Macca's Meatless Mondays

Sir Paul McCartney and his daughters have recently launched a Meatless Mondays campaign in a bid to do their bit for global warming. The methane produced by cows, sheep and pigs is far more potent than carbon dioxide. In fact, Greenpeace estimates that curbing our carniverous cravings one day a week could reduce emissions from cattle by 10 to 20 percent. That's pretty staggering and something we can all do.

A dedicated vegetarian and supporter of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), cynics might think Macca is using climate change as an excuse to boost sales of Linda McCartney's range of frozen meatless meals, but I think he's making a valid contribution to the debate. And one that is far more constructive than Jonathan Porritt's recent missive about fat people and their weighty eco-footprint.(see 'Fat is apparently a climate change issue,' 6.17.09)

The truth is that we all need to modify our lifestyles and start to conserve rather than consume the earth's resources. When people ask, 'What can I do?', the answer is everything! Change your lightbulbs to low energy ones, mulch your garden, cut down on air miles by eating seasonally and buying locally, turn the heating down a notch and put on a jumper, lobby the government, speak up about climate change, change your car to a more fuel-efficient one, stop buying products full of palm oil and other ingredients that come from raped and pillaged forests. In short, speak up. People Power works.