The Impact of Meat Production & Consumption on Climate Change

By Earth Care News Group

Meat and Climate Change

* According to the UN IPCC report "Livestock's Long Shadow," livestock production is the greatest contributor to global warming.
* Animal waste and feed cropland dump more pollutants into our waterways than all other human activities combined.
* Meat-based diets require 10-20 times as much land as plant-based diets – nearly half of the world's grains & soybeans are fed to animals.

Livestock production emissions: 18%
Global Transportation emissions: 13.5%

-18% of all greenhouse-gas emissions from human activities, including:
-9% of CO2
-37% of CH4 (methane) - 23 times the Global Warming Potential of CO2 over 100 years,62 over 20 years
-65% of N2O(nitrous oxide) -296 times the Global Warming Potential of CO2 over 100 years, 275 over 20 years

Source: FAO, 2006 (1)

Producing 1kg beef:

* Leads to the emission of greenhouse gases with a warming potential equivalent to 36.4 kg of CO2 .
* Releases fertilising compounds equivalent to 340 g. of sulphur dioxide and 59 g. of phosphate
Consumes 169 megajoules of energy .
* 1 kg of beef is responsible for the equivalent of the amount of CO2 emitted by the average European car every 250 km, and burns enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for 20 days .
* Over two-thirds of the energy goes towards producing and transporting the animals' feed.

Source: Animal Science Journal, 2007

" the permafrost layer is melting each day. And the methane gas,or other gas even, are releasing into the atmosphere. I really hope and pray that someone is listening.Methane and nitrous oxide is made by stock raising, stock keeping, animals keeping. So they are far more poisonous, far more dangerous than CO2.

Because the atmosphere is getting warmer and so the methane is bubbling out. If we stop the worst cause of global warming,meaning stock raising, animal breeding,then we will be able to save the planet. We have to stop the killing of man or animals. We have to stop producing animals products. And we have to stop using it."
- Supreme Master Ching Hai - 6 July 2008– London Conference (2)

Si lembu seronok

Aku memandu menuju ke dlm suatu jalan yg sempit. Kebetulan seekor lembu, warnanya perang jingga, juga berjalan di depan lorong. Aku perlahankan kereta. Dia memberi laluan, mengetepikan dirinya ke sebelah pagar. Sambil keretaku melaluinya, :) bola matanya yg besar, suci, juga memandang mengikut kelajuan keretaku. Cantik sekali dia. Aku ingat dia mungkin dah sesat ni. Aku teruskan menghala ke tempat tujuanku yg tak jauh dari situ.

20 minit kemudian, aku kembali mengikuti lorong itu, aku lihat lembu itu masih kat situ. Eh? Lembu ni gerak-gerakkan badannya. Aku laluinya. Rupa-rupanya dia sedang mengusap dirinya pada ranting-ranting pokok yg berdaun kecil lebat, yg tumbuh keluar dari dalam pagar. Begitu asyiknya dia :) Mungkin badannya rasa gatal.

Hai, comel betul kawan haiwan kita ni. Tahu rasa nikmat :)

Main Climate Change Solution - Vegetarianism

SUPREME MASTER CHING HAI
- a world-renowned spiritual teacher, artist, and humanitarian

"The root of our problem is that we have been unkind to our co-inhabitants: the living, feeling, walking, acting, loving beings, like animals, of all size and shapes. And we have also been unkind to our environment. We have been massacring our co-inhabitant animals, and we have been destroying our environment, like deforesting and destroying the water and destroying the air. So, in order to solve the problem that we are facing right now, we have to reverse our actions. We have to be kind to our co-inhabitants. Instead of killing them, massacring them, sacrificing them, we have to take care of them. And instead of deforestation, we have to plant trees again. Take care of whatever environment that we have."

DR. JAMES HANSEN - NASA's top climatologist

"There are many things that people can do to reduce their carbon emissions, but changing your light bulb and many of the things are much less effective than changing your diet, because if you eat further down on the food chain rather than animals, which have produced many greenhouse gases, and used much energy in the process of growing that meat, you can actually make a bigger contribution in that way than just about anything. So, that, in terms of individual action, is perhaps the best thing you can do."
"My message to you is: Be Veg, Go Green, Save the Planet."

