Nowadays, the majority of clothing contains synthetic fabrics, such as nylon or polyester. Clothes like T-shirts, dresses and jeans may use cotton that is blended with synthetic materials. These manmade fabrics are comprised of plastic fibers. Workers in the fabric manufacturing plant may inhale them. The dimensions of microfibers are an important factor for their toxicity. Finer fibers are easier

People produce about 311 million tons of plastics every year. We use so many different types of disposable plastics, which mostly find their way into the oceans. This ends up as tons of pollution which stays in our oceans and will be consumed by sea animals and other living creatures. Fortunately, there have been individuals and organizations who work tirelessly to help ameliorate this increasingly serious environmental problem. A company from Chile has developed Solubag, which works just as well as the traditional plastic bag, but does not contain any harmful chemicals.We are lucky to have an exclusive interview with Mr. Roberto Astete and Mr. Cristian Oilivares, the two co-founders of the company. “SoluBag started from a detergent we started to develop, and through time we realized that the detergent was not the best idea and we changed into developing a bag.” “However, our material is not plastic, we do not have any plastic traceability within the process. It's a material that simulates plastic and that has led to be a very easy replacement to use. The other thing that stands out as a product is that there is no technology in which anyone could destroy the plastic bag directly in their house.”During the interview, they showed us some of their products that are available in markets: t-shirt bags, sheet detergent and cloth bags. All are made from their eco-friendly materials. Upon learning of this amazing innovation, our beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai joyfully presented the Shining World Invention Award to Solubag, “plus US$10,000 toward this environment-protecting project. May Heavens bless you.”“We want to thank you for looking at our invention and for the support that we as a start-up are so in need, that people like Her notice us and can support us to continue growing and to develop this type of technology. That is to say, it was a blessing for us to have received these funds because we were just at a stage where we needed the funds very urgently to be able to patent this worldwide.”

The interest in vegan horticulture and gardening has expanded exponentially, as more people become aware of how typical methods of growing plants and crops involve the use of environmentally damaging synthetic chemicals and practices that harm our precious animal co-inhabitants. "I’m Matthew Appleby, I’m editor for 'Horticulture Week.' I first started about 20 years ago being a vegan. I realized this was quite a sort of doable way of living. What motivates most people to become vegan is because they care about animals. And they care about the environment. And they care about their health, and it’s a combination of those three. Vegan gardening is gardening without exploiting animals. So, it’s using homemade composts and fertilizers, rather than animal composts and animal-based fertilizers. It’s also gardening with wildlife in mind. So rather than exploiting animals or trying to attract animals, it’s leaving the animals to do their own thing on your plot. It’s also gardening for vegan health. So, I’m interested in growing what’s nutritionally right for a vegan. I make vegan compost just the same as anyone else is making compost. You can have your kitchen scraps, your grass cuttings, leaves, you can have any leftover vegetable matter, but you just don’t use anything that’s animal-based. So, you don’t use anything which is from a farmed animal and you wouldn’t chuck in your eggshells, and you wouldn’t chuck in meat anyway because it basically doesn’t compost well, and it attracts rodents. I don’t dig, and I think it’s really common in a lot of areas of gardening now, and non-vegan gardeners increasingly not digging. And that a lot of people see this as a really good idea because you don’t want to disturb the layers of the soil because you know you create erosion, you break up your beneficial animals’ homes. So, I plant covered crops. Hopefully they’ll break down and put some nitrogen back in the soil, get some organic matter back in the soil which will create quite a good sort of soil crumb." Our appreciation Matthew Appleby, for your dedication to assisting gardeners to attain healthy and ecologically-sound green spaces. May the Heavens forever bless you! We hope to see more of your work in the future. Best wishes for your noble prospective endeavors!

