Legarda: Meatless diet helps mitigate climate change

Senator Loren Legarda on Monday urged the public to go meatless at least once a month to start a low-carbon lifestyle and help mitigate climate change.

Legarda said cutting down on meat consumption can help lower carbon emission.

“Since meat production and consumption produce more greenhouse gases, eating lower on the food pyramid is advised, which means less meat and more of whole grains, fruits and vegetables,” the senator said in a press statement.

She made the call to commemorate the World Meat-Free Day on June 13.

“Part of climate change mitigation is the promotion of a low carbon lifestyle,” she said.

She said studies by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) showed that 14.5 percent of man-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from the global livestock. It added that cattles produce more GHG, particularly methane, than pigs and chickens.

Legarda said food that comes from distant places utilizes more energy for transportation and preservation, which means greater carbon emission.

“Low carbon living means patronizing local, plant-based, and in-season food. I plant vegetables in my garden so I am able to eat them fresh,” she said.

“We should encourage families to plant vegetables in their backyards or community vacant lots, or to cultivate pinakbet gardens. This way, we do not only provide food on the table, but also address the needs of growing numbers of malnourished children,” the senator added.

She said the shift to a low carbon diet could be a challenge but it can be done gradually.

“We can start by going meatless one day in a month, then every week, and so on,” she said.

Source: GMANetwrok.com