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How does your diet impact the environment?
Trying to get in the recommended daily servings of fruits and veggies can be a tough task. Fresh produce can go bad quickly or be expensive (compared to junk food), and many people just think produce doesn’t taste good! But eating a diet heavy in fruits and vegetables is good for both you and the planet.
According to Vegetarian Times, only 3.2% of Americans are vegetarian. For the other 96.8% of America, beef, chicken, and pork play a large part in their diet. Because of this demand meat production has grown... and that production is becoming increasingly inefficient. Approximately 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water are used to create a single pound of beef!
In contrast, how much water is used to produce a pound of lettuce?
Producing fruits and vegetables uses much less freshwater. An average pound of lettuce requires just 23 gallons of water to produce.
Why is beef production harmful to our water supply?
Most estimates claim that between 1,800 and 2,500 gallons of water go into producing each pound of beef. Beef production includes everything from providing water to the cattle to watering fields to produce grain for the cattle to eat. According to The Sierra Club, that same amount of water “could produce 16 pounds of broccoli, 25 pounds of potatoes, enough soybeans for three pounds of tofu or enough wheat for nearly five pounds of whole wheat bread.”
Simply raising the large amount of cattle needed to fill people’s high-meat diets is impacting our environment. In the United States, approximately 260 million acres of land that were once forests are now grazed by cattle. Worldwide, livestock rearing is responsible for nearly 20% of all greenhouse gases.
Not only does producing beef use a lot of water, but it also has the potential to contaminate our waterways. According to the Government Accountability Office, an estimated 1.6 million tons of animal waste is created in the U.S. alone. What do farmers do with that waste?
Most animal waste on farms is stored and used for fertilizer on crops or as manure. Waste that isn’t re-used often finds its way into our water systems by getting washed away by rain or being absorbed into the soil. However, “the soil and water cannot absorb the manure in an efficient manner, leading to soil accumulation and runoff of phosphorus, nitrogen, and other related toxins, which threatens drinking water as well as aquatic ecosystems” (Center for a New American Dream).
What are some benefits to reducing the amount of beef in my diet?
- If large numbers of people were to cut meat out of their diet one or a few days a week, the long-term impact could eventually lead to a cut in costs to combat climate change by nearly 50% over the next few decades.
- Fewer trucks and vehicles would need to travel long distances to deliver meat to grocery stores significantly reducing your food’s carbon footprint.
- Introducing more fresh foods into your diet will be better for the environment and your waistline!
Want to go one step further? Don’t throw out your scraps! Instead, compost your scraps to create natural free, natural, and nutrient-rich soil great for starting a veggie garden in the backyard!
How can I reduce my meat consumption?
Replacing meat in a few dishes a week can significantly decrease your, and your food’s, carbon footprint. Substitutions are easy to do if you plan your meals out ahead of time. In many meals, simply replacing your meat with eggplant or soy-based tofu does the trick!
If you’re not familiar with a variety of fresh produce, consider joining a CSA (community supported agriculture)! Each week, fresh produce will be delivered to your door introducing you and your family to a variety of new, and local, foods. Find a CSA in your community!
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