Press conference with Supreme Master Ching Hai on organic vegan diet to reverse climate change.
On Saturday, December 18, Supreme Master Ching Hai was invited to a conference with Mexican media members in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico, where the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 16) had recently concluded.

Having previously met with COP 16 delegates and major media representatives during the summit, Supreme Master Ching Hai at this time addressed regional journalists and then answered questions from participants representing print, radio and television media. These included print publications such as “News of Quintana Roo”; (Novedades de Quintana Roo) “La Verdad Editorial”; “De Peso”; “A New Quintana Roo”; (Un Nuevo Quintana Roo)  “The Journal of  Quintana Roo”;  “The Voice of the Mayas  Magazine”; and  “Por Esto! Quintana Roo”; as well as Radio Turquesa, Radio Formula, Cancún Radio, and television station Canal 10.

In a warm and candid atmosphere, the journalists listened attentively as Supreme Master Ching Hai's presentation made an urgent moral appeal for help that was also supported by many compelling facts, for instance, about animal farming as the cause of over half the global warming, combined with a potential 40% removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through organic tilling of the world's farmlands.


VOICE: Amidst Supreme Master Ching Hai's encouragement for the media's efforts during the press conference, a delicious vegan lunch was served to the journalists. Many eagerly wanted to know more about the lifestyle for themselves, with one reporter saying that he became a vegan just 30 days ago while another stating that he has been seeking to open a vegan shop.

Supreme Master Ching Hai also made sure that further factual materials were provided for the journalists, including Mexico-specific data, so that they could better inform the public about climate change. Our salute and appreciation all the caring media members and groups in Mexico who are alerting fellow citizens on how we each can halt the planet's crisis.

We especially thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for sharing her messages of concern through this press conference, and pray that everyone joins in the fastest effective solution of the plant-based lifestyle. Please tune in to Supreme Master Television for the broadcast of this press conference at a later date on Words of Wisdom, with multi-language subtitles.

Climate change converts forests into carbon emitters.
A recent study has shown that changes related to global warming occurring in the northern subarctic state of Alaska, USA have caused nearly 19 million hectares of forests to change from absorbing carbon into releasing it.

Lead author Professor Merritt Turetsky of Canada's University of Guelph said that in the last decade alone, the amount of carbon being emitted by these forests into the atmosphere was much higher than the amount stored over the same period.

With conditions becoming warmer and drier, fires are now burning late into the season and going deep into the soil where plant matter and other biomass have accumulated over thousands of years. An alarming example of this effect was seen this past summer, when fires both above and below the ground blazed out of control in Russia, claiming 50 human lives and untold wildlife as more than a million hectares were destroyed.

Remarking on such phenomenon, Professor Turetsky stated, “Essentially this could represent a runaway climate change scenario in which warming is leading to larger and more intense fires, releasing more greenhouse gases and resulting in more warming.

Professor Turetsky and University of Guelph associates, our thanks for your detailed observations of this additional sign of planetary distress. With Heaven's grace, may we all step toward actions that renew the safety of life on Earth for humans and animals alike.

http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/climate-change-fans-deep-burning-fires-in-alaska/
http://www.uoguelph.ca/ib/people/faculty/turetsky.shtml,
http://www.physorg.com/news/2010-12-northern-wildfires-threaten-runaway-climate.html http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iHzV4Rnedlsw6RBBnzPrz4OZou3g?
docId=CNG.7936abe2aac85ef50ca11a2d6b6c031b.381Peat drainage

Extra News
As part of a new accord, Turkey and Libya agree to collaborate in mitigating pollution of the Aegean Sea as well as preserve biodiversity through reforestation and erosion control projects.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2010/12/15/newsbrief-05

Mayor Boris Johnson of London, UK and food advisor Rosie Boycott launch the Capital Bee project, which encourages city dwellers to plant bee-friendly plants and flowers to support the bees' survival.
http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/5018
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/16/crucial-role-cities-honey-bee?intcmp=122

Although their arrival is over a month later than usual, small migratory birds that were unseen last year return to India's Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur after this year's good monsoon season restores water to the sanctuary.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Migratory-birds-back-in-Bharatpur-after-two-
years/articleshow/7120041.cms

Identified with possible contamination of E.coli, a Washington-based company in the USA recalls all of its cheese products, while firm based in Texas recalls 25,600 pounds of ground beef due to improper processing.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5grUEnL6qnKjE-7gZk8ZYvlPUvF_g?
docId=cdceceb916604f938f777d95d432e378b
http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/17/sally-jackson-cheeses-recalled-for-possible-e-col