16-17 Nov 200716-17 Nov 2007

Vege For Healthy LivingVege For Healthy Living

Regional Congress – Kuala Regional Congress – Kuala LumpurLumpur

Impact of Farms on the Environment

Vegetarian Society Singapore

Founded 1999 – non-sectarianFounded 1999 – non-sectarian Member of International Vegetarian Member of International Vegetarian

UnionUnion Objectives: public education; Objectives: public education;

support for vegetarians support for vegetarians Members: 150 – all volunteersMembers: 150 – all volunteers E-Newsletter recipients: 3200E-Newsletter recipients: 3200

PreviewPreview

Eating Meat Is Wasting Food!Eating Meat Is Wasting Food! Meat Gives The Earth Gas = Meat Gives The Earth Gas =

Global Warming Gas!Global Warming Gas!

11stst Key Point – Key Point – EatingEating Meat Is Meat Is Wasting Food!Wasting Food!

When children grow up, what is When children grow up, what is the most weight they gain in one the most weight they gain in one year?year?

How many kgs?How many kgs?

How Much Weight Do We How Much Weight Do We Gain?Gain?

Adolescence - time of most rapid Adolescence - time of most rapid growth growth

12-yr-old girl gains about 4.7kgs12-yr-old girl gains about 4.7kgs 13-yr-old boy gains about 5.2kgs13-yr-old boy gains about 5.2kgs

How Much Do We Eat?How Much Do We Eat?

How many kgs of food do How many kgs of food do adolescents eat in a year?adolescents eat in a year?

It takes > 10 kg of grains to produce 1 kg of beef

Diet for a Small PlanetDiet for a Small Planet

Eating Meat Is Wasting FoodEating Meat Is Wasting Food

The grains and soybeansthat are fed to US livestock

could feed 1.3 billion people.

It takes > 10 kg of grains to produce 1 kg of beef

Eating Meat Is Wasting Other Eating Meat Is Wasting Other ResourcesResources

More landMore land More waterMore water More energyMore energy are neededare needed

…so what happened to the other 9 kg?

It takes > 10 kg of grains to produce 1 kg of beef

The animals we eat produce many times more excrement than the entire human population.

Meat PollutesMeat Pollutes Animal livestock produces many Animal livestock produces many

times more excrement than the times more excrement than the entire human population entire human population

Waste from meat production Waste from meat production massively pollutes the air and water massively pollutes the air and water

Single greatest polluter of our watersSingle greatest polluter of our waters

Meat Wastes WaterMeat Wastes Water

Livestock is the key player in Livestock is the key player in depletion of water supplies depletion of water supplies

Over 8% of global human water Over 8% of global human water use is expended on animals use is expended on animals

Takes more than 25 000 litres of Takes more than 25 000 litres of water to produce 1 kg of beef water to produce 1 kg of beef

VS

200 Times More!

Meat Destroys ForestsMeat Destroys Forests

Meat Destroys ForestsMeat Destroys Forests

Cleared to grow crops to feed Cleared to grow crops to feed livestock livestock

70% of Earth's agricultural land is 70% of Earth's agricultural land is used as pasture or to grow food for used as pasture or to grow food for livestock livestock

Cattle ranching is the primary reason Cattle ranching is the primary reason for deforestation in the Amazon for deforestation in the Amazon

Factory Farmed FishFactory Farmed Fish

Many of the fishes who we eat aren’t Many of the fishes who we eat aren’t wild fishes who live free until they wild fishes who live free until they are captured and killedare captured and killed

These fishes are raised in fish farms These fishes are raised in fish farms which are just like the factory farms which are just like the factory farms where chickens, pigs, etc. are forced where chickens, pigs, etc. are forced to liveto live

FishesFishes

5kgs of wild-caught fish to 5kgs of wild-caught fish to produce 1 kg of factory-farmed produce 1 kg of factory-farmed fishfish

Most of what the fishing fleets Most of what the fishing fleets pull in isn't even eaten by human pull in isn't even eaten by human beingsbeings

Global WarmingGlobal Warming

Meat Gives The Earth Gas Meat Gives The Earth Gas = Global Warming Gas!= Global Warming Gas!

Meat Heats Up Global Meat Heats Up Global WarmingWarming

Lee Kuan YewLee Kuan Yew

Headline: Green future: Why MM is not Headline: Green future: Why MM is not optimistic (August, 2007)optimistic (August, 2007)

Byline: Lynn LeeByline: Lynn Lee

A PESSIMISTIC Minister Mentor Lee Kuan A PESSIMISTIC Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said he could not predict what would Yew said he could not predict what would impact regional growth in 50 years given impact regional growth in 50 years given the damage now taking place to the global the damage now taking place to the global environment.environment.

