help a chick out

I spent all of my teens and my early 20s as a strict vegetarian.  For complicated health reasons (none of which were because of my diet) I had to start eating meat again when I was 22/23.  I spent the first year just eating fish, then the second year adding chicken into the mix, and by year four I was eating all kinds of meats.

However I still hold on to many of my vegetarian ways, despite being almost a decade into a meat-eating lifestyle.  I source my meats and eat locally, hormone-free and animal-friendly whenever I can.  I still have trouble handling raw meat when cooking in the kitchen (The Fella does most of that stuff).

One of my strongest "rules", though, is that I will not eat chicken or eggs unless they're free ranged.  I have been like this for years, ever since I watched the first twenty minutes of "Food Inc" in 2003.  I literally couldn't watch any more of the video as the little that I'd seen almost sent me straight back to being a veggo.

I got such a kick, though, when I saw an ad in a magazine at the hairdresser's yesterday.  "Help a sister out" said the ad with Michelle Bridges.

{image taken from here}

The RSPCA has launched a new "Set a Sister Free" campaign aimed at raising awareness of caged chickens within Australia.

{image taken from here}

In fact, they've put together a great, educational and comprehensive website called "Hens Deserve Better", all about the Australian egg industry.  It's actually really interesting, if appalling.  I totally encourage you to check it out.

Plus - I always love a clever ad.