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Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2006 14:00:21 -0700 (PDT)
To: improvetheworld-noarchive &AElig umich.edu
From: "Erica O'Connor" <luca2032 &AElig yahoo.com>
Subject: An Unfortunate Omission
Status: O

     I was disappointed that the film about global
warming, An Inconvenient Truth, failed to mention that
a change to a more plant-based diet can reduce
emissions--more so, in fact, than any one of the other
actions suggested.  For instance, recycling saves
about 2,400 lbs of carbon dioxide per year per
household, while a diet change saves 3,000 lbs per
year per person.  Cows also emit a staggering amount
of methane, the second largest greenhouse gas. 
     A third of our fossil fuels are consumed by
agriculture, so in general it makes sense to look
critically at our eating habits for the sake of the
environment.  Eating lower on the food chain,
seasonally, locally, and organically (with minor
exceptions) makes a huge difference.  
     For those with some doubts about the health of
plant-based diets I've listed a couple of key facts
below.  It is also interesting to note that the winner
of the badlands ultramarathon (the 135 mile footrace
through extreme conditions) is a strict vegan.
     Veganism is a privilege, not a privation.  There
is pleasure in eating what's right that no slab of
bacon can possibly match.
-Erica

Veggie facts:
-Vegetarians tend to have lower weight, total serum
cholesterol levels, and blood pressures and lower
rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes,
and prostate and colon cancer than omnivores with
comparable lifestyles.
-Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional
benefits including higher levels of carbohydrates,
fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants
such as vitamins and antioxidants such as vitamins
C and E and phytochemicals.
-A vegetarian, including vegan, diet can easily meet
current recommendations for all essential nutrients
including protein, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D,
riboflavin, vitamin B-12, vitamin A, n-3 fatty acids,
and iodine.
- Vegetarians have lower mortality than the population
at large, attributable primarily to lower death rates
from ischemic heart disease and certain cancers.
-At present, vegetarians appear to make up less than
2% of the population, but substantial public health
and environmental benefits would likely result from a
more widespread adoption of vegetarianism.

Two of many references:
-Position of the American Dietetic Association and
Dietitians of Canada: Vegetarian diets (attached)
-http://find.galegroup.com/itx/infomark.do?prodId=ITOF&userGroupName=lom_umichanna&version=1.0&type=retrieve&docId=A15430528&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm


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