It would be hard to fathom that thinking about the future of the Earth we live on is not on everyone’s mind these days, now that the Earth and its people are taking quite a hit with COVID-19. And that gets me to questioning: “Is COVID just a viral response to how we have treated our planet? Have we abused our earth for so long that earth is saying back to us, ‘Okay, you had your way with me. You did whatever you wanted to do to me, you abused me and did not think about how I would be able to handle your irresponsibility. Now, I got something to say about that.’” Yes, we have abused Earth, and no more is that most readily apparent than within the animal agriculture industry.

Factory farms, where 99 percent of the meat raised for human consumption comes from, can no longer stand as just a cruel house of horrors for the animals (even though it really is….and if you don’t believe me, google “meet your meat” and watch the YouTube short video about what life in a factory farm is like for farm animals raised for meat). Now, factory farms have also become a horror house that is spooking to near demise of our planet Earth. According to an article in the newspaper, The Guardian, “animal agriculture is choking the Earth….raising livestock for meat, eggs and milk generates 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the second highest source of emissions and greater than all transportation combined. It also uses about 70 percent of agriculture land, and is one of the leading causes of deforestation, biodiversity loss, and water pollution.” Now, if that is not abuse of our planet, I don’t know what is. So what can you do to save the earth you care so much about? Go vegan! It really is just that simple. And no better time to do just this than on the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day which is April 22, 2020 (please visit earthday.org to find out what you can do in your own corner of this Earth to take back our planet). With the whole “stay home and stay inside,” one can do just that by giving up meat for a compassionate plant-based diet.

And I thank you, the animals thank you, and the Earth most definitely thanks you.

Timothy Verret

Duson