Animal or Vegetable?

Last week I wrote about food writers and the latest information on what constitutes a healthy diet. This week I explore the environmental side of the diets that we choose.

I am a health advocate, but I am also an environmental advocate and sometimes these beliefs contradict one another. We know that commercial meat and dairy production by way of factory farms is responsible for approximately 14.5 % of total global greenhouse gas emissions, with cows as the biggest offenders due to the large amount of methane released into the atmosphere. (1) Deforestation, large water use, and nitrate runoff are just a few other detrimental effects. Additionally, the majority of crop production in the United States is now for feeding livestock, not humans. (2) In other words, meat production is an environmental nightmare. It is a major reason why many people become vegetarian or vegan.

Plant-based foods are not innocent in the whole environmental debate either. Most modern day farming causes significant soil degradation with toxic chemicals and destroys natural habitats. There is phosphate and nitrate run-off into our waterways. The vegetables and fruits that we consume, especially when out of season, must be shipped to the consumer, often halfway across the world. And the water and land use is significant.

So which is better for the environment? Animal or vegetable? Eating vegan is the single biggest way that you can reduce your impact on the planet, including more than cutting back on car and plane trips. (3) Bonus points if your vegan diet is organic.

The Meat Conundrum

But, humans are inherently meant to consume meat. We are omnivores and have been eating meat since the beginning of our species. Meat has allowed our brains to evolve to get bigger and smarter. The difference is that we now get our meat from the store instead of raising it or hunting it ourselves. We feed our livestock grains and antibiotics instead of a natural diet of grasses. We also alter it through a process that makes it more shelf stable like adding nitrates to bacon and sausages and then shrink wrap it in plastic. And the biggest factor of all, we eat much more meat than ever before which supports large “factory farming”.

So what are we to do about this conundrum? First of all, I do think we all need to eat less meat, but I also believe that eating chicken, fish, or unprocessed red meat a few times per week is part of a healthy diet. The minute that environmental advocates shout that we all need to stop eating meat is the same minute when they lose a large part of the audience. It just isn’t realistic for everyone to stop eating all meat.

My Solutions

Is there a happy medium between the factory farm and eating vegan?
Does grass-fed cattle produce less greenhouse gases than grain-fed? In “Grazed and confused?”, the authors try to answer this complicated question.(5) When pastured livestock are raised in a well-managed setting, the grazing soil can sequester a large amount of the carbon produced and offset some of the problems. Most, small farm owners are also opposed to deforestation to create grazing land and avoid using pesticides, antibiotics, and growth hormones. “Well-managed” is the crucial word here, which is why I think it is important to know your farmer. In my opinion, the key is knowing how to find the right source of meat and, yes, to cut back on the amount that you eat.

Since my husband mostly follows the Keto diet for health reasons, our family will not be cutting out meat completely from our diet. Here is my solution to help mitigate our environmental impact:

1. Plan a few meals per week that are vegetarian or vegan
2. When possible, eat responsibly raised meat, including pastured beef and pork from local farmers that you know
3. If you have the land space and inclination, try raising your own meat, dairy, or eggs.

Due to money and time constraints, numbers 2 and 3 are not going to be feasible for everyone. But, I think just about everyone can accomplish number 1.

Over the past year, we have incorporated backyard chickens into our life. It has been much easier than expected and the fresh eggs are awesome! We can also compost the manure to return the nutrients to the soil. I never thought I would be a homesteader, but it has become somewhat of a hobby. Honestly, if I had more land, I would get myself and goat and a cow!

Plant-Based Diet Environmental Solutions

If you do decide to stick to a more plant-based diet, you are doing an awesome thing for the environment! But, just like with meat, it is important to consider where your food is coming from and how it is raised. This is the order in which I approach my grain and produce sourcing:

1. Raise or grow it yourself
2. Seek out local farms (CSA) or farmer’s markets
3. When shopping at the grocery store, consider the source and avoid the product if it has been shipped from a really far distance. Eating seasonally will help avoid this problem.
4. Buy organic, which means that it has been produced without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other artificial agents. This is better for the soil, better for the bees, and better for us.

GLP Challenge

Talk about what you eat with your family and discuss the environmental impacts of our food system. Then, plan 2-3 meals every week that are vegetarian or vegan. My weekly meal plans do include vegetarian fare and often the meat-containing meals can be modified. I can’t promise vegan meals though since this Wisconsin family eats a ton of cheese!

Thank you for reading!

Jennifer 🙒

References:

1. Gerber PJ, Steinfeld H, Henderson B, Mottet A, Opio C, Dijkman J, Falcucci A, Tempio G (2013) Tackling climate change through livestock. A global assessment of emissions and mitigation opportunities. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States, Rome (Book)
2. Stoll-Kleemann S., Schmidt U.J. Reducing meat consumption in developed and transition countries to counter climate change and biodiversity loss: A review of influence factors. Reg. Environ. Chang. 2017;17:1261–1277.
3. J. Poore, T. Nemecek. Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science 360 (6392) 987-992, 01 Jun 2018
4. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/31/avoiding-meat-and-dairy-is-single-biggest-way-to-reduce-your-impact-on-earth
5. https://www.fcrn.org.uk/sites/default/files/project-files/fcrn_gnc_report.pdf