You are watching Words of Wisdom Rebroadcast of Live Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai “Children's Health & Sustainable Planet” Jeju International Conference Jeju Island, S. Korea - September 21, 2009

Grace (f): Hallo and welcome to the gorgeous Jeju Island, South Korea, a world famous tourist site known as the “Hawaii” of Korea. Thank you for joining us for the “Children's Health & Sustainable Planet” Jeju International Conference!

Callie (f): This amazing and historic conference is being broadcast live throughout the world through Supreme Master Television via 14 satellite platforms, IPTV, and the internet.

Grace (f): Hallo, all the viewers around the world! Grace (f): I am Grace from Canada.

Callie (f): 잘 오셔수과! This is the local Jeju way of saying “welcome.” So, welcome! I'm Callie from South Korea and we are very honored to be part of this historic conference. Grace, so how do you like Jeju so far? Grace (f): It's an amazingly beautiful place.

Callie (f): Well, glad to hear that. It's not only beautiful, but it's also unique as well. Three places on this Jeju Island are UNESCO World Heritage sites, and those represent over 10% of the island.

Grace (f): Let's introduce Jeju Island to the rest of the world through this video.

Jeju is a beautiful island located in the southwest sea of South Korea. Jeju Island, the largest island in Korea, is a historical island with natural beauty. In the center of the island is Mt. Halla, reaching a height of 1,950 meters. Small volcanoes of different sizes and shapes are located all over the island. Jeju's volcanic land and lava tubes provide much academic value and panoramic views. Because of this, they were registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2007.

The UNESCO World Heritage Sites registered in Jeju include Mt. Halla Natural Monument zone, Sungsan Ilchulbong tuff cone, and the Geomunoreum lava tube system of caves, all of which make up 10% of Jeju Island. Mt. Halla is a prominent landmark in Jeju and is the highest mountain in Korea. Due to its beauty and biological value, Mt. Halla has been protected as a UNESCO's Biosphere Reserve since 2002 and has 360 `oreums', which are systems of lava tube caves.

At its crater on top is Lake Bakrokdam. Geomunoreum system of lava tube caves is another natural monument of Jeju showing the history of the Earth's formation. Geomunoreum has a total of 9 caves created 300,000 years ago. Although they were created long ago, their beautiful scenery is well preserved. They are rich in lime and display different features, making themselves very unique among the world's lava tubes.

Lastly, Sungsan Ilchulbong turf cone is a volcano located on the shore. Sungsan Ilchulbong tuff cone, due to its unique structure and features, provides world class value in understanding the formation of a water-volcano. Jeju Island is noted for not only its natural heritage sites but also for its efforts to protect them. Moreover, Jeju Island enacted an eco-friendly school meal act in July 2007, the first of its kind in Korea and started serving eco-friendly produce for school group meals. Jeju strives to protect nature and the people who live there.

However, climate change, a world crisis, is awakening people to the need for new efforts. The changes in the ecosystem being caused by global warming are happening silently in Jeju's green forests and blue sea. “The most distinctive phenomenon manifesting on Jeju shores is the decline of seaweed. We discovered from the data collected over the past 80 years that the temperature has increased 1.5 degrees on Jeju Island. This figure is relatively high compared to other areas. We call it “sea desertification.” Since seaweed itself photosynthesizes, it plays a major role in balancing atmospheric CO2 levels.

Moreover, as the spawning location for diverse marine species, when secluded places and submarine forests decrease, seaweed, in turn, decreases.” “At 1950 meters high, and located in the center of Jeju Island, Mt. Halla is the best place in Korea to study the movement of vegetation due to global warming. When the temperature goes up 1 degree, the vegetation moves up 150 meters vertically.

As climate change, such as global warming, continues, vegetation moves up, and the unique plants growing in the subarctic zone, especially alpine plants like “Leontopodium hallaisanense Hand.- Mazz” found only on Mt. Halla, could become extinct.” The blue sky, the clean sea, the high mountains, the deep caves, and beautiful people. Despite the impact of climate change, Jeju will take the lead in protecting not only its natural habitat but also the Earth by actively tackling global warming.

Grace (f): What an amazing island, Callie!

Callie (f): Well, yes, Koreans sure are proud of Jeju. But you know what? Grace (f): What?

Callie (f): Jeju is already noticing the effects of climate change.

Grace (f): Yes, climate change is becoming more evident all over the world, causing rising sea levels, floods, droughts, and many other serious imbalances to our ecosystem. We will have to halt climate change if we want to preserve this wondrous beauty of Jeju's landscape, and if we want to protect the most precious resource of this island.

Callie (f): And what would that be? Grace and Callie together: CHILDREN!

Grace (f): In North America, we have an ancient Native American saying that goes like this: “We do not inherit this Earth from our ancestors; we are borrowing it from our children.”

Callie (f): And yes, that is precisely the reason why we need to act right now.

Grace (f): Yes, but what should we do first? Let's find out what many distinguished VIPs from around the world are saying.

Callie (f): Very impressive and strong messages there. Grace, luckily we have right here in Jeju those who are working very hard to fight climate change and to protect our children.

Grace (f): Yes, and we are going to be hearing from several of them.

Callie (f): First, let's welcome Mr. Song Dae-Jin, the head of Jeju Coalition for Children's Health and the chief organizer of today's conference.

Mr. Song Dae-Jin (m) Thank you. As a chairman who organized this event, I'd like to thank Supreme Master Ching Hai and all the staff of Supreme Master Television who upported every aspect of the conference. Today, we are going to have a conversation with everyone around the globe who respects life, children's health and sustainability. People around the world need to unite as one and help children be healthy and help revive the agricultural villages. I hope the sacred work to make our planet clean for our next generation can be realized. Thank you.

Grace (f): Thank you very much, Mr. Song Dae-Jin.

Callie (f): This evening's event is particularly unique in that no less than 49 non-government organizations, 49 NGOs, all from Jeju, combined their efforts to organize this magnificent conference.

Grace (f): We also have many politicians, journalists, educators, organic farmers, and university students here this evening, too, all of whom are concerned about the future of Jeju and our planet.

Callie (f): We would like to introduce to you some of our very distinguished guests. Please welcome each of them with a warm round of applause: the Honorable Mr. Kim Tae-Hwan, the Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province; Mr. Yang Seong-Eon, Superintendent of Jeju Special Self-Governing Office of Education; Reverend Cha Heung-Do, Chief of People's Coalition for Children's Health; Professor Im Jae-Taek, Chief of Korean Society for Eco Early Childhood Education; Mr. Kim Tae-Seong, Chief of Jeju Agenda 21.

Grace (f): Thank you to our special guests and to each and every one of you for attending this important event. Let's now hear from some of our distinguished guests. First, we are deeply grateful to welcome the Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, the Honorable Mr. Kim Tae-Hwan. Please welcome him with your warmest applause.

Governor Kim Tae-Hwan (m): Hallo, I am the Provincial Governor. For viewers around the world who respect life and love nature, the “Children's Health and Sustainable Planet” Jeju Conference has set global warming, resource depletion, and children's weakened health as the 3 tasks for humankind and is being held to solve these problems. I am honored to participate in this event with everyone around the globe to share ideas and to solve these problems.

We would like to sincerely thank the honorable Dr. Pachauri, Chairman of the IPCC, for setting aside valuable time for this meaningful Jeju conference. In addition, it is very meaningful for us to listen to the precious words from world renowned scholars - Mr. Joop Oude Lohuis, Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Neal Barnard, and Dr. Joel Fuhrman - because they can be reflected in the making of policy. Above all, we'd like to sincerely thank Dr. Hwang Seong-Soo, Mr. Lee Chang-Hong, and Mr. Lee Yong-Jung for all their efforts in preparing this event.

Being a natural treasure, beautiful Jeju is already recognized by international organizations such as World Natural Heritage, Biosphere Preservation Region, Ramsar Swamp, etc., especially the recognition as a “Healthy City” by WHO shows that we are putting in a lot of effort towards reaching a balance between nature and humanity. Lastly, on behalf of all Jeju citizens, I'd like to thank the members of Supreme Master Television who supported us in every aspect to hold this invaluable global event on Jeju Island.

The sky of Jeju is high, blue, and beautiful in autumn. I believe that this conference, which is being held in these beautiful surroundings, will reach fundamental and fruitful conclusions regarding the climate change issue and children's health problems. I'd like to give special thanks to everyone who is participating in the conference. I hope you have a great time today. Thank you.

Callie (f): Thank you, Governor, for your encouraging words.

Grace (f): Jeju Province is a Special Self-Governing Province, which can independently develop her own policies. As a result, Jeju has been able to take courageous and leading steps to halt climate change and has become a shining example for the world to follow.

Callie (f): Our next guest is Mr. Yang Seong-Eon, Superintendent of Jeju Special Self-Governing Office of Education.

Mr. Seong-Eon(m): Hallo. I would like to applaud all the people who are making an effort to ensure children's health and sustainable global communities. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Supreme Master Television personnel who helped to organize this international conference in Jeju. I agree with the three agendas - global warming, resource depletion, and children's weakened health - set as the top three global problems in the conference.

Especially, I feel deeply grateful that you have set children's health problems as one of the agendas. I am in a position that is responsible for children's safety, health and education in Jeju. Therefore, I am trying to provide school meals that are eco-friendly and locally grown so that children can grow up healthy. And I am also trying to implement the Students' Health and Strength Assessment Program in order to improve children's health, but that is not an easy task to work on.

Beyond our estimates, we find that our children display more and more habitual health problems such as obesity, ADHD [Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder], atopic dermatitis, and game addiction. According to health specialists, these diseases are caused by lifestyle. In order to solve these problems, I think all communities, nations, and peoples have to work together to change the paradigm.

I hope that this Jeju conference will take the initiative and help spread the important message all over the world that we should care about children's health. Hence, I hope we can build a bright global village where no child will cry from hunger and no child will suffer from habitual diseases. Thank you.

Grace (f): Thank you. Thanks to your tireless and dedicated efforts, we are very optimistic about the future.

Callie (f): And to mark this occasion, experts around the world have extended their personal greetings. We are highly honored to have a very special greeting from Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Dr. Pachauri (m): Greetings to you, all participants of the “Children's Health & Sustainable Planet” Conference,” which is being held in Jeju Island, South Korea, a beautiful part of this world. I've been to South Korea on several occasions and I'm sure that the beautiful surroundings in which you are meeting will inspire you to deal with this particular theme effectively so that not only can you in your own lives make a difference but actually spread the message whereby others can also make a difference. So my very best wishes to you. I hope you have an extremely successful conference.

I would, first, like to express my encouragement for the one day a week organic vegan program. I think anything we can do to move towards nature and closer to nature is going to be of great benefit to human society. I'm quite concerned about the lack of action and, in fact, the insensitivity to the problem of climate change. We know that if we don't take action early enough and adequately enough, we're going to see some very harmful impacts of climate change all over the world. Unfortunately, some of these will take place in the poorest, the most vulnerable regions and for the most vulnerable communities on Earth.

And, therefore, I think we have a moral and an ethical reason to take action by which we reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases. Now, one particular area where we can make a difference is in terms of changes in lifestyle. Of course, the question could be asked, “What changes in lifestyle?” There are lots of things that we can do in our daily lives, including the use of energy in the home, for transportation and for various other activities as efficiently as possible. But one particular area where I think there are huge benefits is in terms of reduction of meat consumption.

I personally believe that both human beings and the planet would be much healthier if we were to cut down on meat consumption, and in particular, I would suggest that the human race should gradually do away with eating red meat because that clearly has the largest emissions of greenhouse gases associated with the entire cycle of red meat production and consumption.

So, I think the time has come when we have to bring about a shift in our diets whereby we reduce the consumption of meat, particularly red meat. A lot of people ask me questions on how their children and how they themselves would get adequate protein if they are going to be dependent only on an organic vegetarian diet, and my answer is that I can get you two consultants who will give you that response, and those two consultants are called the elephant and the horse.

These are two animals who consume nothing but plant material and they certainly don't lack in proteins. So I would like to submit that if we can shift towards a much lower consumption of meat, we would be much happier; we would be much healthier and so would the planet. Of course, when it comes to changing diets, changing lifestyles, I think the feeling has to come from within. I don't think this is an area where government orders or government initiatives can really make a difference. Of course, governments should certainly impose taxes on those activities or those products which impose huge environmental costs on society, both locally as well as globally.

But in the ultimate analysis, I think it is NGOs, it is civil society, and it is the community itself that has to create awareness on what the benefits of a reduced meat consumption pattern would actually be. And I would submit that NGOs, civil society and people at large must get involved in this campaign to bring about the understanding of the benefits of eating much less meat.

And I want to compliment so many of the NGOs, so many of those who are carrying out this campaign and I'd like to give you my encouragement and my very best wishes. Thank you very much. We have to show particular sensitivity to children who are most vulnerable to climate change because we have to accept the fact that children whose future has to be safeguarded, who depend on the sustainability of natural resources and ecosystems on this planet, are also unfortunately the most vulnerable.

For instance, as a result of climate change, there will be much more disease, there'll be more floods, more droughts, more heat waves, and clearly children would be the most vulnerable subjects of this particular trend that we're going to see. It's also true that when it comes to planning the future of children, if this planet is going to see much worse impacts of climate change than we're witnessing today, we're not giving our children a good future, and I don't think it's fair for us to squander these opportunities for preserving all the natural resources of this planet by satisfying our own immediate needs, particularly since those needs are really misplaced; they don't really do the human race any good.

So, I would appeal to all those who are concerned about the future of their children to see that, firstly, we protect them from the worst impacts of climate change, and secondly, that we ensure we leave behind a planet where the natural resources, where all the beautiful things that nature has provided us, can be preserved and maintained for their benefit and for the benefit of their children. So this would be my appeal and I hope those of you who are viewing this would take that to heart and do something about it. Thank you very much.

Grace (f): Thank you for those very inspiring words, Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri.

Callie (f): Dr. Pachauri has significantly inspired several of the actions taken up by Jeju Province, and we will hearing more about that later in the conference.

Grace (f): Next, we have Mr. Satinder Bindra, the Director of Communications of the United Nations Environmental Program, which established the IPCC.

Bindra(m): Well, I'm delighted to hear of this conference because if we live healthily, if the planet is nurtured by this current generation, that means people don't recklessly go about with their carbon habits. Then what it means for the next generation and for children is that they'll have a real crack at success. They'll live healthier lives. They'll live more meaningful lives. Because what they need really is clean water, fresh air, and if they don't get that, then what are we doing to the next generation? So I think this conference is really, really important. And I wish all the participants and the organizers great success. Callie (f): Thank you, thank you, Mr. Satinder Bindra.

Grace (f): Next is Dr. Carolyn Lukensmeyer, Founding President of Global Voices, an organization that supports decision makers. She was also a Consultant to the White House Chief of Staff for nine months during the Clinton years.

Carolyn Lukensmeyer(f): I'm delighted to honor your presence in Jeju Island for the conference. What I hope while you are working together, all thousand of you, is that you can develop a strong statement to the rest of the world about what we actually know. It is children's health indicators that show up most quickly in terms of the pollution and the issues of the way in which our environment is degraded.

In the famous metaphor of the canary in the mine, which is the bird who dies when the air is not strong enough, it's the same with our children and what you're doing together at the “Children's Health & Sustainable Planet” can make a difference to ensure that world leaders, governments, and everyone on the planet takes immediate short term and long term action to ensure that our young people's health is safe and that we live on a planet that is sustained. Thank you.

Callie (f): Thank you for your encouraging remarks, Dr. Lukensmeyer.

Kim Tae Hwan, Governor, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province The current international issue that humanity is concerned about is climate change. Jeju has carried out many eco-friendly projects and we plan to continue this trend. I'm the governor of Jeju Self- Governing Province. I'm honored to be here at such a wonderful event. I'd like to say that the government of Jeju is going to provide eco-friendly meals for all elementary school students.

Kim Min-Sun Director of Coalition for Children's Health Conference participant To save the planet and its the future, we should take care of children's well-being and create an environment where they can live in good health. I'm very happy that this “Childrens' Health & Sustainble Planet” Conference shows us the way through excellent lectures. It's great that I could get concrete information about the harms of animal products and the benefits of the vegetarian diet, especially for children.

Student Conference participant From this conference, I learned that only through the application of the vegetarian diet that we save the Earth, so I made a promise to myself to put in more effort from now on. We need our schools to work on that, too.

Jeju Representative of Korean Teachers & Educational Workers Union Conference participant Kim Sang Jin(m): I'm lucky to be a part of this conference. I became deeply convinced that the vegan diet is truly helpful in changing the Earth's environment for the better. Supreme Master Ching Hai is taking the initiative. We made this event happened due to her support, so we're very thankful and hope there will be more events like this.

Kim Sang Jin(m): I would like to become a committed vegan like many people here. I met Supreme Master Ching Hai for the first time through this conference. I was able to understand her profound thoughts on the vegan diet and the sustainable future of our planet. I could feel her affection towards children, animals and living beings. She is a great human being. Thanks to her support, such an international event is possible. I hope and pray that Supreme Master Ching Hai's ideal will spread globally. In this way, the planet can be safer, our children healthier, the world becomes happier and more peaceful.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Such a place as Jeju Island and, indeed, the entire globe we must do our best to save for our own sake and the future of the children. We already have the wisdom and Heaven's grace to overcome these challenges; we may just need to remind ourselves of the best steps to take.

VOICE: Tune in to Supreme Master Television this Tuesday, November 3, for part 3 of the rebroadcast of the videoconference “Children's Health & Sustainable Planet - Jeju International Conference” on Words of Wisdom.

Tune in to Supreme Master Television today for the rebroadcast of the videoconference “Children's Health & Sustainable Planet - Jeju International Conference” on Words of Wisdom.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Respected scientists recalculated and found that the meat industry is actually producing more than 50% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Meat is the number one cause of global warming. So, the number one solution is to stop producing it.

VOICE: Join us on Supreme Master Television this Friday, November 6, for part 5 of the rebroadcast of the videoconference with Guest of Honor, Supreme Master Ching Hai, entitled “Children's Health & Sustainable Planet - Jeju International Conference” on Words of Wisdom.

Tune in to Supreme Master Television today for the rebroadcast of the live videoconference “Children's Health & Sustainable Planet - Jeju International Conference” with Guest of Honor, Supreme Master Ching Hai, on Words of Wisdom.

You are watching Words of Wisdom Rebroadcast of Live Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai 『Children's Health & Sustainable Planet』 Jeju International Conference Jeju Island，S. Korea - September ２１，２００9

Grace (f): Many people have visited South Korea to encourage global actions on climate change， including many children. We have collected voices from children who very recently came to Korea for climate change activities. Let's hear from them. Now it is the time to act. If not here，then where？ If not now，then when？ If not us，then who？ For many people， climate change， they think like it's the melting of glaciers. What we can do to stop that？ It will melt. But it's not that. We，individually，can really do a lot of things. I'll try to take each and every possible action from my side. Please，start now.

(m): Sea levels could rise. People on the coastal areas， especially in Africa， and South America could lose their homes.

(f): I became a vegetarian when many of my friends were vegetarian. And I asked them why. And they told me that it was because of the environment. If we don't save it now， our future generations will have no place to live. There are no political and geographical boundaries for environmental problems. Blaming any nation for any problem is of no use until we can have any possible action.

(m): We children expect you politicians to come up with sustainable solutions to the oＮＧＯing climate change and global warming. Be vegetarians and save the environment. Children all around the world，wherever you are， on every corner of the globe，should take care for their environment. Even if you're not talking you should do something， a little bit to help the planet. Because in a few years time， we're not going to enjoy our planet. The air will be polluted，there will be diseases all around the world; and it won't be safe.

Please save their life， and save the Earth. (m): Vegetarianism reduces animal consumption and energy consumption.

(f&m): Be veg， go green， save the planet！ (m): Be veg！ (f): Be veg and save the world. (f&m): Be veg， go green， save the planet！ (f): Save the planet！

Grace (f): Such lovely，lovely voices from the children！ Did you see their beautiful faces？ How can we not respect them and protect them.

Callie (f): I absolutely love them. Their voices really touch my heart.

Grace (f): To respond to the sincere wishes of the children， highly distinguished experts from around the world are presenting their valuable messages for us today， some in person， some via video. Grace (f): This is a very rare chance to hear the best of the best experts who are speaking for us， for our children， and the planet.

Callie (f): First is Mr. Joop Oude Lohuis， the Manager of the Climate and Global Sustainability Unit for the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency， who has done extensive research on the relationship between climate change and dietary change.

Joop Oude Lohuis (m): Ladies and gentlemen， my name is Joop Oude Lohuis. I'm a researcher at the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. It's a pity I can't be here. It's a very beautiful island，so I'll have to make my contribution by screen. Probably the most difficult issues the world is facing today are climate change and the loss of nature and biodiversity.

For １０ to １５ years the world is concerned and seriously tries to deal with climate change. The focus is strongly directed towards energy use and fossil fuels， and climate change mitigation policies tend to focus on the energy sector. On the other hand， the livestock sector receives surprisingly little attention， and I think that's an issue we have to discuss today. The livestock sector accounts for about １８％ of greenhouse gas emissions.

That is substantial. The livestock sector accounts for about ８０％ of total anthropogenic land use， and that is more than substantial. And from a dietary perspective， new insights in the adverse effects and health effects of beef and pork have also led to a revision of consumption recommendations， and I think that's an important issue we have to discuss today.

Recently，we explored the potential impact of dietary changes on achieving ambitious climate stabilization levels. And for the first time， we made an integrated analysis of all the different elements that are related to eating meat， and that is: substitutes for meat， climate change， the possible effects on the land use，health and costs. And we know that if we go on『on a business- as-usual』 scenario， the livestock would double in the next ４０ years and greenhouse gas emissions would go up by about ８０％. Well，we found out that food transition on the global scale， eating less meat and／or even a complete switch to plant-based protein food can have dramatic effects on land use.

Up to ２，７００ million hectares of pasture and １００ million hectares of crop land can be abandoned， resulting in a large carbon uptake of land， instead of being a source of emissions. Additionally，methane， nitrous oxide that are potentially harmful greenhouse gases， could be reduced substantially. A global transition to a low meat diet as recommended for health reasons would reduce mitigation costs by about ５０％. In terms of climate change， we would like to keep the global temperature below ２° change， and that would result in a target maximum level of about ４５０ parts per million CO２.

The mitigation cost in reaching climate targets could go up to a １-２％ of global GDP， and that's about $２ trillion a year. A scenario with no meat consumption at all would halve these costs. If we go to a scenario with no meat at all and also no dairy products， the amount of costs would not even go down with ５０％ but at a rate of ７０ to ８０％， and that's substantial.

