12. Climate-conscious eating
I will reduce my food’s carbon footprint by cutting consumption of beef and lamb; and, especially if I am already doing this, I will make one other climate positive dietary change.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
Everything we put into our mouth has a carbon emission history. Some foods --- like beef and lamb – have a massive carbon footprint. Take a look at this very important and informative chart.
For a multitude of reasons, “Beef is widely recognized as the most climate-damaging of all foods.” An Oxford University study concluded that to help avoid catastrophic climate change, the US and UK need to reduce beef production by 90%, and make other changes to our diets and agricultural practices. Lamb is recognized as the second most damaging food to our climate.
Other foods also have a significant carbon footprint, including: cheese, chocolate, coffee, farmed prawns, palm oil and pig meat, but much less than beef.
We can make a difference by what we eat.
TAKING ACTION!
Adopt one or more of these strategies:
Very simply, stop eating factory farmed beef and lamb. Eliminating this type of red meat from your diet is not only good for our climate, it is also good for your health.
Alternatively, substantially reduce the amount of beef and lamb that you eat or purchase sustainable options from your local farmer’s market.
Take at least one additional step in reducing your food carbon footprint by reducing your consumption of cheese, chocolate, coffee, farmed shrimp, palm oil, dairy products and/or pork.
Also, help reduce the transportation portion of a food’s greenhouse gas emissions by buying locally grown fruits, vegetables, nuts, honey, eggs and more. What’s more, the food is generally fresher, tastier and helps our local economy.
ADDITIONAL MOTIVATION THOUGHTS
Red meat really can be bad for our health. As a Harvard School of Public Health study found: “Red meat: in addition to raising the risk for colorectal cancer and other health problems, can actually shorten your life…. each additional daily serving of red meat increased risk of death by 13%.” According to the study, substituting fish, legumes, poultry, whole grains and nuts actually reduces mortality risks.
Approximately 50% of the Earth’s habitable land is devoted to food production. Of that “nearly 80 percent is for grazing livestock,” often after extensive deforestation. This excellent video explains why beef has such a massive carbon footprint, and the importance of making informed food consumption choices.
Annually, livestock accounts for 14.5% of the world’s greenhouse gases each year (about the same amount as from cars, truck, airplanes and ships combined.)
According to ATTRA, US produce “travels, on average, 1300 – 2000 miles from farm to consumer.” Local is better.
Listen to this recent How to Save a Planet podcast called “What’s the Beef with Beef?”
