United nations researchers indicate us one easy technique to lower our impact on the environment Do you know the United nations calculated that the combined climate change emissions of animals bred for their meat were a lot more than cars, planes and other forms of transport put together? In a recent article published in July 2010 from the Guardian.co.uk, leading journalist John Vidal reported how vegetarianism may help save our planet by eating less meat. Behind the majority of the joints of beef or chicken on our plates is a phenomenally wasteful, land and electricity hungry system of farming that devastates nature, pollutes oceans, rivers, seas and air. We mostly breed four species (chickens, cows, lambs and pigs) which need vast amounts of water and food, emit methane and other greenhouse gases and produce mountains of physical waste products.

During the past year, the UN calculated that the combined climate change emissions of animals bred for their meat were about 18% of the global total – a lot more than cars, planes and all other types of transport put together. A Bangladeshi family living off rice, beans, vegetables and fruit may live on an acre of land or less, while the average American, who consumes around 270 pounds of meat yearly, needs 20 times that. Academics have calculated that if the grain fed to animals in western countries were consumed directly by people rather than animals, we could feed at least two times as many people – and possibly much more – as we do now.

Eating a steak or a chicken will point to an abnormal water consumption, that the animal has required to live and grow. Vegetarian author John Robbins calculates one pound of beef needs around 20,000lbs of water. Farming, which uses 70% of water available to humans, is already in direct competition for water with cities. Industrial scale agriculture now dominates the western livestock and poultry industries, and a single farm can now generate as much waste as a city.

Farming animals generate manure and urine which is funnelled into massive waste lagoons sometimes holding as many as 40m gallons. These cesspools often break, leak or overflow, polluting underground water supplies and rivers with nitrogen, phosphorus and nitrates. A meat diet is usually considered twice as expensive as a vegetarian one. According to the Vegetarian Society, meat eaters get increased probabilities of obesity, cancer, heart diseases and other illnesses as well as a hole in the pocket.

So what now? How can we start contribute save our world?

Here a quick and simple recipe to get a good meat substitute, the Tofu and Green Onion Veggie Hamburger. This healthy tofu based veggie burger receive an extra nutritional boost from wheat germ. This recipe is both vegetarian and vegan.

Healthy Tofu Veggie Burger

Ingredients:

• 1/2 container firm or extra firm tofu, mashed
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 green onions, diced
• 2 tablespoons wheat germ
• 2 tbls flour
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• dash pepper
• oil for frying

Preparation:

- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into patties.

- Fry patties in oil in a skillet or frying pan until brown and crisp, about 10 minutes.

Now it's all to you...

Food Contributor

Author - Martha Volz writes for the Vegetarian Supplements for Meat blog, her personal hobby blog dedicated to vegetarian healthy eating tips.