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“The Smell of Money,” directed and co-produced by Shawn Bannon (vegan) and written and co-produced by Jamie Berger (vegan), is a documentary film portraying the widespread destruction caused by pig-people Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in North Carolina, USA. “I have seen this stream filled with feces and urine from this hog operation right up here more than one time.” “Almost every fish in the river died. Over a billion fish died in a period of about a week and a half.”Ms. Berger tells us how this waste affects water quality. “So, for example, we saw some measurements taken in which the E. coli count, which is a very harmful bacteria, was so high that the device couldn't even count how much of that substance was in the water. So, it's definitely having a huge impact on the ecosystems and the wildlife who live in this area.” “I think it's so important that we reflect on the connection between animal agriculture and climate change. It contributes more to climate change than all of the cars, trains, buses, planes, other kinds of transit in the world.” “We make clear in the film that, to the degree that we can all start to eliminate animal products from our diets, that's helpful.”Ms. Berger believes that governments could accelerate the shift to the plant-based lifestyle by changing some of their policies. “So right now the federal government and state governments heavily subsidize the production of factory farmed meat, dairy, and eggs. So, I think, a policy change that can help them, transition to growing, food crops for people to eat, that's going to be a really positive shift.” Since its release in 2022, “The Smell of Money” has been screened at many film festivals and in almost 100 communities. Ms. Berger says that the film has a profound effect on everyone who watches it. “And we've definitely heard from plenty of people, that they are changing their diets. Whether they're going vegan overnight or not, they are moving in that direction.”
