As I’ve repeatedly pointed out on this site, raising and killing animals for food does more harm to the environment than automobiles, yet society continues to attack other major, but not leading causes of climate change.  Now, PETA, with the help of a few major studies released in the last few months, is actively trying to change the minds of meat-eating people. In summary, the two studies, as reported in this New York Times article, concluded the following:

• In late November, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization issued a report stating that the livestock business generates more greenhouse gas emissions than all forms of transportation combined.
• On its Web page and in its literature, the Humane Society has also been highlighting other scientific studies — notably, one that recently came out of the University of Chicago — that, in essence, show that “switching to a plant-based diet does more to curb global warming than switching from an S.U.V. to a Camry,” said Paul Shapiro, senior director of the factory farming campaign for the Humane Society.

One critic in the same article says:

“Using global warming as a tactic for advancing the cause of vegetarianism feels a bit opportunistic,” said Hank Stewart, senior copywriter at Green Team Advertising, which specializes in environmentally themed ads.

He also questions the logistics. “You want to get the message as close to the meat-purchasing moment as possible,” he said, “but can you imagine a supermarket allowing ‘Attention, Planet-Destroying Carnivores’ on the in-store radio?”

Ol’ Hank is marketer, so his logic of getting the message as close to the meat-purchasing moment as possible is understandable, but I disagree, especially with his claim that using global warming as a tactic for advancing the cause of vegetarianism as opportunistic. Opportunity is vital to success. His company, which specializes in environmentally themed ads, is the epitome of an opportunistic venture. Either he condones opportunistic behavior or is a hypocrite. Take your pick.

Changing the diets of millions of American, and billions of people worldwide, will only occur through raising awareness. This takes time, and exposing people to the facts associated with factory farming and raising livestock for slaughter is the right way to approach promoting vegetarianism. Scare tactics will not work in the long-term, though they are fun to try! The ethics aspect of the vegetarianism argument falls on deaf ears, especially when various religions tell people that animals are mankind’s to use as it sees fit, and make arbitrary claims like pork is bad but beef is good, or that chicken is meat and fish is not. Executing a well-planned campaign to disseminate the negative environmental effects of a carnivorous lifestyle is the only way to make vegetarianism mainstream.

I’m going to do my part, hopefully you’ll do yours.