Opinion
Eating Green from the Vedic Perspective
Image: Flickr.com/Dave77459
If you ever watch TV, read a newspaper, or listen to the radio, chances are you'll have heard of the term 'carbon footprint' by now. In our increasingly green conscious society, it's the buzzword of the minute, and refers to the impact human activities have on the environment.
Of course, most of us like to think that we do our bit for the planet, and advertisers have been quick to catch on to this. Today, everything from washing detergents to hybrid cars are sold with the promise of reducing the heavy impact of our daily activities. These slickly packaged claims can be pretty convincing, but how much do these little things actually help, and isn't there a simpler way?
The answer, according to a huge number of environmentalists and those in the know, is a resounding yes. In the official handbook for the Live Earth concerts, organised by American politician, Al Gore, it is stated that 'refusing meat is the single most effective thing you can do to reduce your carbon footprint'. They've even enlisted famous faces, such as Paul McCartney to promote this message. Of course, some might say that this is just another form of propaganda, but look past the high profile events and celebrity endorsements, and the statistics speak for themselves.
A 2006 United Nations report found that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, Hummers, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined. Here's an even simpler way of looking at it: eating 1lb of meat has the same effect on the planet as driving a Hummer 40 miles.
It's not just the air that's polluted either. The amount of manure produced by the meat industry is a problem that's near impossible to deal with. Even when a portion of it is used for fertilizer, the majority ends up dumped in fields and rivers, leaching excess minerals into the soil and upsetting the fragile balance of the earth's ecosystems.
Raising and feeding the livestock puts a major strain on the environment also. About 44% of all the grain in the world is used for animal feed. Therefore, most farm animals will, at any moment of their lives, have consumed more food-energy or protein than they can ever deliver in the form of meat. After reviewing the tens of millions of acres of agricultural land being used for animal feed and grazing in Europe, the European parliament commented last year, that 'European farming is capable of feeding Europeans, but not their farm animals'.
Even with all this land being used, it's still not enough to meet the demands of the commercial meat industry. Every year, large areas of forest throughout the world, are cleared, creating new grazing land, and ultimately often creating new areas of desert-like, infertile land, as a knock on effect of the deforestation.
This evidence is clear proof of the importance of vegetarianism. However, it's not just about the effect on the environment. Giving up meat is also recommended for its positive effect on our bodies and consciousness. If it's true that out of sight means out of mind, then it’s no wonder we don't always make the connection between what we eat and how it influences our thoughts and actions. We buy nicely packaged meat off the shelf next to innocuous foods like cheese and milk, but it is anything but innocuous.
When an animal is slaughtered, its feelings of intense pain and fear experienced at death remain within its body, and these have an effect on those who consume this flesh later. As these feelings arise in us, it also becomes harder to feel compassion for others, whether animal or human. Ultimately, this lack of compassion can be found at the heart of many major world problems, as well as many difficulties within our day to day lives.
The legendary mathematician and philosopher of Ancient Greece, Pythagoras, stated 'For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love.' This message has been repeated by saints, philosophers, and great thinkers throughout the centuries. Krishna also tells us to only offer him vegetarian foodstuffs, and devotees will never eat any food not first offered to their Lord. By so doing the Bhagavadgita tells us that we will avoid the “great sinful reactions” that are otherwise incurred.
If we follow Krishna's simple directions for our diet we will be healthier, happier and save our planet.
