“SOS” Save the Planet conference in Mexico: Love in action starts at home
Friday’s conference in Xalapa, the capital city of Veracruz, Mexico was an earnest gathering of government officials, dignitaries, and ordinary citizens who wished to know more about how each can save the planet.

Supreme Master Ching Hai was specially invited to share her wisdom about climate change solutions with the 1,000-plus live audience, and the world via live broadcast on Olivaradio and Supreme Master Television. Also joining were distinguished guest speakers including Local Representative of Xalapa Roberto Carlos Carbajal and Veracruz Governor Fidel Herrera Beltrán.


Roberto Carlos Carbajal – Representative of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico (M): It is a social commitment that we must all assume; we must do it for the sake of our planet and for the sake of our families.

VOICE: Overseas video messages were also were received from Philippine Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change Heherson Alvarez, Formosan Legislator Ms. Chiu Chin Tien, and the Vice President of the European Parliament, Mr. Edward McMillan Scott, who himself personally practices sustainability as a vegetarian.

Mr. Edward McMillan Scott – Vice President of the European Parliament from United Kingdom, VEGETARIAN

VOICE: The event’s main feature was a live videoconference discussion with Supreme Master Ching Hai. Despite her busy schedule, the guest of honor graciously agreed to answer questions on the latest issues of climate change affecting Mexicans and the world at large.


“SOS” Save the Planet  Live Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai
March 6, 2009

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Peace and love begins on our table, begins on our plate, our dinner, our breakfast, our lunch. Love is just an abstract word, but love can be an action. So if we do love our children, we do something. And now that we know that vegan diet will save the world for our future generation, I do ask everyone to sacrifice their palette, the taste, the habit, which is very detrimental to our health anyway. Cut off this habit of animals’ products. And then we can have everything else, even cars to drive, even airplane, even ships, even boat, even everything that we’re having right now, because nothing is as harmful as animals’ product.

VOICE: Supreme Master Ching Hai’s counsel was keenly heard and warmly supported.

Governor Fidel Herrera Beltrán, Veracruz, Mexico (M): To save the planet is to save ourselves, to save our lives and that of all other living beings. To save the planet is then, to work together, governments and organizations, in favor of life and for the future…
With that I say: Thank you Master, keep going. And let us help you to save our planet. Thank you.

VOICE: Congratulations, dignitaries and all participants for this meaningful gathering on the most important issue in all of our lives. We especially thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for her deep concern and boundless love for the planet and her many inhabitants. In the words of the Honorable Veracruz Governor, “May the world quickly join hands and be vegan, to protect our kind, other beings and our only planetary home.”

Please tune in at a future date for the full conference with Supreme Master Ching Hai on Words of Wisdom, with multi-language subtitles.

 Hippy Gourmet discusses climate change with Supreme Master Ching Hai
Hippy Gourmet discusses climate change with Supreme Master Ching Hai. James Ehrlich, director of the US-based, environmentally-themed cooking show Hippy Gourmet, interviewed Supreme Master Ching Hai about the effects of meat and dairy on global warming as well as the urgency of addressing climate change.

Excerpts from this interview are being aired on the San Francisco Bay Area channel KOFY-TV20 (Cable 13) in California, USA on Sunday March 8, 2009 as part of a cooking show with the Milpitas, California Loving Hut. During the show, Loving Hut chef Sunny Mueller demonstrates the preparation of several dishes from the popular restaurant, including triple creamy vegan potato soup. At a later date, viewers worldwide will be able to watch the show online via youtube.com and can view the full interview with Supreme Master Ching Hai on Supreme Master Television. Please tune in and enjoy!

Low-meat diet could slash cost of climate change action
Reducing meat consumption would halve the cost of addressing global warming. Researchers at the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency have published a study that evaluates the cost of halting climate change by stabilizing atmospheric CO2 at the estimated safe level of 450 parts per million. The report concludes that US$20 trillion, or 50 percent of a total US$40 trillion cost, could be saved from a global shift to a low-meat diet, along with the benefits of dramatically reduced methane emissions from minimized livestock rearing. Moreover, the millions of square kilometers of land no longer used for raising cattle could function instead as croplands for vegetation that would feed humans directly and would also absorb enormous amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency researchers, we appreciate your calculations that illuminate the logic of the plant-based diet, both economically and environmentally. Blessed be the gift of the animal-free lifestyle in securing the future of all co-inhabitants on our Earth.

Tainan County starts work on organic farm zone
Special zones for organic vegetarian farming in Formosa (Taiwan). In Tainan County, more than 20 farmers have already begun cultivating rice, raspberries, pomelos, pumpkins, eggplant and sweet potatoes in a 40-hectare plot of land set aside for organic farming. Along with the entire growing area, which is expected to be ready this August 2009, a 1,000 square-meter sales and exhibition center will also be opened. Officials are hoping that the project will attract tourists and become a model for similar zones around Formosa.

What wonderful news, Tainan County and organic growers! We wish your program green and bounteous success, with healthful harvests for everyone to enjoy.

In a videoconference seminar with dignitaries and the public in October 2008, Supreme Master Ching Hai mentioned the benefits of organic vegetarian farming, especially as an alternative livelihood to meat production.


Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai Stop Global Warming: Act Now seminar
Thailand – October 11, 2008

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Right now, organic food is very in. And it’s very healthy for everybody. And it’s very big demand. Also we are short of food; we are already informed that. Raising livestock makes us more short of food even. So organic farming uses less water, less time, less labor and produces more in abundance and healthy food for all to enjoy. It’s so easy, so easy, so simple, don’t even need much water at all. And the food grows so fast, and even one or two person can take care of many hectares without much problem at all.

It’s not much capital needed even. And even if capital is needed, the government should give them subsidies to help the organic farmer instead of using that to help the meat production, which is harmful to us. To help organic farming is helpful to everybody including the farmer.

$60,000 British aid for mangrove project in Sundarbans
UK supports restoration of Bangladeshi Sundarbans. With nearly 2,000 km of the total 3,600 km shoreline in the Sundarbans region having been stripped of the mangrove cover needed to offer shoreline protection from devastating cyclones, the United Kingdom is funding a project to initiate restoration. Environmental experts say that without the embankment protection, rising sea levels could see the complete inundation of the Sundarbans and 100 kilometers of the hinterland in the next five decades. The British government is thus donating US$60,000 to raise awareness of climate change and implement a 6 km mangrove plantation program that, once completed, can be replicated elsewhere in the Sundarbans of India and Bangledesh.

Gracious thanks, United Kingdom, and Heaven bless your thoughtful support of the Sundarbans’ renewal. May our constant striving toward greater consideration bring a more lush and stable world for all.