One factory farm creates more pollution than the city of Houston, Texas.

A US General Accounting Office report found that a single factory farm produces 1.6 million tons of manure each year, which in turn contaminates local water resources through runoff into streams, rivers and lakes. Often these water bodies are no longer safe for swimming, drinking or as wildlife habitat due to bacteria and excessive chemicals. A recent report by the Pew Commission concluded that measures to curtail factory farming are necessary to prevent further damage to water supplies and the environment, along with accelerated global warming.
US General Accounting Office and Pew Commission, we are grateful for these informative studies that help us understand the urgency of our situation. May we all join together to revive our beautiful Earth’s sustainability through such quickly effective practices as the ecologically sound plant-based diet. 
http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/factory-farms-47092401?src=syn&dom=yah_buzz&mag=tdg&ha=1&kw=ist

Choose veggies over meat to save water.

Weather experts in Formosa (Taiwan) recently noted that rainfall patterns have changed. While the volume of rain per day has increased, the total number of rainy days has fallen. As a result of this climate change, both floods and droughts occur more frequently in Formosa and worldwide. With increased droughts, water conservation efforts have become a priority, demanding collective efforts. Formosa’s Water Resources Agency wants the public to consider the comprehensive, or hidden cost of water in daily life.


VOICE: Thank you Dr. Chen Shen Hsien for your wise recommendation. May we all take the most significant and easiest step to conserve water by turning to the Earth-friendly plant-based diet.
Greenhouse gas emissions still rising.

 Despite an economic decline, a 3% increase in carbon dioxide emissions from 2006-2007 has been observed, which surpasses the worst case scenario predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Along with predictions of an 11 degree Fahrenheit global temperature increase by the end of the century, scientists also report that forest and ocean absorption of carbon dioxide have decreased. Dr. Richard Moss, Vice President and Managing Director for climate change at the World Wildlife Fund, said “We should be worried -- really worried. This is happening in the context of trying to reduce emissions.”
Dr. Moss, World Wildlife Fund and other scientists, we are thankful for this eye-opening report. We pray that all people awaken to this most urgent matter of our time and step quickly toward Earth-saving practices to preserve the lives of all beings.
 
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-warming26-2008sep26,0,5554637.story http://www.democracynow.org/2008/9/26/headlines#6 http://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbontrends/index_new.htm http://www.globalchange.umd.edu/staff/rmoss/