptics are often applied, but anaesthesia and painkillers are not required during or after the procedure. The wool industry has proposed that surgical mulesing will be phased out by 2010. Around 100 million sheep suffer from mulesing each year. Australia’s export industry of wool amounts to approximately $3.5 billion each year."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 2006, American traveler Blake Mycoskie befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS Shoes, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One. Blake returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends and staff later that year with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by TOMS customers.

Why Shoes?

Many children in developing countries grow up barefoot. Whether at play, doing chores or going to school, these children are at risk:

•A leading cause of disease in developing countries is soil-transmitted diseases, which can penetrate the skin through bare feet. Wearing shoes can help prevent these diseases, and the long-term physical and cognitive harm they cause.

•Wearing shoes also prevents feet from getting cuts and sores. Not only are these injuries painful, they also are dangerous when wounds become infected.

•Many times children can't attend school barefoot because shoes are a required part of their uniform. If they don't have shoes, they don't go to school. If they don't receive an education, they don't have the opportunity to realize their potential.
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*An undercover investigation courtesy of Mercy For Animals*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* And of course, Big Oil continues to make huge political contributions to congress to drill in the Arcitc National Wildlife Refuge, America's greatest wildlife sanctuary.