Dietary changes could， therefore，not only create substantial benefits for human health and land use but also play a role in reducing future climate change policies at a lower cost. There are many opportunities in changing a diet from meat to vegetable based products. In our analysis， we assumed soya beans and pulses to be the main substitutes for meat and dairy products， and we included all the effects of changing land use to these type of products.

So we think that it's an inclusive study which proves that the effects are scientifically sound. This change in diet could happen between ２０１０ and ２０３０ and then the situation will stabilize. The change in land use has a main effect，that land use is no longer a source of emissions but could even become a sink of emissions. The change would result in a net contribution of one gigaton of carbon to the atmosphere and change the whole situation into a one to two gigaton absorption of carbon by way of changing the land use.

There is room for re-growth of forests in areas that are now being used by cows and sheep for grazing， for eating grass. The biggest effects are for sure attained by reducing the amount of ruminants，that is， cows or sheep. They have a less efficient digestion resulting in large amounts of methane emissions. I think，in summary，that science says that there is convincing evidence that changing diet could really benefit the climate and will benefit our preservation of natural habitats.

A change is noticeable in the behavior of consumers and in supermarkets. There is a growing diversity in terms of vegetarian products， substitutes for meats that can be chosen by consumers. So I think one of the elements of change will be that consumers make their own choices and choose vegetarian products and eat less meat. In summary， from what we know now， changing a diet to less or no meat is one of the lowest cost measures to help the climate change targets. It's good for health in summary and it leaves more room for nature and biodiversity. Thank you for your attention.

Grace (f): Wow. Isn't that incredible？ World governments will save ８０％ of the cost to stop global warming if the world becomes vegan. It's clear that the food on our table has a tremendous impact on global warming. So，our first step to halt climate change should begin with the meals at home and at school.

Callie (f): Yes， speaking of school meals， did you know that Jeju was actually the very first in South Korea to provide environmentally-friendly school meals？ And by doing this they really set an example for the rest of the country.

Grace (f): That is amazing！ What a noble province this is！

Callie (f): And it was all made possible thanks to the strong grassroots movement and united efforts of ＮＧＯs in Jeju. And， leading the movement is Mr. Lee Yong-Jung， the Policy Chairperson of the Jeju Coalition for Children's Health. This much respected teacher has devoted much of his life to improving children's health. Please join us in welcoming Mr. Lee Yong-Jung.

Lee Yong-Jung(m): My name is Lee Young Jung. I am a teacher and I think children's health is precious. It's truly my honor to meet with all of you around the world through Supreme Master Television. I think that the three main problems our planet has are global warming， depletion of resources， and deterioration of our children's health. And I think these problems are interconnected， fundamentally one agenda. To solve these problems， I think we need to live frugally with respect for nature， we need consistent green technology development， and we need to have a complete change in the way we nuture and educate our children，as well as in all of humanity's collective efforts in both our daily lives and the political arena.

I've made a diagram with eight elements related to health. These are interconnected and influence each other. However，the changes in our way of living are deteriorating our children's health. It is a universal truth that what we eat makes our body，and our body influences our mind. Nevertheless， we are too careless about what we eat. In order for our children to grow properly and to have a healthy life， we have to make sure that they exercise enough. For the future generation， we need to act immediately.

We are seeing many people experience lowered body temperature due to a combination of weakened lower limb muscles and body infections. It means our children are growing with potentially chronic habitual diseases. These are fundamentally habitual diseases caused by lifestyle. For example， there's scoliosis. Scoliosis is mainly caused by decreased bone density and chronic unstable body posture. Decreased bone density is caused by lack of exposure to sunlight and micronutrients including minerals. Among these diseases， atopic dermatitis is the easiest to cure. A disease that has the potential to make children's lives very miserable is ADHD.

In addition，the most incurable disease we are seeing is childhood obesity. If we do not take care of children's health， we will encounter these problems in ２０３０. Impulsive crimes usually take place due to unhealthy physical conditions. It is a time bomb waiting to explode on a catastrophic scale. We have to make an immediate decision in order to protect our children's health. Childhood is an important phase in life in order to lead a healthy life later; therefore，we should make great efforts at this stage. In order to reduce chronic habitual disease caused by a harmful lifestyle， it is cost effective to take proper measures while they are children.

Healthy pregnancy， prenatal care，childbirth， breast feeding and nursing of babies should be considered important areas; hence， it should be reflected in policy making. The government should pay basic expenses that are needed in helping to shape and adjust these habits in childhood. The best ways to treat chronic habitual diseases are through healthy food， exercise and mental discipline.

More importantly，if we have a healthy lifestyle， we won't be afflicted by these kinds of diseases. Farmers and parents are responsible for what children eat. Parents and teachers are responsible for establishing children's lifestyle habits. Children's health depends on parents， teachers，and farmers. If they fulfill their roles successfully， most children's health problems will be resolved. Children's health problems come from the change in our social model and it reflects our daily culture on the whole. Therefore，we need to have a new paradigm which is sustainable and in accordance with the『new knowledge- based society.』

A new food paradigm means to adjust agriculture，food industry， and our diet towards better health. I think we have to change our education goal to『food，virtue，health』because we have to have public education designed for body，mind， and spirituality. I think I do not need to explain about prevention any further. Jeju's development strategies are in ５ categories: education，agriculture， tourism，a mecca for natural healing， and lifestyle innovation. I'm confident that Jeju's various problems will be resolved if Jeju creates an environment where children can grow up healthy.

I think our children in Jeju can grow up very healthy if we implement special measures which can support them. If we envision it and take action，I think we can accomplish this goal. Development strategy for a healthy，eco-Jeju does not cost much in terms of budget or scientific knowledge. If we have the support of the people， it's not a difficult task. If those in the educational， agricultural， and religious sectors take the lead and civil societies reach a consensus，and if political parties and congress make alternative policies and local governments implement those from a comprehensive perspective， it is not difficult at all. The thing that prevents us from doing this is our habitual lifestyle， red tape，and our political culture.

In nature，no mother would hurt her own child. However，we humans， the crown of creation， cause our children to grow ill. This is a real shame and I believe it is a collective crime. Ensuring our children's health is not a matter of choice but rather it is our minimum duty and obligation. I urge you to work together in order to ensure the health of our children in Jeju. Thank you.

Grace (f): Thank you. Thank you， Mr. Lee Yong-Jung. I am very touched by your lifelong dedication to children's health. Now，Callie， let's talk about a very timely issue.

Callie (f): Something like swine flu？

Grace (f): Yes，swine flu，or the novel H１N１ virus， which is one of the biggest threats facing humankind today. But what is the root cause of this disease？ Let's find out from Dr. Michael Greger，the Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society of the United States. He is a medical doctor and a renowned expert on the many types of diseases originating from factory farmed animals， including swine flu， bird flu， and mad cow disease.

Callie (f): And Dr. Greger has prepared this special lecture for this conference via video. Let's take a look.

Dr. Greger(m): According to the World Health Organization， ２ billion people may become infected with swine flu and our children may be at the highest risk. Normally，９０％ of flu deaths are in the elderly， ６５ years and older， but with swine flu， children and young adults ages ５ through １４ are more than １０ times more likely to become infected. That means １５，０００ Korean children may die. Where did this virus come from？ Well，the genetic Fingerprint of this virus was published this summer and the US Centers for Disease Control and laboratories from around the world have confirmed that the main ancestor of the current pandemic virus was the triple hybrid mutant pig，bird， human virus that emerged and spread throughout industrialized farms in the United States １０ years ago.

This first hybrid mutant was found on an industrial farm in North Carolina in August of １９９８ that confined thousands of pregnant pigs in metal crates so small they couldn't turn around. Thanks to long distance live animal transport， the virus then spread throughout North America， and thanks to the export of pigs to Asia， it reached Korea by ２００５. This is not the first disease to emerge from factory farms.

Unless we start giving these animals more breathing room， it may not be the last. For example China， ２００５，the world's largest producer of pork，suffered an unprecedented outbreak of an emerging pink pathogen called Strep suis which caused meningitis and deafness in people handling infected pork products. Hundreds of people infected with the deadliest strain on record. Why？ The World Health Organization blames in part these intensive confinement conditions.

The US Department of Agriculture elaborates that all Strep suis seems to start out harmless， asymptomatic as normal flora， but then stress- due to inadequate housing， ventilation，overcrowding- allows the bug to go invasive，causing infections of the brain， blood，lungs，heart and death. Starts out harmless turns deadly，that's what these kinds of conditions may be able to do. This is not arguably how animals were meant to live.

July ２００９， just a few months ago， a strain of Ebola was reported on a factory farm in the Philippines confining ６，０００ pigs. It was Ebola Reston， the same strain featured in the book 『The Hot Zone.』 Air borne Ebola bug doesn't seem to be able to infect people， but with enough time to mutate in pigs， who knows？ So they drove them into these pits and then burned them alive. We feed antibiotics by the truck load to farmed animals.

This is the total amount of antibiotics used for all of human medicine every year here in the States. Now，contrast that with the amount that's just fed to farm animals， just to promote growth and prevent disease in such a stressful unhygienic crowded environment - millions of pounds a year. Now，we as physicians are faced with these multi-drug resistant， antibiotic resistant bacteria， and are running out of good treatment options， particularly in pediatric populations.

As Britain's chief medical officer put it in his ２００９ annual report: 『Every inappropriate use of antibiotics in agriculture is a potential death warrant for a future patient.』 Industrial animal farms have been shown to be breeding grounds for disease for at least １０ reasons. For example，because of the sheer numbers of animals，because of the overcrowding - it's like having ５，０００ people in an elevator and someone sneezes - because of the stress crippling their immune systems. The operation in Newton Grove， North Carolina， where the ancestor of the current pandemic virus was first detected， was a breeding facility in which thousands of pregnant sows were confined in gestation crates， also known as sow stalls.

These are veal crate-like barren metal cages about ２ feet wide. These highly intelligent， social animals， essentially kept in a box week after week， month after month，for nearly their entire lives. They can develop crippling joint deformities， lameness. Not only can these pregnant pigs not turn around， they can barely move for most of their lives. Because of the lack of fresh air，the dankness helps keep the virus alive in these kinds of facilities. Because there may be no sunlight- the UV rays in sunlight are actually quite effective in destroying the influenza virus.

Thirty minutes of direct sunlight utterly deactivates the influenza virus， but it can last for days in the shade，and weeks in moist manure. And indeed，because of the decomposing fecal waste releasing ammonia， burning the respiratory tracts of these animals， predisposing them to infection in the first place. Put these and all these other factors together， and what you have is really this kind of perfect storm environment for the emergence and spread of n so-called super strains of influenza.

The public health community has been warning about the dangers of industrialized animal agriculture for years. In ２００３，the American Public Health Association， the largest organization of public health professionals in the world， called for a moratorium on industrialized animal farming. In ２００５， the United Nations called on all governments， local authorities， international agencies， told them they needed to take a greatly increased role in combating the role of factory farming， which combined with these live bird markets provide what they call ideal conditions for the virus to spread and mutate into a more dangerous form.

In ２００８， the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production， which included a former US Secretary of Agriculture，concluded that these so-called Dr. Greger (m): factory farms present unacceptable public health risks. The former director of the commission calls these industrial farms "super-incubators for viruses." They're a public health menace that must be stopped. Only a few thousand people have died so far of swine flu though， although one could never really call anything that's killed hundreds of children "mild，" exactly， but this H１N１ virus hasn't been much worse than the regular seasonal flu，so far. But this may just be the first wave.

The １９１８ flu pandemic was relatively mild first as well. Though we're not exactly sure what happened in １９１８，compared to what was to come later， this first initial wave in the summer of １９１８ hardly registered a blip， but it came back in the fall to kill tens of millions of people. In Korea，in １９１８， according to the Japanese colonial government at the time， as many as ８ million Koreans died the last time an animal flu virus jumped species into human beings. Now，the worst case scenario estimate would be if the swine flu were to combine with the H５N１ bird flu， both of which have been found in pigs.

So，if a single pig in parts of Asia or Africa，where the H５N１ bird flu virus has become endemic， that pig becomes co-infected with both swine flu and the new bird flu， the concern is that it could theoretically produce a virus with the human transmissibility of the swine flu， but the human lethality of the bird flu. In １９１８，the mortality rate of the pandemic was less than ５％. This estimate，here on the right，potentially tens of millions of people dead in the next pandemic， is based on this same two to three percent mortality rate， what the US Centers for Disease Control calls a『category ５ pandemic，』 around two percent mortality- around ２ million Americans dead.

So that's two percent. But H５N１ has so far killed over half of its known human victims; don't even seem to get a coin toss as to whether or not one lives through this disease. Up to １０ million Koreans come down with the flu every year， what if it suddenly turned deadly？ That's what keeps everyone up at night， the possibility， however slight， that a virus like H５N１ could trigger a pandemic. That would be like combining one of the most contagious known diseases，influenza， with one of the deadliest， like crossing a disease like Ebola with the common cold. All animals deserve humane treatment. How we treat animals can have global public health implications， and these newly emerging chicken and pig flu viruses are but one example.

We deny them a modicum of mercy to both their detriment and potentially to ours as well. We need to end the long distance live animal transport of farm animals which can spread diseases around the world. We need to follow the Pew Commission's recommendations to abolish these extreme confinement practices， like crates for pregnant pigs， as they're already doing in Europe，and starting to here in the States. And ultimately，we need to follow the advice of the public health professionals and declare: 『No more factory farms！』 Let me end with a quote from the World Health Organization， "The Bottom Line": 『The bottom line is humans have to think about how they raise their animals， how they farm them， how they market them.』

Basically，the whole relationship between the animal kingdom and the human kingdom is coming under stress. In this age of emerging diseases， we now have billions of feathered and curly tailed test-tubes for viruses to incubate and mutate within billions more spins at pandemic roulette. Along with human culpability， though，comes hope. If changes in human behavior can cause new plagues，well then changes in human behavior may prevent them in the future.

Callie (f): Thank you so much for your enlightening lecture， Dr. Greger. It showed us the clear link between factory farming and diseases such as swine flu.

Grace (f): So，it's beginning to look like the vegan way of life is better not only for climate change but for preventing new diseases.

Callie (f): Yes，indeed， an organic vegan diet is the true solution for a sustainable planet.

Business owner Conference participant Jung Chan Wook (m): I think that my wife and I will have to put our heads together and have an in-depth discussion about our family health. Now，after I got educated and listened to many teachers here， I really have to be the first to put this into practice. I would like to recommend people around me to plan to have more vegetarian food than meat.

Student Conference participant Shin Hee-Yeon(f): Through this conference， I come to know that vegetarianism makes us healthier and live longer. I feel I should eat more vegetarian meals.

Conference participant Lee Yeon Gil(m): Global warming， and climate change， children's health - these are the problems humanity should think about. Governors，schools， offices of education， and citizens - they should have the same awareness as a whole. Politicians need to consider deeply in terms of policy to embrace these problems. The media needs to promote this problem more thoroughly and systematically. I'm on a plant-based diet right now，so my body is very light，and by putting that into action， I've found lots of good points. I'm suggesting to the people around me， to my family as much as possible to go in this direction.

You are watching Words of Wisdom Rebroadcast of Live Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai “Children's Health & Sustainable Planet” Jeju International Conference Jeju Island，S. Korea - September 21，2009

We have our next speaker， Mr. Lee Chang-Hong， who is the director of the EM Environment Center here in Jeju. He is also a pioneer in organic farming. Let's give a warm welcome to Mr. Lee.

Mr. Lee Chang-Hong (m) Good afternoon. I'm Lee Chang Hong from the EM Environmental Center. Agricultural methods produce food by altering the environment. Ancient farming was done on fertile deltas， making use of nature. Locally produced food was taken to the cities but no positive input was returned to the soil. This caused nutrient deficiencies in the soil and the land went through desertification while urban areas had problems with leftovers.

Therefore， chemical fertilizers were invented with the idea that something should be fed to the soil in order to prevent nutrient deficiencies. However，the use of fertilizers led to soil acidification，which increased harmful insects as a result. Then more pesticides were developed and the destruction of ecosystems accelerated. The safety issue of pesticides also arose as a problem. Recently，eco-friendly farming is on the rise as an alternative， but there are limitations due to its risks and low crop yield.

Today，I would like to talk about resource circulation eco-friendly farming， which can overcome the weaknesses that the above farming methods presented. This new farming method is in harmony with the ecosystem's cycles. Ecosystems circulate substances through complex interactions between living beings. For example，nutrients washed off from the mountains by rain eventually return to the mountains with the help of the interactions of diverse living beings. In other words， ecosystems help circulate resources from the lowest to the highest regions.

Likewise，the resources extracted from the land by agriculture should be returned to the land in order to maintain its productivity and restore the ecosystems. In this resource circulation process， microorganisms help living beings make use of various substances such as animal fecal material， plant remains，and rocks. Therefore， microorganisms catalyze the resource circulation.

First of all，they prevent organic matter from transforming into inorganic matter and help living beings reuse them. Secondly，they also neutralize or suppress harmful substances in the ecosystems so that all kinds of substances can be fed naturally to living beings. Thirdly，they suppress the multiplication of viruses that are harmful to animals and plants. As a result， microorganisms maintain and enhance healthy ecosystems.

For example， microorganisms help condition the natural environment where diverse living beings can inhabit different kinds of ecosystems such as foreshores，wetlands and polar regions. Microorganisms have always been supporting all ecosystems; however，human use of noxious substances disables their proper function in farmland and the urban environment. This is also the root cause of environmental problems.

Therefore， in order to solve current environmental problems， the approach of environmental science needs to change significantly. Now，I would like to present a new paradigm for eco-friendly farming based on a deeper understanding of ecosystems and the role of microorganisms. Existing eco-friendly farming does not use harmful substances; therefore，it operates from a passive point of view. Natural composts are used instead of chemical fertilizers and natural pesticides instead of chemical pesticides. “Natural” products are used instead of “chemical” products; however， the basic farming method is fundamentally the same.

The new resource circulation eco-friendly farming method restores ecosystems by boosting the circulation process. The goal is to restore the agricultural environment to the ecosystems' original condition， then the agricultural environment itself will neutralize pest activities. Therefore，without pesticides and fertilizers， the agricultural environment and crops will interact and develop in a natural ecosystem. The resource circulation eco-friendly farming method costs less， requires less labor and has increased productivity.

If the agricultural environment becomes a healthy ecosystem， pests will not be a problem. Harmful substances will be removed through the maturation of organic non-sustainable resources and we can break down large organic matter so that the plants can easily absorb them， then we will be able to achieve high crop yield. Generally speaking， if we try to have high crop yield， the grains are not healthy; and if we want to have healthy grains， then we have a lower crop yield. We have pests when we have a weak ecosystem and mineral deficiency.

However，we can have healthy crops and at the same time， have high crop yield. For example，if we use chemical fertilizers， plants consume lots of sugar and minerals such as phosphorous and potassium in order to transform nitrogen into amino acids. However，if plants absorb amino acids directly， they consume less minerals and accumulate more sugar. Therefore， the plants will be healthy because there is no shortage of minerals， and they will accumulate sugar and energy. That's why high yield crops are possible. This is nothing new but is something natural.

Resource recycling eco-friendly farming aims for the harmonious coexistence of humans with nature. We should begin with the proper understanding of the role of the invisible micro-organic ecosystem. It will allow for enough food production， which will handle hunger worldwide， and the production and distribution of safe farm produce will enhance the health of producers and consumers alike. Ultimately，it will provide a perfect solution to environmental problems by recovering the circulation within the ecosystem. Thank you.

Callie (f): Thank you for your courageous and loving work，Mr. Lee.

Grace (f): We need many more farmers like you who grow delicious and nutritious organic food for the benefit of the world. We now know that the organic vegan diet is the only way to halt climate change，but sometimes we parents are concerned about whether a vegan diet will keep our children healthy.

Callie (f): To respond to these concerns, three world renowned medical doctors have sent their valuable messages to this conference.

Grace (f): The first is from Dr. John McDougall， a pioneering medical doctor， bestselling author，and the esteemed founder of the McDougall Program. Dr. McDougall has helped thousands of people to overcome heart disease and other critical illnesses， all without medicine. Let's hear his message for our conference.

Dr. McDougall (m): Hallo，I am Dr. John McDougall. I want to thank you for the invitation and the opportunity to talk about something really important and that's children's health and children's diets. There is a diet that is correct for people. Human history probably tells that diet best. If you think about it，all large populations of successful people throughout all of recordable history have consumed diets based on starch. For example，in my part of the world，the diet of people several hundred or a thousand years ago was a diet based primarily on corn.

You remember the diet of Aztecs and Mayans? These were the people of the corn. And in South America, it was potatoes. In the Andes，people lived on potatoes，that's what the Incas consumed. And if you look further east， what you find is people in Europe and in the Middle East，they lived on diets of grain. Barley，wheat， other types of grain were the foods of these people. And then go far east to where you live， what has the diet of people been traditionally for thousands of years? It's been a diet primarily based on rice or sometimes buckwheat or sweet potatoes. Starch-based diets，that's what the human diet is， it's a diet based on starch with the addition of fruits and vegetables.

The animal foods that come into the diet， they are tolerated but not necessary. The best diet for kids and adults， that's a diet based on starch with the addition of fruits and vegetables. It does not include animal products. I can't think of a reason to add dairy products - cow's milk，cheese - to the diet of a person who wants to be healthy， trim and active. I can't think of a single reason to add any kind of animal food in terms of meat，like beef or pork or chicken or fish; it adds nothing to the diet that you can't get better from starches， vegetables or fruits. That's what the science says. That's what your experiences tell you and that's what you see when you look back historically.

We've gotten away from that，and that's because of business. But we can change back and we could do it for ourselves as well as for our children. Our children need a good start in life. So what I would encourage you to do， all of you listening， is to find out what the truth is and take action. Yes，these are the most important people in our lives，these little kids are， but they deserve our efforts to make sure we're doing the right thing， particularly when it comes to diet.

And you will discover， if you take the trouble， that the right diet for kids is a starch-based diet with fruits and vegetables， and they'll like it too. They already like these foods， they like simple foods， starch foods; they're comfort foods. So，let's make it a worldwide effort to makes changes that are important for everybody. Thank you for this opportunity. Be Veg, Go Green, and Save the Planet!

Callie (f): Thank you， Dr. McDougall for your time and dedication for public health.

