To get updates on new site content, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Helpful Resources

From JFA Wiki

This page is updated often with new or newly discovered resources, so check back from time to time.

Helpful Resources

Title Links

Type Topic Description
Dominion Video Ethics This 2018 release is the likely replacement for Earthlings as the prominent go-to movie for learning about animal exploitation. It provides more up-to-date information and is narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, who also narrated Earthlings.

Dominion is free on YouTube and available for download from their website.

Forks Over Knives (Movie) Video Health This movie has compelled multitudes of people to adopt a plant-based diet. Roger Ebert says, "Here is a film that could save your life." It tells the story of how a transition to a vegan diet greatly improved their health. It is available from multiple sources.

From the website forksoverknives.com:

"Forks Over Knives examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the chronic diseases that afflict us can be controlled or even reversed by rejecting animal-based and processed foods."

Cowspiracy Video Earth Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret is a 2014 documentary about the impact of animal agriculture on the environment. It investigates the policies of environmental organizations and shows why they tend to ignore animal agriculture's enormous impact on global greenhouse gases, deforestation, species extinction, water wastage, and pollution.
Vegan 2018 Video General From the website: "The film charts the rise of the vegan movement, showcasing key events that happened over the last 12 months, as well as interviews with leaders in the movement."

Dominion

This 2018 release is the likely replacement for Earthlings as the prominent go-to movie for learning about animal exploitation. It provides more up-to-date information and is partly narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, who also narrates Earthlings.

At the time of this writing, Dominion is free to watch via online streaming and download.

From the website:

"Dominion uses drones, hidden and handheld cameras to expose the dark underbelly of modern animal agriculture, questioning the morality and validity of humankind’s dominion over the animal kingdom. While mainly focusing on animals used for food, it also explores other ways animals are exploited and abused by humans, including clothing, entertainment, and research."


Forks Over Knives

This movie has compelled multitudes of people to adopt a plant-based diet. Roger Ebert says, "Here is a film that could save your life." It tells the story of Bill Clinton and others and how their transition to a vegan diet greatly improved their health. It is available from multiple sources.

From the website forksoverknives.com:

"Forks Over Knives examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the chronic diseases that afflict us can be controlled or even reversed by rejecting animal-based and processed foods."


Cowspiracy

Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret is a 2014 documentary about the impact of animal agriculture on the environment. It investigates the policies of environmental organizations and shows why they tend to ignore animal agriculture's enormous impact on global greenhouse gases, deforestation, species extinction, water wastage, and pollution.


Vegan 2017

This is the 2017 version of an annual documentary produced by Plant Based News. This documentary provides an excellent view of the vegan landscape for beginning vegans and also provides a "year in review" of sorts. The movie features Noam Chomsky, Barack Obama, Al Gore, Paul McCartney, Moby, Miley Cyrus, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Ed Winters, Tal Gilboa, Melanie Joy, Dr. Oz, Neal Barnard, James Aspey, Sandra Higgins, Kat Von D, Colin Campbell, Alan Goldhamer, Michael Greger, Pam Popper, Lisa Karlan, Caldwell Esselstyn, Chris Hedges, Michael Klaper, Joaquin Phoenix, Kim Williams, Joe Rogan, ZDogg, The Doctors TV Show, Gene Baur, Rich Roll, Robert Ostfeld, Anthony Lim, Michael Dearborn, Cyrus Khambatta, Timothy Shieff, Heleen Roex, Alphonse Roex, Malcolm Mackay, Woody Harrelson, Toni Okamoto, Brian Turner, Ethan Brown, Paul Kennamer, Kip Anderson, Keegan Kuhn, Susan Levin, Joel Kahn, Natalie Portman, Bill Mayer, Russell Simmons, Katie Cleary, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, Genesis Butler, Chase Armitage, Paul Shapiro, Simone Reyes, Kalel, Anita Krajnc, Derek Sarno, Seth Goldman, Tobias Leenaert, Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Prince Khaled, Bin Alwaleed, Jeremy Coller, Craig Robinson, Donny Moss, Mark Devries, Nathan Runkle, Philip Wollen, Anneka Svenska, Jason Derulo, Charlie Sheen, Kylie Jenner, Ne-Yo, Danielle Brooks, Leonardo DiCaprio, Serena Williams, Roland Williams, Evanna Lynch, Bon Jovi, Jaden Smith, Alicia Silverstone, Liam Hemsworth, Russell Brand, Elisa Allen, Stephen Colbert, Ardja Styles, Heather Mills, Theresa May, Pamela Anderson, Piers Morgan, Kuntal Joisher, Tony Horton, Cardale Jones, Jahlil Okafor, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, Griff Whalen, Wilson Chandler, Ben Cohen, Lewis Hamilton, Tom Hayes, Amanda Sourry, Wayne Hsiung, Simon Amstell, David Simon, Daniel Bissonnette, and George Monbiot.


New Vegan Support Group

The New Vegan Support group, with over 56,000 members, is for those getting started with going vegan. You can post your questions or concerns and almost be assured of getting at least several replies. The group is open for anyone to join, but it’s a private group, so only members can see your posts.

If you are on Facebook, consider joining this group after reading our own <a href="http://justiceforanimals.org/basics/getting-started-with-going-vegan/">Getting Started with Going Vegan</a> article.


Earthlings

Many people have gone vegan after watching this powerful documentary. It's older than the Dominion movie listed in these resources, but the information is still pertinent and, like Dominion, it's free.

