If you can’t access it largely says you don’t have to become vegan to reduce your footprint. Reduce beef and dairy if you can. Pork and chicken are relatively low in affect. Seafood reasonable too but our fisheries are pretty maxed out so we really can’t produce or handle a big increase in fish consumption.
Organic can be better - but can also have a bigger footprint on climate change.
Also, part two of this post - take this quiz (with a grain of salt) to see how your diet effects global warming.
Foods such as nut milks (esp. almond) and avocados, require huge amounts of water to produce. Reducing, or eliminating consumption of those two items alone, can have significant impact on one’s personal footprint.
We’ve been trying to only cook meat (including poultry and fish) on weekends. We belong to a CSA and shop at the local farmer’s market as well. I come out as “medium low” on that quiz.
We’re cautious. But one place I love, they converted a lovely, long in place herd of dairy cattle to beef, based on land usage, water pollution, etc. It’s not the same looking at beef.
Agree with @TatinG. It’s also a big factor in, say, getting those recyclable bottles out to the bottler then out to you. Studies can be found.
I’m unable to view either of those links. One shows an error, and the other is behind a paywall. However, I read an article recently that said the number one thing you can do to cut carbon emissions is to reduce food waste. Not to become vegetarian or avoid foods A, B, and C, but to reduce food waste.
One thing I’ve been trying to do is recycle my plastic products appropriately, and it sure isn’t easy. So much conflicting information out there. Many grocery stores are on the lists for plastic bag recycling points, yet when you show up, maybe not. Oh, we don’t do that at this store anymore. Or we only collect grocery bags. Etc, etc. Why does this have to be so complicated? And all these Amazon package with “store drop off” labels…what stores? Can’t find anyone that actually takes them. It’s like these places are just doing lip service to collections, and nobody actually knows or cares about doing it correctly.
Food waste. My biggest beef with food! People digging for the perfect piece of produce damaging many pieces on the way. Folks, it is OK to eat apples etc. that lack symmetry. A crooked cucumber is just as good as a straight one.
I like the concept of selling misfit produce but I wonder if these services which ship things are really better for our planet given the shipping impact. Seems counterproductive. What am I missing?
I just wonder if they are just trying to cater to the people who are going to buy packaged meals/food anyway (???) Like, “if you’re going to buy stuff to ship to your front porch, how about giving some love to imperfect food?”
Did not mean to derail this thread towards ugly produce and the like! I meant there is a lot of produce wasted when customers pick through the displays at the store to find just the perfect piece. And then at home… Lettuce looks a little wilted? Just wash it and eat it. It is not radioactive! Avocado cut in half got a little brown? Come on, it does not look perfect, but it is not going to kill you. Eat it. You will be fine. And so on.
Global warming is certainly important, but I don’t know that I see eating more poultry and pork as necessarily a better option than beef and dairy. Any type of concentrated animal farming is going to have an adverse impact on the environment - greenhouse gas or contamination of soil and water. Given the changes in pork processing and inspection recently implemented I am even less likely to eat it now. Pick your poison?
I personally don’t see a vegetarian/ vegan lifestyle as being difficult. It is much easier now than it was years ago. Even when dining out there are so many options. Just read an article that Disney is getting on the vegan train.
This summer we had a meat free picnic - Impossible burgers and Beyond meat sausage were on the menu - all of the meat eaters were impressed.
Just a reminder that the targeted article (correct link in post # 7) is not saying vegetarian/vegan lifestyle is the answer. Cheese in fact can be a big culprit. Organic foods as well.
It also doesn’t suggest not eating beef. It does suggest reducing your beef/dairy intake. To be aware of the footprint different products leave.
I guess the real message is to mix it up. Be aware. Think. Local products sure helps!
