Help Save The Earth

We often hear this call - help save the earth and wonder how we can help. Then, in ten seconds it would have slipped our minds till we next read about saving the earth ... again.

I have tried numerous times to save the earth ... often in thought more than in deed. I thought that perhaps I could sell my car and depend on public transport, but then ... I thought I would sacrifice TV watching for a day and switch off lights and sleep early that same night, but then ... I thought I would turn vegetarian, or do away with plastic bags, or use less detergent and soap and shampoo and always - but then ...

Now, I have found a possible way to contribute towards helping to save the environment. I will join more than 20 Singapore Organizations in pushing for VEGGIE THURSDAY! Feel Good. Do Good is the tag line. All we need to do is to go meatless one day a week. I guess any day would do, but to encourage others and make a commitment ourselves, it would be good to designate a day to do it.

In UK, former Beatle Paul McCartney launched his Meat Free Monday campaign to encourage households to cut out meat on Mondays to help slow global warming. The John Hopkins Hospital in USA encourages healthier eating among patients, visitors and staff with their Meatless Monday campaign.

The Belgian city of Ghent has a Veggie Thursday where the city government encourages everyone including students to try veggie options on Thursdays. More cities around Belgium and other countries around are following Ghent's example.

So what is the big deal about eating meat? Well, other than the impact on health, there is a greater impact on our environment.

• Obesity, diabetes and heart disease (and some cancers) are linked to high meat consumption.
• Fruits and vegetables are rich in phytochemicals & antioxidants that help boost out immune system.
• About 18% of human produced global warming gases come from raising animals, mostly for food.
• We have to feed animals many kilos of plant food to produce 1 kg of meat. Growing that extra plant food for animal feed means more forests destroyed, more water and other resources used.
• Factory farming of meat means unnatural lives (and often cruel) for the animals.
• The average lifespan of a chicken is 8 weeks!

So I figured this was something "do-able" and as I have taken 59 years off the earth, it was time I gave something back. 1 day a week is something I think I can manage. Thursdays are good. Mondays are blue enough thinking about starting work (not for me) after the weekend, there is no need to add to further misery!

Join me? Get your family, colleagues, staff, students, friends, relatives and pets to make a commitment to do something for our earth. Every little act counts. Let's make a stand and do it for health reasons, to help the environment and show some concern for the animals or ... do it out of curiosity if for nothing else! You might surprise yourself!

For a great place to start, try SUNNY CHOICE at Rail Mall. Situated next to my ex-favourite bak chor mee shop EAT, it offers many many veggie dishes that are palatable and even yummy! I like best their Thunder Rice (very tasty) and the brown rice set with veg curry. Their white rojak is refreshing and the die-hard dessert eaters must have a go at their chendol. Average priced, most meals are about $7 - $8. Guaranteed to make you burp and look forward to Veggie Thursdays!!!

Visit www.facebook.com/veggiethursdaysg for more details.

Come on - Let's just DO IT!