Grace (f): Our next distinguished speaker is Dr. Neal Barnard， the founding president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine or PCRM，president of The Cancer Project and the Washington Center for Clinical Research， and an adjunct associate professor of medicine at George Washington University，USA. He is also a vegan. Let's now hear his specially prepared message.

Dr. Barnard (m): I want to say a big warm welcome to all the participants in today's conference. Children today have the advantage of having more foods available than ever before. We know more about nutrition than ever before. But unfortunately， sometimes what children actually eat is not as healthful as it should be, and that's because there are also more unhealthy foods available than ever before.

So we need to really help them. So what to eat? And what to avoid? The foods that are healthful for children， I think of them as being in 4 groups. We refer to these as the new 4 food groups: vegetables，fruits， whole grains， and the bean group. Or you might call it the legume group: beans，peas，and lentils. These 4 groups together provide plenty of protein， they provide plenty of calcium and iron，they are very rich in Vitamins and in minerals， and lots of healthy fiber.

They don't have any animal fat，they don't have cholesterol; they are a good recipe for good health. The most important thing， though，for children is not just to eat foods that keep them healthy while they are children， but it's to learn good health habits， good eating habits， that they can carry with them into adulthood. If children learn healthy eating right from the start， they carry a wonderful gift with them, and they are better able to take care of their own families when they're adults.

Well，I have to say some of the very foods that I grew up with are perhaps the most important things to set aside - meats，dairy products， eggs- these foods have cholesterol， they have animal fat, and these foods cause a lot of problems. First of all，these foods are linked to heart problems. If you could look inside the arteries of a typical American boy or girl， before they've finished high school，many of them have the beginnings of heart disease already. They're only 15 or 16 years of age， but because of all the meat，cheese， other dairy products and eggs they've been eating，unfortunately， their arteries are starting to get clogged. Over the long run，though， these same foods increase the risk of cancer， particularly breast cancer， prostate cancer， and colon cancer.

These things are much less likely to happen on people who are following totally plant-based diets. And what has the children themselves worried and their parents worried is that kids who eat a meaty diet tend to be heavier than other kids. Now，many well-meaning parents will say， “We want our children to drink milk or eat meat.” What they're thinking of is maybe this will help their kids to grow taller or to be stronger.

But I have to say researchers have looked at this very question. And the children who eat meat and dairy products are not any taller than other kids. What they are is wider than other kids - meaning they're more likely to be overweight. Researchers have looked at thousands of children and shown that those children who grow up on a totally vegan diet- meaning a diet with no animal products at all- they're just as tall and healthy as other kids. In fact，they're healthier, but they're more likely to stay in a good，healthy body weight.

In many countries throughout North America, South America, and particularly today throughout Asia, we're seeing an explosion in meat intake， in dairy consumption, and so that means more and more farms are springing up and the population overall is less healthy than it was when more healthful plant-based diets were the norm. If this trend continues， what we will see is not only more influenza outbreaks， we'll see more heart disease， much more cancer， and shorter life spans.

What this means really is a tragedy that people who wanted to live a long， healthy life，and to bring up their children to be able to live in as healthful a way as possible will never be able to realize that dream. And it's because we bought into foods that have lurking in them cholesterol，animal fat and other problems that really can exact a terrible price that nobody was counting on in advance. Let me also say a word for parents，teachers， other people who are involved in schools.

Schools have sometimes had trouble really serving the most healthful foods. Many of them have perhaps had a misimpression that they need to give children milk in school， or need to give them meat. Schools in the United States and some other places on the globe are now featuring healthy， completely vegan meals for children because they realize that when you don't provide the milk and the meat， kids do much better. They're healthier， they are less likely to come up with infections- I'm thinking about things like ear infections， asthma，and other problems - they are more likely to stay at a healthy weight， and they are less likely to fall asleep in the afternoon. I have to say when kids get a big， greasy，sugary meal， it's pretty hard for them to stay awake in the afternoon，it's hard for them to concentrate. And on the other hand， when children are fed the most healthful meals, they have the energy and the attention span to carry them all the way through the day.

So，in conclusion， when we think about our children，they are our most precious resource. And，unfortunately， the pressures on parents， on teachers，and on the kids themselves are more intense than they've ever been. There are more and more businesses out there trying to sell unhealthy food，and we can understand why that is. But to the extent that we can put healthy foods on children's plates. If we can have policies in our government， if we can have practices in our schools that every child，no matter how disadvantaged， has the ability to have a healthful meal， every single meal， every single day， we are going to be investing in the health of the next generation. I thank you so much for helping us all to do that. And I hope you enjoy the rest of the conference.. Thank you very much

Callie (f): Thank you， Dr. Neal Barnard.

Grace (f): Our next esteemed guest speaker is Dr. Joel Fuhrman. He is called the “doctor of doctors” in the USA，and his long-term best-selling books “Eat to Live,” “Fasting and Eating for Health,” and “Disease Proof Your Child” are very popular here in Korea. He has influenced many nutritional studies， as well as the vegetarian movement in Korea.

Callie (f): When we invited Dr. Fuhrman to speak，he said he was very happy to connect with the Korean people. Let's now hear from Dr. Joel Fuhrman.

Dr. Fuhrman(m): Greetings to the beautiful Jeju Island and the honorable governor and officials， the honorable guest Supreme Master Ching Hai，the representative NGOs, parents，teachers， students，and other participants. I'm so happy to be here. I'd like to talk to you today about what an impact nutritional excellence can make for you and people around the world. We can win the war against disease， we can have healthier nations and a healthier South Korea.

Right now we are spreading American fast food companies， and processed foods are spreading all over the world and people are becoming more overweight，more obese， having more heart attacks， more diabetes， more strokes， and even more cancer. The good news is that nutritional science has advanced to the point where we can have people not have heart attacks; we can win the war against cancer; we can stop people from having strokes; and as they become more elderly， they don't have to become demented in their later years; and in healthy populations with low medical costs，with a dramatically more successful and happier population without the fear of these diseases.

And what we've learned， the secrets that we've learnt to protect ourselves have to do with nutrients. And there are two types of nutrients. There are macro nutrients， and macronutrients contain calories and those are called fat， carbohydrate and protein. And if you eat too many macronutrients- too much fat， too much carbohydrate， and too much protein- we can become overweight and we can promote Aging and promote heart attacks and strokes. Now，food also contains micronutrients and micronutrients do not contain calories. They are things like vitamins and minerals and phytochemicals.

About 80 years ago， in 1930，scientists first discovered 14 vitamins and about 20 different minerals. And everybody said, “Wow，this is great， we could help people live longer and help people be much healthier.” And what happened between 1935 and 2005 is that heart attack rates went up all over the world， stroke rates went up and cancer rates went up every single year for 70 years straight. We didn't realize until about 15 years ago that the third type of micronutrients called phytochemicals were missing. Because the third type of micronutrients called phytochemicals are not found in processed foods and they are not found in animal products， but they are found in fruits and vegetables.

So，when we thought that we could take processed foods and add a few vitamins and minerals to it or take a vitamin supplement and think we're getting enough, we were mistaken. Because now we know that every tomato has a thousand different nutrients in it! Every head of cabbage， every piece of lettuce， every cucumber，every bean or berry or sprout has hundreds，even thousands nutrients that are so important to protect our precious health. 

So，if we sum up what we've learned in the last 15 years in the field of nutritional science, we've realized that we have to eat a diet that's very high in nutrients， very high in micronutrients including not just the ones we discovered 70 years ago but all the new nutrients that we're discovering - all the new findings, that full symphony of nutrients we're finding that exists in natural fruits and vegetables， beans，nuts and seeds.

So the first thing I'm saying here， I'm making the point that as a nation, countries all over the world have made tremendous mistakes as far as protecting the health of their population. The mistake we made is we thought that we could eat anything- we could eat white flour， we could eat bread， we could eat pasta， we could eat sugar, we could drink soda all day! It doesn't have to be high in micronutrients and then we can just take a vitamin pill and be okay. What we found out: it doesn't work! We actually have to eat real food.

Now，here is where I feel that the people of Jeju and the people of South Korea have a unique opportunity in human history. You have a blessing available to you with a climate to grow healthy foods and farmers that grow fresh fruits and vegetables， and a homeland that has availability of peppers and tomatoes and cabbage and lettuce and sesame seeds- you have the availability to eat super foods. And these super foods could protect us against chronic degenerative and dangerous diseases， preventing medical tragedies.

So you have to really eat these foods, so let's talk about this for a minute. Because we are saying here is that we have to eat a diet high in nutrients and low in calories, so the first thing I'm saying to you is that animal products- like chicken and meat， and fish and eggs- should not be the major portion of a diet. A healthy diet has to be plant-based. Most of what we eat has to get these phytochemicals from natural plant foods. So，pasta，white bread， and white rice do not have in them, the phytochemicals and antioxidants.

In those foods there is no significant amount of vitamin E and vitamin K，and folate and bioflavonoids， and lignans and plant sterols，and all these phytochemicals， and all the carotenoids that protect against disease. In other words, what I'm saying is that processed foods, drinking soda，having sugar，having white rice， and pasta and white bread are not high nutrient foods. Those are not going to be the foods to protect your precious health because they are not rich in micronutrients. And likewise， animal products like chicken and meat also do not have the same nutrients.

They are also missing the vitamin E，vitamin K， the folate，the bioflavonoids, the lignans， the phytochemicals, the carotenoids- the same nutrients that processed foods are missing. Worldwide we're seeing populations get most of their calories from processed foods and animal products, and they are not eating fruits and vegetables. Then what are they missing? Of course， they are missing those antioxidants and the phytochemicals that are present in plant foods.

And instead of going to doctors and getting pills to take to lower your blood pressure， and instead of taking medication to take away chest pains and then having surgeries on people's hearts or procedures to make the blood to flow better, those do not make people live longer. The most powerful intervention，the most powerful medicine is what you can do in your own home， in your own kitchens， in your own gardens, and what you can do with your own life to protect your precious health. It's not what doctors can do for you with medications and surgeries.

What I'm saying today is that we all are in this together, if we all eat a diet which we call a plant-based high nutrient diet. We look to eat more of the foods that are highest in nutrients. And the foods that are highest in nutrients， including these micronutrients I'm talking about， are green vegetables. Green vegetables win the awards because they have more nutrients per calorie than any other food. In other words， an animal product， like a piece of chicken or a piece of meat， is not high in nutrients per calorie. It gives you lots of calories but not lots of micro nutrients.

Now，take a piece of broccoli or some cabbage or kale，that's also is high in protein， because don't forget green vegetables are high in protein. That's how come gorillas， hippopotamus, rhinoceros，elephants， giraffes get so big - because they eat green vegetables， eat a lot of protein. And green vegetables are high in protein. But here you have the protein packaged with lots of micronutrients- with the phytochemicals， with the antioxidants， with the things that make the body age slower. And we keep our youthfulness，our vigor and our good health until later years.  And if we look at the healthiest people around the whole world and the pockets of civilization where people live the longest，it's always the people that eat the most vegetables live the longest. Let's touch on certain types of foods we want to include in our diet for optimal health.

Number one is beans. Beans，like，kidney beans， navy beans，lentils， split peas. Beans have something in them called resistant starch and resistant starch doesn't raise the glucose level. It's broken down by bacteria in the colon and the bacteria in the colon change the resistant starch into short chain fatty acids and those fatty acids protect us against colon cancer. Beans promote weight loss, they give us energy, they are high in protein， and they protect us against cancer. And they are linked in the scientific studies to the enhancement of longevity in elderly people.

Number two: green vegetables. To be on a healthy diet we have to eat some raw vegetables and some cooked vegetables. We have to eat green vegetables: lettuce， salad，cucumbers，cabbage， the broccoli family. All those green vegetables have specific compounds that have been shown to protect against breast cancer，prostate cancer， colon cancer and， of course，heart attacks and strokes. They are longevity producing foods. If we mix the greens and the beans now with nuts and seeds- almonds，cashews， sesame seeds， sunflower seeds- they have almost magical super-foods， protective compounds that prevent against cardiac arrhythmias- irregular heart beats. They lower your cholesterol， they make people live longer, they prevent sudden cardiac death, they stabilize the brain.

And the healthy fats in seeds in seeds and nuts increase the absorption of nutrients from the vegetables and the beans. They also make the protein very complete. So it's not about just eating less fat. It's about eating more of the whole food， healthy fats from nuts and seeds. Now，nuts and seeds contain a special compound called plant sterols. And these sterols have been shown to lower cholesterol levels and protect against heart attacks; but they also have a dramatic effect to protect against cancer as well.

What I do is we take some sesame seeds and maybe we'll mix it with an orange and make a dressing or a dip to put on the salad，right? Or we'll throw some seeds and nuts with some tomato sauce and we'll make some kind of dressing or a sauce. In other words， using nuts and seeds as part of your dressings and dips is a very important part of excellent nutrition.

Last，fresh fruit- like oranges and berries and kiwis- also contains various compounds，phenols and anthocyanins， special compounds that protect against various cancers and are important for good health. And lastly， of course，whole grains，like sorghum，wild rice， brown rice. Whole grain rices, whole oats， whole barley - Think“whole grains,” not processed white flour， not white rice and white flour，but using more whole grains.

So we know now that the more vegetables and fruits and beans and nuts and seeds eaten， the longer people live and the lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes and cancers. Now，in addition to preventing these chronic diseases later on in life，it also can help people have better function in school- more attention，more alertness- more protection against diseases like influenza，like the flu.

When we have the right kind of nutrients in our body，we're not going to get sick as often. We have to appeal to our governors and our government， our educators， and our teachers， and our farmers. We have to all work together as a team to bring healthy food into the schools，to bring healthy plant foods into our homes. We're not talking about adding a little bit of fruits and vegetables to your present diet. We're talking about making fruits and vegetables the major portion of your diet and then we'll have a healthy nation and then we'll have a healthy population to live a long life， free of medical tragedies.

To conclude，on the beautiful Jeju Island and many other fertile areas of South Korea， we have a unique opportunity in human history. This is a blessing. We have science and information that can enable us to live better， and to live healthier and to live longer than ever before in human history. Let's take advantage of the natural bounty of the land and have one of the healthiest places in the whole world.

Callie (f): Thank you. Thank you，Dr. Fuhrman.

Conference participant Jang Eun Sook (f): Today I have really realized the fact that the vegetarian movement is one of the best ways to save our Earth， so I will be actively participating in this. Chamgyoyook Parents Association is also very interested in health, so I will inform many students' parents of this through the Chamgyoyook Parents Association.

Jung Chang-YongConference participant I'm glad that I attended. I will discuss this with my wife. We'll put an emphasis on the vegetarian diet and follow through with it.

Jung Hyun-GyuHigh school studentKorean Youth Climate Change Ambassador Jung: Through this conference， I realized and understood the detrimental impact that meat has on climate change. So this conference was a good opportunity for me to become a vegetarian.

Senator Andrew Bartlett; Former Senator of Queensland，Australia: It's much easier to think it's all the fault of coal miners or a power station a long way away，we can all focus the blame somewhere else and just say，“Governments got to make the change over there.” Rather than think about， “Oh well actually， we've got to make some change ourselves.” We've got to reduce the amount of animal products we consume. And we can do it now. We don't have to wait for government to do anything.

Senator John Kerry; Massachusetts，USA，2004 presidential candidate; Regular citizens can do all kinds of things. Just make smart choices about the kinds of products that they buy.

Mayor Cory Booker; Newark，New Jersey，USA: Fresh fruits and vegetables, organic food，and we believe that if people are given an abundance of healthy choices，they will make the right choice.

You are watching Words of Wisdom Rebroadcast of Live Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai 『Children's Health & Sustainable Planet』 Jeju International Conference Jeju Island，S. Korea - September ２１，２００９

Callie (f): This evening， we are very honored to have Korea's very own esteemed doctor， Dr. Hwang Seong-Soo， a neurosurgery specialist at Daegu Medical Center. He is famous in Korea for curing many serious diseases with food rather than medicine. And through his own shining example，he has inspired countless people to switch to a plant-based diet. Please give him a warm welcome.

Dr. Hwang Seong-Soo (m): I am going to explain to you why meat， fish，eggs，and milk are harmful not only to adults but also to children. In addition，I would like to explain briefly how children can grow up much healthierand disease-free by eating just unprocessed grains， like brown rice and fruit and vegetables. There are many diseases that children can suffer from. Not only adults but also many children suffer from atopy， asthma，as well as rhinitis.

In the past， we had a term for these called『adult disease.』 The term『adult disease』 was used because we thought those diseases developed only as we grew older， whereas we did not get those diseases when we were younger. Therefore，we used to think that age was the critical factor. That's why we called it 『adult disease.』 However，we discovered that lifestyle or diet is more important than age.

Therefore，we decided to change the term from『adult disease』 to『lifestyle disease.』 When we hear 『lifestyle disease』 instead of 『adult disease，』 we intuitively know what we have to do if we want to avoid these diseases. We will take a look at some of the diseases that are caused by bad lifestyles. The food that causes bad dietary habits is animal-based food. Meat，fish，eggs，milk， processed plant-based foods，and also excessively cooked plant-based foods result in habitual diseases due to diet.

The main ingredients of the animal-based food are protein and fat. The protein is the main cause of atopy， asthma，allergic rhinitis and osteoporosis. In addition，the fat in the animal-based food causes obesity， hyperpiesia，diabetes，high blood pressure， angina pectoris， cardiovascular disease (like myocardial infarction) and dementia， various cancers，and especially breast cancer， colon cancer， and prostate cancer. Animal-based food is the main cause of these diseases. As you already know， animal-based foods consist of mainly protein and fat.

There is one good food that we can compare against animal-based foods - and that is unprocessed rice. I usually say unprocessed rice is a perfect nutrient food. As you already know， unprocessed rice has a relatively low amount of protein， only about ８％ of total calories. In contrast， the protein in animal-based foods makes up more than about ５０％ of total calories. Nowadays，parents are obsessed by the idea that their children should eat meat，fish，eggs， and milk; they feed these to them as much as possible. The conception that a lot of protein is needed for growing children is wrong. Due to this wrong conception，we are causing our children to be afflicted with diseases which are avoidable.

Protein has its own properties which we need to understand well. Protein does not get wasted. Therefore， we only need to take a very small amount. Another property of protein is that it cannot be stored within the body. Therefore，we have to take a little bit at a time. However，it does not mean that we should eat small amounts of meat， fish，eggs or milk at a time. What I'm saying is the protein inside grains， vegetables and fruits is more than enough for us. You may want to know how little protein we need at a time.

We need just very small amounts of protein which we can obtain without eating any meat， fish，eggs，or milk at all. Grains，vegetables，and fruits are known to have adequate amounts of protein; we will have sufficient protein by eating just grains， vegetables，and fruits. It is believed that protein deficiency is more harmful to children in the growing stage than it is to adults. However，even children in the growing stage require only a very small amount of protein. Instead，they stay healthier without meat， fish，eggs，and milk. It is because they need only a small amount of protein. We can realize why we need just a very small amount of protein if we look at the growth curve of the human being.

Secondly，there are many people who do not take any meat，fish， eggs，or milk. These people do not suffer from diseases，and they are even healthier. Therefore，we can realize intuitively that we need only a small amount of protein. According to the human growth curve， the rate of weight gain fluctuates. Therefore，weight gain increases rapidly during one stage，and then it will stop in another stage， and then it will start to increase again afterwards. We can see rapid weight gain in a baby from birth till １２ months of age.

Then，weight gain slows down after the baby reaches ２ years of age and it remains slow till puberty. We can see the second rapid gain during puberty. Then growth stops in adulthood. And then， in old age，we can see weight tends to decrease. So，you may already notice that we need more protein when we are in those rapid growth stages. During the stage where weight increases the most， the weight of a newborn baby triples in １２ months. The height increases by ５０％. Therefore，within this １２ month period， the baby grows almost explosively.

Thus，although only the mother's milk is fed to the baby for the first １２ months， the baby's weight triples and grows taller by about ５０％. If the weight of adults tripled，it would be a huge problem. The amount of protein in the mother's milk is only about ７％ of the total calories. Therefore，we can see that weight can be tripled in １２ months with only ７％ protein. So，we can draw the conclusion that during subsequent stages， people of all ages need less than ７％ protein.

It is said that animal-based food is a high protein food， but I would say that it is an excessive protein food. Therefore，we have to change the term into something that has the meaning of `harmful'， because animal foods have excessive protein. As I've explained earlier， the amount of protein in mother's milk is only about ７％. This amount alone is enough to triple the child's weight. Brown rice has ８％ protein，which is more than mother's milk.

It means that eating brown rice alone provides enough protein to grow three times heavier within a year. Regarding the quality of protein，people say that the quality of animal-based protein is better than that of plant-based protein. However， that is inaccurate. The human body is different from that of animals. Therefore，there is no reason for humans to consume the protein in animals' bodies.

Protein always co-exists with fat; we should remember that we end up eating a lot of fat when we eat a lot of protein from meat. Some of you may think having lean meat which has lower fat will avoid excessive intake of fat. The amount of protein in lean meat… red meat from beef has almost ２７ ％ fat. That is really huge. Many people think that chicken breasts have the lowest fat， but the amount of fat in chicken breasts is tremendous; it's almost ３０％！ This is something you should really take note of.

Animal fat causes arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis means the arteries become narrower，thicker， and stiffer. Let's take a look at the picture. The one at the top is a normal artery. The inside of the artery is very wide and very smooth. It enables blood，which is thicker than water，to go through smoothly. However，when blood has a high percentage of cholesterol and triglycerides，oil will clog the blood vessels. The blood vessels will become narrower and narrower and then be completely blocked in the end.

We often hear that fish oil is good for our health. Even those who know that meat，fish，eggs，milk are harmful to our health may not understand why fish oil is not good for our health. Therefore，for those who wonder why fish oil is not good for our health， I will explain briefly. The omega-３ fatty acid in fish oil is one kind of unsaturated fatty acid. It makes up only a fraction of a fish's body composition. The large remaining part of the fish is protein.

In addition， there's a high concentration of cholesterol and triglycerides that cause arteriosclerosis and narrow the blood vessels. Let's look at the picture. For fish oil， the largest component is protein， with fat making up ８％ of the total. Only some of the fat is unsaturated， the rest of the fat triggers arteriosclerosis. If we eat fish，it's more harmful than beneficial to us.

Animal foods do not have fiber. Fiber plays a very important role in our body. Fiber helps prevent many diseases from which people suffer such as constipation， obesity，colon cancer， diabetes，and high blood pressure， diseases that torment people. Meat，fish，eggs， and milk do not have any fiber in them. There's nothing to be fearful about not eating any meat， fish，eggs，and milk. Instead，you will recover from diseases.

