UK’s Environmental Secretary calls for action to protect biodiversity

In an article written for the British Broadcasting Corporation’s online News, Right Honorable Hilary Benn, Member of Parliament and UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs cautioned that biodiversity worldwide is reaching a point of irreversible loss.

Highlighting the interdependence between human activities and ecological systems, he warned that deforestation, overfishing, and other environmental abuse is impacting sustainability on all levels.

Secretary Benn stated, “…Our ecosystems also sustain us and our economies – purifying our drinking water, producing our food and regulating our climate. Climate change and biodiversity are inextricably linked.

We ignore (such) natural capital at our peril.” His Excellency concluded by urging for continued protective measures with close monitoring for effectiveness, saying that the time to act is now.

Our earnest appreciation, Your Excellency Hilary Benn, for bringing attention to the vital safeguarding of Earth’s biodiversity. Let us be quickly motivated to work together in saving our irreplaceable planet and co-inhabitants.

Concerned for our global welfare, Supreme Master Ching Hai has often emphasized the need to act to protect all beings on Earth, as during July 2008 Heart-Touch Tour videoconference in Formosa (Taiwan).

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Up to now, we have lost so many, not just marine life, but land species. They disappear faster than we can imagine. They suffer a lot, they die, or they completely disappear because of our careless management of the world.

And we just feel like it doesn’t concern us or that we are not responsible for their plight, for the death and disappearance of our precious co-inhabitants. But the fact is that we are responsible.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: We have to stop the harmful effect of meat consumption, then we will see a happy, sufficient and satisfied world manifest in front of our eyes in a matter of weeks.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8461727.stm
http://www.hilarybennmp.com/41c571d4-9a4c-85c4-3104-a7b2af04423e
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8467746.stm
http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/
http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2010/01/biodiversity_year.html

Kuwait’s natural desert being damaged by excessive livestock grazing

The chairman of the Ornithological Society of Kuwait, Abdel Rahman Al-Serhan, has issued a statement saying that the non-human-inhabited regions of Kuwait are being destroyed by deforestation and livestock.

He warned that if people continue to exploit the unregulated lands with animal grazing, the diverse wildlife and plants of Kuwait will suffer more and face extinction.

Calling for the media to help raise public awareness, the chairman stated that laws should be implemented to protect habitats so that the flora and fauna can be restored. Studies conducted by the United Nations Security Council, Kuwait University and others have also highlighted livestock grazing as one of the main causes of Kuwait’s damaged lands and depleted desert vegetation. Our sincere appreciation, Chairman Al-Serhan, the Ornithological Society and all other organizations and scientists for your concerned voice on behalf of the animals and plants that are in danger.

May we heed such calls to action so that the natural beauty of Kuwait and all lands still exist for future generations to appreciate. Supreme Master Ching Hai has often cautioned of the livestock industry’s costs to both humanity and the planet, as in an October 2009 videoconference in Formosa (Taiwan).

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Right now, one-third of the entire Earth’s land surface is used either for grazing animals or growing feed for the animals, not for humans. We humans use very little of this agriculture section. This is a devastating way to make a cheap profit at the cost of our planet’s and our people’s survival.
We are eating our planet by consuming meat.

So, without the needless animal industry, not only will we gain forests, we can also have organic vegan farmlands to grow real, decent food for humans, and like the forests, these farmlands can also absorb a lot of heat, a lot of heat from the atmosphere.

http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?Language=en&id=2053167
http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=MjIwMTc3OTc5
http://docs.google.com/viewer
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?Language=en&id=2053167
http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=MjIwMTc3OTc5
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/110431937/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0 http://countrystudies.us/persian-gulf-states/23.htm http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=14970675 http://www.infibeam.com/Books/info/James-A-Young/Cattle-in-the-Cold-Desert/0874175038.html

