Save Energy, Save the Planet, Lose Weight = Eat Less Meat & Junk Food
by Matthew McDermott, Brooklyn, NY on 07.24.08
photo by flako via flickr
We’ve covered the connection between a high meat, high processed food-based diet and climate change a number of times: Most recently on how meat and dairy production itself creates more carbon emissions than how we ship those products to market. Adding more fuel to this fire is a new report from Cornell University published in Human Ecology.
One-Fifth of U.S. Energy Consumption Goes Into Food Production
The study points out that considering that the average U.S. citizen consumes 3,747 calories per day—1,200 more than is recommended—and that 19% of energy usage in the nation goes into producing and transporting food, Americans in general should cut back on how many calories they consume, both for their own health and that of the planet.
The report points out what many TreeHugger readers probably already know: Animal products and highly-processed foods require more energy to produce than fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
According to the author of the report, David Pimenthal, “By just reducing junk food intake and converting to diets lower in meat, the average American could have a massive impact on fuel consumption as well as improving his or her health.”
Vegetarian Diet Most Energy Efficient
The original article in Live Science goes on the cite some more connections between eliminating or reducing meat consumption in your diet: According to study done in 2006 at the University of Chicago a vegetarian or vegan diet is the most energy efficient, followed by one that includes poultry. Diets including large portions of red meat (and presumably ‘the other white meat’, pork) and fish are the least energy efficient.
Report authors Gidon Eshel and Pamela Martin:
The average American diet requires the production of an extra ton and a half of carbon dioxide-equivalent, in the form of actual carbon dioxide as well as methane and other greenhouse gases, compared to a strictly vegetarian diet. Cutting down on just a few eggs or hamburgers each week is an easy way to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.
via :: Live Science
Food, Energy, Climate Change
Study Finds Meat and Dairy Create More Emissions Than Miles
Eat Less Meat, Save Planet Says British Official
Less Meat = Less Heat
This is, of course, assuming you shop at a big box grocer. Eating locally sustainable foods of any kind throws this data down the toilet. It's like saying wear less cotton, when all cotton is not farmed/processed the same way. A strict diet of tropical fruit is not less energy intesive than a side of beef, if you live in Texas.
Hold on, 19% of energy consumption, yet only 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide per person from food consumption? That 1.5 tons should include emissions from livestock (especially methane), too. Yet the average American is responsible for
Being vegan makes me happy every day, this news just add to it :D
So, is the average American diet in the last quote the projected average of 3,000 some odd calories per day? And where does this number come from?
While I think this article is directed purposefully to the Treehugger audience, how will this kind of information impact consumers outside of the ecologically conscious?
I suggest making policy suggestions for other ways to reduce the carbon tonnage of the typical American diet, which, while it may not include packaged pre-processed foods forever, it will likely have some form of meat product (probably red meat) in it for many generations to come.
Thanks for posting on this topic. It is one of those sensitive topics that most people do not want to hear about. The last thing they want to do is become a vegetarian or vegan and they do not want to hear all the reasons why they should.
You would think that the message would be out there already and be promoted by the major enviro groups but they are scared of the topic because it will alienate members and potential members.
Keep up the good work.
Anthony, where is rest of your post?
i agree with all of you for the fact that we need to do certian things to save this earth but...if you want people too take this seriously we need to make a bigger impact l ike, go to the schools and express how important things like going green are.If you want people to buy enviorment safe products we need to make them reasonbly priced i mean $51.00 for a thing of recycled copy paper is outragious.....people with lower income cant aford it. we need to think about all of this and make these prices reasonable for people who aren't as wealthly. If these products are reasonably priced more people will buy it.My family happens to be very wealthy but we find it hard to buy all of these products at these outragious prices.If we help cut down these prices we could get more people to do this! please comment back!
-alex
Even eating locally produced meat is wasteful when one considers the amount of feed it takes to produce a single pound of meat (I think the general estimate is 10 pounds feed for 1 pound meat). Obviously a diet high in imported foods is not environmental, but for myself the ideal is local vegetarian foods.
I think 19% of our energy use directed to food is about right. Actually I think food should have the highest percentage of energy use in our country
just as i am not going to find religion, I am not going to become vegetarian so please stop trying to ram it down peoples throats!
I know how good a vegetarian diet is for the planet and I'm trying my best to cut down my meat consumption.
We can all do little things. I don't think it has to be as drastic as going vegetarian but if you can go vegetarian, do it, if not, just try to cut back.
Little things can add up.
Let's keep in mind that the alternative to our high levels of animal produce consumption doesn't have to be vegetarianism or veganism. There's a lot to be gained by cutting back even if you don't go whole hog. It might be helpful to approach this on a meal-by-meal basis - figure for a lunch you're saving 2.5 lb of CO2e emissions, about 130 gallons of water, and 24 square feet of land.
I agree that a vegetarian diet is far less impactful from an environmental standpoint, if you eliminate imported fruits, vegetables grown out of season and the slew of overprocessed tofu "food" on the market, but from a personal health standpoint it is not viable for everyone. Choose less, choose local, and choose not to judge other people for their choices!!
Reducing meat from your diet isn't that difficult, people.
I started out by trying out 30 days without meat... When the 30 days were up, I decided I didn't really miss meat that much (surprised me too.. I was a big bloody-rare-red-meat lover), and will only eat it occasionally... It's been 6 months already, and I only had meat twice since than.
Even if you believe humans should eat meat (like I do), I'll bet you'll agree the current way we "manufacture" it and consume it, is nuts!
So try to reduce some meat from your diet...
It's easier than you think...