Thanks
to recent donations from nations and organizations such as Ireland and
the European Union, the United Nations World Food Program has been able
to distribute food to some 200,000 people who have been hard hit by
drought in the last four years.
However, the agency has noted
that 110,000 people are still in need of emergency aid. Weather
conditions combined with inefficient water use has resulted in
diminished wheat output in some areas, while others have been turned
into wastelands. Although a government wheat subsidy program has
increased output somewhat, tens of thousands of wells dug illegally by
people desperate for the resource have damaged the water table as the
country, once a wheat exporter, has had to import the grain for the past
three years.
Recent estimates state that up to a million people
have fled to such cities as the capital Damascus, seeking other
livelihoods to support their families. The World Food Program has
alerted that further distribution of such staples as rice, oil, flour,
chickpeas and salt are pending additional funding.
With our
appreciation and Heaven’s blessings for the concerned endeavors of the
European Commission, Ireland and the United Nations World Food Program,
we pray for the welfare of those in Eastern Syria, as well as all other
areas hit by climate-related weather catastrophes and food shortages.
May the abundance of a balanced ecosphere soon grace every population as
we step quickly in unison to adopt sustainable lifestyles that support
all life on Earth.
During an October 2009 videoconference in
Germany, Supreme Master Ching Hai reminded as on previous occasions of
the need to be responsible stewards of our planet, offering a solution
to safeguarding the world’s precious resources.
Supreme Master Ching Hai: With current
droughts and water shortages already affecting millions and only
expected to get worse, worse and worse.
But even though our predicament is
very grave, we do still have time if we act now. And the solution is
still very simple. It’s the vegan diet – no animal products.
Scientists have found that each
person eating a meat and dairy based diet uses around 4,500 gallons of
water per day,compared to 300 gallons per day for a vegan diet. This
also means that 1 pound of animal protein requires 100 times more water
to produce than 1 pound of grain protein. Over the course of a year, the
vegan diet saves approximately 1.5 million gallons of water per person.
This is the key. If everyone switches
to this beneficial lifestyle, our planet will be cooled in no
time,scientifically speaking and my promise.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE65C0PE.htm http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/0625/1224273270482.html
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