This year in Africa, more than 1.21 million people in 12 different countries were affected by heavy rainfall and flooding. The following is a summary of the floods’ consequences in Africa between June and October 2020. Floods in Democratic Republic of Congo had resulted in at least 15 fatalities and thousands of people were affected. Floods in Tunisia, Ghana, Uganda and Burkina Faso had caused at least 15 fatalities and thousands had been affected. Floods in Sudan, South Sudan, Benin, Chad and Nigeria had resulted in at least 421 fatalities and over one million were affected. Floods in Ethiopia and Niger had caused at least 68 fatalities and over 600,000 people were affected. Floods in Somalia had caused at least 6 fatalities and over 150,000 people were affected. Meanwhile, in California, USA massive wildfires have raged across the state since August, being responsible for 31 deaths, destroying more than 8,687 structures, and driving thousands of people from their homes. By mid-September 2020, the damage caused by the wildfires had become the worst in the state’s history, with an estimated economic toll of more than US$20 billion. Supreme Master Ching Hai often speaks about the many dangers arising from climate change and reminds us about the fastest and easiest way to halt it. “I think people should see these disasters as a warning. It’s a sign of warning, telling us, ‘Wake up! Wake up! Wake up quickly!’”“We should choose the nobler and more virtuous path. We should look for enlightenment. It’s because only when we are enlightened can we use our inner almighty power. This almighty power is the so-called God, or Buddha Nature. Only this almighty power can direct us to the right way which will lead us further and further away from these disasters and all the suffering.” “Second, we have to protect other people’s lives. We have to protect other people’s lives and other animals’ lives so that we can protect the lives of ourselves, our relatives and friends. If we truly seek enlightenment and choose the noble and virtuous way of life, and walk in this direction, all natural disasters will disappear. And we will find Heaven on Earth.”

Mr. Guttman describes how he was able to achieve his dreams by incorporating minimalism into his life, and how ecofriendly travel is attainable by the ordinary person. "You know, now I just have my bicycle, a few bags, and it's my whole life. I’m traveling on my own money. Some ask how I get the money to do it. Some say you have to have a lot of money. Or you won the lottery. Or you have to be rich to be able to do it. That's not true. I travel on US$12 a day and you can do your math how much it costs in a month or a year. What I spend in one year is the same as some people spend in two weeks on a holiday. So, you have to remember that." Are you looking to reduce your emissions in the area of lodging? Try camping. Homestays are another great option to help locals earn income while offering the traveler accommodations that are affordable. If that’s not available, stay at a smaller, independent, locally owned, and most importantly, environmentally conscious place; you don’t always have to stay at a big chain hotel. With a little research you can even find a relaxing hotel or resort that puts those core values into practice – like a vegan hotel. No matter where you stay, conserve energy and resources as you would at home, and bring your own reusable water bottle, straw, and utensils to reduce waste. "When you're thinking about ecotourism, I would highly, highly suggest for everyone travel slowly and less places, and coming together with locals on the same level, not to be arrogant thinking I'm rich and I want you to do this and that for me, no. Come and meet local people on the same level, on the same base. Traveling slowly, respect people and you get a good time. But it would be much better if we’re using less planes and less cars. Just travel on public transports or using your own power moving around as eco-tourists, because otherwise we are ruining our world. And I want to invite everyone to go vegan because I think it's really important to go vegan and eat less meat because we have to save our world and also to be grateful and thankful for your own body and it's your own strength and your own health. Remember that, it’s really important to what you eat, and I will say just be vegan, go green and save the planet!"

Our special guest on today’s program, Sebastian Guttman, is an environmentalist and vegan athlete from Germany who has chosen to use a zero-emissions form of travel with his selfmade bamboo bicycle. A champion of sustainable travel, Mr. Guttman has traveled to approximately 30 countries over the past two-and-a-half years, and plans to pause his bicycle tour during the COVID-19 pandemic. "I would h

