Sir, – Turning off the lights for Earth Hour at 8:30pm today may make for a romantic meal, but if you truly want to help combat climate change, go vegan. The production of animal-based foods – whether eaten by candlelight or not – requires more resources and causes more greenhouse-gas emissions than that of plant-based foods does.
Research even shows that meat-eaters are responsible for about 2½ times as many dietary greenhouse gas emissions as vegans are. When scientists at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden calculated various ways to combat climate change, they found that cutting greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and energy use alone isn’t enough. They concluded that curbing consumption of meat and dairy foods is key to bringing emissions down to safe levels.
So if you’re serious about saving the environment, prepare a vegan meal this Earth Hour – or whenever you choose to eat dinner. You’ll be helping not only the environment but also animals and your own health. – Yours,etc,
JENNIFER WHITE,
People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals,
London.