What is VEGRUN?
VegRun is an initiative organised by Buddhist Light International Association (BLIA) and iPure Green. VegRun is the abbreviation for “Veg-revival virtual community run” and is aimed at achieving running to promote vegetarianism and running for the earth. Vege-revival represents the awakening to restore vitality not only for ourselves but also for the earth. By revival, we would like to revive the earth by reducing carbon omissions. One of the easiest ways to reduce carbon omissions is to have a vegetarian meal as it emits less carbon than meals containing meat. We also revive our bodies, mind and heart through vegetarian meals and exercise.
When you participate in the VegRun, you do not only contribute to charity but also protect the environment and reduce global warming by promoting vegetarianism. What better than running for your health and saving the environment.
Our charity goal for this year’s VegRun is: donation of 5kg of maize meal to students from impoverished families. This will help the students go to school on full stomachs which will help them better receive and retain education.
Should you require more information on the VegRun please visit: https://ipuregreen.org/vegrun/en/home-page-english/
When you participate in the VegRun, you do not only contribute to charity but also protect the environment and reduce global warming by promoting vegetarianism. What better than running for your health and saving the environment.
Our charity goal for this year’s VegRun is: donation of 5kg of maize meal to students from impoverished families. This will help the students go to school on full stomachs which will help them better receive and retain education.
Should you require more information on the VegRun please visit: https://ipuregreen.org/vegrun/en/home-page-english/
What is vegetarianism and the impact on our environment ?
Vegetarianism simply put is a diet which abstains from the consumption of meat and sometimes animal biproducts (dairy and eggs) and only consumes food derived from plants such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains. There are a number of variations to a vegetarian diets where some people consume eggs and dairy (ovo-lacto vegetarians) and others do not consume any animal products and use products derived from animals (vegan).
Due to the increase in meat consumption, almost a third of all the land on Earth is used for livestock production. Livestock production uses about a quarter of the world’s grains as it can take up to 12kg of grain to product 1kg of beef. This leads to rising grain prices and makes it more difficult for the impoverished people to obtain food and nutrition.
The Worldwatch Institute estimates that 70% of the world’s freshwater supplies goes towards agriculture; a third (23.3%) of this is to grow crops for animal feed.
Not only is livestock production taking away grains from the impoverished and depleting clean water, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that livestock production is responsible for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while other organisations have estimated it could be as much as 51%.
A further study in 2020 by the Oxford University study found that, even if harmful greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels were stopped immediately, it would be impossible to keep global heating to the lowest safe limit without a shift to a more plant-based diet.
Therefore we have reached a stage of the Earth’s life where we need to do more to save our planet and the future of our descendants. If we do not do something to lower the carbon and greenhouse gases emissions we will soon ran out of clean fresh water and food together with the extinction of biodiversity of animals and plants.
Due to the increase in meat consumption, almost a third of all the land on Earth is used for livestock production. Livestock production uses about a quarter of the world’s grains as it can take up to 12kg of grain to product 1kg of beef. This leads to rising grain prices and makes it more difficult for the impoverished people to obtain food and nutrition.
The Worldwatch Institute estimates that 70% of the world’s freshwater supplies goes towards agriculture; a third (23.3%) of this is to grow crops for animal feed.
Not only is livestock production taking away grains from the impoverished and depleting clean water, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that livestock production is responsible for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while other organisations have estimated it could be as much as 51%.
A further study in 2020 by the Oxford University study found that, even if harmful greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels were stopped immediately, it would be impossible to keep global heating to the lowest safe limit without a shift to a more plant-based diet.
Therefore we have reached a stage of the Earth’s life where we need to do more to save our planet and the future of our descendants. If we do not do something to lower the carbon and greenhouse gases emissions we will soon ran out of clean fresh water and food together with the extinction of biodiversity of animals and plants.
Fun Facts
If 1 person has 1 vegetarian day a week for 1 year, we can save: (calculator provided on https://meatfreemondays.com/)
Should you be interested in more information on what a vegetarian diet can help with the saving our environment, please visit https://vegdays.org/.
- 789.25 bathtubs of water in animal agriculture
- 54.27 fish
- 608.62 m2 marine reserve created
- 2.98 tennis courts of forests
- 434.36 miles of greenhouse gases avoided
- 1.91 hungry people are fed
Should you be interested in more information on what a vegetarian diet can help with the saving our environment, please visit https://vegdays.org/.
How to substitute one meal to a vegetarian meal?
Are you interested in trying out a vegetarian meal option but do not know where to start? It is simple! Look at the ideas below and start with substituting one meal at a time for a vegetarian meal:
- Swap out animal milk to a plant based milk
- Most coffee shops offer soya, oat and almond milk with their coffees
- Swap out meat with tofu, tempeh, seitan, lentils, beans, chickpeas, nuts, mushrooms
- Try vegetarian curry when having Indian food
- Try falafels, roasted vegetables, spanakopita when having Mediterranean food
- Try a tofu dish when having Chinese food
- Increase your fruits and grains (quinoa, buckwheat etc)
- Add more nuts and seeds – flaxseeds, chia, almonds, walnuts etc
- Substitute your meat patties with vegetarian patties available at many supermarkets nation-wide
- Many fast food chains also have vegetarian options which you may try.
