Mr. Larry Falkin - US City Leads the Way to Being Veg

The city of Cincinnati, Ohio is becoming the first in the United States to encourage its citizens to eat less meat to decrease the effects of global warming. As part of its new Climate Action Plan, Cincinnati (formerly nicknamed “Pork-opolis”) and its metropolitan area population of 2.1 million decided to focus on decreasing both meat production and consumption as a way to curb climate change.

Mr. Larry Falkin, Director of the Office of Environmental Quality, suggested that residents reduce meat consumption for the greatest effect in reducing greenhouse gases. As a 30-year vegetarian himself, it is his desire to bring awareness to his fellow citizens about the immediate benefits of reducing meat consumption. For his outstanding efforts, on January 5, Golden Year 6 (2009), Mr. Falkin was presented with the Shining World Leadership Award from Supreme Master Ching Hai.

Mr. Falkin gave credit to Mayor Mark Mallory for being one of the many US mayors to have signed the Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement and for implementing a plan to reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. Mayor Mallory also developed the Green Cincinnati Plan, which provides over 80 recommendations for specific changes to reduce the city’s contributions to greenhouse gas emissions.

With both the mayor and City Council supporting the adoption of this climate protection plan, Mr. Falkin believes that the city of Cincinnati is heading in the right direction. As fellow citizens of the great city of Cincinnati, it is our hope that through the implementation of the Green Cincinnati Plan, more and more people will realize the benefits of the animal-free diet and the actions needed to help our city go truly green.