Comments on: cruelty free knitting http://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/ handcraft in a hectic world Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:20:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: JulieThttp://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-39231 JulieT Wed, 03 Jan 2007 03:29:27 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-39231 There is no such thing as true 'cruelty-free' knitting. Synthetics come largely from petroleum, which has obvious environmental and political impact. Semi-synthetics like rayon and the new soy and corn based yarns are processed with some wicked-harsh chemicals like acids - not too eco-friendly, and cotton and it's ilk are grown with pesticides and herbicides. (Cotton is one of the most pesticide intensive crops commercially grown, anywhere.) Even 'organic fibers' use petroleum-based power sources to process them in mills. And many organically grown crops, like corn and cotton, STILL deplete the soil badly and can create dustbowls.PETA won't point any of this out. They just want you to go hug a sheep. Or an alpaca. Or a goat (do you have any idea how badly cashmere goats overgraze?)You can't have six billion people on this planet and not have environmental impact. Ain't. Gonna. Happen.On the other hand, I'm all for humane treatment for animals, and I see mulesing as a humane treatment - it sure beats dying of fly-strike. There is no such thing as true ‘cruelty-free’ knitting. Synthetics come largely from petroleum, which has obvious environmental and political impact. Semi-synthetics like rayon and the new soy and corn based yarns are processed with some wicked-harsh chemicals like acids – not too eco-friendly, and cotton and it’s ilk are grown with pesticides and herbicides. (Cotton is one of the most pesticide intensive crops commercially grown, anywhere.) Even ‘organic fibers’ use petroleum-based power sources to process them in mills. And many organically grown crops, like corn and cotton, STILL deplete the soil badly and can create dustbowls.

PETA won’t point any of this out. They just want you to go hug a sheep. Or an alpaca. Or a goat (do you have any idea how badly cashmere goats overgraze?)

You can’t have six billion people on this planet and not have environmental impact. Ain’t. Gonna. Happen.

On the other hand, I’m all for humane treatment for animals, and I see mulesing as a humane treatment – it sure beats dying of fly-strike.

]]> By: Silhttp://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-37649 Sil Mon, 01 Jan 2007 11:34:03 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-37649 Whoops. Sorry, that was to Amy. Whoops. Sorry, that was to Amy.

]]> By: Silhttp://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-37648 Sil Mon, 01 Jan 2007 11:33:40 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-37648 Tisra; cotton is neither - it is a plant. Tisra; cotton is neither – it is a plant.

]]> By: Tisrahttp://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-28634 Tisra Fri, 22 Dec 2006 15:35:00 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-28634 rik, good points. I don't have much knowledge of PETA, so was more trying to get to the heart of what would make them happy on this issue. Also- I'm a suburban mom with not a lick of farming experience. But, I always like healthy debate that leads everyone to their own resolve and am interested in hearing both sides to an issue that I knew nothing about. Personally, I value humans above animals and ultimately will make sure that my decisions reflect that. rik, good points. I don’t have much knowledge of PETA, so was more trying to get to the heart of what would make them happy on this issue. Also- I’m a suburban mom with not a lick of farming experience. But, I always like healthy debate that leads everyone to their own resolve and am interested in hearing both sides to an issue that I knew nothing about. Personally, I value humans above animals and ultimately will make sure that my decisions reflect that.

]]> By: amyhttp://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-28589 amy Fri, 22 Dec 2006 10:58:48 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-28589 as a vegan, i strongly dislike PETA; i think that their infantile sensationalism gives people an excuse to avoid facing some unpleasant realities, and makes us all look bad. muelsing is a complex issue, and there are pragmatic realities of stock management to be dealt with -- fly strike is horrendous. i don't think PETA is helping anything by oversimplifying and mischaracterising the issue.what i think is equally unfortunate, though, is that the wool industry is responding by being just as misleading, sensationalist, and infantile as PETA. instead of using this as an opportunity to raise awareness of the problems facing farmers, and to raise more funding for research into alternatives to mulesing, they're resorting to muck-raking and mud-slinging. the industry itself is invested in <a href='http://www.woolisbest.com/animal_welfare/mulesing/' rel="nofollow">research into alternatives</a>, because they're well aware that mulesing is not ideal, that it's merely the lesser evil. so, they could be saying <em>yes, mulesing is cruel, but flystrike is worse -- look at these pictures! we wish we could do away with mulesing, but until we have more money for research into alternatives, that won't be possible</em> and, by doing so, not insult the intelligence of the general public, and maybe drum up some more research money, which would be good for them, and the sheep, and everyone would be happier... but no. instead, their message is <em>OMG!!! PETA wants to force you to wear <a href='http://www.woolisbest.com/about_peta/index.html' rel="nofollow">nothing but synthetic clothes</a>!!!</em> (err... is cotton animal, or synthetic?). ::sigh:: as a vegan, i strongly dislike PETA; i think that their infantile sensationalism gives people an excuse to avoid facing some unpleasant realities, and makes us all look bad. muelsing is a complex issue, and there are pragmatic realities of stock management to be dealt with — fly strike is horrendous. i don’t think PETA is helping anything by oversimplifying and mischaracterising the issue.