We can prevent diseases as well. Quality of life will be improved and life expectancy will rise. Not having any animal-based foods means eating only plant-based foods. Although we have only plant-based food， we won't lack in protein. We won't have anemia. We won't lack stamina. We won't get sick and become skinny. We won't have osteoporosis because we did not drink milk.

On the contrary，a plant-based diet cures diseases. It lowers blood pressure. It cures diabetes. It helps us lose unnecessary weight. It purifies the blood. It cures constipation. It makes bones strong. Plant-based foods are very safe foods. They contain only the substances that our body needs and in the right amounts， neither too much nor too little. In plant-based foods，we have the right nutrients in the right amounts. If we eat only plant-based food，it will help prevent diseases， prevent aging，and enhance the quality and longevity of life. Thank you.

Callie (f): Thank you，thank you， Dr. Hwang. We are all proud of you for the work you are doing.

Grace (f): And now， ladies and gentlemen， now comes the moment that many of us have been waiting for. We are very excited to introduce our outstanding，wise， caring，engaging and charming guest of honor， the Supreme Master Ching Hai. Supreme Master Ching Hai is a world-renowned spiritual teacher， humanitarian，artist，and author of international bestselling books. Even before climate change became a critical issue， and long before meat production was identified as the primary cause of climate change and new diseases， she began active worldwide campaigns to encourage people to switch to a plant-based diet to save the planet and all the lives on the planet. Through these worldwide efforts， people around the world are realizing that we don't have much time left and a vegan diet is the key solution.

Callie (f): Supreme Master Ching Hai has also joined numerous conferences on climate change， working with scientists， politicians，journalists， and the public to discuss the most efficient solutions.

Grace (f): Supreme Master Ching Hai not only cautions people about climate change disasters， but she also actively assists the victims. Wherever there is a disaster，be it in Honduras，Greece，or India，her help arrives. Callie，did you know that when Typhoon Nari hit this very Island of Jeju two years ago， she immediately sent a relief team to bring supplies and assistance to relieve the suffering of the Jeju residents？

Callie (f): Yes，I also heard about it， and we are very grateful to Supreme Master Ching Hai for helping Jeju， along with numerous regions around the world.

Grace (f): We are extremely grateful to have Supreme Master Ching Hai join us for the conference. Ladies and gentleman， let's welcome Supreme Master Ching Hai with warm applause！

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Thank you. Hallo. Hallo. Callie (f): Hallo.

Grace (f): I see you're wearing a gorgeous purple cover there this evening. What do you say， does she look beautiful tonight？

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Thank you，thank you！It's not real fur. Callie (f): It's fake fur.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: It's my design for people to look beautiful without having to harm the animals. Callie (f): We love it. (Yes.)

Grace (f): And the emblem on your dress tonight is: Go Green... Be Veg…

Supreme Master Ching Hai: I have something better inside. Grace (f): Yes.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Yes. Be Veg， Go Green， Save the Planet. Thank you. We don't have to wear fur. We don't have to hurt the animals to look beautiful. We are beautiful already because we are from the Divine in any way. Nice to meet you.

Grace (f): Supreme Master Ching Hai， today we are discussing about children's health and a sustainable planet. We have representatives of many NGOs who are organizing this conference， as well as politicians， teachers，students， and religious leaders who are here with us. Before we begin the question and answer session，would you please share with us your message about climate change and children？

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Gladly，gladly. First of all，I wish to say: Hallo，Jeju！Beautiful island， beautiful people of Jeju， best wishes to you. God bless you. I have been very impressed and inspired by all these great speeches from all the great people the world over that you have taken the effort to invite them to your meaningful， great conference in Jeju. I was so impressed by their speech， by their sincerity， and by their and your dedication to this urgent and noble cause on our planetary crucial time. I thank you all and warm greetings to the honorable governor， the distinguished leaders， media members， guest speakers， concerned teachers， students and the children and other audience members. Thank you for your precious time and concern in coming to this important event today.

It's like a whole village or small world has gathered here together to talk about two of the most cherished gifts ever - that is our precious children and treasured planet Earth. I had heard that Jeju Island is like a paradise. I've been invited many times; regretfully， I have not been there. And as I was sitting here listening to all the speeches，I had such a strong desire to go to visit Jeju as a tourist. And I was asking my assistant here， 『How long it takes to go to Jeju？ How warm is it right now over there？』 etc.，etc.

We have just been exchanging notes and I'm sure if I go there today or another day I would absolutely enjoy the company of your people， and the fresh air and the unique landscape， and the tall mountain and sparkling sea that your island possesses， and the warm people of Korea that I had many times the honor to experience. I love Korea. I love Korean people. I truly do. Such a place as Jeju Island and，indeed， the entire globe we must do our best to save for our own sake and the future of the children. We already have the wisdom and Heaven's grace to overcome these challenges; we may just need to remind ourselves of the best steps to take. I wish everyone participating today a lot，a lot of inspiration and a lot，a lot of courage to change through meaningful experience in this direction. Thank you.

Grace (f): Thank you for your insightful speech， Supreme Master Ching Hai. That was beautiful. Grace (f): We will now start our question-and-answer session. We are honored to have Supreme Master Ching Hai participate in this session. This will be a very interesting and informative time for all of us and all the viewers around the world watching through １４ satellite platforms and IPTV and the internet.

Callie (f): Representatives from Jeju Province have prepared some questions about climate change and children， which will be answered either by Supreme Master Ching Hai， our guest panelists， or other world renowned experts.

Grace (f): Let's begin with the first question. This question is for Supreme Master Ching Hai.

Callie (f): Our first question is from Jung Hyun-Gyu. Jung Hyun-Gyu is a very courageous and intelligent student of Jeju. He is a １st year student of Seogwipo High School and also a Korean Youth Climate Change Ambassador.

Mr. Jung Hyun-Gyu (m): In the summer two years ago，I had the opportunity to visit the North Pole research stations located in Ny-Alesund under Norway's territory as a Youth Climate Ambassador of South Korea and was able to directly witness the rapid climate change occuring at the North Pole. The moment I stepped on the land at the North Pole， I felt it was warmer than expected. I was afraid the ecosystem at the North Pole was changing. At that moment I thought of Jeju where I live.

Although the situation was different， I took it seriously that life in Jeju would change when the temperature rises and vegetation changes. We took a boat to the sea and saw countless floating pieces of ice coming off the ice ridge. We were also able to see some parts of the sea where it was red instead of blue because the soil and melted ice flowed together into the sea through narrow gaps formed when the glacier was melting. An ice ridge which had existed in the summer a year ago melted and retreated over １００ meters back.

While exploring the North Pole，I heard the shocking news that two or three days after my Bangladesh colleague returned home，the worst unprecedented rainfall befell his country， causing floods and casualties. I thought it must have been the consequence of global warming. Please everyone，help preserve the North Pole which has many natural advantages， and the beautiful nature of Jeju Island，and natural environments all around the world. It would be a great pity if we cannot live on the planet anymore. Before it is too late， please help so that we can grow up and realize our dreams here.

On behalf of all children， I appeal to every adult and everyone who watches this program to help make this world a place where we can live. We，youths， do not have much time to work for this because we are busy catching up with our school curriculum. However，the situation is so urgent that we feel strongly that we should do something，too. Therefore，I would like to ask Supreme Master Ching Hai's advice on what we，the youths， should do in order to save the Earth.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Hallo，Hyun-Gyu. How are you？ First of all，I am very impressed by your concern as a youth climate ambassador of your country and of your concerning heart for our shared planet. You are such a good-looking，smart， and full of energy boy who helps the world even though you are so busy with your school work. I only wish there are more people like you who realize that the planet's situation is more urgent than anything else right now.

Any good idea from me for youths？ Yes，you have heard many good ideas from our great panelists， our great speakers， before me. And please，just put them into action. You can copy these ideas from those experts - from the scientists， from the elderly - and then distribute them to your peers， your friends at school or around you. We have other things for you.

As you saw for yourself how quickly the North Pole is melting - it's at least twice as fast as the rest of the globe. As I'm sure you already knew， they call the Arctic ice the refrigerator of the planet，and without it， there will be more droughts and floods in other，even，faraway parts of the world. The news reported that just this month in September， UN Secretary-General， Mr. Ban Ki-moon， your countryman，he had visited the Arctic region himself in Norway because he is concerned. Surely he also saw the thin and crumbling icebergs， felt the milder air， and maybe even noticed there are fewer wild animals than there should be.

Mr. Ban also visited the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. It's like a Noah's Ark where they are storing all the seeds from all the food crops from around the world - because the climate change is so serious that the governments and scientists know there might not be enough basic food even. So they store them there in case for emergency use. And，according to the news as well，after his visit the UN Secretary-General， Mr. Ban Ki-moon， then urged world leaders to『take action immediately』 to save the planet. Hyun-Gyu，we don't have to be a world leader to take immediate and very helpful， very powerful action.

All you have to do is become a vegan and encourage others to be vegan as well. The world's leading climate scientists told us in television interviews that being vegetarian - meaning no animal products - is the single most effective thing an individual can do to stop global warming. Because to raise cows and pigs and other animals takes up a lot，a lot，a lot of fossil fuel energy - to feed them， to transport them， to grow food for them. And we also have to cut down a lot of the rainforest，which is very detrimental to our stabilization of the planet. And the animals and their waste also produce very potent greenhouse gases， like methane and nitrous oxide， even other toxic gases. Methane is up to １００ times more potent than carbon dioxide. And nitrous oxide is ３００ times more potent than carbon dioxide.

And I will share with you a very important，very new scientific finding that just a few people in the world know so far， but it is about to be made public，I think in October. That is， respected scientists recalculated and found that the meat industry is actually producing more than ５０％ of global greenhouse gas emissions. Meat is the number one cause of global warming. So，the number one solution is to stop producing it. Logical，yes？ So，we all have to be vegan. That is what the science is clearly telling us right now. Even though the government leaders or the media have not fully caught up with it yet， we can already begin to do it，to take action to stop the number one cause of global warming - by simply being vegan.

Finally，I would like to share with you one more thing about the vegan solution to climate change. That is， from my own insight， I know that if the world's people become vegan， more beneficial results will happen， besides just halting the global warming. One of the results is that the ice in the Arctic will be restored，and quickly， along with the repairing of nature in every corner of the planet， including your home， the green Jeju Island. Isn't that wonderful？ This is the truth that I could promise you， but we all must act fast， Like yesterday.

My suggestion is very easy to do in your busy and productive life， that is vegetarianism or veganism - veganism meaning， no animal products in our lifestyle whatsoever. It's a complete， benevolent， compassionate， humane lifestyle. And it is the single most effective thing an individual can do. That is what NASA climate scientist Dr. James Hansen said， and others as well. Thank you，Hyun-Gyu， for asking this important question. I hope all the youth in Korea and in the world will take this vital action. All the best wishes to you and your generation's bright future！

Grace (f): Thank you， thank you Supreme Master Ching Hai for your answer， reminding us that children can help save our planet through their noble actions.

Kim So-Yeon Elementary school teacher We prefer soy-based food over meat，of course. I have children， so for their sake I will choose the healthier food option.

Moon Woo-Ho High school student Originally，I wasn't that much interested in environmental problems and I preferred meat over the vegetarian diet. But through today's conference， I think that I should switch to a plant-based dietary lifestyle. We should not only think about humans but also consider the animals.

Conference participant I have a more solid understanding about the meat diet's harmful impact on planetary health.

Yang Seong-Eon Superintendent，Jeju Special Self-Governing Office of Education Yang Seong Eon(m): What impressed me the most was the fact that when we reduce meat consumption， we'll enhance the state of the environment. So in the future， we'll put an emphasis on this in our curriculum. And we're planning on organizing a seminar or a forum where dietitians，children and parents come together and discuss the best dietary choice that is beneficial to our health and can save the world.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Some scientists are now saying that without more ambitious， courageous，and unprecedented emission stopping goals， then what many nations currently have in place， our globe will soon exceed a two-degree temperature increase， which means disaster for life on Earth.

VOICE: Join us on Supreme Master Television on Tuesday， November １０，for part ８ of the rebroadcast of the videoconference 『Children's Health & Sustainable Planet - Jeju International Conference』 on Words of Wisdom.

Tune in to Supreme Master Television today for the rebroadcast of the live videoconference 『Children's Health & Sustainable Planet - Jeju International Conference』 with Guest of Honor， Supreme Master Ching Hai， on Words of Wisdom.

You are watching Words of Wisdom Rebroadcast of Live Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai 『Children's Health & Sustainable Planet』 Jeju International Conference Jeju Island，S. Korea - September ２１，２００９

Grace (f): This next question is also for Supreme Master Ching Hai. The question comes from Ms. Oh Ok-Man. She is a member of the Jeju Provincial Assembly and Secretary of the Self-Administration Committee.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Hallo，Ms. Oh.

Ms. Oh Ok-Man (f): Hallo. As a model province of climate change，Jeju Special Self-Governing Province is implementing pioneering policies to cope with climate change. We made a database of greenhouse gas emissions of Jeju Province - monitoring changes to the forest， underground water，and the ocean ecosystem; we are expanding new sustainable energy such as wind power， solar energy，and bioenergy; and we are reducing fossil energy， thus enabling a carbon-free island.

Supreme Master Ching Hai， I know you've discussed a lot with global climate change experts， politicians，NGOs and are working actively in this area. What do you think about our policies and the direction we are taking in Jeju where the influence of climate change is fast appearing and ＷＨＯse people are very concerned？ Could you share with us any supplementary information or ideas that we can refer to？

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Hallo，Assembly Member Ms. Oh. How are you？ Certainly，I will try to comply with your request. If you allow me，there is something important to consider. First of all，I am glad to hear that Jeju's government leaders， including yourself， are very，very passionate about halting climate change. The autonomy of the Jeju government and the proactive，pioneering spirit of your people is laudable.

Perhaps it's because you call yourselves 『pristine Jeju province』 that you put pride and love in your home's natural beauty， so you want to preserve and cherish it more. Jeju is blessed with an abundance of sunshine and wind， so I'm glad you have been expanding your sustainable energies， like wind and solar power. This is going in the right direction， bravo and bravo. And I personally humbly encourage you and your fellow citizens to continue in this way.

But，if I may point out， if the goal is to be a truly carbon-free society， we should consider all the major sources of greenhouse gases emissions. You see， we are emitting greenhouse gases not just through the fumes from factories，houses， and cars，but also through the products that we choose to consume. Besides，ＣＯ２ is cancelled out by aerosols， which are released at the same time from burning fossil fuels.

So，it means that even though we have ＣＯ２, the ＣＯ２ also has been cancelled out by the aerosols at the same time. Even though aerosols are very detrimental to our health，they actually have a cooling effect that cancels out the ＣＯ２ heat in the atmosphere. So up to now，the climate warming heat is not from ＣＯ２ - is not from ＣＯ２. The warming climate problem is not from ＣＯ２， is not from carbon dioxide.

I repeat，it's not from carbon dioxide. It is from other sources， mainly methane. As I told our student friend earlier， at least ５０％ of total greenhouse gas emissions are coming from animal meat and dairy product. And it's not I ＷＨＯ said this; it's all proven， researched，confirmed and published by the top scientists of the ＷＨＯle world. You're going to read it soon in October. If we only focus on the green energies，like solar panel, wind power， etc.，it won't have much of an effect， I'm so sorry to say. I have to tell you the truth because this is also my planet.

Your island could be my residence at any time in the future. I might love your island， I might want to go there. So，I want to protect your island，I want to protect my planet， so I have to tell you everything，although I might offend somebody or I might not be very popular for doing this， but I have to tell you the truth because green energy is not an urgent task for us to handle right now.

Because green energy only tackles the effect of， maybe aerosol or ＣＯ２， which is not the urgent issue of global warming， the producer. The global warming effect comes from raising livestock， from animals. So if we continue on the green energy， then we don't have much of an effect to stop global warming. Because their effectiveness will be cancelled out by the large amounts of greenhouse gases that we generate by consuming meat， and the meat industry. Besides the livestock methane that is responsible for a portion of ５０％ of greenhouse gas emissions —but ５０％ is still a low estimate; I would say ８０％ - there is also the burning of forests to make pasture land， to grow food for the animals， and making the chemical fertilizer and pollution to grow the feed，the transportation involved， the constant refrigeration involved，etc.，etc.

And all the medical effects， all the costs of the sickness of the people - billions，trillions of dollars goes into the treatment of the people for meat-related diseases. And it's not always even effective， it doesn't always even cure people permanently or perfectly even. Even we spend so much money and people have to go through so much suffering， the diseases are not always completely cured， or in many cases， not at all. So people suffer，people die for nothing also， because of the meat diet. So，to produce the meat for consumption， it costs us too much: it costs sorrow， it costs suffering，it costs trillions of dollars.

All these add up to many more times greenhouse gas emissions than all the world's transportation combined， and apparently， more than all the heavy industries and fossil fuel power stations combined even. Please refer to www.SupremeMasterTV.com for more detailed reports on this and many other concerned matters. So，in order to call ourselves a low-carbon or carbon-free society， we must eliminate our meat consumption because that is the number one cause， we could say that is the only cause for our climate change - that is， our meat consumption.

This is in line with the recommendation of the world's leading climate experts， like the Chair of the IPCC，Dr. Pachauri， ＷＨＯ is a vegetarian himself for the environment's sake. In fact，if we focus on shifting people to be vegetarian or vegan， it will save us much more money than green technology， and of course it's much more effective. And I urge you， the government leaders， because our time is running out，we have to act on this now. Please explain to your co-citizens this important truth and tell them we must work together to become animal-free consumers.

We have a very short time to save our planet. We have a great planet to save. We have a great precious treasure - that is， our children - to save. And besides， the government and the people have nothing to lose by being vegan. For the environment， the absence of livestock will bring about much less pollution and less waste of water and food resources. For the citizens，there are perfectly nutritious， delicious alternatives to animal products nowadays. And，as we heard in the doctors' lectures， the vegan diet is also the best for our children. It's a win-win solution as stated by Dr. Pachauri， and necessary to save the planet. Please，please，I ask Jeju， don't just be a model province， but be a one true，heroic， courageous model for the ＷＨＯle world. We need Jeju's support. Thank you.

Grace (f): Thank you， Supreme Master Ching Hai. Thank you for showing Jeju and all of us how to head in the right direction to halt climate change.

Callie (f): Our next question is from Dr. Bu Sang-Il， the Chairman of Jeju Provincial Party of Grand National Party， and vice-chairman of UNESCO Korea Jeju Association. His question goes to both Dr. Greger and Dr. Barnard. Dr. Bu，please share your question.

Dr. Bu Sang-Il (m): Thank you. Jeju Island is so famous as a sightseeing place of the world， especially in east Asia. So many people come here. Jeju Island has a weak point to protect from contagious disease like the Ｈ１Ｎ１ influenza. We know so many ways to protect from the Ｈ１Ｎ１ influenza，such as masking the mouth， and washing hands， vaccinating. But I want to know， is this a useful way to protect from the Ｈ１Ｎ１ influenza and what are the useful ways to protect from the Ｈ１Ｎ１ influenza？

Grace (f): Thank you，Dr. Bu， for your very urgent and timely question. Dr. Michael Greger， ＷＨＯ gave the lecture on swine flu earlier， has kindly answered your question via video. Let's watch it.

Dr. Greger(m): Sounds like a beautiful place， and I'd love to visit one of these days. What can we do to protect ourselves from swine flu？ Should you fall ill， contact your health care provider to see if anti-viral drugs are appropriate， and stay home for at least ２４ hours after your fever goes away so that you don't infect others. But the ideal is not to get infected in the first place. And you get the flu two ways; via respiratory droplets by being in a confined space with people coughing and sneezing. 

And the second way is through touching one's face， one's mucus membranes - eyes，nose，or mouth - after touching a contaminated surface. So the first thing we need to do is to get into the habit of covering our cough when we cough or sneeze to not infect others. However，we should not cover our cough with our hand， because then we contaminate our hand， and then were we to touch a door knob or a light switch handle， or a gas pump handle， we would then transfer contamination to that object.

Someone else ＷＨＯ comes along，touches that same door knob， and then touches their eyes， nose，or mouth， and becomes contaminated as well. So it's important to either wear a mask if you're coughing or sneezing， or cough into a tissue and throw it away， or cough into our sleeve， cough into the elbow， cough into fabric so as not to contaminate one's hands. Now，that will protect them from you， but how do you protect you from them？ Well，we need to wash our hands.

People underestimate how much they have to wash their hands. Twenty to thirty seconds after soaping up， so a full half minute of hand washing after every time we shake someone's hand or touch a public surface before we touch our face and potentially contaminate ourselves.  An even better option if you aren't able to wash your hands so often are these alcohol-based Hand sanitizers. Very cheap to get， and they're actually better than hand washing， according to the World Health Organization， in terms of sterilizing one's hands from these kinds of so-called envelope viruses like influenza. So when you're out in public，before touching one's face， it's important to sanitize， either to wash your hands or carry a little bottle of this alcohol-based hand sanitizer around with you. 

Grace (f): Dr. Bu，in addition to Dr. Greger's response， Dr. Barnard has also answered your question. Let's watch it now.

Dr. Barnard (m): Everybody is concerned now about swine flu because the swine flu so far has been a very dangerous epidemic- it's killed many people. But looking to the future， it appears to be even more widespread and more deadly. The swine flu virus also can mutate to make even more virulent forms. There are really ２ areas where our diet is of concern.

First of all，the breeding ground for the viruses that caused avian flu and caused swine flu - the breeding ground is where animals are collected in large numbers. I'm thinking of the barns where pigs are living， or the areas where chickens and other birds are kept nowadays. These viruses may come from the wild， but when they spread from one animal to another，to another， to another， they can combine with other viruses to make a very deadly virus that can then spread to human beings.

The first is that the more people are eating pork， and any other product from a pig， what can happen is that the demand for pork means that the farms grow and they're larger and larger and larger， and larger. You'll see tens of thousands of animals in one single farm， and as a result of that， the virus has a very fertile breeding ground so that viruses can then mutate and become more and more deadly.

The second issue is that it may well be that pork products themselves can actually cause the virus to spread. That's somewhat controversial in the scientific community， but there's some evidence to suggest that the raw pork that is purchased and handled may actually spread live viruses.

The US government has also reported that there is some concern that even the meat products themselves may transmit viruses. Now we've known about this for a long time with other kinds of microbes， particularly things like salmonella or campylobacter or listeria. These are infectious germs that can cause a raging illness，and sometimes even be deadly. But there is also some concern that even influenza viruses may pass the same route. That's still unclear. But we do know this， that to keep our families as healthy as possible from influenza and other infections， we really want to avoid patronizing animal industries.

