Vegetarianism Promoted as Free Means to Save the Planet

Click post title to go to Gazette Times story. Ten vegetarians demonstrated in Corvallis to draw attention to the problem of methane exhaled by cows as contributing more to global warming than the carbon emissions from cars. This view is also promoted by some churches. That is, that being a vegetarian is not only far healthier for an individual but also is far healthier for the environment and future of our species. Not to mention the cruelty issues involved in killing and eating meat, particularly on factory farms and feed lots.

I saw a discovery channel show highlighting the problems of livestock production and methane exhalation. It's astounding how much methane one cow produces. Scientists were doing studies to try to produce a methane gobbling bacteria and even, in Australia, to produce cloned meat in a lab. But, with the latter approach, the largest piece of meat so far produced in a lab is the size of one small bite.

Switching to a vegetarian diet or vegan diet can really impact methane production. I grew up a vegetarian. The church I grew up in espoused the vegetarian lifestyle although many members are not vegetarians. Recently one group of this church I grew up in was highlighted on a show about Blue Zones. Blue Zones are places where people routinely live to be one hundred and beyond. Lifestyle is a big factor in blue zones and often this means a vegetarian lifestyle or a mostly vegetarian lifestyle. It's healthy. There's no doubt. Click here to go to an Oprah show about Blue Zones.