Going Green

"Unless we change our food choices, nothing else matters. Because it is meat that is destroying most of our forests. It is meat that pollutes the waters, it is meat that is creating disease which leads to all our money being diverted to hospitals. So it’s the first choice for anybody who wants to save the earth." Maneka Gandhi

With earth facing a major potential crisis as a result of climate change, which sees Artic ice cap receding at an ever alarmingly accelerated rate and could be gone by end of 2012, with huge storehouse of toxic gases trapped beneath awaiting to be released, the government, scientists and luminaries around the world are starting to respond and take actions.

Recently, Jet Li, together with Tony Blair, introduced solar-powered LED road lighting system in Guiyang, China, in a bid to reduce carbon emissions.

However, it takes time to research, develop and implement renewable energy feasibly on a wide scale level. As green technology gets implemented, we should also be looking into other means of going green.

And switching to vegetarian/vegan diet is the fastest, easiest and most effective way that we, as an individual, could do to reduce greenhouse gases. Meat industry accounts for not just 1/5 but more than 1/2 of the greenhouse gas emissions produced by human related activities.

Vegan diet is not only environmentally friendly, but is also healthier, almost karmaless and nips factory farming induced diseases like H1N5 in the bud, apart from alleviating the sufferings and killings of the animals. Start by having vegan diet once a week, and gradually reduce meat intake from there. The positive and harmonious atmosphere created by ahimsa will in some mysterious way counter global warming.