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Originally Posted by CSflim
I am not denying that. There is a readily available food source, which we can avail of without causing widespread sufferring.
There is nothing wrong with eating plants, as they do not have the capacity to suffer.
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Plants are more than you realize. Studies of desert shrubs in the American west show that when a bush becomes infested with bugs its system starts producing a greater quantity of toxic and noxious resins and exhalations, which insects tend to avoid, what with their small bodies (and don't forget their defenseless eggs which do not tolerate high quantities of toxic substances either). The interesting thing is that non-infested shrubs within miles of the buggy ones also begin to produce these specialized substances, and the relationship between wind pattern and bush defense system activation was apparently rather well correlated.
An incidental byproduct of having delicate electrical sensors on tobacco plants in a controlled testing environment showed that the plants developed an interesting reaction to the morning visit of the quality assurance man. He would cut a sample from each plant and burn it in an analyzing device for, well, analyzing them I guess. Anyway, the timing of the mans approach (governed by the clock, probably a good due paying union man) resulted in a very high rate of activity in the plants, and this went on until the test was over and he left the room. The rest of the day they were calm.
There is a lot to be said on the other questions as well, but I better read this thread and see if I double posted someone elses response here before I blather any more.