Paul McCartney addresses the European Parliament in Brussels
on Dec. 3. McCartney spoke at the European Parliament's hearing
on Global Warming and Food Policy in order to launch his key message
"Less Meat Equals Less Heat" one week before the Copenhagen
summit. (AP Photo/Thierry Charlier)
Paul McCartney told the European Parliament Thursday that the world needs to change its eating habits to stop global warming.
"This isn't just me, a vegetarian, banging on: it was a United Nations report, Livestock's Long Shadow, that got me interested," the Press Association quoted the former Beatle.
"Since then there been many more studies and I personally think there's an urgent need to do something: the livestock industry produces more greenhouse gases than all forms of transport - cars, plane, trucking - put together.
"We thought cars were the villain of the piece but it appears livestock produces more, not to mention deforestation for grazing, or for growing animal feed - one third of cereal crops are grown for animals."
McCartney also read a statement from former U.S. vice president Al Gore that said, "Meatless Mondays is a responsible and welcome component to a strategy for reducing global pollution."
He told Parliament magazine that his late wife Linda McCartney remains a big inspiration in his vegetarian campaign.
"Yes, there is no doubt that she played and continues to play a big part in it all. We were in it together from the start and I have continued the work," the magazine quoted him. "She was - and remains - a great inspiration in the work I am trying to do now in promoting my campaign to encourage people to eat less meat."
Raph Vandenberghe, who was there, sent this eyewitness report of the proceedings:
Hi ,
I saw Paul today in the Parliament.
He arrived in the "hemicycle"at around 12 'o clock , then started his speeech and left the buidling at 13:10 with a bit of chaos, too much chaos : I couldn't ask for an autograph.Anyway, Paul looked tired , white in his face, no smile. He started his European tour yesterday evening in Hamburg, today Brussels and this evening concert in Berlin and next week I'm going to Holland !
Nancy wasn't there.
The people stood up and applauded Paul when he arrived, showing their respect.
A lot of people came in fact to see and photograph Paul instead of listening to what he had to say. (As was I ---although I'm afraid of that upwarming of the world)So hereby, I sent two of my best pix
All the best
Raph in .....Brussels !
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Comments
Steve, with all due respect, I am getting a bit tired with the "Paul McCartney Show" 24/7, not only on your web site but in publications such as Beatlefan.
Yes, it's great that he still active and continues to be an amazing performer. But that's not all that "Beatles" fans want to hear or read about.
For instance, there was a story on the business wire about the Harrison Estate joining up with Sig Sigworth to promote and market a future "slate of projects," including the Martin Scorsese documentary. No mention. Please don't just give us Paul all the time. Thanks.
Smitty: Paul McCartney is by far the most active Beatle and he dominates the news more than even the group does. There is other news and when there is, it's here. (The remasters, "The Beatles: Rock Band," Ringo's new album, for example.) Paul has a lot of fans who appreciate, I think, the Paul news. And right now he's in the forefront, but it'll be different other days. Not to worry.
Smitty, I agree with you - to a point. I used to be a Paul fanatic and am still a fan, but I read news of him selectively. I skipped all the "Paul in Hamburg" entries here, but checked in on the Brussels item, even though I'd read about it online elsewhere. I began to refer to Beatlefan as Maccafan years ago. Ringo's CHOOSE LOVE was new, but B-fan chose to put Paul on the cover with something about ticket issues - THREE MONTHS before his tour started. Recently, B-fan reported that George's LET IT ROLL hadn't charted on the US Top 200. Wrong, it peaked at #24. They corrected it next issue - if you could find it. But no mention of how well LIR had done in the UK (#4), etc. Those of us tired of endless Paul live pics and setlists are stuck with it. It is news, from a historical view it's important that it's documented (but boring). I check Examiner 4-5 times a week, and subscribe to Beatlefan. It IS outrageous that the Harrison news you mention was ignored! Unacceptable, Steve!
ALSO, if Paul had passed 30 years ago, we'd be missing him like crazy, as we do John and George. It may be a 1st-generation fan thing from both the "give us more Paul" crowd and the "don't forget the rest" crowd. Thank goodness the talented and prolific Paul (and Ringo!) is still with us! Long may he run!
But when I watched the Paul T-giving ABC special, I was bored by the over-familiar song selection, and embarrased by all the "Remember I was a Beatle!" hype. But I think that could be 1st-gen fan "seen it all before" nit-picking, too. I can see why Paul wants to draw the Beatle connection for younger, new fans. Plus, with the limited air-time, he wasn't going to fill it up with 'Calico Skies', 'Flaming Pie' and other great songs *I* love. I suppose that would leave some viewers wondering WHAT? That's not pre-1974! But I know other 1st-gen fans who didn't watch BECAUSE it was "old Paul" doing the same burned-out hits.
How does Sir Mac please us all?
Thanks Flabby Toad, nice to know I'm not alone in my thinking.
Yeah, it IS Maccafan mag, isn't it?
