UN says eat less meat to curb global warming

From the Observer:
“Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which last year earned a joint share of the Nobel Peace Prize, said that people should then go on to reduce their meat consumption even further.”

Anybody who has ever done an ounce of research about the benefits of vegetarianism has ran across studies and statistics that explain why factory farming is bad for Mother Earth. Besides the needless slaughter of millions of animals, the ecological side effects of stockpiling animals is highly detrimental to the sustainability of natural resources. Moreover, the greenhouse gasses put off by the un-natural overpopulation of animals in factory farms is . . . . well, for lack of a better explanation, bad for everyone, especially the Earth.

I have had these conversations with my meat eating friends before - always receiving the same scoff of a response from them, something along the lines of “Thats a bunch of bull, eating meat is a natural thing and it does nobody harm, get over it, there is no scientific evidence to prove what you are claiming.”

To be frank, at the time I never had hard data or scientific references to back my claims that factory farming was detrimental to the Earth. I always felt like it was my opinion based on vague ideals rather than hard facts. Fortunately, the doctors of the UN are here to get my back!

The recent recommendations they have outlined recommend that the most effective way that people can reduce greenhouse gasses is through a reduction in meat from their diet. There! Its not my skinny, vegetarian, biased opinion, but hard factual data from people who know what the heck they are talking about.

Unfortunately, these facts will land on millions of deaf ears. For most people it is not about hearing the truth - most of my steak and potato buddies don’t’ give a damn about the implications of their diet on their own bodies, much less the side effects to mother earth. They eat beef because they actually believe they need it to survive, or because they have eaten their whole life and just like the way it tastes. They will probably never come around, no matter how much factual and scientific data comes to light.

In order for the following quote and fact to even resonate with your being you must first be even slightly conscious of the greater good, but even with a slight sliver of awareness, surely it should sink in that your personal diet choices can effect the collective. Here is the quote:

Tomorrow, Pachauri will speak at an event hosted by animal welfare group Compassion in World Farming, which has calculated that if the average UK household halved meat consumption that would cut emissions more than if car use was cut in half.

Great facts, love that this stuff is coming to the masses, of course the meat industry will fight like hell to keep most people from hearing about this, but a great step nonetheless.

For the Entire Article visit:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/07/food.foodanddrink