“It is one of the two or three largest contributors to the most serious environmental problems, on all scales, from local to global.” This was concluded by a United Nations report in 2006 when evaluating meat consumption worldwide.
In North America, we love our meat, whether it’s a leisurely summer barbecue or a regular steak-and-potatoes meal. But if you’re looking for a high-impact green living idea, you should consider eating less meat, as it can have a bigger impact on your carbon footprint (for good!) than switching from a gas-guzzling car to a hybrid car. .
As the greatest environmental threat of our time, climate change is something we cannot ignore, and your eating habits have an impact on this problem that is unrivaled by almost all other sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
Climate change, as you have probably heard, is a serious environmental problem with many repercussions, and humans are the ones causing the problem. If we don’t slow climate change, we could face devastating consequences:
- Air pollution, warmer-than-average weather, and extreme weather events will negatively affect human health and could accelerate the spread of vector-borne diseases.
- An increase in droughts, floods and severe storms will lead to crop failures and shortages of fresh water supplies.
- Glaciers will melt faster, causing sea level rise leading to land loss and the displacement of millions of people.
- Temperatures will rise faster than plants and animals can adapt, driving many species to extinction.
Those are the worst possible scenarios, but they are real, and your diet may be part of the problem.
How eating less meat will curb climate change
Of all the green living changes you could make in your life, eating less meat (and dairy) may be the most bang for your buck: It’s more effective than buying groceries locally, eating organic food, or driving a hybrid car. But why is this? Let me explain:
- Deforestation: The raising of animals for meat results in the leveling of large areas of forest throughout the world. It is estimated that 55 acres of rainforest are required to produce a meal made up of meat protein (John Robbins, author of The Food Revolution). Trees are a major carbon sink (not to mention their many other environmental benefits), so cutting them down reduces the planet’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide.
- Agricultural greenhouse gas emissions: Eighty percent of all grain products grown in the US are used to feed livestock. Conventional farming methods involve large doses of petroleum-based chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides), as well as the operation of heavy machinery that burns a proportionately large amount of fuel and emits a large amount of carbon dioxide.
- Enteric fermentation: As ruminant animals (cows, sheep, goats, and buffalo) naturally digest their food, they produce a potent greenhouse gas: methane, which is 20 times more effective at trapping heat in our atmosphere than carbon dioxide. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, eating meat is responsible for 37% of methane, 9% of all carbon dioxide, and 65% of nitrous oxide, all of which are greenhouse gases.
Of course, we like hybrid cars and organic foods and happily encourage them. But a cheaper and more effective way to live a green lifestyle and reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to simply eliminate meat from your diet at least one day a week. This would be like driving your car 1,000 fewer miles each year. And remember: organic food recipes are not only vegetarian [http://www.organicauthority.com/organic-food-recipes/vegtables-side-dishes/] Creative and delicious, they’re also healthier than meat-based meals!