Sir Paul McCartney has caused a storm by insisting that the meat industry is badly affecting our environment.
One of the country’s most prominent vegetarians, Sir Paul McCartney has long been associated with animal rights campaigns. Continually outspoken with his views, the singer recently stoked the fires of controversy by slating the meat industry’s role in climate change.
With the environment changing for the worse, the singer has claimed that the meat industry is playing a more significant role in pollution than the combined effects of the global transport networks.
Speaking to Radio Four, Sir Paul McCartney was asked about his role in the ‘Meat Free Monday’ campaign. Asking people to drop meat from the menu for just one day per week, the singer praised the campaign.
“I wrote to millions of people like Gordon Brown and the leaders of this and that country and saying, ‘Do you think this is an interesting idea?'”
“Since then, it has caught on and I understand that Gordon Ramsay has said that one meat-free day a week is a good idea and I understand that Jamie Oliver too has said that it’s a good idea, so that’s why I got involved.”
However it was Sir Paul McCartney’s claims about the meat industry’s role in pollution which has caused controversy. “It started off with the United Nations saying the livestock industry is a bigger demon, as far as global warming is concerned, than the whole of the transport industry put together.”
Reports in British broadsheet The Independent indicate that the meat industry is not happy. The British Beef Association has demanded equal time on the BBC, citing the organisation’s fair broadcasting policies.
Sir Paul McCartney has refused to comment further.
