DOES EATING MEAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT?

There are many negative health implications related to a diet that is mainly made up of red meat.  In the last century, there have been huge increases in obesity due to poor diet and nutrition.  People are more keen to visit a fast-food restaurants rather than preparing their own food.  Fast-food corporations, with their endless marketing budgets, entice people with processed foods that are cheap and unhealthy and reaping the benefits of their unwillingness to take a more proactive approach to their health and well-being. 

What are the benefits to a diet high in meat consumption? (They are not really benefits):

• High cholesterol and heart disease due to high fat and cholesterol content.
• Conventionally raised beef contains hormones and antibiotics.
• Processed meats (bacon, ham and sausage) are unhealthy due to their high fat, preservative and salt content.
• The mistreatment and murder of animals. 
• Obesity.
• Linked to diseases such as diabetes, heart attack and cancer.

What many people are not aware of are the implications a diet high in meat has on our environment.  Factory farming is not only promoting cruel and the unethical treatment of many animals, it has a devastating effect on the environment, especially when we are seeing water shortages across the globe.  Here are some of the environmental implications:

• Animal agriculture is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions, more than the combined exhaust from all transportation.
• Livestock and their byproducts account for at least 32,000 million tons of carbon dioxide (Co2) per year, or 51% of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions.
• Methane is 25 – 100 times more destructive than CO2.
• Methane has a global warming power 86 times that of CO2.
• Livestock is responsible for 65% of all emissions of nitrous oxide – a greenhouse gas 296 times more destructive than carbon dioxide and which stays in the atmosphere for 150 years.
• Emissions for agriculture projected to increase 80% by 2050.
• US methane emissions from livestock and natural gas are nearly equal.
• Fracking (hydraulic fracturing) water use ranges from 70 – 140 million gallons annually in comparison, animal agriculture water consumption ranges from 34 – 76 trillion gallons annually.
• Agriculture is responsible for 80 – 90% of US water consumption.

All above facts are available via the following link:  http://www.cowspiracy.com/facts/

Our population is growing at an alarming rate.  Due to this population growth, the demand for meat grows and with the demand for more meat, there will be more deforestation (trees provide oxygen) and more demand for water.  Ask yourself, why is there such a huge increase in pulminary (asthma/bronchitis) disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancers and obesity?  The introduction of processed foods and factory farming are definitely contributing factors.  People are dying because of what they eat.  Does this seem right to you?  Our elected officials are not doing enough to contribute to a more sustainable future for the people those who have elected them.  They pander to big corporations who only care about their profits. 

We must take a more proactive approach to our health and our environment.  There are many people out there who have viable solutions to make our world more sustainable.  Isn’t it time to allow them to bring their initiative and ideas to the table?  Isn’t it time for REAL change and not the false identity of change our current leaders keep talking about?  Isn’t it time our governments stop spending money on war in favour of creating real positive change across the globe? 

The earth can’t sustain the population growth and our demand for more meat.  People must assess what is more important, the need to eat meat or saving our planet from destruction.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

WE NEED A REVOLUTION FOR LOVE

What does this mean, we need a revolution for love?  Well – everytime I say or have said “we need a revolution for love”, it comes from frustration, anger, disbelief and lack of satisfaction from worldwide governments in acting for the greater good of the people and the issues that matter most to us.

Today’s issues don’t have the same importance as the issues of 25, 50 or even 100 years ago.  The most important issue affecting the worlds economies is climate change and its’ affects.  We are spending more money rebuilding and on health care due to the devastation from more frequent super storms.  Why are we not using financial resources for sustainable and renewable energy – doing this would stimulate the economy and create jobs.  Think about it….solar energy used to power homes is much more effecient, cheaper and environmentally conscious than using dirty oil and depleting earth’s natural resources.  Building green cars/electric cars (the electric car was the first ever built) will ensure the reduction of pollution and many illnesses associated with pollution (asthma and bronchitis).