In 2019, a record number of people traveled internationally, 1.5 billion, to be exact. However, conventional mass travel has been shown to be unsustainable and actually has many hidden, deeply intertwined costs for both tourist destinations and our planet. The good news is that over the past decade trends in travel have been changing considerably. As the world becomes more aware of the threats that human-induced climate change poses to people, our planet, and our future; ways to reduce the carbon footprint of activities such as mass tourism are being sought. What can we do about our recreational travel habits? The answer is ecotourism. Ecotourism is a way of travelling that minimizes the environmental impact of visiting tourist destinations, while respecting the local culture and people. The practice allows host countries to benefit and future generations to enjoy these beautiful areas as much as we do. Now let’s find out what researchers from Purdue University in Indiana, USA have to say about this new trend. "Heritage and culture and its protection are very important parts of sustainability. They are very vulnerable to the negative effects of tourism, which is why we need to ensure that we have the correct policies in place to ensure its protection for future generations." "I study community-based tourism and that is a form of tourism that is being operated by a community, usually in rural areas, specifically in rural areas in Indonesia for my research. I think identifying the resources that they have is really important and how they can use that to show their culture, and then, once they’ve identified those things, then the tourism operation can be initiated." "Sustainable tourism is about looking after people’s economic well-being, it’s about looking after their heritage and their culture, and it’s also about looking after the environment so that we can keep these three things working together for the benefit of the communities." Many thanks, Purdue University students, for sharing your knowledge about eco-tourism. May your research continue to touch the lives of all the planet’s inhabitants.

In late May 2020, a 23-square-kilometer horde of locusts entered Argentina after passing through Paraguay. The insects landed first in the provinces of Santa Fé and Formosa, both of which are essential for agriculture. Millions invaded cities and farms, devouring all the crops in the area in a matter of hours. The locusts were enormous; technicians from the Argentine government measured specimens up to 15 centimeters in length, about the size of a human hand. Climate change experts warn the warming oceans that feed cyclones and heavy rains have led to record-breaking groups of desert locusts, which could grow larger and more widespread if climate change continues. Is there a spiritual meaning to all of this? Locust attacks are mentioned in almost all the world’s ancient texts, from wall paintings on Egyptians pyramids to the Holy Bible and Holy Qur’an. In the Christian tradition swarms of locusts have typically been associated with the end of the world, stemming from a prophecy about an apocalypse. Numerous scientific reports conclude that the animal livestock industry is responsible for massive levels of greenhouse gas emissions leading to climatic change and thus recommend that people shift to a plant-based diet. Supreme Master Ching Hai also explains that worldwide adoption of the vegan lifestyle is the fastest way to halt climate change. “According to the latest report, animals are responsible for 51%, at least, of all the greenhouse gas emissions that heat up the planet. So, if we stop the animal industry, we cut out 51% of the heat. And then, if we use all the tillable land, all the cultivable land, to plant organic vegetables and fruits, then we cut off another 40%, at least, of carbon dioxide that exists. The planet cools off in a few years.” “But we can only stop the disaster once and for all by tackling the root problem; that is, by stopping the killing of humans, and mass murdering of innocent animal lives. Only when we walk in peace and love on this Earth will the Earth and nature respond peacefully to us. If we protect others, we will be protected. And as more of us become vegan, the spiritual consciousness of humankind can be elevated higher. Let’s continue striving to touch people’s hearts and minds, to change to a vegan lifestyle, and to love the precious animals and our respected planet. Then, the changes in our world could happen in more surprising speed than you think!”

On today’s program, we’ll travel to Pakistan and India to learn how the insects have affected these countries. But first, let’s find out more about locusts, and why they’ve been so plentiful during the past year. Many scientists believe that climate change is largely responsible for the current locust plague. The unusually warm, wet weather in the normally arid areas around the Arabian Peninsula have created ideal conditions for the insects to hatch and multiply. (The) reason behind increased breeding of locusts this year [is] the Indian Ocean temperature changes, (and) increased numbers of abnormal rains and cyclones. So, increasingly, the number of insects over the Arabian Desert [is] roughly 8,000-fold. This year’s attack has been the worst in three decades. Scientists predict that the disaster will enhance as we enter monsoon season. This year’s outbreak has been the worst in Pakistan in nearly three decades, causing billions of dollars in damage and raising concern about food shortages. Pakistan’s prime minister, His Excellency Imran Khan, Shining World Leadership Award for Good Governance laureate, declared the invasion a national emergency, and the government has pledged to assist farmers. Since April 2020, swarms of locusts of biblical proportions have been attacking India. The skies over some parts of the country have been blackened by the insects soaring overhead. The vast swarms have devastated crops in India's heartland, and are now threatening food supplies in the world’s second-most populous country. And the locusts continued to move through the nation. On June 29, 2020, a cloud of insects several kilometers long swarmed into New Delhi, India’s capital region, flying through metro stations and playgrounds, invading sugar cane fields and threatening major losses to the agricultural sector. The infestation came at an already difficult time for New Delhi. Dr. Anshu Sharma of the Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS), a non-profit disaster management organization, says that India faces a number of challenges in the months ahead: "We need to be alert and anticipate where this is going next. The situation is all the more alarming as it comes at a time when the affected states are already reeling under COVID-19 and the ongoing heatwave."

