Go Green for St. Pat’s and Save the Earth
What does drinking green beer have to do with a saint? Hmm, not sure… Here’s another thing to contemplate: What does eating green have to do with protecting the environment? Ask the guy on the barstool next to you. Maybe he’ll know that animal agriculture (producing meat for our food supply) is responsible for more greenhouse gasses than all the world’s automobiles and other transportation combined. At least, that was the case five years ago when the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization revealed that the livestock sector was one of the top three contributors to every serious environmental problem in the world — from water and air pollution, to deforestation, to loss of biodiversity. So forget driving a fuel efficient car or buying weird-looking light bulbs, adopting a meat-free, or vegan, diet is the single most effective thing you can do to reduce your carbon footprint and help save the Earth. It may make you feel like a saint, and as a bonus, you’ll be healthier and look much better too! At least, after the effects of any green beer wears off.
So, here’s the challenge:
1. Adopt a plant-based diet, or commit to limiting your meat consumption to only one serving a day;
2. Read Food Matters by Mark Bittman;
3. Convince your family, or anyone else who lives on this planet, to do the above.
St. Pat’s day may be a fun excuse for harmless indulgence, but everyday gluttony has no justification, only devestating consequences.
Photo by Hartmut Seehuber
