Save the World and Your Health

What do you worry about when you lay awake on those sleepless nights? For many of us, big issues like global warming and personal health are pretty high up on the list of worries. Public health officials are now coming up with ideas on how to join these two issues so that people can begin to save the planet and lose weight at the same time.

Both the Center for Disease Control and the American Public Health Association are seeking to connect the issue of obesity with global warming by offering tips to lose weight while saving energy.

According to an article from the Washington Associated Press, if all Americans walked for half an hour each day instead of driving they could cut out the annual U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide by 64 million tons. In addition, 6.5 billion gallons of gasoline would be saved while Americans shed more than 3 billion pounds in all. Though, it is unlikely that all Americans would adhere to walking a half hour each day, if these campaigns could spark a wider interest we could still see big changes.

Another plan for the global warming diet would be for people to start eating less red meat. Dr. Robert Lawrence of the John Hopkins School of Public Health reports that the average American man consumes 1.6 times the amount of meat that the government recommends.

By eating less meat Americans could greatly reduce the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. According to a recent study from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 18 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions are due to the meat sector of the global economy.

What do you think of the idea to attack the issues global warming and obesity simultaneously?

Would you consider incorporating these tips into your lifestyle as a way to stay healthy and cut down on global warming?

By zoestone
09.28.08

I read somewhere that for every ten pounds of red meat we eat, it uses the same amount of water an average household uses in a year to produce. All of this country's auquifers are depleting quickly and are estimated to run dry in less than 75 years. Cattle is the number one cause for this. I'll admit beef taste good. Real good, especially with cheese. But, I'm all for water conservation. Maybe, I'll try to eat less beef from now on!
By clto1
03.27.08

I stopped eating red meat my freshman year of high school, because it literally gives me migraine headaches, the same as with shellfish. so, no red meat isn't that big of a deal to me and my family. i was going to purchase another vehicle this month, but the price of gas, and the increase in my insurance stopped me in my trax, and i purchased a bike to ride instead. i live close to the college i attend, my son rides the school bus to school, and we walk my daughter a block to hers. if it is raining or extremely cold, ther is public transportation within 2 blocks of my home, and all buses in my city are equipped with bike racks. any trips that require any actual milage are made with our current vehicle. my partner works nights, so he rides the bike to work unless it is raining, so we are saving more than gas, we are exercising w/out really trying to. this isn't feasable for every one, but it works well with us right now, and when i finish college, we will be able to afford another vehicle.
By sharman421
01.05.08

Losing weight and getting in shape, eating less red meat and avoiding pollution are all good for our health and, therefore, important issues. But if we start relating it to the gorebal warming monster, then we need to yank him out of his private jet. his obscenely huge, bigenoughtoheatacity, house, and his large SUV (not to mention his obvious appetite for beef and whatever else goes down his gullet). But seriously, underground coal burning fires which have been burning for years (particularly in China) are most likely a more serious global warming factor. Yes! Even more than cow manure!
By caseycolette
12.11.07

seems a little far fetched not that i dont want it to work i just know overweight people myslef they dont relaly want to lose it, and if they do they wont be able to be convinced to walk that much everyday. their should be mor eoptions at each town civic centers and libraryies about wlaking groups set up with goals met and stuff like that
By libby1260
12.11.07

I agree with cutting back on meat, we don't need to be eating that much anyways and I have already cut back because it is healthy for my family
By debrarenee
12.02.07

I live out in the country and work from home. I try to plan only one or two trips into town for the week. We switched from fuel oil to a corn burner for heat. It's been great -- I get lots of exercise running up and down the basement steps to check the burner!
By pittypattyIndiana
11.29.07

Both my husband and I work from home so we save a ton on gas. I am always turning the lights out to save on electric. We recycle, freecycle, you name it. I'de like to see some motivation from some other source, ya know ?
By suze227
11.29.07

Have cut back on my driving. Keeping heat turned down also helps you burn more calories for warmth & thereby lose weight. Also I believe overly warm houses breed germs. We keep our house cooler than most during the winter & none of the five of us seem to get ill, despite 2 of us working with children who frequently exhibit signs of colds, illness, etc.
By hmsolbach81305
11.28.07

No offense, but I LOVE my red meat and when eating it is encouraged by the Old Testament in moderation, who am I to say that God doesn't know what is best for a human? I appreciate the idea of walking for a half hour a day instead of driving, but sometimes that just isn't feasible in certain areas of the country. It would take me an hour and a half to get to the closest place to my house if I walked.
By kbx4
11.28.07

I think for most Americans global warming is an abstract worry -- it's easy not to take personal responsibility. It's a terrific idea to tie the issue directly to everyday personal actions. Even better, how can responsible organizations and companies personally motivate people? I'd love to see a much better break on my auto insurance for walking/taking public transportation to work -- the one I get is pathetic. Companies that encourage exercise by on-site gyms or health club discounts are few, but, deserving of tax breaks, I'd say. Motivaters work better than lectures, in my experience.

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