Panel 2A: Animal Welfare and Environmentalsim: Strategies For Cross-Movement Activism

The exploitation of animals, especially farmed animals and wildlife, negatively impacts both the animals and the environment. Animal protectionists and environmentalists have traditionally viewed themselves as distinct movements with sometimes conflicting agendas. Is there a middle ground? Can these movements work more closely together to serve their common interests? An environmentalist, an animal lawyer and a documentarian explore the possibilities. As one of the co-founders of the Animal Legal Defense Fund in 1979, California attorney Joyce Tischler has helped shape the emerging field of animal law. Joyce litigated some of the Animal Legal Defense Fund\u27s earliest cases, including a 1981 lawsuit that halted the U.S. Navy\u27s plan to kill 5,000 feral burros, and a 1988 challenge to the U.S. Patent Office\u27s rule allowing the patenting of genetically altered animals. Joyce has lectured extensively in the U.S. and abroad, teaches an introduction to animal law course, developed the first-ever farmed animal law and policy class, and is currently co-authoring two books related to animal law issues. Prof. Smith is a Professor of Global Environmental Health and is also founder and coordinator of the campus-wide Masters Program in Global Health and Environment. Previously, he was founder and head of the Energy Program of the East-West Center in Honolulu before moving to Berkeley in 1995. He serves on a number of national and international scientific advisory committees including the Global Energy Assessment, National Research Council\u27s Board on Atmospheric Science and Climate, the Executive Committee for WHO Air Quality Guidelines, and the International Comparative Risk Assessment. He participated along with many other scientists in the IPCC’s 3rd and 4th assessments and thus shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize and is Convening Lead Author for Climate and Health for the 5th Assessment. He holds visiting professorships in India and China and bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees from UC Berkeley and. in 1997, was elected member of the US National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors awarded to US Scientists by their peers. In 2009, he received the Heinz Prize in Environment. Keegan Kuhn is a videographer, award-winning documentary filmmaker, and professional musician living in the east bay of San Francisco. He has worked with nonprofit organizations and been involved in social justice movements for virtually his entire life. Most recently, Kuhn co-directed and released the groundbreaking film COWSPIRACY: The Sustainability Secret, an environmental documentary following an intrepid filmmaker as he uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today, and investigates why the world\u27s leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it