Callie (f): That was a very clear answer. Thank you，Dr. Greger and Dr. Barnard for answering our question from Jeju.

Grace (f): Our next question is for Dr. Hwang Seong-Soo and Dr. Barnard.

Callie (f): And the question is from Mr. Chae Chil-Seong，the Executive Chairperson of Jeju Coalition for Environment-friendly Domestic Agricultural Product School Meals.

Mr. Chae Chil-Seong (m): In Jeju，an environmentally friendly school meal regulation was established through the residents' proposal， and its environmentally friendly school meals were the first to be introduced in Korea， thus becoming a model of environmentally friendly school meals in Korea. By ２０１０，all schools and all children in Jeju province will enjoy environmentally friendly school meals. While it's easy to persuade and agree that organic environmentally friendly food is a safe and healthy diet， it's not too easy to persuade parents to get their agreement about the necessity of a vegetarian school meal. I would like to have your valuable opinion about the necessity of a vegetarian school meal.

Callie (f): Thank you for your helpful question. Dr. Hwang Seong-Soo， would you like to answer this？

Dr. Hwang Seong-Soo (m): Yes，the province of Jeju is much more advanced than other regions in that they provide school meals that are made with environmentally friendly farm produce for the health of the students. I think it is laudable. I think it's a good example that the other schools in Korea should emulate. When we talk about environmentally friendly school meals，at times， they might include meat，fish，eggs and milk and at times might not. People tend to think that children can experience
health problems if they do not consume meat，fish，eggs or milk. So do some of the experts.

Parents have been raised and educated to think that way when they were students. Therefore， when they grow up， get married，and raise their own children， they still think like that. I think that is why education is very important in changing what we think. Therefore，I think we need to provide more education and information to the people concerning these aspects. In addition， I think the parents ＷＨＯ are already aware of these facts need to have their children get school meals that are good for their children's health.

Therefore，schools need to provide a variety of delicious vegetarian school meals so that the students ＷＨＯ do not want to eat meat，fish，eggs，and milk can also enjoy their school lunch. More progressively， perhaps we can use some incentives regarding this matter. For example，we can give school meal subsidies to students ＷＨＯ do not eat meat，fish， eggs，and milk. It may take some time till we all are able to think that meat， fish，eggs，and milk are harmful to our health. In the case of my family， it took about seven years to change their mind， so it was not easy at all.

People tend to change their thinking more quickly if they have health problems. But，of course， we cannot wish our students to get sick. And their age is not yet at the stage where many diseases arise. Therefore，it is not an easy matter to solve. I think we need to be patient. We should provide them with ongoing education and also encourage them with policies and by giving incentives. Aside from these， I don't think there can be any other way to promote it.

Callie (f): Thank you，Dr. Hwang， for your clear answer. Dr. Barnard has also responded to this question via video.

Dr. Barnard (m): In many countries， people are pushing children to eat more meat and to drink more milk. And they imagine that these foods will help children to grow more effectively or perhaps to be healthy. But research has shown something very disturbing. Actually，the children ＷＨＯ are consuming milk and consuming meat in larger amounts are actually less healthy. By that I mean they tend to gain weight， we have more obesity， and more mild overweight as well， more diabetes. Diabetes is coming into many countries in epidemic proportions， higher cancer risk， and higher risk of heart disease. A vegan diet， means a diet that's based on healthy foods， ＷＨＯle grains，beans， vegetables，fruits， and those are really the building blocks of a healthful diet.

Parents and school officials and government officials have such an important role to play，because they are looking out for children not just today but for the future. And one of the most important things that we can do for children is to give them the opportunity to taste healthful foods right in school. So when a child is served lunch，if they are served unhealthy things like that carton of milk， Or meals based on meat and so forth， they are not only getting the cholesterol and fat that can make them less healthy， but they're also learning an unhealthy thing.

They're learning to prefer the tastes of fatty， high cholesterol foods. So when parents， when teachers， when school officials and government officials say，『Wait a minute， we're going to serve vegetarian meals here』- ideally vegan meals that don't have animal products at all- then children not only get a very healthy meal， they get the vegetables that provide the vitamins and minerals， they get the ＷＨＯle grains and beans to give them loads of protein， but they also learn a really important lesson， and that is their taste buds on their tongue learn to really enjoy these foods， and they carry then a very healthy habit with them.

I want to thank all of you for your attention to this important issue. The pressures on children are greater than they've ever been. That's also true for parents and for policy makers. And that's because there are more people， more businesses， more money hinging on what children are fed. And we've already seen the problems with this here in North America， we've seen it in Europe， we're starting to see this in Asia now as well where meaty，dairy-based diets are really starting to take a terrible toll. But if we have policies that can help us to resist that，then children can remain healthy.

Grace (f): Thank you，Dr. Barnard. You know，Callie， in countries like Canada， my home， and the United States， many schools have started providing plant-based meals and they have witnessed substantial improvements in children's well-being and fitness. In the US this year， ６７％ of the schools provided vegetarian school meals as an option，and ２０.５％ of the schools provide vegan meals as an option.

Next，we have a special question now for Supreme Master Ching Hai. Ladies and gentlemen， Supreme Master Ching Hai is the author of books about the animal world that raise awareness about how noble，loving， and spiritually elevated they truly are. Her books have touched the hearts of countless readers around the world.

Callie (f): Such books as 『The Birds in My Life』 and 『The Dogs in My Life』 are not only long-running bestsellers on Amazon.com， but also bestsellers in Kyobo Bookstore in Korea as well.

Grace (f): And Master，actually we have a very beautiful student that's going to ask a question and I hope you can see how beautifully she's dressed here. It's Gang Yeon-Jeong， she's one of the readers of your books here in Jeju. She has a very sweet and touching question for you， Supreme Master Ching Hai.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: I have noticed her since the beginning.

Grace (f): Isn't she beautiful？

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Very beautiful and lovely dress.

Ms. Gang Yeon-Jeong (f): Hallo. I'm a ６th grader in elementary school. I suffered a lot from an incurable disease called rheumatoid arthritis that began at the end of last year. But through a vegetarian diet and meditation， most of it was cured. It confirmed that a vegetarian diet and meditation plays a big role in curing diseases. I think children，adults and animals all equally have souls. Therefore，I think that we should not abuse others of different ages and different species like animals.

We should not discriminate ＷＨＯ is superior or inferior because we are all living beings with souls. The most impressive part of your book was that you do group meditation with your birds and dogs. You said you meditated together with the birds and dogs. And it seems to me that animals have a soul the same as we do. Then，do you really think that humans，birds and dogs are all the same？ While reading your book， I was really curious whether the birds and dogs were really meditating or were they just sleeping. Well，some people may not believe it at all， thinking how could birds and dogs meditate.

But ＷＨＯ knows， they might actually meditate. There is no rule that birds or dogs cannot meditate. So are your birds and dogs really meditating together with you？ Or are they just lying there with their eyes closed？ I was very curious about that.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Yes，hallo，Yeon-Jeong. First，I am so happy that you don't suffer any pain anymore. It's terrible for a person of your tender age to have to suffer any pain at all. It is avoidable through a vegan diet as you have experienced， and I'm glad that you are a vegetarian. And not only that， your philosophy about the souls in people and animals is beautiful and absolutely correct.

The animals are truly just like us， they just come from different sizes and apparel. Just like in your garden you have different flowers， you have roses，you have chrysanthemum， you have maybe lotus and other beautiful flowers. But they are all flowers - different sizes， different colors， different shapes. So in the sentient world of ours，we have humans， we have animals， we have birds，we have fish， we have insects. It's like that. We are in different shapes， different colors， but we are the same. Just like we have different flowers，they are all flowers，right？

So the animals all have the same feelings like we do， like they have love， they have sorrow， they have forgiveness， they have fear，loyalty， filial love and parental love，etc. I myself witness them. And to answer your question about my birds and my dogs，whether they do meditate: yes，they do. They meditate and go sometimes into a very deep level of contemplation. So they are not just laying there with closed eyes. In meditation，they just relax and feel nice and calm，and they contact their God Nature inside.

Actually， many of the animals， including those in the wild，know how to meditate and contact the Divine. They're really in tune within their souls， more than many of us humans even. They have the same Godly spirit that dwells within you and within me. If we knew just how noble and loving and great the animals are， we would be in awe and respect and love them much more. If everyone in the world understood this like you do，our world would truly be at peace， like Heaven. You are a beautiful soul， Yeon-Jeong. I hope you will continue to be vegan to continue being healthy， and I hope you will share this positive experience with others around you， to help them also to stay healthy and intelligent.

You are living proof of how beneficial a veg diet is， because the compassionate lifestyle heals our body and heals our mind. It's the best for our lasting well-being. I wish you Heaven's blessing. God bless your loving heart， and bless your family and your country， the beautiful Korea. Thank you.

Grace (f): Thank you. That was an absolutely charming question with an absolutely lovely answer.

Callie (f): Yes，and aside from all the talks about climate change or health aspects，if we truly realize the noble qualities of animals，I believe people will switch to a vegan diet.

Kim Yeong Ho(m): The most profound part during today's conversation with Supreme Master Ching Hai， which I couldn't understand up to now， is that animals also have the ability to meditate and they have the same emotions as humans. As a farmer， I could propagate eco-friendly farming in Jeju to prevent global warming and，at the same time， establish a foundation for the healthy and constructive vegan diet.

Oh Young-Ju Professor，Department of Culinary Arts Research Institute of Jeju Traditional Food Cheju Halla College Oh(m): Today's international conference gave Jeju Island a quite significant meaning. Desirable nutrition is supposed to be health-friendly， environment-friendly， and also society-friendly. Excessive animal protein results in turnover loss， and through preventing that we can save the starving children of the third world. Vegetarianism is the solution that can save our dying environment and our water. Let's be veg！

Rev. Cha Heung-Do Chief of People's Coalition for Children's Health The best thing I learned in this conference was that we can adopt a vegan diet without much effort to stop global warming， apart from various green technologies. More importantly， the vegan diet combines all that we can do for our children right now.

Kim Eun-Hang(f，elementary school teacher) : The conference really affected me and made my heart ache. I didn't realize the seriousness of it. We have to take action for ourselves， for our children. I've learned the important fact that a plant-based diet is really urgently needed. Everyone，please do help. We have to do it together.

Lee Yong-Jung Policy Chairperson，Jeju Coalition for Children's Health Lee(m): It's rare to host such an international conference addressing a serious global issue like this. I think it has a significant influence on the inhabitants of Jeju，too.

Supreme Master TV(f): What plans for the future does Jeju Coalition for Children's Health have？

Lee(m): If we make children's health an important issue in the upcoming election， then the food problem will be discussed. Lee(m): However，since we've already declared we will have a vegan meal once a week， we know we're making progress now. Nothing is more important than children's health. I'm confident that it's the key solution to global warming. Again，I'm thankful to Supreme Master Ching Hai and Supreme Master Television staff for the event. Thank you.

You are watching Words of Wisdom Rebroadcast of Live Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai 『Children's Health & Sustainable Planet』 Jeju International Conference Jeju Island，S. Korea - September ２１，２００９

Grace (f): And now， worldwide viewers and

Supreme Master Ching Hai， we have a special surprise for you. The ＮＧＯs in Jeju have started something very important and meaningful.

Callie (f): Let's now hear the exciting news from Mr. Lee Yong-Jung， Policy Chairperson of the Jeju Coalition for Children's Health. Mr. Lee，would you share the news？

Mr. Lee Yong-Jung (m): Yes. Nice to meet you. During this conference， we have once again confirmed that people want us to take more proactive action. Last April， the National Assembly passed the Diet Education Assistance Act. It will take effect in November and we are going to make regulations. And last September ４th， we declared that we would have an organic vegan day once a week according to the ＩＰＣＣ recommendation.

And in May next year， we will have local elections as well. Therefore， with these ３ changes， I think we need to move forward into a brighter future. For the sake of Jeju Island and to unite with the global community， I think it is an obligation that should be kept in our hearts. In December， we are preparing for a large scale civil-society agreement. It aims at ensuring both children's health and agricultural community revival.

In the agreement， we need to make sure we practice eating a vegan meal at least once a week. For the local elections next year，we will need to work １０-２０ times harder than we did in ２００４ in order to have candidates for gubernatorial governor， superintendents of schools，and provincial governors come up with policy ideas that address children's health problems，revival of agricultural communities， and global warming issues. In ２００４，our efforts bore fruit when they passed the School Meal Assistance Act. We all have to make efforts for these things.

Grace(f): Amazing.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Beautiful， beautiful news！ I like this kind of surprise every day. Thank you， thank you，thank you， Jeju，thank you！

Callie (f): Yes indeed， it is great to see Jeju setting a shining example of becoming more vegan for the whole world to follow. And the quickest solution for climate change is for all of us to adopt a vegan diet; so the courageous ＮＧＯs here in Jeju are helping to save our planet.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Yes.

Grace (f): Yes，history is being made here this evening by the ４９ noble ＮＧＯs of Jeju.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Thank you， thank you so much. All the ＮＧＯs of Jeju， thank you. God bless you.

Grace (f): Callie，would you like to introduce these ４９ amazing organizations to the world？

Callie (f): I'll be honored to. First，educational ＮＧＯs， we have: Community Mothers' Society; National Chamgyoyook Parents Association， Jeju Branch; Society of Chairs of School Steering Committees; Jeju Network of National Study Room; Jeju Ecology Nurturing Association; Jeju Nursery Federation; Jeju Foster Care Center; The Korean Federation of Teachers' Association， Jeju Branch; The Korean Teachers & Education Workers' Union，Jeju Branch.

And for environmental ＮＧＯs，we have: Gotchawal People; Korean Federation for Environmental Movement，Jeju Branch; People's Solidarity for Participatory Environment， Jeju Branch; Jeju Island Agenda ２１; Teachers' Solidarity for the Environment and Life; EM Environmental Center; Green Jeju Institute.

And for health ＮＧＯs， we have: Public Service Union for Medicine，Jeju Branch; Jeju Coalition for Environment-friendly Domestic Agricultural Product School Meals; Korea Consumers' Cooperative Federation， Jeju Branch; Jeju Natural Healing Society; The Korean Dietetic Association，Jeju Branch; NORIRO.COM; Korean Pharmaceutical Association，Jeju Branch; HANSALIM Organic Cooperative Union， Jeju Branch.

Now，moving on to agricultural ＮＧＯs，we have: Jeju United Eco Agricultural Organizations; Korean Women Peasant Association， Jeju Branch; HEUKSALIM Organic Farming Association， Jeju Branch; Korean Agriculture Farmers Federation， Jeju Branch; National Farmers Federation，Jeju Branch; Korean Catholic Jeju District `Save Agriculture' Movement Headquarters; Agricultural Cooperative Eco Working Council， Jeju Branch; Jeju Agriculture Research Institute.

And last but not least， the remaining organizing ＮＧＯs，we have: Korean Cooperation of Trade Unions， Jeju Branch; Jeju YWCA; Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice， Jeju Branch; Jeju Cultural Forum， Women's Association; Jeju Young Korean Academy; New Intellectual Association，Jeju Branch; Jeju Association for Women's Rights; Community Chest of Korea; Jeju Council on Social Welfare; Coalition of Economic Independence for The Disabled; Jeju Inhabitants Autonomy Coalition; Korean Federation for The Disabled，Jeju DPI; Tamrha Autonomy Coalition; Jeju Differently Abled Federation; Jeju Alternative Institute Community.

Callie (f): These are the ＮＧＯs who organized today's conference and have taken initiatives in creating a green planet for our children.

Grace (f): Viewers and the audience， let's give our warmest applause for these absolutely beautiful ＮＧＯs who are helping to save the world！

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Thank you，thank you. God bless you.

Callie (f): And Mr. Lee Yong-Jung here on this stage has played a major role in implementing the vegan initiative.

Grace (f): And he has a question for Supreme Master Ching Hai. Mr. Lee， please ask your question.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Welcome.

Mr. Lee Yong-Jung (m): Today，scientists and experts came together and discussed various aspects. I wonder whether Supreme Master Ching Hai could share with us what you think is the current condition of the Earth. Also，I wonder whether you could share with us the brightest news and the most serious news among the most recent updates about climate change.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Hallo，Mr. Lee. Thank you for what you have been doing， you and all the ＮＧＯs， for this conference， as well as all the ＮＧＯs in Jeju who have helped to save our planet. I am very touched by your obvious dedication to children's health through your profession and that you seek to bring them the highest level of vitality and happiness through the vegan diet. As we have mentioned early already，this is the best and most effective way to heal the planet， so this work that you do on behalf of the future generations is already smiled upon by Heaven and thanked by the Earth.

Since you ask about how I see the current situation of our planet， I have to tell you honestly that I do see it as being very，very urgent. I am sure you will agree. I am sure many others will agree. And I，of course， agree with the esteemed scientists who so generously gave their time to speak today about the impacts of climate change， as well as the solutions for it. As Dr. Pachauri reminded us，the effects of global warming are already being felt on a daily basis by the vulnerable throughout the world， the poor and the helpless already， the children in every corner of our planet.

So it is an urgent situation indeed. In fact，some scientists are now saying that without more ambitious，courageous， and unprecedented emission stopping goals than what many nations currently have in place， our globe will soon exceed a two-degree temperature increase， which means disaster for life on Earth. Regarding your question about updates，Mr. Lee， I would say that the most serious one is the frightening prospect of runaway global warming， the frightening aspect that nations will not do enough to stop it.

This has been described by scientists as the conditions that will trigger out-of-control climate change effects， thus spiraling the world into the catastrophe of massive greenhouse gas release. This runaway warming of the climate could easily be caused by melting permafrost， which is the frozen soil extending across the vast expanse of the Arctic tundra. As the permafrost melts， it releases methane stored underground. Since ２００７， scientists have seen more and more evidence of methane from permafrost melt， with recent discoveries of pure methane gas bubbling up from the bottom of the Arctic lakes in both northern Canada and Russia.

This situation is so alarming that six national laboratories in the US are now evaluating it，along with Russian scientists and the UN Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change， where Chairman Dr. Pachauri has referred to the potential for 『abrupt，irreversible climate change』 from the melting permafrost. This irreversible effect， we want to avoid at all costs，Mr. Lee， especially since it may not be as far away as we would like to think. But let's end with the other update you asked about， the most hopeful one.

I would say the most hopeful is that more and more people are becoming aware of the real solution， which is to be veg. You have heard some of the scientists today such as Dr. Pachauri and Mr. Joop Lohuis also talk about the importance of doing so. The more people who eliminate meat and，indeed， all animal products from their lives，the more we have a chance to save the planet and not only that， to actually restore our earthly home to her original grace and beauty and even more so， more than what we have known， more beautiful， more abundant， more peace， more gladness than what we have known up to now.

And there will be more incredible inventions to come if our Earth restores itself， leading a life of compassionate，merciful and peaceful existence with all beings on this planet. So please， be a part of the solution and join in first by being vegan yourself and helping to spread this message as much， as quickly as possible: Be Veg， Go Green， Save the Planet. And please regularly check out www.SupremeMasterTV.com for updates on the current climate situation.

You see，there's no need to ask me about my intuition or what I see inside through meditation. We can determine the knowledge about our climate problem as well as the future of our Earth by studying the facts，the data and the evidence from the scientific standpoint. But Mr Lee，I still have much hope，Mr Lee. I have a very positive hopeful feeling. I still have it. I don't give up on our home yet. I feel that the world is changing. I feel that the leaders are listening. I feel that the people of the planet want to save their home.

I feel that they love their children. I feel that they will do something to save their children. I am working with you and everyone else who cares about the planet to bring this hope into realization. I don't have children per se，but I love all the children. And my positive feeling doesn't leave me yet. Although I see the change，it's too slow for my liking， but I still have very great hope，Mr. Lee. Please pray with me， pray with us so that the whole planet's people wake up in time to save everybody. Thank you，Mr. Lee， thank you. I'm sorry， I'm quite emotional.

Grace (f): Thank you， Supreme Master Ching Hai， for this very touching response.

Callie (f): Yes，and we also share your compassion. Our next question is for Dr. Greger. And this question is from Reverend Kim Sang-Geun， the President of Jeju Consumer's Cooperation， and Director of Jeju Alternative Institute Community.

Grace (f): It will be answered by Dr. Michael Greger.

Callie (f): Reverend，please share your question.

Rev. Kim Sang-Geun (m): Right now， swine flu is a big problem around the world. We also worry new diseases may occur in addition to swine flu. So，I think there is not much we can do to protect ourselves from the diseases except strengthening our immune system. Especially our children， who have a weaker immune system than adults， they desperately need protection from these diseases. What is the best way to strengthen the immune systems of children？ And what is your advice for families，ＮＧＯs， as well as the government？ Thank you.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Thank you.

Grace (f): Thank you for the timely question， Reverend Kim. Dr. Greger has specially answered it. Let's watch it now.

Dr. Greger (m): Well，to prevent future pandemics we must end the industrial production of animals for food. Or even better， as a recent editorial in the official journal of the largest organization of public health professionals on the planet advised， cease eating animals altogether. And in terms of protecting ourselves during the current pandemic， we've known for ２０ years that the immune function of those eating vegetarian is actually superior to those eating meat.

First published in １９８９， research at the German Cancer Research Center found that although vegetarians had the same number of these immune system white blood cells， compared to meat eaters the white blood cells of vegetarians were twice as effective in destroying target cells， either cancer cells or virus infected cells. So，eating a plant-based diet， a vegan diet， may protect us not only for the future pandemics， but the current pandemic as well.

Callie (f): Thank you，Dr. Greger. It was a very informative and inspiring response. Our next question is for Dr. Hwang Seong-Soo. And the question is from Ms. Ji Geum-Sook， Vice-Chairperson of Jeju Kindergarten Association.

Ms. Ji Geum-Sook (f): Nice to meet you. Recently，children's health is in danger due to foods contaminated with agricultural chemicals， endocrine disruptors， food additives，etc.，and the number of children who are suffering from ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is rapidly increasing. Please tell us how to prevent these diseases caused by dietary habits and introduce us to natural treatment methods if there are any. Thank you.

Dr. Hawng Seong-Soo (m): Yes，I think it is definitely a big concern if you have children or babies. Our human body has the ability to adapt; therefore，however harmful the cause，we will feel uncomfortable in the beginning， but if it's repeated， we won't feel it so seriously later on or won't feel anything about it at all later on. That is one of the characteristics of our body. This characteristic is not very advantageous to us because it helps us adapt to bad things. But it is also good in that it helps us to adapt to good habits as well.

