German minister visiting Brazil urges less meat consumption.

Amidst discussions about the effects of biofuel production on the rainforest, Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel has voiced his concern about the effect of consuming meat. He remarked on the destruction of the rainforest to grow soybeans that are exported to feed livestock in Europe. To help safeguard the Amazon’s trees, Minister Gabriel is proposing a system that will rate the sustainability of imported products and charge accordingly.

Kudos, Minister Gabriel for your efforts to protect our irreplaceable rainforest. May these valuable lungs of our planet be preserved to continue supporting all life.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,552027,00.html

Climate change and pollution affects birds around the globe.

 The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) stated on Tuesday the overall decline in migratory bird numbers is an alarming sign of changes in biodiversity around the world. Birds are very sensitive to environmental changes and thus can be precise indicators of shifting patterns. Water birds such as penguins are particularly vulnerable to global warming effects. Heidi Geisz, a marine biologist at Virginia Institute of Marine Science in the US, has discovered the banned pesticide DDT in Arctic Adélie penguins. It is thought that the substance was trapped in ice sheets in the 1960s when DDT was produced and is now being released due to climate change.
Thank you, UNEP and researchers such as Dr. Geisz for your concerned efforts to raise awareness that our actions affect all lives around the globe. We pray for the Providence to guide us in restoring our beautiful planet to its original, healthy state.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/05/08/eatoxic108.xml, http://green.yahoo.com/news/afp/20080508/sc_afp/wildlifeclimateenvironmentbirds.html


Purdue professor advocates personal action for global warming.

At a recent seminar on climate change, Kirk Alter, Associate Professor at Purdue University in Indiana, USA said that everyone can do their part and gave the following suggestions: “Walk. Ride a bike or a bus. Switch to fluorescent light bulbs. Conserve electricity. Eat less meat.”
We salute you, Professor Alter, for encouraging all of us toward individual lifestyle changes that will protect our lovely and unique planet for future generations.

http://www.catholic.org/diocese/diocese_story.php?id=27833, http://www.purdue.edu/climate/people/kirk-alter.html