Viva for veggies

Read this! (yes, click on "read this") here's an excerpt:

The scientists have spoken, and the politicians are getting edgy. Vegetarian campaigning charity Viva received a leaked email from an official at the Environment Agency showing that the Government is trying to work out how to get us to eat less meat. "The potential benefits of a vegan diet in terms of climate impact could be very significant," it said, adding that eating less meat is one of the "key environmental behaviour changes" needed to save the planet.

It's about the importance of a vegan lifestyle to reverse global warming. No, I won't try and convert you, and I'm not telling you that you HAVE to become vegan (I'm still learning to cope with being a vegetarian, really missing fish and sushi, so nevermind cutting out milk, chocolate and cheese which I absolute LOVE). I'm just saying that the more people change to a vegan lifestyle or at least reduces their dietary focus on meats and animal products, the better it will be for our environment, and the sooner we are really starting to make a change. Even small change is good, because a lot of drops into a bucket makes it full. If you can't live on veggies and raw food alone, or feel really unable to eliminate meat from your diet, then try just reducing your intake of red meat, fish, poultry, milk, eggs and cheese and you'll be surprised at how good you will feel! The article also gives these pointers:

How to be a caring carnivore

* Elect to eat one or two organic, locally produced cuts of meat a week rather than eating cheap processed meat every day

* Roast a chicken and live off it for a week, making stock from the bones and eating the leftovers avoiding wastage

* Investigate meat alternatives such as tofu (pictured left), tempeh, textured vegetable protein and Quorn

* Buy organic milk, or try soya (pictured right), almond, oat, hazelnut or quinoa milk instead

* Chicken and pork are more carbon-efficient and produces less methane than beef

* Be aware of other good sources of protein. These include pulses, beans, nuts, seeds and, of course, soya beans

* Many kinds of bread and even some vegetarian products contain unnecessary milk products like whey, buttermilk or lactose, or eggs. Check the packaging and avoid buying non-organic dairy by avoiding these products