Meatless Monday

Date Released: Thu, 14 April 2011 12:00 +0200

Why Meat-Free-Mondays??

Which is responsible for more global warming: a BMW or a Big Mac? Believe it or not, it’s the burger. The international meat industry generates roughly 18% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions – even more than transport.

That may not mean much to us here in Grahamstown: the few times we do see a cow it’s normally wandering down Fitzroy Street and it hardly seems to be wreaking havoc on the environment. But unfortunately the reality is not as simple as that. Over 50 billion farmed animals are raised for slaughter each year and this is having a major impact not only on global warming but on the destruction of valuable habitats across the globe. Without a doubt, animal agriculture is depleting the planet’s already dwindling reserves of fresh water, land, fuel and other precious resources. But what can we do?

Put simply, we can all eat a little less meat. One way for every South African to make a monumental difference to the planet is to go vegetarian for 24 hours every week, or by eating one less meat dish a week, by taking part in the new environmental campaign Meat-Free-Monday. Launched in South Africa in September last year, this global campaign urges everyone to pledge their support and make a difference by not eating meat, fish or chickens every Monday.

The statistics around the effect that livestock production has on the planet are staggering. It requires 500 times as much land to produce one kilogram of beef as it does to produce one kilogram of vegetables. It takes 250 litres of water to produce one kilogram of wheat and 25 000 litres of water to produce one kilogram of meat. Currently some 800 million people on the planet suffer from hunger or malnutrition: the majority of corn and soya grown in the world, which could be feeding them, goes to feeding cattle, pigs and chickens.

So giving up meat one day a week will not only greatly benefit the planet, but it can also make a difference to our health; eating less meat can decrease the likelihood of heart attacks and high blood pressure. Without asking anyone to go vegetarian and turn to a diet of lentils and tofu, this initiative promises to make a major difference to both the planet and its people. For more information, visit the ROAR (Rhodes Organisation for Animal Rights) page on RUConnected. 

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