Save our Planet

Awesome news today! US President Obama has set the limit on greenhouse-gas pollution from cars. Based on a standard that was proposed by the state of California, automakers have to manufacture cars that run on average 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016. According to the news, the President has pushed the new legislation four years sooner than previously planned. That’s great. For the US to reverse its policy on car pollution from the Bush Administration, it is a step in the right direction:

Obama’s action is the “biggest single step to curb global warming,” Dan Becker, director of the environmental group Safe Climate Campaign, said in an interview.

It’s not the biggest step, but it’s a step, nevertheless. There is still more to be done. I hope the US continues to push forward to make positive changes in its policy to deal with climate change. According to the UN’s report “Livestock’s Long Shadow,” the transportation sector is the #2 contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. The #1 culprit is the meat industry. The methane gas emits by cattle is far more efficient in trapping heat than carbon dioxide produced from cars, 72 times more potent over an average of 20 years. That’s huge!

There is still much to be done at the government level; but for each one of us, we help by reducing our meat consumption as much as we can. Go veg, try a vegan meal. There are more restaurants nowadays that offer a vegetarian or vegan menu. One great resource to check online for a healthy and environmentally sound diet anywhere in the world is www.happycow.net.

It’s awesome that there are more and more good news every day about governments taking action to curb climate change: the Philippines, the European Union, the city of Ghent in Belgium. We can do our part. Yes we can!

After his visit to both the North and South Poles, Prince Albert of Monaco wants to learn more about climate change and what must be done to stop it in its track. He paid a visit to Cambridge’s Polar Research Institute and speak with research students and scientists there.

Kudos, Prince Albert of Monaco, for taking the necessary steps to protect our planet and the livelihood of all beings on the planet!

Eels Population Disappearing in Europe

According to recent findings of the European Environment Agency, 95 percent of the European eel population has been lost in the past 25 years. Mr. Andy Don of the Agency said, “There is no doubt that there is a crisis.” The Agency is attempting to help the eels with such initiatives as the construction of fish passes in England and Wales so that young eels may more easily travel upstream in rivers without being blocked by obstacles. Another program currently in place accomplishes the same goal by receiving the eels in containers and then releasing them beyond the barriers.

Hallelujah for the city of Ghent! They’re going veg for the planet, at least once a week! That’s incredible news! This is an excerpt from a BBC news article that was posted just yesterday, May 12:

Starting this week there will be a regular weekly meatless day, in which civil servants and elected councillors will opt for vegetarian meals.

Ghent means to recognise the impact of livestock on the environment.

The deputy mayor of the city, Tom Balthazar, explains that going veg is good for the environment and cited the famous UN report, “Livestock’s Long Shadow”:

18% of the gas emissions is caused by the meat industry.

He also shared another reason that his city is promoting the vegetarian diet:

The second reason is that the fight hunger will go better and smoother if we eat less meat, for producing 1KG of meat we need 7-10 KG of grain and 50,000 liters of water that can help other forms of agriculture.

The city’s leaders are stepping up to be role models: they will be the first to give up meat for a day. Wow. Hip hip hurrah for these great leaders!

And it doesn’t stop there, schoolchildren will also have their day of veg in September to reduce their carbon footprint and help prevent obesity. All very good reasons to go veg!

I love their cute ad - a sailor in an eggplant boat! Let’s hope other cities will follow their example and make the Earth a safer and sustainable home for all of us.

Way to go Ghent!

A great example of leadership from the Philippines - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is advocating the expansion of the production of healthy and affordable vegetable fare in her country.  Early last month, she had authorized funding and assisted in the inauguration of the Benguet Vegetable Processing Center at Benguet State University (BSU) in La Trinidad. The three-year project to be conducted at the center utilizes fresh agricultural produce to create wholesome and inexpensive plant-based products such as noodles, meatless burger patties and veggie-fruit juice drinks. The goal is for the inexpensive foods to reach the disadvantaged as well as to enhance the income of vegetable farmers.

There is another benefit to this: the President is promoting a more plant-based diet that in the long run, will have a great impact on the mitigation of climate change. With such wholesome and tasty plant-based foodstuffs, more people will be more open to trying the veg diet.  This surely will cut down on meat consumption and thereby cut down on the need to produce more meat to feed the mass. Less cows on factory farms means less methane emission. Less methane emission means a decrease in global warming since methane is known to a lot more effective in trapping heat in the atmosphere. So, if there is less of this greenhouse gas in the atmosphere - less heat equals a mitigation in global warming.

That’s way cool, Prez! Thanks for your wise leadership

Speaking to the Italian Parliament on Monday, Prince Charles cautioned that environmental experts project only a few years left before the effects of greenhouse gas emissions become irreversible. He stated, “The world is struggling with the consequences of the economic crisis in which we find ourselves, (but) any of the difficulties we face today will be as nothing when the full horror of global warming unfolds.” He pointed out that the sea levels have been rising and was conservative in his estimate that it could rise over a meter. Other scientists have pointed out that in extreme cases, it could rise over 50 meters or more.

With the Copenhagen, Denmark United Nations climate change meeting upcoming in December, His Royal Highness also called for inspired leadership, “take action before it’s too late….If we don’t succeed … our grandchildren will never, ever forgive us.” Following his address of the Parliament, Prince Charles met for the first time with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, where they discussed environmental protection as well as intercultural and interfaith communication.

Some great news, and from Africa! This should be interesting - Be Organic Vegan to Save the Planet.  Maybe it can point out real issues about climate change and what we can do to halt global warming.  It’s pretty surprising that it’s coming from Africa and not some more advanced countries like in the EU or the US, etc.

If you happen to be in Lome on May 9,  check out the climate change conference “Be Organic Vegan to Save the Planet.” I heard yummy vegan food will be provided free of charge. Maybe there is even an entertainment program afterward.

If you can’t go in person you can hear the live broadcast at the following media outlet:

1. Togo TV live broadcast: Supreme Master TV, LCF (French television with branch in Togo; all large African cities may watch via satellite)

2. Radio live broadcast: Togo - Radio Nostalgie 92.7, Radio Sport FM 91.5, Radio NANA FM 95.5; Benin - Radio Tokpa; Ghana -Ghana Hot FN Radio interview

I’ll be tuning in via sopcast . It’s a very handy little gadget that doesn’t cost me a dime. Boy, I hope I can get up early enough to see it, and on a Saturday too! Supposedly, it’s on at 3PM in Lome. You have to check your time zone to tune in.

Happy weekend, everybody!