When I Discovered the Simplest Change for the Planet
In my research to launch Pigs Are Smart, I came across a book written by Jonathan Safran Foer called We Are the Weather. Foer tells the story of a young boy named Kyle who was hit by a Chevy Camaro and dragged underneath for thirty feet. A witness nearby jumped out of his truck and proceeded to lift the Camaro long enough for someone to pull the boy to safety.
For context, the book references the current world record for a deadlift at 1,102 pounds. A Camaro weighs around 3,300–4,000 pounds. This phenomenon is known as “hysterical strength.”
Foer continues:
“One amazing person lifted the car off [the boy’s] body, but then many other people pulled their cars to the side of the road to make the ambulance’s journey quicker. They were every bit as important in saving the young man’s life, but we don’t think of their acts as exceptional… Kyle’s life depended on both.”
The least and the most. And both are imperative.
Why That Moment Defined Pigs Are Smart
That’s it. With all my findings, research, and attempts to define the purpose of Pigs Are Smart, this story brought it into focus. When it comes to reversing climate change, there are massive systems at play and big changes needed. But there’s also one small, consistent action we can each take. It shows up in report after report, and it’s backed by data:
Reducing our consumption of meat and dairy is the simplest change for the planet.
It’s not the only change needed—but it’s one of the most accessible, most scalable, and most empowering.
This One Shift Touches Everything
On your Pigs Are Smart journey, you’ll discover how eating more plant-based is kinder to your body, to animals, and to the planet. In fact, according to A Well-Fed World and climate scientists contributing to the United Nations IPCC, it’s one of the most impactful things we can do to reduce our carbon footprint.
Foer puts it like this:
“When radical change is needed, many argue that it is impossible for individual actions to incite it, so it’s futile for anyone to try. This is exactly the opposite of the truth… the impotence of individual action is a reason for everyone to try.”
