Swine Flu…and a Songbird

As swine flu is discovered in more and more countries, and as the human death toll in Mexico mounts, some people are reacting by avoiding pork. Not a bad thing, but not an effective way to stem the spread of the disease; the vector, after all, is human now. Nonetheless, the flu probably did originate at a large-scale pig production facility and it is shedding some light on the underbelly of the factory farm system. It’s also bringing some new voices to the dialogue. One is the spoken and sung words of Chinese pop star, Long Kuan. She’s an outspoken vegan and self-dubbed “Queen of LOHAS.” That’s an acronym that, unpacked, translates to lifestyle of health and sustainability. In a profile on PRI’s The World, she’s urging Chinese to become vegetarian or, even better, vegan, as the best and fastest way to slow global warming (and avoid farm animal suffering). Long Kuan’s song, “Queen of LOHAS,” rose to the top of the Chinese music charts. Check out the video and learn more about Long Kuan here. It’s a catchy song, and hers is a welcome voice, sung or said.