We call our habits 『second nature.』 According to my understanding， it means our habit is very difficult to change. All of us know that the various additives that you mentioned earlier such as MSG， endocrine disruptors， change our children's behavior and thoughts considerably. I think there is no remedy to prevent these except to avoid them and not eat them. Then，we should continuously educate our children to help them understand the harmful effects of those foods and restrict them.

In order to do that ，we need to educate not only children but also parents on an oＮＧＯing basis about how harmful those foods are. In addition，I think we also need some measures or we need to put on some pressure to prohibit the production of these foods fundamentally so that children have no access to harmful foods， or at least reduce the chance of having access to these harmful foods.

Everyone would agree that those substances basically destroy the growing generation's health; therefore，it will cause serious problems for them later in maintaining their health. I wish people could understand that it causes many more problems than we think，but they do not understand why ; therefore，it is very pitiful. I think the only way to solve the problem is for everyone to realize it and work together to prevent it from home， at school，in society.

Callie (f): Thank you， Dr. Hwang Seong-Soo， for providing your expertise，and also to Ms. Ji Geum-Sook for raising a concern shared by many parents.

Grace (f): And our next question is for Supreme Master Ching Hai.

Callie (f): And it comes from Mr. Jua Yong-Cheol， the award-winning journalist of Jeju Sori. Mr. Jua？

Mr. Jua Yong-Cheol (m): Recently， the Korean movie 『He-un-de』 about a mega tsunami enjoyed great popularity in Korea. The movie has a warning message about natural disasters due to global warming. In reality，off the screen， I think we are also facing very serious disasters from climate change， so it's time for citizens and governments to wake up and tackle the problem head-on. Please，help list the top five ways to cope with global warming that we can carry out in daily life. And please advise on the role of the press and the media.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Nice to meet you. Thank you for your question. Thank you for coming to this beautiful event. Congratulations on your media award which you truly deserve. He has many，many awards. He's an award-winning journalist. He's a very famous journalist. So I congratulate him. Nice to hear of your commitment as a media member in the matter of global warming，which is， indeed，very important. You have a unique opportunity to be able to make a positive difference in people's lives as a journalist.

As you have asked， I can surely list the top five priorities in facing climate change. Beginning with the most important，they are: Number １ - be veg and preserve all life， including the environment. This means a lifestyle free of animal products. Eliminating meat and dairy， and consuming only plant-based food， it's the biggest and most significant change anyone can make to address global warming. And it works. It really works.

Especially now that the scientists are saying that the methane and other gases from livestock raising are responsible for more than ５０％ of all global warming. So if we want to stop the most contributor of all global warming， then we have to stop meat production. It's very simple and logical and scientific. Besides that，we also know from science that methane traps something like ７２ times more heat than CO２ in the atmosphere.

But the good news is that methane is shorter lived， so if we stop producing it， this gas will disappear quickly from the atmosphere， unlike carbon dioxide， which can last for thousands of years. Besides stopping ５０％ - I mean even more than that， this is just a very conservative estimate - there are many more other crucial benefits.

It solves our water scarcity problem， our world hunger crisis， and land degradation and pollution problem. If you compare to a vegan diet， a meat diet uses up to １７ times as much land， １４ times as much water， and １０ times as much energy. Imagine？ We produce enough cereals to feed the entire human population over， abundantly. Yet，１ billion people are hungry，and １０.９ million young children die every year - that's one child dying every ５ seconds while we have abundance of food to feed all the world population and more， two times over even.

On the other hand， about １ billion people suffer obesity and related diseases， from eating too much or too much meat. Korea has to import pig's feed，costing hundreds of billions of won (that is hundreds of millions of US dollars) each year. This is not to talk about the suffering of the １０ million pigs and several millions of cows in Korea each year as well. So there are many，many practical reasons to be veg，aside from the compassionate nature that is cultivated by preserving all life. This is important，too. But if people just start with the vegan diet， the care for all life will also come by the way.

Number ２ - be green. These are actions to protect the environment such as planting trees， developing sustainable energy，and driving hybrid cars，etc. Of course，this includes the green diet， the vegan diet.

Number ３ - be frugal， meaning don't use more than what we need and appreciate what we have. The resources nature has given to us are precious and limited. We can't abuse it because only when we spend wisely will they last.

Number ４ - do good deeds. This means being considerate， thinking about and doing things for others， which make them happy， and being kind to both humans and animal co-inhabitants.

Number ５ - pray， pray fervently. This is also very important. Pray to Heaven， to all the Buddhas， to gods，to all the angels who are helping to awaken us. Pray to all the animals that we have harmed and tortured directly or indirectly by consuming meat - pray for their forgiveness. Pray for Heaven's protection and forgiveness as well. Pray all the gods to help awaken us on time to save our home. We have to pray sincerely and act swiftly. We truly cannot do this by ourselves alone. We must repent for all the harm done to the Earth and her inhabitants and ask again and again for forgiveness.

And we have to reverse our action. And the best way to repent is to make an effort to change. Turn around， do what is good. Refrain from all what is bad. Mr. Jua，these things are so easy to do！ Truly they are easy， even children can do it. And they are sure to make a difference. I have mentioned many times in the past how impressed I am with the Korean people's strength and sincerity.

If all the brave-hearted Korean people join in and just follow number １， be veg，your country would be transformed in no time. All the anxiety about global warming would fade， because you would be assured of protection and would also be free of the dangerous hormones that are transmitted through meat eating for yourself and for your tender，fragile children. These potent hormones， like adrenalin，are present in the flesh of all the animals because，like us， they panic upon knowing they will die. When adults or children ingest it，they feel restless，anxious，afraid. To eliminate this element from Korean life would immediately have a calming effect， I guarantee you.

So Mr. Jua please， tell as many people as you can through your profession and otherwise to be veg， to do good，and be good， and save our planet. Be a fine example for the world. This is exactly the role the media should have， like that of a true，honest friend to human society: warning everyone of any harmful situation; bringing new connections and data to light， like the urgent link between meat and global warming; giving chances for people to choose a better way of life; and being a brave voice， a heroic voice especially for the voiceless， including animals who suffer so much，so much， because we are all related and affected. The world needs the media's noble service and leadership.

So please，again， once more I ask you and all the courageous journalists to do what you do best， tell the truth about how we are to save the planet. Thank you. God bless you. And by the way， if you ever need any more up-to-date info and you're too busy to get on the internet， please check out our website， www.SupremeMasterTV.com／SOS for the latest facts and figures. God bless you.

Grace (f): Thank you， Supreme Master Ching Hai， for those ５ priorities: Be Veg， Go Green， Be Frugal， Do Good Deeds， and Pray.

Callie (f): And it's strongly advised to put those ５ priorities into action at once.

Song Dae-Jin President，Jeju Children's Health National Solidarity Beyond my expectations， Supreme Master Ching Hai's words and the audience's feedback were really great. And I felt that a pure heart really works，indeed. I felt the warm interaction of sincere hearts during the conference.

Lee Seok-Moon Co-chairman，People's Coalition for Children's Health Lee Seok Moon(m): The future of Jeju and agriculture is destined to be organic farming， especially when the future of humanity is connected with global warming and climate change. A meat diet has a lot of problems associated with it，such as the destruction of nature to create livestock farms. Furthermore， the amount of grain it takes to raise cows can be fed to thousands of humans. We should make the vegetarian diet the main focus of school meals. Hallo，Supreme Master Television viewers！ Together，you and I and everyone on the planet， we can share the information that a plant-based diet is the correct way of life. Let's do it together for the future of humanity.

Im Jae-Teak Chief of Korean Society for Eco Early Childhood Education Chairman of Korean Eco-kid Educational Institute Professor of Department of Early Childhood Education，Pusan University Yim(m): Today's international conference on children's health and saving our planet seems to spread a significant message to the world，especially Supreme Master Ching Hai's concept of respect for Heaven and Earth， and all beings.

I really agree with her. We heard a lot about the benefits of vegetarianism before， but today's conference made it more concrete， that vegetarianism saves the lives of all beings， it saves the planet，and also the whole universe. We are trying to have our children exercise and also have an 『eating movement，』 like giving them brown rice，multi grains， and soy paste soup with kimchi and vegetables. And now，we are thinking of turning it into a plant-based movement. We have our children grow vegetable gardens. We also have meditation programs. Additionally，we have children's programs on communicating with animals and plants.

Lee Byung-Woo Secretary General of Coalition for Children's Health I had a chance to meet Supreme Master Ching Hai two years ago at an international conference. Today，she was the same as before， very pure in her concerns about our children， the future，and our planet. I have always been thankful and have a deep respect for her. With this conference as a starting point， I suppose your organization has a lot of things to do. What directions do you plan to take？ Eco-friendly school meals， extending to the vegetarian and the life and peace movement. And also our children's problems， like atopy，ADHD， computer game addiction， and obesity. I will bring this issue to next year's self-governing education election.

You are watching Words of Wisdom Rebroadcast of Live Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai 『Children's Health & Sustainable Planet』 Jeju International Conference Jeju Island，S. Korea - September 21，2009

Grace (f): We now know that an organic vegan diet is the key to halt climate change and our next question is related to that topic. It is for Mr. Lee Chang-Hong here on the stage to answer.

Callie (f): And the question comes from Mr. Kim Young-Ho， the Chairperson of Jeju Heuksallim Association， an organic farming organization.

Mr. Kim Young-Ho (m): Glad to see you. I am a farmer and I consider organic farming to be an agricultural business dealing with the ecosystem and living beings through natural circulation. Therefore，I believe switching to organic farming should be prioritized if we want to reduce CO2 emissions because organic farming is based on natural circulation. However，organic farming is still not very popular around the world including in Korea. If you have an idea about how to spread organic farming faster， please share it with us.

Lee Chang-Hong (m): Yes，thank you for asking the question. Actually，what I said regarding eco-friendly farming today was quite the opposite to what people usually think. When I talked about eco-friendly farming， what I tried to say was that we need to have a new element in eco-friendly farming. And what we've felt most necessary was to change our concept of sanitation.

In fact，we make a lot of effort to farm in eco-friendly ways， but what is more important to have is a mutual understanding amongst ourselves. For me，the rewarding part of participating in this conference was， although I also have been working in the environmental field and have been concerned about global warming and desertification， learning the fact that there is a much easier way to translate into action， which is being vegan， was very interesting， very beneficial to me.

In addition，regarding what I talked about earlier，about organisms being decomposed as I said，I realized that the technology that helps prevent decomposition is also important in curbing global warming. Decomposition means the transformation of organic matter into inorganic matter. The inorganic matter includes ammonia， carbon dioxide，and hydrogen sulfide，etc.， which are related to global warming. Then，do we have the technology to prevent this inorganic matter occurring？

People say we do not have it yet at this point. However，I've always been telling people about this. Why we haven't thought about kimchi that we always eat？ It is said that kimchi does not turn into inorganic matter and the longer it's fermented， the better it is. However yogurt which is made with only good microbes in a sanitary and scientific way will be spoiled if it is left at room temperature for 2 or 3 hours. In contrast，Kimchi even has colon bacillus. Many experts have been trying to discover a substance that can eradicate or kill colon bacillus.

However，they haven't been able to find it. I have a different point of view. From the viewpoint of letting them live， I wanted to explain to you in my earlier presentation that the way for us to avoid killing microbes and to coexist with them can be found in our fermented foods. Thus，I think we need to systematize it and so on. Therefore， in order to develop this ， today's conference is a good opportunity for discussion. And we need to approach the subject with an open mind.

People tend to think the information which they cannot find in books is unreliable，but we shouldn't think like that. We need to review the implication of Korea's fermented food on this subject. Likewise，we may need to look at diseases like swine flu from the new perspective. We even place leftover kimchi back in the storage container again. We store it and consume it again later. It means we can systemize the way harmful germs naturally disappear after a while. We can review the concept of sanitation in this aspect. We need to apply the concept in the eco-friendly area. With this new concept， I think environmentally friendly farming can expand more.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Callie (f): Thank you， Mr. Lee Chang-Hong， for sharing your experience and knowledge.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Very good，very good. Excellent.

Grace (f): Mr. Kim has one more question， this time for Supreme Master Ching Hai， about a slightly deeper meaning of organic farming. Mr. Kim， please go ahead with your second question.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Welcome，Mr. Kim.

Mr. Kim Young-Ho (m): I agree with Supreme Master Ching Hai's words that all humans should change to a vegetarian-based diet to prevent global warming. I am confident that organic farming is eco-friendly and life-saving， and the most suitable farming method that can prevent climate change. But many people still do not realize how important it is. After changing to organic farming， I feel much more at peace mentally. I feel the soil， living beings，and crops all revive healthily， and feel respect towards all lives. If we eat organic agricultural products that save all living beings， it will offer peace and coexistence; therefore，this is the farming method and diet style for our future. I would appreciate it if you could share your words on the inner or spiritual aspects that organic farming has to offer to us.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Good question. Good question，Mr. Kim. Thank you. Good question. Thank you so much for this thoughtful question. When you speak about organic farming and the Earth， your love for living beings is very clear and evident. So you have already conveyed some of the inner spiritual aspect of organic farming through your deep care. That really is the most important principle， the love for all beings. But we can talk about it to perhaps clarify a little bit more.

Of course，when we say organic farming，we are talking about vegan - fruits，vegetables， legumes and other plants only， no animal products - because this clearly already indicates a spiritual high level of living standards. When we live and let live， when we love all beings as if we love ourselves， then that is already very highly spiritual. And of course， that is in line with all the greatest religions on Earth. That will be very pleasing to Heaven.

This allows us more to completely extend our respect and care to all life. And that's why you feel more peaceful，you see？ You feel more connected with the surroundings around you because they all pulsate with life. The Earth is pulsating with love and life， the trees，the plants，they are pulsating all this love for life and life. When we sit under a tree， we feel this protective love from the tree. When we enjoy a delicious fruit， we feel the connectedness of this unconditional love from the tree to offer us nutrition and a pleasing taste.

If we are in the organic vegan trend or planting organic vegan farming method， then you will feel that more and more the love from nature，the love from the planet Earth， the love from the trees， the love from even a blade of grass， from flowers. We will feel so much love in the air that we breathe. We feel so much love from the earth that we walk on. This we cannot even explain in human language. We must feel it. I always feel it， but I can't transmit this spiritual message to other people.

Everyone must experience it for himself. Once we turn to a compassionate Heaven intended lifestyle of a vegan diet， then we will feel more and more love， more and more connected all the time. Just like the way you feel. So you have your own experience to speak of and to tell people. The way you describe organic farming，Mr. Kim， sounds quite like a spiritual principle known as ahimsa， or non-violence. Ahimsa means not harming any sentient beings， beginning with a vegan diet. Organic vegan diet is the best.

As we sow， so shall we reap. If we sow these benevolent seeds on the Earth，as well as in our heart，as a vegan， we avoid all animal products. For example，most of the milk production causes suffering， first of all because the babies of the mother cows are taken away at birth. Not many people know that， including myself before. And these baby cows will soon be killed. Deprived from mother's milk and mother's love， they'll be killed as soon as they're taken away. Then，the mother is forcefully hooked up to a machine that can cause tormenting pain along with illness， just so that humans can take her milk.

Another example of a practice causing harm to both animals and Earth is the use of chemical pesticides. If you can imagine， over 5 billion pounds of pesticides are used throughout the world each year！ And only about 10% - 10%！ - of these chemicals even reach the areas where they are intended for. So the rest？ What happens？ They go into the air and water where they have been linked to everything from cancer of humans and animals to oceanic dead zones. In Europe，one pesticide was found to be the reason for billions of bees dying across the continent， while others are known to make the eggshells of birds become thinner， resulting in the death of their babies because the shells crack and break before the baby is ready to be born.

Since organic vegan farming does not use pesticides and does not have anything to do with livestock raising， milk production or any such harmful activity， it could be called a practice of compassion， in line with Heaven， with values that are echoed in many spiritual paths and religious teachings， such as the followers of Buddhism and Confucianism and as written in their scriptures. Like the Dhammapada Sutra states:『A man is not noble because he injures living creatures. He is called noble because he does not injure any living beings.』 And from the noble teachings of Confucianism:

How does a saintly king treat animals？ It's stated:『He would like to see them live and cannot bear to see them die. Hearing their wails， he cannot eat their flesh for he does not have the heart to do so.』I'm just referring to two of the great religions in our world. And many other religions say the same. But I'm not here to be a priestess today and preach to the whole audience， moreover we don't have time. So forgive me other religions， if I did not mention yours， but it's the same.

Now，organic vegan farming also brings positive benefit to our own karma. Karma means the retribution，bad or good. So karma follows the law of the universe that says: for every action there is an equal consequence. So，if we injure or kill others，we could be injured or killed in return，sooner or later - not could be， but surely will be. Organic vegan farming， with its approach of causing the least harm to others， offers the least burden of bad karma (retribution). And we can even go a step further， only harvesting from plants that bear fruit，or harvest in such a way that the plant continues to grow. It is thus much better to grow our own food as you do，Mr. Kim， so that we can， for example， pick the outer leaves of the lettuce instead of killing the entire plant.

In fact，some practitioners of one religion called Jainism don't even eat root vegetables because they wish to avoid unintentional harm to the beings living in the soil，such as earthworms，which are beneficial to our farming. They are there to fertilize the soil， to air the soil so that our plants grow better， our harvest will be more abundant. They risk their lives to save ours. We should even consider their lives and spare their lives and be protective of their lives.

I thank you，Mr Kim， for this question so that I have an opportunity not to inform you，but I guess to inform others who are not aware. Because I'm sure you are already aware of all this because it is just this level of human nobility and kindness that is needed for our own inner peace and for the Earth to flourish once more. So please， continue your practice， Mr. Kim，and encourage others to do so. Give them more information about how you do it and why you do it. And get as many people as possible to appreciate its merits the way you do.

You can also feel free to download anything from SupremeMasterTV.com that might be helpful to you in making this message more clear to others. We have a section called organic farming， dedicated only to organic farming to anyone who can log in and benefit from it. We need it，Mr. Kim. We need people like you. We need people who distribute all the necessary information for organic farming. This is truly the way of the future. It is the way to our ultimate humanity and brotherhood among all beings on the planet. Bless you and all your future endeavors.

Callie (f): Thank you. Thank you， Supreme Master Ching Hai， for your enlightening answer about organic farming. It was very touching.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: You're welcome.

Dr. Hwang: Many people are afraid of swine flu. We have to strengthen our immunity to fight against the infection. One of the best and effective ways to do this is to not eat meat，fish， eggs or milk. Instead，we should eat brown rice， vegetables and fruits. The vegetarian diet plays a vital role in strengthening our immune system. When she (Supreme Master Ching Hai) was almost in tears， that revealed her compassionate nature. She seems to have a wide range of interests and an in-depth knowledge about the planet's environmental problems and vegetarianism. She is someone I could learn a lot from.

Kim Young-Ho Chairman，Jeju Heuksallim Research Center Chairman，Jeju Heuksallim Association CEO，Saengdeuleu Agricultural Cooperative Organic farmer I agree with Supreme Master Ching Hai that humankind should change to a plant-based diet to prevent global warming. I am confident that organic farming is eco-friendly and life-saving， and is most suitable to prevent climate change.

Go Gwang-Pyo High school student Seminar PT Student (m): Through this conference， I now know that the vegetarian diet can preserve our Earth's environment. Only the vegetarian diet can save humankind. I will work hard to encourage many of my friends to switch to the vegetarian diet.

Kim Tae-Sung General Secretary of Jeju YMCA Chief of Jeju Island Agenda 21 Kim(m): I'm relieved that there exist conscious， enlightened beings like her (Supreme Master Ching Hai) who worry about the future of the Earth. She was in tears when she talked about our children. I was so moved. I believe the Earth has been protected because of people like her. I hope all of us will join hands to protect the Earth and create a sustainable planet for the children of the future.

High school students Conference participants Students(m) : (in English) Be Veg Go Green Save the Planet！

Lee Chang-HongDirector of EM Environment Center I used to associate meat-eating with the hunger issue， but today I have been able to see that it's an important clue to the solution of environmental problems such as global warming. If we combine environmental activities with the vegetarian movement， the future of the Earth is hopeful. When we think of livestock，it's not just a food problem， we must consider its importance in terms of climate change as well as the health of the entire planet.

Yoo Tae-WooDirector of Jeju International Continuing Education Institute We should be veg in order to save the Earth. I felt from this conference that we could spread this movement throughout Jeju Island. If the government， educators，politicians， and NGOs work together we can do anything. I look forward to the day when Jeju Island is reborn as a vegan island.

You are watching Words of Wisdom Rebroadcast of Live Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai 『Children's Health & Sustainable Planet』 Jeju International Conference Jeju Island，S. Korea - September ２１，２００９

Grace (f): We have today's final question， again for Supreme Master Ching Hai.

Callie (f): And it comes from Mr. Kim Tae-Seong， the Chief of Jeju Island Agenda ２１， and Secretary General of Jeju YMCA.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Welcome，sir.

Mr. Kim Tae-Seong (m): I'd like to give you a brief synopsis of some of the activities of our ＮＧＯs since I am a representative of one of the ＮＧＯs. This coming December， the United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held in Copenhagen，Denmark. Therefore， the climate change agreement will be decided upon. As a global citizen， I am hoping for the success of this cause.

However，I think we need more progressive efforts in order to curb climate change which is accelerating faster than expected. I think ＮＧＯs play an important role in implementing progressive action， therefore，I find today's conference to be very meaningful. Could you give some advice on how ＮＧＯs could cope with climate change in a more active and prompt way？ And what do you wish to see accomplished in the Copenhagen conference？ Thank you.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Thank you. Mr. Kim，thank you so much for your effort， particularly for this conference. It wouldn't have been this successful without you. The fact that all the audience still stays here is because they felt your sincerity， yours and all the ＮＧＯs who organized this event. The audience felt your sincerity and your concern about Jeju and the world in this crucial time.

I'm deeply also grateful to you and all the ＮＧＯs that have organized this event. I am happy that you asked this question concerning the climate change conference. Are you going to attend？ Yes？ Good. Please convey some of the messages that we have heard today from the speech of the great scientists and medical experts and climate change experts，etc. Please convey to the leaders there. You are also a leader in the ＮＧＯs circle and I'm so honored to meet you. Nice to meet you.