Governments are too busy passing legislation that serves the best interests of corporations that continue to contribute to climate change – McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, Wendy’s (and any otherfood company that relies on the meat industry).  Factory farming is one of the main causes of climate change (deforestation for meat production factories, depleting water  resources, methane release into the atmosphere).  The oil industry pays governments to ensure they acquire drilling contracts/rights in very sensitive parts of the world- SHELL wants to drill in the Arctic.  The Canadian Government (Harper Government) and the National Energy Board want to complete oil exploration in Baffin Bay and the Davis Strait – 80 to 90% of Narwhals live, play and breed here, it is THEIR home and oil exploration could potentially harm much of the regions marine life, including the narwhal.  Please GREENPEACE’s website to sign their petition to help Clyde River send their message that drilling/oil exploration in this region is NOT an option. Sign the petition here:  https://www.savethearctic.org/en-CA/clyde-river/?__utma=218051913.506200212.1415937089.1415937089.1415937089.1&__utmb=218051913.8.10.1415937089&__utmc=218051913&__utmx=-&__utmz=218051913.1415937089.1.1.utmcsr=(direct)|utmccn=(direct)|utmcmd=(none)&__utmv=-&__utmk=12012407

So – we require a revolution of love.  A love for the planet and not government’s who are creating a wider gap regarding income inequality between thos that have and those that don’t have.  We also have to ensure governments work for the people and people are not corporations.

What can you do?

• Contact your MP (member of parliament) and demand they vote for legislation that supports renewable energy and not polluters.
• Get involved by creating community groups and urban gardens.
• Educate yourself about the benefits of solar energy and electric vehicles and demand companies increase their production.
• Stop buying products that contribute to landfills and are not biodegradeable (water bottles, plastic, excessive electronic products, etc).
• Commute when/if you can.
• Don’t travel to environmentally sensitive destinations – The Great Barrier Reef, The Amazon, etc.
• Eat a vegan or vegetarian meal a few times a week.  This not only saves animals, it sends a message to the meat industry that deforestation is wrong, inhumane treatment of animals is wrong, the depletion of water is wrong, polluting our environment is wrong.
• Talk to your employer about ‘tele-work’ options – if you don’t have to commute to work daily and have an option to work out of your home office, why not do it?  This will increase productivity and decrease sick calls.
• Take public transportation whenever possible.
• Educate yourself.

Don’t believe that we can’t make a difference.  We know that governments and corporations act on demand – the more we demand, the more pressure we put on our governments and corporations to to act in the responsible and accountable manner that we demand of them.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

WHAT ARE YOU FEEDING YOUR BODY?

What we put in our bodies can actually promote positive energy or negative energy in how our bodies relate and respond to whatever it is we are giving it. 

We all know that processed foods are junk and can have a diverse affect on your health and long-term well-being.  Processed foods may even cause death.  The food and lifestyle choices we make can have a diverse affect not only directly to your health but on the environment as a whole.  (Cattle ranching/factory farming/pollution/waste).

Thinking about just the food you consumed, ask yourself, how has this food affected your body and mind?  Did you drink enough water?  Have you consumed enough vegetables, fruits, beans and seeds to give your body the vitamins and minerals required to ensure you have sufficient energy for your daily activities?  Are you feeding your body carcinogens that promote cancer in your body or feeding it fresh and organic foods that decrease your cancer risks?

What fast-food chains (McDonald’s/Burger King/KFC/Wendy’s/Tim Horton’s) promote:

• increased risk of diabetes, heart attack and high blood pressure.
• animal cruelty.
• pollution (water and air).
• deforestation (for factory farms/cattle ranches/pig farms).
• excessive landfill waste from garbage that can’t be recycled.
• low wages for employees but huge profits for shareholders and CEO’s.
• bankruptcy for local farmers who can’t compete with BIG corporations.

What other things can have a diverse affect on your body?

• pharmaceutical drugs
• excessive alcohol
• lack of exercise
• breathing polluted air
• over-the-counter drugs (allergy, sinus, headache, and all other medications for minor ailments) ***many of these medications can be stopped with proper diet and nutrition***
• excessive recreational drug use

When we are armed with the right information and really listen to our bodies, we can have tremendous and positive effect on bodies both physically and mentally.  Try this experiment….remove all ‘white’ foods from your diet – sugar, flour, bread, pasta and notice how your body feels (after the withdrawals of course).  If you have sinus infection or allergies, remove milk from your diet and substitute it with rice/soy or almond milk.  Migraines and high blood pressure???  Remove meat from your diet for a month and notice what happens.

