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Petition Tag - co2
1. Stop Any Carbon Tax or Price 
1st. There is no consensus in the IPCC or in science on Co2
“This claim that the IPCC is the worlds top 1500 or 2500 scientists: you look at the bibliographies of the people and it is simply not true. There are quite a number of non-scientists. Those people that are specialists but don’t agree with the polemic and resign, and there are a number of them I know of, they are simply put on the author list and become part of this “2500 of the worlds top scientists”. We have a vested interest in causing panic, because then, money will flow to climate science.” Says Professor Paul Reiter – IPCC and Pasteur Institute of Paris.
“I often heard it said that there is a consensus of thousands of scientists on the global warming issue and that humans are causing a catastrophic change to the climate system. Well I am one scientist and there are many that simply think that is not true.” Says Professor John Christy – Lead Author IPCC
Another Quote: “The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change misled the press and public into believing that thousands of scientists backed its claims on manmade global warming, according to Mike Hulme, a prominent climate scientist and IPCC insider. The actual number of scientists who backed that claim was “only a few dozen experts,” he states in a paper for Progress in Physical Geography, co-authored with student Martin Mahony.“Claims such as ‘2,500 of the world’s leading scientists have reached a consensus that human activities are having a significant influence on the climate’ are disingenuous,” the paper states unambiguously, adding that they rendered “the IPCC vulnerable to outside criticism.”
2nd Natural sources can explain any rise in Co2
Climatologist Roy Spencer (Former NASA employee) Writes:Quote
“C13/C12 isotope ratios measured at various latitudes show that CO2 trends are not necessarily from fossil fuel burning.
.. the year-to-year increase in atmospheric CO2 does not look very much like the yearly rate of manmade CO2 emissions. The following figure, a version of which appears in the IPCC’s 2007 report, clearly shows that nature has a huge influence over the amount of CO2 that accumulates in the atmosphere every year.”
3rd Global warming due to Co2 is fraudulent.
Quote: ”Last week Professor Hal Lewis, an American scientist of great distinction quit the American Physical Society over what he saw as their perceived role in giving oxygen to the great global warming swindle. His voice is added to a growing list of eminent international scientist now going public. No less significant in that last is Dr David Evans, consultant to the Australian Greenhouse Office from 1999 to 2005 and a key government scientist working towards the Kyoto Protocol.
Evans first spoke out in The Australian to say, “There is no evidence to support the idea that carbon emissions cause significant global warming. None.” (‘No smoking hot spot,’ July 18, 2008).
More and more of the public are now persuaded that global warming is the greatest criminal fraud ever perpetrated. It is shockingly covered up by the US and UK governments who knowingly and cynically persist in unlawfully denying Freedom of Information requests (FOIA) time after time. “
On 11th March 2010, the outgoing Labour Government announced plans for a High Speed Rail (HS2) link from London Euston to Birmingham. It was reported then that it would cost £11bn, but that figure was 6 years out of date. On the same day you could have got information from the Department for Transport which put the cost at £17.4bn or from HS2 Ltd, which put it at £25.5bn, or 2.8% of our generational national debt (based on a total national debt estimate of £916.6bn).
Despite all the cuts we will face as a nation, and the fact the new Prime Minister has stated that "things are worse than we thought", the Coalition Government still want to go ahead with HS2 and even extend it to link with Heathrow and HS1, meaning it will cost even more than the current £160 million per mile.
The business case assumes three times the number of passengers carried by the West Coast Mainline (45,000 increasing to 146,000 per day), despite there has been no increase in long-distance train travel since 1995 and the only increase has been on discounted fares.
This also ignores the fact that in 15 years time when it is scheduled to be ready, people will need to travel for work less, as who knows what we will have in terms of internet connections and video conferencing.
When announcing the sale of HS1 in Kent, Secretary of State for Transport, Philip Hammond said; "High Speed One is a national success story." This is despite the fact half the trains have been cut to stem the losses. HS1, like HS2, was meant to be great for business and was going to carry 21 million people per year. It has managed 7.5 million. HS1 is being sold for £1.5bn, about a quarter of the £5.8bn it cost to build.
Just to make sure people will use it, as in Kent, current services will be cut. Commuters from Coventry currently enjoy three London trains per hour. If HS2 goes ahead, the two express trains will be cut, meaning even if people go up to Birmingham International to use HS2, it will take them longer to reach their destination.
Supporters and politicians are quick to say HS2 will be good for the environment, however when you read the actual plans, you find out this is not the case. HS1 passengers are responsible for 35% more CO2 emissions than car passengers, but HS2 will go faster, so the CO2 emissions will be higher, but we don't know how much higher as there is no passenger train in the world that travels at the proposed 250mph to compare it with. It will also lead to more flights, not less, as Birmingham International Airport is being extended and it will be about 40 minutes on the train from Euston and now will be directly linked to Heathrow. Birmingham will provide Heathrows third runway.
The HS2 report admits that the plan may lead to an increase in CO2 emissions, but in those calculations they ignore the seven years of construction and roadworks that will mean and the fact that in some places a 75 metre (83 yard) wide strip of 'green stuff' will be turned to concrete, due to 25 metre 'no vegetation zones' on either side.
Yes, 75 metres! The pitch at Wembley is only 69 metres wide. The plans state that where the trains will travel at top speed, the tracks will have to be 25 metres to stop passing trains blowing each other other the rails, and there will have to be a 25 metre 'No vegetation zone' on either side.
HS2 will cut right through the heart of the countryside at a noise level of 95 decibels. The noise level at which sustained exposure could cause permanent hearing damage is 90-95dB. It's not planned to go next to motorways (existing transport corridors) as that would cost even more and to travel at 'high speed', the line has to be very straight.
This will create massive social damage to towns and villages along the line. While the government say it is 'good for business', HS1 and the M6 Toll were justified for the same reasons, but have not devilvered the promised benefits. All they have delivered is large losses. The business case takes no account of businesses which will be destroyed, and businesses will only get land value when it comes to compensation.
HS2 will of course lead to the filling in of greenbelts, as once they are blighted by the fact upto 40 trains per hour (1 per 90 seconds), a quarter of a mile long, going past at 250mph, creating 95dB, it's not going to be a green belt any more. There is also the chance of extensive development around the Birmingham International station as a result of this plan.
The thing is with HS2 is it sounds like a good idea, but when you look at the details, you find that most parts of the plans are bad, unjustified ideas. The main thing is that it is going to be a collosal waste of money that will help bankrupt the country even more than it is now.
Just think of what would not need to be cut if it wasn't for committing to at least 25.5 billion pounds on one train line, connecting two cities, when there are already two train lines doing the job.
3. Meat Free Monday in Singapore
We urge the Singapore government, especially the Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, and the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, as well as environmental and animal rights organisations to recognise the many benefits of a meat-free diet.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization released an astonishing report on June 5th 2009, stating that livestock agriculture is responsible for contributing a significant part of causing environmental pollution around the world. Animal agriculture’s 'contribution' to global warming is larger than the emissions from the entire transportation sector from around the globe. A 2006 a UN Report titled, “Livestock’s Long Shadow” supported this with the conclusion that global livestock farming generates roughly one-fifth of greenhouse gas emissions, more than all of transport combined.
Although Singapore's carbon dioxide emissions appear “small” (0.2% of global carbon dioxide emissions in 2005) and its methane emissions are “negligible” as Singapore is not an agricultural-based country, Singaporeans can almost match the Americans in meat consumption. According to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore, Singaporeans ate an average of 90 kg of meat and fish per person per year in the year 2007, as compared to Americans who ate an average of 90.7kg of meat and fish per person per year.
This petition calls for the Singapore government to take immediate action by adopting “Meat Free Mondays” and promoting the many health and environmental benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle to the general public.
