Is it time to turn vegetarian?

[Guest guest]

BBC Newsnight:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/newsnight/2008/06/is_it_time_to_turn_vegetarian.html

 

Is it time to turn vegetarian?

* Newsnight

* 3 Jun 08, 12:30 PM

" The best solution would be for us all to become vegetarians " .

So

suggested the head of the UN climate agency, Yvo de Boer, who is

attending UN-led climate talks in Germany this week. He was responding

to criticism that measures to tackle climate change are partly to blame

for the rise in food and energy costs. Carbon-cutting biofuels, for

example, use food crops to make alternatives to gasoline.

Meanwhile, Patrick Wall, chairman of the European Food Safety

Authority, has questioned whether it is " morally or ethically correct "

to be feeding grain to animals while people starve. Speaking to the Times,

he argued that it's time to end the EU ban on the use of animal remains

to feed pigs and chickens. Lifting the ban would allow grain to be

diverted to millions of starving people.

And the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, hosting a much

publicised summit in Rome this week, has warned of global catastrophe

unless food reaches parts of the world where it is needed most.

So, does the global food crisis demand a radical rethink of how we

distribute food? Should we worry less about feeding our animals and

prioritise getting grain to people suffering food shortages - even if

that affects the availability of meat?

Is it time for us all to become vegetarian?

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Very interesting -- the thing I found most interesting actually was the

comments readers have posted under the article. It is such an eye-opener

to me to read those opinions and see some of the attitudes out there. No

wonder our planet is in the shape it's in.

Heather

 

ERB wrote:

>

> BBC Newsnight:

>

>

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/newsnight/2008/06/is_it_time_to_turn_vegetarian.html

>

<http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/newsnight/2008/06/is_it_time_to_turn_vegetarian.html\

>

>

> Is it time to turn vegetarian?

> * Newsnight

> * 3 Jun 08, 12:30 PM

> " The best solution would be for us all to become vegetarians " .

> So

> suggested the head of the UN climate agency, Yvo de Boer, who is

> attending UN-led climate talks in Germany this week. He was responding

> to criticism that measures to tackle climate change are partly to blame

> for the rise in food and energy costs. Carbon-cutting biofuels, for

> example, use food crops to make alternatives to gasoline.

> Meanwhile, Patrick Wall, chairman of the European Food Safety

> Authority, has questioned whether it is " morally or ethically correct "

> to be feeding grain to animals while people starve. Speaking to the Times,

> he argued that it's time to end the EU ban on the use of animal remains

> to feed pigs and chickens. Lifting the ban would allow grain to be

> diverted to millions of starving people.

> And the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, hosting a much

> publicised summit in Rome this week, has warned of global catastrophe

> unless food reaches parts of the world where it is needed most.

> So, does the global food crisis demand a radical rethink of how we

> distribute food? Should we worry less about feeding our animals and

> prioritise getting grain to people suffering food shortages - even if

> that affects the availability of meat?

> Is it time for us all to become vegetarian?

>

>