Meat is an inevitable part of meal in a Catholic household. Be it Christmas, Easter or any other feast, our celebration seems to be incomplete without relishing on the meat. Do we ever think how our practice is causing a menace to our surroundings?
To satisfy the ever growing commercial requirement, poultry farmers are forced to increase their productivity in terms of quantity, while quality is neglected. The consumption of meat isn’t just a problem for the human beings, it also poses a great challenge to the existing balance in the atmosphere. Animal husbandry is in a large way responsible for the increase in green house gases, which culminates in the gradual increase in global warming.The processes involved in the life cycle of commercially reared animals release traces of a green house gas called methane. It is produced in such a vast amount that, the rate of global warming increases rapidly.
According to a research by the Oxford Martin School, “A transition from meat consumption to accepting veganism or a slight decrease in the intake of meat can make a huge difference in the carbon footprints prevalent in the nature.” The study illustrates that an average of about 70% of carbon emission can be controlled if people turn down meat consumption for just a month.
So, can we religiously do the same for the Lenten season? Not stopping there, even after this holy season, let us continue to reduce our meat consumption in the days to come.