On today’s program, we’ll look at some of the solutions emerging all around the globe. According to a 2019 study published in the journal Science Progress, as many as 90% of all plastic items are used only once and then discarded. Plastic bags are among the biggest sources of pollution, with as many as five trillion being consumed globally each year. When disposed of improperly, the bags clog waterways, pollute oceans, and choke marine life. Many nations have decided that this must stop. As of 2020, more than 90 countries have banned the use of single-use plastic bags, and an additional 36 nations minimize the problem by applying fees for their use. Sadhguru, an internationally renowned spiritual teacher and founder of the Isha Foundation, calls for global action both by individual citizens and governments. “I am talking about one simple solution. This is not a total solution. This is a simple correction step. That is, single use plastic must be banned in all the countries.” Currently, plastic is made primarily from petroleum. But scientists around the world are searching diligently for alternative, more eco-friendly materials from which to make it. For example, polyhydroxyalkanoate, or PHA, is a biodegradable material derived from plant-based sources. Mr. Dane Anderson and his twin brother Mr. Jeff Anderson have co-founded Full Cycle Bioplastics, a company that produces plastic from this more sustainable alternative. “Full Cycle Bioplastics is the company that we founded that has the technology that can turn any organic waste into a compostable and marine degradable bioplastic.” In Chile, an award-winning company called Solubag whose founders are Shining World Invention Award recipients, produces another type of eco-friendly non-plastic bag. The biodegradable Solubag material was created in 2014 from a new raw material made through a synthesis of calcium carbide and natural gas. The company’s environmentally friendly bags completely dissolve in water within five minutes and are being used in major shopping centers in Chile. Supreme Master Ching Hai frequently reminds us about the detrimental impact of plastic pollution on our environment, saying that each of us has a personal responsibility to reduce our use, especially of plastic water and drink bottles. “Plastic bottles have been the cause of suffering for much marine lives because they will float everywhere, in the river, in the lake. And then they flow also to the ocean, everywhere. And they’re not digested with time, even. And sometimes fish, or other marine life, they swallow them and it causes them a lot of pain and sickness. And sometime birds also get caught in them, or eat them and they get sick also. Please take care of the environment so that we can live in a beautiful place. Not just for the animals; it’s also for us.”

Flying is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to travel, especially for long-distance trips. However, conventional airplane flights are energy-intensive and depend on fossil fuels for power. Because aircraft emissions are released high in the atmosphere, they have a potent impact on Earth’s climate, triggering chemical reactions and atmospheric effects that add greatly to planetary warming. Currently, approximately 170 electric aircraft projects are underway around the globe – up by 50% since April 2018. Many of these efforts involve futuristic designs for urban air taxis, private planes or package-delivery aircraft. But major firms have also announced plans to electrify their commercial aircraft. Inspired by Elon Musk and the Tesla electric car, Harbour Air, the largest seaplane airline in North America has built and tested the first electric seaplane. In an effort to reduce emissions from its aircraft, Harbour partnered with magniX, a research and development firm with operations in the US and Australia, to develop the first fully electric commercial aircraft. In December 2019, the modest Canadian airline got its “e-plane” off the ground, pulling ahead of other electric-flight projects, including those by big-name companies Airbus, Boeing, and Rolls-Royce. Located at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, the Israeli company Eviation hopes to market the world’s first all-electric plane, called the Eviation Alice, by 2022. In 2023, Eviation may bring out an extended-range aircraft capable of traveling a distance of 745mi (1200 km). Mr. Engler added that electric planes will provide lower emissions, reduced fuel costs, and lower noise levels for passengers and communities living under flight paths. We thank all the scientists, engineers, and aviation companies currently searching for alternative ways to reduce CO2 emissions and protect our beautiful planet. May your goals soon be reached.

