Only one week to go until the start of Meat Free May 2015. Organised by environmental charity Friends of the Earth, Meat Free May is calling on people to change their diets for a month, with the aim of encouraging them to move on to lower and better meat diets more permanently.
Most people eat meat twice a day without even thinking about it. But the amount of meat and fish we feast on is damaging our planet and our health.
- Livestock production makes up 14.5% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions and drives deforestation. Our taste for fish is also stripping the seas: over 70% of the world’s fish stocks are over or fully exploited.
- Lower-meat diets in the UK could prevent 45,000 early deaths each year, and save the NHS over £1.2 billion annually.
- Cutting down on meat and fish can seem daunting, so Friends of the Earth is providing free packs, crammed with information and tips, along with delicious meat-free recipes.
Commenting on Meat Free May, Fran Graham, Food Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said: “Our appetite for meat and fish is having an enormous impact on our health – and the health of the planet. Meat Free May is a great opportunity for people to try out a wide range of delicious meat-free recipes for a whole month – and to hopefully think about eating less and better quality meat in future.”
Hanya Gordon from Leicester, who took part in Meat Free May last year, said: “Our diets have serious consequences for our health and the health of the planet, so I was delighted to sign up to Meat Free May last year. Going Meat Free was not at all difficult with so many tasty meat-free products available.”
To get involved you can sign here to Meat Free May here. You will receive an information pack full of tips on how to plan meals.
Don’t forget to become part of their growing Facebook community and make sure you follow Meat Free May on Twitter so you can share your meat free experiences with #MeatFreeMay.
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