RSS
Fight global warming with vegan diet
To the Editor:
Experts have known for decades that a plant-based diet is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy weight, lower cholesterol, and prevent disease. Now it's clear that avoiding animal products can also help slow global warming.
According to a new article in the medical journal The Lancet, scientists say that reducing global meat consumption by 10 percent would reduce the number of methane-producing animals raised for meat and animal products. Currently, these emissions account for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gases worldwide. The Lancet article comes on the heels of a noteworthy United Nations' report, which found that livestock produced 35 percent to 40 percent of all methane emissions (which have 23 times the global-warming potential of carbon dioxide).
Studies have repeatedly shown that people who follow a low-fat diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans have less risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer. They also tend to be slimmer than meat-eaters. For anyone looking to fight global warming and improve his or her health, a vegan diet is a step in the right direction.
Sincerely,
Susan Levin, M.S., R.D.
Staff Nutritionist
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Washington, DC
Experts have known for decades that a plant-based diet is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy weight, lower cholesterol, and prevent disease. Now it's clear that avoiding animal products can also help slow global warming.
According to a new article in the medical journal The Lancet, scientists say that reducing global meat consumption by 10 percent would reduce the number of methane-producing animals raised for meat and animal products. Currently, these emissions account for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gases worldwide. The Lancet article comes on the heels of a noteworthy United Nations' report, which found that livestock produced 35 percent to 40 percent of all methane emissions (which have 23 times the global-warming potential of carbon dioxide).
Studies have repeatedly shown that people who follow a low-fat diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans have less risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer. They also tend to be slimmer than meat-eaters. For anyone looking to fight global warming and improve his or her health, a vegan diet is a step in the right direction.
Sincerely,
Susan Levin, M.S., R.D.
Staff Nutritionist
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Washington, DC
posted by Environmental Everythings at
5:57 PM
1 Comments:
Great letter!
It’s definitely true that animal agriculture, which is also a major source of water pollution and deforestation, has become one of the biggest culprits in global warming. What’s particularly troubling about this is that in almost every region of the world, consumption of animal products is on the rise. Currently, nearly 30 percent of the Earth's land surface is used for grazing animals, and that number is expected to increase with the global livestock sector growing faster than any other agricultural subsector. Having said this, we need to start with ourselves: It's time to go beyond greening our cars, light bulbs and cleaning products. By piling more leafy green vegetables on our plates, we can literally green our diets - and reduce environmental damage to the planet.
Post a Comment
<< Home