Have you ever thought that the food you eat not only influences your health, but also affects the climate? About 25% of climate change today is fuelled by agriculture and factory farming.
140 countries, 140 diets, 140 different ways each contributes to climate change.
How Is The Food On Our Plate Affecting The Climate?
Most of us are fond of eating meat. According to recent studies, the global meat consumption has grown by 20% over the last 10 years. This comes with a drastic cost to our planet.
Beef cattle raised on deforested land is responsible for providing 12 times more greenhouse gas emission — beef production requires 28 times more land, six times more fertilisers and 11 times more water. The by-product of cow digestion is methane and accounts for the majority of greenhouse gas emission. Peter Steven from Compassion in World Farming said, “A reduction in meat consumption is essential if we are to meet climate change.”
Now, the question is: Does this mean one needs to stop eating meat? And what should one eat then?
No. Just a shift in our diet from meat to vegan products or consuming an alternative of beef or lamb is enough to solve the problem. If we collectively adopt a more plant-based diet, we can reduce the equivalent of up to eight gigatonnes of carbon dioxide per year. It is simpler to grow crops and eat them, rather than grow crops, feed it to animals who then build up muscle mass and then eat those animals.
Here are some ways to help you change your diet.
Go flexitarian
The flexitarian diet is a semi-vegetarian diet where vegetables, fruits, grains and pulse form the main portion of your meal.
Adopt a Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest ways to reduce meat consumption. It is a plant-based diet, filled with whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and pulses with just a small amount of fish.
Shift to less impactful meat
Eating more chicken and fish and reducing beef and lamb in your diet is an easy way to eat more sustainably and improve your health. Wild fish are said to have a small climate footprint. One recent analysis found that several popular wild fish such as sardines, herring, cod and haddock have a smaller carbon footprints than chicken. On the other hand, wild shrimp and lobsters can have a larger impact than pork.
It’s not only meat or lamb that affect climate change. even dairy products such as cheese can have significantly bigger footprints. Almonds, oat and soymilk have a smaller greenhouse gas footprint than cow milk.
Let’s fight climate change with a diet change. Commit today to eliminate meat from your diet for at least one or two days per week.
About the Author: A bookaholic, Malika Kapoor is pursuing graduation in zoology. They know how to hold the beauty of nature, capture it and transform that magnificence of life’s canvas into words.