We spoke to Selene in early February, 2020, at the Plant Powered Expo in London, where we were so excited to learn about her new book Yes Ve-Gan! Let’s hear what she had to tell us about this exciting time in her life. “So my new book Yes Ve-Gan! was published a month ago and it’s a blueprint for vegan living, so it’s letting people know how they can make the change and also explaining why you would want to; so it does cover the three main points: health, the environment and animals. But the reason why I really wanted to write it was because I wanted to communicate the joy of veganism; how happy it makes you, just something I never anticipated.” “The biggest shock I had when I went vegan was how much I loved it and that’s something that I see reflected all the time in other vegans. Every vegan I know says their only regret is not doing it sooner and I think there is a reason for that.” In 2018, Selene found herself in the middle of a public media storm when William Sitwell, the editor of a highly respected publication, Waitrose Food magazine, ridiculed her pitch to publish a series of vegan recipes. The email mocking vegans made headlines prompting lots of conversations on mainstream news media. In the midst of the storm, Selene had the opportunity to meet with the editor and talk about veganism, which reached over 650 million views online. Looking back at this episode in her career, Selene said, “I definitely didn’t expect that reaction from the editor. But I also never could have anticipated how big the story became and how angry it made some people. And I did already know that veganism was a highly divisive subject, but what that issue really brought home was the fact that eating animals, or not eating animals, is an extremely contentious issue.” In fact, one year later, William and Selene ended up on the cover of ‘The Telegraph Magazine’ talking about veganism. The beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai applauds all the vegan media in the world, and had this to say at a climate change conference in Washington DC. “The media has a very important role in our society, everybody knows that. The printed words are very powerful. People are too busy with their daily activities, so they look to the media for informing and reporting relevant events, important matters, and all necessary information for their lives. So, the media is a useful tool to awaken one another at this crucial time: a time when our planet and the lives on it are in danger.” Supreme Master Ching Hai: “Joyfully presents the Shining World Courage & Compassion Award to Selene Nelson, with all love and high salute for your noble work. May you enjoy continued success and constant protection by Heaven.”

On today’s program, we continue our exploration, as we travel to Africa to visit the magnificent River Nile. This 6,650-kilometer-long waterway runs through 11 countries on the African continent, and an estimated 250 million people rely on it for drinking water, household use, and irrigation. In June 2020, the British free-to-air television news channel Sky News aired a remarkable documentary called “The Plastic Nile.” Hosted by Emmy and BAFTA-Award winning journalist and special correspondent Ms. Alex Crawford, the film revealed the extent of plastic pollution all along the river. “This is the majestic Nile, the world’s longest river, crucial to the survival of millions of people. The Nile is basically a life source for them. But now the river’s existence is threatened, like never before. Everywhere you walk, it’s all plastic. We followed the polluted waters from the river’s source. For the first time, we revealed the full extent of plastic pollution across five countries.” The pollution in the Nile has become an international issue. Every year, the River Nile dumps an estimated 18,000 tons of plastic waste into the Mediterranean Sea. It is truly a wake-up call for the world. “And we urge the international community to take immediate action, before it’s too late.” “If we don’t do anything to save the Nile, the Nile is going to die.” African governments have been taking action to halt further plastic pollution. For example, South Sudan has already taken an important step. “And also with the lack of recycling plants, all these plastics are being littered, in the end they find themselves in streams, our main streams in Juba, and during the rainy season, all these plastic bottles are washed into the river, causing a lot of pollution of the River Nile. And we know that the River Nile is very important. And we have the largest wetlands in Africa, which is the Sudd. So, the government, in 2015, came up with a ministerial order banning the use and importation of plastic bags in the country. And now it is forbidden for anyone to be using plastic bags in the country.” Kenya also banned the use of plastic bags in 2017, imposing a fine of up to US $40,000 for anyone producing, selling – or even just carrying – a plastic bag. Ethiopia and Uganda have followed suit with similar bans. Supreme Master Ching Hai has often warned about the detrimental impact of plastic pollution on humans, animals, and the environment. She also reminds us that plastic water bottles are not good for our health. “Drinking water from plastic bottles is not that healthy. The plastic leaches out tiny particles into the water. Those are the components from the plastic bottles which leach out and mix with the water. We can’t see them but the water has some of those components in it. If we continue to drink the water or soda in plastic bottles, in the long term, our blood will be full of those.”

