A man with a very small ecological footprint: a vegetarian, walked everywhere on foot and wore only organic cotton. Mahatma Gandhi (2 Oct 1869 – 30 Jan 1948)
Some important facts to consider:
Consuming less meat is good for the environment, good for our health and good for our spirit.

Good for Environment:

1. When it comes to feeding the world, an acre of land used for crops could feed about 10 times as many people as an acre for grass-fed beef.
   
2. According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization’s report: “Livestock’s Long Shadow”, animal-farming contributes more green-house gases (in CO2 equivalents) than all of the cars, trucks and other forms of transportation worldwide (18% vs. 13.5%).
   
3. The report projects that the number of farmed animals will double in the next 50 years. If that happens, increased greenhouse gas emissions from 'livestock' agriculture would negate the reductions from many other positive changes, such as increasing automobile fuel efficiencies, switching to more efficient light bulbs, etc.
4. Animals such as cows and sheep, being ruminant, emit huge amounts of methane due to flatulence and burping. Methane has 23 times the global warming potential of Carbon Dioxide. As per reports, livestock industry alone is responsible for 37% of human induced methane emissions.
5. Global production of meat is projected to more than double from 229 million tonnes in 1999/01 to 465 million tonnes in 2050, and that of milk to grow from 580 to 1043 million tonnes. The environmental impact per unit of livestock production must be cut by half just to avoid increasing the level of damage beyond its present level.
   
6. A single person by not consuming meat, can prevent 1.5 tons of CO2 emissions in a year.
7. Production of a single 150 gram serve of meat is estimated to use over 200 litres of water and create 5 kilograms of greenhouse pollution.
8. Australia’s meat consumption (kg per capita per year) is: 36 kg beef and veal; 13 kg lamb and mutton; 23 kg pig meat and 39 kg poultry.
9. 1 kg of beef produces 51.0 kg CO2-e(equivalent); 1 kg of lamb produces 13.8 kg CO2-e. Hence, greenhouse gases saved by one person not eating beef one day=5.03 kg CO2-e; and not consuming lamb and mutton= 0.49 kg CO2-e., a total of 5.52 kg CO2-e. Whole of Australia (population = 21.3 million) not eating beef, veal, lamb or mutton for a day would save 117.57 million tons CO2-e of greenhouse gases.
10. Water consumption for meat production is enormous. Water usage for beef: 17,112 litre/kg; for lamb: 6,957 litre/kg; for pork: 5,909 litre/kg; and chicken: 2,914 Litre/kg.
11. Water saved by one person not eating beef for a day = 1,688 litres and by whole of Australia = 35.955 ML (mega litres). Water saved by one person not eating Lamb for a day = 247 litres and whole of Australia = 5.261 ML. So water saved by whole of Australia by not eating beef or lamb for a day would save roughly 42 ML of water.

Good for Health:

1. Medical studies prove that a vegetarian diet is easier to digest, provides a wider range of nutrients and imposes fewer burdens and impurities on the body. Vegetarians are less susceptible to all the major diseases that afflict contemporary humanity, and thus live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. They have fewer physical complaints, less frequent visits to the doctor, fewer dental problems and smaller medical bills. Their immune system is stronger, their bodies are purer, more refined and their skin more beautiful.
   
2. Those who eat meat are far more likely to contract cancer than those following a vegetarian diet. The risk of contracting breast cancer is 3.8 times greater for women who eat meat daily compared to less than once a week; 2.8 times greater for women who eat eggs daily compared to once a week.
   
3. The risk of fatal prostate cancer is 3.6 times greater for men who consume meat, cheese, eggs and milk daily as compared with sparingly or not at all.
   
4. Heart attack is the most common cause of death in the U.S., killing one person every 45 seconds. The male meat-eater's risk of death from heart attack is 50%. The risk to men who eats no meat is 15%. Reducing one's consumption of meat, dairy and eggs by 10% reduces the risk of heart attack by 10%.
   

Good for the Spirit:

1. According to Hindu religion, Ahimsa, the law of non-injury, is the Hindu's first duty in fulfilling religious obligations to God and God's creation as defined by Vedic scriptures.
   
2. According to Hindu religion, Ahimsa, the law of non-injury, is the Hindu's first duty in fulfilling religious obligations to God and God's creation as defined by Vedic scriptures.
   
3. Food is the source of the body's chemistry, and what we ingest affects our consciousness, emotions and experiential patterns. If one wants to live in higher consciousness, in peace and happiness and love for all creatures, then he cannot eat meat, fish, shellfish, fowl or eggs. By ingesting the grosser chemistries of animal foods, one introduces into the body and mind anger, jealousy, anxiety, suspicion and a terrible fear of death, all of which are locked into the flesh of butchered creatures.
   
   

To find out more:

Attend the Half-day Conference on observance of MEAT-FREE DAY on 2nd October 2008