Media reports on major greenhouse gas and livestock source

On November 16, a climate change conference was held in Orizaba, a city located in a fertile valley in Veracruz, Mexico. Titled “SOS – A Quick Action to Stop Global Warming,” the conference was hosted by the Veracruz state government, who specially invited Supreme Master Ching Hai as the honored guest to elaborate on practical ways to address climate change, especially relating to Mexico.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Livestock is the #1 source of global warming worldwide. And a primary greenhouse gas, methane, is generated by livestock. One study in Mexico found that livestock was responsible for 97% of the country’s agricultural methane! So, I repeat: The number one source of global warming is from our consumption, killing of all the cows, pigs, chickens, sheep, eggs, dairy. This, along with the killing of billions of beautiful fish for food, is what causes the most climate-related trouble for our planet.

VOICE: The videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai was discussed with much interest by major Mexican media, even prior to the conference. Mexico’s second largest newspaper, “La Jornada Veracruz,” published an article titled “Alarming Levels of Pollution,” also reflecting methane’s primary role in global warming:

“The high emission of CO2 as well as methane and their combination in the atmosphere, besides bringing about serious environmental impacts, are accelerating the process of climatic change. Even if we continue with this polluting trend, in a period of not more than 20 years the land would be facing serious climate changes, some of these metamorphoses are even already registered at present.”
http://www.jornadaveracruz.com.mx/Noticia.aspx?ID=091113_203943_700&id_seccion=0

Supreme Master Ching Hai: So the solution is very simple. We just have to turn away from the animal products. We stop eating meat, dairy, eggs, fish. If everyone does this, we will have a transformed world in no time. It really is that easy.

VOICE: We thank “La Jornada Veracruz” and other media, as well as the Veracruz government, for doing their part to spread this vital information. We also appreciate Supreme Master Ching Hai for her thoughts shared with the Mexican people and all world citizens. Blessed be every endeavor that leads to the swiftest, strongest actions to save our planet.

Al Gore recommends reducing meat to address global warming.

In several of his interviews to promote his most recent book on climate change, “Our Choice,” environmental campaigner, former US Vice President and Nobel Prize laureate Al Gore has spoken with US broadcast journalist Diane Sawyer and Australian Leigh Sales on the role of meat reduction in halting global warming.

When Ms. Sales asked if he agreed with British climate expert Lord Nicholas Stern’s call for people to be vegetarian to reduce emissions, Mr. Gore replied, “It’s a legitimate point of view.
Nick Stern is a very able advocate for whom I have enormous respect… I have cut back sharply on the meat that I eat and it’s absolutely correct that the growing meat intensity of diets around the world is one of the issues connected to this global crisis. Not only because of the CO2 involved, but also because of the water consumed in the process.”

The former vice president went on to say, “You can add in the health consequences as well. We’ve all heard from our doctors for many years that vegetables and fruits should occupy a bigger part of all of our diets, and that’s important for a lot of reasons. I’ve made those changes.”

A green bravo, Your Excellency, for highlighting the important role of plant based foods in addressing climate change. May more people hasten in their adoption of a diet that optimizes health for people and planet.

Reference
http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2009/11/05/2733587.htm
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6919521
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/03/sawyer-beck-gore/

Scientists raise alert levels of the link between meat and cancer

UK cancer researchers conducted a survey that found that up to one third of heavy meat eaters were not aware of the harm created by eating meat. With what are now clearly increased health risks that include cancers such as bowel, liver, esophagus, and even lung cancer, the scientists say there is a need to create more awareness. Chief Executive Marilyn Gentry of the World Cancer Researh Fund said, “It is a concern if over two-thirds of people are not aware of the link because the evidence is very strong. This is why advice from experts is that the best amount of processed meat to eat is none at all.”

Thank you Chief Executive Gentry and World Cancer Research Fund for this revealing research as well as your stated concerns. We, too, pray that more and more make the connection of the harmful health impacts of meat and shift their lifestyles towards the beneficial plant-based diet.