FW: How to get veganism onto society's agenda

[Guest guest]

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RSchw12345 [RSchw12345]

Wednesday, May 07, 2008 4:27 AM

undisclosed-recipients:

How to get veganism onto society's agenda

 

 

Hi fellow animal rights activists,

 

I think it is urgent that we show how a shift toward veganism can greatly

reduce the current food crisis, global warming, wideening water shortages,

the energy crisis, rapidly vanishing species and many more environmental

problems.

 

Please see the press release below, and please help spread the message

through letters, articles, blogs, call-ins, conversations and other ways.

 

Suggestions very welcome.

 

Many thanks,

 

Richard (Schwartz)

 

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JVNA Press Release on the Global Food Crisis and Other Current Crises

 

May 5. 2008

For Immediate Release

Contact person: Richard H. Schwartz, President of the Jewish Vegetarians of

North America (JVNA) (president; Phone (718) 761-5876; web

sites: jewishveg.com and JewishVeg.com/schwartz).

 

JEWISH VEGETARIAN GROUP SEES SHIFT TOWARD VEGANISM AS SOLUTION TO CURRENT

FOOD CRISES, OTHER SOCIETAL PROBLEMS

 

The Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) today released the following

statement:

 

A major shift toward veganism would be a significant step in effectively

responding to the current food crises and other societal problems. Please

consider:

 

* At a time when food prices are soaring, when there have been recent food

riots in at least a dozen countries, when an estimated 20 million of the

world's people die annually due to hunger and its effects, over 70 percent

of the grain produced in the United States and over 40 percent of the grain

produced worldwide is fed to animals destined for slaughter.

It takes up to 16 pounds of grain in a feedlot to produce one pound of beef.

 

* In a period of increasing droughts and with over half of the world's

people expected to be living in areas chronically short of water by the

middle of this century, it takes up to 14 times as much water to produce a

typical western animal-centered diet than a vegan diet.

 

* While energy prices are soaring and it is expected that we will soon start

running out of oil, it takes up to ten times more energy on an animal-based

diet than a vegan diet.

 

* While the world is heading toward an unprecedented catastrophe from global

warming, a 2006 UN Food and Agricultural Organization report indicated that

animal-based agriculture emits more greenhouse gases (in CO2 equivalents)

than all the world's cars, trucks, ships, planes and other means of

transportation combined (18% vs. 13.5%).

 

Making the situation even more critical for each of the above issues, the

same UN FAO report projects a doubling in the amount of animal products

consumed globally in 50 years, and this would negate the effects of many

other positive changes that are currently being considered.

 

An additional important factor is that the production and consumption of

meat and other animal products violate basic Jewish mandates to preserve

human health, treat animals with compassion, protect the environment,

conserve natural resources and help hungry people.

 

For all of the above reasons, JVNA will respectfully urge rabbis and other

Jewish leaders to actively address the many moral issues related to

animal-based diets. It hopes that Jewish religious leaders will engage in a

respectful dialogue/debate on " Should Jews Be Vegetarians Today? "

 

Putting these issues squarely on the Jewish agenda would save many lives,

move our imperiled planet to a more sustainable path, and show the relevance

of Judaism's eternal teachings in addressing current critical issues, and

thus help revitalize Judaism.

 

Because the issues are so urgent and are generally not being sufficiently

addressed, the JVNA has produced a one-hour documentary A SACRED DUTY:

APPLYING JEWISH VALUES TO HELP HEAL THE WORLD. It can be viewed in its

entirety at ASacredDuty.com. JVNA will send a complimentary DVD to people

who contact JVNA (mail) and indicate how they might help

promote the movie.

 

Further information about the JVNA and its campaign to get vegetarianism

onto the Jewish and other agendas may be obtained by contacting Dr. Schwartz

or the JVNA (JewishVeg.com; mail).

 

#################################

Richard H. Schwartz, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus, College of Staten Island

Author of " Judaism and Vegetarianism, " " Judaism and Global Survival, " and

" Mathematics and Global Survival, " and over 130 articles at

www.JewishVeg.com/schwartz

President of Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) www.JewishVeg.com

and Society of Ethical and Religious Vegetarians (SERV)

Associate Producer of A SACRED DUTY (asacredduty.com)

president