Global temperatures have been steadily increasing over the years, resulting in many heat waves, floods, and hurricanes. New research shows that the Earth is now trapping almost double the amount of heat as it did in 2005.
According to researchers at the University of Oxford, eating a vegan diet could be the “single best way” to reduce human environmental impact on Earth. The study notes that meat and dairy production accounts for 60% of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions. The study also revealed that eliminating meat and dairy products from your diet could reduce your carbon footprint from food by up to 73%. On a global scale, this would decrease farmland use by 75%. Which equates to the size of the U.S., China, Australia, and the European Union (EU) combined.
The lead author of the study, Joseph Poore said steering clear of consuming animal products has significant environmental benefits as opposed to purchasing sustainable meat and dairy. This is because even sustainable production methods like freshwater fish farming and grass-fed beef can negatively affect the environment. Poore explained that converting grass into meat is equivalent to converting coal to energy. Both lead to increased costs in emissions.
Poore further said that adopting a vegan diet is more environmentally beneficial than “cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car,” since these methods only target the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. However, being a vegan not only reduces greenhouse gases, but also global acidification, eutrophication, land use, and water use. Sounds great, doesn’t it?
However, not all vegan products have a small ecological footprint. Let’s take, for example, alternative milk. This includes rice, soy, oat, and almond milk. The land usage for these alternative milk options is substantially lower than dairy milk. But, a single glass of almond milk requires 74 litres of water. While rice milk needs 54 litres of water per glass. Although these numbers are low when compared to water usage for dairy milk, they are much higher than soy and oat milk.
Another example of a not-so-eco-friendly food is avocado. Did you know that it takes 2,000 litres of water to produce just one kilo of avocados? According to BBC Good Food, one way to buy avocados sustainably is to choose from certified schemes such as Fairtrade of Equal Exchange. But, if you’re looking for the nutrients from avocados, then some replacements include broccoli, sunflower seeds, kidney beans, and more.
Moreover, soy is known to be the second-largest cause of deforestation worldwide, right after beef. Similarly, palm oil can be found in approximately half of all grocery store products. It’s a common ingredient in vegan alternatives like non-dairy ice creams and cheeses.
If you’re planning on starting a vegan diet, it’s important to know which plant-based foods positively impact the Earth to ensure you are doing everything you can to save our planet. Make sure to do your research before starting your vegan journey!
