As a new mayoral candidate for the capital Seoul, South Korea, former National Assembly Member Mr. Roh Hoe-chan and the New Progressive Party that he now heads have made five public pledges.

One is to provide free eco-friendly school meals throughout the city. Believing that organic, reduced meat foods are central to this plan, Mr. Roh, spontaneously invited co-citizens to an informal vegetarian lunch meeting to hear their views on the plant-based diet.

A supporter of Meatless Mondays, he shared his own thoughts about the importance of eating veg.

Roh Hoe-chan – South Korean National Assemblyman, Seoul Mayoral Candidate (M): Greenhouse gases emitted from the livestock industry are destroying the environment.

Because of this, I believe the vegetarian diet plays a key role in protecting the environment and sustaining the ecosystem. In that aspect, while car-free days are also important, meat-free days may be far more important.

VOICE: Sharing that he avoids eating meat himself as much as possible, Mr. Roh further stated that respect for animals is also an important determinant of a nation’s progress.

Roh Hoe-chan (M): The mistreatment of animals and mistreatment among humans are a hair-breadth apart. It becomes a habit and if it’s tolerated, eventually the strong come to abuse the weak among humans as well.
So it’s not merely an animal issue only.

VOICE: At the end of the conversation, Mr. Roh promised that he would work to promote the organic plant-based lifestyle, first by bringing vegetarian options to government and school cafeterias.

Roh Hoe-chan (M): I want more people to know that the vegetarian diet is crucial to creating a good environment.

Roh Hoe-chan and co-citizens (M): Vegetarianism is progress!

VOICE: We respectfully laud Party leader and mayoral candidate Mr. Roh Hoe-chan for advocating veg fare as the optimal way to a healthy, sustainable world.

May more wise government leaders act similarly to improve fellow citizens’ quality of life and save the planet through the organic vegan diet!

Water scarcity continues in Yemen, with some city dwellers in places like Taiz spending a third of their salary on the resource, as the less fortunate face even larger challenges and those in rural risk personal safety to travel for water each day.  

http://www.sabanews.net/en/news213774.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Yemen