Eating meat, especially beef, has a huge negative impact on the environment and your diet's carbon footprint. There are two main reasons why:
- Production of meat is unsustainable:
Feeding the world's livestock entails growing a lot of food and using up a LOT of land. Instead, we could be using this food and land to feed humans. If we were to cut livestock out of the equation then we could bring a stop to deforestation and biodiversity loss.
- Methane
Did you know that methane is 25 times as potent as CO2? Livestock such as cows and sheep are by far the highest producers of methane as their digestive systems produce methane as a byproduct.
So, how do different foods compare to each other in terms of CO2 emissions?
MINDFUL MEALS
Cutting meat and dairy out of your diet can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 75%. Nevertheless, going cold turkey and becoming vegan in one day is unlikely to lead to a long-term change.
It is important to give this transition from meat products to plant-based products time, as it will take a while for your taste buds to change. That is why we suggest trying meatless meals 1-3 times a week at the start and gradually incorporating more and more plant-based foods into your diet.
Start Tracking your Diets Carbon Footprint with Palau App
Palau App can help keep track of your overall food shop emissions.
Just go to the History Page and you can see your average daily score, weekly score, monthly score and yearly scores. Each week you can work to increase your percentage to reduce your diet's overall impact.
Eat Seasonably
Eating fruits and vegetables in season is a great way to reduce your environmental impact and live more sustainably.
Growing fruit and veg in season requires lower artificial inputs such as lights, heating, pesticides, and fertilisers. Seasonal food is also less likely to have travelled as far as non-seasonal food and less likely to be wrapped in packaging.
Seasonal Fruits and vegetables In Northern Europe:
January through to February (winter) – Apples, Brussel Sprouts, Mushrooms, Onions, and Turnips.
March through to May (Spring) -asparagus, new potatoes, rhubarb, salad leaves, basil, kale, and beans.
June through to August (Summer) – Aubergine, Blackcurrants, Blueberries, Cauliflower, Chicory, Strawberries, Summer Squash, and Beetroot.
September through to October (Autumn) – Figs, Custard Apples, Cabbage, Cauliflower, and Spinach.
November through to December (Winter) – Swede, Turnip, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, and Rhubarb
WHAT’S UP
THRIFTERS?
We’re building a community for like-minded people making the effort to consume products in a conscious way that reduces waste and helps save the planet.
We’re a community of thrifters.
