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LETTERS TO THE PRESS

In response to an article in The Guardian weekend magazine about Morgan Spurlock who ate nothing but McDonalds (the film Super Size Me) and the damage it did to his health, the following letter was published in

The Guardian on Saturday 14 January 2006. Apart from the health benefits of a plant-based vegetarian and vegan diet (Super Green Me, January 7), the ecological and environmental benefits are great, too. Some 55 billion animals are raised and killed for meat every year. Our planet is simply not big enough to sustain these numbers. The result is destruction of rainforests, spreading of deserts and massive methane gas emissions. The amount of grain fed to these animals could feed almost 4 billion people. To safeguard the planet for future generations, a return to a vegetarian and vegan diet is imperative.

Nitin Mehta, Croydon

Water Wars - According to an article in The Independent, water will be the cause of wars between nations; the following letter was published in response.

Sir: The report “Water wars” (28 February 2006) is as clear a warning as one can get that water will create violent conflict between nations. But one of the main causes of water waste is also not mentioned. It takes 1,000 litres of water to produce a kilo of potatoes and 42,500 litres to produce a kilo of beef. Animals are voracious consumers of water and almost 80 per cent of the world’s water resources are used in raising 55 billion animals for meat every year, spreading deserts and diverting grains that could feed almost four billion people. The destruction of rainforests in South America is the direct result of beef production. A return to a plant-based vegetarian and vegan diet is imperative for our survival and the survival of our planet.

Nitin Mehta, Croydon

THE VEGETARIAN SOCIETY ANNUAL AWARDS

The Vegetarian Society held its annual awards on Thursday 27th October 2005 aboard the ‘Cutty Sark’ a 19th century ship moored at Greenwich. TV personality Wendy Turner-Webster and late MP Tony Banks were among the guests. The best vegetarian cafe awards went to the Maitreya in Bristol and the Rainbow in Cambridge. The Rainbow has also received a Mahaveer Award from us. I was privileged to be asked to give away the award for the best vegetarian and cruelty free body and skin care product. The award went to a company called Living Nature. Here is a wonderful example of the Indian community working together with English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish people for a common cause. We are all united in Ahimsa!