Stats for vegetarian/vegan effects on the planet?

[Guest guest]

Someone recently asked me the following:

 

Could the planet survive without meat? Has anyone ever done the calculations

of how to support the planet on vegetables?

 

Can anyone direct me to some good links/websites that I can reference and

forward on?

 

Thanks very much,

 

Sandy

[Guest guest]

Hey Sandy

 

As to your friends question, you can answer that eating anything at all,

including vegetables, is taking something from the earth and produces

waste, but that animal-based diets involve the use of many times the

resources and pollution than in plant-based diets and therefore cause

significantly more environmental damage. Switching to a plant-based

diet is something we can all do to greatly reduce our footprint on this

world. Some are quite adamant that no true environmentalist eats meat

-- it'd be like just chucking garbage into the woods, or worse.

 

John Robbins' Earth Save is a good place to find info on the environment

and various foods. Also, his book " Diet for a New America " is a

must-read in my opinion...

 

Bay Area: bayarea.earthsave.org | US: www.earthsave.org

 

http://akpress.org/1998/items/dietforanewamerica

 

hope that helps

 

peace,

david

 

 

 

Sandy Faria [sandy_faria]

Wednesday, February 16, 2005 10:13 AM

 

Stats for vegetarian/vegan effects on the planet?

 

 

 

Someone recently asked me the following:

 

Could the planet survive without meat? Has anyone ever done the

calculations

of how to support the planet on vegetables?

 

Can anyone direct me to some good links/websites that I can reference

and

forward on?

 

Thanks very much,

 

Sandy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BAY AREA VEGETARIANS (BAV) is a community group for veggies to

network, find support and promote veganism.

 

Event Calendar, Charter, FAQ, Ultimate Guide

http://www.bayareaveg.org

 

[Guest guest]

> Can anyone direct me to some good links/websites that I can reference and > forward on?

In additional to the groups already mentioned, I would suggest Small Planet, a local group based in Berkeley, run by Erin Williams (who is also vegan)

 

Check out their website for more info/resources

http://www.small-planet.org/index.htm

 

This is one of the many groups we've got listed on the resources page on the BAV website

http://www.BayAreaVeg.org/resources.htm

 

And Worldwatch Institute has also written on the environmental aspect of meat before. Just searching their website for 'veg' pulled up two interesting references

 

http://www.worldwatch.org/press/news/2003/07/02/

http://www.worldwatch.org/pubs/goodstuff/meat/this.href,

 

Cheers,

TammyBay Area Vegetarians

 

 

Veg and Animal Rights events, food, fun, and fellowship

http://www.BayAreaVeg.org

 

 

 

Check out the Ultimate Guide to Vegetarian Living in the San Francisco Bay Area ... veg foods, services, and more!

http://www.bayareaveg.org/ug