Lion's Roar

  • Our Magazines
    • Bd Buddhadharma
    • LR Lion’s Roar magazine
  • Teachings
  • Life
  • How to Meditate
  • News
  • About Us
  • More +
    • Store
    • Online Learning
    • Events
    • Buddhist Directory
    • Mobile App
    • Subscribe
    • Give a Subscription
    • Magazine Archive
    • Help
    • Donate

Lion's Roar

SUBSCRIBE
  • Our Magazines
    • Bd Buddhadharma
    • LR Lion’s Roar magazine
  • Teachings
  • Life
  • How to Meditate
  • News
  • About Us
  • More +
    • Store
    • Online Learning
    • Events
    • Buddhist Directory
    • Mobile App
    • Subscribe
    • Give a Subscription
    • Magazine Archive
    • Help
    • Donate

Concerned About the Climate? OK. But What Are You Eating?

by John Bussineau| June 12, 2017

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

There are ways within our means to protect the environment, says Buddhist practitioner John Bussineau. Among them, he says, is sticking to a mindfully thought-out decision to eat a plant-based diet.

Burger ClimateWith the US decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Accord, we, who are caring practitioners and followers of the Buddha’s teachings, are understandably concerned for the environment and all life on earth. But there are ways, within our means, to protect the environment. Among them: making and sticking to a logically derived, mindfully thought-out decision to eat a plant-based diet.

There are well documented Buddhist sources of support our continued eating of comfort food. The Devadatta story, the three rules of purity, and other sources clearly point out the Buddha did not forbid his sangha to eat meat. While there is some debate on these ideas, and at times it is a controversial subject, since other sources from the Mahayana tradition and certainly the First Precept support a conflicting view on this subject—perhaps we can set aside all that for a moment and consider the world we find ourselves living in today.

In many ways we live in a much different time than the Buddha. Should we not consider current causes and conditions? Like:

  • Did you know that eating beans instead of beef is beneficial for the environment? An eight-minute shower uses 17 gallons of water but it takes 660 gallons to make one single burger. And while using less water by any means is beneficial, a new study finds that swapping beef for beans can help the U.S. reach targeted greenhouse gas emission reductions.
  • Compared with beans, beef requires 20 times the land and creates 20 times more greenhouse gas emissions per unit of protein consumed.
  • Every single day a practitioner eats a plant-based diet we save 1,000 gallons of water, 45 pounds of grain, and 30 square feet of forested land.

And did you know that, according to the UN, the meat industry contributes more to climate change than all cars, buses, and trains on the planet combined?

Levels of emissions from the animal agricultural sector are high enough, that even if we eliminated fossil fuels from the equation entirely today—we will still exceed the maximum amount of greenhouse gases that is considered our budget for staying under 2 degrees centigrade.

As mindful practitioners in today’s world we know that despite what governments decide to do in terms of the Paris Climate Accord we can continue to help fight climate change and protect the environment by deciding to simply changing our mind and eat a plant-based diet.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Thank you for reading Lion’s Roar. Now can we ask for your help?

Lion’s Roar is a nonprofit. Our mission is to share the wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings—to inspire, comfort, support, and enlighten readers around the world. Our aspiration is to keep LionsRoar.com available to everyone, providing a supportive, inspiring Buddhist community that anyone can access, from curious beginners to committed meditators. Do you share our aspiration? We can’t do this without your help.

Lion’s Roar reaches more readers like you than ever before. Unfortunately, advertising and other revenues are falling for print and online media. We know we have something deeply precious to share with the world, and we want to continue this important work. Can you help support our efforts now?

Lion’s Roar is independent, unbiased, not-for-profit, and supported by readers like you. Please donate today and help the lion’s roar echo for readers around the world.

SUPPORT LION’S ROAR

John Bussineau

About John Bussineau

John Bussineau is an author and member of the Jewel Heart Sangha. He is a senior student of the late Gelek Rimpoche (seen here on the right) and teaches Dharma class in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. On Rimpoche’s deathbed in January 2017 he named John and his wife Billie as Jewel Heart’s Ambassadors for Vegetarianism, Veganism, and Animal Rights. John is the author of The Buddha, The Vegan, You, and Meat Our Delusion, publishing in June 2017. John is also chapter leader of Dharma Voices for Animals Detroit-Ann Arbor group.

Topics: Environment & Climate Change, Food, Diet, & Eating, Wellness

Related Posts...

Photo by Gary King.Topsy-Turvy World
by Norman Fischer
Cows grazing.Buddhist vegetarians in China reduce CO2 by one-tenth the total emissions of France, study finds
by Sam Littlefair
Ice melting into the water. Environmental crisis. Climate change. Buddhists.Buddhists Must Awaken to the Ecological Crisis
by David Loy

Welcome to LionsRoar.com

By Lion's Roar Staff

We’re glad to have you here. But first: who are “we”? You may very well know us as the publishers of two Buddhist magazines, the Shambhala Sun and Buddhadharma. Then again, you may not know us at all. Either way, please allow us to re-introduce ourselves: We’re the Shambhala Sun Foundation. We [...]

  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscriber Services
  • Privacy
  • BUDDHIST DIRECTORY
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
TEACHINGS
  • Guides
LIFE
  • Love & Relationships
  • Practice in Everyday Life
  • Wellness & Psychology
  • Wisdom for Difficult Times
HOW TO MEDITATE
  • Learn about Buddhism
NEWS
  • Arts & Culture
  • Teachers & Centers

© 2019 Lion's Roar | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 902.422.8404 | Published by Lion's Roar Foundation