This weekend, Sunday, April 22, was Earth Day, a chance to celebrate this beautiful planet we call home, a chance to gather with others who care about our Earth and find ways to be in service to her, and to take stock of our own actions to see how we can lessen our own personal impact on a world reeling from the influence of our human species.
Science tells us that the choices we all make every day and hundreds of times a year about what to put on our plates and into our stomachs has a huge impact on the earth and is a decision that deserves our attention. As a member of Compassion for All Living Beings Cooperation Circle, I'd like to offer the invitation to consider this and make the choice to transition to a more plant-based diet. There are many resources online, and our Cooperation Circle would be more than happy to offer help and suggestions. (And if this is an area you are already passionate about, join us!)
Did you know?
- Animal agriculture causes 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions — more than the entire transportation sector, combined.
- Growing feed for livestock accounts for 56 percent of water use in the U.S. It takes approximately 1,800 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef.
- Livestock takes up 45 percent of the earth’s free land.
- Raising animals for food is the leading cause of species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution, and habitat destruction.
- A farm with 2,500 dairy cows creates the same amount of waste as a city with over 400,000 people.
- As many as 2.7 trillion animals are taken from the ocean every year.
- Animal agriculture is the cause of up to 91 percent of Amazon rainforest destruction.
