The year 2020 has got a very shivering start with COVID-19 pandemic taking lives. Thousands of people have lost their lives. Hundreds of brave and generous hearts have come together to fight the deadly virus and save humanity from this crisis.
Salute to Police Men and Medical Team for risking their lives for others. Various organization have stepped forward to distribute free meals to needy.
ISKCON India has distributed over 12 Million Prasad Meals During COVID-19 to needy (as on April 17)!!!
What is a Pandemic?
One of the widely searched questions in Google is - What is a Pandemic?
Oxford Dictionary defines it as - an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population Like for example - COVID-19, Coronavirus, is infecting and affecting the human population across the globe, killing thousands. As per Visual Capitalist, till April 17 COVID-19 has claimed 147K lives.
COVID-19 isn't the first pandemic in human history.
In an article - History of Pandemics, it is sighted that since the year 165 AD till 8:38 am PT, April 17, maximum life was threatened by Black Death (Bubonic Plague). It took about 200 Million lives. Below amazing info-graphics is from the same article.
Based on the below statics of ourworldindata.org, we can find that the maximum number of death in the year 2017 was caused due to Cardiovascular Diseases, counting to 17.79 million deaths.
If we sum up all the cases then we come across 53.68 million human deaths (precisely 53,682,824) in 2017. Using the scrollbar provided, we can see the count never exceeded in previous years (until 1990).
So we find historically, the Bubonic Plague virus was the deadliest to cost 200 Million lives.
What if we come across a virus that can cost lives more than that, something in Billions?
It will create havoc in our society, isn't it?
Or do we actually have such a virus that can potentially claim Billions of lives?
Pandemic Of Another World!!!
Congratulations friends, we humans are the virus which is creating seer imbalance in the entire ecological sphere.
Based on the below statics of ourworldindata.org, in the year 2018, we have collectively killed
68.79 Billion Chickens
1.48 Billion Pigs
656.31 Million Turkey
573.81 Million Sheep
479.14 Million Goats
302.15 Million Cattles (Cow, Buffalo etc)
This sums up to seventy-two billion two hundred eighty-one million four hundred ten thousand (72,281,410,000) animals, in 1 year.
Rate of animal slaughter:
1 Year = 72 Billion (Precidesly: 72,281,410,000)
1 Day = 198 Million (Precidesly: 198,031,260)
1 Hour = 8 Million (Precidesly: 8,251,302)
1 Second = 2 Thousand (Precidesly: 2,292)
Note: This count doesn't include eggs or fish.
Isn't this is really a proud accomplishment for us?
I understand we are so much devoted to our mission of causing genocides in the world of helpless animals that we become helpless to our cravings. Even in this situation of COVID-19, where the entire "better section of the world" is refraining from consuming meat, some of the people are helplessly dragged by their senses to the meat shop, to slaughter and buy the dead bodies.
So this is extremely evident that we human are merciless section of creation which can never be tamed.
Breath of Fresh Air
With the pride of Industrialization and Modernization, we go around killing animals and destroying and polluting the environment around us.
With the myth of Scientific advancement, we try to intervene and control nature.
Today when the deadly virus (we human) are being confined into a bottle (our houses), nature is seen to breathe free fresh air and heal itself.
We all know, we will not be confined for long. Sooner or later we will get the cure to COVID-19 and we shall be out of our confinement.
Most of our loyal friends will succumb to their programmed minds and attack the ecology. Thereby feasting on the dead corpses of poor animals.
For the rest of us, let us understand reality.
We are already suffering irregular seasons and frequent cyclones. For most of us, we might not be fortunate enough to stay alive in this body and witness the hellish condition yet to come.
We are going to gift it to the next generation with all our love and affection.
We need to understand - Eating animal's flesh is not just killing us (through the various cardio diseases and epidemics and pandemics) but also adversely impacting the environment.
For many, it might be a laughing stock to hear the connection between animal flesh and global warming.
Greenhouse Gas Emission from food
In very simple terms, Greenhouse gases are gases in Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat. They let sunlight pass through the atmosphere, but they prevent the heat that the sunlight brings from leaving the atmosphere. This contributes to Global Warming. Thereby increasing the heat, melting the polar ice, increasing sea level, creating an imbalance in the environment resulting in cyclones, hurricanes, and whatnot.
The above data from ourworldindata.org shows a stunning fact. Every food we eat contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.
Without going into the technicalities, sharing two excerpts from this website -
Regardless of whether you compare the footprint of foods in terms of their weight (e.g. one kilogram of cheese versus one kilogram of peas); protein content ; or calories, the overall conclusion is the same: plant-based foods tend to have a lower carbon footprint than meat .
As an example: producing 100 grams of protein from peas emits just 0.4 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2eq). To get the same amount of protein from beef, emissions would be nearly 90 times higher, at 35 kg CO2eq.
Conclusion
We must admit and agree that we are the most compassionless, merciless, and shameless species. Cries, tears, and blood of innocent animals make us feel more hungry. The breathless chopped head of the animals, soaked in blood, gulping for air doesn't make our heart melt. Of course, what to speak about those great souls who find pleasure in ripping off the skin from an animal, to make their fashion accessories.
But still, if our love for our children and grandchildren is genuine, if our responsibilities don't end with pampering them by junk food, gadgets, movies then let us think seriously.
Study. There are innumerable authentic sources available to show the havoc that animal slaughter is causing to humanity and ecology.
Let us pledge for our children, when we get free from lockdown, may our freedom doesn't snatch away their freedom.
There are innumerable vegetarian cuisines available that can supply a far more healthy source of proteins and nutrition.
May we become a healthy part of Nature and not a Virus causing pain and suffering.
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Hare Krishna!
Hare Krishna !!!
So true….we humans are the virus causing imbalance in the entire ecological sphere…when will we learn….
Nice article…!!!
We are the creators of this present crisis.
This is Gods way to put a brake on our selfish activities and its high time we realise this and change.
Extreamly powerful message packed with facts … must for everyone to read and understand and follow it
Bold article … portrayed naked truth as it is …