A study by the United Nations Food & Agricultural Organization (FAO), echoed by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, reported that converting to a vegetarian diet would reduce greenhouse gas emissions more than eliminating every car, truck, ship, motorbike, train and plane on earth.

This is because the production of meat is a far more energy intensive process than the production of plant-based food. Livestock emits a large amount of gas compared to a field of rice or a vegetable garden.

Production and consumption of meat worldwide has more than tripled since 1961 and could double from now until 2050 as standards of living increase and population continues to boom. To compound the issue, vast swaths of forest are being cleared for pastures and grazing lands, robbing the planet of trees that absorb carbon dioxide.

Thus, going green means eating green too. Eating vegetables has gained a new dimension: not only does it promote individual health, it also promotes planet’s health by reducing one’s carbon footprint.

In addition, eating vegetables is the most sound and cost-effective solution to a debilitating and unpublished health hazard in the country. “Hidden hunger” or vitamin and mineral deficiency, is the most pervasive cause of malnutrition in the world today, including the Philippines. Micronutrient deficiency results to stunted mental and physical development, striking at the core of a person’s health and vitality.

This year, I am launching a program called Oh My Gulay! or OMG! – a call-to-action to address the problem of hidden hunger. It is a simple, powerful and urgent message that talks about solving micronutrient deficiency. It teaches kids about the health benefits of eating vegetables.

To popularize the habit of eating vegetables, we are tapping today’s most popular stars, who have volunteered their time and talent for this worthy cause. We take inspiration from highly successful awareness campaigns such as ONE.org and Al Gore’s The Inconvenient Truth.

By simply changing our diet into one that has a higher intake of vegetables, we fight both malnutrition and climate change.

Email: edgardo_angara@hotmail.com Website: www.edangara.com