The World Of Tzu Chi December 2019 (Vol.117)

23 TZU CHI 117 1,273 m 3 126 m 3 900 kg 33 kg 12 kg 0.7 kg Croplands Greenhouse gas emissions Nitrogen fertilizer * Special thanks to Beta KL for providing the venue and vegetarian cuisine for photographic purposes. FAO revealed that water consumption for rearing livestock exceeds that of human use by eight percent. The production of one pound of meat requires more than 1,800 gallons (6,813 litres) of water for watering feed crops and sanitation, among other purposes. At the same time, animal farming is one of the major polluters of water resources, contaminating drinking water supply with animal waste, chemicals, feed residue and bacteria that seep through the soil into rivers. Evidence is rife of the damaging environmental impacts of meat consumption. It is up to us, the inhabitants of planet Earth, to decide the next course of action before time runs out. Despite the repeated appeals by various subject matter experts and environmental organizations to embrace vegetarianism or follow plant-based diets to reduce our carbon footprint, we tend to dismiss our individual efforts as insignificant, perceiving minor changes to our diet as isolated acts incapable of exerting an influence as effective as that commanded by policymakers and other personalities in positions of power. As we continue to underestimate our role in saving the Earth from the brink of destruction, we are overlooking the potential of every personal choice we make to initiate meaningful change, starting with opting for meatless meals. Each meal is an opportunity to effect change, be it replacing a meat-based dish with a plant-based one, or eating in moderation to prevent wastage. Resources saved in replacing beef with plants in the US (per person per year) Source: Eshel et al. (2016), Environmentally Optimal, NutritionallyAware Beef Replacement Plant-Based Diets Green Meals for a Greener Earth