Parents' Guide to Cowspiracy

This is a provocative, unforgettable, and must-see documentary. Though it adheres to a common-enough documentary formula of David vs. Goliath (or Michael Moore vs. General Motors), what's most shocking is how the filmmaker, Kip Petersen, confronts so much silence from the largest environmental groups whom one would think would have the most to say about the environmental havoc wreaked by animal agriculture and the excessive consumption of meat and dairy products in North America and Europe. While such silence would be expected from, say, Monsanto, the stonewall treatment Petersen receives at the hands of Greenpeace is surprising.

Though many documentaries encourage consumers to adopt a vegan diet, Cowspiracy presents the facts and benefits of making such a switch in such a way that it seems like pretty much the only option we have if we want to save our environment. The facts and statistics throughout the film -- about how much water is used to feed cattle, how much land is used for grazing, how powerful the agribusiness lobbies in the United States and the world are -- are easy to understand. For families concerned about the environment, this should provoke discussion on how personal responsibility and lifestyle changes can save our world's most precious resources.