Selene Nelson is an author, freelance journalist and vegan activist. Her latest book, Yes Ve-Gan! is a well written guide on how and why to go vegan. Selene Nelson was a vegetarian up to 2017, when she made the transition to veganism. Let’s find out what motivated Selene to make such a change. “What motivated me to become vegan was my love for animals, first and foremost. I was already vegetarian, when I went vegan, because I’d seen slaughterhouse footage and I thought I just don’t want any part of that but it’s very easy to look away from the dairy industry and the egg industry. I did that very successfully for quite a few years and it got to a point where I couldn’t look away anymore and I confronted the reality of these industries and once you see the footage and you are aware of how awful it is, I realized I would be just a real hypocrite if I decided dairy cows didn’t matter in the same way I thought beef cows did. So, it was just a decision I felt compelled to make.” “I wanted to travel and just experience life and it was that travel experience that made me become vegan. As soon as I did, I felt like I wanted to spread the message of veganism and let people know the reality of animal agriculture and allow people to make up their own minds, because I didn’t know any of that stuff before I was vegan and I think if I had that information I would’ve made the switch sooner, so I kind of felt it was my duty or my calling as cheesy as it might sound to actually use my journalism to spread that message.” Selene writes about the three main reasons for veganism: health, the environment, and animal ethics. Having travelled so extensively around the world, she shared with us how the vegan movement was reflected in all the various countries and cultures plus the reasons to motivate the success of veganism around the world. “I think definitely in the UK and the US there has been a strong interest in the health side of it, particularly recently. You have documentaries like the Game Changers on Netflix that are really popular and getting people to understand that vegan diet is not only healthy but it can actually be the best diet for you.”

Having gained valuable experience working at Beyond Meat, Jonah saw the opportunity to begin a new vegan fast food restaurant concept, and together with the family, they conceptualized PLNT Burger. "We want to be a business for 'good.' We want to create a culture of designing businesses that benefit people, that benefit animals and the environment." "And what our mission is at PLNT Burger is to help people transition towards a more plant-based diet, to create a more just and equitable plentiful food system for all, and a healthier planet for future generations." The first PLNT Burger outlet opened in 2019. PLNT Burger is positioned as a “casual-fast food restaurant,” featuring vegan burgers with Beyond Meat vegan burger patties, as well as their own unique creations. Four stores were opened in the first nine-months of operations, riding on the power of Whole Foods Market as a strategic partner location. PLNT Burger keeps all the dishes very affordable to the masses, and has been receiving tons of positive public responses and appraisals. As a young entrepreneur, Jonah shares his strong beliefs and urges the next generation and society as a whole to act now and be the change we wish to see at this urgent time for our planet. Supreme Master Ching Hai: “Gratefully present the Goldman family, founders of Eat the Change and PLNT Burger, the Shining World Compassion Award, with all love, respect, and best wishes for your continued success. May your noble path be paved with God's immense blessings and grace.”

