Photo | Brooke Larke on Unsplash
You don’t have to go completely vegan… only a little bit
Around the end of August, news broke that the Amazon rainforest was burning. This caused international concern from political figures, environmental activists, and people from all walks of life. The fires were alarming because the Amazon rainforest is crucial in mitigating climate change. The Amazon absorbs much of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but from the burning, carbon dioxide was being released, contributing more to climate change. This wasn’t just a case of wildfires. I think it is more accurate to say the Amazon rainforest was—and is still—being burned. It was a deliberate action by the Brazilian government to cut down trees for agriculture, livestock, and other land development. On Twitter, the hashtag #PrayForAmazonia went viral, and the burning also sparked a conversation on livestock farming. The fact is, Brazil is the world’s largest exporter of beef, providing about 20 percent of global beef exports.
Herein lies the problem: we are burning the most important forest in the fight against climate change for steak. And I say “we” because while we might not be directly burning the rainforest, by partaking in the meat industry as consumers, we are part of the underlying cause of the burning of the Amazon.
So, what do we do? You’ve heard all the sermons by environmentalists and vegan enthusiasts heralding the importance of going meatless for health reasons, ethical reasons, and environmental reasons. But if you’re a human being who’s ever had an existential crisis, you’ve probably felt insignificant as an individual in this massive planet of 7.7 billion people when it comes to making any lasting impact—whether that be socially, culturally, or environmentally, but how would one person not eating meat make any impact in the grand scheme of things? Well, I’m here to change your mind, or at least make you conscious about your food choices.
There are a lot of statistics on animal agriculture and it’s hard to decipher which ones are accurate. However, it is widely accepted that livestock farming is responsible for 18 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a 2006 report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) entitled, “Livestock’s Long Shadow.” A more recent 2016 report from the FAO shows a decrease in this number, suggesting that livestock farming accounts for only 14.5% of global greenhouse gases. However, that number actually increases to 51% in a research report by Robert Goodland and Jeff Anhang from the WorldWatch Institute, in which they suggest that the FAO report does not account for respiration of livestock and land use, among other factors.
If I were to ask you which sector, transportation or livestock farming, emits more greenhouse gases, what would your answer be? We’ve been taught to believe our cars are the main cause of global warming and the melting of glaciers. But the total global greenhouse gas emissions by transportation was only 14% in 2016. Regardless of which stat you agree with, the research has shown that animal agriculture makes up a significant amount of global greenhouse gas emissions, equal to or even more than that of transportation. More importantly, the methane gas produced by livestock is actually one of the worst greenhouse gases. This is because methane traps 84 times more heat than carbon dioxide.
To throw even more facts at you, raising livestock for consumption uses more resources, such as water and land, than any other non-meat product. In a report by the WorldWatch Institute, almost 70 percent of the earth’s agricultural land is used for animal farming, and another 10 percent is for growing grains to feed livestock. In terms of water usage, the number varies across different types of meat, with beef coming out on top as the most water intensive of all; it requires 15,000 litres of water per kilogram. In comparison, foods like rice require 3,400 litres per kilogram, eggs require 3,300 litres, and potatoes require 255 litres.
This doesn’t mean you have to throw out that steak you have in your freezer right now and completely cut meat out of your diet starting tomorrow (I mean, you could if you’re highly motivated). Everyone has different reasons for not going vegan or vegetarian. Some people just love the taste of meat, so it’s hard to imagine the thought of never eating steak or fried chicken again. For certain cultures, it could be that meat is such a staple in their cuisine that it’s hard to avoid, especially when their family is cooking their meals. It can be daunting to start such a diet, and sometimes even harder to continue. The world isn’t always a vegan-friendly place, so there will be times you accidentally eat meat or something with meat in it. And those failures can be hard to work through.
So, because we are here for sustainable living instead of a short-term fad diet, I’m here to tell you, you can eat that meat… in moderation.
The problem with the livestock industry is that people are eating too much meat. It’s why you hear stories about chickens cooped up in tight pens and fattened up so much they can’t even stand. Animal agriculture is an industry. This industry mass produces large quantities of meat for the billions of people that consume it each day and that number increases as people become wealthier and can afford more meat. The United States is one of the biggest consumers of meat in the world, with an average person eating 315.46 grams per day according to 2013 data from Our World in Data. Some other big consumers are Australia (318.47g), Brazil (267.37g), Argentina (293.84g), China (169.39g), and Spain (257.67g). Canada falls somewhere in the mid-higher spectrum at 248.66 grams per person.
Now, imagine what would happen if every person reduced the total amount of meat they ate and was more selective in the kinds of meat they choose? What kind of impact would that have on reducing greenhouse gas emissions? Vox News collaborated with the University of California in a video series called Climate Lab, and in one video they studied and tracked the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that are produced by certain types of diet. Unsurprisingly, the vegan diet had the least amount of emissions, and the vegetarian diet followed by a small margin. What is surprising though is that in third place was the Mediterranean diet which had almost as small a carbon footprint as the other two. The Mediterranean diet prescribes large quantities of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains; weekly amounts of fish, poultry, and eggs; moderate amounts of dairy; and limited quantities of red meat, maybe once or twice a month. The diet is plant-based rather than meat-based, unlike the typical American diet. What this suggests is that there is hope for people who don’t want to totally give up meat. You can have your meat and save the earth as well.
Saving the earth and eating meat don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Not everyone in this world has to be vegan or vegetarian. Even as just one person, reducing your meat intake can significantly decrease the amount of global greenhouse gas emissions in a year. And remember that every single person who makes this choice is joining a collective. We are not just individuals living alone on this earth. Every little thing can help contribute to a greater good.
So, the next time you’re out at a restaurant or grocery shopping, I hope you think consciously about the food you choose.
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