Press Release

For Immediate Release
Date: September 6, 2009
Subject: World Vegetarian Week 2009

October 1-7 is World Vegetarian Week (WVW), supported by vegetarian, animal rights, environmental and other groups, to reduce the environmental, medical and many other problems associated with meat, milk and other animal products.

This period was chosen because it includes several annual related celebrations,” stated WVW organizer Mateus Mendes. “These include: World Vegetarian Day on October 1, World Farm Animal Day and International Day on Non-violence on October 2 and World Animal Day on October 4.”

The goal of this initiative is to highlight for everyone an easy way to better personal and environmental health. Vegetarianism is a choice being made by increasing numbers of people due to its comprehensive advantages.

"Nothing human beings can do would benefit the environment more than a dramatic reduction in meat consumption. The impact of such a change on the gases in the atmosphere would be phenomenal, and would be a huge step in reducing the ominous threat of global warming," states world-famous author John Robbins, patron of this WVW.

Director of Veg Climate Alliance Dr. Richard Schwartz says that a vegetarian week is more important than ever as “it is increasingly apparent that the world is rapidly approaching an unprecedented catastrophe from climate change and other environmental threats."

"A 2006 UN report indicated that animal-based agriculture emits more greenhouse gases (in CO2 equivalents) than all the cars and other means of transportation worldwide combined (18% vs. 13.5%)," stated Jens Holm, former member of the European Parliament.

According to Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, "the 18% figure is an underestimate; it's a low estimate and in actual fact it’s much higher." According to Dr. Colin Campbell, professor emeritus of nutritional sciences at Cornell University, "new figures now indicate that at least half of the greenhouse gases... and maybe considerably more are due to livestock production."

“There would be many other benefits from a major shift to non-animal diets,” stated medical doctor António Paiva, “including a reduction of heart disease, several types of cancer, diabetes and other chronic and degenerative diseases as well as swine flu and other infectious diseases that very likely originate in animal farming and the meat industry."

There’s a lot to get involved with on WVW: vegetarian talks, workshops, panel discussions and video viewings; meetings with society leaders, educators and others; organising campaigns such as calling for a meat free day per week; preparing vegetarian meals for friends and family; offering vegetarian gifts or discounts for vegetarian products; or simply distributing leaflets.

For more information about WVW and getting involved visit
www.vegetarianweek.org
www.vegclimatealliance.org

This Press Release is endorsed by:

John Robbins, author and patron of the WVW
www.foodrevolution.org

Foundation Brigitte Bardot
www.fondationbrigittebardot.fr

World Vegetarian Week
www.vegetarianweek.org

Veg Climate Alliance
www.vegclimatealliance.org

Agire Ora Network, Italy
www.agireora.org

Centro Vegetariano, Portugal
www.centrovegetariano.org

Compassionate Action for Animals, USA
www.ExploreVeg.org

Concern for Helping Animals in Israel, Israel
www.chai-online.org

Eco-Eating, USA
www.brook.com/veg

European Vegetarian Union (EVU)
www.euroveg.eu

EVA - Ethical Vegetarian Alternative, Belgium
www.vegetarisme.be

EVANA - European Vegetarian and Animal News Alliance
www.evana.org

FARM (Farm Animal Rights Movement), USA
www.farmusa.org

Global Meat Free Petition
www.MeatFreePetition.com

God's Creatures Ministry, USA
www.godscreaturesministry.org

Green Lifestyle Film Festival, USA
www.greenlifestylefilmfestival.com

IIG Glücklich leben ohne Fleisch
www.fleischverbot.info

Indian Vegan Society, India
www.indianvegansociety.com

Jews for Animal Rights (JAR), USA
www.micahbooks.com

Jewish Vegetarians of North America, USA
www.jewishveg.com

Leilani Farm Sanctuary, USA
www.leilanifarmsanctuary.org

Oriente no Porto - Alternativa Multicultural, Portugal

Pro-iure-animalis, Germany
http://www.pro-iure-animalis.de/

Romanian Vegetarian Society, Romania
www.svr.ro

San Francisco Vegetarian Society, USA
www.sfvs.org

Schweizerische Vereinigung für Vegetarismus, Switzerland
www.vegetarismus.ch

SVB - Sociedade Vegetariana Brasileira, Brazil
www.svb.org.br

Society of Ethical and Religious Vegetarians, USA
www.serv-online.org

The Vegetarian Mitzvah, USA
www.brook.com/jveg

Tierschutznews, Switzerland
www.tierschutznews.ch

Toronto Vegetarian Association, Canada
www.veg.ca

UVE - Unión Vegetariana Española, Spain
www.unionvegetariana.org

Vege.to, Italy
www.vege.to

VegDining
www.vegdining.com

VEGAN 2050
www.vegan2050.org

Vegetarian Society of Hawaii, Hawaii
www.vsh.org

Well-Fed World, USA
www.wellfedworld.org

Winnipeg Vegetarian Association, Canada

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