by laurel |
The Chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, recently told The Observer that people should avoid meat for one day every week to help reduce climate change and global warming. Dr. Pachauri won a joint share of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. He says changing our diets is an important part of environmental responsibility because rearing cattle and other animals used for food has a huge effect on greenhouse gas emissions and habitat destruction. Pachauri also says avoiding meat for one day is an easy change compared with changing your mode of transportation.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N. concluded that meat production produces about one-fifth of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Worldwide meat consumption is expected to double by 2050.
Going meat-free once a week is something that everyone could do on a personal level. If you want to try it, I recommend Monday as a good day. Check out Meatless Monday, a national public health campaign to help Americans prevent four leading causes of death: heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.
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It seems that meat production facilities have gone downhill since the advent of chemical toxins and the capitalist fervor present in so many meat company CEOs. I definitely agree that abstaining from meat is not only great for the environment, it’s great for your health as well. That statistic about the rate of meat consumption doubling sure is a downer, though!
Yes, the statistics about meat consumption doubling are well…troubling. But with the price of meat on a steady incline, it won’t before more people start going meatless at least for one if not a few days a week. I work for Meatless Monday (thanks for the mention!) and I wanted to add that our site has tons of delicious meatless recipes to help jump start healthier eating. I agree with the previous poster, yes meat consumption is detrimental to the environment but you might be surprised how detrimental it is to your health. Just reducing meat consumption by 15% or one day a week can dramatically reduce your risks for heart disease and diabetes.
Thanks for the comments! I hope we see you back here at Green Thinking.
I completely agree that reducing our meat intake is better for our bodies too. I talked about it a few months ago on my other blog: Laurel on Health Food. Check it out.
Go Meatless on Mondays
http://www.laurelonhealthfood.com/2008/05/15/go-meatless-on-mondays/
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