The Powered by Produce website sums it up nicely: "Earthlings is an incredibly eye-opening documentary about the way humans use animals… Earthlings urges us to 'make the connection.' In Earthlings, our exploitation of animals is examined from five areas: food, clothing, entertainment, science, and even our pets." <a href="http://www.powered-by-produce.com/2010/02/24/movie-review-earthlings/" rel="noopener">Source</a>


Dr. Neal Barnard on Plant-Based Nutrition Essentials

This video is not a grand production like some of the videos we recommend. It's one prominent physician giving a talk to health-care professionals on plant-based nutrition. Yet it is profound in the sober way it presents solid scientific evidence to dispel the most prevalent myths and misconceptions about nutrition—and clearly shows how studies have been manipulated to make us believe what we want to believe.

If you go on believing what you probably now believe about cholesterol, protein, calcium, soy, weight loss, diabetes, and other topics discussed here, it could have profoundly negative consequences for your health. Many physicians are now spreading the same perspective, but Dr. Barnard has a way of presenting that makes the evidence difficult if not impossible to counter.


Forks Over Knives, the Website

In addition to providing a wealth of information on health and nutrition, this website features recipes here that are generally healthier than those on most recipe sites because the ingredients are mostly whole foods and minimize the use of processed foods.

The website is organized logically, which makes it easy to get to where you want to go. The design of the site is also impressive.

The success stories provide numerous testimonials about the power of a whole-food plant-based diet. People of all ages tell in their own words about mitigating or getting rid of diabetes, cancer, obesity, hypertension, arthritis, lupus, cystic acne, sleep apnea, depression, attention deficit disorder, chronic pain, ulcerative colitis, and fibroids.

Some of the testimonials are from physicians who, after transforming their own lives, changed the way they practiced medicine.

Bodybuilders, triathletes, cyclists, and ultrarunners are also featured and speak of quicker recovery times, better endurance, and enhanced strength after adopting a plant-based diet.


PlantPure Nation

This movie is a powerful testament to the ability of a vegan diet to dramatically improve one's health. The PlantPure team visits rural communities in North Carolina and feeds volunteers a vegan diet for two weeks. The before and after medical test results are nothing short of astounding to those who are not aware of the power of whole-food plant-based nutrition.


A Speech on Animal Rights by Professor Tom Regan

Philosopher Tom Regan delivered one of the best speeches on the philosophy of animal rights during a debate at the Royal Institute of Great Britain in 1989. Fortunately, someone recorded it.


101 Reasons to Go Vegan

This popular presentation by James Wildman of the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida covers both ethics and health. The video is compelling, although the title is a bit misleading because it does not present 101 reasons (at least not in any discernible manner). But don't let that deter you.

The talk is usually delivered to high school students, but at least once a year James delivers it at the Sublime Restaurant & Bar in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

James is a full-time Humane Educator and fittingly holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Humane Education from the Institute for Humane Education.


Debate: Don't Eat Anything with a Face

Everyone loves a good debate, and the motion being debated is, "Don't eat anything with a face." Yes, it should be "Don't eat anyone with a face," but that doesn't stop it from being informative and captivating.

In favor of the motion are Neal Barnard of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and Gene Baur of Farm Sanctuary. Against the motion are Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms and Chris Masterjohn of the Weston A. Price Foundation.

The audience is polled on the motion before and after the debate to see if the arguments moved them either way. Sorry, you'll have to watch the video to see the results.


Dr. Greger's NutritionFacts.org

Whatever you want to know about nutrition, it's likely you will find a video with an accompanying transcript on this site. The videos present the latest research on over 2,000 health- and nutrition-related topics, analyzed for you by Dr. Michael Greger.

If you want to know if phytoestrogens in soy are harmful, if blackberries are healthier than blueberries, or if you should limit you stevia consumption, you will find the information here. Use the search box at the top of the site to find it, or <a href="https://nutritionfacts.org/topics/">browse the videos by topic</a>.


T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies

This site provides a web presence for T. Colin Campbell, a seasoned researcher and author of The China Study and several other books. In addition to providing an excellent source of information on human nutrition, the website offers articles dispelling various fallacies about plant-based and animal-based nutrition.

The recipes on this site, like those on the Forks Over Knives site, are generally healthier than those you will find elsewhere.


Speciesism: The Movie

The movie's website describes the documentary like this: "[Speciesism: The Movie] takes viewers on a sometimes funny, sometimes frightening adventure, crawling through the bushes that hide these factories, flying in airplanes above their toxic 'manure lagoons,' and coming face-to-face with their owners." <a href="https://speciesismthemovie.com/" rel="noopener">Source</a>


Motivational Methods for Vegan Advocacy

From the book's description:

"Motivational Methods for Vegan Advocacy applies principles and methods from the field of clinical psychology to enhance the potential impact of the animal advocacy efforts of individuals and groups. This work is based on the premise that animal advocates are the change-makers and will help determine whether this movement succeeds or fails.

"Fortunately, there are tried and tested models and strategies that have been shown to help create true, internal, long-standing behavioral change for a range of problem behaviors that include unnecessary violence. [Dr. Casey] Taft discusses these methods and illustrates how they can best be applied in preventing the needless harm inflicted upon animals." <a href="https://veganpublishers.com/multimedia-archive/motivational-methods/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source</a>


How to Create a Vegan World

This 2017 book by Tobias Leenaert proposes a pragmatic approach to advocating for veganism and creating a vegan world. The author warns that being more fundamentalist will drive people away from going vegan by making veganism seem dogmatic and difficult.

This book is in contrast to Casey Taft's Motivational Methods for Vegan Advocacy, which recommends a stronger, unequivocal vegan call to action. While we don't agree with all of the points made in Leenaert's How to Create a Vegan World, we think it's good for activists to consider all the arguments and then decide for themselves. Anyone advocating for veganism and animal rights would be well served by reading both books.