Meat's Not Green

“If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is stop eating meat.” - Paul McCartney.

For over three years I have been a dedicated vegetarian. Seeing the reality of animals suffering intensive confinement, painful mutilations and violent deaths was the driving force behind my lifestyle decision. However, I have recently become aware of a new and shocking fact; the meat industry is not only responsible for the horrificly inhumane treatment of animals but also for ravaging our environment.

According to the United Nations, raising animals for food causes more greenhouse gas emissions than all the vehicles, aeroplanes, ships and trains combined and is “one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems”. Every minute an area of rainforest equivalent to seven football fields is destroyed to accommodate grazing cattle, and in the USA, raising animals for food uses more than half of all the water consumed. Livestock production uses 30 percent of the earth's surface and is the leading cause of damage to scarce water sources.

Refusing to eat meat is the single most effective way of cutting down your carbon footprint. The earth is in her eleventh hour; we have to put greed and selfishness in the backseat and for once think about the good of our planet and her creations. Such a basic, inexpensive decision could not only save our earth, but precious lives too.

For more information have a look at http://www.meat.org/

Vegetarian Starter Kits

http://www.peta.org/vsk/?c=pfs

Sir Paul McCartney - "If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is just stop eating meat."

Vegetarian! A word that strikes fear in the hearts of most South Africans. Why would anyone, you think, willingly give up tender steak, crispy roast chicken or a lekker braai. Images of dirty, dreaded misfits throwing red paint and wielding placards probably spring to mind.

Without wanting to sound too Sunday morning pulpit, I have to throw in my 50c. While I am a complete fool for animals, I do not object to meat eating on the principle that it's morally wrong. It's more an issue of greed and cruelty. Animals deserve to live pain-free existences devoid of tiny cages and hormones. No animal deserves to be farmed like a crop. Being vegetarian is my way of 'sticking it' to the meat man, and yes I know that my boycott alone is not going to end the shitty treatment of animals, but it's a conscience thing. And hey, the more people who make personal choices based on conscience, the more pressure we put on the inhumane bastards!

If you are at all interested in becoming vegetarian (go on, just have a look!) the above link is really great. It's got veggie recipes and tips and pictures of celebrity vegans and vegetarians.