Be Veg. Go Green.
Save the Planet.
Why be vegetarian against climate change?
The first and most important aspect of climate change is the urgency of action required to stop it and to reduce or eliminate the harmful effects. We are already witnessing some of the effects, but as time goes on, our everyday lives will be affected more and more. We need to act now, and not wait until we reach a point where we won't be able to do anything about it anymore.
You, me, and every living being on this planet are involved in this. Each one of us, through our individual choices, can be a part of the solution.
We can help to mitigate the effects of climate change: we can plant more trees, recycle and reduce our use of resources, eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels, and many more. However, unless we focus on the one action that has the most important impact against climate change - to go vegetarian - we may not be able to do what is needed in the short window of opportunity that remains open to us.
By choosing the plant-based diet, we can make a real difference 3 times a day by reducing our carbon footprint even more.
According to the "Livestock's Long Shadow" report published by the UN FAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization) in November 2006, the livestock industry is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gases. On the other hand, the transport industry worldwide is responsible for just 13%. We should focus more on tackling the single most damaging contributor to climate change, and that is by changing our consumption habits. (http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000448/index.html)
Today, one of the actions the world is taking to reduce climate change is to plant more trees. Unfortunately, waiting until they are fully grown to efficiently capture CO2 and transform it into oxygen takes quite some time. Technological efforts and other measures to be green also take years before we can see the results. Our food choices, however, are within our power to change. All of us can take action immediately. We can become more eco-friendly faster than with any other green options.
There is also the ethical aspect to consider in all of our choices: the preservation of our animals friends and co-inhabitants.
Be Veg, Go Green and Save the Planet!