Supply developing countries with foods that are more sustainable than meat animals
The Issue
Heifer International’s noble goal is to help to end poverty and hunger (one in six people go hungry every day). They try to accomplish that goal by sending animals, among them goats and rabbits, to families in Africa and other underdeveloped countries. However, citing, for example, a correspondence with the large American animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), animal protein is not the answer. Instead, healthy, sustainable vegetarian foods are the solution, for the following reasons.
Animal agriculture adds to the picture of misery in underdeveloped countries because animals in the third world tend to live in bad, unhygienic conditions with little sustenance. Further, animal agriculture is the least efficient way to end world hunger since a lot of grain is needed to feed the animals (up to 16 pounds of grain are needed to produce one pound of meat). That grain could instead feed many more humans. Third, animal agriculture is known to be bad for the environment, since those animals produce a lot of waste. Even groundwater can become contaminated. And finally, vegetarian food is better for human health, lowering the risk of diseases like obesity and diabetes. The human body can obtain all that it needs from vegetables, grains, legumes (for example, the protein-rich African Yam bean), nuts, and fruits. Sending meat animals puts people’s health at risk. We should not be teaching animal agriculture to developing countries.
Examples of responsible charities that provide sustainable, healthy plant foods to those in need include the following.
Food For Life Global http://www.ffl.org (provides freshly cooked vegetarian meals to victims of hunger and wars, in more than 50 countries), Fruit Tree Planting Foundation http://www.ftpg.org A Wellfed World http://awellfedworld.org/feedmore (provides animal-free hunger relief around the world and in the U.S.)
Heifer International, rethink your ways of donating, and instead shift your donations to vegetarian foods and education about sustainable farming. You have the power to help people.
The Issue
Heifer International’s noble goal is to help to end poverty and hunger (one in six people go hungry every day). They try to accomplish that goal by sending animals, among them goats and rabbits, to families in Africa and other underdeveloped countries. However, citing, for example, a correspondence with the large American animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), animal protein is not the answer. Instead, healthy, sustainable vegetarian foods are the solution, for the following reasons.
Animal agriculture adds to the picture of misery in underdeveloped countries because animals in the third world tend to live in bad, unhygienic conditions with little sustenance. Further, animal agriculture is the least efficient way to end world hunger since a lot of grain is needed to feed the animals (up to 16 pounds of grain are needed to produce one pound of meat). That grain could instead feed many more humans. Third, animal agriculture is known to be bad for the environment, since those animals produce a lot of waste. Even groundwater can become contaminated. And finally, vegetarian food is better for human health, lowering the risk of diseases like obesity and diabetes. The human body can obtain all that it needs from vegetables, grains, legumes (for example, the protein-rich African Yam bean), nuts, and fruits. Sending meat animals puts people’s health at risk. We should not be teaching animal agriculture to developing countries.
Examples of responsible charities that provide sustainable, healthy plant foods to those in need include the following.
Food For Life Global http://www.ffl.org (provides freshly cooked vegetarian meals to victims of hunger and wars, in more than 50 countries), Fruit Tree Planting Foundation http://www.ftpg.org A Wellfed World http://awellfedworld.org/feedmore (provides animal-free hunger relief around the world and in the U.S.)
Heifer International, rethink your ways of donating, and instead shift your donations to vegetarian foods and education about sustainable farming. You have the power to help people.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on April 5, 2016