Recently, in a national newspaper, Rajendra Pachauri, who chairs the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, suggested that meat-eaters should refrain from eating meat for one day a week.

The reason given for this was that meat production puts more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than transport.

The article continued to list the benefits of eating meat and regarded the statement as a "vilification of meat". Is it such an outrageous suggestion to live without meat even for one day?

A recent report on the obesity problem stated that vegetarians are not only less likely to be obese but also have low rates of diabetes, heart disease and cancer, and an increased life expectancy.

Less expensive fish and cheaper cuts of meat are now being promoted in the media to beat the "credit crunch".

However, the sadly neglected beans and pulses are a great alternative. They are not only rich in protein and other nutrients but healthy and economical. Perhaps it is time for people to review their dependence on animal-based foods.

Every five seconds, a child somewhere will die of hunger. Vegetarianism uses up far less of the world's resources of food, land, water and energy. Giving up or cutting down on meat consumption could help to alleviate famine in many parts of the world.

Perhaps not such a priority of meat-eaters is animal welfare. However, overcrowding, disease, mutilation, drugs and antibiotic growth promoters are just a few of the atrocities suffered by animals in order to put meat on plates.

In a recent TV programme it was stated that scientists are worried about the speed of changes in our climate. By adopting a meat-reduced or meat-free diet people could not only begin to reduce the environmental destruction already happening, but also enjoy a healthier life, save money, help the most impoverished people on earth and save millions of animals from a life of pain and misery.

Elizabeth Allison, Aylestone.