DR. RAJENDRA PACHAURI - The chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

"the entire cycle of meat production and consumption, it's hugely intensive in terms of carbon dioxide emissions. And therefore, I always say that if you eat less meat you would be healthier and so would the planet!
I think it would help the global community enormously, if we consume less meat. But I am only highlighting the fact that the entire meat cycle is very very intensive, in terms of carbon dioxide emissions. "
"I would say Go Veg, Be Green and save our planet! "

http://suprememastertelevision.com/hu/climate-change-solution/#none

A Prayer for Animals by Albert Schweitzer

Source: http://koti.mbnet.fi/neptunia/nature/animpra1.htm

The chief cause of pain to me wass the knowledge of the untold sufferings of animals. ... it seemed to be incredible - this was even before I was old enough to go to school - that I should include only human beings in my evening prayers. So when my mother had heard my prayers and kissed me good-night, I said secretly another prayer, which I had composed myself, for all living creatures: "Dear God, protect and bless all creatures that have breath; save them from all evil and let them sleep in peace and quietness." - Albert Schweitzer


A PRAYER FOR ANIMALS by Albert Schweitzer:

Hear our humble prayer, O God,
for our friends the animals,
especially for animals who are suffering;
for any that are hunted or lost or deserted
or frightened or hungry;
for all that must be put to death.
We entreat for them all Thy mercy and pity,
and for those who deal with them
we ask a heart of compassion and gentle hands and kindly words.
Make us, ourselves, to be true friends to animals
and so to share the blessings of the merciful.

- Albert Schweitzer

www.lovinghut.com.my

Coping with Water Scarcity

Coping with water scarcity

Q&A with FAO Director-General Dr Jacques Diouf

How serious is the problem of water scarcity?

Global water use has been growing at more than twice the rate of population growth in the last century.

Water scarcity already affects every continent and more than 40 percent of the people on our planet. By 2025, 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world's population could be living under water stressed conditions.

In order to really understand how serious the problem is we first must take stock of the immense impact water has on our daily lives and our ability to provide for a better future.

Lack of access to adequate, safe water limits our ability to produce enough food to eat or earn enough income. It limits our ability to operate industries and provide energy. Without access to water for drinking and proper hygiene it is more difficult to reduce the spread and impact of life-threatening diseases like HIV/AIDS. Every day, 3 800 children die from diseases associated with a lack of safe drinking water and proper sanitation.

Is water scarcity being caused by climate change?

The water scarcity situation is being exacerbated by climate change, especially in the driest areas of the world, which are home to more than 2 billion people and to half of all poor people. The human impact on the earth's environment and climate must be addressed in order to protect the world's water resources. But there are other factors involved, such as increases in the amount of water needed to grow the food for a growing population. Agriculture is the number-one user of freshwater worldwide. Also, the trend towards urbanization and increases in domestic and industrial water use by people who live in more developed areas are factors that lead to growing water use.

Full story:
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/focus/2007/1000521/index.html

Facts:
70% of the earth's surface is water, 97,5% of it is salty, ocean water. Of the remaining 2,5% of freshwater, 68.7% is frozen in icecaps and glaciers.

The agriculture sector use nearly 70% of world's freshwater, within which the heaviest water use is by the animals we raise for meat.

20,000-40,000 liters of water to produce 1 kg of beef

Scientists have calculated that we would actually save more water by forgoing one pound of beef, or four hamburgers, than by not showering for at least six months.

1 serving of BEEF Over 1,200 gallons of water used
1 serving of CHICKEN 330 gallonsof water used
1 Complete VEGAN meal with TOFU, RICE, and VEGETABLES 98 gallons of water used

http://www.suprememastertv.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=sos&wr_id=516&goto_url=&sca=sos_8&url=link1_0&#v

"A vegetarian diet will stop 80% of global warming, stop all the cruelty, beginning on our plate. Generating loving, kind energy around the world, stop water shortage and water pollution, stop food shortages, stop world hunger and war, prevent deadly diseases, save enormous tax and medical bills to build a better world, and support new useful inventions and good people's organizations."
- An Interview with Supreme Master Ching Hai by James Bean of Spiritual Awakening Radio -July 29, 2008 - USA (video)

Earth Care News Group

One single solution for all to cope
global warming, food shortage, water scarcity and most of the diseases:

EAT LESS MEAT - BE VEGETARIAN - GO VEGAN

SELAMAT TAHUN BARU!

Selamat Tahun Baru kpd semua, semoga tahun yg mendatang ini membawakan perpaduan erat di kalangan rakyat Malaysia, bagi negara Malaysia yg lebih penyayang, mulia dan sejahtera.