Thematic Report – Sustainable Table; Food and the Environment

Fellow Ambassadors, since I am a vegetarian, I will use this thematic topic to link vegetarian habits to the environment. As our mentor Lisa has hinted that vegetarian way of life is more eco-friendly I fully agree with her observation. A vegie diet is better for the environment. By replacing meat with vegetarian sources of protein, (nuts, seeds, beans and lentils, for example), we can reduce carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions. A vegetarian diet requires two-and-a-half times less the amount of land needed to grow food, compared to a meat-based diet.

Vegetarian diet can be one of the healthiest ways to eat, because we know plant foods are loaded with nutrients to protect our health.” According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, an evidence-based review showed that a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease. All agricultural practices have been found to have a variety of effects on the environment. Some of the environmental effects that have been associated with meat production are pollution through fossil fuel usage, animal methane, effluent waste, and water and land consumption. That has been covered by Ms. Lisa also in her introduction.

According to a recent report on the largest study of vegetarians and vegans to date, those eating plant-based diets appear to have a significantly longer life expectancy. Vegetarians live on average almost eight years longer than the general population, which is similar to the gap between smokers and non-smokers.

In general, red meats (beef, pork and lamb) have more saturated (bad) fat than chicken, fish and vegetable proteins such as beans. Saturated and trans fats can raise your blood cholesterol and make heart disease worse. The unsaturated fats in fish, such as salmon, actually have health benefits.

So friends, if we truly care for our mother earth and wish to leave a healthy planet to our children it is advisable & scientifically proven fact that a vegetarian diet is much eco-friendly that meat based diet. Thanks for reading.