(I'll give Steve props for usually giving a nice balanced blend of news. Not this week, though. Just disappointed about how the media goes overboard with Macca yet ignores G & R (or pans whatever they do). I still can't believe Rolling Stone didn't review "Let It Roll," but I digress!)
Good on you Paul ! About time people realised that their precious meat is destroying this planet !
Smitty says: "I still can't believe Rolling Stone didn't review "Let It Roll,"
I agree that was ridiculous, but maybe they would have given it a bad review. But Beatlefan gave weekly charting positions and sales stats for ELECTRIC ARGUMENTS which was much less a chart success than LET IT ROLL. And as I said, they wrongly reported that LIR didn't chart. For a mag supposedly dedicated to all the Fabs, that is inexcusable. Next year I think I'll try "Beatles Unlimited" or the "British Beatles Fan Club" mag.
After I saw your mention of the Harrison news, I did a quick google of "George Harrison Sigworth" and got 17 hits - none of them Our Examiner - and the date was 1-Dec.! Will this EVER be covered here, or will it be bumped by something really newsworthy like a "James McCartney Blinks!" slideshow? Sorry Steve, but you really dropped the ball on this one. I also think it was condescending to tell Smitty "Not to worry." Major George news missed for an 8-part McWallow? WORRY.
Flabby Toad - We'll take some responsibility for not mentioning the LIR chart positions. On the other hand, though, we dig and go deeper than the internet questions and rumors and get answers, like the one asking if Paul's shows in the U.S. last summer were likely his last in the U.S. (See the link at the right.) And Bill King does an incredible job with Beatlefan. Let us repeat that - INCREDIBLE. Enough said.
Paulie...Cow farts are destroying the Planet? Icebergs are melting, and the sky is falling....Al Gore is` out of his mind..
Paul gets more coverage because he is still alive and busy. Just how many current events are there on John and George to cover? I don't understand why this is even being brought up. Go read old John and George interviews if you need something. It's out there. I personally do not want to hear about the lastest "John" product Yoko is pushing or putting out. That stuff just makes me want to cry. I don't want a John clothing line.
Steve, yeah you did deeper when it's about McCartney. And Beatlefan does do a great job at what it usually does. But I now am starting to wonder (and will really get ticked if coverage of the Scorsese documentary on Harrison -- whenever it comes out -- is NOT on the darn cover!)
--End Part 1, here comes Part 2 --
Part 2!
Marie, you missed the point. It's not about rereading old interviews. The news item about Sig Sigworth and the George estate talked about this guy being the marketing/promotional point man for a "slate of new projects" including the Scorsese documentary. There is little George news at all, so when something newsworthy happens, I'd like to know about it! I don't think that's asking too much.
Marie, to echo what Smitty said, this was new info about upcoming Harrison Estate projects for George. Steve, the comment about LET IT ROLL (non) coverage concerned Rolling Stone and Beatlefan, not Examiner. You I was nudging because no mention of the Harrison Estate news in the midst of the two-day bout of McEcstasy. As far as Bill King, I don't know what he does and does not do at Beatefan unless it's signed. You are entitled to your OPINION that he does an "incredible" job with Beatlefan. As a long-time subscriber I am entitled to mine, which is that Beatlefan also suffers from McEcstasy. But as a mag that could report with equal interest & enthusiasm on NEWS about the Fabs and all ex-Fabs, I find it passable, but slipping down. And let me repeat that: PASSABLE.
Ok, you declared "enough said", it's your column, so I'll drop this subject.
Paul McCartney is a self righteous wanker; urging 'everyone' to go meatless on Monday? Who's everyone, Paul? Do you include those Americans forced by economic concerns to go meatless several days a week already, not necessarily Mondays? Or that population of sub-Saharan Africa whose lives might be saved by a morsel or two of meat? Even on a Monday?
Geez, when we are told to ride a bike more often or turn off the lights when we leave a room we all oblige and have no problem with it. But we are told to eat less meat to help save the planet everyone loses their minds ! Grow up, I’m sure you will live with a little less rotting flesh a week ! We feed so much grain to animals to fatten them for consumption that if we all became vegetarians, we could produce enough food to feed everyone on Earth. In the U.S., animals raised for food are fed 70 percent of the corn, wheat, and other grains that are grown. The world’s cattle consume a quantity of food equal to the caloric needs of 8.7 billion people—more than the entire human population.
Chris K, I think you are quite intentionally missing the point. You can't seriously believe Paul is telling starving or undernourished people to eat less! Paul may not be the most articulate spokesperson for vegitarianism, so if you want to pick apart every word and take his 'everyone' literally, you make yourself sound like you have your OWN agenda, hmmmm?
Anyone who gives it a seconds' thought knows he is saying: IF YOU EAT MEAT EVERYDAY, TRY ONE DAY A WEEK WITHOUT IT. That's very simple Chris, and your arteries will thank you. Clogged or impaired arteries can lead to reduced blood flow to all parts of the body, including the brain. I'm just saying. BTW, thanks to GO VEG! Good info.
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