‘‘Global warming is one big enormous Global warming is one big enormous problem that we end up with,' he said, problem that we end up with,' he said, pointing to out-of-whack weather pointing to out-of-whack weather patterns that have spawned droughts, patterns that have spawned droughts, hurricanes and typhoons, and led to hurricanes and typhoons, and led to glaciers melting.glaciers melting.

He asked: 'Will we have the wisdom He asked: 'Will we have the wisdom and ability to prevent this and ability to prevent this degradation of the environment?’degradation of the environment?’

'I have very serious reservations, because I don't see any government telling its people to consume less...less travel, less food, eat more vegetables, don't eat more protein. That's not the way the world is going.'

GW – Key Greenhouse GW – Key Greenhouse GasesGases

18% of greenhouse gas comes from 18% of greenhouse gas comes from production of animal-based food production of animal-based food

That’s more than transportation!!That’s more than transportation!! ““Livestock’s Long Shadow”, a report by the Livestock’s Long Shadow”, a report by the

UN’s Food and Agriculture OrganisationUN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation Carbon DioxideCarbon Dioxide Methane – 20+ times more powerfulMethane – 20+ times more powerful Nitrous Oxide – almost 300 times more Nitrous Oxide – almost 300 times more

powerfulpowerful

CO2CO2 Meat production accounts for 9% of Meat production accounts for 9% of

carbon dioxide emissions carbon dioxide emissions 70% of agricultural land is used to 70% of agricultural land is used to

produce animal-based foodproduce animal-based food When previously forested areas are When previously forested areas are

converted into grazing land or arable land converted into grazing land or arable land for feed, a significant amount of carbon for feed, a significant amount of carbon dioxide is releaseddioxide is released

Eating Meat Is Wasting Food!Eating Meat Is Wasting Food!

MethaneMethane-emitting livestockcontribute massively to the Greenhouse Effectand global warming.

Animals whom we eat, Animals whom we eat, produce 37% of produce 37% of global methane emissionsglobal methane emissions

Animals like cows and sheep produce Animals like cows and sheep produce methane as they digest foodmethane as they digest food

Methane

Nitrous OxideNitrous Oxide

296 times global warming power of 296 times global warming power of CO2 CO2

65% of human related emissions of 65% of human related emissions of nitrous oxide are from the nitrogen in nitrous oxide are from the nitrogen in animal manureanimal manure

ConclusionConclusion

Eating Meat Is Wasting Eating Meat Is Wasting Food!Food!

Meat Gives The Earth Gas Meat Gives The Earth Gas = Global Warming Gas!= Global Warming Gas!

We are destroying our only home

Humans are in some ways the superior species on earth. If we have done wrong to other species and to the planet,

we have the responsibility to correct this and not deny or ignore it

Many Ways to Slow GWMany Ways to Slow GW

Most ways to slow GW are Most ways to slow GW are inconvenient or worse, e.g., don’t fly, inconvenient or worse, e.g., don’t fly, don’t drive, no ITdon’t drive, no IT

Eating less meat is relatively easy. Eating less meat is relatively easy. To me it’s very easyTo me it’s very easy

For you, it can become easyFor you, it can become easy

How Many Times a Week How Many Times a Week Do You Eat Meat?Do You Eat Meat?

7 days X 3 meals/day = 21 meals 7 days X 3 meals/day = 21 meals in a weekin a week

Just increase by 1 plant-based Just increase by 1 plant-based meal/weekmeal/week

Virtuous Circle – Virtuous Circle – By Eating Less Meat …By Eating Less Meat …

We help our health by eating less We help our health by eating less meat meat

We help the env, which enhances our We help the env, which enhances our well-being well-being

We show compassion to fellow We show compassion to fellow humans & fellow animals, which humans & fellow animals, which helps our psychological healthhelps our psychological health

Eat Less Meat

Eat Less MeatSave the Earth

Upcoming EventsUpcoming Events

Sun, 3pm, 28 Oct, Sun, 3pm, 28 Oct, Library@Orchard – Global Library@Orchard – Global Cooling RecipesCooling Recipes

3-18 November – Exhibition 3-18 November – Exhibition at Library@Orchardat Library@Orchard