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Print articleAccording to a leaked email sent to Viva, a vegatarian lobby organisation, the Government is exploring the benefits of reducing the nation's meat intake.
According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, 71.9 million tons of methane are emitted by the world's lifestock annually. Methane is one of the key greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
The email states: ?The potential benefit of a vegan diet in terms of climate impact could be very significant.?
And goes on to say: ?It will be a case of introducing this gently as there is a risk of alienating the public majority.?
To be sure, we can help the environment by reducing our meat consumption, but perhaps suggesting we should adopt a vegetarian diet is taking it too far.
What do you think?
Update 31/07/2007
In a press release today, The Environment Agency said that ?It couldn't and wouldn't try to stop the British public from eating meat.? Of the origins of the rumour, the Environment Agency said that ?Promoting the potential benefits of a vegan diet in tackling climate change was a suggestion offered by a member of the public.
?The Environment Agency believes this is a matter of personal choice, but it would be wrong of us to dismiss the already very public research showing the benefits that reducing the consumption of animal protein, and therefore methane emissions from farm animals, can have on tackling emissions.?
