When celebrities encourage you to join a movement, are you inspired or turned off? The latest celebrity campaign asks people to find an alternative to meat on Mondays. This one is headed by Former Beatle Paul McCartney, Sheryl Crow and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin .
Part of the impetus for Meat Free Mondays is that livestock production (including dairy farming) accounts for 18% of human global greenhouse gas emissions, mostly because of Amazon deforestation.
The town of Ghent, Belgium, has joined the movement by proclaiming one day a week to be veggie day. One organizer cited United Nations data that "if everyone in Flanders does not eat meat one day a week, we will save as much CO2 in a year as taking half a million cars off the road." The motivation is about more than climate change, though. It's about promoting healthful and sustainable living in general.
For those worried that vegetarianism means soggy lettuce, limp tomatoes and boring bean burgers, the town recently hosted a foodie festival. Attendees munched soya fritters, aubergine caviar and vitamin cocktails while watching a boy in a banana costume stage a pretend battle with a boy in a steak costume. The staged scuffle was held outside a 15th century former slaughterhouse. Guess who won?
Elizah Leigh
said on June 15, 2009
http://www.greenwala.com/community/blogs/all/906-Veggie-Dag-Belgium-City-Goes-Veg-for-a-Day?f=true
Having said that, I don't think that it's a bad thing when celebrities jump on the promotional bandwagon, especially when they are backing worthy causes. Most people may not have had a clue what "Free Trade" was all about were it not for massive rock star promotions involving Radio Head's Thom Yorke and Coldplay's Chris Martin. If it helps people to pay more attention and shift their perspective, then it's definitely a good thing.
Personally, I'm not as inspired as I hope other people are to follow Meat Free Mondays, only because I generally do Meat Free Wednesdays, Fridays and sometimes even Sundays. I am the kind of person who is already predisposed to these type of causes, so celebrity rarely influences me, but I think that on the whole, their star presence can certainly help to convert others.
Anita Quincy
said on June 15, 2009
Linda Lucille
said on July 13, 2009
Linda Voong
said on July 29, 2009
So.. I was just wondering to those who have started these Meatless days.. Do you only lay off animal protein, or do you stay away from fish and seafood as well?
Also, I watched a video a weeks ago about the impact of meat production.. Check it out and let me know what you think?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqQVll-MP3I
It's called Food, Inc.- a movie that should be out already. You can go to youtube and search for Food, Inc.
Enjoy!
Linda Voong
said on July 29, 2009
So.. I was just wondering to those who have started these Meatless days.. Do you only lay off animal protein, or do you stay away from fish and seafood as well?
Also, I watched a video a weeks ago about the impact of meat production.. Check it out and let me know what you think?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqQVll-MP3I
It's called Food, Inc.- a movie that should be out already. You can go to youtube and search for Food, Inc.
Enjoy!