By Kathy Freston, AlterNet. Posted November 30, 2009.
On Thanksgiving, I spent some time taking stock of my life and the world around me and, as we’re supposed to do over the holiday, giving thanks for all the joys — little and big — in my life. One of the larger joys for which I am giving thanks is all of the recent attention that has been lavished on a topic that is near and dear to my heart — the cruelty and environmental harm involved in raising animals for food.
I struggled to cohesively construct an article about some of the many recent and important developments on this topic, but there is just too much. Instead, I decided on a top ten list (a tip of the hat to David Letterman) — the 10 most interesting articles on the farmed animal welfare front.
So without further ado:
1. World Bank scientists conclude that eating meat causes more than half of global warming (conservatively).
World Bank agricultural scientists Robert Goodland, who spent 23 years as the Bank’s lead environmental advisor, and Jeff Anhang, a research officer and environmental specialist for the Bank, argue convincingly that more than half of all greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to our desire to eat chicken, pigs, and other farmed animals. That’s right: Add up all the causes of climate change, and you find that eating meat causes more than everything else combined.
Honestly, this was the biggest point for me: How can I possibly take the environment seriously if I’m still participating in what is — by far — the biggest contributor to warming?
Which might explain:
2. Prominent Stanford biochemist pledges to focus ALL his energy on promoting veganism.
Click here to read the whole article: http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/144241