4. Lunes sin carne en Latinoamérica - Meat Free Monday in Latin America
Español (English & Portuguese translation below):
La región de América Latina y el Caribe representa alrededor del 8,5% de la población mundial y del PIB, el 6% de las emisiones del sector energético y el 12% de las emisiones globales (considerando todos los gases de efecto invernadero, la deforestación y el cambio en el uso del suelo), de acuerdo con un reporte elaborado por el Banco Mundial en diciembre del 2008.
Sin embargo, a pesar de que este porcentaje podría parecer menor en comparación con otras regiones o países; la región como un todo está sufriendo de manera directa los efectos del calentamiento global. Las temperaturas en la región se elevaron alrededor de 1ºC en el siglo XX, mientras que el aumento del nivel del mar alcanza los dos o tres milímetros al año desde la década de los 80. También se han observado cambios en los patrones pluviales: en algunas zonas como el sur de Brasil, Paraguay y Uruguay registran más lluvias, mientras que en otras regiones ha disminuido, tal es el caso del sur de Chile, el sudoeste de Argentina y el sur de Perú. Desafortunadamente, los fenómenos climáticos extremos son más comunes ocasionado un mayor número de períodos de intensas lluvias y de consecutivos días secos.
Adicionalmente, Latinoamérica es el hogar de uno de los más ricos y diversos ambientes biológicos del planeta. Tiene el área más grande de bosques. El Amazonas es el hogar de la más densa y diversidad única de flora y fauna única en el mundo. Sin embargo, el Amazonas así como muchas áreas tropicales de América Latina están experimentando una pérdida de la biodiversidad sin precedentes, amenazando la destrucción de la infraestructura, creando problemas de salud y privación económica, entre otros. Debido al impacto que la crianza de ganado para la producción de carne está teniendo sobre el ambiente, no sólo nuestras naciones latinoamericanas están en peligro, sino nuestra preciada biodiversidad también está experimentando los efectos de la agricultura animal. Por esto, es crítico que reduzcamos nuestro consumo de carne, pues es un producto intenso en carbono, siendo esto una solución efectiva e inmediata ante la crisis del cambio climático. Por eso es tan importante reducir los gases más potentes y de vida más corta como son el metano y el óxido nitroso.
Esta petición solicita a los gobiernos de América Latina que tomen una acción inmediata declarando que todos los lunes sean “Lunes sin carne”, y así promover con el público en general, los muchos beneficios en la salud y en el ambiente que brinda el estilo de vida vegetariano puro (vegano).
TERMINAR CON EL HAMBRE MUNDIAL
Si quiere evitar que mil millones de persona pasen hambre cada día; si quieres evitar las muertes innecesarias que ocurren cada 5 segundos debido a la hambruna, entonces un estilo de vida vegano es la solución para resolver las situaciones difíciles actuales que debido al uso ineficiente de recursos dirigidos hacia la agricultura animal. Los granos actualmente utilizados para alimentar al ganado son suficientes para alimentar a dos mil millones de personas. De acuerdo con un reciente reporte de Compasión en la Granja Mundial, “los cultivos que podrían ser usados para alimentar al hambre son usados para engordar a los animales criados para comida.” Lleva más de 7.2 kilogramos producir solo medio kilogramo de carne animal para el consumo.
Pedimos el apoyo de todos para ayudar a animar a los gobiernos latinoamericanos y a sus ciudadanos a adoptar y promover los “Lunes sin carne”.
Así que por favor firma esta petición y reenvíela a tus amigos y familiares.
Portuguese:
Objetivo: Representantes do Congresso, Presidentes e Ministros dos países da América Latina
Português(Tradução em inglês abaixo):
A América Latina e o Caribe representam cerca de 8,5% da população mundial e do PIB, 6% das emissões no setor de energia e 12% das emissões globais (incluindo todos os gases de efeito de estufa, o Desmatamento e mudança no uso da terra), de acordo com um relatório elaborado pelo Banco Mundial em Dezembro de 2008.
No entanto, este percentual pode parecer pequeno em comparação com outras regiões ou países; a região como um todo está sofrendo os efeitos diretos do aquecimento global. Temperaturas na região aumentaram cerca de 1° C no século XX, enquanto a elevação do nível do mar chegou a dois ou três milímetros por ano desde os anos 80. Houve também mudanças nos padrões de precipitação em algumas áreas como no sul do Brasil, Paraguai e Uruguai registrando mais chuvas, enquanto que em outras regiões diminuiu, como no caso do sul do Chile, sudoeste da Argentina e do Sul do Peru. Infelizmente, os fenômenos meteorológicos extremos mais comuns são causados por um maior número de períodos de chuvas intensas e de dias secos consecutivos.
Além disso, a América Latina é a casa de um dos mais ricos e variados ambientes biológicos do planeta. Tem a maior área de floresta. A Amazônia é o lar na diversidade da mais densa e única flora e fauna do mundo. No entanto, a Amazônia e muitas áreas tropicais da América Latina estão experimentando uma perda de biodiversidade sem precedentes, ameaçando a destruição da infra-estrutura, criando problemas de saúde e de privação econômica, entre outros. Devido ao impacto que se dá a criação de animais destinados à produção de carne sobre o ambiente, não só os nossos países latino-americanos estão em perigo, mas a nossa preciosa biodiversidade também está experimentando os efeitos da agricultura animal. Portanto, é essencial reduzir nosso consumo de carne, é um produto de carbono intensivo, sendo esta uma solução eficaz e imediata para a crise da mudança climática. É por isso que é importante reduzir os gases de efeito de estufa mais potentes e de vida mais curta, tais como metano e óxido nitroso.
Esta petição pede para que os governos da América Latina tomem uma ação imediata, declarando que todas as segundas-feiras “sejam segundas-feiras sem carne”, e assim promovam ao público em geral, muitos benefícios de saúde e no ambiente que proporciona o estilo de vida vegetariano puro (vegano).
Acabando com a fome mundial
Se você quiser evitar que um bilhão de pessoas passem fome todos os dias, se quiser evitar as desnecessárias mortes que ocorrem a cada 5 segundos por causa da fome, então uma vida vegetariana é a solução para resolver as atuais dificuldades devido ao uso ineficiente de recursos voltados para os animais pela agricultura. Os grãos atualmente que são utilizados para a alimentação animal, são suficientes para alimentar dois bilhões de pessoas. De acordo com um relatório recente da Fazenda Compassiva Mundial, os a comida que poderia ser utilizada para alimentar os famintos são utilizadas para engordar animais criados para a nossa alimentação. "É preciso mais do que apenas produzir 7,2 kg meia quilo de carne para o consumo animal.
Pedimos a todos o apoio para ajudar a incentivar os governos latino-americanos e os seus cidadãos a adotarem e promoverem a "segunda-feira sem carne".
Então, por favor assine esta petição e passe aos seus amigos e família.
English:
According to a report prepared by the World Bank in December 2008, Latin America and the Caribbean regions represent about: 8.5% of the worlds population and GDP; 6% of energy sector emission; and 12% of global emissions – this figure takes into account all the greenhouse gases, the deforestation and the change in use of soil.
These percentages might appear minor compared to other regions or countries; however as a whole we Latin America is experiencing the direct effect of global warming. The temperatures in the region rose about 1ºC in the 20th Century, while the rise of the sea level increased about two to three millimeters a year from the 1980’s. Also extreme weather patters are observed such as rain patterns in some areas in the South of Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay which register more rain, while in others regions such as in the south of Chile, the Southwest of Argentina and the south of Peru rainfall has diminished. Unfortunately, extreme climatic phenomena are more common in resulting in a major number of periods of intense rains and consecutive dry days.
