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The problems of the world belong to us all and together we can solve them. DUers believe this and direct their efforts into the polictical sphere to attempt to make a better world.
Global warming, ozone layer depletion, destruction of forest, desertification, overuse of limited resources, hunger, disease and the pollution of air, land, and water threaten
us all.
Many people mistakenly feel that their personal actions can have only a limited impact on solving these problems. However, the actions of individuals can collectively make a huge difference in the world.
Beyond the obvious contributions of recycling materials and conserving energy whenever possible there exist a choice any individual can make that will have a dramatic and lasting positive effect on the world's major enviromental, humanitarian, and health problems.
Very simply, anybody who would like to play a role in creating a healthier world should consider becoming a vegetarian.
This single act is perhaps the most important contribution an individual can make.
Consider the following negative effects of animal-based diets and resource-intensive livestock agriculture. After each point remind yourself, "this would not be
true if more people chose to be vegetarians."
-The rain forests of the world, a mojor source of oxygen and a treasure of biodiversity, are being cleared to create animal grazing lands at such an alarming rate that they may be entirely gone by the end of the century.
-Global warming and the greenhouse effect are furthered by the release of carbon dioxide from the burning of forests to create grazing land and from the release of methane as cattle digest their feed.
-Desertification and topsoil erosion are increased by the over grazing of livestock.
-The huge amounts of grain produced as feed for livestock requires chemical fertilizers and pesticides that contribute to water and air pollution, as do the waste products of the livestock themselves.
-Millions of people die every year of hunger and associated illness. This happens while simultaneously nearly 40% of the grain produced world wide goes to feed animals destined for slaughter even though it takes several pounds of grain to yield a single pound of edible meat.
-Digenerative heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, and various cancers, all of which have been linked in some degree to animal based diets, are rising at
alarming rates.
Again, all of these would not be true if more people chose to be vegetarian.
Animal-based diets play a major role in creating and continuing the problems of the world.
It is clear that switching to plant-based diets can begin to reduce these threats.
By choosing to alter our personal habits we can begin to change the world and by sharing information with others about why we have made such choices we plant the
seeds of change in those around us. We must commit ourselves to living a sustainable lifestyle in balance with nature before our problems become unsolvable.
It is crucial that we each do what we can to save the Earth and do it now. Choose to become a vegetarian and you choose to help create a better world.
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