"I just don't think about it." VINE started out as a chicken sanctuary surrounded by factory farms, and whenever we talked to workers in the local poultry industry, that phrase would be said again and again. Work at slaughterhouses and factory farms is inherently dangerous and demoralizing, and these harms are made more injurious by lack of rights.

Just not thinking about it is also what most people who eat animal products do to feel OK about themselves. But that's a dangerous habit of mind that can lead to thoughtlessness in other areas. In contrast, really thinking about where your food is coming from three times a day is good practice at becoming more mindful about everything.

Learn more about the struggles of workers at slaughterhouses and factory farms from Food Empowerment Project. In reading about factory farms, remember that most cows exploited for their milk are confined on concrete with little or no access to outdoors. In reading about slaughterhouses, remember that cows from dairy farms also are slaughtered.

To be both informed and inspired, read this interview with the late Virgil Butler, who was a great friend to the sanctuary, talking about his experiences as a former chicken catcher and slaughterhouse worker. In reading about Virgil's experiences, remember that hens used for eggs also are slaughtered.