The Key To Survival May Lie on Your Plate
Dietary dilemmas in midst of climate crisis.
Going veggie is all the rage right now. From Beyoncé’s vegan cleanse to “meatless meat” products that could fool even the most demanding carnivores: being cruelty-free is no longer just a hippie trend. With the recent findings on climate change, even scientists can back up the many benefits of plant-based diets — not just to our health, but more importantly, to our environment. Our dietary choices may soon become more of a social responsibility than a personal preference — but can we really make a difference in the back of our kitchens?
The message of the UN commissioned report is clear: we need drastic changes in global land use, agriculture and consumption, and we need them fast. If we fail to curb our greenhouse gas emissions, the entire world’s carbon budget will be reached by 2050, with livestock being one of the major contributors. Keeping all our carbon emissions at zero would of course be impossible, but the conclusion stands: our dietary changes are essential to combat global warming.
The problem is not just the methane that escapes in the burps of cows: it’s also the inefficiency of large scale farming that is driving gas emissions through the roof. Think of the constant deforestation to make room for our increasing demand for meat, the use of fertilizers as well as the mass extinction of animals that cause significant pollution to streams, rivers and most importantly, the ocean.
Let’s skip the meat.
If going fully vegan is too much of a commitment for you, do not despair. According to many researchers, even just reducing our meat consumption to sensible amounts can be hugely beneficial to the environment. Think of the recent social initiatives like “Meatless Mondays” that challenge you to try vegetarian dishes and give up meat for just one day in a week. If we all do our part, we could potentially free up several million square kilometers of land and reduce global CO2 emissions by up to eight billion tonnes per year. Some of that land could be used towards growing efficient food solutions, such as high-protein lentils, or it could be turned into much needed forests which help with carbon dioxide absorption. Both would be crucial in trying to feed our rising population and mitigate the effects of climate change at the same time.
With so much to gain — and so much to lose if we don’t act — eating less meat seems like a realistic culinary adjustment that we could all implement pretty much immediately with very little effort.
Did you know? Cutting out just one hamburger per week from a diet of an average American would be like removing ten million cars off the road for a year.
Beyond the impossible sausage.
The anti-meat messaging leaves a lot of room for discussion, though. While meat alternatives like the Impossible Burger or Beyond Burger can be helpful in curbing our appetite for that steak and aid in our transition towards a vegetarian diet, we should stay wary of green-washing and keep in mind that these products are really just another form of mass produced junk food with questionable nutritional values. Critics also point out that if we want this mass dietary shift to be sustainable on a large scale, we have to take into account a number of issues like food waste, under-nutrition, poverty, and different economic development stages around the world.
In other words, the switch towards plant-based foods may be a great solution indeed, but only if you’re privileged enough to live in a first world country. Moreover, ethical agriculture advocates warn that giving up meat altogether would actually diminish the role of animals in the ecosystem. Practices such as regenerative ranching offer some insight into what sustainable farming is like: animals are grazed using methods that stimulate plant growth, increase biodiversity, improve the water cycle and store carbon.
Food for thought.
While it is clear that there is no perfect, one-size-fits-all solution, one thing is for sure: we desperately need a change. Whether you opt for veganism, remain flexitarian — which is a new fancy term for eating a bit of everything in moderation — or decide to source your meat from sustainable farms; there is room for everyone to participate in their own way. In our very divisive times, it is important to remember that creating change isn’t about abstaining from every single thing we feel is doing harm — or doing nothing at all. It’s about taking action in whatever way we can, and the fact that we don’t have enough viable choices and alternatives in the first place.
Can you save the planet with the contents of your plate? Probably not, but it’s a good place to start.
