After a successful clothing drive, Mailman’s CSR efforts turned towards making a large impact not just for individuals but for our planet. As a team, we vowed to give up a part of our daily diet, MEAT, for one day per week. We decided to test our resolve and see if we could do this for a month (not the easiest, especially when temptation in all around), in the name of so many things…
Our Environment. Reduce water usage: livestock requires more water than greens and grains. See infographic above. Reduce greenhouse gases: cows are tremendous contributor to this (estimates vary from 18% to 51%). What is not varying is the consensus that this has a tremendous impact on global warming and raises our planet’s temperature closely to potentially risky levels. Reduce fuel independence: the ideas of growing food for our food is a “waste” of resources. 1 lb of beef = 100km of fuel.
The Animals. Animal Cruelty. Animals grown for food are often treated inhumanely with cramped conditions, and the way they are slaughtered has often been an issue of debate. Sometimes we forget meat used to be a living thing, and animals can also feel pain and suffering.
Our Health. Reduce risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity: Even if we weren’t doing this for any other reason, a selfish reason to eat less meat is that it benefits our own bodies. In creating this initiative, we want all our Mailman employees to live longer, healthier lives.
So did it work? As our company has grown to almost 80 strong, it is difficult to get everyone onboard this idea although I believe everyone gave it their best shot. Some of us succeeded, some of us caved, and some of us forgot (without a constant reminder). However, when it came down to it, this exercise created the most impact in education. A lot of us were shocked to hear some of these facts about the impact on meat. Who knew eating meat was bad for the environment? Until now. And this is information we have successfully shared with those around us in our social (media) circles.
Perhaps I will no longer be going for an entire day without meat each Monday, but now I will be more conscious about the impact of my meal…and I don’t just mean on my waistline.
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