Arctic ice melt allows two German ships to sail through for the first time.
Travel from Asia to Europe through the Northeast Passage, once impossible due to the presence of thickly frozen ice, was just accomplished by two commercial German vessels, after they obtained permission from the Russian government.

The usually frozen region has melted because of rising temperatures from human-induced global warming.  Though we know that history was made because of this opening of the Northeast Passage, we pray that the Arctic ice may recover soon and protect from worsening climate change.

Let us all speed our efforts to restore the sustainable balance of our ecosphere. Wishing to spare humanity the dire effects of global warming, Supreme Master Ching Hai in March 2009 spoke via videoconference in California, USA of the single most effective way to cool the rapidly melting Arctic:


Reference
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4679955,00.html

Restoring the Earth for our humanity.
With an international panel of renowned medical doctors and esteemed scientists, including Chairman of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, the “Children’s Health and a Sustainable Planet” international conference held in Jeju, South Korea earlier this week left powerful impressions. Discussions emphasized that the key to sustainability at all levels is a plant-based diet.

Mr. Joop Oude Lohuis - Manager of Climate Change Unit, Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (M): In summary from what we know now, changing a diet to no meat is one of the lowest cost measures to help the climate change targets.

Dr. Rajendra Pachauri - Chairman of Nobel Peace Prize winning United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Vegetarian (M): We know that if we don’t take action early enough and adequately enough, we’re going to see some very harmful impacts of climate change all over the world.

So I would like to submit that if we can shift towards a much lower consumption of meat, we would be much happier, we would be much healthier, and so would the planet.

Dr. Neal Barnard - Founding president of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) , Vegan (M): Researchers have looked at thousands of children, and shown that those children who grow up on a totally vegan diet, meaning a diet with no animal products at all, they’re just as tall and, and healthy as other kids, in fact they’re healthier.

Dr. Michael Greger - Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society International, Vegan (M): How we treat animals can have global public health implications,and these newly emerging chicken and pig flu viruses are but one example.

Dr. Joel Fuhrman - Acclaimed Board-certified family physician, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) , Vegan (M): So we know now that the more vegetables and fruits and beans and nuts and seeds eaten, the longer people live and the lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes and cancers.

It also can help people have better function in school, more attention, more alertness, more protection against diseases like influenza, like the flu.

Dr. John A. McDougall, founder and medical director of the nationally known McDougall Program, Vegan (M): The best diet, I can’t think of a single reason to add any kind of animal food in terms of meat, like beef or pork or chicken or fish, it adds nothing to the diet that you can’t get better from starches, vegetables
or fruits, that’s what the science says.

VOICE: Joining via videoconference, Supreme Master Ching Hai was the event’s honored guest whose heartfelt words drove home the true motivation for these life-sparing actions.


Lee Yong-Jung - Policy Chairperson of Jeju Coalition for Children’s Health, South Korea (M): I will ponder the teaching of Supreme Master Ching Hai and follow along together.
I think today’s event had huge significance. I once again thank Supreme Master Ching Hai.

VOICE:In her closing message, Supreme Master Ching Hai raised the ideal of a restored globe to an even more stirring level for humankind.


VOICE: Dr. Pachauri, Dr. Furhman, Dr. Greger, Dr. Barnard, Mr. Lohuis, Dr. McDougall and all other distinguished speakers and participants, we appreciate your expert counsel and caring presence.

we are also most thankful to Supreme Master Ching Hai whose love for all beings inspires the same in others through adopting the compassionate vegan lifestyle.

May the power of love and collective willpower plant the seeds for a survived Earth and a peaceful existence for all.

Please tune in to Supreme Master Television’s Words of Wisdom for the full rebroadcast of this live event at a later date, with multi-language subtitles.

“Be Veg” campaigning at the United Nations headquarters, USA.
As over 100 global heads of state met this week for the 64th UN Assembly in New York, New York, USA, members of many groups gathered in neighboring Dag Hammarskjold Plaza to raise awareness of various campaigns.

Journalist Sandra Lilley from leading US news MSNBC took note in speaking to one participant, saying, “She is part of a group called ‘The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association,’ which advocates what they consider a simple solution to combat global warming.

 "According to a U.N. report," (member) Hong explained, ‘livestock farming contributes more greenhouse gases than the energy sectors…

We want the government to encourage organic farming.’"Journalist Lilley went on to say, “The vegan group’s placards, "Be Veg, Go Green, Save the Planet," seemed to inspire many walkers to stop and chat.

‘You go!’ shouted a well-dressed middle-aged woman. “I’m a vegan myself!  Way to go!’”  
Our thanks, journalist Sandra Lilley and MSNBC for this report on efforts to resolve climate change through the planet-cooling vegan diet. May awareness of this needed solution grow among policy makers and citizens alike.
Reference
http://fieldnotes.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/09/23/2078879.aspx

Extra News
In Maryland, USA, the small and extremely rare bog turtle is placed under the protection of environmental groups and local governments, with a planned highway even being moved to further preserve the wetland animal’s habitat.
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-09-22-voa26.cfm


As part of its TckTckTck climate campaign, international civic organization Avaaz.org coordinates participants worldwide in sounding their cell phone alarms and calling key politicians to get their commitment to ambitious emission goals for the upcoming Denmark summit.
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-09-21-thousands-send-global-climate-wake-up-call-world-leaders-message/