A call for compassion in action from Cologne, Germany.

As one of Germany’s oldest and heritage-rich cities, Cologne is also a leading center for media and culture. Last weekend, the city became a venue for the public to understand more about the benefits of meat-free living, through a rally organized by diverse groups for animal protection, the environment and social justice. Their shared goal was to raise awareness about world hunger.

Juergen Foss, Die Tierfreunde (Friends of the Animals):
Because of meat consumption here, people in other places of the world suffer, are starving and dying because of hunger. That cannot be.

Regina Kowalzick, Gymnasium Rodenkirchen teacher: If one considers that so many people are starving to death across the world, only because they have insufficient food to eat, because they have insufficient crops…

Juergen Foss, Die Tierfreunde (Friends of the Animals):
For only one kilogram of meat we use approximately eight kilograms of crops to feed the animals to produce meat.

VOICE: Currently, crops that are raised in many countries are exported as animal fodder rather than going directly to feed people. High demand for imported grain has also caused staple food prices to rise.

Jeannine, Tierversuchsgegner Aachen, group against animal testing: It is all very interrelated, simply because lots of foodstuffs are wasted by using them as animal feed. One could consume them directly. Lots of energy-resources are also wasted, for example, water or electric energy.

VOICE: Any conversation about meat production eventually returns to a mention of its toll on climate change.

Nicole Stuebs, Tierrechtsinitiative Rhein-Main animal rights initiative: And it is really that meat is the climate-killer number one. It is even worse than cars and airplanes. The emissions from methane due to factory farming are just gigantic.

VOICE: Passersby were encouraged to become vegetarian, meaning an animal-free diet, to contribute their share to ending world hunger. People seemed open and were listening.

Nicole Stuebs: Also, in recent times many people eat vegan just because of environmentalism. .

VOICE: A big thank you, all participating organizers and visitors of this meaningful event. Especially in this day and age, it’s more crucial than ever to practice the animal-free lifestyle. May more and more people everywhere adopt vegetarianism for the sake of compassion and preservation of our planet.

First ever species of seal declared extinct from human activities.

After no sightings for over 50 years, the Caribbean, or West Indian, monk seal is now deemed extinct. The subtropical seal, which was once found in abundance in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the west Atlantic Ocean, was essentially hunted to extinction. Two other related species, the Mediterranean and the Hawaiian monk seals, are currently listed as endangered, with active protection needed to avoid their extinction as well.
We pray for the preservation of the Mediterranean and Hawaiian monk seals, and all other species whose survival is in jeopardy. May the loss of the Caribbean Monk Seal remind us of the great impact of our actions on Earth and move us to create a more loving and safe environment for the future.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jun2008/2008-06-09-02.asp