Dr. Jane Goodall urges youth to be veg for the planet.

Renowned for her decades of study with chimpanzees and other primates, Dr. Jane Goodall has in recent years directed her boundless energy toward empowering communities worldwide to create healthy ecosystems where they live. This United Nations Messenger of Peace, who is also a vegetarian, was invited to Formosa (Taiwan), where she received an honorary degree from the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology for her environmental work, and she addressed the students and faculty with a speech entitled “Reason for Hope.”

Dr. Jane Goodall – Renowned primatologist, author, vegetarian (F): The destruction to the environment by using large areas of land to feed cattle or pigs is actually taking up an awful lot of land that could be used to produce far more protein, if it was vegetable protein. Making animal protein is wasteful.

VOICE: Dr. Goodall’s institute raises awareness on various issues, one of which is intensive animal farming, which plays a large role in global warming.
 
Dr. Jane Goodall – Renowned primatologist, author, vegetarian (F): When animals are kept in these inhumane intensive farms, it’s creating very large amounts of methane. But in addition to that, it’s A) incredibly cruel to the animals, B) it’s very dangerous to human health, because we’re keeping them alive in these miserable places where they’re crammed together and can’t really move; they have to be fed antibiotics regularly, just like every day.

VOICE: For Dr. Goodall, it is important for global citizens to unite in reaching the goal of sustainability.
 
Dr. Jane Goodall (F): Since I stopped eating meat, I have got so much energy! I don’t think I can do what I do today if I was still eating meat and having to digest all the toxins in the meat. We have to remember every single day we live, we’re making an impact on this world, and we have a choice as to what kind of impact we are going to make. For more information about Dr. Jane Goodall’s work, please visit www.janegoodall.org

VOICE: We express our thankfulness, Dr. Jane Goodall, for your love for animals, humans and our planet which has been and always will be an inspiration for the world. May we join efforts to create a beautiful, sustainable place to live for all our future generations.

Greenland ice sheet melt could be sooner than expected.

German researcher Dr. Bill Hare, who is also one of the lead authors of a UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change publication, has stated that scientific advancements now allow more precise predictions of the effects of temperature on the world’s ice sheets. Dr. Hare said that a temperature rise of as little as 1.5 degrees could mean the irreversible melting of Greenland and a corresponding several-meter rise in sea levels. This, he said, would spell the end for thousands of islands and most coastal cities around the world. Many thanks, Dr. Hare and colleagues, for this alert of the devastating effects of continued global warming. May we all take heed and act in unison to protect the future of our cherished Earthly abode.

On August 24, 2008, in a videoconference with Vancouver Center in Canada, Supreme Master Ching Hai spoke of the urgent situation of melting ice: Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai with Vancouver Center, Canada – August 24, 2008

Mostly, the time of disappearing of the ice means the spelling of trouble for our planet. Of course it would be better if we already saved the planet before the ice melted. But as it is, we can only do the best we can and try to inform everybody to save themselves by being vegetarian. If the ice melts quicker, then, of course, we have shorter time to save the planet. But nevertheless, because of people joining the vegetarian diet, then we still can manage to save the world.
 
Scientists baffled by mysterious acorn shortage
 
Throughout the eastern region of the United States, areas normally carpeted with acorns now have none at all. Scientists say this may due to an overabundance the previous year along with a doubling in precipitation last spring. People have been working to gather the nuts from areas where they are still plentiful to help provide for local squirrels and deer, but the food shortage may still cause their numbers to decrease. We thank all the caring acorn donors and pray for the welfare of those whose survival depends on them. Let us do our part in halting any further damaging changes to the environment through our conscientious and environment-enriching actions.

Global oil supply will peak in 2020, says energy agency

Future of carbon-based energy revised. A country-by-country study of oil reserves conducted by the International Energy Agency (IEA) has resulted in the organization’s revised forecasts, with IEA economist Fatih Birol stating that the global oil supply is now expected to plateau in 2020. Meanwhile, a US Department of Energy-sponsored report on peak oil indicated that efforts to shift away from a carbon-based economy should start two decades ahead of the peak oil period. Dr. Birol, International Energy Agency and US Department of Energy, our appreciation for this timely reminder of the urgency and benefit of going green. Blessed be the nations of our Earth in balanced harmony and sustainability.