Additionally, Latin America is home to one of the most rich and biological diverse environment on the planet. It has world biggest forests area. The Amazon is home to some of the most dense and unique diversity of flora and fauna in the world. The Amazon as well as many tropical areas of Latin America are experiencing unprecedented loss of biodiversity. Casing the destruction of there infrastructure, creating problems of health and economic deprivation, among others. Due to the impact that meat is having on the environment, not only is our nation in peril but our precious plant is also experiencing the effects of animal agriculture too. Thus it is critical that we reduce our consumption of this carbon intensive product as an effective solution to the climate change crisis. But just as important we must reduce the more potent and shorter lived gases such as methane and nitrous oxide.
This petition calls for the governments of Latin America to take an immediate action declaring that every Monday will be a “Meat Free Monday” as well as promote the many health and environmental benefits of the pure vegetarian (vegan) lifestyle to the general public.
ENDING WORLD HUNGER
If you want to stop 1 billion people from going hungry each day; If you want to stop the needless deaths taking place every 5 seconds due to starvation then a vegan lifestyle is the solution to solve these dyer diet driven situations due to the inefficient use of resources directed towards animal agriculture. Grain currently fed to livestock is enough to feed ２ billion people. According to a recent report by Compassion in World Farming, "crops that could be used to feed the hungry are instead being used to fatten animals raised for food." It takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce just 1 pound of edible animal flesh.
We call on everyone’s support in helping to urge the governments of Latin America and its citizens to adopt and promote a “Meat Free Monday”.
5. Meat Free Monday In Hong Kong
(English translation at bottom)
我們敦促香港政府，特別是行政長官曾蔭權與環境局局長邱騰華JP以及其他的環境和動物保護組織︰
我們正面臨空前的全球暖化，各國傳媒均廣泛報導，氣候變遷日益嚴重，已經引起地球上多個國家受到不同程度的經濟損失甚至人命傷亡，天災相繼出現，令所有個人以及整個社會都受到威脅，各國政府間相繼採取措施希望能減輕全球暖化的影響。
現在已有更多人意識到畜牧業不僅帶來疾病，同時也造成氣候變遷。
根據聯合國糧農組織2006年標題為”畜牧業巨大陰影” (Livestock's Long Shadow) 的報告. 糧農組織發現畜牧生產佔溫室氣體總排放量的18%，包括全球9%的二氧化碳排放量 , 37%的甲烷(CH4), 65%的氧化亞氮(N2O)，氧化亞氮這種溫室氣體對全球暖化的影響效應相當於二氧化碳的296倍。
又根據2008年一份研究報告結論指出，生產2.2磅牛肉所產生的排碳量，相等於一輛中型歐洲房車行駛155英哩的排碳量，等量的能源足夠可以點亮100瓦的燈泡約20天。
諾貝爾獎得主聯合國跨政府氣候變遷小組主席帕卓里博士聲明︰“請減少肉食,肉是排碳量高度密集的商品。...” “個人所能採取減少碳排量的唯一行動就是素食。”
基於肉類對環境的衝擊，我們必需減少消費這種排碳量高度密集的商品，做為解決氣候變遷危機的高效率對策。本次請願呼籲香港官員們立即採取行動，展現香港對抗氣候變遷的承諾。
香港金融經濟發達，沒有畜牧業，並不代表不需要對氣候變遷負責，需知道富裕的香港人食用大量的禽畜由外地進口，加上市民對食物有過度浪費的習慣，我們多少也要為受到氣候變遷影響的國家負一點責任。
作為一個負責任的政府，我們應該效法比利時的根特市政府，採取行動鼓勵市民降低碳足跡，已經決定要求市民每週一天無肉，而每週四將會是 “無肉日”。
我們需要向政府官員表達，香港有必要推廣「禁肉星期一」。我們希望政府能夠推動每個星期一作為 “香港市民不吃肉食製品日” 來保護環境並遏阻全球暖化。
所以，請簽署這份請願書，並將其轉發給您的朋友和家人！我們需要每個人的力量支持﹗
The connection between meat consumption or animal agriculture & environmental pollution is scientifically proven time and time again. What we eat impacts our health and the health of the environment.
Did you know? Or have you heard about the an alarming report of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization released on June 5th 2009, to the Minister of Environmental Defense, states that livestock agriculture is responsible and contributes to a meaningful part of environmental pollution in the world. Animal Agriculture’s 'contribution' to global warming is bigger than all the vehicles on Earth all together.
Vegetarian Monday is an initiative of a gastronomic magazine " Al Hashulchan", which in it's basis stands the recognition of the environment harms caroused as a conclusion of the growing consumption of animals products food. According to Janna Gour, the editor of " Al Hashulchan", the local initiative is part of a worldly contest, the Belgium town Ghent declared a month ago on Meatless Monday.- a similar project runs in the USA, which in its' framework the American public is asked to prevent eating meat on Mondays.
Lets join Sir Paul McCartney and concerned citizens from around the world. Let’s put Israel as a leader in bal tashet and tzar bali hamin and we can do both with a vegan diet. A PURE vegetarian diet is one with out any animal product no eggs to fish its vegan. And this is the best diet to halt climate change, improve your health and recognize the sacred nature of our animal co-inhabitants.
הקשר בין צריכת בשר או חקלאות בעלי חיים ולזיהום סביבתי מוכח מדעית שוב ושוב. מה שאנו אוכלים משפיע על הבריאות שלנו עלבריאותה של הסביבה.
האם את/ה יודע/ת? או האם שמעת על הדו"ח המדאיג של ארגון המזון והחקלאות האו"ם שפורסם ב 5 ביוני 2009,לשר להגנת הסביבה, אשר קובע שמשקים תעשייתיים אחראים ותורמים לחלק משמעותי מהזיהום הסביבתי בעולם. 'תרומתה' של חקלאות בעלי החיים להתחממות הגלובלית גדולה יותר מזו של כל כלי הרכב בכדור הארץ.
"שני צמחוני" הינה יוזמה של המגזין הגסטרונומי "על השולחן", אשר בבסיסה עומדת ההכרה בנזקים הסביבתיים הנגרמים כתוצאה מהצריכה ההולכת וגדלה של מזון מן החי.
לדברי ז'אנה גור, עורכת "על השולחן", היוזמה המקומית היא חלק ממאבק עולמי, שבמסגרתו הכריזה העיר גהנט בבלגיה לפני כחודש על יום ב' כיום בלי בשר. – פרוייקט דומה קיים בארה"ב, שבמסגרתו הציבור האמריקני מתבקש להימנע מאכילת בשר בימי שני.
בואו נצטרף לפול מקארטני ואזרחים מודאגים מכל רחבי העולם. בואו ונעשה את ישראל כמדינה מובילה בתחום בל תשחיט וצער בעלי חיים. אנחנו יכולים לעשות את שניהם עם תפריט טבעוני. דיאטה צמחוניות טהורה היא דיאטה ללא כל מוצר מבעלי החיים ללא ביצים ללא דגים זה טבעוני. וזו הדיאטה הטובה ביותר לעצור שינוי האקלים, לשפר את הבריאות שלך וכן להכיר את טבעם הקדוש של בעלי החיים תושבים המשותפים שלנו
7. Meat Free Friday in Indonesia
Teks Bahasa Indonesia ada di bawah :
English :
Indonesia trails only the United States and China in greenhouse gas emissions! A study released by the World Bank and the British government -http://www.worldbank.org/indonesia - shows that Indonesia’s high ranking is primarily due to its high deforestation rate -- about 85 percent (2,563 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent [MtCO2e]) of its emissions (3,014 MtCO2e) result from fires and forest clearing. Emissions from energy, agriculture and waste amount to only 451 MtCO2e - http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0326-indonesia.html.
