Old Codger
2008-01-22 08:14:21 UTC
Paul McCartney Urges World To Go Veggie For The Environment
While he stopped short of recommending rats milk as an alternative,
musician Paul McCartney did follow in the footsteps of his former wife
Heather Mills by advocating for increased diets of vegetables and less
meat.
The former Beatle drew attention to a United Nations report which
found that the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas
emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent - 18% - than transport. In a
letter to the UK Press Association, he outlined the dramatic effects
eating meat has on the planet including the facts that 70% of former
forests in the Amazon have been turned over to grazing and that
livestock now use 30% of the entire worlds land surface. From his
letter,
That this message comes directly from an authoritative body such as
the UN (whose member states, it should be remembered, are not
generally considered vegetarian) rather than an organisation committed
to vegetarianism is significant.
What I think is especially compelling is that this report should now
encourage everybody to do their bit for the planet the evidence
that the report gives is, frankly, stunning. It points directly to the
striking detrimental effects of excessive livestock farming on the
environment. It generates 65% of human-related nitrous oxide, which
has 296 times the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of CO2. Most of this
comes from manure.
By simply considering altering eating habits people can strike a blow
for the environment, our children and the future. Such facts and data
as those listed above cant be ignored.
Good words from Sir Paul McCartney and excellent food for thought this
Holiday season as the massive festive dinners continue on through New
Years. For those of us not vegetarian, consider reducing your intake
this year and making an effort to invite more green into your diets.
Every little bit helps. We can all be conscious of the impact our food
has on the world.
via the press association
5 Comments Tagged: heather mills, paul-mccartney
5 Responses to Paul McCartney Urges World To Go Veggie For The
Environment
quanyinmeditator says on December 19th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
What is really upsetting about this is that this report has been out
for a year, and after Pauls press release, all of 4 news media
outlets (including your own) reported on it. One thing he did not
point out was that it was the Livestock group at the United Nations
Food and Agricutlure Organization which put out the report. The
Livestock group!! Saying eating meat is responsible for 18% of the
worlds green house gases! And the press has not picked up on it. And
the University of Chicago did a study saying that by going vegan for a
year, you save 50% more emissions than by driving a Prius. And its a
whole lot cheaper to eat a vegan meal than to buy a Prius!
carol says on December 19th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
give example substituts and Ill change.have the supermarkets sell
different items and Ill buy it. YOU CANT JUST SAY CHANGE. SHOW
EXAMPLES.
deena says on December 19th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
I went fish-only-every-now-and-then vegetarian 2 years ago.
Transitioning from meat was not hard at all. It takes some time to
research online what looks good to you, and then what is available in
your grocery.
animalfriend says on December 20th, 2007 at 8:27 am
Sir Paul is wise and a great personality, indeed!
Dana says on December 20th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
for Carol: Whole Foods, Wild Oats and Trader Joes have a great
selection of vegetarian and vegan prepared food items, both fresh and
frozen. Whole Foods has a great selection of the raw ingredients for
cooking vegetarian or vegan from scratch, such as organic lentils,
beans and nuts in the bulk section as well as canned and frozen. The
above retailers also offer all kinds of soy and nut milks, soy
yogurts, soy and nut butters and mock-meat substitutes like veggie
bacon, veggie beef (great for tacos, which I had a few nights ago) and
veggie sausage. And more and more mainstream grocery stores like
Safeway and Giant offer vegetarian products as well.
For veggie friendly restaurants go to www.happycow.org
Theres plenty of vegetarian-oriented websites that help people make
the transition to eating less or no meat. Just do some googling and
youll find them. One great one is vegforlife.org
While he stopped short of recommending rats milk as an alternative,
musician Paul McCartney did follow in the footsteps of his former wife
Heather Mills by advocating for increased diets of vegetables and less
meat.
The former Beatle drew attention to a United Nations report which
found that the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas
emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent - 18% - than transport. In a
letter to the UK Press Association, he outlined the dramatic effects
eating meat has on the planet including the facts that 70% of former
forests in the Amazon have been turned over to grazing and that
livestock now use 30% of the entire worlds land surface. From his
letter,
That this message comes directly from an authoritative body such as
the UN (whose member states, it should be remembered, are not
generally considered vegetarian) rather than an organisation committed
to vegetarianism is significant.
What I think is especially compelling is that this report should now
encourage everybody to do their bit for the planet the evidence
that the report gives is, frankly, stunning. It points directly to the
striking detrimental effects of excessive livestock farming on the
environment. It generates 65% of human-related nitrous oxide, which
has 296 times the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of CO2. Most of this
comes from manure.
By simply considering altering eating habits people can strike a blow
for the environment, our children and the future. Such facts and data
as those listed above cant be ignored.
Good words from Sir Paul McCartney and excellent food for thought this
Holiday season as the massive festive dinners continue on through New
Years. For those of us not vegetarian, consider reducing your intake
this year and making an effort to invite more green into your diets.
Every little bit helps. We can all be conscious of the impact our food
has on the world.
via the press association
5 Comments Tagged: heather mills, paul-mccartney
5 Responses to Paul McCartney Urges World To Go Veggie For The
Environment
quanyinmeditator says on December 19th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
What is really upsetting about this is that this report has been out
for a year, and after Pauls press release, all of 4 news media
outlets (including your own) reported on it. One thing he did not
point out was that it was the Livestock group at the United Nations
Food and Agricutlure Organization which put out the report. The
Livestock group!! Saying eating meat is responsible for 18% of the
worlds green house gases! And the press has not picked up on it. And
the University of Chicago did a study saying that by going vegan for a
year, you save 50% more emissions than by driving a Prius. And its a
whole lot cheaper to eat a vegan meal than to buy a Prius!
carol says on December 19th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
give example substituts and Ill change.have the supermarkets sell
different items and Ill buy it. YOU CANT JUST SAY CHANGE. SHOW
EXAMPLES.
deena says on December 19th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
I went fish-only-every-now-and-then vegetarian 2 years ago.
Transitioning from meat was not hard at all. It takes some time to
research online what looks good to you, and then what is available in
your grocery.
animalfriend says on December 20th, 2007 at 8:27 am
Sir Paul is wise and a great personality, indeed!
Dana says on December 20th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
for Carol: Whole Foods, Wild Oats and Trader Joes have a great
selection of vegetarian and vegan prepared food items, both fresh and
frozen. Whole Foods has a great selection of the raw ingredients for
cooking vegetarian or vegan from scratch, such as organic lentils,
beans and nuts in the bulk section as well as canned and frozen. The
above retailers also offer all kinds of soy and nut milks, soy
yogurts, soy and nut butters and mock-meat substitutes like veggie
bacon, veggie beef (great for tacos, which I had a few nights ago) and
veggie sausage. And more and more mainstream grocery stores like
Safeway and Giant offer vegetarian products as well.
For veggie friendly restaurants go to www.happycow.org
Theres plenty of vegetarian-oriented websites that help people make
the transition to eating less or no meat. Just do some googling and
youll find them. One great one is vegforlife.org