And I am glad there is much enthusiasm and readiness for action on your part and the many ＮＧＯs present today or may not be present due to their busyness. The best way for ＮＧＯs to help is if all of you actively， together，encourage the number １ solution. The number １ and the most effective - that is，the vegan diet - to halt global warming， because we don't have much time now to wait for the green technology to even take effect. Even then， the green technology also takes more time even to install.

So the veg diet is the number １ because the meat industry emits the most heat trapping greenhouse gas for our planet， and pollution even - more than ５０％. Imagine？ Imagine if we eliminate more than ５０％ of harmful gas， then our planet at least cools off more than ５０％ almost immediately. And if we go into organic farming method， all the tillable land on the planet，if we use it all for organic farming， then that in turn also absorbs ４０％ of the CO２ in the atmosphere as well. So altogether combine this，we will cool the planet in no time. This is not anything mysterious or superstitious - it is all scientific. It's all proven and it's all clear.

So，it is you and your talents to organize， inform，and speaking out， that I rely on to get the governments' attention at the Copenhagen climate change meeting. Please do your best. And the government can further amplify this solution after hearing you out. The ＮＧＯs know well how to start the constructive movements in the world. They are very，very essential and very important to our planet. All the ＮＧＯs are very，very important to humanity and to our survival as well once they start the action.

And at this point， it takes all the efforts and all the ＮＧＯs， governments，media， the public， every single individual， to get involved. Our planet is a house that is burning. If we don't work together with a united spirit to put out the fire， we will not have a home anymore. One hundred percent of the world's people must be veg，soon， to save the planet. I thank you and all the ＮＧＯ leaders here today and the ones absent who started the vegan initiative. Please do more.

As for what I wish the Copenhagen conference to accomplish， I wish what you wish. I wish what everyone who cares about the planet wishes - that all the leaders come together for the highest benefit to all humanity and animals， and the environment. I wish they will gather not just as leaders， but as fathers，mothers， sisters，brothers and other concerned family members who truly wish to save their home for themselves and for their beloved ones. I wish they will all realize the urgent action needed to save this beautiful planet. With this kind of shared motivation， those gathered are more likely to be open to the real solution， which we all know is the organic vegan diet.

We can keep the emission goals， but must expand them and prioritize them wisely. First and foremost， eliminate the single largest source of human-caused methane， namely，livestock. Stop animal production then we will stop global warming - very simple，because global warming is caused by animal products. That's it. Very simple， straightforward， nothing mysterious， nothing difficult. Stop animal products，then we stop global warming. I can repeat that １０，０００ times and I never feel that I have said it enough.

Because to be honest， as the plans are going right now， we can't save the planet， I am so sorry. Not in time，not in time. It will be too late the way we are doing now， it will be too late to save our world. But，if we prioritize the vegan solution， be veg first， go green after we save the planet or a little bit slowly， because `go green' is too slow for the time that we have right now， for the urgent situation right now.

So we have to be veg first and that is also to go green at the same time. And then any other green technology， we will have time to develop and install. First，we have to survive. We cut down the number one cause of global warming. We have to eliminate animal products because we want to save the planet. Again， it really is so simple. And if it goes like this， we will have a saved world in no time. No animal products means having the planet.

And even a heavenly world we will have because being veg changes everything drastically， from the environment to people's mentality，to the standard of our world and to having peace in the world， to eliminate hunger， to have brotherhood truly for humankind. And we zoom it in， it will change Jeju Island into the greenest and most brilliant state we could ever imagine， as all corners of the Earth. With temperatures stabilized， ecosystems balanced， animals thriving in peace， and humans finding new health and happiness and incredible new inventions， our life will become a dreamlike Heaven as never imagined before. Thank you，Mr. Kim， and thanks again all the ＮＧＯs.

Grace (f): Thank you， Supreme Master Ching Hai， for all the amazing answers and for your precious time.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Welcome.

Callie (f): We，the people of Jeju， are very much grateful to you for accepting our invitation and supporting us so much， supporting our children， our natural beauty， and our shared future.

Grace (f): Before closing this conference， Supreme Master Ching Hai， would you like to share a final message for us，please？

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Gladly. Yes，I could sit here and talk forever about how to save our planet. But since every happy time must end and you give me this privilege to close the meeting， I would also of course like to say: 『Sarang-heyo，Jeju.』 That means 『I love you，Jeju.』 I hope you understand my Korean. Love you，Jeju. And I thank you from the depths of my heart for your sincere presence， for your passionate care about the Earth，your precious participation and encouragement. I thank all of you， the precious specialists， the panelists， esteemed Governor， eloquent speakers， media members and all the caring audience members， for your precious time and your divine presence.

My appreciation again， goes to all the ＮＧＯs who organized this event， for your support and for making this meeting possible and in such an organized， orderly，beautiful manner. For everyone present， I would like to say; 『Your own voices have made it crystal clear that if we choose organic vegan as our solution， we can only win.』 Yes，we will win. Organic vegan is the healthy diet， which is the diet that calms the mind even， and，of course， will calm the climate， restore the green forests and harmony with all the animals. It's the diet that gives us peace of mind and frees our loving spirit. It's the diet that's mentioned in all the great religious scriptures of the world.

So please，remember， we have only to lose meat and we will gain everything else. You have taken the first step by declaring to be organic vegan one day a week. All the beautiful， noble ＮＧＯs， I thank you for that again. And now with this same courageous spirit， please be veg every day of the week， or just another six days， yes，and then next week， the same and the same for next week and the same for another week. One day at a time. One vegan day of the week， and the next day another vegan day of the week， and the next day， another vegan day of the week. That is very simple. Because organic vegan is the only way we can save the planet.

First，be vegan，okay？ If we can't find the organic vegetables or fruits，then please， be vegan first. Because this positive loving energy will envelop our planet， will be a protective shield for us. There's nothing else， no other green power can protect us in this crucial moment of danger. Please believe me. I have nothing to gain from telling you this， but I tell you because I'm one of you， because my love doesn't know any boundary between me， myself，my family or my country people or the people of Korea， or any other nationalities in the world. I love all people. I love all the beings on this planet and I want to save you all. I want to save them all. Please wake up and wake everybody else up before our house is burned down. Together we will win， together we will save this planet.

Not to save the planet for the sake of material existence，but because we save ourselves. We save our great Self which is compassionate， which is loving， which is merciful， which is godlike. All the scriptures of the religions tell us this， that we are the Buddha， that we can become Buddha as soon as we want， that we are the children of God. So we have to save our status as the greatest beings in the universe; the crown of the creation.

We must save our great quality; not just the planet， but ourselves，our heart， our nobility， our leadership on this beautiful spaceship we call planet Earth. We are the captains. We must lead the planet into safety and save our soul， save the best qualities that we have within us. Together， we can maintain not only the beautiful Jeju and all the South Korea as a wonderful paradise， but we will also save the whole world. You will all become heroes. You will all be my heroes. Please，be veg， go green. Love can change the world. Thank you. Be veg，go green， do good deeds. Thank you. Thank you，God bless you. God bless you all.

Grace (f): Thank you. Thank you very much， Supreme Master Ching Hai. From all of us here， we wish you the very best.

Callie (f): And we would like to once again thank all of the wonderful ＮＧＯs that organized this conference.

Grace (f): And our special thanks to Supreme Master Television. With headquarters in Los Angeles，USA， and inspired by Supreme Master Ching Hai， Supreme Master Television has been airing constructive programming for the world from １４ satellite platforms about climate change issues， the vegan lifestyle， love of animals and humanitarian works，and all the beautiful content is free of charge.

Callie (f): Ladies and gentlemen， let's give another warm applause for Supreme Master Television. Now，before we close the conference， I've got a question for you，Grace. Have you seen this photo？ Recently， (Grace (f): Yes，I have.) a German elementary student named Felix visited Korea. What he did was，he gently covered the mouth of His Excellency the Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo and this was to deliver his message， 『Please，no more talk. Take action！』

Grace (f): And ladies and gentlemen， we would like to close this conference with a similar call for action. Today，we discussed how to save the planet and keep our children healthy.

Callie (f): But we can only change the world if we are willing to change our lifestyles， starting right now. (Grace (f): Maybe even this evening.) Yes. And by adopting a vegan diet， we preserve the health of not only our children but also this beautiful planet.

Grace (f): So，ladies and gentlemen， tell us how you feel. Do you want to save the planet for all the beautiful children in the world？ If you do，please say， 『Yes.』

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Yes！ Yes！ Audience: Yes！

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Yes，we do it！

Grace (f): And can we do it？

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Yes！ We can！ Audience: Yes！

Grace (f): All right！ And how can we save the planet for our children？ Be Veg， Go Green， Save the Planet.

Be Veg！Go Green！ Save the Planet！ Yes！One more time！Be Veg！Go Green！Save the planet！ All right！

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Great people！ Great people！

Grace (f): Let's do it！ Let's all become vegans， and let's encourage everyone we know to be veg，too.

Callie (f): And this concludes the conference. We thank you all for your magnificent presence.

Grace (f): And thank you all the cherished viewers from around the world. We are all proud of you. Thank you.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Thank you.

Grace and Callie (f): Bye. Bye.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Bye. Wish you all the best of the best. Be veg， go green，do good deeds.

Shin Hee Sun (f): Hallo，everyone，my name is Shin Hee-Sun. I live in Jeju Island， South Korea and I am １８ years old this year. I am also a delegate of Korea for the climate change forum in Denmark，Copenhagen this December. Our planet is in a very urgent situation. I think that changing our lifestyle is the most important thing， and the easiest way. I totally agree with this idea about vegan diet. After listening to people from all over the world talk about how a vegan diet can change our life， I realized that not only vegan diet is good for our health， but also for the planet. Vegan diet is also the easiest and the quickest way to save our Earth. Be Veg！ Go Green！ Save the planet！

Yang Hong Gwan(m): As the person in charge of environmental issues in the Democratic Labor Party，I came here because I'm interested in climate change，which is the most urgent problem and requires action on a grand scale right now. The most important topics here were climate change and the vegetarian diet， and those are very significant solutions.

We should find ways to change what's on our dining table. This is the first thing to consider. The second thing to consider is is our school lunch， and thirdly， public institutions or industries as a whole. A vegetarian diet is a significant action， one that saves our physical body， our soul，and our planet， so I will choose this courageous path. Supreme Master Ching Hai， I'm so glad to see you. I got to meet you today so it was really joyful and a bit exciting，and I'm also very honored.

Lee Sun-Jae Principal，Folk Culture School，One Nation Cultural Institute (impression of master) Lee(m); It was so nice to hear what she (Supreme Master Ching Hai) said. I could really feel her sincerity， her love for humanity and for the world.

Reverend Kim Sang-Geun President，Jeju Consumer's Cooperation Rev. Kim (m): In this conference， I had the chance to learn the connection between children's health， global warming， and the vegan diet. There were so many good speeches today. We have to determine how to respond. We already have a plan: we set a vegan day and have vegan meals that day. We have to come to a social agreement that the entire island of Jeju should do this together.

Jeon In-Soo Chairperson，Jeju Ecology Nurturing Association English Jeon(f): Our nursery has been providing organic vegetarian meals once a week for seven years. As a result of this international conference， ２０ kindergarten classrooms are now required to provide organic vegetarian meals once a week， beginning October １.

Conference participants (in English) Be Veg！ Go Green！ Save the planet！ Mother(f): Bye-bye！

Jeju Island, the largest island in S. Korea, is blessed with a natural beauty fresh air, clean water, pure seas, and volcanoes of various sizes further embellished the landscape.

A number of Jeju’s distinctive features have been recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which include: Mt. Halla Natural Monument zone, Sungsan Ilchulbong tuff cone, and Geomunoreum lava tube system of caves.

Additionally, due to its beauty and biological value, Mt. Halla has been protected as a UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserve since 2002 and has 360 oreums, lava tube systems of caves.

Jeju Island is well known not only for its natural heritage but also for its efforts to protect them. In fact, the heart of the people of Jeju Island pulsates as one with the land.

They made it a priority and pledge to preserve the natural environment as a priceless inheritance for the future generations:We will live with nature and do our best to preserve our beautiful environment.
 
We will practice "green" consumerism following the wise life pattern of our ancestors. We will take good care of our cultural heritage and our community life. We will support pro-environmental economic activity for sustainable development. We will positively participate in worldwide efforts supporting the environment and world peace.

Thus, on September 21, 2009, 49 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) on Jeju Island collaborated to organize the “Children’s Health & Sustainable Planet – Jeju International Conference” to discuss two of the most important topics across social sectors: children's health and climate change.
The unique event focused on the organic vegan diet as the answer to both cooling the planet and improving children’s nutrition.

The conference was attended by government dignitaries that included Jeju Governor Kim Tae-Hwan and Mr. Yang Seong-Eon, Superintendent of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Office of Education, and featured environmental experts such as Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, Chairman of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and Mr. Joop Oude Lohuis, Manager of the Climate and Global Sustainability Unit in the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency.

Also sharing their knowledge were medical leaders that included Dr. Michael Greger, Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society of the United States; acclaimed physician and nutritional expert, Dr. Joel Fuhrman; Dr. Neal Barnard, founding president of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine; Dr. John A. McDougall, founder and medical director of the nationally renowned McDougall Program; and Dr. Hwang Seong-Soo, famous Korean neurosurgeon of Daegu Medical Center.

Many members of the media also participated in the event, including the TV news channels MBC, KBS, CBS; Arirang radio; newspapers Hankook Ilbo Hankyoreh, Yonhap news, Jeju Ilbo; and internet news Media Jeju and Jeju Sori.

Graciously accepting an invitation to attend via videoconference as the event’s guest of honor was Supreme Master Ching Hai. We now invite you to join us for part 1 of the 8-part rebroadcast of the videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai, entitled “Children’s Health & Sustainable Planet – Jeju International Conference,” held on September 21, 2009 on Jeju Island in S. Korea. We now invite you to join us for part 2 of the 8-part rebroadcast of the videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai, entitled “Children’s Health & Sustainable Planet – Jeju International Conference,” held on September 21, 2009 on Jeju Island in S. Korea.

We now invite you to join us for the 8-part series rebroadcast of the videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai, entitled “Children’s Health & Sustainable Planet – Jeju International Conference,” held on September 21, 2009 on Jeju Island in S. Korea. We now invite you to join us for part 4 of the 8-part rebroadcast of the videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai, entitled “Children’s Health & Sustainable Planet – Jeju International Conference,” held on September 21, 2009 on Jeju Island in S. Korea.

Greeting from Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Greetings, I would, first, like to express my encouragement for the one day a week organic vegan program. I think anything we can do to move towards nature and closer to nature is going to be of great benefit to human society. I’m quite concerned about the lack of action and, in fact, the insensitivity to the problem of climate change. We know that if we don’t take action early enough and adequately enough, we’re going to see some very harmful impacts of climate change all over the world. Unfortunately, some of these will take place in the poorest, the most vulnerable regions and for the most vulnerable communities on Earth. And, therefore, I think we have a moral and an ethical reason to take action by which we reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases.

Now, one particular area where we can make a difference is in terms of changes in lifestyle. Of course, the question could be asked, “what changes in lifestyle? ” There are lots of things that we can do in our daily lives, including the use of energy in the home, for transportation and for various other activitie as efficiently as possible. But one particular area where I think there are huge benefits is in terms of reduction of meat consumption. I personally believe that both human beings and the planet would be much healthier if we were to cut down on meat consumption, and in particular, I would suggest that the human race should gradually do away with eating red meat because that clearly has the largest emissions of greenhouse gases associated with the entire cycle of red meat production and consumption.

So, I think the time has come when we have to bring about a shift in our diets whereby we reduce the consumption of meat, particularly red meat,  A lot of people ask me questions on how their children and how they themselves would get adequate protein if they are going to be dependent only on er an organic vegetarian diet, and my answer is that I can get you two consultants who will give you that er response, and those two consultants are called the elephant and the horse. These are two animals who consume nothing but plant material and they certainly don’t lack in proteins. So I would like to submit that if we can shift towards a much lower consumption of meat, we would be much happier; we would be much healthier and so would the planet.


Of course, when it comes to changing diets, changing lifestyles, I think the feeling has to come from within. I don’t think this is an area where government orders or government initiatives can really make a difference. Of course, governments should certainly impose taxes on those activities or those products which impose huge environmental costs on society, both locally as well as globally. But in the ultimate analysis, I think it is NGOs, it is civil society, and it is the community itself that has to create awareness on what the benefits of a reduced meat consumption pattern would actually be, And I would submit that NGOs, civil society and people at large must get involved in this err campaign to bring about understanding of the benefits of eating much less meat. And I want to compliment so many of the NGOs, so many of those who are carrying out this campaign and I’d like to give you my encouragement and my very best wishes. Thank you very much.


We have to show particular sensitivity to children who are most vulnerable to climate change because we have to accept the fact that children ah whose future has to be safeguarded, who depend on the sustainability of natural resources and eco systems on this planet, are also unfortunately the most vulnerable. For instance, as a result of climate change, there will be much more disease, there’ll be more floods, more droughts, more heat waves, and clearly children would be the most vulnerable subjects of this particular trend that we’re going to see.

It’s also true that ah when it comes to ah planning the future of children, if this planet is going to see much worse impacts of climate change than we’re witnessing today, we’re not giving our children a good future, and I don’t think it’s fair for us to ah squander these opportunities for preserving all the natural resources of this planet by satisfying our own immediate needs, particularly since those needs are really misplaced; they don’t really do the human race any good. So, I would appeal to all those who are concerned about the future of their children to see that firstly, we protect them from the worst impacts of climate change, and secondly, that we ensure we leave behind a planet where the natural resources, where all the beautiful things that nature has provided us can be preserved and maintained for their benefit and for the benefit of their children. So this would be my appeal and I hope those of you who are viewing this would take that to heart and do something about it. Thank you very much.

Lecture from Mr. Joop Oude Lohuis,  the Manager of the Climate and Global Sustainability Unit for the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency

Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Joop Oude Lohuis. I’m a researcher at the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. It’s a pity I can’t be here, it’s a very beautiful island so I’ll have to make my contribution by screen. Probably the most difficult issues the world is facing today are climate change and the loss of nature and biodiversity.

For 10 to 50 years the world is concerned and seriously tries to deal with climate change. The focus is strongly directed ah towards energy use and fossil fuels, and climate change mitigation policies tend to focus on the energy sector, On the other hand, the livestock sector receives surprisingly little attention, and I think that’s an issue we have to discuss today.

The livestock sector accounts for about 18% of greenhouse gas emissions. That is substantial. The livestock sector accounts for about 80 % of total anthropogenic land use, and that is more than substantial. And from a dietary perspective, new insights in the adverse effects and health effects of beef and pork have also led to a revision of consumption recommendations, and I think that’s an important issue we have to discuss today.

Recently, we explored the potential impact of dietary changes on achieving ambitious climate stabilization levels. And for the first time, we made an integrated analysis of all the different elements that have, that are ah related to ah eating meat, and that is: substitutes for meat, climate change, the possible effects on the land use, health and costs.

And we know that if we go  in a business –as- usual scenario, the livestock would double in the next 40 years and greenhouse gas emissions would go up by about 80%. Well we found out that ah food transition on the global scale, eating less meat and /or even a complete switch to a plant-based protein food can have dramatic effects on land use. Up to 2700 million hectares of pasture and 100 million hectares of crop land ah can be abandoned, resulting in a large carbon uptake of land, instead of being a source of emissions.

Additionally methane, nitrous oxide they are potentially harmful greenhouse gases could be reduce…reduced substantially. A global transition to a low meat diet as recommended for health reasons would reduce mitigation costs by about 50 %. In terms of climate change, we would like to keep the global temperature below 2°C change, and that would result in a target maximum level of about 450 parts per million CO2.


The mitigation cost in reaching climate targets could go up to a 1-2% of global GDP and that’s about $2 trillion a year. A scenario with no meat consumption at all would halve these costs. If we go to a scenario with no meat at all and also no dairy products, the ah amount of costs would not even go down with 50 % but at a rate of 70 to 80 %, and that’s substantial. Dietary changes ah could, therefore, not only create substantial benefit for human health and land use but also play a role in ah reducing ah future climate change policies at a lower cost.

There are many opportunities in changing a diet from meat to vegetable based products. In our analysis, we assumed soya beans and pulses to be the main substitutes for meat and dairy products, and we included all the effects of changing land use to these type of products and included also the effects. So we think that it’s an inclusive study which proves that the effects are scientifically sound. This change in diet could happen within between 2010 and 2030 and then ah ah the situation will stabilize.

The change in land use has a main effect, the land use no longer a source of emissions but could even become a sink of emissions. The change would result in a net contribution of one gigaton of carbon to the atmosphere and change the whole situation into a one to two gigaton of carbon ah absorption by way of changing the land use.

 There is room for re-growth of forests in areas that are now being used by cows and sheep for grazing, for eating grass. The biggest effect are for sure pertained by reducing the amount of ruminants, that is cows or sheep. They have a less efficient digestion resulting in ah large amounts of methane emissions.

 I think, in summary, that science says that there is convincing evidence that changing diet can really benefit the climate and will benefit our preservation of natural habitats.
 
A change is noticeable in the behavior of consumers and in supermarkets. There is a growing diversity in terms of vegetarian products, substitutes for meats that can be chosen by consumers. So I think one of the elements of change will be that consumers make there own choices and choose vegetarian products and  eat less meat.


In summary, from what we know now, changing a diet to less or no meat is one of the , lowest cost measures to help the climate change ah targets. It’s good for health uh in summary and it leaves more room for nature and biodiversity. Thank you for your attention.

Lecture from Dr. Michael Greger, the Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society of the United States

According to the World Health Organization, 2 billion people may become infected with swine flu and our children may be at the highest risk. Normally, 90 % of flu deaths are in the elderly, 65 years and older, but with swine flu, children and young adults ages 5 through 14 are more than 10 times more likely to become infected. That means 15,000 Korean children may die. Where did this virus come from? Well, the genetic finger-print of this virus was published this summer and the US Centers for Disease Control and laboratories from around the world have confirmed that the main ancestor of the current pandemic virus was the triple hybrid mutant pig, bird, human virus that emerged and spread throughout industrialized farms in the United States 10 years ago.

This first hybrid mutant was found on an industrial farm in North Carolina in August of 1998 that confined thousands of pregnant pigs in metal crates so small they couldn’t turn around. Thanks to long distance live animal transport, the virus then spread throughout North America, and thanks to the export of pigs to Asia, it reached Korea by 2005.

