Monday, December 6, 2010

(316)Save the earth/ recycling 4

This topic relates to recycling. I pledged to use my little effort and circle of influence to bring about the awareness of recycling and the cutting down of carbon footprint we leave on planet earth.
吃素一年,就相當種了82棵樹,可以減緩全球暖化
 If one person turns vegetarian for one year, it would be equivalent to planting 82 trees. That would contributes to slowing down our green house effect
First I have to state that my family are not vegetarians. However, I did spend one thanksgiving break with an American white family who were vegans but did not believe in Hinduism. I was very fond of their two children and almost decided to relocate to Michigan with them. The only thing that kept me south was my full scholarship. I remember I love their vegetables dishes. Now that I am back in Asia, living in a metropolitan city, it is common to eat in vegetarian restaurants.


如果您以為,提倡蔬食都是佛教徒,那您就錯了。以英國來說,在1998年,有四百萬 人吃素; 六人當中,有一人吃素或是想改吃素;15-34歲人口,有11%吃素;近半民眾愈來愈少吃肉。
If you think that those who promote vegetarian lifestyle are all Bhuddists, then I am afraid you are wrong. In England alone, by the year 1998, there were four millions vegetarians. Out of every six persons, one is a vegetarian or is deciding to become one. Among those aged 15 to 34, there is 11% who turned from a meat diet.  Moreover almost half the population cuts down on meat intake.



聯合國氣候變遷會議主席"帕喬里",針對全球暖化,呼籲大家「不肉食、騎腳踏車、簡約消費」,這可不是宗教家的勸說,而是上千位頂尖科學家的研究精華。
 
慈濟繼「心素食儀、克己復禮之後」,也根據這三句話,提出「力行減碳333,常保地球999」的運動。不肉食部分,延伸出來就是素食、低碳里程食物,還有不浪費食物。騎單車部分延伸出來就是,少開車、省水省電還有珍惜紙張,至於簡約消費方面,延伸出來就是不追求流行、延續物命,還有不要使用一次性商品。希望透過這九種生活方式,一起挽救地球。
 
有一個數據表示,生產一公斤牛肉,排放36.4公斤的二氧化碳,相當開車三小時。養牛一年所排放的二氧化碳,相當跑車開七萬公里。


減緩全球暖化,連聯合國都呼籲大家,少吃肉。其實很多人已經改變生活方式,來減少碳足跡,例如少開車,但您知道嗎?少開車半小時,減少的二氧化碳,相當吃一客牛排,或是吃一碗牛肉麵。也就是說,只要吃一客牛排、或是牛肉麵,您排放的二氧化碳,就相當於開車半小時。
除此之外,全球有三成的陸地,是用來畜牧業。如果您吃一客牛排或是一碗牛肉麵,相當砍伐半座台北市大安森林公園面積、這麼多的林木。所以,改變生活習慣,地球可以少被破壞。


畜牧業排放的二氧化碳,比所有汽車、機車排放的還要多,真的非常驚人。從這個角度來看,畜牧業是一個非常不環保的產業。或許有人會說,種菜、種稻、種水果,也會排放二氧化碳啊?沒錯,但是蔬果的二氧化碳排放,只有動物產品的1/9。而且生產一公斤的肉,這些牲畜,必須吃七公斤的穀物,直接間接造成糧荒。您在這邊吃,可能讓另外一端的人沒東西吃。


另外,葷食者一年,製造的二氧化碳1500公斤,素食者一年430公斤,差距1070公斤,相當82棵樹一年,吸收二氧化碳的量,也相當七棵樹,一個月吸收的二氧化碳排放量。很多人喜歡種樹減碳,其實,吃素一年,就相當種了82棵樹,可以減緩全球暖化。
我們都是生長在同一個地球的子民,地球的生與滅,你我都有責任。

Articles on similar topics are easily found on line. I shall not attempt to duplicate such efforts here. Thank you for reading this short community advertisement.

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