We’re eating the wrong damn food!

Reuters reported on 11-20-12 that atmospheric volumes of greenhouse hit a new record in 2011. There were lots of numbers describing the problem but precious little describing the solution.

Although we now know that the raising of livestock is by far the leading cause of global warming—rarely do you ever hear that news in the mainstream media. From the article:

• The volume of carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas emitted by human activities, grew at a similar rate to the previous decade and reached 390.9 parts per million (ppm), 40 percent above the pre-industrial level, the survey said.
• It has increased by an average of 2 ppm for the past 10 years.
• WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud said the billions of tonnes of extra carbon dioxide would stay in the atmosphere for centuries, causing the planet to warm further.
• “We have already seen that the oceans are becoming more acidic as a result of the carbon dioxide uptake, with potential repercussions for the underwater food chain and coral reefs,” he said in a statement.
• Levels of methane, another long-lived greenhouse gas, have risen steadily for the past three years after levelling off for about seven years. The reasons for that evening out are unclear.
• Growth in volumes of a third gas, nitrous oxide, quickened in 2011. It has a long-term climate impact that is 298 times greater than carbon dioxide.

An example of “deforestation” and “intensive agriculture” in the same photo. Burning trees in the Amazon to grow soybeans to feed pigs in China.

So what is driving all of those issues and what can we do about it? The article offered the following: “The WMO, the United Nations’ weather agency, said the three gases, which are closely linked to human activities such as fossil fuel use, deforestation and intensive agriculture, had increased the warming effect on the climate by 30 percent between 1990 and 2011.”

The Bottom Line. Once again, they missed the main point. Deforestation and intensive agriculture are primarily driven by the raising of livestock. With a plant-based diet, we could easily feed the world on far less than half the farmland that we’re using today. We could then go from “deforestation” to “re-forestation.” —My 664th consecutive daily blog—

BUT. The scientists who do all these studies and report on the problems are among the vast majority of highly educated and well-meaing professionals who still believe that we “need” to eat animal protein to be healthy. Take a look at six of my earlier blogs on this subject. In the last one, here is a preview of what you will find:

There is newer information by Dr. Robert Goodland and Jeff Anhang that suggests that the livestock sector is responsible for a much greater portion of those greenhouse gases than was reported by the U.N. in the 2006 study, Livestock’s Long Shadow.

• Source article. Greenhouse gas volumes reached new high in 2011 – survey | Reuters
• Are “ANY” prominent leaders taking global warming seriously?
• “Food shortages could force world into vegetarianism”
• Why are the “world’s greatest thinkers” missing the boat?
• Drought, famine and the sustainability of the human race
• “Dust Bowl” debate. Experts are missing the main point.
• Livestock and global warming — even worse than we thought

Handy 4-piece take-charge-of-your-health kit—from Amazon.com

• The movie that’s changing the lives of millions: Forks Over Knives DVD 
• Healthy Eating, Healthy World, The “big picture” about food (our book)
• An essential scientific resource: The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell
• Dr. McDougall’s new book, The Starch Solution, with lots of great recipes.

Want to find out how healthy your family is eating? Take our free 4Leaf Diagnostic Survey. It takes less than five minutes and you can score it yourself. After taking the survey, please give me your feedback as it will be helpful in the development of our future 4Leaf app for smartphones. Send feedback to jmorrishicks@me.com

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J. Morris Hicks, working daily to promote health, hope and harmony on planet Earth.

For help in your own quest to take charge of your health, you might find some useful information at our 4Leaf page or some great recipes at Lisa’s 4Leaf Kitchen.

Got a question? Let me hear from you at jmorrishicks@me.com. Or give me a call on my cell at 917-399-9700.

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Blogging daily at hpjmh.com…from the seaside village of Stonington, Connecticut – Be well and have a great day.

—J. Morris Hicks, board member, T. Colin Campbell Foundation