Stuff & Things

Just a quick post to let you know I'm still alive (just not making much jewelry and therefore without much to post about) and pass on this information, which I found on the No Impact Man blog, explaining the environmental impact of eating meat...

Why eating less meat helps the environment
By Colin Beavan aka No Impact Man

According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization’s November, 2006 report, “Livestock’s Long Shadow–Environmental Issues and Options”:

• 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions come from livestock (more than from transportation).
• 70 percent of previously forested land in the Amazon was cleared to pasture cattle.
• Two-thirds (64 percent) of anthropogenic ammonia emissions, which contribute significantly to acid rain and acidification of ecosystems, come from cattle.
• The livestock sector accounts for over 8 percent of global human water use, while 64 percent of the world’s population will live in water-stressed areas by 2025.
• The world’s largest source of water pollution is believed to be the livestock sector.
• In the United States, livestock are responsible for a third of the loads of nitrogen and phosphorus into freshwater resources.
• Livestock account for about 20 percent of the total terrestrial animal biomass, and the 30 percent of the earth’s land surface that they now pre-empt was once habitat for wildlife, in an era of unprecedented threats to biodiversity.
• These problems will only get worse as meat production is expected to double by 2050.

I don't know about you, but to me these are shocking and disturbing facts (and I was even aware of most of it already!) - I was especially upset by the last point - how disheartening... I hope as a society we can get past this strange meat addiction that is harming not only the planet, but our own health and (obviously) animals.

And on another note, I need some last-minute charity ideas for September; the group I was hoping to donate to has not responded to any of my emails so I'm going to pick something else. Perhaps in light of today's posting topic, I will donate to an environmental charity. Anyone have any favorites?