GreenFriends Australia - Living Consciously Project

6. VEGETARIAN FOOD

"Our task must be to free ourselves . By widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of Nature and its beauty. Nothing will benefit human health and increase our chance of survival on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. " Albert Einstein

By being vegetarian, vegan or by reducing the consumption of animal products, we can address a range of health and ecological issues. With the world's population on the rise, consideration needs to be given to what diet will sustain this population without further destruction of the earth.

Many reports have shown that more fossil fuels, water and land are required to farm protein derived from livestock than protein provided from grains and legumes.

There are many spiritual and ethical issues to consider if we are to live consciously with compassion and respect for all living things. In developed nations we have many options available to us as alternatives to animal products. Unfortunately meat eating, often in excess, is dominant in Australian culture, therefore it takes some effort and individual thought to pursue a diet inclusive of more vegetarian foods. Many health experts however argue that a predominantly vegetarian diet inclusive of fresh fruits and vegetable grains and legumes, is a healthier life style choice. It is an issue worthy of thought and personal consideration as we move toward greater spiritual growth and a healthier 'greener' world.

Some food for thought:

"If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is stop eating meat. That's the single most important thing you can do. It's staggering when you think about it. Vegetarianism takes care of so many things in one shot: ecology, famine, cruelty. " Paul McCartney

The U.N (United Nations) has identified the livestock industry as 'one of the most significant contributors to today's most serious environmental problems' (ref: Livestock's Long Shadow, Food and Agriculture Org of the United Nations 2006). These issues include global warming, loss of habitat, fresh water pollution and lack of drinking water, rainforest destruction, acid rain and spreading deserts. (Ref, Animals Aust website)
The average meat eater's diet requires 15 times more water than a plant based diet. By switching to a plant based diet you could save roughly 5 million litres per year! (Ref, Animals Australia website)

70% of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest is attributed to livestock production. According to experts on desertification, the Sahara Desert -once a lush and fertile region, was cleared by the use of the same slash and burn techniques that are being applied in remnant rainforests around the world. (Ref, Animals Australia website)

According to the World health Organisation(WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 'the number of people fed in a year per hectare ranges from 22 for potatoes and 19 for rice, 1 and 2 people respectively for beef and lamb'.

Conservative estimates predict that a 50% reduction in meat consumption in developed countries could save 3.6 million children from malnutrition (Ref compassion in world Farming website) .

Over fishing by large corporations with massive fishing trawlers is a serious issue for the world's marine life today. Many once abundant species' are becoming threatened to extinction and world fishing stocks are seriously low. Fishing communities in third world countries are suffering, unable to compete with supersized high tech fishing trawlers.
According to the U.N, the Livestock Industry is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than all the planes, trains and automobiles in the world combined. According to NASA these methane gas emissions from livestock are 21 times more harmful than CO2. Controlling methane gas emissions has been identified as a critical first step in attacking climate change.

In Australia 58% of our land is used for agriculture with the majority of this land being for livestock or crops to feed livestock. (Ref, Animals Aust website)

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, FAOSTAT data for 2009; 8,702,490 beef cattle, 32,049,100 sheep , 474,809,000 chickens and 4,521,760 Pigs were sent to slaughter in AUSTRALIA in just one year(2009) (Ref. Food and Agr. Org. of U.N website)

Over 700,000 unwanted week old dairy calves are sent to slaughter ever year in Australia as a by-product of the dairy Industry. (Ref, Animals Australia website)

Many of the livestock breeding/rearing practices in Australia are deemed cruel and inhumane by Australian Animal Rights organisations. Seeking out free range, organic or biodynamic food can help to ensure you are not supporting these conditions.
Embracing a diet full of organic life giving fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grains not only nourishes the body but the mind and spirit as well. It is a way of developing a reverence for life.

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“Nature is nothing but Gods visible form, which we can see and experience through our senses.  Indeed, by loving and serving Mother Nature, we are worshipping God directly”.  AMMA   Embracing the World

“The earth, plants and animals are all manifestations of God. We should love them as our own self”
Amma