Indonesia is home to one of the most rich and biological diverse environment on the planet. It has the world’s highest marine diversity and second largest area of forest after the Amazon Basin. However, due to the impact that meat is having on the environment, not only is our nation in peril but our precious plant is also experiencing the effects of animal agriculture too. Thus it is critical that we reduce our consumption of this carbon intensive product as an effective solution to the climate change crisis. This petition calls for the government of Indonesia to take immediate action by adopting “Meat Free Friday” for every Friday, which is also a holy Moslem day and promote the many health and environmental benefits of the pure vegetarian (vegan) lifestyle to the general public.
ENDING WORLD HUNGER
If you want to stop 1 billion people from going hungry each day; If you want to stop the needless deaths taking place every 5 seconds due to starvation then a vegan lifestyle is the solution to solve these dyer diet driven situations due to the inefficient use of resources directed towards animal agriculture. Grain currently fed to livestock is enough to feed ２ billion people. According to a recent report by Compassion in World Farming, "crops that could be used to feed the hungry are instead being used to fatten animals raised for food." It takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce just 1 pound of edible animal flesh.
We call on everyone’s support in helping to urge the government of Indonesia and its citizens to adopt and promote a “Meat Free Friday”.
So please sign this petition and forward it to you friends and family.
Indonesian Language:
Indonesia hanya mengekor Amerika dan China dalam emisi gas rumahkaca! Suatu kajian yang diterbitkan oleh World Bank dan pemerintah Inggris - http://www.worldbank.org/indonesia - menunjukkan bahwa tingginya ranking Indonesia terutama disebabkan tingkat pembabatan hutan yang tinggi, sekitar 85 persen (2.563 juta ton ekuivalen karbon dioksida [MtCO2e]) dari total emisi (3.014 MtCO2e) hasil dari kebakaran dan pembabatan hutan. Jumlah emisi dari energi, pertanian dan sampah hanya 451 MtCO2e - http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0326-indonesia.html.
Indonesia merupakan salah satu negara yang lingkungannya paling kaya akan keanekaragaman hayati di Bumi ini. Keanekaragaman laut Indonesia adalah yang tertinggi di dunia dan merupakan hutan kawasan terbesar kedua setelah Hutan Amazon. Namun demikian, karena dampak dari daging terhadap lingkungan, bukan hanya negara kita berada di ambang bahaya tapi lahan kita yang tak ternilai juga mengalami dampak dari peternakan hewan. Sehingga penting bagi kita untuk mengurangi pemakaian produk yang sarat karbon sebagai solusi efektif terhadap krisis perubahan iklim. Petisi ini meminta pemerintah Indonesia untuk segera mengambil tindakan dengan menerapkan “Jumat Tanpa Daging” untuk setiap hari Jumat, yang juga merupakan hari suci bagi umat Muslim menjalankan ibadah sholat Jumat, dan mempromosikan manfaat lingkungan dan kesehatan yang baik bagi masyarakat terhadap gaya hidup vegetarian murni (vegan).
MENGAKHIRI KELAPARAN DUNIA
Jika Anda ingin menghentikan 1 miliar orang dari kelaparan setiap harinya; jika Anda ingin menghentikan kematian sia-sia yang terjadi setiap 5 detik yang disebabkan kelaparan maka gaya hidup vegan merupakan solusi terhadap situasi kesengsaraan ini karena tidak efisiennya pemakaian sumber alam. Biji-bijian yang sekarang dipakai untuk pangan ternak sebenarnya cukup untuk konsumsi 2 miliar orang. Sesuai dengan laporan terbaru dari Compassion in World Farming, “Hasil panen dapat dipakai untuk konsumsi langsung manusia yang kelaparan tapi malah dipakai untuk menggemukkan hewan ternak yang kemudian dibunuh untuk makanan manusia.” Memerlukan 16 pounds biji-bijian untuk memproduksi 1 pound daging hewan.
Kami menghimbau setiap orang untuk memberikan dukungan dalam mendorong masyarakat dan pemerintah Indonesia untuk menerapkan dan mempromosikan “Jumat Tanpa Daging”.
Mari ikut tandatangani petisi ini dan teruskan kepada teman-teman dan keluarga Anda.
For Administrative and coordination purpose, please visit http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/meat-free-friday-in-indonesia.html to fill up your petition. This one will be closed. Thanks. Suman Sutra
(Utk alasan administrasi dan koordinasi, silahkan kunjungi http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/meat-free-friday-in-indonesia.html untuk mengisi petisi Anda. Petisi yang ini akan ditutup). Terima kasih. Suman Sutra
Teks Bahasa Indonesia ada Di bawah:
Indonesia trails only the United States and China in greenhouse gas emissions! A study released by the World Bank and the British government -http://www.worldbank.org/indonesia - shows that Indonesia’s high ranking is primarily due to its high deforestation rate -- about 85 percent (2,563 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent [MtCO2e]) of its emissions (3,014 MtCO2e) result from fires and forest clearing. Emissions from energy, agriculture and waste amount to only 451 MtCO2e - http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0326-indonesia.html.
Indonesia is home to one of the most rich and biological diverse environment on the planet. It has the world’s highest marine diversity and second largest area of forest after the Amazon Basin. However, due to the impact that meat is having on the environment, not only is our nation in peril but our precious plant is also experiencing the effects of animal agriculture too. Thus it is critical that we reduce our consumption of this carbon intensive product as an effective solution to the climate change crisis. This petition calls for the government of Indonesia to take immediate action by adopting “Meat Free Friday” for every Friday, which is also a holy Moslem day and promote the many health and environmental benefits of the pure vegetarian (vegan) lifestyle to the general public.
ENDING WORLD HUNGER
If you want to stop 1 billion people from going hungry at night each day; If you want to stop the needless deaths taking place every 5 seconds due to starvation then a vegan lifestyle is the solution to solve these dyer diet driven situations due to the inefficient use of resources directed towards animal agriculture. Grain currently fed to livestock is enough to feed ２ billion people. According to a recent report by Compassion in World Framing, "crops that could be used to feed the hungry are instead being used to fatten animals raised for food." It takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce just 1 pound of edible animal flesh.
We call on everyone’s support in helping to urge the government of Indonesia and its citizens to adopt and promote a “Meat Free Friday”.
So please sign this petition and forward it to you friends and family.
Concerned Citizens
Vegan Society of Indonesia (VSI)
http://www.vegansocietyindonesia.org
Indonesian Language:
Indonesia hanya mengekor Amerika dan China dalam emisi gas rumahkaca! Suatu kajian yang diterbitkan oleh World Bank dan pemerintah Inggris - http://www.worldbank.org/indonesia - menunjukkan bahwa tingginya ranking Indonesia terutama disebabkan tingkat pembabatan hutan yang tinggi, sekitar 85 persen (2.563 juta ton ekuivalen karbon dioksida [MtCO2e]) dari total emisi (3.014 MtCO2e) hasil dari kebakaran dan pembabatan hutan. Jumlah emisi dari energi, pertanian dan sampah hanya 451 MtCO2e - http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0326-indonesia.html.
Indonesia merupakan salah satu negara yang lingkungannya paling kaya akan keanekaragaman hayati di Bumi ini. Keanekaragaman laut Indonesia adalah yang tertinggi di dunia dan merupakan hutan kawasan terbesar kedua setelah Hutan Amazon. Namun demikian, karena dampak dari daging terhadap lingkungan, bukan hanya negara kita berada di ambang bahaya tapi lahan kita yang tak ternilai juga mengalami dampak dari peternakan hewan. Sehingga penting bagi kita untuk mengurangi pemakaian produk yang sarat karbon sebagai solusi efektif terhadap krisis perubahan iklim. Petisi ini meminta pemerintah Indonesia untuk segera mengambil tindakan dengan menerapkan “Jumat Tanpa Daging” untuk setiap hari Jumat, yang juga merupakan hari suci bagi umat Muslim menjalankan ibadah sholat Jumat, dan mempromosikan manfaat lingkungan dan kesehatan yang baik bagi masyarakat terhadap gaya hidup vegetarian murni (vegan).
