Save the planet and ditch meat

THE EDITOR, Sir: MORE AND more people are realising that they can save animals, improve their health, and combat climate change simply by ditching meat.

Studies show that people who eat plant-based meals tend to be leaner and less likely to suffer from heart disease, diabetes, or cancer than their meat-eating counterparts, and a Worldwatch Institute report indicates that at least 51 per cent of global greenhouse-gas emissions are caused by animal agriculture.

And then there’s the most compelling reason of all for swapping beef burgers for veggie burgers: stopping the horrific suffering involved in getting every piece of animal flesh to the table. Animals raised for food live in misery and endure extreme deprivation before finally being loaded on to lorries and sent off to abattoirs, where their throats will be slit. When you consider what we know of pigs, cows, chickens, and other animals — that they have distinct personalities and a will to live — it’s impossible to justify killing them for a burger.

As more humans see these animals for the wonderful individuals they are, the increasing number of those who will no longer feast on their flesh makes sense. If you’re not yet one of them, World Vegetarian Day (October 1) is the perfect time for you to give it a go. Do it for animals, do it for the planet, or do it for yourself. But whatever your reason, just do it. JENNIFER WHITE jenniferw@peta.org.uk London, England