"I wrote The Animal Lover's Guide to Changing the World to help animal lovers find actions they can take right now, no matter their lifestyle or where they're starting from."
In October 2017 I learned about Stephanie Feldstein's forthcoming book called The Animal Lover's Guide to Changing the World: Practical Advice and Everyday Actions for a More Sustainable, Humane, and Compassionate Planet. The title caught my eye, ambitious as it is, because it seemed — and it turned out to be — a down-to-earth and inspirational guide for making the world a better place for all sorts of nonhuman animals (animals), and I agreed to write an endorsement for it. Ms. Feldstein's book truly is an inspiring, accessible, and empowering book for everyone, including youngsters, who wants to live a more humane and animal-friendly life. I learned a lot from it, so I asked Ms. Feldstein if she could answer some questions about her new book and gladly she agreed. Our interview went as follows:
Why did you write The Animal Lover's Guide to Changing the World and how does it follow up on other interests of yours?
Throughout my years of being an animal activist, a lot of people would say to me "I want to do more for animals, but I can't do this one thing." There's this idea out there that if you can't give up one kind of meat, you can't change your diet for animals in other ways. Or if you're not in a position to adopt an animal that you can't do other things to help animals in shelters. And when I was working at Change.org, I saw firsthand that there were so many animal lovers who wanted to be part of creating a more compassionate world, but weren't sure how to push for effective change. I wrote The Animal Lover's Guide to Changing the World to help animal lovers find actions they can take right now, no matter their lifestyle or where they're starting from.
When it comes to loving animals, I'm a bit of a generalist. I'm a total dog person. But I'm also a cat person. And an elephant person, and a shark person, and a salamander person. I love introducing people to species they aren't familiar with or showing them that other animals have these amazing quirks and personalities that make them as lovable as their favorite animal. I hope that people who pick up The Animal Lover's Guide to Changing the World in honor of their favorite animals are also inspired by the stories at the start of each chapter and the range of simple actions to help other species, too.
What are some of your major messages?
"Being compassionate to humans is a critical part of helping other animals."
Everything we do affects animals, from the big decisions like voting and family planning to the dozens of daily choices we make about what to eat and what we buy. It can feel overwhelming, but it also means that we have endless opportunities to make choices that are better for animals, the planet, and ourselves. None of us is going to be perfect, especially because many of the ways that animals are threatened and exploited are bigger than any one person. The important thing is that we become more conscientious about how our lives impact others and instead of being guilty about what we can't do, make positive changes and speak out where we can.
I also emphasize throughout the book that being compassionate to humans is a critical part of helping other animals. Far too often, "human issues" and "animal issues" are pitted against each other as if we can only care about one or the other, when the reality is that compassion is a renewable resource and our lives are intertwined. Where there's violence against people, there's often violence against animals. When animals are given the chance to thrive, it makes the world a better, healthier place for us, too.
Can you please give readers some examples of how to give different animals the best lives possible, so they can see what you're up to?
The most obvious way to help farmed animals is to eat less meat and dairy. But it's not always easy to choose plant-based foods if you're unfamiliar with them, face social pressure, or don't have many options in your area. The book includes tips such as how to start changing your diet one meal or ingredient at a time, and how to talk to restaurants in your area about offering more plant-based dishes to make animal-friendly diets more accessible for everyone.
If you share your home with a dog, there's an entire chapter on how to be a good canine ambassador. I think we all want everyone to adore our dogs as much as we do, but taking steps to make that happen through training and responsible care are actually really important ways to create a dog-friendly community where your companion is welcome and safe from harmful laws such as breed bans.
To help wildlife, one of the first steps is to fight overconsumption. We're constantly being told that we're "consumers," and that our success and happiness lie in how much stuff we have. But everything has a production cost of land, water, pollution, and energy that's paid by wild animals. By buying less, and taking a moment to consider whether there are better options for the things we do purchase, we can reduce our own footprints and start to shift our culture from one based in consumerism to one that values the world around us and the other animals we share it with.
Who's your intended audience?
I wrote this book for people who love animals, but aren't exactly sure what they can do to make the world a better place for nonhumans. Some people may already know what they want to see change in the world, but don't know how to make their voices heard, while others may just know that they love animals and want to take action, but don't know what that looks like in their own lives. I also wrote this book for people who may be more seasoned activists on some issues and want to learn how to extend their compassion and activism to other animals.
Are you hopeful people will take your messages to heart?
Absolutely. It only takes a few minutes on social media to realize that we live in a world of animal lovers, and in recent years we've seen people come together in huge, unexpected ways to rally for animals they've never met. I think people are hungry for ways that they can improve the world around them and want to know that their actions matter. The Animal Lover's Guide to Changing the World is intended to be really accessible and welcoming for anyone who wants to be part of creating a more compassionate, sustainable planet.
What are some of your current and future projects?
At the Center for Biological Diversity, I'm working with an amazing team on projects that help educate people on many of the issues found in The Animal Lover's Guide as well as campaigns to advance solutions that help animals, people, and the planet. For example, we're working to make plant-based options more available, to fight factory farms, to reduce food waste, to increase wildlife-friendly energy sources, to make rooftop solar more available, and to defend reproductive rights and access to contraception to ensure that everyone has the ability to choose if and when they want to have children.
In my writing, I'm working on another non-fiction project — I can't say much about it yet, but it will delve deeper into some of the themes in the The Animal Lover's Guide. I also enjoy writing fiction and am in the middle of a Young Adult novel set in the wilderness.
Thank you Stephanie for an informed and passionate interview. Nonhuman animals need all the help they can get, and your new book is just what is needed to give them the most compassionate and humane lives possible in the wide range of venues in which other animals and humans meet. Clearly written and appropriate for a global audience of all ages, I hope this practical guide with simple and easy-to-do action alerts winds up on the bookshelf of everyone who wants to help other animals live in peace and safety.
