British Insects Want YOU!
the war for insect welfare comes to Britain—and you can help us fight it.
“We live during the hinge of history. Given the scientific and technological discoveries of the last two centuries, the world has never changed as fast. We shall soon have even greater powers to transform, not only our surroundings, but ourselves and our successors. If we act wisely in the next few centuries, humanity will survive its most dangerous and decisive period.” — Derek Parfit, On What Matters, Volume II, 2011, p. 616.
We live during the hinge of insect history. Given the scientific and technological advances in insect farming, the sector has never grown so fast. We shall soon have even greater powers to farm insects (mainly crickets, black soldier flies, and mealworms) — baking, freezing, grinding, starving, shredding, ovening and boiling them in order to feed their protein to other animals while we torture those animals in factory farms.
If you want an article on the evidence for insect sentience and the near total absence of even minimal welfare safeguards on what will soon be the most farmed animal on planet earth, those articles can be found elsewhere. In particular, I recommend my essay on the subject, which, if I weren’t more humble, I’d describe as a riveting rollercoaster of puns and facts and some of the juiciest insect-related prose you’ve ever slurped through your Substack straw. This piece from a magazine called The New Yorker is informative too, though I get that it’s always a leap of faith with these rinky-dink online publications, so no hate if you’d rather just stick with me.)
Anyway, I’m going to just assume you’re a fellow traveller, as well as your gender and sexual preference. Like me, I’ll assume, you think the evidence for insect sentience is at least decently good, given that most entomologists seem to think that too. And, like me, you’re concerned that given the sheer number of insects we’re farming in potentially painful ways, the moral risk of allowing the sector to grow rapidly unchecked over the next few years is high.
If that’s you, it turns out you can do something about it — completely for free! And the hardest part has already been done for you.
Right now, at this very moment, the UK government is consulting on whether to allow insects to be fed to pigs and chickens, as well as “enable investment in the insect protein sector”.
Online, over at the EA Forum, a hero who goes by JamesÖz has written down guidance on answering the government’s consultation form on insect protein (which only takes about 5-10 minutes to fill out). It’s up to you how detailed your answers are: if you’re short on time, and your views are based, just answer “No” on all of the questions; if you want to take two minutes extra and explain your answers, Mr. Öz has supplied a UK Voters for Animals GPT which lists off all the reasons for saying buzz off to insect protein, but words each answer differently so the Survey People don’t get inundated with a zillion identical answers. You can fill the form out here — the deadline is April 1st. (Btw, you can respond without being a UK citizen. If you’re worried about imposing your correct values on the incorrect values of another culture, it’s OK. I am British, and I bequeath to you our collective permission.)
This is the sort of situation where you filling the survey out could genuinely make a difference to policy. Scottish governments consulted on this issue recently, and only got about 44 respondents. Since insect protein is such a niche, technical issue, the government won’t be expecting many respondents. If they receive a bunch and nearly all say “don’t do this!”, that will be pretty striking to them.
If you do fill out the survey, let me know in the comments, and I’ll reply with the emoji that I think best encapsulates your essence.
Recently, I was feeling glum about the insect welfare movement (a movement which, let’s just say, has more stakeholders than activists.) Then I saw that the rising progressive folk singer Jesse Welles put out a literal anthem about insect welfare. I hope it brings you some utility this evening:
Also, here is another song about insects I like — though I admit, perhaps, that this one needs more of an acquired taste:
> you can respond without being a UK citizen. If you’re worried about imposing your correct values on the incorrect values of another culture.
I'd say about half the world is justified in imposing its will on Britain for a change :)
Now give me my emoji 🔫
Oh my goodness “Bugs” is one of my recent favorites. So happy you’re sharing it! Also I found a spider in my room today and felt a little less lonely.