Animal rights and vegan experts call for new human relationship with animals.

During the 1st Conference on Animals Right in Sao Paulo, Brazil, a diverse group of panelists shared their perspectives, with an emphasis on the importance of veganism, meaning an animal-free diet. 

Laerte Levai, vegan and federal attorney specializing in environment and animals, Brazil: I see it as a matter of coherency, a moral coherency. Therefore, from this, I think that our own choice of a much more compassionate lifestyle turns out to be a logical consequence. And veganism, I see it as the way, maybe the only way that you have this coherency.

Rynn Berry, author and adviser to the North American Vegetarian Society:

Yes, I would like everyone to adopt a vegan diet; that means a diet which is plant based and which does not include any animal ingredients. People should stop wearing animal products internally and externally. They should no longer consume animal products for the sake of the Earth, preserving the integrity of the planet as well as their own personal health and hygiene.

VOICE: All participants recognized the urgency of reducing our meat consumption in light of its significant impact on increasing global warming. In fact, many pointed out that caring for the environment is one and the same as caring for its living co-inhabitants.

Dr. George Guimarães, nutritionist and vegan: Every time we exclude from the diet, products of animal origin, not just meat but as you note as well, eggs and dairy, then we are reducing the environmental footprint, the environmental impact that our diet has on this planet. 

Rynn Berry, author and adviser to the North American Vegetarian Society:

The slaughterhouse is the main source of carbon emissions. And it pollutes; it is the industry that pollutes the Earth more than any other. So if we can all become vegetarians, we can reduce the amount of carbon emissions in the atmosphere and we can protect the Earth from pollution, from slaughterhouse waste as well as eliminating cruelty, which is really the most important objective.

VOICE: A big thanks to experts like Mr. Levai, Dr. Guimarães and Mr. Berry who show us the way of the compassionate and Earth-saving vegan diet. Let's all be champions of life, for the sake of our own health and that of the planet!

Scientists predict global warming to bring stronger hurricanes.

Researchers at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, New Jersey, USA, expect future Atlantic Ocean storms that are likely to be stronger, with more intense winds and rain. Their forecast is based on a computer model that has accurately predicted past storms. Dr. Tom Knutson, lead author of the report, said that these findings are consistent with those reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), namely, that hurricanes will gradually become more intense as the climate continues to warm.  

Our sincere thanks, Dr. Knutson and fellow researchers, for revealing to us what climate change could mean in our lives. May we act now to mitigate these effects and protect our amazing planet.  

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/hurricanes-global-warming-47051603, http://www.noaa.gov/wx.html, http://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/reference/AR97/AppendixD.html

World biodiversity faces a great challenge.

 According a report published on Friday by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), wildlife populations have declined by almost one third in the past 35 years alone. Countries like Australia are losing some of the world’s most unique species. Farming and urban expansion, pollution, and wildlife trade have been significant factors in the dwindling populations, the effects of which are all being increased by climate change. At next week’s meeting in Germany, the Ninth Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the WWF will be calling for participating countries to implement measures that prioritize sustainable protection.  

Our grateful thanks, WWF and scientists, for bringing this important information to the forefront. We pray that your meeting concludes with the shared success of measures that protect our essential and diverse species. May God’s loving power aid us in safeguarding our planet.   

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/16/worldupdates/2008-05-16T082155Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-336043-2&sec=Worldupdates, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7403989.stm, http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/16/content_8188562.htm

Nobel Charitable Trust chair advocates a vegetarian diet.

At an Energy Efficiency and Green Environment Forum in Formosa (Taiwan), Dr. Michael Nobel, great-grand nephew of Alfred Nobel, encouraged the public to become vegetarian, meaning an animal-free diet, and use alternative energy to reduce the effects of climate change. Speaking of the harmful greenhouse gas effects of methane, Dr. Nobel stated, “The energy saved by everyone in the world going vegetarian would be greater than if every car owner swapped their big car for a smaller one.”  
Dr. Nobel, we sincerely commend you for your concerned voice and practical recommendations for saving our precious Earth. May we all take steps to go veg and be green!  

http://udn.com/NEWS/NATIONAL/NAT5/4339881.shtml, http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/05/14/2003411922, http://www.free-press-release.com/news/200805/1210971032.html  

Scientists highlight the need to reduce our nitrogen footprint. 

Over the past century, the growing use of nitrogen-based fertilizers and fossil fuels has caused untold amounts of reactive nitrogen compounds to enter the environment. One of these compounds is nitrous oxide, which is 300 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO2. Dr. James Galloway of the University of Virginia in the US is working with a team of scientists to develop a nitrogen footprint, saying, “We are accumulating reactive nitrogen in the environment at alarming rates, and this may prove to be as serious as putting carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.”  Another scientist involved in this study, Professor Peter Liss of the UK’s University of East Anglia, said, “The solution lies in controlling the use of nitrogen fertilizer and tackling pollution from the rapidly increasing numbers of cars, particularly in the developing world.”   

We offer our heartfelt thanks, Professors Galloway, Liss and colleagues, for clarifying the role of nitrogen in global warming. We pray that the policies of our world leaders reflect the urgency of this situation to endow our future generations with an Earth that can sustain their lives.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/earth/2008/05/16/eanitro116.xml, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080515145350.htm