what i think is equally unfortunate, though, is that the wool industry is responding by being just as misleading, sensationalist, and infantile as PETA. instead of using this as an opportunity to raise awareness of the problems facing farmers, and to raise more funding for research into alternatives to mulesing, they’re resorting to muck-raking and mud-slinging.
the industry itself is invested in research into alternatives, because they’re well aware that mulesing is not ideal, that it’s merely the lesser evil.
so, they could be saying
yes, mulesing is cruel, but flystrike is worse — look at these pictures! we wish we could do away with mulesing, but until we have more money for research into alternatives, that won’t be possible
and, by doing so, not insult the intelligence of the general public, and maybe drum up some more research money, which would be good for them, and the sheep, and everyone would be happier…
but no.
instead, their message is
OMG!!! PETA wants to force you to wear nothing but synthetic clothes!!! (err… is cotton animal, or synthetic?).
::sigh::

]]> By: Ruthhttp://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-28588 Ruth Fri, 22 Dec 2006 10:51:30 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-28588 Tisra: <em> And, I watched the PETA video wondering why there was information at the end about slaughtering the sheep. Sheep aren’t slaughtered for wool. </em>Sheep may not be slaughtered for shearing, but they're not exactly retired to pleasant green paddocks when they're no longer considered economically viable, either. One market for 'disposing' of ex-wool sheep is live export -- and that's pretty spectacularly horrible. Tisra: And, I watched the PETA video wondering why there was information at the end about slaughtering the sheep. Sheep aren’t slaughtered for wool.

Sheep may not be slaughtered for shearing, but they’re not exactly retired to pleasant green paddocks when they’re no longer considered economically viable, either.
One market for ‘disposing’ of ex-wool sheep is live export — and that’s pretty spectacularly horrible.

]]> By: susan sobonhttp://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-28552 susan sobon Fri, 22 Dec 2006 07:34:22 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-28552 i would be happy to just see them use a topical anesthetic. i would be happy to just see them use a topical anesthetic.

]]> By: gadgetgirlhttp://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-28534 gadgetgirl Fri, 22 Dec 2006 05:32:11 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-28534 Thank you for this very thoughtful post! It is so god to see someone in the crafting community talk about both sides of this tough issue. Well done. Thank you for this very thoughtful post! It is so god to see someone in the crafting community talk about both sides of this tough issue.
Well done.

]]> By: rikhttp://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-28513 rik Fri, 22 Dec 2006 03:33:46 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-28513 sheep in large herds are liberally dosed with antibiotics- as are most fiber and food flocks. bandaging happens as the wound is exposed to air. Its called a scab. a bandage is going to prevent the wound from drying, be very "scenty" both of which attract predators. I've spent a fair amount of time around sheep. No bandages -ever. first of all, what bandage is going to stick to lanolin covered fiber or skin? That lamb at the petting zoo has been washed. Sheep in grazing herds are oily, dirty(dirt sticks to oil)bossy beasts. anesthetics? topical maybe. I think PETA is against animal husbandry in general, flocks of any kind, for any reason are cruel. I think I have heard it referred to as "animal slavery". So anything that happens in that flock be it milking(cows), shearing(sheep), taking eggs(chickens), harvesting honey(bees) is cruel. The selling of offspring is cruel to the mother. I think PETA goes off the deep end sometimes. Yes everybody loves animals ... am I going to quit eating cheese? wearing wool? take off my leather shoes? no, I'm not. i'm grateful for the animals that feed me and my 2dogs/2cats, clothe me, and I grateful for the farmers/ranchers. sheep in large herds are liberally dosed with antibiotics- as are most fiber and food flocks. bandaging happens as the wound is exposed to air. Its called a scab. a bandage is going to prevent the wound from drying, be very “scenty” both of which attract predators.
I’ve spent a fair amount of time around sheep. No bandages -ever. first of all, what bandage is going to stick to lanolin covered fiber or skin? That lamb at the petting zoo has been washed. Sheep in grazing herds are oily, dirty(dirt sticks to oil)bossy beasts.
anesthetics? topical maybe.
I think PETA is against animal husbandry in general, flocks of any kind, for any reason are cruel. I think I have heard it referred to as “animal slavery”.
So anything that happens in that flock be it milking(cows), shearing(sheep), taking eggs(chickens), harvesting honey(bees) is cruel. The selling of offspring is cruel to the mother. I think PETA goes off the deep end sometimes.
Yes everybody loves animals … am I going to quit eating cheese? wearing wool? take off my leather shoes? no, I’m not.
i’m grateful for the animals that feed me and my 2dogs/2cats, clothe me, and I grateful for the farmers/ranchers.

]]> By: Tisrahttp://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-28480 Tisra Fri, 22 Dec 2006 00:11:41 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/12/21/cruelty-free-knitting/#comment-28480 I was completely unaware of this issue. Thank you. I wonder if PETA would have such and issue if they animals were given pain relievers. And, I watched the PETA video wondering why there was information at the end about slaughtering the sheep. Sheep aren't slaughtered for wool. All you have to do is shear the wool off, right? So, if farmers could make sure the animals are comfortable for the mulesing, and then properly bandaged and given antibacterial salve or something- wouldn't everyone be happy? Surely, being eaten alive by maggots is worse than a procedure. I was completely unaware of this issue. Thank you. I wonder if PETA would have such and issue if they animals were given pain relievers. And, I watched the PETA video wondering why there was information at the end about slaughtering the sheep. Sheep aren’t slaughtered for wool. All you have to do is shear the wool off, right? So, if farmers could make sure the animals are comfortable for the mulesing, and then properly bandaged and given antibacterial salve or something- wouldn’t everyone be happy? Surely, being eaten alive by maggots is worse than a procedure.

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