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Experts offer way to lose weight, save planet Walking more would reduce greenhouse gases
BY SETH BORENSTEIN The Associated Press

   WASHINGTON — America’s obesity epidemic and global warming might not seem to have much in common. But public health experts suggest people can attack them both by cutting calories and carbon dioxide at the same time.
   How? Get out of your car and walk or bike half an hour a day instead of driving. And while you’re at it, eat less red meat. That’s how Americans can simultaneously save the planet and their health, say doctors and climate scientists.
   The payoffs are huge, although unlikely to happen. One numbers-crunching scientist calculates that if all Americans between 10 and 74 walked just half an hour a day instead of driving, they would cut the annual U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas, by 64 million tons.
   About 6.5 billion gallons of gasoline would be saved. And Americans would also shed more than 3 billion pounds overall, according to these calculations.
   The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering public promotion of the “co-benefi ts” of fighting global warming and obesity-related illnesses through everyday exercise, like walking to school or work, said Dr. Howard Frumkin, director of the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health.
   “A simple intervention like walking to school is a climate change intervention, an obesity intervention, a diabetes intervention, a safety intervention,” Frumkin told The Associated Press. “That’s the sweet spot.”
   Climate change is a deadly and worsening public health issue, said Frumkin and other experts. The World Health Organization estimated that 160,000 people died in 2000 from malaria, diarrhea, malnutrition and drownings from floods — problems that public health and climate scientists contend were worsened by global warming. Offi - cials predict that in the future those numbers will be higher.
   The American Public Health Association, which will highlight the health problems of global warming in April, is seeking to connect obesity and climate change solutions, said executive director Dr. Georges Benjamin.
   “This may present the greatest public health opportunity that we’ve had in a century,” said University of Wisconsin health sciences professor Dr. Jonathan Patz, president of the International Association for Ecology and Health.
   The key is getting people out of the car, Patz and Frumkin told the public health association at its annual convention. Reducing car travel in favor of biking or walking would not only cut obesity and greenhouse gases, they said, it would also mean less smog, fewer deaths from car crashes, less osteoporosis, and even less depression since exercise helps beat the blues.

When I was in school we were taught that the trees and plants took in CO2 and gave off oxygen as a by product. Why have none of the green weenies blamed any of the global warming on countries who clear cut the rain forests and burn the brush creating smoke and air pollution that can be seen from space. It's always the big bad car driving USA that gets blamed for everything that happens in this world.

Don't drive to the store to buy Red Meat?

I hope the tree huggers start to do this.  You know why?  Well, if they demand less gas to go and demand less meat, that would mean a reduction in prices for both of these, therefore, I could not only afford more gas, but I could also afford more meat at the market, especially when it's time to sell or throw out.  I'll take it home and throw it in my freezer at the reduced price and have it to enjoy for a long time.

"What are you doing to stop the cows from emitting gasses?" "I'm trying to eat the cows, but I'm only one person."

This whole thing is just rediculous!

dont drive to the store to buy 'red meat' is a good suggestion.....

1. meat is not red like in the store, when freshly killed
2. it takes alot of calories burned to drag/dress and bring home the bacon
3. it's more appreciated when your own 2hands do it(kind of like paying for your own college-not mom and dad)

this can also be applied to obtaining fruits and vegetables--although the color thing might be different according to the bruise on the produce.....