MENGAKHIRI KELAPARAN DUNIA
Jika Anda ingin menghentikan 1 miliar orang dari kelaparan setiap harinya; jika Anda ingin menghentikan kematian sia-sia yang terjadi setiap 5 detik yang disebabkan kelaparan maka gaya hidup vegan merupakan solusi terhadap situasi kesengsaraan ini karena tidak efisiennya pemakaian sumber alam. Biji-bijian yang sekarang dipakai untuk pangan ternak sebenarnya cukup untuk konsumsi 2 miliar orang. Sesuai dengan laporan terbaru dari Compassion in World Farming, “Hasil panen dapat dipakai untuk konsumsi langsung manusia yang kelaparan tapi malah dipakai untuk menggemukkan hewan ternak yang kemudian dibunuh untuk makanan manusia.” Memerlukan 16 pounds biji-bijian untuk memproduksi 1 pound daging hewan.
Kami menghimbau setiap orang untuk memberikan dukungan dalam mendorong masyarakat dan pemerintah Indonesia untuk menerapkan dan mempromosikan “Jumat Tanpa Daging”.
Mari ikut tandatangani petisi ini dan teruskan kepada teman-teman dan keluarga Anda.
The Petition:
Please scroll down for English translation!
Petisi ini meminta pemerintah Indonesia untuk mengambil tindakan segera dengan menerapkan “Jumat Tanpa Daging” dan mempromosikan manfaat lingkungan dan nilai-nilai kesehatan dari gaya hidup vegetarian murni (vegan) kepada masyarakat luas.
PERANAN PETERNAKAN DALAM PEMANASAN GLOBAL SANGAT BESAR
Sesuai laporan 2006 oleh Organisasi Pertanian dan Pangan dari Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa (FAO), yang berjudul “Lovestock’s Long Shadow” : Laporan FAO menemukan bahwa produksi peternakan menyebabkan 18 persen dari seluruh emisi gas rumahkaca, termasuk sembilan persen dari seluruh emisi karbon dioksida, 37 persen dari gas metana dan 65 persen nitrous oksida yang 296 kali lebih dahsyat dibandingkan CO2 sebagai gas penyebab pemanasan global. Menurut Dr. Kirk Smith, anggota dari Badan PBB - Panel Perubahan Iklim Antarpemerintah (IPCC) dan profesor dari University of California-Berkeley, metana adalah 100 kali lebih dahsyat daripada CO2 dalam waktu 5 tahun setelah diemisikan.
Para ilmuwan di seluruh dunia telah mengakui bahwa perubahan iklim berlangsung demikian cepatnya, kehidupan bermasyarakat manusia berada di ambang batas ancaman jika kita tidak melakukan sesuatu dalam rentang waktu sekian tahun ke depan yang dengan secara cukup berarti mampu membalikkan kecenderungan laju pemanasan global. Pada waktu yang bersamaan, para peneliti juga menyadari bahwa meskipun CO2 adalah gas yang paling mendominasi berdasarkan berat, meskipun jika kita bisa mencapai ekonomi nil karbon hari ini, Bumi akan tetap terus memanas hingga seratus tahun bahkan bisa mencapai seribu tahun.
Sebuah kajian dalam tahun 2008 menyimpulkan bahwa produksi sebanyak 2.2 pound daging sapi akan menyebabkan jumlah yang sama dalam emisi karbon dari rata-rata mobil Eropa yang melakukan perjalanan hingga 155 mil. Jumlah energi yang terpakai cukup untuk mennyalakan 100watt lampu listrik selama hampir 20 hari.
Penerima Nobel, Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, kepala dari Badan PBB – Panel Perubahan Iklim Antarpemerintah (IPCC) menyatakan, “Harap kurangi makan daging, daging adalah komoditas yang paling sarat karbon….” “Tindakan satu-satunya yang seseorang dapat lakukan guna mengurangi emisi karbon adalah vegetarianisme.”
Dr.James Hansen – Ahli Iklim Terkenal NASA
“Ada banyak hal yang dapat dilakukan guna mengurangi emisi karbon, namun mengganti bola lampu dan banyak hal lainnya terlalu sedikit manfaatnya dibandingkan dengan mengubah diet Anda, karena jika Anda mengonsumsi ke dalam suatu mata rantai makanan yang lebih bawah selain hewan yang memproduksi banyak gas di rumahkaca, dan mempergunakan banyak energi dalam proses menggemukkan daging tersebut, maka Anda sesunguhnya dapat membuat kontribusi yang besar dengan mengubah diet Anda dibandingkan dengan berbagai tindakan lainnya. Jadi, itu hanya dalam persyaratan tindakan pribadi, mungkin itu adalah tindakan terbaik yang dapat Anda lakukan.”
Untuk alasan ini, jika kita ingin melindungi Bumi kita bagi generasi anak-anak kita berikutnya, kita perlu mengurangi sumber-sumber gas dan aerosol ini yang menyebabkan dampak paling besar dalam pemanasan global secara jangka pendek, sehingga memberikan kita waktu untuk mengembangkan teknologi pengurang CO2 yang bisa diperdayakan secara komersial.
MOHON PERTIMBANGKAN BEBERAPA RINGKASAN INI SEBAGAI REFERENSI ANDA DALAM PENGURANGAN DAGING DI DUNIA
Kota Ghent, Belgia telah menujukkan sifat kepemimpinannya dan mengakui pentingnya mempromosikan vegetarianisme sebagai solusi terhadap perubahan iklim dan mengurangi jejak emisi karbon dengan meminta warganya menjalani satu hari dalam seminggu tanpa daging. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8046970.stm
Negara dan institusi lain juga mengakui perlunya mempromosikan vegetarianisme murni (veganisme). Pelayanan Kesehatan Nasional Inggris (NHS) akan mengurangi daging dan produk-produk susu dari menu di rumah-rumah sakit di Inggris sebagai suatu upaya memotong biaya dan karbon. Ini merupakan satu bagian dari strategi rumah sakit NHS guna mengurangi emisi karbon melalui sistim operasional rumah sakit.
Mengikuti misi Senin Tanpa Daging oleh Paul McCartney di Inggris, restoran Israel juga ikut berpartisipasi dalam menjalani veggie untuk satu hari dalam seminggu. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/5621148/Paul-McCartneys-Meat-Free-Monday-missio n.html
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3736884,00.html
Setiap kali Anda makan tanpa kandungan hewani, Anda menghemat 2.5 pound emisi gas rumahkaca, 25 kaki persegi lahan, dan 133 galon air. Jika Anda makan tiga kali sehari, itu akan berjumlah 2.737 pound gas rumahkaca, 26.280 kaki persegi lahan dan 145.635 galon air setahun, dan lebih banyak lagi.
Kami meminta dukungan setiap orang untuk menyampaikan keperluan ini kepada pemerintah Indonesia guna menerapkan dan mempromosikan “Jumat Tanpa Daging”.
Tandatangani dan Sebarkan – mohon sampaikan melalui email dan situs online dibawah “sign petition” link yang membolehkan Anda berbagi situs sosial dan salinan bahasa program untuk halaman web.