On today’s program, we’ll examine the global issue of plastic pollution and learn how the problem began. The production of plastic is relatively new; the first manufacture only began during the 1940’s. Over the ensuing decades, we have become increasingly reliant on plastic in many aspects of our lives. If we look around us, we’ll see that we’re surrounded by plastic. Since the development of plastic products began, we have produced approximately 8.3 billion tons of the material globally. While plastic is wonderfully strong and durable, it is also an environmental hazard for the same reason. This is so because non-biodegradable forms of plastic take hundreds of years to break down. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a plastic water bottle requires 450 years to decompose. Moreover, the vast extent of environmental damage caused by plastic is raising concern, particularly with regard to marine animals. The United Nations estimates that plastic causes the deaths of up to one million water birds every year. In 2017, a dead Cuvier’s beaked whale was discovered on the beaches of Norway, after having ingested 30 single-use plastic bags. In 2019, a dead pregnant sperm whale washed up on a beach in Sardinia, Italy. When her stomach was opened, researchers discovered 22 kg of plastic waste, including plastic fishing lines, plastic bags, plastic pipes, and even plastic dinner plates. “Due to irresponsible usage, plastic has become one of the most serious challenges in the ecological sphere.” 8 million tons of plastic end up in oceans every year Plastic makes up 10% of all of the waste we generate A million plastic bottles bought each minute 500 billion plastic bags used each year 67% of fish species in California are contaminated with plastic 94% of U.S. tap water 93% of bottled water contaminated by microplastics “They are saying, by 2050 there could be more plastic in the oceans than the fish.” What items are most frequently found in the ocean? Markus Eriksen, Co-Founder and Research Director of 5Gyres Institute explains, “What’s leaving land, heading out to sea is all this single-use packaging. It’s the straws, the bags, the bottles, the cup lids, the stir sticks; all this junk that we use once and throw away.” What can we do about this ever-growing problem? What are some of the most promising solutions?

Today, we are honored to share with you the story of a very special family, husband and wife team, Mr. Seth Goldman and Ms. Julie Farkas, together with their eldest son Jonah Goldman, who are changing the world with their golden hearts and determined actions to promote a sustainable, vegan and equitable world for all. 'Eat the change you wish to see in the world' – a witty play on words by Jonah on the wise words of Mahatma Gandhi's “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” At the height of success of Honest Tea, in 2012, one day, his wife Julie commented to him on the concept and plans of the plant-based food company – Beyond Meat. Seth quickly realized that such a company will have a far-reaching and globally significant impact on reducing the exaggerated reliance on animal agriculture and also protect the environment. “And what I found, is people don't have an innate need to kill animals; that's not an imperative, but survival and nutrition are. So, if we can create plant-based alternatives that taste as good, then we see a very good response. What’s so exciting to see consumers are choosing this approach. So I’m excited to see it’s happening. And when you have the consumers on your side, good things happen.” As of 2020, in less than eight years, since its products launched in the consumer market, Beyond Meat has become a worldwide phenomenon, now reaching around the globe and available in over 50 international markets, with over 27,000 distribution points, including now being offered in Starbucks chains in certain cities of China. The power of this social action has been powerfully evident during the lockdown situation in the USA, in response to the COVID-19, where a Bloomberg article reported that sales of plant-based meat substitutes increased 264% compared to before the lockdowns, an indicator that more Americans are concerned about the effects of their food choices towards the planet and their own health. Riding on the success of both Honest Tea and Beyond Meat, Seth and his family began discussing how they could create even more positive impact, on an even larger scale by including education as well as products. Together with Jonah, the planetary activist in the family, they decided to start a new venture, Eat the Change. Eat the Change's mission is to create a platform to deal with climate change and environmental destruction through the most powerful and immediately implementable change an individual can make – dietary change.

3D-printing is an emerging revolutionary technology that could completely change the current approach to design and manufacturing, with profound geopolitical, economic, social, demographic, environmental, and security implications. 3D-printing technology is not only altering human life but is also significantly impacting the lives of animals. On today’s program, we happily share some of these great technological advances with our noble viewers. We’ll start off with a group of English scientists who have figured out a way to 3D-print cells grown in a laboratory to create living structures. This approach could revolutionize regenerative medicine, enabling the production of complex tissues and cartilage that could potentially support, repair or augment diseased and damaged areas of the body. “We were aiming to fabricate three-dimensional living tissues that could display the basic behaviors and physiology found in natural organisms.” In the United States, Harvard University researchers have also developed 3D-printed organs as an alternative to animal experimentation, having successfully made the first 3D- printed organs-on-chips. This new technology should help to reduce the rate of drug testing on animals by pharmaceutical companies and academic labs, as the organs-on-chips provide a groundbreaking substitute for traditional ways of testing. Supporting the use of technology to replace animal testing, Dr. Warren Casey, director of the U.S. National Toxicology Program’s Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods, which studies alternatives to animal use in chemical-safety testing, says, “In theory, non-animal tests could be much cheaper and much faster.” Testing on these simplified, miniaturized versions of our physiology could deliver more human-relevant results than animal experiments.

