2010: International Year for Biodiversity

Did you know that 2010 has been dubbed International Day of Biological Diversity? Our government claims that Australia is the most 'megadiverse' of any in the developed world, boasting more than 70% of biodiversity across the globe. But over the last 200 years we've lost many species that helped us achieve the 'megadiverse' title; 27 mammals, 23 birds, 7 invertebrates, 4 amphibians and 4 reptiles, not to mention over 52 plant species (1).

And these are just the ones we know about...

It's a similar story around the world. Compassion In World Farming reports that Earth's biodiversity is decreasing 1,000 times faster than natural processes of species loss (2, 3). This means species are disappearing from our planet faster than at any other time in history — including the periods of mass extinction during Cretaceous-Tertiary, Permian-Triassic or Jurassic events.

The number one culprit for biodiversity loss? Land clearing.

The number one cause of land clearing? Livestock production.

Watch Meat the Truth: the film that picks up where An Inconvenient Truth conveniently left off.

Fifteen out of the 24 global ecosystems in decline can be attributed to the effects of producing animals for human consumption (4).

The Brazillian Cerrado, a biodiversity 'hot spot,' and home to  over 900 bird species and 40% of Brazil's mammals is now less than half the size it was 35 years ago. Over 50% has been replaced with soya crops and grazing pasture for cattle (2, 6). Only 2% of the world's soya bean production is consumed by humans — the rest is fed to livestock; cattle, sheep, pigs and chickens (7). And more than half of the total wheat grown in the world is fed to livestock. On average, animals consume 7Kg of grains in order to produce just 1Kg of meat (8). Not only are intensive livestock productions systems of today lowering the world's biodiversity at a rate of knots, it is highly unsustainable and inefficient.

Studies show that reducing global meat consumption could free up to one million square kilometres of pasture that could then be revegetated to eventually bring back biodiversity (9).

If you care about restoring the health of our planet then what better day to start helping than International Day for Biological Diversity. Simply by reducing meat intake on a daily basis, anyone can help prevent rapid species loss and global warming — not to mention help free animals from lives of misery in factory farms.

How to save the planet, one meal at a time

• Try a delicious meat-free recipe
• Get the whole story on global warming – even the bits that Al Gore left out: watch 'Meat The Truth'
• Make your pledge to the planet
• Find out more about factory farming and its impacts on the environment.

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See also:Sydney Slaughterhouse Closed Amid Cruelty ClaimsDemand CCTV in all slaughterhousesEat Less Meat to Save the Planet - says latest UN ReportOpinion: A taste of moral fibreEU to spend 3 million Euros to promote eating insects 'as alternative source of protein'

Why are more and more people shifting to a vegetarian diet? For the animals. For the planet. For our own health. Find out more... Find out more...

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