Beberapa petisi rekan-rekan kami dari seluruh dunia juga ada dan silahkan kunjungi situs ini untuk daftar selengkapnya dan bubuhkan tandatangan Anda di sana juga http://www.myspace.com/leronr
9. Meat Free Mondays in European Union Countries & the United Kingdom (UK)
The impact of livestock on human health, the environment, world grain and water security and climate change has never been more clear.
With the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stressing our planetary peril with ever increasing urgency, the recognition of the significant role of factory farming in the genesis of swine flu, and new research by the Global Humanitarian Forum (GHF) stating that 315,000 people per year die as a result of climate change (with another 325 million affected), it is time to let our leaders know that we are ready to do anything we can to alleviate these crises and help the world.
By pledging to keep Mondays Meat-free, we can make a sure start. Join Sir Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney as they too are promoting Meat Free Monday to encourage people to avoid meat once a week. Check out Sir Paul's message here: http://www.supportmfm.org/
END WORLD HUNGER
If you want to stop 1 billion people from going hungry each day; If you want to stop the needless deaths taking place every 5 seconds due to starvation then a vegan lifestyle is the solution to solve these dier diet-driven situations resulting from the inefficient use of resources directed towards animal agriculture. Grain currently fed to livestock is enough to feed ２ billion people. According to a recent report by Compassion in World Farming, "[c]rops that could be used to feed the hungry are instead being used to fatten animals raised for food." It takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce just 1 pound of edible animal flesh.
Let's show the UK government and the European Union that we are ready and willing to act, and support the Earth saving and humanitarian concept of Meat-free Mondays.
This petition will be forwarded to Gordon Brown and to influential members of DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs) in the UK plus the President of the European Parliament, the President of the European Commission, the Directorate-General for the Environment (of the European Commission) and the Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection (of the European Commission).
The Meat Free Mondays petition in the European Union and the United Kingdom (UK) asking UK & Gordon Brown, DEFRA as well as the President of the European Parliament, the President of the European Commission, the Directorate-General for the Environment (of the European Commission) and the Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection (of the European Commission) to support Meat-free Mondays was written by Concerned_Citizen and is hosted free of charge at GoPetition.
Romanian translation:
Scop: Să-i ceară primului ministru Gordon Brown din Anglia, DEFRA şi la fel şi Uniunii Europene să sprijine iniţiativa Ziua de Luni fără Carne!
Impactul zootehniei asupra sănătăţii umane, mediului, producţiei de grâne a lumii şi securităţii apei nu a fost niciodată aşa de evident.
În timp ce Panelul Interguvernamental pentru Schimbarea Climei stresează cu şi mare urgenţă riscul planetei noastre, recunoaşterea rolului semnificativ al fermelor industriale în geneza gripei porcine, alături de cercetări noi de la Forumul Global Umanitar (GHF) care arată că 315.000 de oameni mor anual din cauza schimbării climei (alături de alţi 320 milioane afectaţi), este timpul acum să le spunem liderilor noştri că noi suntem gata să facem orice ca să ameliorăm aceste crize şi să ajutăm lumea.
Prin a promite să ţinem Lunea Fără Carne, noi punem bazele unui început sigur. Veniţi alături de Sir Paul, Mary şi Stella McCartney care promovează Lunea Fără Carne, ca să încurajeze oamenii să nu consume carne o zi pe săptămână. Urmăriţi mesajul lui Paul McCartney aici: http://www.supportmfm.org/
PUNEŢI CAPĂT FOAMETEI ÎN LUME
Dacă vreţi să opriţi 1 miliard de oameni să sufere de foame zilnic, dacă vreţi să opriţi decesele inutile care au loc la fiecare 5 secunde din cauza foametei, atunci un stil de viaţă de post (vegan) este soluţia pentru a rezolva aceste situaţii fatale din cauza alimentaţiei, care duc la folosirea ineficientă a resurselor, care sunt îndreptate spre agricultura animală. Grânele date acum animalelor sunt suficiente ca să hrănească 2 miliarde de oameni. După un raport recent de la Compasiunea în Fermele Lumii: “recoltele care ar putea fi folosite să-i hrănească pe cei înfometaţi, sunt folosite în schimb la îngrăşarea animalelor crescute pentru carne.” Se cer aproape 8 kg de grâne să produci aproape 0,5kg de carne de animal comestibilă.
Haideţi să le arătăm guvernelor din Anglia şi din Uniunea Europeană că noi suntem gata şi dorim să acţionăm şi să sprijinim idea umanitară şi salvatoare al lumii - „Lunea Fără Carne”.
Această petiţie va fi trimisă primului ministru Gordon Brown şi membrilor cu influenţă din DEFRA (Departamentul Afacerilor Rurale, ale Mediului şi Hranei) din Anglia, Preşedintelui Parlamentului European, Preşedintelui Comisiei Europene, Directoratului General pentru Mediu (din Comisia Europeană) şi Directoratului General pentru Sănătate şi Protecţia Consumatorului (din Comisia Europeană).
Daţi glas voinţei voastre şi fiţi primii din prietenii voştri care să semnaţi!
Petiţia Lunea Fără Carne din Uniunea Europeană şi Anglia (UK) care îi cere Angliei şi primului ministru Gordon Brown şi DEFRA, Preşedintelui Parlamentului European, Preşedintelui Comisiei Europene, Directoratului General pentru Mediu (din Comisia Europeană) şi Directoratului General pentru Sănătate şi Protecţia Consumatorului (din Comisia Europeană) să sprijine iniţiativa Lunea Fără Carne, a fost scrisă de Cetăţeanul Îngrijorat şi este înscrisă gratuit la GoPetition.
Canada is the #4 biggest polluter on earth, yet has a relatively small population. Canada reputation for being a dinosaur in the Climate Crisis must change ASAP.
This petition calls for Canadian officials to take immediate action by adopting “Meat Free Mondays” and promoting the many health and environmental benefits of the pure vegetarian (vegan) lifestyle to the general public
LIVESTOCK’S ROLE IN GLOBAL WARMING IS HUGE
According to a 2006 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of The United Nations (FAO), entitled “Livestock's Long Shadow”: The FAO report found that livestock production causes 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, including nine percent of all carbon dioxide emissions, 37 percent of methane and 65 percent of nitrous oxide which is 296 times more potent than CO2 as a global warming gas. According to Dr. Kirk Smith, a member of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and professor at University of California-Berkeley, methane is 100 times more potent than CO2 within 5 years of being emitted.
Scientists across the globe have recognized that climate change is happening so fast, human civilization is under threat if we don’t do something within the next few years to significantly reverse the trend of global warming. At the same time, researchers have also realized that although CO2 is the most prevalent gas by weight, even if we were to achieve a zero carbon economy today, the earth will continue to warm hundreds if not thousands of years.
For this reason, if we want to preserve the planet for our children’s generation, we need to reduce those gases and aerosols causing the greatest effect on global warming in the short term, thus giving us time to develop CO2 reduction technologies that can be commercially deployed.
MEAT REDUCTION AROUND THE GLOBE
Ghent, Belgium has shown leadership and recognized the importance of promoting vegetarianism as a solution to addressing climate change and reducing its carbon footprint by ask its citizens to go meatless one day a week.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8046970.stm
Other countries and institutions are also recognizing the need to promote pure vegetarianism (veganism). The United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) will be cutting meat (and dairy) from the menus of hospitals across the UK in an effort to cut costs and carbon. Its one part of NHS hospitals strategy to reduce carbon emissions throughout the hospital system.
