Thanks
 to recent donations from nations and organizations such as Ireland and 
the European Union, the United Nations World Food Program has been able 
to distribute food to some 200,000 people who have been hard hit by 
drought in the last four years. 
However, the agency has noted 
that 110,000 people are still in need of emergency aid. Weather 
conditions combined with inefficient water use has resulted in 
diminished wheat output in some areas, while others have been turned 
into wastelands. Although a government wheat subsidy program has 
increased output somewhat, tens of thousands of wells dug illegally by 
people desperate for the resource have damaged the water table as the 
country, once a wheat exporter, has had to import the grain for the past
 three years. 
Recent estimates state that up to a million people
 have fled to such cities as the capital Damascus, seeking other 
livelihoods to support their families. The World Food Program has 
alerted that further distribution of such staples as rice, oil, flour, 
chickpeas and salt are pending additional funding. 
With our 
appreciation and Heaven’s blessings for the concerned endeavors of the 
European Commission, Ireland and the United Nations World Food Program, 
we pray for the welfare of those in Eastern Syria, as well as all other 
areas hit by climate-related weather catastrophes and food shortages. 
May the abundance of a balanced ecosphere soon grace every population as
 we step quickly in unison to adopt sustainable lifestyles that support 
all life on Earth.
During an October 2009 videoconference in 
Germany, Supreme Master Ching Hai reminded as on previous occasions of 
the need to be responsible stewards of our planet, offering a solution 
to safeguarding the world’s precious resources.
Supreme Master Ching Hai: With current
 droughts and water shortages already affecting millions and only 
expected to get worse, worse and worse. 
But even though our predicament is 
very grave, we do still have time if we act now. And the solution is 
still very simple. It’s the vegan diet – no animal products. 
Scientists have found that each 
person eating a meat and dairy based diet uses around 4,500 gallons of 
water per day,compared to 300 gallons per day for a vegan diet. This 
also means that 1 pound of animal protein requires 100 times more water 
to produce than 1 pound of grain protein. Over the course of a year, the
 vegan diet saves approximately 1.5 million gallons of water per person.
This is the key. If everyone switches
 to this beneficial lifestyle, our planet will be cooled in no 
time,scientifically speaking and my promise.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE65C0PE.htm http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/0625/1224273270482.html
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