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Story by Devon Forward
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As people everywhere mourn the loss of Dr. Jane Goodall after her death at the age of 91, many are looking back on her wise words shared over the years, especially when it comes to how we can help the planet.
While Goodall had plenty of great advice, she made a bold declaration in 2021 about the “one thing” people can do to help the planet, and it’s quite simple.Ad
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A few years ago, when Goodall sat down for an interview with Parade to talk about all things primatology and conservation efforts, we asked her the question, “What one thing can we all do (or do better) to protect the Earth and the environment?”
In response, Goodall had a succinct and reasonable answer, and it’s something people should remember when talking about Goodall’s legacy.
“It will significantly help the environment if we stop eating so much meat. Or become vegetarian. Or even vegan,” she declared to Parade. “Why? Today, billions of domestic animals are raised in the horrific and very cruel conditions of industrial animal agriculture—factory farms. And it is not only the suffering of the animals that is of concern.”
Goodall went on, sharing other reasons why eating meat can be harmful to the environment, noting that industrial animal agriculture requires an abundance of land, water, fossil fuels, pesticides and herbicides, and more to bring meat to the table.Related video: World Mourns Jane Goodall: Details Emerge About Her Passing (The Hearty Soul)
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“During digestion, these billions of animals, especially cattle, produce methane gas—a very virulent greenhouse gas,” she added, highlighting a particularly dangerous issue with this process. “And the greenhouse gases are responsible for trapping the heat of the sun, leading to warming of the Earth and changed weather patterns.”
Earlier in the interview, Goodall gave another good reason to stop eating meat, explaining how she learned that animals are sentient and experience pain and fear, proclaiming, “Knowing that cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, geese, fish are all sentient beings is influencing many people to turn to a plant-based diet—or at least eat only meat from animals that have been raised and slaughtered in humane conditions.”
So, for anyone looking for a simple way to help the planet in their everyday life, consider following Goodall’s advice and remove meat from your diet.
Only days before her death, Goodall was working hard to spread the word
Exposing the Big Game 