Following Paul McCartney's Meat Free Monday mission in the UK, Israeli restaurants are also participating in going veggie for at least one day a week.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/5621148/Paul-McCartneys-Meat-Free-Monday-missio n.html
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3736884,00.html
ENDING WORLD HUNGER
If you want to stop 1 billion people from going hungry each day; If you want to stop the needless deaths taking place every 5 seconds due to starvation then a vegan lifestyle is the solution to solve these dyer diet driven situations due to the inefficient use of resources directed towards animal agriculture. Grain currently fed to livestock is enough to feed ２ billion people. According to a recent report by Compassion in World Farming, "[c]rops that could be used to feed the hungry are instead being used to fatten animals raised for food." It takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce just 1 pound of edible animal flesh.
Animal agriculture is having detrimental impacts on the health of the environment as well as on human health; thus reducing our consumption of this carbon and methane intensive product as an effective solution to halt climate change.
So please sign this petition and forward it to you friends and family.
11. Meat Free Monday in Australia & New Zealand
AUSTRALIA Preamble (New Zealand below):
We urge the Australian government, especially the Prime Minister - Kevin Rudd; Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts - Peter Garrett; and Minister for Climate Change and Water - Penny Wong, to recognize the many benefits of a meat free diet and promote them to the Australian public in order to slow climate change.
It’s critical that we bring down our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions now. Dr. James Hansen, one of the world’s leading climate scientists and Director of NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies recently said in an interview: “Yes, we’re really running out of time… this next year or two years are the critical time period."
In June this year, research by international climate scientists revealed grave news that the world is facing severe and irreversible climatic events due to the unprecedented accelerated warming of the earth. Though we definitely need to transition from our dependency on coal to renewable, sustainable energy, it takes several hundred years for the carbon dioxide that is already in our atmosphere to break down and dissipate. And meanwhile planetary warming keeps rising because we’re not limiting other greenhouse gases that can abate climate change much quicker than carbon dioxide reductions.
There is hope. We can quickly reduce our impact on planetary heating by focusing on limiting the short-lived greenhouse gases (GHGs) like methane. Reducing the short-lived GHGs will substantially slow down global warming over a short period of time - this is what needs to happen. Methane in particular has a very short atmospheric life. If we stopped all our methane emissions now, the methane currently in the sky will disappear within less than 20 years and that would reduce a substantial amount of warming effect.
According to the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, methane has a warming impact 72 times that of carbon dioxide over a 20 year time frame. Limiting this gas is relatively inexpensive and will produce rapid results.
In Australia, sources of methane are derived from a variety of sectors but the one that produces the most is Agriculture. The emissions produced by livestock production alone have more impact than the emissions from all the coal-fired power stations combined!
(Source: Russell G., CSIRO Perfidy, Vivid Publishing (2009))
As well as being major contributors to global warming, livestock farming and feedlots have extensive impacts on our Earth’s resources:
Deforestation
o In Queensland, 96% of land cleared in 2006 was for animal grazing.
Water Scarcity
o Meat production, particularly ‘feed’ production for livestock consumes large amounts of critically important water resources.
Land Degradation
o About 70% of all grazing land in dry areas is considered degraded, mostly because of overgrazing, compaction and erosion caused by rearing of animals for their meat.
Water Pollution
o More than 2 billion tons of animal manure was produced worldwide during the late 1990s. Assuming an average nitrogen content of around 5%, this makes 100 million tons of nitrogen finding its way into our water systems.
Loss of Biodiversity
o Tropical forests hold half of the world’s species which are becoming extinct at an alarming rate due to deforestation for meat production.
Not to mention the energy resources used to transport, refrigerate and process livestock into meat, and not forgetting the black carbon generated from deforestation specifically resulting from livestock grazing. Black carbon may only stay in the atmosphere for a short amount of time but is an incredibly potent climate warming agent.
Avoiding the Tipping Points
It’s essential that we avoid the tipping points identified by climate scientists – climatic thresholds that are irreversible once exceeded. Surpassing these tipping points will lead to catastrophic climate events such as unprecedented food and water shortages, massive changes in weather patterns, and the further melting of ice sheets that could introduce unforeseen rates of rise in sea level. Focusing on reducing carbon dioxide emissions Even if we could shut down all the coal-fired power stations tomorrow a problem arises in that these power stations generate, as well as carbon dioxide, sulphate aerosols, which have an immediate cooling impact. They lessen the impact of CO2 emissions from coal-fired power stations. Taking out this cooling effect without a quick reduction in other GHGs at the same time, could rapidly lead to an even hotter planet, running the risk of crossing dangerous tipping points. By focusing on reducing methane and nitrous oxide emissions now, we can avoid going over these tipping points, buying us more time to transition to renewable energy.
What You Can Do
In light of the planetary emergency we face, the single most effective thing that individuals can do right now to bring down net GHG emissions that doesn’t cost the earth is, go vegan. If changing to a vegan diet is considered difficult at present then the next effective thing to do is:
* Eat less meat. Choose to eat vegan meals at least twice or more times per week. The less animal products consumed the greater the impact on rapidly reducing our net GHG emissions. If we are to save our world and ourselves from the impending dangers of runaway climate change we need to act as quickly as possible.
NEW ZEALAND Preamble:
Target audience: New Zealand Prime Minister - John Key, Climate Change Minister - Nick Smith and Environmental Groups and Organisations.
Today, almost 40% of NZ’s land has been converted from native forest to pasture for grazing animals.
(State of New Zealand’s Environment 1997, www.mfe.govt.nz)
Per head of population New Zealanders emit nearly twice as much greenhouse gases as the British- we are not far behind the Americans.
Our greenhouse gas emissions are growing rapidly – we are producing 22% more than in 1990.
Our growing dairy herd and energy demand mean that our net emissions are expected to grow to over 70 percent above 1990 levels by 2012. NZ is also the world’s largest exporter of meat and dairy produce.
Despite being a small country, our carbon footprint per capita is very significant. NZ emission per capita greenhouse gas emission in 2000 is 19.3 tonnes of CO2 compared to 22.9 tonnes of CO2 in the USA being a much larger country.
(World Resource Institute WRI)
Expected level of deforestation in NZ between 2008-12 will result in 40 million tonnes CO2 emissions above 1990 levels= excess agricultural emissions.
(www.maf.govt.nz/climatechange)
The risk of drought is expected to increase in already drought-prone areas
The frequency of severe droughts is expected to increase across many eastern parts of New Zealand by 2080.
Droughts may happen in spring and autumn, not just summer
Temps expected to increase, increased risk of forest fires
Very heavy rainfall events predicted to increase in many parts of New Zealand, even in those areas where the average annual rainfall decreases. Increased floods predicted. The sea level is expected to rise.
(www.maf.govt.nz/climatechange)
In 2007, the agriculture sector was the largest source of emissions, contributing 48% (36.4 Mt CO2 -e) to total emissions. As a result, NZ has a unique emissions profile compared to other developed countries where agricultural emissions are typically 11% of national emissions.
(NZ's GHG Inventory 1990-2007)
Plus - obesity, heart disease, diabetes and colon cancer are big killers in NZ - there are already recommendations to reduce meat consumption just for health reasons but meat consumption remains high especially in Maori and Pacific communities.
There are two main issues - first, that we are consuming far too much protein over and above the levels recommended by the World Health Organization. And second, to dispel the myth that it is necessary to consume meat in order to obtain an adequate amount of protein. It is very easy to obtain adequate protein levels through the consumption of plant foods, whilst the over-consumption of protein through the high meat and dairy diet is avoided which also gives the added benefit of reducing certain diseases linked to consumption of animal fats such as stroke, heart disease, diabetes and
obesity.
But we don't need any figures to show that one can obtain adequate protein through a 100% plant-based diet - there is a multitude of vegans out there in Europe, USA and other developed countries - and most are healthy and well-educated about their diet - including Olympic athletes such as Carl Lewis. Protein deficiency is pretty much unheard of in vegans! (That is those with a well-balanced vegan diet - it goes without saying that this may not refer to the malnourished people in developing countries who may be living on a diet of rice and potatoes).
