Happy New Year!

[Dr. Terek Brown]

I have made some significant changes in my life this year and the one that has made the most impact on not only my life but the life of our planet is becoming a vegetarian.

1. Conservation of Fossil fuel. It takes 78 calories of fossil fuel to produce 1 calorie of beef protein; 35 calories for 1 calorie of pork; 22 calories for 1 of poultry; but just 1 calorie of fossil fuel for 1 calorie of soybeans. By eating plant foods instead of animal foods, we help conserve our non-renewable sources of energy.
2.Water Conservation. It takes 3 to 15 times as much water to produce animal protein as it does plant protein. As vegetarians we contribute to water conservation.

3. Efficient use of grains. It takes up to 16 pounds of soybeans and grains to produce 1 lb. of beef and 3 to 6 lbs. to produce 1 lb of turkey & egg. By eating grain foods directly, we make the food supply more efficient & that contributes to the environment.

4. Soil conservation. When grains & legumes are used more efficiently, our precious topsoil is automatically made more efficient in its use. We use less agricultural resources to provide for the same number of people.

5. Saving our forests. Tropical forests in Brazil and other tropic regions are destroyed daily, in part, to create more acreage to raise livestock. By not supporting the meat industry, we directly reduce the demand to pillage these irreplaceable treasures of nature. Since the forest land "filters" our air supply and contains botanical sources for new medicines, this destruction is irreversable.

6. Asthetics. Decaying animal parts, whether in a freezer case or served in restaurants, can never be as asthetically pleasing to the senses as the same foods made from wholesome vegetable sources. Only habit can allow one not to perceive this: a change in diet makes this self evident.
http://www.britishmeat.com/49.htm

Did you know...

Animal agriculture produces more greenhouse gas emissions than automobiles. Cows rasied for beef, in particular, emit massive amounts of nitrous oxide and methane.

Animal waste and feed cropland dump more pollutants into our waterways than all other human activities combined.

Meat-based diets require 10-20 times as much land as plant-based diets – nearly half of the world's grains & soybeans are fed to animals.

What footprint will you leave? Just think about it and Have a Happy New Year!