A Meatless Day: 25th November

In Pakistan, we used to have two days, Tuesday and Wednesday as Meatless days in a week. But this practice is no more in vogue.

An article titled “U.N. asks world to eat less meat” by Juliette Jowit was published in “Dawn” of 07 September 2008. In this article, Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the United Nations inter-governmental panel on Climate Change and World’s leading authority on global warming has advised people to have one meat free day a week if they want to make a personal and effective sacrifice that would help tackle climate change. He has further stressed that people should then go on to reduce their meat consumption even further. Dr. Pachauri said diet change was important because of the huge greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental problems.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization has estimated that meat production accounts for nearly a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. These are generated during the production of animal feeds, for example, while ruminants, particularly cows, emit methane, which is 23 times more effective as a global warming agent than carbon dioxide. By reducing meat consumption, we shall also reduce risks for obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis and some forms of cancer – particularly lung cancer and colon cancer.

Meat eaters are at high risk of above diseases for animal products are high in sodium and have low amount of fiber. Moreover, meat eaters not only take in the animal cells and fats etc. but also the waste products e.g. chemical food stuff fed to animals, drugs injected into the animals in the slaughter houses and the antioxidants, coloring and tenderizers sprayed on the dead animals. Due to above facts, the meat becomes one of the major source of internal pollution.

If we look to fishes, prawns and other crustaceans, Boric Acid is widely used by food manufacturers to preserve and when one eats this food, it directly attacks liver and brain, causing fits and coma. Fish also contain carcinogens (PCBs, DDT) and heavy metals (mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium) that can’t be removed through cooking or freezing. By reducing meat consumption, we can avoid world hunger and famine. The U.S. livestock population consumes enough grain and soybeans to feed more than five times the entire U.S. population.

If Americans reduced their meat consumption by only 10 percent, it would free 12 million tons of grain annually for human consumption. That alone would be enough to adequately feed each of the 60 million people who starve to death each year. By reducing meat consumption, we can also save money as meat is costlier than vegetables. Moreover, we shall also save on medical bills as the diseases shall be reduced due to less meat consumption.

By improving health and environment, we can do more useful work for the country. So let us make a start by observing 25th November as a meatless day in order to bring awareness to the public regarding harmful effects of meat eating.

The day of 25th November has been chosen to honour the sacred soul of Sadhu T.L. Vaswani, a great saint born at Hyderabad, Sindh on 25th November 1879. He was educationist, a prolific writer, the author of several hundred books in English and over 300 books in his own vernacular, the Sindhi language. Some of his English books have been translated into German and other languages. Vaswaniji was a born orator. When he spoke, he filled the hall with the rich music of his words and the music of his heart. He was a poet, a mystic, a sage, a servant of the poor.

In 1933, Vaswaniji founded the “Mira Movement in Education” and established St. Mira School for girls at Hyderabad. He stressed on education of girls. He was of the view that if a girl is educated, whole family becomes educated. He believed in providing character building education and in the school he gave a motto of “Simplicity, Service, Purity and Prayer”. Sadhu Vaswani Mission is operating humanitarian services throughout the world in the areas of education, health and charitable services.

Dada J.P. Vaswani now the head of Sadhu Vaswani Mission visited Pakistan in March 2005 and donated a Computer Lab for St. Mira School Hyderabad (now named as Government Girls (Pilot) High School Hirabad Hyderabad). The Mission has also arranged free medical treatment in India for 16 children having heart problems which could not be treated in Pakistan. It is therefore requested that the above facts may please be propagated inorder to bring awareness to the public of the harmful effects of meat eating and to reckon the services of Sadhu T.L. Vaswani, 25th November may kindly be observed as MEATLESS DAY and I am confident that you and your family will be abundantly blessed.

24-Dec-2010

More by : Devi Nangrani

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Views: 3542 Comments: 1

Respected Gianchand
I am thankful to you for sending me this reminder..I shall send around the GLOBE as Life current is the only thread that connects us all…It is wonderful and a constructive concept that should be adapted without a second thought as it gives moral strength and a good sound ground to humanity. We as humans cannot give life so we have no right to take away life.
Live and let live should be our motto specially when it comes to the life of dumb creature who are unable to express their agony, pain, sorrow by the merciless slaughter. Feel the pain; put yourself in that spot for a moment and to save the life of all the possible animals that form our food on 25th November….till eternity !!!
Devi Nangrani, NJ.

devinangrani
29-Dec-2010 13:18 PM

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