12. Meat Free Monday in the United States of America (USA)
Historically, no nation has emitted more global warming pollution than the United States. From 1960-2005, the U.S. emitted 213,608 MtCO2, 26% of total global emissions. The U.S. also exceeded almost every other nation in per capita emissions.
This petition calls for United States officials to take immediate action by adopting “Meat Free Mondays” and promoting the many health and environmental benefits of the pure vegetarian (vegan) lifestyle to the general public.
LIVESTOCK’S ROLE IN GLOBAL WARMING IS HUGE
According to a 2006 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of The United Nations (FAO), entitled “Livestock's Long Shadow,” livestock production causes 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, including nine percent of all carbon dioxide emissions, 37 percent of methane, and 65 percent of nitrous oxide which is 296 times more potent than CO2 as a global warming gas. According to Dr. Kirk Smith, a member of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and professor at the University of California-Berkeley, methane is 100 times more potent than CO2 within 5 years of being emitted.
Scientists across the globe have recognized that climate change is happening so fast that human civilization itself is under threat if we don’t act within the next few years to significantly reverse the trend of global warming. At the same time, researchers have also realized that although CO2 is the most prevalent gas by weight, even if we were to achieve a zero carbon economy today, the earth would continue to warm for hundreds if not thousands of years.
For this reason, if we want to preserve the planet for our children’s generation, we need to reduce those gases and aerosols causing the greatest effect on global warming in the short term, thus giving us time to develop CO2 reduction technologies that can be commercially deployed.
RAPID PLANETARY COOLING SOLUTIONS:
In March 2009, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that in order to achieve rapid cooling in the short term, we need to reduce methane, ozone (the second most prevalent gas after methane), and black carbon. Reducing the consumption of animal products is the single fastest way to reduce these emissions.
• Methane: Livestock are the single largest source of human-caused methane in the US and on the planet, and 2/3 of it dissipates from the atmosphere in about 10 years. Note also that the IPCC estimated that even if we were to change the feed of animals and capture methane from manure lagoons, by 2030 we would only reduce 9 percent of the methane from agriculture, so these methods are not viable options for seriously reducing emissions rapidly.
• Ozone, the third most prevalent gas after methane, and CO2, depends upon methane as a building block. Because it dissipates out of the atmosphere in a few hours or days, as soon as we reduce breeding of livestock and the numbers of these animals decreases due to lower demand, we will see planetary cooling within hours or days.
• Black carbon is 800 times more potent than CO2, and NASA scientists have begun to realize that black carbon plays a role in the melting of the Arctic and Antarctic. Brazilian scientists measuring black carbon in Antarctica found greater levels of black carbon than NASA estimated, and estimated 70 percent of it came from South America, where the single largest source of black carbon is the burning of the rainforests to create crops and grazing for livestock. Livestock are responsible for over 80% of Amazon destruction in Brazil.
END WORLD HUNGER
No one wants to see a child go hungry. They shouldn't have to, because there is plenty enough to go around. If you want to stop 1 billion people from going hungry each day, if you want to stop the needless deaths taking place every 5 seconds due to starvation then a vegan lifestyle is the solution to solve these dire diet driven situations due to the inefficient use of resources directed towards animal agriculture. Grain currently fed to livestock is enough to feed ２ billion people. According to the report by Compassion in World Farming, "[c]rops that could be used to feed the hungry are instead being used to fatten animals raised for food." It takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce just 1 pound of edible animal flesh. Clearly, what we eat does affect the rest of the world and we are partly responsible for the lack of resources due to our unnecessary consumption of meat.
MEAT REDUCTION AROUND THE GLOBE
Ghent, Belgium has shown leadership and recognized the importance of promoting vegetarianism as a solution to addressing climate change and reducing its carbon footprint by asking its citizens to go meatless one day a week.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8046970.stm
Other countries and institutions are also recognizing the need to promote pure vegetarianism (veganism). The United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) will be cutting meat (and dairy) from the menus of hospitals across the UK in an effort to cut costs and carbon. Its one part of the NHS hospitals strategy to reduce carbon emissions throughout the hospital system.
Following Paul McCartney's Meat Free Monday mission in the UK, Israeli restaurants are also participating in going veggie for at least one day a week.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/5621148/Paul-McCartneys-Meat-Free-Monday-mission.html
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3736884,00.html
VEGAN RESTAURANTS ARE BOOMING DUE TO STRONG DEMAND
Many people have become aware of the health promoting effects of a plant-based diet, and want to reduce their consumption of animal products but 1) government subsidies make meat and dairy cheaper and 2) restaurants do not offer them enough vegan options to delight their palate. Their desire, however, is reflected in the growth of vegan restaurants and vegan options in food service.
In spite of the economic downturn, Restaurant & Institution Magazine has noted in several articles in the last year that vegan restaurants are booming.
Cruzer Pizza in Los Angeles demonstrated this dramatically in May 2009 when they added vegan cheese and veggie meats as pizza toppings and their sales went up by 63 percent in one month.
Animal agriculture is having detrimental impacts on the health of the environment as well as on human health; thus reducing our consumption of this carbon and methane intensive product is an effective solution to halt climate change.
See further resources & references below the petition, such as:
Food Inc. - In Theaters NOW across the nation. http://www.foodincmovie.com/
Lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, the USDA and FDA.
Please sign this petition and forward it to your friends and family.
13. No Carbon Tax!
If elected, the federal Liberals are promising to impose a new "carbon tax" on Canadians.
This tax will decrease the competitiveness of Canadian exporters, increase inlfation, and instigate job losses.
14. Campaign for rational global warming debate
Millions of people are accepting global warming thory as simple fact without even glancing at the science. Why? because sensational and apocalyptic predictions are drilled into them day after day, and opponents of the theory are ridiculed and treated like holocaust deniers.
It is very easy for a newspaper to say that by 2050 30% (or 10, 20, 40, 50, 60 or 70%, depending on who you ask) of the world's major coastal cities will be under water, be cause by the time 2050 comes and western civilization has NOT collapsed, everyone will have forgotten the prediction, as people have conveniently forgotten the apocalyptic and sensational predictions of global cooling 40 years ago.
People say nonsense, like global warming is killing 70,000 people every year (or even up to 1,000,000 acoording to some pseudo-scientific scaremongers), but really global warming theory is killing thousands, because in Africa people are, for example, forced to use expensive and inefficient solar panels which prevent them from having enough electricity to move out of devastating poverty.
When, subjected to close scrutiny, the evidence that humans are causing global warmings is very poor. For example it was hotter 1000 years ago (before people had cars or power stations or anything like that) than it is now (note that polar bears didnot become extinct and that all of the world's major cities were not washed away in apocalyptic floods) . Also, consider the fact that rotting leaves produce more CO2 every year than humans. In fact, humans only produce 4% of the world's CO2 emissions, and all of that was once in the atmosphere anyway.
Global temperatures are going up. Fine. They have been changing since the earth began. Has anyone heard of the Ice Age? Anyway, human CO2 emissions are also going up. Fine. That is only to be expected with advances in human civilization. Just because they are happening at the same time does not mean that human CO2 is increasing temperatures. If I plugged my toaster in, and at the exact same moment a comet crashed into Jupiter, would you think that my toaster had caused the crash? No? So why apply the same logic to climate change!
15. Clearing the Air - Aviation & The Environment
This petition is designed to draw attention to the exagerration by Environmental groups of the negative effects of aviation on the environment.
Environmental groups constantly criticise aviation for it's negative effects on the environment, when the reality is that the economic benefits far outweigh the minimal environmental effects.