According to Supreme Master Ching Hai, the diminutive blonde spiritual leader who founded the Quan-Yin meditation method, climate change talks should focus more on the harmful effects of methane, which is produced by livestock farming, rather than on carbon dioxide produced from burning coal.
A vegan banquet on Thursday night, on the sidelines of the Durban-hosted meeting of almost 200 nations that are battling to find a solution to climate change, proved the perfect vehicle to spread her message to sometimes sceptical delegates.
Ching Hai has been a tireless advocate of veganism, and her followers regularly attend climate change talks, offering tofu sandwiches to hungry delegates. Born in Vietnam, she is an international humanitarian and philanthropist, a poet and the author of several books.
Although she did not attend the banquet, guests were treated to an extended video message in which she explained the devastating effects of climate change, why combating methane was an important part of the solution, and the health benefits offered by a vegan diet.
Veganism, she said, would bring world peace, enabling all to live in harmony.
Her message was echoed by other speakers, including Indian parliamentarian Maneka Gandhi, Kenyan scientist Daniel Maingi — also the executive director of Biowatch and the Animal Welfare Network of Africa — and American Stephan McGuire, who produced the climate change documentary The 11th Hour. Read the full report here.
Source: Jocelyn Newmarch and Sue Blaine, Business Day.
