Highlighting the significant reduction of green house gas emissions that the choice to go vegan can have, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have urged the Byron shire council ‘to take a bite out of climate change by serving only vegan food at official meetings, functions and other events.’
In a letter to Byron shire mayor Simon Richardson, PETA points out that while the council’s goal of becoming Australia’s first ‘zero emissions community’ is admirable, it could immediately reduce its emissions – without any cost to ratepayers – by enjoying eco-friendly plant foods.
The request, recently reported on the ABC North Coast Facebook page, has generated a cascade of comments from both vegans and non-vegans with some commentators stating that their new motto is ‘go meat, go milk, go eggs’ while the moderator has had to remind some more vociferous anti-vegan campaigners that any ‘offensive language’ will be removed.
Mayor Richardson has told The Echo that he understands the issue and that while the Byron shire produces around 26,000 tonnes of co2 a year, of which about 17,000 is from cattle, he would prefer to look at ways that farmers can transition into other agricultural crops and different breeds that might have lower emissions.
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