Need more vegans to save the planet

As the number of climate disasters increase year by year and with the current onslaught of terrible calamities worldwide, including the flooding in nearby Minnesota, an often unreported solution is at hand: the simple, compassionate and eco-friendly vegan diet.

According to a United Nations report, livestock industry is the No. 1 contributor of global warming, producing more CO2 than all transportations combined. Therefore, an American saves more global warming pollution by going vegan than by switching their car to a hybrid Prius. Other benefits are: Reduced risk of heart diseases, cancer, stroke, diabetes and other top killers; reduced world hunger by increasing the availability of grains and soybeans; reduced deforestation and pollution of water supplies by animal waste; reduced animal suffering in factory farms and slaughterhouses.

I believe the media are in a privileged and responsible position of bringing this urgent truth to the awareness of the masses. Please consider your fellow citizens as precious and honorable and look upon the media's noble role as to inform us as best as possible. As Supreme Master Ching Hai suggested, "Every day when they print the newspaper, just put one headline somewhere: 'Be veg. Go Green to save the planet.' I think all the media should help to save the planet, because if the planet's gone, they're also gone. With respect and humility, I urge you to consider running more articles on the relationship between climate change and the livestock industry.

Dr. Shawn Yu

Naperville