Climate Talks and Walking the Walks

This week world leaders have gathered in Paris for the COP21 to discuss solutions for the climate crisis we're in.  I've been reading news accounts about protests outside the convention where activists are urging leaders to recognize the effects of raising and killing animals for food on our environment.  It's been years since the famous UN FAO report tallied up the causes of climate change and found that the animal food industry is the largest contributor to greenhouse gases, species extinction, land use, deforestation, water use, and waste - by a large margin.  On just greenhouse gases alone, they account for more than 18% which is more than every car, truck and airplane on the planet.

I do think we need leadership on a global scale, but I am less hopeful that this will be the message from the COP21 talks.  The good news is that people are catching on.  Movies like Cowspiracy are helping to shine a light on the elephant in the room.

This was a big year for veganism hitting the mainstream conscious.  This week we saw a great example:  I may not agree with Arnold Schwarzenegger on many things but he does know a lot about bodybuilding, and now even he says A) we don't need meat to build muscle and B) we'd all be better off if we ate less meat.

You don't need meat to grow strong and heathy
"Luckily we know that you can get your protein from many different ways. You can get it from vegetables; I have seen many bodybuilders and lifters that are vegetarian and get strong and healthy and many who eat meat who get strong and healthy." - Arnold Schwarzenegger.One protein source feels pain and is linked to the increased risk of many diseases, and has awful environmental consequences, the other protein source (plants) does not... It's an easy choice.
Posted by Vegan Bodybuilding, Health and Nutrition on Tuesday, December 8, 2015