Global Warming Diet: Lose Weight, Help the Planet

U.S. Public health experts, including those at the Centers for Disese Control and Prevention (CDC), are looking at national statistics on obesity and other chronic diseases in light of climate change realities. And, they’re coming up with a strategy that they may go public with: a global warming diet. The plan is simple. Walk or bike more (reduce greenhouse has emissions from driving) and eat less meat (reduce greenhouse gas emissions and massive resource use from animal agriculture). South Beach Diet, look out? Well, maybe. Read the CNN.com article here. One piece of motivating context could be this: November 14 was World Diabetes Day. Over 20 million Americans have diabetes, nearly 250 million worldwide, and every 10 seconds two more people get it. The reality is dire, but perception may be, too. I recently spoke with someone from the Middle East who’d spent time in oil-soaked Saudi Arabia. He estimated that 75% of native-born Saudis had “the sugar” (i.e., diabetes). “They even eat meat for breakfast,” he said, unprompted by me.