Most people are not aware of the connection between food and climate change. Although during the last few years many of us have become more aware of the importance of locally produced food, the far more pressing issue of global meat consumption has not been addressed sufficiently enough.

For many years documentaries like Devour the Earth have been informing us about the devastating impact the meat industry has on our environment. In 2006 the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN found that the meat industry is responsible for about 1/5 of all greenhouse gases produced. This means, meat production has a bigger impact on climate change than all of the world’s transportation traffic (incl. automobiles, trucks, airplanes, etc.) combined. (Source)

In October 2009 a new analysis by the WorldWatch Institute revealed that the original statistic by the FAO was a major underestimation. According to the new findings

For illustration purposes this would mean, that if we were to, for example, replace all our old light bulbs with energy efficient ones and ban all cars, trucks and airplanes worldwide, it would have less of an effect on climate change than if we were to switch from consuming animal to plant-based products.

Despite these sobering insights into the central problem of meat consumption the topic is still mostly ignored by politicians. Due to a strong lobby behind the animal industry the major media outlets, too, rarely report on this topic, and if they do the simplest and most effective solution strategy (i.e. reducing the consumption of animal products) is hardly ever mentioned.

The good news, however, is that an increasing number of people from all different areas (e.g. from celebrities and chief economists to hoteliers, government agencies and even entire cities) are helping to educate about vegan lifestyles and the connection between the way we eat and climate change.

 

or: How to make a juicy & “delicious” hamburger

Heute entdeckt am Bahnhof Luzern. Die Plakatüberschrift lautet:
Fleischessen schädigt das Klima! Deshalb: Menschen, esst kein Fleisch!

Tatsächlich bestätigt die Welternährungsorganisation (FAO), der UNO-Weltklimarat (IPCC) sowie weitere Fachgremien, dass die Fleischindustrie mehr zum Klimawandel beiträgt als der gesamte globale Transport inklusiv Autoverkehr, Flugzeuge, etc (siehe auch vorheriger Beitrag). Den eigenen Fleischkonsum zu reduzieren oder am besten ganz auf tierische Produkte zu verzichten trägt also mehr zum Klimaschutz bei als z.B. weniger autofahren.

Ausserdem ist laut diesem aktuellen Fernsehbeitrag eine pflanzliche Ernährung nicht nur klimafreundlicher sondern auch gesünder.

You deserve better. The movie food companies hope you never see. Very good and important documentary for teenagers and young adults. More information at www.alljackedupmovie.com

From the producers of the award-winning documentary The Witness

soon comes the new movie Peacable Kingdom – The Journey Home

The truth about “free-range”, “cage-free” and “humane” eggs, dairy and meat.

Today (November 1) is World Vegan Day. In addition to being a cruelty-free and healthier way of living, many people are going vegan for environmental reasons.

As many people are reducing their car use, limiting their water waste, becoming more energy-efficient and generally seeking to lessen their environmental impact, they are increasingly examining their eating habits too. Environmentally conscious consumers are concerned not only with food miles, over-packaging, pesticide use and genetically-modified foods, but are also increasingly questioning the environmental sustainability of modern animal husbandry.

The livestock industry is responsible for 18% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, and yet by comparison, all forms of transportation combined (i.e. cars, planes, etc.) emit 13.5%. The world livestock population is currently expanding at a faster rate than the human population and because meat production has quadrupled in the past fifty years livestock now outnumber people by more than three to one.

All these animals exist solely because of high meat consumption, which contributes significantly to water shortages, forest clearing, soil damage, use of oil-based pesticides and of course climate change.

The ironic thing is that millions of people all over the world suffer from hunger while more and more crops we could eat directly are being fed to livestock. Our dietary habits are a terribly inefficient use of the earth’s resources. A 2006 University of Chicago study found that a person switching from the average Western diet to a vegan diet would reduce CO2 emissions by nearly 1.5 metric tons a year.

The bottom line is that eating meat, dairy and eggs threatens our planet. I have been vegan for over a year now and not only was it one of the best decisions I have ever made in terms of my personal health and conscience, but I was surprised how easy and delicious vegan food is. For further information visit www.vegansociety.com

LOL…maybe this can be considered as vegan rap.

Only a few of the innumerable reasons why I’m a vegan.

This new documentary is called Behind the Mask and is about the animal liberation movement. The movie is well done and has the potential to reach a wide audience.