04/21/23 Let's Prevent the Climate Crisis!
Animal Friends Croatia calls out for activism on the occasion of Earth Day
- April 22nd, at 4 p.m., Strossmayer Square in Zagreb; climate protest for Earth Day
On the occasion of Earth Day which is celebrated on April 22nd, Animal Friends Croatia raises awareness of the climate crisis through education about plant-based nutrition and the vegan lifestyle. „Let’s raise our voices, not the temperature“, is the slogan of the climate protest for Earth Day that will be held on Saturday, April 22nd, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Strossmayer Square in Zagreb, organized by the Green Action Association. The protest aim is to call on the Government of the Republic of Croatia to adopt a green and fair new plan for Croatia and for the Parliament to declare a state of a climate emergency for which Animal Friends Croatia sent a request to the Parliament already back in 2019. The organizers note that urgent action is required in order to mitigate climate change and avoid potentially irrecoverable damage to people and to the environment.
Animal breeding for food is a leading cause of climate change as it creates 14.5% of emissions of greenhouse gases. Gases of ammoniac and methane that come out of stables, with emissions of CO2 created by animal breeding, cause more damage than all the automobiles and factories in the world altogether. Animal breeding for food creates ten times more pollution than in populated areas and around 50% of water contamination in Europe is caused by the mass breeding of animals. „Due to our habit of eating meat, milk and eggs every one of us in our own hand holds one of the worst mass destruction weapons”, Animal Friends Croatia claims.
They add that eating food of animal origin causes immeasurable damage to the forests: 80% of the world’s forests are ruthlessly cleared destroying all life in them for the purpose of obtaining cheap pastures for animal breeding or their food. A shocking fact is that almost 70% of cleared areas in Amazon are used for livestock pasture
As much as 60%of the global loss of biological diversity can be attributed to livestock production. As per World Wide Fund for Nature report, during the last 40 years as many as 52% of all wild animals in the world have disappeared. On a daily basis between 50 and 150 species die and annually up to 55,000. By removing meat, milk, and eggs from our diet we can reduce our carbon print by up to 73%. Animal Friends Croatia reminds us that the meat industry is the largest polluter and consumer of water. 15,000 liters of water is used for one kilogram of meat and for a kilogram of grains one hundred liters. „We save more water if we eat half a kilo of beef less than if we do not shower for a whole year“, they add.
They believe that the institutions both on the state and local levels have to implement the Low Carbon Strategy (Official Gazette 63/2021) that was adopted by the Croatian Parliament in June 2021, with the following measures and items:
MAG-14 – Changing people eating habits: „Grain growing for animal feed produces far more greenhouse gases than grain production for human consumption. By increasing the consumption of plant-based foods in the diet significant reduction of emissions can be achieved, as well as saving of water.”
Article 6.6.2.: „It is necessary to note that additional substantial (direct and indirect) reduction of greenhouse gas emissions could be achieved by changing of society’s eating habits, that being with measures that would encourage greater consumption of plant-based food.”
Animal Friends Croatia supports the climate protest and invites all to come and actively honor Earth Day. They conclude that Earth Day is every day and that due to this the use of animal-based food should be reduced since we all have a role in preventing climate change. „The biggest power and responsibility is exactly in our selection of way of life and eating, therefore, we invite all to review the reasons for increasing of vegan products in our diet and sign the citizens’ initiative for the development of cultivated meat on www.endtheslaughterage.eu/hr”, Animal Friends Croatia explain.
In order for all interested to be able to try vegan products and meals, Animal Friends Croatia invites all to the 12th VegeFair that will be held June 3rd, 2023 at the Zagreb European Square. Important information on the meat industry's impact on climate is noted in the booklet “Food and Ecology”.