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Eating for a low-carbon world
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Figures on desertification and deforestation from stock-breeding are also alarming.
With China's huge consumer base, that could be more problematic.
The Chinese have a long tradition of keeping a balanced proportion of grain, vegetables, and meat in a meal. Going vegetarian can be tough, perhaps much harder than switching to energy-saving light bulbs or buying a hybrid car. But as more and more people strive for a low-carbon lifestyle, the climate-diet equation is becoming more prominent
Liao Sha owns four restaurants. The boss always keeps track of what to eat and how to eat. She's an advocate of a vegetarian diet and calls for people to give up meat once a week. And now, she is planning to transform her business into a vegetarian one.
Liao said, "We've done a lot of research. There used to be some eighty vegetarian restaurants in Beijing. Then the number went down to around fifty, and now even less. Among those surviving, only ten percent are making profit, and forty to fifty percent can only make ends meet. The rest are just losing money. But I believe that there must be a way to run a successful business. It's my responsibility to allow my customers to eat for their health and the environment."
Quite a risk to take. But Liao says the vegetarian diet is in line with the Chinese philosophy of harmony--within the body and between man and nature.
As awareness grows, vegetarians in China hope they can find greater convenience and more understanding.
In tomorrow's episode of "My Low-Carbon Life" series, our reporter will examine how organizers of Shanghai World Expo are showcasing green solutions.
