In support of the "Meat Free Monday" campaign, former Beatle Paul McCartney and his family penned a letter to UK Prime Minister David Cameron ahead of the Paris Climate Change Conference, slated to kick off on Monday, Nov. 30.
Since 2009, the McCartney family have taken part in meat free Mondays, a campaign which supports cutting meat out one day of the week. By doing so, developed countries can cut down their carbon footprint by 2% while making strides toward a healthier lifestyle. The Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band singer and his family write of hoping to include Meat Free Mondays in schools around the world as well as universities, restaurants, private businesses and government buildings.
Complimenting the letter, the New singer unveiled a campaign support video in which he explains, "If you heard that meat production was one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, what would you do? Would you just ignore that fact, or would you want to do something and want to find a solution?"
In the video clup above, McCartney continues to encourage everyone to spark the movement through word of mouth and talking about it with friends and family. He thoroughly expresses his hope that people will begin participating in Meat Free Monday or at least one day a week that works best for each personal movement.
The letter details the harm meat consumption has on the environment such as depleting in demand resources like water, energy and land and creating treacherous greenhouse gasses. Furthermore, it contributes to the main idea of climate change and environmental harm and if the trend continues over 100 more years, various species will be extinct.
McCartney is just one musician that feels strongly on the subject, joining Radiohead front man Thom Yorke and The Smiths' Morrissey, who threatens to cancel his gigs if meat is served in the same venue. "High and Dry" singer Yorke recently admitted that climate change keeps him awake at night as he often worries about his own carbon footprint and what further steps he can take to be more green. The 47-year-old singer will tackle a performance at the UN Climate Change Conference, Pathway to Paris, along with Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and "Horses" singer Patti Smith.
Read the McCartney's full letter via NME:
Dear Prime Minister,
We are writing to you on behalf of Meat Free Monday, a campaign launched in the UK in 2009. The aim of Meat Free Monday is to condense some complicated issues into a simple and effective message: to ask people to have at least one meat-free day a week to help protect the planet and our future.
Massive meat production creates harmful greenhouse gases and depletes precious resources, including land, water and energy, to increasingly unsustainable levels. It is a major contributor towards global environmental degradation and climate change and is also a major factor in loss of species and biodiversity - if present trends continue, over the next 100 years there will be a global mass extinction of species. With increasing evidence of the growth of the global meat industry having alarming environmental consequences, meat reduction is now more important than ever.
Next week you and other world leaders will meet in Paris for the COP21 to try and reach an ambitious global climate deal that keeps global warming well below 2 degrees. A simple but significant environmental action that the UK and other countries can take, with the added benefit of improved health, would be to endorse Meat Free Monday.
Reducing demand for meat, even by a relatively small amount, would have a significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, according to new research by the Center for a Livable Future at Johns Hopkins University, UN member countries can reduce their carbon emissions up to 2% per year by implementing Meat Free Monday.
There are a number of simple ways to encourage meat reduction, many of which have already been adopted in different countries around the world:
· Have schools, universities and hospitals go meat free one day a week
· Serve more meat free meals at government offices and during official government functions
· Encourage restaurants to promote Meat Free Monday options on their menus
· Support businesses to get involved
The proposals we are making can be implemented quickly and would have almost immediate environmental - and health - benefits.
We strongly urge you to include Meat Free Monday initiatives in the UK climate action plan for Paris. One day a week can make a world of difference.
Yours sincerely,
Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney
Would you be willing to give up meat every Monday, or one day a week of your choice to help better planet earth and its environment? What would be the easiest and hardest meals to give up? Let us know and comment below!
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