This Is How aVegan Diet Could Save the Planet, According to Science
Could your veggie burger habit actually be helping to save the planet? We’ve theorized for some time now that plant-based diets are easier on the environment, especially greenhouse gas emissions. But a new study from Oxford University researcher stakes this idea one step further: The widespread adaptation of plant-based diets could actually save millions of lives and trillions of dollars in the fight against global warming.
The study,published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America journal, estimates that a worldwide switch to plant-based diets could save at least 7.3 million lives by 2050 (8 million with a vegan diet), and cut carbon emissions by 63 percent (up to 70 percent for a vegan diet). In addition, such a dramatic change in diets worldwide could save humans$1 trillion annually in decreased healthcare costs alone.
Researchers also acknowledged that three-quarters of these benefits would occur in developing ｃountries where emergency health issues are keenest.
"We do not expect everybody to become vegan," said lead author Marco Springmann of the Oxford Martin Program on the Future of Food in a statement. “What we eat greatly influences our personal health and the global environment.”
Achieving these changes wouldn’t be easy: We’d have to increase our fruit and vegetable consumption worldwide by 25 percent, while simultaneously cutting our red meat consumption by 56 percent.
Source: http://www.thedailymeal.com/news/eat/how-vegan-diet-could-save-planet-according-science/032216
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Vocabulary:
1. Habit -(noun) A settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hardt o give up.
2. Theory - (noun)A supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained.
3. Emission -(noun) The production and discharge of something, especially gas or radiation.
4. Widespread- (adj.) Found or distributed over a large area or number of people.
5. Estimate -(verb) Roughly calculate or judge the value, number, quantity, or extent of.
6. Keen -(adj.) Having or showing eagerness or enthusiasm.
7.Simultaneous - (adj.) Occurring, operating, or done at the same time.
8.Consumption - (noun) The action of eating or drinking something.
Discussion:
1. Do agree that being a vegan could be a way to help save the planet Earth? Why or why not?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a vegan?
3. Do you think eating plant-based food alone is healthy? Why?
4. What diseases do you know of are caused by eating meat?
5. Would you give up meat in your daily diet? Why or why not?