We have all been bombarded with lies and misconceptions about what our bodies require.  These lies and misconceptions mostly come from companies who are dependent upon our lack of knowledge and education.  As a matter-of-fact, these companies (Wal-Mart, McDonald’s, Neilson, KFC, Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, etc) they profit from our distractions and our unwillingness to education ourselves.  These BIG corporations work with governments to ensure their agendas are being met by pushing legislation that benefits these corporations.  Think about it – if people are not becoming sick, how can pharmaceutical companies make money, how will hospitals treat the sick, how will insurance companies deny their clients health claims?  By being vigilant and proactive in our health, we not only benefit ourselves but our environment, the local economy, small businesses, local farmers, animals, our environment and our planet.  By NOT being distracted, we can also hold our governments and corporations accountable for the damage they are doing to us and to our planet.

I’m sure most of us prefer a life free of genetically modified food, meat that isn’t pumped with steroids and antibiotics, vegetables and fruits without damaging pesticides, water that is clean and air that we can breathe.  That is not reality right now because we are not demanding these rights.  Is it not time to clear your mind and body of all the toxins and distractions that these corporations and our governments are feeding us?  Would it not be great to finally live an authentic life without the influence of poisonous foods and drugs?  Isn’t it time that we cleanse our bodies and minds?  When we remove the slave mentality that our governments and big corporations have instilled in us, we become better people, better communities and a better world.  All you have to do is start with your food.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

 

TIME FOR ACTION

Can we be spiritual and speak out against the things we believe to bring pain and misery to people and animals?  Are people who strive to remove negativity from their lives able to engage in discussions or debates about the injustices around them?  I have and continue to struggle with the idea that I try to inspire others to remove negativity from their lives yet share stories that are sometimes not so positive.  Is this a contradiction of sorts?

Simply put – we have to address the issues that are not so happy or positive to talk about in order to help resolve whatever negative issue it is.  I have received messages/comments on various social media indicating “Why do you post such cruel or negative stories?” or “Some of pictures you post are really offensive and violent.”  I believe, that I have an obligation to be as truthful as I can about the issues that I am passionate about.  I would rather be blatant about these issues in order for people to understand the importance of a certain message.  We can’t be passionate about fighting climate change without understanding the devastation or impact that climate change will have on our planet.  You can’t speak of animal rights without seeing or hearing the abuse animals endure in our for us to eat or wear them.  We can’t act on human rights issues if we don’t have empathy for those who are facing those issues with threat of imprisonment, violence or even death.

I am shocked in knowing how many people were more enraged about Miley Cyrus’s MTV performance than the verdict in the Trayvon Martin case.  We have become so desensitized to the issues that we should be enraged about and enraged about the issues that shouldn’t matter at all.  If we managed to turn off our televisions long enough – how many of us would realize that television is just a means of distraction, a means to keep people pre-occupied from thinking – instead, they are told what to buy, eat, drink, smoke, visit, do, say, etc…and they really believe it.  Imagine if we kept our televisions turned off long enough to engage in conversation and to listen to one another and come up with solutions to the issues we should be concerned about.  Forget about Miley Cyrus and her MTV performance – you would not know of it if you were volunteering at the local animal shelter or soup kitchen.

Don’t get me wrong – sometimes, it’s okay not to care, it’s okay to have a day where we can be silly and not have to worry about a thing.  So what is a happy medium?  I believe that we have an obligation to act and to become involved in the issues that are causing so many grief and misery.  Ignorance is not bliss.  Our ignorance has allowed financial institutions to reap the rewards of their greed.  It has allowed our corrupt governments to create legislation that benefit corporations and not the constituents that have elected them.  Our ignorance has allowed us to be indifferent to the abuse animals endure for fashion and food.  Our ignorance (and lack of involvement) has given our governments free rein to control us with fear and a false sense of security and we need to WAKE UP.

It is time for action now because:

• We are running out of fresh water and clean air.
• The food we are consuming is killing us and keeping us sick.
• Government is not working on our behalf.
• Corporations are influencing legislation.
• Media/Government/Corporations are dictating what we do, say, eat, drink, etc.
• We don’t need another Wal-Mart/McDonald’s/Burger King/KFC/Kelsey’s/Home Depot/housing development/etc.
• Prescription drugs shouldn’t be an answer to health care.
• We only have THIS planet.

So – is it better to go through life as a zombie and to be told what YOU should be doing, saying, or buying?  Or is it time to WAKE UP, turn off the televisions (and whatever else is a means of distraction) and take action.  It is time to fight for clean air, healthy food, policies for the greater good of humanity and for LOVE.  What is more spiritual than having the need and desire to create positive change in the world?

It is time for action and for a REVOLUTION OF LOVE!

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!