On the power of simple choices

As the world’s meat consumption levels doubled since the 1960s, so did the demand for a solution to the deplorable environmental harms of the farmed animal industry.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization had projected in 2006 that concerns would range over time from lesser to more serious issues such as pollution, climate change and loss of biodiversity.
Dignitaries gathered at the November 16 international conference in Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico, addressed these already gravest concerns as they spoke to the theme of “SOS – A Quick Action to Stop Global Warming.”

In a speech, His Excellency Mr. Alonso Domínguez Ferráez, Coordinator of Environment of the State of Veracruz, emphasized the importance of consumers’ lifestyle choices to overcoming global warming.

His Excellency Mr. Alonso Domínguez Ferráez, Coordinator of Environment of the State of Veracruz, Mexico (M): An ecological or environmental view of the economy allows us to discard this pseudo-theory that reducing material and energy consumption implies a decrease in well-being. I invite all of you to begin
to act: Let’s change our consumption habits, our eating and purchasing habits and lifestyles, for ways that help us win our battle against climate change.

VOICE: Upon the invitation of Environment Coordinator Domínguez Ferráez’s and the request of the Mexican government, honored guest Supreme Master Ching Hai shared her perspectives via videoconference.
She spoke in particular about overcoming obstacles, such as the meat industry’s strong lobbying practices, to make the needed dietary shift away from animal products.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: It has been well hidden from our view, the truth about the cruelty and damages of animal raising to our health and our planet. And the products that come out of the factories destroy our health, in many ways: like Type 2 diabetes, which, by the way, is the number one cause of death in Mexico, obesity, cancer etc, etc. The list goes on.

But, even though the corporate entities are politically powerful, we have many effective tools to achieve what we need, that is, animal-free food production and animal-free consumption. And no one can prevent us doing what’s right for our lives and that of our planet. We just stop using, eating, buying animal products, then these corporates will just disappear, in no time. So, the power is in our hands.

VOICE: We thank Mr. Domínguez Ferráez, Veracruz state and the Mexican government as well as all other participants of this conference, for your voiced concern and efforts. We extend our appreciation to Supreme Master Ching Hai, for imbuing humankind with the courage we need to use our greatest power of free choice. May all faithful world citizens make the choice for life and love by quickly becoming organic vegans.

Climate change hits close to home

On November 16, an international conference was held for the second time in the nation’s beautiful state of Veracruz, this time in Orizaba, known as the “Region of the High Mountains.”

Here, participants gathered with a united purpose for the special event entitled “SOS – A Quick Action to Stop Global Warming.” Distinguished guest speakers included the Honorable Juan Manuel Diez Francos, Mayor of Orizaba; His Excellency Mr. Alonso Domínguez Ferráez, Coordinator of Environment of the State of Veracruz; Engineer Nelba Villagran, vegan professor and President of the College of Nutrition of Chile; Mrs. Eva Quistorp, co-founder of the German Green Party and former Vice Chairwoman of the Greens in the European Parliament, and environmental geographer Mr. Edgar Espinoza Cisneros.

Also, broadcasting live to Mexican listeners were top radio stations: “XETQ La Q Internacional” at 850 AM; “XEOV La Picosa” at 1240 AM; “XEDZ Radio Ondas” at 580 AM; “XHPG Nova” at 92.1 FM, and Radio Orizaba SA, as well as Supreme Master Television, which was airing the event worldwide.

Speaking via videoconference for the fourth time at the request of the Mexican government was guest of honor Supreme Master Ching Hai, who had been invited to this seminar by Environment Coordinator Ferráez to discuss ways that humanity could save the planet from the urgent situation that is affecting all lives.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: So, climate change is not an abstract concept at all. It is here and now, affecting our neighbors, affecting us and more and more next.

Children will suffer. And mothers and fathers will suffer, upon suddenly losing their livelihoods, losing their loved ones, losing their dignity and happiness, and all might vanish overnight.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: It causes up to 900,000 of your fellow city persons to have to leave their homes every year, with many going to seek better livelihoods in the United States, if they can find it.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: And please remember, the #1 cause behind it all is: animal agriculture. People have to be informed, fast.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Besides the adverse effects that livestock production has on the planet, the consumption of meat is also destructive to our health. We are talking about the health of individuals and their loved ones. Furthermore, the cruelty of the meat industry brings another type of disease: food-borne bacterial infections. Due to the extremely filthy conditions of the meat processing plants, that the excrement of the animals is not cleaned and remains on the flesh through processing.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: And another health crisis that has been born through livestock is swine flu.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: However, the good news is that the way to end all this is truly even more real and quickly manifested than the problem itself. Because each and every person can do something significant to stop global warming. And you know already what that is, right? The vegan diet.

VOICE: We are grateful to the respected government officials and dignitaries, as well as all participants of this conference, for coming together in concern for the planet. Our thanks also goes to Supreme Master Ching Hai, for her encouragement toward each individual doing their part in halting climate change. May such inspiring
gatherings spark a global adoption of the organic vegan lifestyle for the blossoming welfare of all beings.Please tune in to Supreme Master Television’s Words of Wisdom for the full rebroadcast of this live event at a later date, with multi-language subtitles.