Based
on a review of the government’s recently proposed National Policy
Statement for Freshwater Management, New Zealand author Elizabeth
Chambers notes that quality freshwater sources across the nation are
becoming scarcer due to unsustainable water management, increasing
climate change-related droughts, pollution from the widespread use of
fertilizers and, most significantly, the large dairy industry which not
only requires immense amounts of fresh water but causes waterway
pollution from farm runoff. The New Zealand government is developing a
number of regulations to ensure a continuous and reliable supply of
safe freshwater across the nation. At the same time it is recognizing
that dairy production is a major part of the problem, with one cow
requiring between 2000 and 4000 liters of water for every liter of
milk, according to British journalist Fred Pearce.
Ms. Chambers,
we appreciate this candid report describing the imminent scarcity of
fresh water across the nation. May the wise government of New Zealand
recommend such practices such as the vegan diet to secure the future
abundance of this precious resource.
In
an interview with James Bean of Spiritual Awakening Radio in the United
States in July 2008, Supreme Master Ching Hai pointed out that rampant
water shortages and waterway pollution worldwide are both largely the
result of using animal products.
Supreme Master Ching Hai:
Now concerning water: one serving of beef is 1200 gallons; one serving
of chicken, 330 gallons and one complete vegan meal including tofu,
rice, vegetables etc. is only 98 gallons. Now everybody was talking a
lot about food shortage and water shortage, the main cause is again,
livestock raising. That is not including the contamination of most
world bodies of water and related usages.
We cannot afford it forever like this. We have to stop the meat consumption. We have to stop the meat, in order to even survive.