Apart from heatwaves and wildfires, climate change has also triggered many other extreme-weather events, including intense storms, floods, and blizzards. For example, a series of recent winter storms in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe led to severe downpours, floods, high tides, and other extreme weather events. The first storm, Atiyah, swept across the Republic of Ireland on December 8, 2019, with wind speeds of up to 80 mph (130 km/h). Rough seas along the west coast of Ireland were also produced by the storm. After Atiyah, Storm Brendan battered the UK on January 14, 2020, bringing rain and wind gusts of more than 80 mph (129 km/h). The highest wind gusts recorded in the Republic of Ireland reached a speed of 83 mph (134 km/h) at Roches Point on the County Cork coast and 63 mph (101 km/h) at Magilligan. In February 2020, about a month after the impact of storm Brendan, Storm Ciara, called “Britain's “storm of the century,” brought more chaos as raging winds of up to a 100 mph (161 km/h) swept across the UK and northern Europe, causing widespread flooding and travel disruptions. Another storm named Gloria arrived in Spain and France. On January 20, 2020, this Mediterranean Storm unleashed its fury across Spain with high winds, heavy rainfall, and snow. The hardest-hit areas were Murcia, Valencia, Barcelona, and the Balearic Islands. It was reported that on January 18, 2020, Canada’s province of Newfoundland and Labrador was barraged by a massive winter blizzard. As a result of the storm, 21,000 homes were left without power and a state of emergency was declared in the province, banning all road travel except for disaster-related or other urgent needs. On social media, the storm was dubbed “snowmageddon,” as snowdrifts partially buried homes. The Canadian Armed Forces were dispatched to Newfoundland and Labrador to help with recovery from the historic blizzard. All of these incidents occurred due to the severe effects of climate change on our planet’s weather system. Urgent action to end climate change is desperately needed. A scientific study by Drs. Joseph Poore and Thomas Nemecek, published in the journal Science, reports that a vegan diet is the “single biggest measure that can be taken to reduce environmental pollution.”

Today we’ll further explore the causes, interconnections, and solutions for our planet’s public health and economic crises. In June 2020, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) released a report entitled, “COVID-19: Urgent Call to Protect People and Nature,” urging governments, corporations, organizations, and the public to take action to restore our broken relationship with nature and thus avoid future pandemics involving zoonotic infections, defined by the report as “any diseases originating from animals and transmitted to humans.” Among the many suggested initiatives to be implemented, some to be applied by governments are: a) halt the high-risk wildlife trade and increase enforcement to combat the illicit wildlife trade; and b) introduce and enforce legislation and policy actions to eliminate deforestation and conversion from supply chains. “To talk about nature is to talk about our essence, is to talk about us. The forest, the leaves, nature, the wind, the rain – it is sacred. Everything is sacred. In my language, it's called, ‘u-tã’ -- everything is sacred. Nature and the indigenous people are the whole of harmony. The indigenous people cannot live without nature, without the river. The earth has life; it cries when it is destroyed.” Defined by The International Ecotourism Society as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education,” ecotourism could be part of the solution to our profits vs. planet issues. Countries such as Costa Rica, Ecuador, Kenya, Nepal, Madagascar, and regions like Antarctica already use ecotourism as an important economic activity. The WWF for Nature report also recommends “scaling up efforts to combat the trade of illegal and high-risk species at national and international levels.” Some organizations including The International Anti-Poaching Foundation and The Black Mambas Anti-Poaching Unit, both in Africa, are putting forth efforts to stop the illegal hunting and capturing of wild animals. And last but not least, some enterprises have virtually taken land use out of the equation. Watergen, Ô Amazon Air Water, Solar Foods, and Fairbrics are some of the innovative businesses using air as a primary source for the development of food, water, and even clothing – avoiding the devastation of forests and the conversion of natural ecosystems, as well as preventing contact with wild fauna carrying viruses not yet known to human beings.