Is Eating Meat Sustainable?
By Malia Noll
Many of us grew up having never thought twice about the consequences of our meat consumption. We simply ate what our parents prepared and didn’t bat an eye, because no one knew better. But just as scientific research around health and diet evolves over the years (remember the no-fat-’90s?), information about our eating habits and their environmental effects have changed, too.
In this article, we explore how the meat industry is affecting the environment, and we even offer our tips and alternatives for making small lifestyle tweaks, because we’re all about imperfect progress! Our goal is not to convince you to stop consuming animal products, nor do we believe that there is one single solution to this issue. We’re simply hoping to educate our community and provide them with resources and facts to make informed decisions.
Keep reading for a review of the meat industry as it pertains to the environment, plus a list of tips and brands that have helped us transition some of our lifestyle choices.
Meat + The Environment
Meat production contributes to the degradation of our environment in three major ways: carbon emissions, deforestation and water consumption. Let’s break it down.
CARBON EMISSIONS
The meat and dairy industry accounts for 14.5% of the world’s man-made greenhouse gas emissions1, the vast majority of which comes from beef. Cows, due to size and anatomy of digestion, take much longer to reach maturity, require more feed and land to raise, and produce methane as a byproduct of ruminant (a four-compartment stomach) digestion.
Methane is about 34% more destructive to the environment than CO21, which is an alarming statistic considering the size of the beef industry! Other commonly consumed mammals that produce methane as a byproduct of digestion include sheep, goats and buffalo.
Image Source: Carbon Brief
It’s not all bad news, though. From an air-quality perspective, simply cutting out or reducing your consumption of beef and dairy will have the most beneficial effects on the environment. It may be wise to consider pork or poultry as a beef-alternative that has less of an environmental footprint.
DEFORESTATION + HABITAT DESTRUCTION
Animals raised for food have to live somewhere, and with the world’s demand for meat at an all time high2, farmers continue to increase their land needs for livestock, with the beef and dairy industry again coming in first place for the most destructive. But deforestation extends beyond just the land where livestock live. Hundreds of thousands of square miles of rainforest have been replaced with farms where grains and other feed crops are being grown to feed livestock! And as you likely know, degrading forests release large stores of carbon into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change.
WATER CONSUMPTION
Farming animals uses considerably more water than growing crops for human consumption, not because meat farmers need to provide drinking water for animals (which accounts for only 1.1% of the meat industry’s total water consumption), but because water is needed to grow feed crops for the animals. And as you can probably guess, feed to grow beef and cattle for dairy account for just over 50% of the total water consumption of the meat industry.
Image Source: Water Footprint Network
With some of the bigger-picture statistics behind us, we must now decide: what can we do? For many, following a vegan or vegetarian diet is the best way to make a difference in the issue at hand. But not all of us are ready to go cold-turkey on meat forever. Fortunately, there are many solutions that do make a difference, and as individuals we must decide what works best for us on this new journey.
Rethinking your meat consumption? Keep reading for realistic ways you can make a difference.
Image Source: Beyond Meat
BEYOND MEAT
Plant-based meat alternatives for your favorite traditional dishes
Beyond Meat has proven that the culture and tradition around some of our favorite dishes can remain, without the negative effects of the meat industry on our minds. We love Beyond Meat products as a delicious replacement for beef dishes, or a crowd-pleasing meal at the next family cookout.
Where To Find:
Visit the company’s locator tool to find a retailer near you!
VEGAN BOWLS COOKBOOK
Discover delicious, plant-based recipes to add to your cooking rotation
Learning vegan dishes is not only a fun way to expand your cooking skills and knowledge, but is also a great way to pack more plants and nutrients into your diet. Our team is a huge fan of this book—the recipes are approachable and delicious, and it’ll look stylish displayed in your kitchen, too.
Shop:
Vegan Bowls Cookbook, $29.95
SHOP LOCAL
Support local farmers and butchers whenever possible
Head to a few butcher shops in your area and chat with them to learn about their businesses. You’re bound to find a butcher near you that sources from farmers who care more about quality and ethics than production volume and profits. We especially look for grass-fed beef, pasture raised chickens, and organic farming practices.
GROCERY-STORE ETIQUETTE
Keep these things in mind the next time you wander down the grocery aisle
When picking up meat at the grocery store, opt for items behind the counter whenever possible. The attendant will usually wrap your selection in paper and give you the exact amount you need, which helps mitigate waste from purchasing too much. Plus, choosing paper-wrapped meat allows you to pass on the pre-packaged, plastic-wrapped alternatives sitting on the shelves.
CONSIDER SIMPLE SWAPS
Easy alternatives for where you’d normally eat meat
Flex your creativity and think outside the box when planning dishes that traditionally require meat. Here are a few of our suggestions:
Substitute beans or jackfruit when making tacos, enchiladas or burritos.
Use tofu or white beans in soups or Asian-inspired dishes.
Add lentil or chickpea-based noodles in pasta dishes for an added protein punch.
Rethink burgers with blackbean or portobello patties.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Malia Noll is a former public accountant turned self-employed copywriter who works with small businesses to build genuine connections to customers through strategic writing. Malia is based in Columbus, Ohio and specializes in promotional writing, email marketing and editing.
