Macca mulls meat-free Mondays

Sir Paul McCartney has called on Britons to adopt "meat-free Mondays" to cut carbon emissions.

The former Beatle said cutting out meat one day a week was popular in Australia, where shoppers had become conscious of the environmental impact of cattle rearing and meat production.

In an interview with trade magazine The Grocer, Sir Paul called on UK consumers to cut down on meat consumption even if they could not give it up altogether.

He said: "A lot of people go to the gym on a Monday. With meat-free Mondays, it's a bit like going to the gym but with the added advantage of protecting the planet."

Sir Paul, a long-term vegetarian, said he was encouraged by the example set by the UN on the issue.

"One of the most significant conclusions of the recent report on climate change was that we should eat less meat. This is not the Vegetarian Society that said that. It's the UN."

Sir Paul is the latest celebrity to appear in a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) advertising campaign promoting vegetarianism.

Along with stars including Alicia Silverstone, Casey Affleck, and Forest Whitaker, the recent divorcee wears an "Eat no animal" T-shirt for the campaign.

© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.