Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai on climate change.
Our Association members in the UK recently invited Supreme Master Ching Hai for a conference, to discuss their latest concerns regarding the current progress of the world in addressing climate change. Despite her busy schedule, Supreme Master Ching Hai set aside the time to answer their questions via a videoconference. The following questions were illuminated with ever-new insights by Supreme Master Ching Hai’s response.
Our Association member from UK : Are the recent disasters around the world somehow connected with the billions of animals slaughtered every year for human consumption?
Supreme Master Ching Hai: Of course it is.“As you sow, so shall you reap.” “Like attracts like.” Scientifically speaking, spiritually speaking, we have been warned. So, all the disasters that have happened around the world, of course, are connected with the human unkindness to the co-inhabitants. That was the price we have to pay for what we have done to the innocents, who have done us no harm, who are also the children of God, who have been sent to Earth to help us and to cheer our days.
Our UK Association member : Hallo. Master, if the world were to go 100% vegetarian right now, what kind of Earth would we live in and what effect would this have on the world economy and also how great the changes would be and how long would it take to see the effects of these changes on our environment?
Supreme Master Ching Hai: If the world were to go 100% vegetarian right now, the good effect of it would be seen within more or less 60 days. 60 days.
Association members: Wow!
Supreme Master Ching Hai: In 8 weeks, we could see immediate effect. Of course, you also see immediately, it's almost immediately, but to see the whole big picture, you can realize it within 8 weeks.
Association member: Wow.
Supreme Master Ching Hai: 8 short weeks, yes. And what kind of Earth would we live in? It would be Eden again. Yes. And we will have sudden peace, and sudden realization of sameness between all nations, between all humans and between humans and animals.
Association member: Wow. That's wonderful. Thank you Master.
Supreme Master Ching Hai: Things would be more lushful, abundant. People will feel happier, even without reasons. They will not know why they feel happy. And food will be enough everywhere. Rivers will run, plentiful again. Disasters will cease. Heaven will smile on humans and good wishes will be fulfilled. That is a kind of Eden, yes. If we are to be vegetarian, all of the humans on the planet, yes? That would be the effect. Yes, that's what we wish to have, hey?
VOICE: We thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for sharing with us this wonderful message of hope. Indeed, we wish that more people will soon adopt the truly life-giving vegetarian, meaning animal free diet, and thereby choose the path of merit to reap immediate peace and joy.
Highest level of deforestation in 50 years for New Zealand.
The New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s National Exotic Forest Description Annual Report disclosed a 50-year high of forest loss in New Zealand in 2007. Since 2003 more trees have been felled than planted, with a loss last year of 13,600 hectares, or 3.4 million trees. The ministry also states that this deforestation has led to the release of additional carbon into the atmosphere totaling 10 million tons.
Many thanks, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, for this significant climate change alert. Our best wishes for this and coming years to mark the beginning of a replanting trend, to replenish the nation’s vital and verdant forests.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0806/S00135.htm
Melting Arctic ice is affecting permafrost.
Researchers from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), in Colorado, USA have discovered a connection between the rapidly melting ice sheets and rising temperatures of the permafrost. During the autumn of 2007, Arctic ice sheets melted over 30 percent more than average, while temperatures in the permafrost regions of Alaska and parts of Canada rose more than 2 degrees Celsius compared to previous averages. If this trend continues, the permafrost ground will thaw and destabilize, causing the likely release of billions of metric tons of carbon and potent methane gases, with unpredictable damage to both people and the environment.
We thank you, devoted scientists, for this timely warning of the real risks of global warming. We pray that the world’s people act quickly in taking the necessary steps to stabilize the temperatures on our planet.
http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2008/610/2
Afghanistan’s wheat crops projected to shrink due to climate change.
Low rainfall and drought conditions are expected to significantly reduce Afghanistan’s wheat production this year. Already experiencing food insecurity, the number of vulnerable people is estimated to have increased to 3.5 million. Wheat production is projected to go down 0.7 million tons, which would leave only about three-quarters of the country’s normal amount of the grain. With agriculture sustaining the livelihoods of about two-thirds of the Afghan people, these unfavorable weather conditions affect many families’ incomes as well as their food supplies.
We pray for speedy assistance to be sent to help our Afghan brethren, as well as a speeding of our efforts to halt the effects of climate change for the benefit of all people in need.
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=78642 http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Content.asp?ContentID=228571 http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=78715 http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=223449&version=1&template_id=41&parent_id=23