THE ICE THAT MELTS TOO FAST ...  THE CLIMATE THAT CHANGES TOO QUICKLY.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY :    Climate Scientist (NASA) - Dr. H. J. Zwally predicts that nearly

ALL THE ICE COULD BE GONE from the Arctic Ocean by THE END OF THE SUMMER SEASON IN

2012.

UNITED NATIONS REPORTS -  Nine out of the ten worst natural disasters in 2007 resulted from climatic disturbances. Dr. Steve Rintoul ( Australian Oceanographer ) estimates that 100 million people living within one (1) meter of sea level "will need to go somewhere" to escape rising sea levels.

Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, Chief of United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) :   "Please eat less meat - meat is a very carbon-intensive product."

Raising animals for food is one of the top two or three significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global. (United Nations).

Dr. James Hansen - top climate scientist for NASA :  " We have passed tipping points.  We have not passed a point of no return.  We can still roll things back, but it is going to require a quick turn in direction."  There is HOPE.

IS THERE A FASTER WAY??? YES!!!

Reduce or cut off meat from your plate. Adopt a balanced PLANT-BASED diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, seed & nuts, legumes and grains. PLANT-BASED diet is healthier, eco-friendly and ethical.

IMPACTS OF A PLANT-BASED DIET  -  ( Stops 80% of global warming )

A single person who eats a plant-based diet just once a week accounts for the following

benefits :    

(1)   Equals to taking 8 million cars off the road

(2)   Saves nearly 1.5 tons of CO2 per year.

(3)   Saves nearly 4000 gallons of water a day

(4)   Uses less fossil fuel

(5)   Allows food fed to animals to feed the HUNGRY

(6)   Prevents the spread of animal-related diseases.

(7)   Prevents and lowers the risks of physical illnesses due to high consumption

       of meat and dairy products.  Examples: heart diseases, high-blood pressure

       obesity, swine flu, bird flu, mad cow disease, e-coli, salmonella, shellfish

       poisoning, cancers, etc.....

(8)   Reduces air and water pollution caused by improper waste treatment systems

(9)   Saves and conserve rainforests

(10)  Frees you from causing suffering to farm animals often subjected to abuse,

       overcrowding and unsanitary living conditions.

LIVESTOCK'S LONG SHADOW

Livestock's impact on the environment. 2006 Report from UN Food and Agriculture

Organization (FOA) - Dr Henning Steinfield, Chief of Livestock Information and Policy Branch "Livestock are one of the most significant contributors to today's most serious environmental problems.  URGENT ACTION is required to remedy the situation".

Livestock's impact on FOOD

(1)   Nos. of people on earth ........... approx 7 billion

       Nos. of farm animals ............... approx 20 billion

(2)   Food needed to feed animals ...  760 million tons/year

       Nos. of men who could feed on same amount ...1.4 billion

       Food needed to RID WORLD HUNGER ...... 40 million tons

Livestock's impact on WATER

*     Water to produce 1 lb beef is 5000 US gallons  (approx 18,900 litres) = one year's

       worth of showers for one person.

*     Water to produce 1 US gallon of milk = 990 US gallons  (approx 3750 litres)

*     Water to produce 1 pound of wheat = 25 US gallons  (approx 95 litres)

Impacts on LAND usage:

*     Commercial animal farms occupies 30%of land surface

       1/3 of global arable land is used for growing of crops as farm feed

Impacts on ENERGY usage and POLLUTION:

It takes approx 54 calories of fossil fuel to produce 1 (ONE) calorie of animal protein

Amount of waste generated in US by farm animals per second = approx 89,000 pounds

(40370 kgs)

Improper waste treatment systems pollute AIR, WATER AND SOIL

Impact on GREEN HOUSE GAS EMISSION:

Greenhouse Gas Emission produced by all farm animals ......18%

Greenhouse Gas Emission produced by all forms of transportation in the world ......13%

POTENT GHG Emissions by livestock

(1)   Generates 65% of human caused nitrous oxide (296 times as warming than carbon dioxide)

(2)   Accounts for 37% of human-caused methane (23 times as warming as carbon dioxide)

WHAT CAN I DO???

*     Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

*     Conserve water and energy

*     Avoid wastage, less is best

*     Practice sustainable living

*     Preserve & protect ecosystems - plant a tree

*     Consume and use ORGANIC & NATURAL products

*     Adopt and advocate GREEN living habits

*     Practice safe, clean and fair lifestyles

The article is a personal view of the author and does not represent the view of the

Association.

The author Tan Eng Chye can be contacted at e-mail  mortontec@gmail.com