GO VEGGIE TO SAVE THE PLANET...

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GO VEGGIE TO SAVE THE PLANET, SAYS EUROPEAN VEGETARIAN UNION

22nd April 2005 - 35th Celebration of Earth Day

 

The European Vegetarian Union is taking the opportunity of the 35th

celebration of Earth Day to stress the overriding importance of

environmental conservation and ecological balance for the human

species and, indeed, for all life on earth.

 

" For us, vegetarian nutrition is a decisive factor in any discussion

about safeguarding natural resources and the environment, " explains

Guido Barth, press officer of the European Vegetarian Union.

 

The amount of land required to grow plant foods for direct human

consumption is far less than the area needed for meat production and

associated feed crops. The devastating waste of resources inherent

in the industrial production of meat is clear from a study at

Cornell University showing that the animal feed crop in the US alone

would be sufficient to provide the 800 million hungry people in the

world with enough nutritious food to survive. (Cornell University,

Ithaca, N.Y.)*

 

Yet instead of acting upon this knowledge to improve the situation,

meat production is still increasing rapidly, and hand in hand with

that increase comes the demand for ever more land to grow feed crops

when that very land is under threat from erosion and desertification

and the destruction of entire landscapes.

 

The time has come to break out of this vicious circle and accord to

environmental protection the crucial importance that it must have.

The European Vegetarian Union believes firmly that a vegetarian

lifestyle is the only realistic means to this end. It is not just up

to date but nutritionally healthy and environmentally sound, and

thus ideal to safeguard the future of our planet.

 

Guido Barth

Press Officer, European Vegetarian Union

Rampenstraße 11

D 30449 HANNOVER

guido.barth

www.european-vegetarian.org

 

* " Water Resources: Agriculture, the Environment and Society " ,

Bioscience 42: 97-106

 

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Thirty-five years ago, the first Earth Day was celebrated by more

than 20 million people. Today a world-wide network has grown up with

more than 12,000 organisations in 174 countries and half a billion

people taking part in this event.

 

Link: www.europeanvegetarian.org/lang/en/news/news.php?id=2874

 

Portuguese - and co-signed by Sociedade Vegetariana Brasileira:

www.european-vegetarian.org/lang/pt/news/news.php?id=2873

 

Spanish: www.european-vegetarian.org/lang/es/news/news.php?id=2872

 

German: www.european-vegetarian.org/lang/de/news/news.php?id=2871