The Washington Post, Wednesday, July 29, has a piece by columnist Ezra Klein titled, "The Meat of the Problem." It discusses the enormous impact our meat-laden diets have on global warming, delivering the facts and figures in a conversational and fun manner. It is a great read and also a great article to pass onto those who are unfamiliar with the livestock and global warming link.

Klein cites the UN report that revealed that the livestock industry is responsible for 18 percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions and he cites the University of Chicago report that "estimated that switching to a vegan diet would have a bigger impact than trading in your gas guzzler for a Prius." He writes the following for localvores: "A study out of Carnegie Mellon University found that the average American would do less for the planet by switching to a totally local diet than by going vegetarian one day a week."

Klein then suggests, "Telling people to give up burgers doesn't poll well." But he notes that changing one's diet, or at least adjusting it, is significantly easier than some of the other earth-saving tasks people attempt.

Check out the terrific piece on line at http://tinyurl.com/kt2fa9
You can post a comment on that page, or send an appreciative email to Ezra Klein at the address given there. And please help keep the discussion alive on the Washington Post editorial page by sending a letter to the editor. If you are living beautifully on a plant based, please write and sing its praises.

The Washington Post takes letters at letters@washpost.com

Always include your full name, address, and daytime phone number when sending a letter to the editor. Remember that shorter letters are more likely to be published.

My thanks to Nandita Shah and Rebecca Wittman for making sure we saw this piece.

Yours and the animals',
Karen Dawn

(DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. You may forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts if you do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this parenthesized tag line. If somebody forwards DawnWatch alerts to you, which you enjoy, please help the list grow by signing up. It is free.)

Please go to www.ThankingtheMonkey.com for a fun celeb-studded promo video and information on Karen Dawn's book, "Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way we Treat Animals," which was chosen by the Washington Post as one of the "Best Books of 2008." And check out Karen's new blog at www.ThankingtheMonkey.com/blog !