This is not the first disease to emerge from factory farms. Unless we start giving these animals more breathing room, it may not be the last. For example China, 2005, the world’s largest producer of pork, suffered an unprecedented outbreak of an emerging pink pathogen called Strep Suis (abbreviation for Streptococcus suis) which caused meningitis and deafness in people handling infected pork products. Hundreds of people infected with the deadliest strain on record. Why? The World Health Organization blames in part these intensive confinement conditions. The US Department of Agriculture elaborate that all Strep suis seems to start off harmless, asymptomatic is normal flora, but then stress - due to inadequate housing, ventilation, overcrowding- allows the bug to go invasive, causing infections of the brain, blood, lungs, heart and death. Starts out harmless turns deadly, that’s what these kinds of conditions may be able to do. This is not arguably how animals were meant to live.

July 2009, just a few months ago, a strain of Ebola was reported on a factory farm in the Philippines confining 6,000 pigs. It was Ebola Reston, the same strain featured in the book “The Hot Zone.” Air borne Ebola bug doesn’t seem to be able to infect people, but with enough time to mutate in pigs, who knows? So they drove them into these pits and then burned them alive. We feed antibiotics by the truck load to farmed animals.

This is total amount of antibiotics used for all of the human medicine every year here in the States. Now, contrast that with the amount that just fed to farm animals, just to promote growth and prevent disease in such a stressful unhygienic crowded environment, millions of pounds a year.

Now, we as physicians are faced with these multi-drug resistant, antibiotic resistant bacteria, and are running out of good treatment options, particularly in pediatric populations..

As Britain’s chief medical officer put it in his 2009 annual report; “Every inappropriate use of antibiotics in agriculture is a potential death warrant for a future patient.” Industrial animal farms have been shown to be breeding grounds for disease for at least 10 reasons. For example, because of the sheer numbers of animals, because of the overcrowding, it’s like having 5,000  people in an elevator and someone sneezes, because of the stress crippling their immune systems. The operation in Newton Grove, North Carolina, where the ancestor of the current pandemic virus was first detected, was a breeding facility in which thousands of pregnant sows were confined in gestation crates, also known as sow stalls These are veal crate-like ah barren metal cages about 2 feet wide. These highly intelligent, social animals, essentially kept in a box week after week, month after month, for nearly their entire lives. They can develop crippling joint deformities, lameness. If we did this to pets we could get thrown in jail in this country.

Not only can these pregnant pigs not turn around, they can barely move for most of their lives. Because of the lack of fresh air the dankness helps keep the virus alive in these kinds of facilities. Because there may be no sunlight the MV rays and sunlight are actually quite effective in destroying the influenza virus.

Thirty minutes of direct sunlight utterly deactivates the influenza virus, but it can last for days in the shade, and weeks in moist manure. And indeed, because of the decomposing fetal waste releasing ammonia, burning the respiratory tracts of these animals, predisposing them to infection in the first place. Put these and all these other factors together, and then you have is really this kind of perfect storing environment for the emergence and spread of new so-called super strains of influenza. The public health community has been warning about the dangers of industrialized animal agriculture for years.

In 2003, the American Public Health Association, the largest organization of public health professionals in the world, called for a moratorium on industrialized animal farming. In 2005, the United Nations called on all governments, local authorities,international agencies, told them they needed to take a greatly increased role in combating the world of factory farming, which combined with these live bird markets provide what they call ideal conditions for the virus to spread and mutate into a more dangerous form. In 2008, the Pew Commission on industrial farm animal production, which included former US secretary of Agriculture, concluded that these so-called

Factory farms present unacceptable public health risks. The former director of the commission calls these industrial farms "super-incubators for viruses." They're a public health menace that must be stopped. Only a few thousand people have died so far of swine flu though, although one could never really call anything that's killed hundreds of children "mild," exactly, but this H1N1 virus hasn't been much worse than the regular seasonal flu, so far. But this may be just the first wave.The 1918 flew pandemic was relatively mild first as well. Though we're not exactly sure what happened in 1918 compared to what was to come later, this first initial wave in the summer of 1918 hardly registered a blip, but it came back in the fall to kill tens of millions of people.

In Korea, in 1918, according to the Japanese colonial government at the time, as many as 8 million Koreans died the last time an animal flu virus jumped species into human beings. Now, the worst case scenario estimate would be if the swine flu were to combine with the H5N1 bird flu, both of which have been found in pigs. So if a single pig in parts of Asia, or Africa, where the H5N1 bird flu virus, has become endemic, that pig becomes co-infected with both swine flu and the new bird flu, the concern is that it could theoretically produce a virus with a human transmisability of the swine flu, but the human lethality of the bird flu.

In 1918 the mortality rate of the pandemic was less than 5%. This estimate, here on the right, potentially tens of millions of people dead in the next pandemic, is based on this two to, same two to three percent mortality rate, that the US Centers for Disease Control calls a  “category 5 pandemic, ” around two percent mortality- around 2 million Americans dead, so that's two percent. But H5N1 has so far killed over half of its known human victims; don't even seem to get a coin toss as to whether or not one lives through this disease. Up to 10 million Koreans come down with the flu every year, what if it suddenly turned deadly? That's what keeps everyone up at night, the possibility, however slight, that a virus called H5N1 could trigger a pandemic. That would be like combining one of the most contagious known diseases, influenza, with one of the deadliest, like crossing a disease like Ebola with the common cold.

All animals deserve humane treatment. How we treat animals can have global public health implications, and these newly emerging chicken and pig flu viruses are but one example. We deny them a modicum of mercy to both their detriment and potentially to ours as well.

We need to end the long distance live animal transport of farm animals which can spread diseases around the world. We need to follow the Pew Commission's recommendations to abolish these extreme confinement practices, like crates for pregnant pigs, as their already doing in Europe, and starting to here in the States. And ultimately we need to follow the advice of the public health professionals and declare: “No more factory farms!”

Let me end with a quote from the World Health Organization: "The Bottom Line"; The bottom line is humans have to think about how they raise their animals, how they farm them, how they market them. Basically, the whole relationship between the animal kingdom and the human kingdom is coming under stress. In this age of emerging diseases, we now have billions of feathered and curly tailed test-tubes for viruses to incubate and mutate within billions more spins at pandemic roulette. Along with human culpability though comes hope. If changes in human behavior can cause new plagues, well then changes in human behavior may prevent them in the future.

Due to time constraints, this presentation by design is an over-simplification of a very serious public-health issue. For the underlying science, allow me to refer you to an invited review I wrote for for "Critical Reviews in Micro-Biology." I'd be happy to send anyone a reprint, a free copy, if you just email me at MHG1@cornell.edu, 'M,' 'H,' 'G,' just the numeral '1' at c-o-r-n-e-l-l dot e-d-u. I also have a book on the subject, which is also available free, full-text online at birdflubook.org. All the citations are hyperlink clickable, all 3,168 of them. We also just released  a DVD on Swine Flu in particular. And again, if you email me, I'll be happy to send you a free copy of the DVD. Or you can watch it online in its entirety at humanesociety.org/swineflu.  Thank you.

Lecture from Dr. John McDougall, a pioneering medical doctor, bestselling author, and the esteemed founder of the McDougall Program.
 
Hallo, I am Dr. John McDougall. I want to thank you for the invitation and the opportunity to talk about something really important and that’s children’s health and children’s diets. I mean we as parents, we could do almost anything in our own diet there is a diet that is correct for people. Human history probably tells that diet best. If you think about it, all large populations of successful people throughout all of recordable history have consumed diets based on starch. For example, in my part of the world. the diet of people several hundred or a thousand years ago was a diet based primarily on corn.

You remember the diet of Aztecs and Mayans? These were the people of the corn. And in South America, it was potatoes, in the Andes people lived on potatoes, that’s what the Incas consumed. And if you look further east, what you find was people in Europe and in the Middle East, they lived on diets of grain. Barley, wheat, other types of grain were the foods of these people. And then go far east to where you live, what has the diet of people been traditionally for thousands of years? It’s been a diet primarily based on rice or sometimes buckwheat or sweet potatoes. Starch-based diets, that’s what the human diet is, it’s a diet based starch with the addition of fruits and vegetables. The animal foods that come into diet, they are tolerated but not necessary.

The best diet for kids and adults, that’s a diet based on starch with the addition of fruits and vegetables. It does not include animal products. I can’t think of a reason to add dairy products-cow’s milk, cheese - to the diet of a person who wants to be healthy, trim and active. I can’t think of a single reason to add any kind of animal food in terms of meat, like beef or pork or chicken or fish; it adds nothing to the diet that you can’t get better from starches, vegetables and fruits. That’s what the science says. That’s what your experiences tell you and that’s what you see when you look back historically. We’ve gotten away from that, and that’s because of business. But we can change back and we could do it for ourselves as well as for our children. Our children need a good start in life. So what I would encourage you to do, all of you listening, is to find out what the truth is and take action.

Yes, these are the most important people in our lives, these little kids are, but they deserve our efforts to make sure we’re doing the right thing, particularly when it comes to diet. And you will discover, if you take the trouble, that the right diet for kids is a starch-based diet with fruits and vegetables, and they’ll like it too. They already like these foods, they like simple foods, starch foods; they’re comfort foods. So, let’s make it a worldwide effort to makes changes that are important for everybody. Thank you for this opportunity.

Lecture from Dr. Neal Barnard, the founding president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine or PCRM, president of The Cancer Project and the Washington Center for Clinical Research, and an adjunct associate professor of medicine at The George Washington University, USA.

I want to say a big warm welcome to all the participants in today’s conference. Children today have the advantage of having more foods available than ever before. We know more about nutrition than ever before. But unfortunately, sometimes what children actually eat is not as healthful as it should be, and that’s because there are also more unhealthy foods available than ever before.

So we need to really help them. So what to eat? And what to avoid? The foods that are healthful for children, I think of them as being in 4 groups. We refer to these as the new 4 food groups: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and the bean group. Or you might call it the legume group: beans, peas, and lentils. These 4 groups together provide plenty of protein. They provide plenty of calcium and iron, they are very rich in vitamins and in minerals, and lots of healthy fiber. They don’t have any animal fat, they don’t have cholesterol; they are a good recipe for good health.

The most important thing, though, for children is not just to eat foods that keep them healthy while they are children, but it’s to learn good health habits, good eating habits, that they can carry with them into adulthood. If children learn healthy eating right from the start, they carry a wonderful gift with them, and they are better able to take care of their own families when they’re adults.

Well, I have to say some of the very foods that I grew up with are perhaps the most important things to set aside -meats, dairy products, eggs, these foods have cholesterol. They have animal fat, and these foods cause a lot of problems. First of all, these foods are linked to heart problems. If you could look inside the arteries of a typical American boy or girl, before they finished high school, many of them have the beginnings of heart disease already.

They’re only 15 or 16 years of age. But because of all the meat, cheese, other dairy products and eggs they’ve been eating, unfortunately, their arteries are starting to get clogged. Over the long run, though, these same foods increase the risk of cancer, particularly breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer. These things are much less likely to happen on people who are following totally plant-based diets. And what has the children themselves worried and their parents worried is that kids who eat a meaty diet tend to be heavier than other kids.

Now, many well-meaning parents will say, “We want our children to drink milk or eat meat.” What they’re thinking of is maybe this will help their kids to grow taller or to be stronger. But I have to say researchers have looked at this very question. And the children who eat meat and dairy products are not any taller than other kids. What they are is wider than other kids - meaning they’re more likely to be overweight.

Researchers have looked at thousands of children and shown that those children who grow up on a totally vegan diet - meaning a diet with no animal products at all- they’re just as tall and healthy as other kids. In fact, they’re healthier, but they’re more likely to stay in a good, healthy body weight.

In many countries throughout North America, South America, and particularly today throughout Asia, we’re seeing an explosion in meat intake, in dairy consumption, and so that means more and more farms are springing up and the population overall is less healthy than it was when more
healthful plant-based diets were the norm. If this trend continues, what we will see is not only more influenza outbreaks, we’ll see more heart disease, much more cancer, and shorter life spans.
What this means really is a tragedy that people who wanted to live a long, healthy life, and to bring up their children to be able to live in as healthful way as possible will never be able to realize that dream.

And it’s because we bought into foods that have lurking in them cholesterol, animal fat and other problems that really can exact a terrible price that nobody was counting on in advance. Let me also say a word for parents, teachers, other people who are involved in schools. Schools have sometimes had trouble really serving the most healthful foods. Many of them have perhaps had a misimpression that they need to give children milk in school, or need to give them meat.

Schools in the United States and some other places on the globe are now featuring healthy, completely vegan meals for children because they realize that when you don’t provide the milk and the meat, kids do much better. They’re healthier, they are less likely to come up with infections, I’m thinking about things like ear infections, asthma, and other problems. They are more likely to stay at a healthy weight, and they are less likely to fall asleep in the afternoon.

I have to say when kids get a big, greasy, sugary meal, it’s pretty hard for them to stay awake
in the afternoon, it’s hard for them to concentrate. And on the other hand, when children are fed the most healthful meals, they have the energy and the attention span to carry them all the way through the day. So, in conclusion, when we think about our children, they are our most precious resource. And, unfortunately, the pressures on parents, on teachers, and on the kids themselves are more intense than they’ve ever been.

There are more and more businesses out there trying to sell unhealthy food, and we can understand why that is. But to the extent that we can put healthy foods on children’s  plates. If we can have policies in our government, if we can have practices in our schools that every child, no matter how disadvantaged, has the ability to have a healthful meal, every single meal, every single day, we are going to be investing in the health of the next generation. I thank you so much for helping us all to do that. And I hope you enjoy the rest of the conference.. Thank you very much

Lecture from Dr. Joel Fuhrman - He is called the “doctor of doctors” in the USA, and his long-term best-selling books are very popular here in Korea. He has influenced many nutritional studies, as well as the vegetarian movement in Korea.

Greetings to the beautiful Jeju Island and the honorable governor and officials, the honorable guest Supreme Master Ching Hai, the representative NGOs, parents, teachers, students, and other participants.I’m so happy to be here. I’d like to talk to you today about what an impact nutritional excellence can make for you and people around the world. We can win the war against disease, we can have healthier nations and a healthier South Korea.

Right now we are spreading American fast food companies, and processed foods are spreading all over the world and people are becoming more overweight, more obese, having more heart attacks, more diabetes, more strokes, and even more cancer. The good news is that nutritional science has advanced to the point where we can have people not have heart attacks; we can win the war against cancer; we can stop people from having strokes; and as they become more elderly, they don’t have to become demented in their later years; and in healthy populations with low medical costs, with a dramatically more successful and happier population without the fear of these diseases.


And what we’ve learned, the secrets that we’ve learnt to protect ourselves have to do with nutrients. And there are two types of nutrients. There are macro nutrients, and macronutrients contain calories and those are called fat, carbohydrate and protein. And if you eat too many macronutrients -too much fat, too much carbohydrate, and too much protein -we can become overweight and we can promote Aging and promote heart attacks and strokes. Now, food also contains micronutrients and micronutrients do not contain calories. They are things like vitamins and minerals and phytochemicals.

 
About 80 years ago, in 1930, scientists first discovered 14 vitamins and about 20 different minerals. And everybody said, “Wow, this is great, we could help people live longer and help people be much healthier.” And what happened between 1935 and 2005 is that heart attack rates went up all over the world, stroke rates went up and cancer rates went up every single year for 70 years straight. We didn’t realize until about 15 years ago that the third type of micronutrients called phytochemicals were missing. Because the third type of micronutrients called phytochemicals are not found in processed foods and they are not found in animal products, but they are found in fruits and vegetables.

So, when we thought that we could take processed foods and add a few vitamins and minerals to it or take a vitamin supplement and think we're getting enough, we were mistaken. Because now we know that every tomato has a thousand different nutrients in it! Every head of cabbage, every piece of lettuce, every cucumber, every bean or berry or sprout has hundreds, even thousands nutrients that are so important to protect our precious health. So, if we sum up what we’ve learned in the last 15 years in the field of nutritional science, we’ve realized that we have to eat a diet that’s very high in nutrients, very high in micronutrients including not just the ones we discovered 70 years ago but all the new nutrients that we’re discovering -all the new findings, that full symphony of nutrients we’re finding that exists in natural fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds.

So the first thing I’m saying here, I’m making the point that as a nation, countries all over the world have made tremendous mistakes as far as protecting the health of their population. The mistake we made is we thought that we could eat anything - we could eat white flour, we could eat bread, we could eat pasta, we could eat sugar, we could drink soda all day! It doesn’t have to be high in micronutrients and then we can just take a vitamin pill and be okay.

What we found out: it doesn’t work! We actually have to eat real food. Now, here is where I feel that the people of Jeju and the people of South Korea have a unique opportunity in human history. You have a blessing available to you with a climate to grow healthy foods and farmers that grow fresh fruits and vegetables, and a homeland that has availability of peppers and tomatoes and cabbage and lettuce and sesame seeds -you have the availability to eat super foods.
And these super foods could protect us against chronic degenerative and dangerous diseases, preventing medical tragedies. So you have to really eat these foods, so let’s talk about this for a minute.

Because we are saying here is that we have to eat a diet high in nutrients and low in calories, so the first thing I’m saying to you is that animal products - like chicken and meat, and fish and eggs - should not be the major portion of a diet. A healthy diet has to be plant-based. Most of what we eat has to get these phytochemicals from natural plant foods. So, pasta, white bread, and white rice do not have in them, the phytochemicals and antioxidants. In those foods there is no significant amount of vitamin E and vitamin K, and folate and bioflavonoids, and lignans and plant sterols, and all these phytochemicals, and all the carotenoids that protect against disease. In other words, what I’m saying is that processed foods, drinking soda, having sugar, having white rice, and pasta and white bread are not high nutrient foods. Those are not going to be the foods to protect your precious health because they are not rich in micronutrients.

And likewise, animal products like chicken and meat also do not have the same nutrients. They are also missing the vitamin E, vitamin K, the folate, the bioflavonoids, the lignans, the phytochemicals, the carotenoids - the same nutrients that processed foods are missing.

Worldwide we’re seeing populations get most of their calories from processed foods and animal products, and they are not eating fruits and vegetables. Then what are they missing? Of course, they are missing those antioxidants and the phytochemicals that are present in plant foods.
And instead of going to doctors and getting pills to take to lower your blood pressure, and instead of taking medication to take away chest pains and then having surgeries on people’s hearts or procedures to make the  blood to flow better, those do not make people live longer.

The most powerful intervention, the most powerful medicine is what you can do in your own home, in your own kitchens, in your own gardens, and what you can do with your own life to protect your precious health. It’s not what doctors can do for you with medications and surgeries. What I’m saying today is that we all are in this together, if we all eat a diet which we call a plant-based high nutrient diet. We look to eat more of the foods that are highest in nutrients. And the foods that are highest in nutrients, including these micronutrients I’m talking about, are green vegetables. Green vegetables win the awards because they have more nutrients per calorie than any other food. In other words, an animal product, like a piece of chicken or a piece of meat, is not high in nutrients per calorie. It gives you lots of calories but not lots of micro nutrients. Now, take a piece of broccoli or some cabbage or kale, that’s also is high in protein, because don’t forget green vegetables are high in protein. That’s how come gorillas, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, elephants, giraffes get so big - because they eat green vegetables, eat a lot of protein.

And green vegetables are high in protein. But here you have the protein packaged with lots of micronutrients - with the phytochemicals, with the antioxidants, with the things that make the body age slower. And we keep our youthfulness, our vigor and our good health until later years. And if we look at the healthiest people around the world and the pockets of civilization where people live the longest, it’s always the people that eat the most vegetables live the longest.Let’s touch on certain types of foods we want to include in our diet for optimal health.

Number one is beans. Beans, like, kidney beans, navy beans, lentils, split peas. Beans have something in them called resistant starch and resistant starch doesn’t raise the glucose level. It’s broken down by bacteria in the colon and the bacteria in the colon change the resistant starch into short chain fatty acids and those fatty acids protect us against colon cancer. Beans promote weight loss, they give us energy, they are high in protein, and they protect us against cancer.

And they are linked in the scientific studies to the enhancement of longevity in elderly people.
Number two: green vegetables. To be on a healthy diet we have to eat some raw vegetables and
some cooked vegetables. We have to eat green vegetables: lettuce, salad, cucumbers, cabbage, the broccoli family. All those green vegetables have specific compounds that have been shown to protect against breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer and, of course, heart attacks and strokes.

They are longevity producing foods. If we mix the greens and the beans now with nuts and seeds,
right, almonds, cashews, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, they have almost magical super-foods, protective compounds that prevent against cardiac arrhythmias - irregular heart beats. They lower your cholesterol, they make people live longer, they prevent sudden cardiac death, they stabilize the brain. and the healthy fats in seeds and nuts increase the absorption of nutrients from the vegetables and the beans. They also make the protein very complete. So it’s not about just eating less fat. It’s about eating more of the whole food, healthy fats from nuts and seeds.

Now, nuts and seeds contain a special compound called plant sterols. And these sterols have been shown to lower cholesterol levels and protect against heart attacks; but they also have a dramatic effect to protect against cancer as well. What I do is we take some sesame seeds and maybe we’ll mix it with an orange and make a dressing or a dip to put on the salad, right? Or we’ll throw some seeds and nuts with some tomato sauce and we’ll make some kind of dressing or a sauce. In other words, using nuts and seeds as part of your dressings and dips is a very important part of excellent nutrition.

Last, fresh fruit - like oranges and berries and kiwis - also contains various compounds, phenols and anthocyanins, special compounds that protect against various cancers and are important for good health. And lastly, of course, whole grains, like sorghum, wild rice, brown rice. Whole grain rices, whole oats, whole barley - Think “whole grains,” not processed white flour, not white rice and white flour, but using more whole grains. So we know now that the more vegetables and fruits and beans and nuts and seeds eaten, the longer people live and the lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes and cancers.

Now, in addition to preventing these chronic diseases later on in life, it also can help people have better function in school - more attention, more alertness - more protection against diseases like influenza, like the flu. When we have the right kind of nutrients in our body, we’re not going to get sick as often. We have to appeal to our governors and our government, our educators, and our teachers, and our farmers.

We have to all work together as a team to bring healthy food into the schools, to bring healthy plant foods into our homes. We’re not talking about adding a little bit of fruits and vegetables to your present diet. We’re talking about making fruits and vegetables the major portion of your diet and then we’ll have a healthy nation and then we’ll have a healthy population to live a long life, free of medical tragedies.
 
To conclude, on the beautiful Jeju Islands and many other fertile areas of South Korea, we have a unique opportunity in human history. This is a blessing. We have science and information that can enable us to live better, and to live healthier and to live longer than ever before in human history. Let’s take advantage of the natural bounty of the land and have one of the healthiest places in the whole world.